LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2560, 7 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the s.s. Manuka, which is due from Sydney to-day, is - bringing.' Australian mails only. ' Notwithstanding the fact that the Auckland Patriotic Committee lias., decided not to be a party to nationalising the patriotic, funds collected throughout New 'Zealand, His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) lias communicated with the Auckland Committee'asking them to bo represented at the conference to be held on September 15. Mi*. Luke has received a reply stating that Auckland mil; be represented, and that their delegates will be Messrs. C. J. Parr, and W. Sprang. Mr. Luke has also communicated with other places that do ; not seem to.have favoured the nationalisation scheme, inviting them also' to be represented at the forthcoming- conference. >*: ' As foreshadowed last week;'the price of flour fell another 10a. per ton yesterday, and is now quoted at' £I' 4 10s. f.o.b. in the south for sacks. Australian, crops promise well, hut the news from Canada is anything but heartening. ■ Letters to hand have chronicled the of the Vrops ill Alberta County, whilst yesterday's cable messages told of severe storms in Manitoba, which would have a bad'effect on ungarnered grain in that, important' wheat, area. The Hawke's Bay Trades and Labour Council intend donating the proceeds of their Labour Day; picnic to the local Distress Fund.. , Yesterday morning the Petone Tecluiical School defeated Hastings High School by 26 points to nil in a game of Rugby football; For. the winners Olsen, Coles, Doiieghue, Mookcridge, and Ambler (2) scored tries, Nicholls and Mockeridge converting. ; Tomoana and Dysart scored'for the visitors. "Has peace been declared yet?" was the wording of a signal from the American four-masted schooner Kona to the Union Company's KoTomiko, whilst the latter vessel was en route from Newcastle to Wellington. The Koria was bound from tho Pacific Coast timberladen to Melbourne. Captain A. H. Davoy, of the Koromiko,. replied in the 1 negative. The annual distribution of prizes, medals, diplomas, and certificates of the Trinity College of Music, London,' will take place at St. Andrew's Schoolroom, Wellington Terrace, at 8 o'olock this evening.; His Fixcellency the Governor will present the prizes. Messrs. James Macintosh (chairman), Thomas Baljinger, F. W. Manton, and D. Eweu were present at. a meeting of tho council of tho Wellington Chamber I of Commerce held yesterday afternoon. Tho President, in explaining wliv thero was no meeting. <.f the council Inst month, said that,tho recent conference of Chambers had been a' very satisfactory one.. As tho. conforonco was then in tlie air ho did not think it advisable to call the meeting. Whereas Chevrolet cars are equinucd with enclosed overhead valves, let all people know that it nebcssanly follows . that these cars combine loivor fuel consumption, less heo.ing, less earbon deposit, wore power , than aiiy other cor on the market—size of engine consMered. Tn obtain proof.it is only iiecessnry to visit tho Dominion llotor \Bhidps Oaiaao, 05 CotiHsuay Place, and 41-18

A ono-roonied whare in Wright Street, owned by Mr. L. St. George, was totally destroyed by firo last evening. Tho managers of St. John's Church, in their annual roport, pay a compliment as follows to. tho minister"Dr. Gibb's energies seen unlimited. The burdens ho carries in tho work of our largo congregation, the administration of the Homo Missions of tho Presbyterian Church in Now Zealand, the orpkaiiago; tho frequent contributions of his pen to the 'Outlook,' the equally frequent public services which, as a roprescntativo minister and leader of our Church, he is called to render, aro enough to tax tho energies of at least two strong men. Tho woridor' is often expressed by his ministerial brethren, as well as by the peoplo' of the congregation, how lie manages to get through so great a tale of work; but he not only does so, but is always willing to shoulder some new burden." Dr. Gibb's leadership, always stimulathas never been more valued than during theso sad, perplexing months of war. In sermon after sermon he has struck the patriotic note, With a passion and power that has 6et byery heart vibrating, and ho has been equally earnest in showing us the profound -spiritual significance of the tragedy, alid iii using it to call us back to' God in a spirit of penitence and 'endeavour after a new obedience.- We. owe him much, and we thankfully acknowledge it. ' The insidious form of Sunday trajiog practised by the penny-in-the-slotjma-chines has been detected by the Auckland Sunday Schools', Union (remarks: the "Star"). The union has drawh. the. attention of the Citi? Council'.to;the fact-that the mechanical traders work on seven days in the week, and'has urged a discontinuance of the practice. Tho town clerk informed tlie council oil Thursday night that all the penny-in-the-slot machines allowed by the council were weighing 'machines, and all such other machines were on private property. The council parsed' tne_pro-' Blem involved over to its Works Committee. Those school children who gain the Royal Life-Saving Proficiency Certificate will in future be awarded a free, pass to the Wellington Corporation Baths for, ,0110 calendar year from the date of gaining the certificate, instead- of for .only | tho remainder of the season - during ivhicih the award- was 'gained'. This.sub-st-antiarcoiicession, says the