LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2556, 2 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Government intends as soon as possible to iutrocluco legislation pertaining to the establishment of a permanent Board of Trado and Commerce in New Zealand. Business arising out of tho war lias interfered somewhat with consideration of this matter./:. The question of providing open-air treatment for the wounded on the lilies carried out with marked success in England . has rccoived the attention of the l'ublie Health Department, and will bo further considered with a view to definitely deciding upon tlie ercction of buildings, for the accommodation of.sick and wouhded from the scat'of war. A tax on bachelors who are not going to the front wis advocated by Mr. G. ; Witty (Riccarton) when speaking in ' Parliament last night on the Budget < proposals. There were many bachelors, 1 and wealthy bachelors, too, who'had not ] attempted to go. They were shirking I their responsibilities to fclieir country, J and shirking family responsibilities. It < was not-a -Taughiiig matter, said Mr. Witty, and if those men would not go < they should be taxed. (Applause.) « Flowers sold during yesterday • in the streets of Auckland by ladies ] of the Pritridtic League, with the result ] that £"SIJ was collected for the provision | of winter wnlfitnoata for the troops,— 1 "Prnss Aesociatiou. Li

A strango case of tlio seeming total disappearance of all trace of a man was mentioned iu the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. J. Craigio, member for Timaru. The man. enlisted and sailed from New Zealand as a private in the Fifth Reinforcements. Somo time prior to sailing ho visited his wife and family at, Timaru and informed his wife that he had "signed a paper" assigning to her his pay. She received a letter, an interesting and affectionate letter, from her husband_ at Albany, then on troopship No. 24. Since that day she had heard nothing about him, and she had received 110 money at all. ' The wife had made application to the Defence Department and had been informed that nobody of her husband's name could be traced in camp, nor liad anyone of that namo sailckl with either the Fifth or tho Sixth Reinforcements. The only suggestion the Defence Department could offor was that the man had enlisted under an assumed name. Meantime the wife was very anxious about her husband, and sorely in need of mon'ey. Mr. Craigie asked the Defence Minister to 3iave inquiries made, and this the Minister promised to do. Even yot New Zealand is not so well known as somo New Zealauders imagine. A day or two ago the Hon. James_ Allen received from the offico of the Minister of Defence at Ottawa a letter addressed, "Tlie Honourable the Minister for. Defence,, Commonwealth of Australia, Wellington, Australia." And the letter was intended for Mr. Allen 1 As a matter of fact it was ill reply to ail inquiry as to the rate of war pension payable in the Dominion of Canada to totaliy disabled soldiers. A press cablegram published hero said that the amount was £97 per year,- but tlie fact, as shown by 'the badly directed letter, is that the amount is £79 per year. . The Finance Minister promised in the House, yesterday that'the Government would confer with' the banks operating in New Zealand as to tho possibility of negotiating their notes in London without exchange, if those notes' for a certain maximum amount were presented by visitors to the Home Country from the Dominion. The Commonwealth Bank has undertaken to negotiate notes' to tho value of £20 for every visitor from Australia to London, tlie object being to obviate the export of gold from the country. V.; The latest addition. to • tlie roll of citizens who are prepared to subscribe £1 per month to tlie funds of the. local Patriotic .Committee for camp comforts are: Messrs. W. Davis, A. Marryatt, J. A., A. Levy, W. B. Hudson, Miss H. 0. Inglis, and Denton'Bros. There are now thirty-six subscribers to the Pound-a-month Fund. : Tlie annual meeting of the New Zealand Employers', Federation will be held in Wellington on September 15. Tlie Minister of Railways, in Teply to a question in Parliament yesterday, said- that it is not practicable to attach a fish-van td the Napier express. The train has been considerably speeded up,' and tho ioad must be restricted to-enable it to keep time. Fish caii leave Napier at 6:50 a.m. daily, and reach Wellington at 10:45 p.m., and delivery can. if desired, he obtained the same nijiht. •. . ■ ;". . In reply, to-a question yesterday the Prime Minister stated that none of the firms reputed to be associated with the American Beef Trust are operating in New' Zealand under their own' names. Since March last all New Zealand'beef and mutton and lamb'available for export has been shipped to tho Imperial Government. One matter that will come up for dis-. oussion at_ this evening's : meeting of the City CoirnoUwill be the matter, of,, staff holidays. . This question was raised at the installation of the Mayor,s by iCouncillor >W.r H. Bennett ' on 'fc-.mdtibiv'-tliat-rtlie: