LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2570, 18 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the 5.3. Mocraki, which is duo from Sydney on Monday, is bringing Australian mails only. The R.M.S. Moana is due from San Francisco on October 7, bringing English and American mails. The Mokoia is due at Auckland on Monday morning with an American mail which will arrive in .Wellington on Tuesday morning. Tho Postmaster-General, Sir Joseph Ward, interviewed yesterday, stated that tho preparation of the Ordcr-in-Council authorising higher postal and telegraphic rates by way of war taxation was almost completed, but somo of the delicate readjustments required were not yob finished. Ho thought that tho amended scalo would bo gazetted early next week, and tho new charges would como into operation immediately ' they wore gazetted.

Goo.' Fawlds, Ltd., can fit you with com-, fort-siring boots or 6lioos. Sea Manners Street windows for a ehowiug of the pick of English and colonial makes at

Six Hawko's Bay school teachers are already serving at the front, and ten others havo volunteered. In the course of an interview yesterday morning, says our Napier'correspondent, the secretary of tho Education Board, questioned as to whether, owing to the difficulty experienced ill getting competent teachers, it would not be better if teachers remained in the country, said it was possible that their services here would be of even greater value than at the front, as it was absolutely, essential to have trained teachers., Flour is generally quoted at £14 f.o.b. in the south. It is understood that outside tho Millers' Association flour ,lias been sold at £13 10s. f.o.b. in the south, and tho tendency is for the market to beoome still easier. Tho monthly meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Council, which was to have been held last night, was postponed until next Friday, owing to the slight indisposition of the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Kelly). Commencing' to-day, it is proposed to hold meetings in the committee room of tho Town. Hall on Saturday and' Sunday afternoons in each week for prayer in the hour of national crisis. Tho sec-, reta/iy of tlio movement says:—"The authorities are doubtless taking all necessary steps to supply tie need of men and munitions for the war, but let' us not forget tho still greater need of our dependence upon God. . . ~ It has been truly observed that more things are wrought by. prayer than this world dreams of. Many believe that when our nation is on-its knees before God our enemies will be on their knees | pleading for mercy and peace."

The twenty-third annual report and balaiice-sheet of the Wellington Federal' Club states that the membership is. 150. Eight members had answered the Empire's call, and are on service at various points, viz.: Messrs. C. Asher, F. de Rose, E. Gibbs, F. Gofton, J. Gosling, and Hi J. Sweeney, and Drs. D. N. Isaacs and A. W. Izard. They have beefi placed on the honoraiy members' list. , The balance-sheet shows a credit balanco of £81. { Many kava bowls from the Islands have been seen in Wellington, but it is doubtful if a finer specimen has ever been seen than tho one now being exhibited in Stewart Dawson and Co.'s window in Willis Street. The bowl, winch is'largo enough to make a comfortable footbath, is supported by. about sixteen legs, and has a highly ornamental lip, most symmetrically designed and artistically finished. The unique feature about the curiosity, which comes from Samoa, is that it has been hand-carved out of a solid block of wood. It is re*, puted to bo 130 years old; and to have served as the kava cup of Samoan king# in its day. Word has just come to hand that the filter for. purifying the water in connection with the Boys' Institute tepid swimming baths is about to leave tha Old Country. A season ticket allowing a school boy or girl to nse these baths once a week during the whole year will only cost 3s. The season tickets will bo available for' sale in the near future. One interesting item of the table of ciiargcs reads: "When not fewer than twenty-five members of an institution, society, or club use the bath at the same timo a reduced charge of 2d. per member will be made." • All passenger and mail traffic between Masterton and Wellington was suspended yesterday owing to a washout at the Summit, and' a slip on the railway line. No passengers for Wellington were booked from Masterton in the afternoon, says our correspondent. It is expected that traffic will be restored today. A heavy gale ragecj. in the Wairarapa early yesterday morning, doing considerable damage to fences and orchards."- •. '' ' A suggestion that some effort should bo made by our Tourist Department .to attract American tourists to this country was made to the Minister in Charge of tho Department by Mr. L. M.. Isitt. Mr. Isitt said that as it might be presumed that the war had; stopped the stream of American tourists to Europe the time should be" opportune to take steps to attract. American travellers" to these shores. The Hon. Dr. M'Nab said that a good deal had been done to advertise New Zealand, largely by the distribution of literature at our court at the Panama Exhibition. The Department hoped that there would be an influx of American tourists this year. He would give the matter consideration, with the object, of discovering whether any more might be done at reasonable outlay to attract American visitors during the coming summer.

"■\Ylien do you intend to fulfil your promise to hold an inquiry into the case of the uuwouuded men ivlio returned, by tlie Tahiti?" • asked' Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby of the Minister of Defence in tlie Hou6e of Representatives yesterday. "I made no such promise," said tlie Hon. J. Allen in reply. "I said that I •would get a report as to the numbers who' returned 6ick and wounded, and "then I would determine whether an inquiry was necessary." Just as the AVarrimoo, with the Dun. edin contingent of wounded soldiers on board was leaving the wharf at Lyttelton, the gangway had to be lowered to enable a belated passenger to secure bis passage. 1 When the vessel was • approaching the moles it was discovered that a woman and child, who had gone aboard to see a friend, had failed to no. tico that the steamer had _ left the wharf. To save them the inconvenience and expense of a trip to Dunediu, the Warrimoo disembarked them at the ferry .wharf. She then continued her voyage, but when some distance down the harbour was again delayed, the reason this time being that she was ,011 a short of her complement of firemen. Tlie missing man subsequently turned up in.a launch, and the Warrimoo continued on her way without further incident.

To sweep, th'o footpath in a public street between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. constitutes a breach of a by-law, and two shopkeepers who recently erred in this respect,, and had their names taken by observant constables, were fined in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. The two participants in the illegal V sweep were John Flockton and Norman E. Aitken, each of whom was fined 55., with Court costs 7s.