annual report of the Wellington head centre of the Royal Life-Saving : ' Society, will prove a great boon to the work. Tlie. society acknowledges its sincere gratitude to the City Counoil for it.' , "In all expenditure keep in mind the' interests of your owa compatriots, and never forget that when you buy a foreign article your own country is the poorer." This quotation is from a German publication, and it was quoted at yesterday's meeting of .'the Wellington Woollen Company by Mr. W. H. P. Barber, who said that it'had- been quoted, previously, but was, worth mentioning again. Tlie woollen industry in New Zealand could be expanded considerably if the peoplo of the Dominion would give preference to. the manufactures of their own land. Amongst stories of-jokes iu ■ the, trenches under firo is One told by Private T. K. M'Evoy, of the ■ Nelson Regiment) in a letter to a resident of Christchurch. Tlie soldier states that at Gallipoli one night, when the Turks Were attacking the British position) a sergeant who was not altogether adored by his men wished to number his party. He gave the order in an undertone,' "Number!" The nvmbers wero given 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and then Came "King, Queen, Jack.'', He repeated the order, witli 'the samo result, and about six repetitions still brought up .tho court cards instead of the higher nn\imbers." i'n/Fhe .sergeantj could not reach the outside men. without making himself a target for the Turks, and had to content himself with uttering .threats... - Somo forty members of tho Wellington Savage Club paid a week-end visit to- leaving on Saturday morning and returning at midday'yesterday. On Saturday evening they provided a capital entertainment under the auspices of the local Savage Club, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all present.. The visitors wero most hospitably treated during their brief stay. Pitcairii Island, the home of descendants of tlie crew of the Bounty, was visited by. the cargo steamer, Norman Monarch whilst she was en route from New York-to Wellington via Panama Canal. Captain Watson navigaled his vessel quite close to the island, and about half a dozen inhabitants,including two women, pulled out and went aboard the ship. 11l return for newspapers and periodicals of various descriptions'tlie crew of. the Norman Monarch obtained fresli_ vegetables, , fruit, and a number of chickens. Captain Watson reported that the health of the islanders had been good. They were very, anxious for news of the war, although the Port Curtis, whioh arrived at Wellington from New York a few weeks ago, sup* plied tlie first, news that the Pitcairn Islanders liad had for months. The opening of the Panama Canal has been a blessing to the inhabitants of . Pitcairn Islaitd, for since the great waterway has been used by vessels trading from Eastern American ports' to ' New Zealand a call has frequently been made at their island home. Prior to this it ■waß months and perhaps years before a - vessel of any' description visited r tho,| place. •' Speaking last evening at a- dinner tendered to tlie nsiting public schools represonta-tive Rugby teams; the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) stated tliat two observation cars would be at the disposal; of the boys this morning. ; ■ Ainerieau niflimfabtureirs. of. motorcars, motor-cycles,, gas, stationary, and marmo (including motor-boat) engines gaiii, Tather than lose, under tlie alterations iu.-the tariff decided on by. Par-' liament last week. Under the old'tariff, all Britisli-mado internal, combustion engines were"-admitted free; whilst an impost of 20 per cent, was made on similar American goods. Now an even 10 per cent. _ war, duty has been imposed on British cars and engines, wihilst the 20 per cout. duty on American gdods remains imalteredi, giving the, latter a 10; per cent, advantago on their former position. Yet under the old conditions, with a 20 per ceiit. tariff wall t j jump, American engine's: and cars to the value of £160,000 were imported into New Zealand for tho year. Tlie Stratford railway, .which now. extends as far as Whangamomona, from the Taranaki end, and further still on the Public Works section, is stated by Dr. A. W.. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, t-o 7 be already opening up the country very considerably. The Bishop told, tho Auckland "Herald" that he heard nothing on his reccnfc trip of the Taranaki bishopric scheme which was before the last General Synod. At the next Synod he hoped to have a committee set up to reconsider, the boundaries question.' It Taranaki was going to' bo made a separate diocese it ought to be made a large one.' A small one would be no use at all in the relief of either Auckland or Wellington.. As work in the Auckland diocese grew, the area the Bishop of Auckland had to cover must be limited, and in his opinion the diocese of tho future could not extend much further south than Hamilton. If a new Taranaki diocese were established he thought it should come as far 'north as Kawliia, then take a line across to Taupo, and include tlie Main Trunk down to, Marton. Again, tho development of the north meant extra work for the Church, and looking still further ahead the Bishop was of opinion that one day Auckland and the north of Auckland would bo sufficient to constitute tho Auckland diocese, Wo have'laiidcd a fine supply of straw boaters, including tho high crown, ami other popular shapes, Geo. JWlds. Ltd.. **•£»«» St?e6t,s-4irt«' - v ' .

