LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2509, 12 October 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Mayor wishes to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a cheque for £100 from the Hon. W. H. Herries for tlio No. 2 Hospital Ship Fund. '

Some little consternation was caused in tho ladies' portion of Te Aro Baths yesterday afternoon by the intrusion of an octopus of considerable size. One of the ladies' present noticed- the' creaturo feeling its way along the side of the bath, and informed the caretaker, Mr. J. Calnau, who immediately set about tho capture. After vory considerable difficulty, Mr. Calnan was able to drag tho intruder on to the platform, where it was found that it measured from tip to tip of its longest feolors some 9 feet. It is practically certain tliat the octopus gained entranco to tho baths through one of the inlet holes ill the wall. It is tlie intention to immediately cover these holes grating, and so guard against further intrusion.

Privates Sloan and Wilton, two returned wounded soldiers, arrived homo at Wollongong, New South Wales, last week, and were accorded a civic reception. 111 returning thanks, Private Wilton emphasised the need for every ablebodied man without encumbrance to volunteer. He said those tlmt were in a position to volunteer and did not flo so were practically murderers, because they were content to allow their fellow Australians at Gallipoli to remain without support, and thus he killed. Ho had lost the sight of one eye, but he would return to tlie fighting line if the military authorities would have him, rathef than that his mates over there should go without support.

'Tho following additional war regularespecting publications are notified in a Gazette Extraordinary issued last evening:—"The Minister of DeFence may by notice gazetted prohibit the salo of any book or other publication the sale of which ho deems injurious to the public interest in rospect of the present war, and so long as any such notice remains unrevoked" the book or publication to which it relates shall be a prohibited publication'within the meaning of this regulation. If any such_ notice relates to a periodical publication each issue of that publication shall be a_ prohibited publication within the meaning of this regulation. No person shall sell, or offer for sale, or have in his possession for sale, or proeuro or attempt to procure possession of, a prohibited publication. No person having tho possession or custody of a prohibited publication shall deliver or offer to deliver tho samo to any other person, or permit the same to he read or examined by any other person." "

Some local firms are doing all in their power to assist the Minister of Defence to raise the recruits that are needed to make up future reinforcements. Among the firms which arc pursuing an active policy in this regard is tie Wellington Gas Company, whicli, is calling on all able-bodied single men in its employ to enlist; The company promises all who do so half salary for the first six months, further remuneration at the end of that term to be at the discretion of the board of direotors.

Nearly 700 kits, valued at from £2500 to £3000, have been issued to Napier men eince the war started.

As showing what straits some farmers were put to in rinding freezing space for cattle they could not feed last summer on account of the drought in the north, it is related that one stockraiser at To Teko (Bay of Plenty) drove a mob overland to Hotorua, and from there entrained them to Hamilton, which place they reached on Christinas day. There they, were fed in people's backyards, and wherever there was a shimmer of green on the earth. After as long a stay as possible there the poor beasts wore entrained to Wanganui, and were finally slaughtered there on May 26, exactly five months after they left home. Another lot from Te Teko met their fate at Wakatu (Hastings), the registering a loss of £6 a head by theHimo thoy were in 'store.

An appeal to the Prime Minister to do something to meet the shortage of houses in Wellington was made by Sir. A. H. Hindmarsu in the House yesterday. He suggested that the Minister should instruct the Labour Department to build more workers' homes. Mr. Massey said that he recognised that there was a stronger demand for small houses in Wellington than in any other centre of tho Dominion. He did not know the reason of this, but it was a fact. Tho Department had been endeavouring to meet the difficulty by building a large number of workers' homes, and he proposed to give instructions for the building of a few more. But it was not possible, owing to tho state of the money market, to spend the same amount of money on workers' homes as was 6pent last year. He hoped, however, to be able to spend not less than £50,000, and he would see that Wellington had its full share of the expenditure.

A somewhat sweeping charge of mismanagement in connection with the arrangements for admitting next-of-kin to the enclosures on Saturday was made against the authorities by Mr. L. SI. Isitt in the House yesterday. He declared that nothing was done that ought to have been done, and that everything was done that ought not to have been done, and that owing to the excitement of the crowd there was very nearly a riot and loss of life. The Minister of Defence said that the arrangements had been carried out by the Defence Department, after consulting with tho Mayor and the Harbour Board. He was afraid that if some of the suggestions made by tho member for Christchurch North were given effect to there might beioss of life. However, he was satisfied that the arrangements were not perfect, and tho Defence Department hoped to profit by the experience. He Iliad made arrangements with General Bob in to revise the whole procedure for similar occasions in future.

