LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 26 July 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Vancouver mail and an Australian mail wro duo to arrive in- Auckland, yesterday or to-day, the former .by the Makura and the latter by the Mararoa. The southern portions of both mails should reach Wellington by the Main Trunk train on Tuesday morning. The Manuka, which is due here to-day from Sydney direct, lias on board an Australian and English mail, via Suez. The Hon. Sir Walter Buchanan has donated £500 to the Tinui wounded soldiers' flag, which brings the amount up to £SOOO. The total amount collected in the Wairarapa to' date for the wounded soldiers, including the amount subscribed for tho. Carnival Queen, is £68,000. . , . A |)otition to Parliament is being signed urging that hotels lie closed at G p.m. during the continuance of the wnr, says a Press Association telegram from Pahiatuu. Our Napier correspondent states that a similar petition is being circulated in Hastings.

Mr. Ralph living, who died last week, left a section valued at £500 to tlio, Presbyterian Social Servicfc Association, also £-500 to tlio upkeep of tlie Presbyterian Orphanage, £1000 to the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand to provide a scholarship for a student), and a picture to Dunedin Art Gallery. In addition to a number of private legacies, there arc some for his native place, Scotland, tlio latter including £1000 to the parish of Logic (Stirling) to set up a fund for the deserving poor, £500 to tho school of the same parish, and £500 to the Blair Logic Presbyterian Church, the income, to go to tho deserving poor. —Press Association.

Mrs. Pointon, of 188 Ingestro Street, was admitted to the- Wellington Hospital on Saturday afternoon suffering with a broken leg. She sustained the injury by a fall downstairs.

The present spring (writes a correspondent of a southern paper) promises to be olio of the earliest for many years, judging by fto appearance of the native trees in the Whore Flat district. Not only have somo of tho kowliai trees been in flower for some time, but ono of tho pittosporum, which _ usually flowers in September, is also in bloom. Tlio Maori leek, or onion, which usually sprouts in September, is at the present time so far advanced that the- sheep are able to crop it. Judging from the buds the kowhais will be in full bloom in about three weeks or so.-

The Mastorton Gun Club fired a livebird pigeon match oil Saturday, which was won by W. Jensen, who killed tho whole of his fifteen birds.

In the. House of Representatives Mr. Wi H. Field gave notice to ask tho Minister of Public Works whether he will place at' the disposal of members interested in the subject the recent report of Mr. Furkert, Government Engineer, on the subject of the prevention of damage by river erosion, and tho control of rivers in flood-time; and whether the Government will favourably consider the question of appointing such a council as is recommended by Mr. Furkert to deal with this vital question, as being much more satisfactory and. economical than the establishment -of a Dumber of small river boards. Tlio Hastings Borough Council has accepted the tender of Messrs. Whaito and Co., Sydney,' for the Municipal Theatre scenery. - Mr. A. Bellamy, of Eskdale, won tho first prize in the Hawke's Bay Kennel Club's art union, a gold nugget. By a strange coincidence, says our correspondent, ho had marked his ticket, "The winner." An agreement -was reached on Saturday between tho crew of tho Pateena and the Union Company. The scale of pay is as follows Greasers and firemen, £12; trimmers, £10; boatswain and A.B.'s, £10; and one O.S. £6, for the run across' (occupying about five days), and a: freo passage back to New Zealand. The sinking of the steamer 'Awaroa in tlie Yarra, concerning which a brief message was received recently, was a somewhat sensational affair. ' The accident ftccurred at- 7.15 p.m. on July 10, and tho vessel sank with startling suddenness, it being estimated that within, fivo minutes after tho collision she was almost completed submerged, close to the south bank of the river in the Coode Canal. Thoug no lives were lost, and all on board the vessel, including 20 passengers, seemed little the worse for their adventure, they spent some exciting moments before boing taken off the sinking vessel by a- motor launch, which opportunely camo to their rescue. At tlio time of tho collision tho Awaroa was returning from one of her usual trips to .Queenseliff, whilst the Batman and another bargo were proceeding down the river to Williamstown. It is believed .that the bows of tho Batman made a big liole in the Awaroa amidships on her port side, through which tho water rushed with the force and roar of a torrent. It'is expected that- an effort, to refloat •! tho vessel will be made shortly. The I "AwaToa entered tho Queenseliff and Sor j , rento trade about fivo mqnths ago, hav-V ing gone across from .Wellington specif ally for that business.

The deputation that was to have waited upon the Minister of Defonce (Mr. James Allen) on Friday morning % last to seo whether ho could arrange with tho Imperial authorities to accept at tho arranged periods double the number of men, and whether a War Register could be taken of those fit for service, was postponed until three o'clock this afternoon. .

With reference to the remarkable achievements of a young Maori cripple who lias been tho means of recovering several stones ot Bell Block. which ar® valuable in the eyes of the Natives, Mr. J. H. Walker, the interpreter, relates & further instance of the mysterious power possessed by the 6eventeen-year-old boy (says the "Taranaki Herald"). A. wahine living near Bell Block, who was inclined to bo somewhat sceptical of his bona fides, challenged him to find a ring she had lost about four years ago. After going through somo form of prayer tho lad and gavo on exact description of the lost .ring. "Very well," ho 6aid, "it lies oil such-and-such a road, but you .will have difficulty in finding it, because it is covered by earth and grass. No one stole .it; you dropped it yourself. Go and. look for it. Tho first day you might not find it, the second day you might find it, but the third day I am certain you will find it.". The story goes, that the woman had a fruitless 6earch on the first day, and was very downhearted 011 the second, but, sure enough, the first thing she discovered.on the third day was the missing piece of jewellery.

A paragraph in the Sports Protection League's annual report-takes one back to the time of the last general elections. Tlie paragraph runs:"lt is part of the policy' of the league to ascertain the views of candidates for election to Parliament in so far as they concern the aims and objects of the league. As ths election took place shortly after tho.declaration of war, tho board, considered that it should be contested witli the minimum of internal strife. With this object in view , tho following • questions were submitted to all the candidates for their reply in order to save tho necessity of introducing a discussion from tho public platform: (1) 'WillyOu maintain the rights of the people to the frao enjoyment of legitimate sports, and oppose any curtailment of their statutory privileges in_ connection therewith?' (2) 'Are you in favour of the principle that all recreation grounds not used for private gain should be exempted from local rates?' The manner in which almost all the candidates responded to the request for answers to tho questions submitted was greatly appreciated by tho board. It indicated at least that the league has exercised some considerable 'influence on those in public life who in a great majority of cases recogniss tho right of tlie people to the free enjoyment of all legitimate sport. Taking: ths Dominion as a whole, the result of the'election is that, as far as tho successful candidates nrp concerned, replies considered unfavourable were received from three members. Another member who is .looked upon as unfavourable failed to give' answers to the questions submitted". Three elected candidates reserved the right to use their judgment with respect to tho issues raised. In two instances the replies were indefinite. The remaining sixty-seven members have cither given definite favourable answers to the main question submitted, or expressed from the platform _ their approval of the interests committed to the caro of tho league."

A Press Association message from Cliristclinrcli records the death of Mr. Arthur Langford, i'ro.'ien meat exporter aiul livo stock expert, aged (53 years. Mr. Langford was recently elccted a member of the Board of Governors, of •tha -Agricultural Collfsw, -