"Despite the stress occasioned by the war; the centre must congratulate itself upon the extensive and successful work accomplished by those of its officers wlib, for one reason or another, have been forced to remain at home while their comrades are in aims. The small band of workers, which steadily diminishes as time goes on, has made ! strenuous 1 efforts to maintain tho activities of the centre during tho year."—A l paragraph in the annual report of tho Wellington head centre of the Royal Life-Saving Society. ; At yesterday's meeting l of the council of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce, jNIx. .T. Ballinger; complained of tho lack of attention given at the postal order counter in the Chief Post V Office on English mail days. He etated that the banks did not open until 10 a.m., and the mail closed at 10.20 p.m. ulioil lie was there, there were ten, meu waiting to attended to, and oiilyi on° man behind - the, counter, whilst' the at the nest counter was" doing nothing. He recommended that a letter, bo written to the Chief Post-' roaster suggesting that : more men: should be put on at rush times. .-; "The S no ' rea "y leave here until 12—0 p.m., yet ■ they close the postal order mail at 10.20 .a.m.. It is r>r&posterous!' said _Mr. Ballinger, whoso suggestion to mite to the Postmaster; was adopted. "It wouldn't happen in an ordinary hank," commented .;the President. "And they must be losing ' money by it I" returned-. Mr. Ballinger. _ A letter from Messrs. Thomson and Lewis was read at yesterday's meet- • '"g. the Chamber of Commerce com* plaining of the procedure o£ the Cus. ;toms. Department in connection with ; 'goods hejd up for examination; Tliat firfil had two cases held up for, ten days, wheii they had to pav Is. 3d. examination fee, nnd 2s. 6d. 'for ten -stem;®.' " The letter suggested ■ / that tno Chamber migHi take up the question and endeavour to get the Harbour Board not to charge for goods awaiting examination, or else the Customs_to have a special shed apart front the Harbour Board where such goods .might, be stored until examined. It' •wassuggestod that there miglit be rea-" ( Bons for suoh detention. They niight, for example, be forcign-mado goods. It' was decided that the attention of 'tlie. Controller of Customs be drawn 'to the matter.. Tho charging of storage by the Harbour Board was governed by bylaws. - " :. A bush contractor in tho far north of Auckland, near Wliangaroa, writes as follows to a friend in Canterbury "We have hod a very wet winter, and August lias been the worst month of • all, whereas last year, wo were.carting:' water for tlio house, all our. tanks being empty. All our young men that were , ablo to pass the doctor have gone to the war, and there axo none-left.• Pu-' keti Bush iS'jpab working, as nearly all ' the men liaVfc gono to tlie front. Some of the married men have gone, leaving their wives and. children. ■ In one case there to a wife and eight small child' ren. So you see our Etle place is do 4 ing its share to keep the old.flag fly-." ing." Arthur Dumble, a Fremantle lad, who was an experienced locomotive "-fitter, left his home a few months ago; for : ~ Newcastlo-on-Tyno for the. purpose of . helping as a munition, worker. Ho recently wrote to his parents giving the experiences of himself and a chum named Dago, whom he took with him. He says: "We have made a good show at work, and therefore get the .best work in tie Bhop. Tho men there drop • their tools sometimes when we are hopping into it. We are the only two iu: the whole shop who work with our sleeves rolled up, and they cannot make it out. / There was a bit of a scene one early morning. ,One of the,rotters made a remark about us, Dago went up and askwl man';whether : hp ..meant it, anditlie man ieplied l 'Yes.' Then Dagoi asked him to put up liis hauds, and to tlie surprise of all the men Dago knocks ed right out. Since' then the other men have beto; ft§ nice"as pio to n's. Iti is funny to hear them asking us. if we .came from tlie. wilds of Australia. W© reply: 'Yes, we