LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2620, 16 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that tlie R.M.S. Maitai, which sailed from San Francisco on November 10, is due at Wellington on December 2, bringing American and English mails via San Francisco. The secretary of the Department of Agriculture (Mr. F. S. Pope) has received a cablegram from the New Zealand Trade Commissioner at Melbourne, in which lie states that the Federal Government has reimposed the duty on wheat, bran, straw, sharps, . pollard, bay, and chaff imported into the Commonwealth. A heavy storm was felt at Palmer6ton Nortli yesterday morning. There was a considerable electrical disturbance. The lightning was exceptionally vivid and tho thunder was of the "Jack Johnson" gun order. The following is a copy of a telegram which was received yesterday from Colonel Logan, regarding tho health of tho New Zealand troops at Samoa: — "Health of troops good. Corporal J. J. O'Dwycr, phlelutis; Privates J. Harwood, haemorrhoids; R. Lang, bronchitis; T. B. Fitzgerald, intertrigo; A. J. Lomas, elongated uvula, progressing favourably; Corporal J. Swan, swallowed denture." ; The Prime Minister stated yesterday that the Government had received a very large number of applications for positions on the Board or Trade to be set up under the Cost of Living Act of last session, and_ that tho applications would be dealt with by tho Government in the near future. The following regulation lender the War Regulations Act was gazetted yesterday:—"No person shall bring, or cause to be brought, any intoxicating litjuor upon a troop train, or have in his possession any intoxicating liquor upon a troop train, or supply any intoxicating liquor to any person being carried in a troop train. In the regulation the term 'troop train' means any railway train or _ railway carriage wliich for the time,, being has been set apart for the exclusive use of tlie Defence Forces, or which is for the time being exclusively or chiefly occupied or used by members of those Forces." A total of 800 men of tho Eighth Reinforcements belong to the Presbyterian Church. Notice of motion as follows was given by' Mr. J. Reid at the meeting of the Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday:—"That the-secretary be instructed to' inquire whether' shipping _ companies pay stamp duty on tickets issued for passage by their vessels, and if so whether the additional war rate is being charged."

Since the various _ patriotic funds were starfed at Napier the following have given in one sum £250 and over: —Napier Park Racing Club, £500; Napier Brewery Co., £250: Mr. J. H. Colonian, £500; Mr. J. N. Williams, £500; Mr. E. W. Knowles, £400; Mr. A. S. G. Carlyon, £250; Mr. James Bell, £250; Mr. R. D. D. M'Lean, £500; Napier Gas Co., £250; Mr. E. J. Watt, £500; Commonwealth and Dominion Line, £500; Napier Brewery Co. (seoond amount), £250.

"England Expects"—This is tile title of a very useful booklet called "The Secruits' Handbook," issued by the Defence Department. It furnishes prospective recruits with information about conditions of enlistment, pay, service, promotion, and the scale of pensions for all non-commissioned ranks. The back page. of the cover is a registration card, which any recruit may fill in, tear off, and mail to the address already printed thereon. It is a very useful publication, which will fill a very awkward blank in the recruiting scheme.

A hurried postscript to a private letter dated September 21, and received in Auckland from a person aboard the hospital ship Maheno, refers to tho submarine peril. It reads: "We have just received an urgent S.O.S. call to go to the assistance of a French boat torpedoed about 80 miles from us. Wo are nurrying away at full speed, but I suppose we .shall arrive too lato to bo of much assistance."

About 50 men are now engaged in the erection of the convalescent camp on Pukeroa Hill, Rotorua, and the work is beginning to make a good showing. Over 80,000 ft. of timber, bosides several tons of foundation blocks, are on the ground. The ground scheme of the building has been' completed, and the framework of portions of the annexes is up. The structure, whioh is to be of the Cambridge Hospital' type, is to be cruciform in plan, tho length of the "shaft" of tho cross being 288 ft., and the measure across the "arms" 130 ft. At each end of the "shaft" is to be an octagon 76ft. in diameter. The construction of tho building will practically permit of open-air _ treatment' being accorded to the patients, who mil sleep on what _ may be described as equivalent to wide verandahs. The contractors for the work are Messrs. Campbell and Burke, who erected th& hospital at Trentham.

