LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2476, 1 June 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the s.s. Makura, which left Suva on Mav 28 for Auckland, is bringing mails from America and United Kingdom via Vancouver. Tho Wellington portion is clue per -Main Trunk express tiiis morning.

The Hon. E. H. Rhodes, Minister in charge of the National Provident I'und, states that the membership .of the fund continues to show a substantial increase. The number of applications f'o>- enrolment received to date has now reached LO.OOO. This number, which is, of course, not the actual membership at the present date, nevertheless indicates very plainly tho excellent results attained through tho present policy of lecturing and encouraging workers to join. The amount to the credit of the fund is now approaching £60,000, while during tho twelve mouths ending December 31 last. maternity benefits amounting to £1644 were paid through the fund to contributors. The Minister points out tnat tho successful establishment _ of the fund and the rapidly-increasing membership are, from a thrift point of view, vcrv satisfactory indeed, particularly as the scheme is on a voluntary basis, and is still in tho most difficult stage of existence, viz., the first five years waiting period, at the end of which important benefits, such as for incapacity, widows and children, commence to be claimable. On Thursday, June 3 (King's Birthday), the Postal Department will bo closed hi all its branches. Mails tor dispatch by steamers will close at o o'clock on the previous evening, and the only dispatches of correspondence by trains w.ill close on June 3 as follow. For the Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Raugitikei, Wanganui, and Taranaki districts at 6.30 a.m., and for Auckland and Auckland district at 8 a.m. Tho city and suburbs receivers will not be cleared during the day, out the midnight clearances will be made as usual. There will not be an.y deliveries bv letter-carriers on King s Birthday. but on Wednesday, June 2, tho carriers' department (entrance upstairs from .Featherston Street) will be open for the- delivery of correspondence addressed to streets in tho city and suburbs from 8 to 9 p.m.; also the public counter for tho delivery of correspondence addressed to the Post Office will be open from Bto 9 p.m. The parcelsdelivery counter will' bo open from b to 9 p.m. . Two bankruptcies were recorded iu Wellington during last month, as against none for the same month last year. To date this year there have been six bankruptcies, against three tor a similar period last year. There were no aotual casualties reported from Egypt yesterday. Information, however, has reached Defence Headquarters that Sapper John Ernest Bosevear {Xo. 4/457) Now Zealiuid T3ngiueers, died in tho New Egyptian Army Hospital on May 2G from enteric fever. Sapper Rosevcar was born in Dunedin in 1894, his liest-of-lcin being his father. Mr. Ernest Rosevear, Bullerook, Castle Street, Dunediii.

Just before 6 a.m. yesterday the Firo Brigade received a call to Emrnett Street, Xewtown, where a four-roomed house, occupied by Thomas Sturr, was found to be on fire. It is supposed a lighted candle caused the outbreak. Damage was confined to one room. Iho contents of the ihonse were insured for £200 in the North Queensland Office.

The following additional offers of accommodation for invalids and convalescent soldiers have been received by the Minister of Public Health since the last list was published:—Mr. W. B. Bensou, Feilding, accommodation for one; Mr. Geo. Dumiet, Toorak, Melbourne, his house. "Hocklands," in Auckland.; Mr. Arthur J. Petherick, 10 Oriental Bay, 'Wellington, accommodation for two; Miss Speed, Hobson Street, accommodation for two; Miss A. L. Koby. Northcotc Private Hospital, Palnierston North, four beds in her private hospital for six months or longer; Mr. W. Howard Booth, Carterton, Carrington Homestead (of twenty.rooms, and grounds), to accommodate fifty; Mr. C. A. ' Wilkinson, M.P., Eltham, his private residence, to accommodate from twenty to thirty.