staff should be given a-half-day's holiday in honour of the occasion. Mr. Bennett then pointed out how inconvenient and ■ un-, called, for was' the custom ' of closing' the council on such clays as "business as usual" was being observed in tho city, and called tho council's attention to the awkwardness caused by the closing of the City offices 'when building permits, i'forms, aiid .. other matters concerned with the welfare of the City and tradespeople required attention. Tho tradition, of closing up the Town Hall offices on Saints' Days is another bone of contention. Tlie "council will probably adopt a definite policy as tlie result of this evening's debate. .. ; . i v. ' According to the Minister of Defence (the Hon.. J. ; Allen) preference is not given to civil medical practitioners for positions in connection witli the troops. Replying to a question by Dr. Newman yesterday, Mr. Allen said that a few civil medical practitioners have been specially selected for, surgical work on account of professional qualifications. Officers of the New Zealand Medical 'Corps w'ho have volunteered for active service have either been given appointments or noted for future reinforcements. A- question. put to tho Minister of Public. Works last week by Mr. Veitch (Wanganui) was as under:—"Wiether it is'true.that he intends to stop public works in order to make labour availnblo for : country works; and, if .so, «'hat provision ' (if any) does lie propose tq make ,to; ensure such workers receiving a fair remuneration for their labour?", In his, reply yesterday the Hon. W. Fraser said that the answer to the question will be found ill the Publio Works Statement when delivered. /; We have received froni tlio ..publisher; Mr; H. E." C. Robinsoii, of Sydney, _a copy of a map 'of the war zone in Europe, from Grea,t Britain to the Dardanelles. It is well printed and gives an excellent idea of the position reached by the contending armies' at the end o£ a year of war. ' The Prinio Minister stated in reply to Dr. Newman yesterday that the question' of introducing legislation to prevent aliens from acquiring land for military purposes, as has been done in Belgium and Great Britain, will-bo referred to the Crown Law Oflico for advice j and, if necessary, legislation"will bo introduced! . . It is not the intention of the Government to introduce a Fair Rent Bill this session, was the _ answer given ■ by the Prime Ministor ill Parliament yesterday to a, question put by Mr. A. Glover. The Postmaster-General (Sir Joseph Ward), in reply to a questiou,' stated yesterday that it has already been recommended that letters written in the 11 ussiaii languago should be passed. The matter is ono for the consideration of the . War Office. , Last week Mr. Okey asked the Finance Minister in view of the tho enormous profits made out of picture theatres, _ lie would consider , the inclusion in his taxation scheme of a duty oil kineinatograpii films. In his reply, in the House yesterday, Sir Joseph Ward said that picture companies had to pay income tax,, and as the assessments made were based on tho actual profits derived, they were considered to be more equitable than assessments oil the films used. It liad been arranged that a deputation, representing the various sports bodies was to wait upon the City Council at its meeting to-night, in regard to tlio -latest Basin Reserve proposals, but owiug to unforeseen circumstances J it has been found necessary to postpone the deputation until tho next meeting > of tlio City Council. 1 Chevrolet, a handsome, • powerful oar, equipped with every' accegs6rv of proven quality, arid bearing the hall-mark of , strength, trustworthiness, and durabil- ; ity. Your inspection of the latest model 1 —self-starting, of course—is invited bv the ■ dominions Motor Vehicles, Ltd., 65 Cour- ! tenay Place, who will be pleased to de- 1 monsta'ato to.you the superior qualities of : the Chevrolet car,-Advt. J ,

[ _, Tliroe petitions in bankruptcy wero filed in Napier during last month.. Tlie Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association, at its meetiug on . Tuesday evening, discussed the scheme for tho proposed alteration of the Basin lieservo as outlined in an Empowering Bill now in circulation among members of Parliament. The feeling of, the meeting was against the proposal, which was estimated to cost £10,000, and in favour of a subway (the cost of Which was not given) as tlio best means of procuring straight tracks for the trainways,' and at the'same time preserving the full playing area of tho. Reserve. ■ ... •. • : The head office of 'fhos. Cook arid Son. Louden,.has advised the local ofhoo under dato July 14 that . the French Gvernment have lately.'prohibited tho export of all gold from I'rauco. "Wo understand from passengers coming from. 