did; where they eat one another.' Now tlicy will do anything for us, and will' go right out of their way to do it. Wo were Jiot satisfied with the money wo were! getting, so deoided to leave and go to the Clyde workshops. To our surprise the manager of tho aliop would not accept our resign nations. He told us he did not want to lose ns, and that our jobs were good in war or any other time. He told U9 that he had splendid reports about us, and he had heard about the little affair* v ■with one of the men. He told us to hit. a lot more, if they said anything/ , ' So we stayed.. After that & foreman: ■ from a submarine yard came to us and offered .us a job; but as we were getting; the best fitting in the shop we decider to stay."; > Describing tho fighting at Gallipoli f Major J. i\ r . M'Carroll, of the lltlii' North Auckland Mounted Riflos, writi ing from Malta-,' says"Tho noiso oi the firing is incessant, just liko hun', , dreds of stockwhips, and-as the bullet; whistle overhead ■ wo all involuntarily duck our heads—just at first. .:, If you remember-' tho maze at tlhe Aucto land Exhibition that mil giyo you somaidea, of what the trenches . are , like- 4 , twisting in every conceivable direction.-) one kuows when he is :in the firs' trench, as the bullets aro raining oa, tho bank in front and overhead. . . Theso .trenches wqre all dug ready/ and great cunning was used in con' sti-uoting sleeping places. Each man does liis own- cooking,' and there are all sorts of small one-man fireplaces, and stoves and cookers made of large beef tins. Everyone is happy and •.contented, after' waiting nino months patiently, and determinedly. _ Tho shooting of the. warships is a sight to see. They move about in tlie water, taking their positions almost to inches; , then they seem to open up, and tho air .seems to quiver, and' bang! . Away) jgois the taxpayers' money. .;. v Early* tlie Turks: bring tiieir artillery into Motion, their object being the base, without any result, not even ono .watce . barge beiiig dainaged. Soon a maiw of-wa-iv starts on-to -their.' position,-/ which is a W;sandy hill full of hol-j' ' low's. When 'the warship 'lias finished, tho hill looks leveller, and we havo no more trouble from that battery* Later on, a battery opened on our left, near a small village. Tlie warships opened fire on the village, and in about fifteen, minutes there .was standing but the mosque, wliicli_ thox had tried —successfully—not to ; hit."

Private Vivian Moore/who weilt away • :as .tireless operator on one of the main Expeditionary Force transports, and who •/" /vw®pfqrnierly postmaster' 'at ./Marton, .■■writes .to .a''friend at Devonport from Gallipoli. - Tho lotter is dated Juno 27 • last, and says"The country, for miles - nroundis one mass of trendies and saps. • : We oan thus-move about:]iretty safely. Tho Turk, so far; is proving himself a good and honourable foe. Wo miss our . . horses, but-011 tho whole are.doing well. There is a-fine feeling existing be- ./■-•-. tween. tho ■ Australians and ; ourselves. ;_■••■ Tho Turks'; artillery ;fire -is heavy . at "v .times, bu. t/. we : are, getting adept at tak- - ing cover now, ■ and ; their shells are less harmful." Just a day or two before sho received the notification of his death in. action, ■ Mrs. ;G.. C. Mayne,- wifo of Major • ■■Mayne,- of / the Canterbury Mounted Hides, received a letter from him dated "-■• Juno 20, in which ho said:—"l am oil outpost duty, but.; things .are rather. ! slow at present. Tho Turks have just v started shelling, and the shrapnel shells go whistling. past.. . When the': shells •• explode there is' sometimes a: rush for .. tho empty case,-as such a curio ; is worth ' a tin;of milk with tlie sailors. ,-'Tlia tilings we long for are such as condensed milk, unsweetened chocolate, tinned butter, and so on. The Army Service: Corps people seem'able to get these ■V things, even to tins of Danish butter, ■ but: we poor beggars in the trenches cannot manage it ; our only chance is / .to find some sailors who - can- deal" in '■■-:■ 'such. • I left money with niy orderly, ■ . to get some odds? and ends if possible. ' Of course, considering everything, we firo very well looked after.