In connection with the desirable object of encouraging city folk to provide evening entertainments for the vast number of men now in camp at Trentham, the sub-committee or tho Mayor's Patriotic Committee has interviewed Mr. E. H. Hiley, General Manager of Railways, on the subject of communication. As tho. outcome of that interview, it has been arranged tliat trains will leave Wellington on Tuesdays and Thursdays at, G. 14 p.m., arriving at Trentham at 7.20 p.m., and will leave Trentham at 10.2-5 p.m., arriving in Wellington at 11.35 p.m. The reason of the late hour of departure and the time occupied on the return journoy are owing to the fact that the train concerned is a goods-train, but first-class accommodation will be provided for parties of entertainers at sec-ond-class rates, viz., Is. _ Bd. return. No guarantee or subsidy is being required by the Railway Department,

It has been stated that Pietro Mascagni, the Italian composer, won a competition in Romo for a two-act opera with "Cavallcria Rusticana." That is not so. Mascagni won tho competition for a one-act opera, and leapt into fame in a night with the opera named. It was originally written as a two-act opera, but as tho work was so far ahead of any of the others submitted the judges are said to have asked the composer to make' it a one-act opera, which was accomplished by linking tho two acts up by means of the popular intermezzo, during the playing of which*tableau "curtains are usuallv lowered. "Cavallcria" is twenty-Jive years old. Since then Mascagni has written "L'Auiico Fritz" (1891), "I Rautzar" (18.02), "William Ratcliff" (1805), "Silvano" (1895), "Zanetto" (1896), "Iris" (189S), "La Maschere" (1901), "Arnica" (1905), and "Isabel" (1912). None of these has succeeded, and long ago Mascagni has been dubbed a one-opera man. Last year Mascagni conducted a tabloid version of "Cavallcria" in vaudeville in London. At the latest lie was composing special orchestral music for moving pictures.

One bankruptcy was registered in Masterton for the month of '.May,- making four for the five months of the year, as against five for the same period last year. Tho Masterton Druids' Lodge decided last night, says our Masterton correspondent, to. liave no alcoholic liquor at any of its functions during the progress of the war. It is cxpcctcd that other lodges will act similarly.

Tho recruiting office is not without it.s humours if a story told to a Christcliurcli reporter is true. It is stated that a week or so ago, in respouso to tlio urgent call for men, one patriot walked "from somewhere near Akaroa to Little Eivcr and then to Christchurch, where lie proreeded to the recruiting office. But there his career was oheckcd, and, b.v tho irony of fate, he vas refused because, of some fault in his foot, tlio examiner informing him that lie would not be able to stand a long march. The patriot, indignant, at the siiEiiostion. explained that lie had walked" in to-Christohurch, and added that he would walk back. Fie then added, as an afterthought:. "And you nu toll Kiti'hencr and .Tiimny Allen f jmt if they want 1110 they'll have to send a motor-car noxt tiuis."

Tha firo at Parker and Lamb's timber mill on Saturday caused damage to the extent of about, £'20U0.-~Press Association.

A meeting of the-Central Council of the Workers' Educational Association, was held in the Trades Hall last evening, Mr. A. 11. Hjndmarsh, M.P., presiding. Professor Hunter reported tlima University Extension Committee had been set up by tho Victoria College Council. A memorandum was received from the Extension Committee, stating t'iiat no class in economics would be formed unless twenty students, prepared to take a three years' course, wore guaranteed. As the class' which tho council of tho association was carrying o.i in English and philosophy did'not fulfil those requirements, it was decided to take steps to place more prominently before working men and women the advantages to be gained from tutorial classes in these subjects. I'ne president of the Electrical Workers' Union reported that there .were 21 students desirous of studying tho theory of electricity, and it was decided to advise tho Extension Committee of the fact. A

committee was appointed to report on

the advisability of arranging a coursa of public lectures under tho auspices of the association, the cause, the is-

sues, and tha probable effect sof thei war being suggested as tha subject.

Tho Lower Hutt Schoolgirls' Guild has already completed IS sheets, 28 pillow slips, and 5 dozen handkerchiefs for tho Hospital Ship. A number of bain* clavas, mufflers, .aid mittens are also to bo made.