Mr. P. C. Corliss, Secretary for Stamps, who returned to Wellington yesterday, after seven- months' absence in the Old Country, exudes a fine optimism as to the ultimate issue of the war. There is no question in anyone's mind now tlmt we could last the war out and win handsomely, now that England, France, and Russia .had oaught -up to the demand for munitions, and could give back a little more than shell for shell, when the necessity arose. At Home no one appeared to bo. worrying very much about the war. Occasionally they were annoyed by visits of tho Zeppelins, but most of London regarded them as a show. Mr. Corliss said ho was in London during tho last and biggest Zeppelin raid, but people had got exaggerated ideas as to tho amount of the damage which had been done. There had been a fow fires as tlie result of bombs, but what did that amount to in such a vast place as London? The comparative damage done was as though a cottage had been burnt down in Wellington. "At tho present rate of Zeppelin bombardments," said Mr. Corliss, "it will take tho Germans a thousand years to make any impression on London."

Tho Mayor of Wellington has received from Mrs. iWalter Nathan a cheque for £100, with a request that the money Miculd be wilt. Hum® to bo used for M DrOSS

A report from Palmerston ijorth last evening stated that a 6liglit earthquake was felt there at about 9.25 o'clook. Writing to, his mother in Wellington from Gallipoli, Gunner Ernest Pope, of tho Howitzer Battery (3rd Reinforcements), Who was recently wounded, says: "Wo were personally congratulated tho other day by our New Zealand aeneral on our truly magnificent shooting. 'It is only what I expected from tho 4.5,' ho added Two days after we received through our major a messago from an English officer, Major , something like tliis: 'Please convoy my congratulations and thanks to the New Zealand gunners for their splendid work in smashing up a formidable Turkish redoubt. 'I knew the 4.5 could do it.' These were entirely different shoots at different targets, and so one lias no relation to the other. Tlie general himself was up at tho observation nost tlie day he viewed the shooting,' and afterwards fame to tho gun pit and so graciously praised us."

In order to stimulate interest in the "Gallipoli Saturday" movement, arrangements have beon made with tho various moving picture proprietors in tho city to film a scene depicting our soldiers in tho trenches. The picture was obtained only a few days ago by /•i enterprising sub-committee of the advertising section of tho "Gallipoli Day" Committee. It will show tie arrival in the trendhes of tobacco, foodstuffs, etc., from tlie people of New Zealand, and especially to bo noted in the film will he a uumber of boxes labelled "From Wellington friends." The screening of the nun will occupy about ton minutes. It will be shown from this evening until the end of the present week. 1

At the opening session of- the Church of England Men's Society's Congress, to be held this afternoon, an address will be delivered by the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) on "The Place of Rationality in the Kingdom of God." Those who . have been privileged to hear the pronouncements made by Dr. Sprott from time to timo on the subject of tlie war will welcome the opportunity of hearing this special phase discussed by so able a thinker. The meeting will not he confined to mombers of the society, but will be open to all men who caro to attend. It will bo held in St. Peter's Schoolroom, GHiuznee Street commencing at 3 p.m.

The Officer Commanding the 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Company of' the Canterbury Infantry Battalion writes as follows from Anzac, under date of September 10, to the lion, secretary of the Lady Liverpool Fund, Christchurch:—"l am pleased to say that tlio socks and handkerchiefs duly arrived and were distributed to the men by Colonel Charters. Eyery man here ot the 13th Company received two pairs of socks and one handkerchief, for which they were very grateful. These comforts arrived at a most opportune time, and I can assure you they were most acceptable. Will you please convoy my own, and also that of every man, sincere thanks to yourself and all the ladies who so kindly thought of our needs and helped in the movement."