- I was very, .^disappointed/yesterday, as the Briga-. •/•. dier had promised that r should make a 6mall expedition, but;now it has-to be put off for a time.' v I wish we. had ■ some willow trees to sit under;-how I envy you all those trees at .home.' There -is some'excitement ..'near ; me.' The boys have discovered a sniper, and are busy trying to settle him with riflefire' It is too hot here; I must clear out and get in the sliado." • "Wo havo been living like kings in tlie trenches"'(writes.Pte.- Bernard Osborne from Gallipoli), "real good tucker . considering. It was a beggar at the first; . Out of lhy battalion, 1030; only o about 70?'- came through, and ■ out of niy sect-ion' only tiVo, and 1 happened toybe. one of tho lucky ones. I have still my bagpipes. It is a wonder * they wero not... blown - to- pieces. : - It' is. nothing for a; bullet to pass through /■your-tunic or your water bottle, iou don't know until you .go to get a drink . and .find a llole in it.. That's tho time ~/ to liear us perform. We can'hear tho • Turks talking all, night long in the trendies. Tliero are a number of. Germans with them./ Ymi just wait. We -will wipe them out in a few months or , a year. _ I havo not a mate left. If - I get killed out hero you will know that I died happy, because I know,that lam doing my duty.: I saw a, mail- , bag struok -by a-.shell,;.'W'hioh .sent-tho pieces of - letters all over the place, v Probably, your letter was in it." The principal of the Now Plymouth : High School, in which Corporal Vincent . B. Hall was a master, recently received • the.:following oommurication "from a member, of Corporal Hall's sectiom:— ■•'I would! like you to know that Corporal jV. J. B.'llall has died) of wounds. He was ill chargo of our section, and a better little chap could not be found.:! . helped, to carry nim down to tho track, . and I am afraid: we gave liim a fairly rough handling, as'wo were under fire ell tlio way. Ho never complained once; but tried: to joke, with, lis as' if nothing' ; was wrong. ,'I would like to tell these . who knew lliim tlfs-t lie was one of the best and bravest men who belonged' to New Zealand;/ I offered !Mim a drink of v 1; water, blithe said, 'No, the;boys will *'v f 'tklfa:and I can'', easily/..d0" without;'.'■"/ Corporal ," Hall, who was wounded tho day after . tho lauding . at Gaba > "Tope,- succumbed : "-'.to his founds.,in, liospitil at Alexandria. The wounds were sovere, aiid included ■afractured thigh. Tho hospital chap- : lain write:''Wo were "all very iond ofhim. He died a brave, plucky, quiet, and manly.death'.' " -• -../ - In a letter from the Dardanelles, the • Rev. C. J. Bush-King irates to Canon ;. ■ Curzon-Siggers :-f—' 'About the; work done ; : by our troops, we who are'here feel that .'. written words fail to describe the wonderful event. It is more than a pleasuro to work amongst the troops, be- 1 causo on the whole they are such good . fellows—no petty jealousies, etc.; Very .".few get downhearted, -and then : only, because we aTO not moving'fast enough .' for their eager ambitions. Even in tho actual fighting line we see goott fellowship, not only, amongst our troops,' but • from them, to the.Turks." -If- a.Turk oomes in as. a prisoner, our .men get . quite interested in him;'and; hasten 'to feed/him and. give him cigarettes,- and .this.is a cause of,surprise to prisoners,. v, ho Jiavo been -told! of some awful deeds • we will do to them if they surrender. I am. quite'satisfied .that-in-tihe ,cise of our.troops the campaign, has not 'brutalised' them, and people who talk of tho • 'brutnlising' effects of war do iiot know the Now. Zealander at least. Tlie Now Zealand troops .have a high' conception of war;/ Again, iv 3 must admit the Turk is playing the game, especially if he is left to himself, and is not committing, atrocities. There' is a-lot' yet to do. Wo are only; on the fringe of, our. campaign."