The employees of the New Zealand Express Co., Ltd., assembled_ last week for the purpose of farewelling their late malinger, Mr. T. S ; Young, who has been transferred to New PlymonSt. Advantage was taken of the occasion, to present Mr. Young with souvenirs from the staff, including a handsome silver rose bowl, suitably inscribed, and a gold-mounted fountain pen. Mr. 6, Christie, the incoming manager, referred to Mr. Young's long connection, with the Wellington branch and his arduous task in bringing the same to its present state of efficiency. After several other members of the staff had spoken in an appreciative manner, fcha health of the recipient was drank with musical honours. The proceedings terminated with an impromptu concert.

At the annual election of the Masterton" Trust Lands Trustees, Messrs. G. H. Perry, C. E. Darnell, and T. Wagg wore elected in that order. Considerable interest was taken in tho election.

Since tho war began the number of callers at the British War Oluce has averaged nearly 1200 a day. Most of them have- legitimate business there. Some, however, desire simply "to be shown round," with nil idea of watching the great human machine at work, with Lord Kitchener at its head. A number of callers—many of them ladies —want Lord Kitchener's autograph, an-d some have mascots they wish to offer him. The most difficult to deaf with nro the folk with strange unpractical inventions. A woman who wenS recently suggested that every soldier in the trenches should have a life-lino tied to his back, so that if ho was wounded or buried he could be hauled back to safety.

English papers repoi-t the death of J< B. Johnson, a notocl diver and swimmer of other days. He was the world's champion diver, and in 1871 created a, sensation by diving off Loudon Bridge into the Thames. He was the recognised champion swimmer of the world in the sixties, and in ISG7-S-9-70 he won ttafiSOaiidoOOVards professional chanv pionsliipF. Ik lS?l-2-3 lie was the mile ■champion, winning the professional cup outright at the Serpentine Lake, Hyde Park, London, and in 1873 lie won the two mile championship, again winning the cup outright for that distance. He accomplished- a remarkable performance when at the Alexandra Music Hall, l'oter Street, Manchester, he stayed under water in a tank "for 4niin. B?ec.

There is a pretty custom in the 46th Regiment of French infantry. In tills famous regiment served "The First Grc-liadier of France," known as "La, l'cur d'Auvergne," whose name is always read first at roll call and answered by an officer, who replies: "Dead 011 the Field of Honour." Now the 46th has another hero. Monsieur Collignon, formerly Councillor State and SecrotaryGeneral to the Republic, joined the 4Gth at t" o beginning of the war. Bo would not bo an ofiicer, but preferred to serve as a private soldier. Oil 'March 16 last, at Vanquois, Private Collignon went out undor a hail of shell fire to aid a; wounded comrade—and was killed. To perpetuate his memory, Collignon has been given equal honour with the First Grenadier. Ilis name is always to ba Called on parade_, and to be answered: "Dead on tho Field of Honour."

' Tho Rev. Cr, Wells-Smniles, captain-* chaplain to the Samoan force, recently requested the executive of tho Auckland .Patriotic League to supply an organ for Divine service at Samoa. At the meet" ing of the league on Wednesday, Mr. E. X. Craig intimated that he would ba pleased to donate an organ for the purpose required. "The more Acts they can invoke the S'ore tliey think they can frighten the burgesses into keeping them, 1 pose," was the opinion expressed by His Honour Mr. Justice Denniston in Cliristlilmrcli regarding a preamble to tho Kew Brighton Borough Council's bylaws, in which,' preamble was set out a. list of statutes under which by-laws had b'een made.

The residents of German Bay are very much dissatisfied with the name whioh thoir settlement has homo since its foundation many years ago (writes a Peninsula correspondent of a Christchurch paper). The original settlers were some Germans, about six 111 number, who canio out ■wifch the rrcncu settlors. The name is not particularly euphonious, and it has become unpopular anion? the loyal residents since the war Broke out. .At a meeting of the residents it was decided to take steps to Rave the name changed to _Co.ouists Rav " and a petition is now m circulation'. praying the Government to antliorise tho alteration. His Excellency the Governor has extended his patronage to tho rwrm ting film "Will They Never Come? W being produced at Everybody s flien . Tile Prime Minister (the Right HonW. F. Masseyl has also extended ins patronage to the production.