LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2525, 28 July 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"It must be ..remembered," observed Sir James Wilson in his address to tho Farmers' Union Conference yesterday,, "that additional taxation'is certain to be imposed, and many clamour that it should bo paid through land and incomo tax. I am, however, oertaiu that, while deprecating a class tax, everyone should pay their share." •

Under heading "Volunteers Not Encouraged in New Zealand," the following telegram front: Auckland was published in tho Melbourne "Ago" of July 21:—"Four British subjects from Fiji arrived hero intending to enlist. They were informed that it would be weeks, perhaps months, before' they could be called nnoii for activo service. They thereupon destroyed their enlistment forms. . They will proceed to Sydney to-morrow witli the intention of enlisting."

Itivas reported at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board yesterday that sixty-four schools took advantage of Arbor Day to plant hedges. Tho approximate cost to the board was £125.

A question arising out of the recent interruption in the railway traffic on tho Main Trunk line was. put to the Minister of Railways (tho Hon. AY. EL Herries) by-. Mr. J. S. Dickson (Parnell) yesterday afternoon. The Minister was asked whether he was aware that the passengers who occupied sleeping berths had to pay an extra fee for their berths, and if so -whether tho additional chargo would be refunded. Mr. Hemes stated that he was not aware of an extra chargo being made, but that lie would make inquiries and obtain a report from the Department on the matter. Ho quite ■ agreed if no other accommodation was available, and if the passengers had.to pay twice over, that there should be a refund. He referred to the expedition with which traffic on the line was restored, and he thought that tho officials and al} concerned were entitled .to great praise for the good_ work that had been done.

"Whenever the war ends, our whole trade will be again disorganised. Prices aro likely to fall all round, less so perhaps in the case of wool, because the supply is seriously cm-tailed by the drought in Australia; but the. enormous wastage of capital will impoverish nearly all the countries engaged in the war.It is, however, uselesi to conjucture what the result will be, but we know that great wars have been always followed by depressions."—Sir James Wilson at tbo Farmers'" Union Conference.

"With our present capacity and when all tho new storage is provided we shall have enough space to hold three and a half million carcasses of meat," observed Sir James Wilson in his presidential address to the Farmers' Union Conference yesterday. "Wo may expect a total export of about 7,000,000 carcasses (including beef reduced to 601b.,- sheep carcasses), so that "we will have .storage* Capacity for about half our output. It would have made all the difference if this storage had been available this season."

A special meeting of the Central Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday morning to consider the remits which liavo been forwarded, for discussion at the' combined conference •of Chambers of ■ Commerce, to be held in Wellington on. August 4, 5, and 6. The president (Mr. C. M. Luke) presided, and the Central Chamber's delegates were instructed what action to take on each remit.

At a meeting of the Labour Representation Committee held in the Trades Hall last evening, under tho presidency of Mr. W. Cooper, tlio following resolution was passed: "That this meeting of the Labour Representation Conimitteo expresses its indignation at the action of the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) in tho Alice Parkinson caso in ignoring the jury's recommendation of mercy, and in passing a sentence of life impriand further decide* to pledge themselves to do everything possible to secure a remission of the sentence."

After a week's holiday, tho Legislative Council will resume to-day, when a Chairman of Committees will be elected. It is understood that the present Chairman, the Hon. W. C. F. Carncross, will be re-elected.

Only a few years ago General Godley addressed the Farmers' Union Conference re military training. "Please God," he said impressively, "wo shall not have to go to war,,but if we are drawn into it wo must be prepared for it." This fact was referred to at yesterday's conference b.v Sir James Wilson, wlio added: "How little wo thought that wo had anything to fear as to being at war with any nation. When I jokingly said that tho farmer.? sitting in conference in Wellington might bo.startled by the boom of a German gun in the Straits and the bursting of a shell overhead, I little thought that within a few months Germany would be, at war with us and have fast ironclads almost within striking distance of Wellington. Had it not been that the Sydney was somewhere about and the uncertainty as to. the location of tlio Japanese fleet, wo might have had Wellington shelled and New Zealand powerless against tho attack, for the vessels at our command could not liavo coped with even one of the enemy's cruisers."

Among those persons directly affected by the cancellation of the Auckland expresses wore about 200 members of tlio Sixth Reinforcements 011 linal leave". The men were to have left Auckland by the mid-day express 011 Saturday, but the non-departnro of this train lengthened their furlough. The news of floods in tho Waikato and the uncertainty as to the soundness of tlio track further south made it necessary for tlio Railway Department to limit Sunday night's express to one engine and eleven carriages. This made it imperative to lessen the number of passengers travelling, and authority was obtained from the Defence Department to delay the departure of tlio men for Trentham until mid-day on Monday. The soldiers have, therefore, had two days' extra leave.

To meet the demands of local motorists for an up-to-date garage, - the Dominion Motor Vehicles. Ltd., liavo erected in Tory Street—just- off tho Courtenay Place wood-blocking—the largest au<t finest garage in the Dominion, Civility and attention to detail are assured patrons, and prices are moderate. Permanent customers should avail themselves of the special permanent terms. Hours, 7 a.m. to midnight 1 7 to 10 a.m,, 6 to 11 p.m. JimWSj—AdTt, , ■ ■

Two meetings of creditors will be helif at the Official Assignee's office on August 4, the first at 11 a.m. in tlio estate of' Donald Gilbert Cook, dairyman, of Kilbirnie, and the second at 2.30 p.m. in the estate of E. Maudo I'ascoe, nurse, of Wellington.

