LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2566, 14 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The mails which left Wellington on July 29 connected with tho Suez dispatch, per R.M.S. Orontes, and arrived in London on September '12. When the Minister , of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) was in Auckland recently be was asked by a conference of ladies whether patriotic women of the country would bo allowed to provide comforts for returning sick and wounded soldiers on the transports., Mr. Russell communicated with the Defence Minister, who replied that tho Defence Department supplied sufficient' necessaries for returning wdunded, and generally tried to make their trip home as pleasing as possible, but there could be no objection, to the ladies of New Zealand providing additional luxuries if they wished, and anything of uso would bo gladly accepted. Any goods so sent forward should ba seourely packed, every package labelled with a description of the contents and for what uso intended, and the packages addressed to Captain Hilton, Defence Shipping Office, No. 3 Shed, Wellington Wharves. Mr. Russell gives the assurance that every caro will bo taken to seo that the goods reach tho troops for whom thoy are intended. Lato last evening as a motor-car with throe occupants' was careering along the Hutt Road, about 200 yards from Pctone on the south side," the driver, in. "hugging" the bank, apparently over did the business, with tho result that tho car dashed into a metal quarry and got badly damaged. Tho cccupants, however, escaped uninjured. •'This man was about three months ahead of his time," remarked Inspector Hendrey in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when referring to tlie case of a trooper named Archibald Dodds, charged with behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk. Dodds had offered to fight all and sundry while in Cuba Street on Saturday night. A fine of 10s., with an option oT forty-eight hours' imprisonment, was imposed. Tho Masterton A. and P. Association has expressed its willingness to support nny effort in the direction of teaching senior pupils at. the public schools the points of breeding in animals. • The lure of Wolluigtoii after Gallipoli and Egypt had a marked effect on somo of tho military special trains last weekend. The train which was to take tho West Coast returned soldiers up tho line on Sunday morning went away with fewer soldiers than had been provided for, and the Napier train met with a similar experience. Ws have landed a fine supply of straw boaters, including the high crown, and other popular shapes, Qeo, Foivlda, Ltd Maimers EU'stt.-AdvU ' ■

Mr. John Clegg, of Dunedin, who was taken prisoner on the high seas by the Kronprinz Wilhclm, and had some interesting experiences before ho was ableto'resumo his voyage from Europe to New Zealand, is to lecture at the Concert Chamber on September 24, under the auspices of the Wellington Patriotic Society. Up till Wo days ago Mr. CI egg's tour had realised £390 for the Patriotic Funds. Ho pays all his own travelling expenses and hotel bills.

A recent letter received by Thos. Cook and Son's local office states that the Home Office has announced that "on and after August 10 no one not in His Majesty's service or a person who is a member of or who is travelling on behalf of a foreign mission, will be allowed to embark for Norway, Sweden, or Denmark until he lias obtained a permit from the Permit Office, Downing Street,' or from one of the branch permit offices which will be opened at Hull and Newoastle-on-Tyne on Tuesday, August 3." The notice also makes it mandatory that application should be made at ono of these permit offices a week before the date of sailing. / The tram service to tho Aro-Street end of tho city was the subject of complaint at last evening's meeting of the Aro Street, Mitclielltown, and Taitville Householders' Association. The association says that the present service is not at all satisfactory, and it jb the intention to request tho City Council to improve it. It is contended that the line pays now, and that it would be oven more profitable to the Corporation if the servico was better.

A resolution dealing with the Government's war taxation proposals was passed in the following terms by the Wellington branch of the Social Democratic Party last night:—''That this meeting condemns tho Fusion Government's taxation proposals, which it regards as an attempt to relieve the moneyed interests of their obligations ii\ connection with the war expenditure, while throwing almost the whole burden on tho al-, ready overtaxed working class section of the community." Colonel Tate, Officer Commanding the Wellington Military District, inspected the Cadets who paraded at the reception to returned soldiers on Saturday, and expressed himself as very well pleased with the general turnout.