'France last night," says tho letter, "that they had to give up all gold on: their persons on leading France,'and the.v received in. exohange French notes of 25 francs to f" ou must, therefore, he very, carehtl to advise all travellers that no gold of any country can be brought out of France, and they, should not' travel with gold, but with notes and silver for small change. There are similar laws in Italy, arid. Switzerland, and other countries against tho . export of gold, so that care should be taken not to sell any gold to travellers, but to call tboir attention ivhen they are. in. the oflico against attempting to oarrv gold." • Though Mr. Lewin Barnett, son pf Mr. Maughan Barnett, City Organist at Auokland ( has been reported as missing. there is every reason to believe that he is confined in one or other of the military hospitals. or : convalescent homes. _ This assumption is: based on the receipt of a cable message received from a friend of the, young man's, stating that Mr. Barnett had been wouiided in the right arm and had gone away in a, hospital ship. So far Mr.'Mau--ghan Barnett, has not been able to traos his son, nor, has lie heard front him, but in respect to tfhat tho injured man might have refrained v from ■ cabling under- tho impression that' his case ha<l heen_ reported on in the ordinary: war. Tlio. injury to his right arm might have provented his writing.' v Legislation is to bo introduced into Parliament this; session to give official recognition to the, National Reserve. 1 This session a petition.-was presented to tho House on behalf of the widow of the late Mr. Royd Garlicky some time Director of Physical Education in New Zealand. Mrs. Garlick asked for an allowanceJn view of the fact that her husband had died suddenly, ; : and that probably his death was hastened by his arduous duties as; a; Public Servant, and by the distressing-agitation against his appointment. The"-Petitions"' Commit- : tee yesterday reported to the House that it had no recommendation to make. A ■number of members ■ remonstrated with th« : Committee, urging that as it was proved that when Mr. Royd Garlick accepted the Government position he had a business worth £700 a year to him, and that -he could riot carry on that business after, his appointment, tlie prayer of the widow ought to have some humane consideration. Even a severe critic of Mr. Royd Garlick at the ' time of his appointment thought that whatever the rights or < wrongs of the appointment were, the, petition of tho widow should be. considered fairly and ' without any reference., to that question. • In this view Sir Joseph Ward and tho Hon. J. Allen (until recently Minister of Education).concurred; The petition' was referred back to the Committee for favourable consideration. : At the Petono Court vesterday, before Mr. J. W.'M'Ewan, J.P., George Law-, ton Little, who,,was arrested yesterdav. morning : for -assault causing actual bodily harm, was remanded for eight days. : > We have to acknowledge receipt or a ' copy of tho souvenir programme 'issued. in l connection with the . assault-at-armß to bo held at Newtown Park on Saturday in aid of the sick and wounded, soldiers. The programme contains a number of very,interesting illustrations, and will no doubt find a very. leady salo at tho price fixed—sixpence. : It is stated on good authority, says, our Napier correspondent, that the Napier Arcade is / about to bo converted into a continuous picture theatre, and the necessary alterations are estimated to cost between £15,000 and £20,000. ; r Mr. John Prouse, who sang the name part iri "Elijah" with the Auckland Choral Society, will sing the same musio with the Royal Wellington Choral So-, ciot.v at its coming performance of tho. work.' The General Manager for Railway* has advised the New Zealand Looomotive, Engine-drivers, - Firemen,, and Cleaners' Association that. during the absence of members on activo. service the Government will pay their contributions to the Superannuation Fund, and such members will not be,required to refund tho amounts paid when they return.' If a member returns : medically unfit, and is granted a military pension, his allowance from the Superannuation Fund will not be affected thereby, nor will his military pension bo refused owing to the fact that he is entitled to superannuation allowaaco. W here members aro maimed, the Department will-'place them in suitable positions where possible. ." . -.■ A concert in aid of the Boy Scout Equipment Fund was held at St. James's Hall, Lower H"utt, last evening. - before a crowded audience. A parade of Boy Scouts under Scout-Master 1 Mason preceded - the performance,. and . those who contributed to the programme were: Mesdamos Scholes and A. Smith, Misses Griffiths and Knight, and Dr. Mason and Messrs. Tni Heketa, Medhurstj W lliams, and Master Leith Riddell. . Mrs. P. Skully was the acconiganist. . News has been received that Private Reginald Wright, son of Mr. Henry Wn"ht, of this city, who was wounded in the operations, at Suvla -Bay.; cumbed fo his injuries at the GhezuohHospital, Egypt. The late d Wright was all through the Boer War with tlie Fourth Contingent,'and was wounded at Invercargm by . the explosion of ship's rockets during the march through , that city. _ Ho- .was ; wounded'at the taking of G f a ,Tepe, and invalided for two Woro receiving his fatal wound at Suvla, Bay.