Witnesses had been summoned to Wei-* lington to give evidence on Thursday before the Local Bills Committee on the Bill proposing to subdivide Raglan County, but owing to the death of Mr. Lindsay Johnstone, brother of tho county chairman, the hearing of evidence has- been postponed.

Tho Lower Hutt police have been unable to discover any trace of the body, reported to have been seen in the Hutt River last M'onday week. It was stated by one'of tho party iriio reported tlio matter that the body was wedged in between the river bank ■ and a groyne near to Mr. Hooper's dwelling. As this portion of tlio bank has been washed away during tho recent rain, .it is thought that the body has been carried cut to sea.

'l'he action of uncertainty upon trado was referred to by Sir James Wilson at the Farmers' Union Conference yesterday. When war broke out, he said, there was -a feeling of uncertainty 1 as to finances and quickly trade was restricted, because of this feeling and also the uncertainty as to what prices our produce would fetch under these strange conditions after it had reached the markets. The banks were in a strong position, but would they, under tlio circumstances, help the trader as they had done.? All these questions could only be answered by time, but the uncertainty affected tho expenditure by the people. The' building trade, always the first to feel depression, Was at'a standstill, except those which wero •under contract. The sawmills were stopped in consequence. There Las never been such an evidence of our dependence on the British Navy as during that time. Even with all the armed liners and cruisers of tho enemy abroad on tho waters our trade went'on much as usual, and gradually Germany's vessels wero hunted down and disposed of. .

Tlio Deputy Chief Postal Censor at Wellington lias 'informed Sir. Frank Dyer, Vice-Consul for Greeco for tho Dominion of New Zealand, that "in future correspondence for Greece'from Greeks resident in New Zealand will ba accepted written in the Grook language, provided it is written on post cards and that tiro post cards arc enclosed ill addressed. envelopes with the flaps turned in.."

The following order respecting the issue_ of railway tickets to parents of invalided soldiers in camps, or to next-of-kin, has been issued from tho headquarters of the ' 'Wellington . Military District, l'almerston Nortli:—"Where soldiers aro seriously ill at Trentham or any other camp of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Reinforcements, on presentation of the telegram from the camp authorities notifying the serioua illness of tho soldier concerned, railway stationmasters will issue to both parents, where desired,, or where there aro no parents, to one person who is next-of-kin, first or second-class through return tickets for tho journey to tho nearest railway station in tho vicinity of tho camp, according as the soldier .is entitled, to first, or second-class fare. Tho cost of such tickets will bo debited to tho Dofeneo Department; station-, masters retaining the telegrams referred to for tliat purpose. It must bo clearly understood by all concerned that this concession refers to railway tickets only, and that the Department can accept no liability to provide steamer passages frae of charge also, where such may bo involved."

The 27tli anniversary social of the Potone Salvation Army was held at the Petono barracks, last evening. Ensign Seamen presided, and tho building was packed to the doors. An interesting programmo was presented, and much appreciated. A featui-e of the evening was tho.. singing of a massed choir—, a combination' of the Petono Presbyterian, Anglican, and Methodist choirs, under the baton of Mr. Sherwin.

Curiosity lias naturally been aroused by the mystery of the sudden change of front towards Lord Kitchener made by tho group of newspapers controlled by Lord Northcliffo. Sir Henry Lucy, writing iii tho '"Sydney Morning Herald," relates a story which heHhinks possibly accounts for, tlio strange performance. When tho rigid rules of the censorship, undoubtedly inspired, if not literally dictated, by Lord Kitchener, were first put in force, the "Times," not without reason, as many think, hotly denounced them, pointing out how unfair the "prohibition of war correspondents was.to regiments and men engaged at the front, and how detrimental to recruiting. After tliis tirade had been' kept' up day by day through several weeks Lord Northcliffo received a polite note from the Prime Minister inviting him 'to call at Downing Street. On /arrival lie found the Secretary of State for War "in com-, pany with the Prime Minister. Mr. Asquith pointed cut tho injury likely' to be done by continuance of this criticism of tho censor, which thinly veiled an , attack i poll the War Office. Lord Nortlicliifo maintained and 'justified''his position. "I also am concerned for tlie public interest," said the war lord of tho British newspaper world. "I believe I am honestly serving it, and cannot undertake to abaudon tho line hitherto pursued." "Very well," said Lord Kitchcner. "This is Wednesday. You can go as you please up to Saturday morning, inclusive. But how will it be if on Monday and subsequent days there should be .no 'Times'?" Tho remark was not uttered by way of threat. It was rather a polito inquiry. But it had immediate effect.

The fourth' general meeting -of the present session of tho Wellington Philo-' sophical Society is to bo held at the Dominion Museum this evening. Dr. J. AI. Mason "will deliver a short address, entitled "A Few Minutes with Microbes." This address will .be illustrated with lantern slides. Mr. J. M'Donald will exhibit a number of scientific kmcniatosraph films. Somo of these, have been°kindly lent by the N.Z. Picture Supplies Company, and others are the proportv of tlio Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce. _ The subjects are varied, the chief being:— "Radiography in Practice,' The Magnesia Industry," "The Germination of Plants" (12,000 times as fast as m Nature), "Various New Zealand Industries," and "Rapids on the Ozu.