The twenty-fifth annual report of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, which lias its headquarters in Auoklana, states that at the end of March last there were sixty-one pupils in the house and sehool. Of these, seven were women, twenty-six boys, and twenty-flight girl 6. In addition, there were thirty-two in the technical and industrial department, fourteen being journeymen, seventeen inmates, and one a day pupil. During the year two pupils recovered their sight sufficiently to leave the institution and to follow sighted occupations. The school syllabus includes provision for physical drill, and this subject is being systematically taught to the pupils, on the,lines, laid down by the Education Department. ■• The- teachers - were given the opportunity of making themselves proficient by attending special classes of instruction, held in _ Auckland in August under the auspices of. the Department. The knowledge gained by them is proving beneficial to the pupils. Swimming olasses for both boys and girls have been formed, and instruction in swimming is being given weekly at the Parnell baths by Professor, Anderson. The enthusiasm displayed by both instructor and pupils has been marked. Shorthand and typewriting are taught to the elder, scholars, while special attention is being given to tewing and hand knitting to the senior girls and women; olasses, supervised oy Miss Law, are held weekly.- The sales in the trade department amounted to £1667. Bs. lid., a doorcase on the previous year of £659 ss. 6d. The payments to blind workers amounted to £1182 19s. 3d., an increase on the preceding year of £177 18s. 6d., a record for any year.The decrease in the sales is attributed to the poor season's strawberry crop in Auckland. Owing to the failure of this crop, the demand for chip boxes fell far below the average. ,

It is not often that police stations are mistaken for anything but what they are (says an exchange), but the new police barracks at Hamilton, which are somewhat pretentious in appearance, were entered by a Swede named Henrich Lam, who, apparently' under the impression that the building was the most modern of hotels, asked for a whisky and soda. He left somewhat disconsolately' when informed that the law forbade the sale of intoxicants ■ oil unlicensed premises. The same evening, apparently still bearing a hazy impression that the building was an accommodation house, Larsen made his way to one of the cells, where, spreading out the police blankets, he proceeded to retire for tho nig ht. The bolt wes drawn on him, and nest morning when tho settling camo up t he found the tariff (10s. and costs) a little higher than he was acoustomed'to lay for'th» luxury of a shakedown.

Complaints Lave been received by tie Auckland Acclimatisation Society from anglers in different districts, pointing out that certain owners of land abutting on trout streams have ordered them away and threatened to charge thorn with trespassing. The anglers all asked the same question: Bid not their licenses entitle them'to fish in anx.trout stream, provided that they kept within one chain of the banks? One gentleman told how he had been very rudely ordered away- from a section of the Ongaruhe Stream—which, he said, had been visited by anglers for years—by a man who had leased native land stretching for some miles along both banks, and who claimed that he was the only person entitled to fish there. These letters were read at a mefting of tho oouncil of the society. The secretary reported that copies had been sent on to tho Minister of Internal Affairs, who had been asked for a pronouncement on tho subject. Mr. H. H. Ostler said that an Act passed in 1884 provided that in respect to all Grown lands disposed of after that date, a strip of land a chain wide be reserved to tho public along the banks of all rivers. But there weTe hundreds of titles, granted before that date, which gave owners tho absolute right to the land right down to the river. If a man owned land on both sides of the river, under titles issued prior to 1884, he also owned the river, and was the only man with the right to fish there. "In Auckland, you' are only now meeting a position we became acquainted with in Wellington 25 years jigo. Down there, we have actually Known people getting the land on both sidei of a stream in order to soouro the solo right to fish there. It is very galling, but Wellington is reconcilcd to it now. In one way, it is rather an ad- | vantage, because those lengths, strictly 1 preservod, often prove an admirable stocking ground, and in somo cases thoy have proved to bo the salvation of the river." Memb'ers thought that, if possible, something should be done to protect the of tho anglers taking out licenses, but it was agreed to await tho Minister's reply before taking any 'sftfltion.