An unusual coincidence of name and initials led to a paragraph in The Dominion yesterday in which we were asked to state that on behalf of Mr. F. J'. R. Heath (draughtsman in tho Public Service), whose namo had appeared amongst those who had enlisted for'service at the front, wa-s really in hospital suffering from a fractured leg. As a "matter o£ fact, tlicre are actually two individuals of that- name in Wellington, both" pow6D6ing tho initials

In tho Houso yesterday Mr. Wilford asked tho Mijiistor of Defence if he would givo facilities for parents of New ZoaJanders at tho front to inaugurate what was callcd in Australia a "Billy Gift Fund." The "billies" were there filled with articles <>F comfort for the troops, and 10,000 of them wcro shown in an illustrated paper as ready to go forward as a Christmas present. They wero not addressed to individuals, but to soldiers generally. Tho "billy" would como in handy after tho goods were used. Mr. Allon in reply said Mi.it he would bo only too pleased to send the gifts forward if tho fund was started.

Out of a population of 250 at Stewart Island 35 have either gone to the front or aro waiting to go. —Press Association.

Replying to a question, put by Mr. D. IJuick in Parliament yesterday, the Minister of Defence stated, that Rangiotu Camp was only being abandoned temporarily. A littlo later on tho Department would again utilise the camp.

Our Napier correspondent states that Mr. Thomas Clark, ot Eskdale, has given the County Council 10 acres of land! in tho Ksk Valley, opposite tho proposed East Coast railway station, on condition that it is thrown open to the publio ae a park. The donation is an exceedingly generous„one, as the land in that locality is going up in value.

Tho new municipal golf links at Berbamporo are to be formally opened by the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) on Saturday, October 80. Messrs. Johnston and Co., Ltd., agents for the Peninsular and Oriental Stoam Navigation Co., advise that tho sleeping car special Marseilles train, which conneoto with tho P. and O. steamers, and which had been temporarily suspended, is now re-established, and commenced running to connect with the 5.6. Medina, which left London on September 4, und with the s.b. Persia, which left Sydney on August 7.

The contents' of No. 4 hold of the Wimniera have been examined by Captain E. B. Atwood, marine surveyor, at Wellington, and it has been found that, although the Qre, which occurred whilst tho vessel was en route from Melbourne to Hobart, was not of a serious nature, the damage caused was more extensive than at first anticipated. .The fire itself did little or 110 harm, and most of the damage was caused by smoke and water. The Wimmera continued her journey on to southern ports, Hobart, and Melbourne last evening.

Tho Napier Operatic Society is performing the "Blue Moon" on October 25 and for the three following nights. Tho whale of the _ proceeds will go to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund.

A Press Association message states that the Timaru Borough Council last night resolved to support the Catholic Federation in requesting the. Government to establish a censorship over moving-pictures.

Sergeant-Major Monorief, of Morrinsville, who :'s in the 6th Haurakis, writes to his wife as follows: —'It's an awful job writing letters now, as the flies nearly eat one. My dug-out is in the shade in the morning, but even now they are worrying tho life out of me. The heat is veT.y trying. I can stand the cold better than the heat. Wo are getting quite a- lot of shelling lately, and giving a lot, aud at the time of writing they have just made another start, sending over some "Big Willies." Two chaps were wounded i while hanging up the mail the other [day—that's tho luck of the game. Struck a luxury this week—had a cake ! given to me. We are getting bread I and fresh meat three times a week now. I and we are to get condensed milk at t'ke end of the month. These are welcome changes, as everyone is "fed up" of bully-beef and biscuits—in fact, no one- oan eat bully-beef now.

. Twenty-three m:n registered for active service last week at Hastings.

