LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2535, 9 August 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

I The Jloeraki, which is due hero from Sydney direct at 8 o'clock this niorning, is bringing an English mail via Suez, ami tho usual Australian mail. A rumour has been going tho rounds in political circles that the adjournment of Parliament is likely to bo extended. On this subject the Prime Minister stated that he did not expect that any important business would bo done , for tho first few days after the meeting of Parliament, but Parliament must meet on the day appointed. It is understood that there is likely to be a fall in the price of butter during this week. Tho Dominion secretary of the Now Zealand Fanners' Union (Mr. E. C. Jack) has received tho following cablegram from General Sir Alexander Clodley (Commanding New Zealand Forces at the Dardanelles) in reply to tho congratulatory mcssago sent by tho Dominion Conferenco last week: — "Please convoy to tho Farmers' Union the thanks of tho division under my command for their very kind message and good wishes. Personally it is impossible for mo to say how much I appreciate what they say or how proud 1 am to command such troops." An organ recital is to be given at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral to-night by Mr. Norman Collie, in aid of the "Musical News" Fund to purchase mouth organs for tho men in tho trenches. Miss Phoebo Parsons ha.s kindly given her services as vocalist. Mx. Collie intends living for England in a few daj6.

No one will deny that from an aesthetic standpoint the Zoo at Newtown Park leaves something to be desired. Some of the enthusiastic members of tho Wellington Rose and Carnation Club have recognised this, and have offered to supply the lack, and on Saturday afternoon a start was mado by a party of workers, under the direction of Mr. Geo. Remington. Owing to the lateness of the season only a limited area of "round had been prepared up the gully beyond tho bird cages, but hero, in a nicely-sheltered spot, 100 rose plants, fifty, rhododendrons, and thirty azaleas wore planted. Next season the club hope to be able to plant another 700 roses, and in time to erect a series of arches and pergolas, making the Zoo a tiling of beauty and joy. Mr. Linley Richardson, the Art instructor at 'the AVeliington Technical School, is responsible for tho designs of the new issue of stamps about to be made by the Post and Telegraph Department. The border of each of the stamps at once gives tho local colour of the land of its origin. It is an adaptation.of the Maori rafter design. Tho Hawke's Bay County Council proposes to put down a section of concrete road on tho Napier-Hastings route. The engineer, Mr. C. D. Kennedy, who placed the proposition beforo the council, estimates the cost of the work at £30 per chain. As tho experiment is regarded as a. national one, the council will apply to tho Government for a £ for £ subsidy. Tho Hawke's Bay Kennel Club has given £150 to tho St. John Ambulanco and Red Cross Fund, being part of the profits of tho recent show. The balance will ho handed over as soon as the bal- ! anco-sheet has been drawn up. I Tho Labour Department has just published, through tho Government Printer, a "Consolidated Digest of Decisions and Interpretations of the Court of Arbitration." Theso decisions cover the whole of the cases recorded in volumes 1 to 15 of tho Arbitration Court cases, practically sinco the inception of tho | Act till December 31, 1014. Tho digest was compiled and audited by Mr. J. H. } Salmon, Registrar of the Court of Arbitration. Tho Napier Motor-Cycle Club will hold its annual reliability trial on 'Labour Day, the route chosen being to Daiuievirko and back. A Press Association telegram from Dunedin states that Tommy Hosee, an elderly Chinaman, wnjs on Saturday charged at tho Police Court with having opium in his possession. Tho Magistrate, Mr. Bartholomew, fined accused £50, which he paid on the spot. Alarm exists in some centres, and especially in Dunedin, on account of a rumour that tho Government liavo directed that proceedings shall be taken against Carnival Committees and other persons who have promoted and carried on raffles for patriotic purposes without obtaining permission from the Minister of Internal Affairs. So far ,is can be learned, tho Minister of Justico, whose function it would be, has not directed that any particular prosecutiens, or, indeed, any prosecutions, shall be launched. Nor'has tho Minister of Internal Affairs any knowledge of any proceedings pending. But tho decision as to whether or not proceedings shall be taken rests with the police, and no direction not to prosecute has been issued. On the contrary, an intimation has been given to the polieo by tho Minister that persons promoting raffles should be warned that they are breaking the law in proceeding without the permission of the Minister. It is, therefore, guite open for the iiolice to prosecute if warning has been disregarded, and it is just possible that there may he some prosecutions in any centres where tho Superintendent of Police is of opinion that the law has been flagrantly violated. Mr. Edgar F. Stead, of Christchurch, writes: "111 your issue of August S there is a mistake in your report pf my remarks re weasels. What I said was, that near tho colonies of whitefronted tern and black-billed gulls on tho riverbeds, many of the neighbouring snags were used by weasels to store eggs and young birds in. One of theso 'loaders' that I found had between fifty and one hundred eggs in it, many of them broken." Over 3000 Napier ratepayers have signed tho petition praying for_ the reduction of tho sentence on Alice May Parkinson. During the week-end, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (chairman) and several members of the Hutt Park Committee inspected the improvements bein" effected oil tho park by the Hutt Valley Trotting Club, according to agreement. The committeo expressed much satisfaction with the various works being carried out. Recently Detroit (U.S.A.) asked its street railroad company to issuo eight tickota for a quarter dollar (about Is.) or get off those streets over which -its franchise had expired. The company, in reply, said if you don't pay us five cents a ride we will step running oyer those streets whore you claim tho option has expired. Then entered James Couzens, vice-piesidont and general inanagor of the Ford Motor Company, who suggested that tho company should issuo seven tickets for a. quarter. Remembering that Detroit had to get long distances to its work, the next day tho company sat firm. "Then," said Mr. Couzens, "the automobilo concern 'that I am connected with will place a thousand cars at the disposal of Detroit tomorrow!" This bomb struck the traction company hard, and knowing their man, they decided to accept the compromise ho had suggested. Mr. Couzens had offered the cars without consulting tho president (Mr. Henry Ford), who said that they could have had the thousand cars and more for the asking. Half of last year's profits of tho Ford Company, amounting to ten million dollars. was distributed among tho linn's employees. No adult cmployeo in this company now gets less than live dollars a day (about £1 os. 7Jd.). AVhen Mr. Couzens was consulted by other business men as to why he paid five dollars a day to tho man who swept out his office lie remarked that it cost as much in Detroit for a man who swept out to keep a family as it did in the case of'a mechanic. To meet (lie demands of local motorists for nil up-to-date garage, tho Dominion Motor A r ehicles, Ltd., havo erected in Tory Street—just off the Courtenay Place wood-blocking—tho largest and finest gara"o in tlio Dominion. Civility and attention to detail aro assured patrons, and prices aro moderate. Permanent customers should avail tliomselres of the special permanent terms. Honrs, 7 a.m.' to midnight; 7 to 10 a.m., 6 to 11 p.m. Sundays.—Advt.