A meeting ef military officers of the Unattached List (b) was held in Wellington on Saturday evening. Colonel Tate, Officer Commanding the Wellington District, and Major Bosworth, A.Q.M.G., also were present. The meeting was arranged for the purpose of allowing the' officers to meet the now Group Commander, Major A. A. Corrigan, arid for the consideration of the course to be adopted in regard to tho training and the efficiency of the companies, and more particularly the officers of the companies. Colonel -Tate delivered an interesting address, in which ho pointed out the opportunities for officers of the Unattached List, and. suggested a means of training for the year. It was decided that the officers should meet every fourth week, on a night yet to bo fixed, when lectures will be delivered. A rough syllabus was made by Colonel Tate. - -

The Secretary for Agriculture, in reply to a resolution of l the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, ivrites: —"With reference to the resolution passed to tho effect that an analysis should be supplied with all live stock foods offered for sale ; a Bill dealing with this question is being prepared, and it is hoped to have it ready for presentation to Parliament next session."

Willi reference to tho resolution passed at the recent Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, urging that road metal and scoria for settlers should be .carried at the same rate of freight as', material for road-making for local bodies, the General Manager of New Zealand Railways has replied: "I have the honour to inform you that this material is already carried at the lowest general tonnage rate in' the tariff, and that the rate in question is unremunorativo to tho Department. Further, if any concession in this direction were extended to farmers it could not reasonably bo withheld from the whole community, and the result would be a serious depletion of'the railway revenue. Tho whole question of tariff rates is at present under review, and your representations will have consideration, but I regret I am unable to hold out any prospect of the reduction in the rate." " .

Mr. J. Escott, M.P.j has, says a Press Association telegram from Woodville, received a letter -from the Minister of Agriculture stating that ho has had several specimens of limestone from the Manawafcu Gorge analysed, with splendid results, showing 75 per cent, quioklime, and that the limp is a good one for agricultural purposes. The Hawko's, Bay County Counoil is protesting to the Government against the,. Napier-Taupo road between To Poliue aoid Moliaka being declared a county road. • , On Saturday one William Taylor Devlin, whose attendance at the Napier Court occurs with remarkable regularity, created a disturbance by makincj disloyal remarks. He was let off lightly wi£h a £2 fine. The Hawko's Bay County Council lias decided to purchase 1000 gallons of a patent tar' preparation with which they propose to conduct experiments on the main roads. '■ In convicting and discharging a shopkeeper named E. J. Whitcorhbe, charged ill tho Magistrate's Court yesterday with selling firearms to a youth under the ago of sixteen years, the Magistrate said that defendant and other shopkeepers must understand that they must not supply firearms to youths under the prescribed age.

The Army Service Corps attached to the National Reservo is to turn out on Thursday evening as part of a procession which is to mark the opening of the "Hinemoa" Company's season at the Grand Opera House. : Tho public aro perhaps not aware that the gross takings of the first night are to be handed over to the New-Zealand Patriotic Society, and aro to bo expended on Christmas cheer for our soldiers. in tho trenches and the hospitals abroad. - The first night's performance will be free to. nny of tho soldiers who returned from the front by the Tahiti.

Mr. A. E. Kernot, who returned from Sydney by t-lio Ulimaroa yesterday, said that the big city across the pond was hardly so buoyant as be had found it on previous occasions.! 1 There was a lack of that snap and go which generally characterised the commercial and social life of Sydney, which ho supposed was attributable to the war. Speaking about recruiting, Mr. Kernot said that' it had not been at all satisfactory for some little timo past, and now * New South Wales was being subjected to a vigorous advertising campaign—pictures, posters, circulars, etc., all conceived in a spirit calculated to fire the imagination and kindle zeal in the young men. who should enlist.. In Sydney there were parades of troops almost nightly in tho different suburbs. One might see as many as 300 troops, headed by a brass band, tramping through tho principal streets of the big suburbs, beckoning men to the colours. These tactics were having an effect, and of late the figures bavo been more satisfactory.

Private G. S. Hay, a former member of the staff of the telegraph office at Masterton, and a prominent hockey player, is among tho latest list of miss"mg at the Dardanelles." Chevrolet, n handsome, powerful car, equipped, with .every, accessory of proven quality, and bearing tho hall-mark of strength, trustworthiness, and durability. Your inspection of the latest model —self-starting, of course—is invited bv the Dominions Motor Vehicles, I/td., 65 Courtenay, Place, who will bo pleased to demonstrate to you tho superior qualities of the Chevrolet car.—Adrt,