How the difficulty caused by the cessation of the supply from Germany of Stosfurtli potash salts might be overcome, was suggested in a letter that came before the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, from .Mr. 11. E. Hunt. The writer, pointed.'out that .the price of caustic potash had increased since the outbreak of war from £25 to £100 per ton. He suggested that the example of America might be followed, and seaweed utilised in tho making of potash. Mr. T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S.; had informed him that there were immense beds of seaweed on various parts Of the New Zealand coasts, notably at Akaroa and Stewart Island, whilst Captain Goertz, of the Northern Steamship Company, had stated that, there was a. large bed off Motiti Island, in the Bay of Plenty. Mr. Hunt suggested tliat collecting and burning tho seaweed would provide an industry for coastal dwellers, and that other deposits in the ocean or on other parts of the coast mipjht be discovered if public attention were drawn to the matter. The council decided that tho matter was one for consideration by agricultural and pastoral societies, to whom Mr. Hunt was referred.

Proposals by the Wellington Grocers' Union for a now award we're considered by the Conciliation Council yesterday morning, Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) presiding. Mr. H. J. Stott (secretary of the Master Grocers' Association) appeared as agent for the employers, and the assessors were:— For the employers. Messrs. D. Anderson, J. M'llwraitli, and H. Wardell; for tho union, Messrs. J. M'Keuzie, Jas. Kennedy, and Win. Earl. The union demands are, briefly, for a 60hour week for assistants and a- minimum wage of £3 ss. per week. A minimum wage of 10s. per week is asked for youths 15 years of age, rising to £2 15s. at 20 years. It is sought to have the statutory half-holiday observed whether another holiday falls in the week or not. The council sat for some time in committee and then adjourned.

Everybody will comprehend that it is desirable that the manufacture of explosives in New Zealand should be encouraged, and especially s° at this juncture. The progress of "Sabulite, the new safety explosive, which is-now made in this Dominion at works near Auckland, will therefore be regarded with much interest. Already ono successful test has been made of ' Sabulite hand grenades in Wellington, and another is to follow at Fort Dorset, Seatoun, to-morrow (Wednesday) afternoon, at four o'clock, when military men ui particular are invited to be present. It may be observed that a cablegram has just come to hand, intimating that the British "Sabulite" Company has received an older for 6000 tons of Sabulite" from the Ministry of Munitions, and that this explosive lias been adopted for war purposes at Home.

Do you realise how hard water is when a boat sails through it ab full ipeod? asks an oxchango. passinp; at 50 miles an hour is not the limpid liquid vro. sre accustomed to bathe in. If you put your arm overboard from a hydroplane, running CO miles an hour, and striko a wn\v> crn?t the probability, is that you will break your arm or wrist, b&oausa at that speed water tas rot time to civo or even to change shape, and striking it is like striking so much metal. If a I swordsman should onter one of (il-e tjro&t hydraulic quarries,' whon> <>„ Btivim of water, under enormous head, is used to wash down, hillsides, and attempt to cut into on® of thoso streams, his sword iv'ould fly to pieces without being ab'o to penetrato tho wator. The stream is like a. bar of iron.

Jerry (i'Connell, the jockey, who was iujured on Friday at tho Hawke's Bay races, isv progressing satisfactorily, but | \V. Adams, who was injured the following day, is still in a serious condition, there we hooes of his recovery.

Tho Hon. R-. Heaton Rhodes, who id at present in Egypt, has cabled to thd Minister of Defence that he has made tho utmost possiblo inquiries regarding men who are missing, and he much regrets to have to state that there is littlo hope of finding them.

Evidence may sometimesbe had, oven in Dunedin (says tho "Otago Daily Times") that tho proverbial reputation, of Chinamen for honesty is founded oil solid fact. A few days ago a lady lost a purse containing £3, some odd eilvor, and othor personal valuables. The loss was a serious one, and she decided to ndvartiso for the puree. Tho day tho advertisement appeared eke was very much pleased, and perhaps a little surprised, to have the purse returned to. iior intact by an elderly Chinaman.

Speaking to a reporter, Mr. T. F. Slowoy, tho Timaru Harbour Board's foreman for tho stone work, said (reports the "Herald") that there is in: tho quarries around Timaru the finest bluostone to bo found in Now Zealand— a fact which is not generally known, Mr. Slowoy has had extensive experience as a contractor in different parts of Now Zealand, and he was of opinion that a very profitable industry could ha startod thore by exploiting these quarrio»(