LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2613, 9 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Postal authorities advise that the R.M.S. Moana, which is clue From Sydney on Wednesday, is bringing Australian mails and also an English mail via Suez. The price of bread in "Wellington was reduced from 4}d. to 4d. per 21b. loaf as from yesterday. Flour is now quoted at £'11 and £11 10s. per ton, f.o.b. in the south. In honour of Captain A. J. Cross, an ex-master of tho "Wellington College, who returned to "Wellington last week from Gallipoli, the boys of the College were given a holiday yesterday. As from yesterday the lessees of the Britannia Theatre, in Manners Street, took over a five years' lease (with tho option of renewal) of the People's Picture Palace, also in Manners Street. At about 1 p.m. yesterday one of the overhead tramway wires snapped at the frog opposite _ Edward Anderson's promises in AYillis Street. As it was a dry, dusty day, no. accident resulted. Tho repair staff was promptly on the scene, and looped up the wire to the frog with a rope lino, a. close enough connection to allow the crush traffic to run through. South-bound cars were only delayed for some ten minutes. A lady interested in the Y.M.C.A. movement, but unable to assist financially, has forwarded to Mr. Varney, general secretary at "Wellington, a* gold locket and a beautiful, gold keepsako scarfpin, to be disposed of and the proceeds used to purchase comforts for our soldiers in Egypt. The thunderstorm of Saturday morning was one of tlie most violent experienced in the "Wairarapa for many years. The heavy rain that fell will do an immense amount of good to crops and pastures. The new Board of Studies, constituted under the Now Zealand University Act Amentlmen t Act of la st session, coneluded its first sitting yesterday morning, and most of the members of the board (five professors from each of the four centres) left for their homes yesterday. _ The result, of their deliberations will be submitted to the Senate at its .January conclave. Professor H. "W. Segar, of the Auckland University, lias been elected chairman of the hoard for a term of three years. There is some talk of a golf club being formed at Island Bay for play on the new municipal links at Berbampore. The City Engineer (Mr. "W. 11. Morton) has reported to the Mayor that tho city services stood the strain of tho very heavy rain storm of Saturday morning very well indeed, and no cases of serious flooding were recorded. The old culvert which runs seaward near the Government Buildings was always a sourco of trouble in past years, ana on several occasions the cellars of the official buildings liavo been flooded. Some littlo time ago tho work of laying down a new culvert was taken in hand, and the result lias been that in Saturday's severe test it proved equal to all demands. The new surface water outfall. at Island Bay was also found equal to tho strain, and the usual crop of complaints from that quarter of tho city failed to materialise. A popular location for a flood was tho corner of Constable Street and Daniel Street, but thanks to a new drain laid quito recently, the water was conducted into the main outfalls without any slopping over. Exemption from service on the common jury was yesterday sought by Charles Mitchell, for whom the City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shea) appeared, iii applying for exemption, the City Solicitor raised the question as to whether Mitchell, being a tramway inspector, was oxempt by right, but counsel also put forward particular grounds in support of the application. His Honour said he would grant the exemption for tho particular reasons put forward, and would dccide the other question later. There were, lie pointed out, a great many unnecessary exemptions in" tho Act, and it was not- desirable to throw Hip burden on one section of the community at the expense of the other. During a recent gale in "Wellington a woman at Hataitai was blown over and her bag was blown out of her hand. The bag flew open during its career down the street, and among tlio contents which did not wait to lie recovered was a pound note. The woman was slightly injured, and carried away on her face several abrasions to remind her of her experience. Mr. Arthur Paape, organiser for the Political Bel'orni League, who returned from a holiday in Australia yesterday, said that he did not find commercial conditions thero to be quito so bad as had been represented to him before he left New Zealand. Sydney was quite busy, and spring meeting time thero found the city as full of visitors as ever, though khaki was playing a prominent part- in the colour scheme of the crowds. Still tho recruiting was very far from being satisfactory in Sydney, though every device was 'being used to induce the young men to ei£ list. This backwardness was. be said, likely to hasten the demand for conscription. Northward from Sydney across the Darling Downs to Brisbane tho weather had been very hot and rainless, and the country was showing it. But in sou them New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, a splendid harvest was anticipated. It has not been decided by tlie Marino Department whether a magisterial inquiry will be hold concerning the mishap to the .Mapourika on Clay Point, on Saturday, morning. The vessel lias been temporarily repaired and came off the patent slip yesterday afternoon. Geo. J'owkls, 1.M.. arc oiferiji*; some of the most comfortable fitting, newest shapes, in English .Roots, at 21?. fid. to 37.«. (kl. An inspection H invited, that will cost you nctliins.-Advt,

Manukau (Auckland 1 ) felt the storm which startled Wellington oil Saturday morning. The Auckland "Star" says: "The Manukau Harbour was like a boiling cauldron ou Saturday morning. There was a very high title, and tlie water was churned up into great breakers by the south-west gale which was blowing. The full force of the storm was felt on the wharf and adjoining breastwork and on the now Mangero bridge. From eight o'clock onwards heavy seas broke over the Mangere bridge, making it next to impossible for pedestrians to cross, and wnslipd right over the structure into the bay on tho south side. Tho railway from the wharf to the Tramway Company's tea kiosk, tho new wharf recently built by tho Auckland Harbour Board, and the road leading to it were damaged by tho heavy seas. Two boats at anohor in Geddes' Basin wero driven ashore, and a- fieliiiij* yacht dragged her anchor andi drifted towards Mangere bridge, where she was in danger of boing smashed to pieces. The Northern Company has a. gridiron, on which they clean and repair ■ their vessels, situated between the wharf and the railway leading to the kiosk. One of the four dolphins on one side of it was driven up by the sea and completely wrecked. Those engaged on the Oneliunga wharf and vicinity state that there has not been such heavy weather for many years.- After tho tide began to ebb the sea moderated a little, and at midday the wharf and bridges were no longer bombarded by tho breakers. The s.s. Karawa arrived on hour late, having experienced a trying passage from New Plymouth. When replying to a deputation which waited on him in Auckland in connection with wireless telegraphy, the Post-master-General' (Sir Joseph Ward) remarked that the Marconi system when installed upon a steamer communicated without difficulty with the Telefunkon system in New Zealand, and vice versa. The New Zealand system had done wonderful work in long-distance telegraphy. Sir Joseph also stated that no Germans were employed in the service of the country in connection with wireless, ar.d as far as lie was aware they were not allowed to use the system in any portion of the British Empire. Prior to tho war a number of Germans were so employed in South Africa, but he understood that they had been replaced. Asked if New Zealand can supply the Imperial Government's requisition lor cheese, as cabled this week, Mr. J. A. Scott, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association, replied: "Of course we can. It means about .15,000 tons, and we shall be making 45,000 tons, so it is only a third <>1 our output. V\ e could do more than that if required, li tlio Home people commandeered the lot we shouldn't grumble. Wo oughtn t to, at any rate." A word of commendation is due to Mr. J. Calnan, caretaker of To • Aro Baths, who during the past three weeks has saved the lives of three persons who havo got into difficulties in the water. The latest rescue occurred yesterday morning, when Mr. Calnart, fulfv dressed, dived into the water and brought ashore, a young man who was already unconscious. After about a quarter of an hour's artificial rosgiration the rescued man was brought round, and shortly afterwards taken home in a motor-car. Tho young man in question could swim, and he did not know what went wrong with him.