LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2624, 20 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Wimmera, due from Hobart on Sunday nest, is bringing Australian mails ana also an English mail via Suez.

' With respect to the offer of patriotic bodies and individuals to give to the Defenco Department basic slag bags to be used as sand-bags at the front, District Orders state for general information that the Department will be glad to accept these bags, provided the material of which they are made is sound and strong. The regulation size of a sandbag, the Orders state, is 2ft. 9in. ,by Ift. 2in., and the Department is prepared to pay freight on bags of the correct size. These should be consigned to Captain Bilton, No. 3 Shed, King's Wharf, Wellington.

The lot of the sick soldier who is discharged from _ hospital convalescent awaiting his discharge from the forces on his restoration to such a state of health as will permit his return to the firing lino was the subject of certain representations made by tho Conference of Patriotic Societies yesterday to the Hon. A. M. Myers. It was urged some members of the conference, and especially the Hon. J.. T. Paul, that these men were under a hardship. When a man enlisted he was told that he would receive ss. a day and his keep. This he received in camp, and ako in hospital. But when he was convalescent and turned out of the hospital, he received only ss. without keep. 1 ' It was stated that in Australia men on sick leave received a mess allowance of 2s. per day, and it was urged that this or some similar allowance should be made to New Zealand soldiers who were discharged from hospitals here. Mr. Myers promised refer the matter to his colleague, the Minister of Defence.

The Trades and Labour Council is urging upon the Minister of Justice a proposal to sot free first-offending prisoners who desiro to go Lo the front. Tho subject was discussed at the council's meeting last night,, when it was stated that there were 200 or 300 prisoners of this class in New Zealand, and many of them had offered to enlist if they had ilie opportunity. It was contended by the speakers that if the request were acceded to it would give such men an opportunity to retrieve their characters, and at the samo time to do something for their oountry.

A request for more considerate treatment to returned soldiors in the matter of railway .fares was made to the Hon. A. M. Myers yesterday by the Patriotio Societies' Conference. It was pointed out to the Minister that soldiers on their return to Now Zeaand had ,to pay full fares on the railway if they wished to travel to see members of their family in different parts of Now Zealand. Some delegates thought the Government would not be giving too much if they provided every returned soldier with a three mouths' tourist ticket, but they urged that at least one freo railway trip should bo given to every soldier who cante back from the front. Tlio Minister said that he would havo pleasure in submitting /tlio request to his colleagues; but he did not think it would bo possible for the Government to give freo railway travelling concessions to every soldior for such a long period as three months '

The Y.M.C.A. representatives did not get their interview with the Patriotio Societies' Conference about wliioh they interviewed the Hon. G. W. Russell this week. The conference had a lot of business to dto, and tlioy hurried through it very rapidly. At 1 o'clock, wken most of the members were on tboir feet to leave the room, Mr. Russell, who presided at sho meeting, said that ho had been approached by the Y.M.O.A. with a request that they be bealxl at the conference 011 a matter in which they wore interested. It would be for tho conference to say whothor the request should bo granted. Ho asked tho members present to .give thoir voices for and against. The prol»sa] Wxis not really taken seriously by tho delegates at the moment, and very few gavo their voices at all. Mr. Russell declared in favour of tho "Noes," twd csrtaiiiJy tho "Noes"- wwo in ■ mwitx. 1

At evening's meeting of tKTYiotoria College Gouucil, Professor Marsden was granted leave to join tho Expeditionary Forces on. ''the maximum terms granted by the council, provided tlmt ho wont as an officer." The pliraso quoted probably needs a little explanation. llio maximum terms referred to mean that tlio college would supplement tlio professor's salary as an oihcer by such an amount as would make up the salary he earns in his. professorial capacity. As to fho.final provision (provided lie went as an officer), ili.it is interpreted to mean that his services in this country are too valuable to be merged in those of a ranker, and be-, sides'-the amount of money tne collego would havo to provide to make up tho deficiency between a private's and a professor's pay, would bo too great a. strain on the finanoos.

Captain Donald Simson (Now Zealand Engineers) has written to tho Mayor a 6 follows:— "On the principle of credit whore credit is due, may I place on record my appreciation of the splendid work home done for returned soldiers by tho Cnristchurclr Citiaeus' Defence Corps, and suggest that you, sir, in your position as nret citizen of Wellington, endeavour to obtain hero similar concessions for the men aB are granted to them in Canterbury, i.e., a free pass over all tramway systems; a free pass to all theatres and picture shows. The men have earned it, and will appreciato it."

The war to tho many bespeaks sacrifice, but not to all. Pickpockets thrive. A case is reported that during the last seud-off to the Reinforcements a man in tho heaving multitude that assembled on the wharf was relieved of I his purse, in which reposed ten sovereigns. On discovering his loss ho struggled back upon his track with the forlorn hope of perhaps finding it on the ground. On the outskirts of tho crowd he came upon an elderly lady frantically searching through her handbag, which operation was hurriedly fol lowed by a desperate cry: "Ohl I've lost my purse."

At a special meeting held on Thursday evening, it was decided by tlio Highland Defence Rifle Club to continue shooting to-day. The ranges will, bn 800 and 900 yards. In futuro shooting will not take place in the event of tlio arrival or departure of troops.

By command of , His IJajesty the King, His Excellency the Governor published in a Gazette Extraordinary yesterday a proclamation forbidding trading with persons of enemy nationality resident or canning on business in Liberia or Portuguese East Africa, ■

Some boys found oil the bank of the Hutt River yesterday a brown coat and rest, soft felt hat, and a portion of what was. apparently a tent, and reported their discovery to . the police. The. articles appear to have been lying there" for some considerable. time. The police think that probably someone went in the water to bathe,_ and was unable to find his clothes on his return. A Waterbury watch and chain, were found in the pockets of the clothing. No one_ has been reported as missing, so it • is thought probable that the theory of'the. police is correct.

New regulations under the Municipal Corporations Acts are gazetted.

A fairly large crowd gathered on the Queen's Wharf last evening to sea the Ulimaroa off to Sydney. A demonstration of some sort was evidently anticipated in oonsequence of the regulations prohibiting meii of military age from leaving the country. However, nothing unusual happened, and tlie vessel left For Sydney at 9.10 p.m.

'At twenty minutes past 1 o'clock yesterday morning, the Fire Brigado was summoned to Hankey Street to deal with an outbreak in a three-roomed' cot- •

tage (No. 49), owned by Messrs. Loa6by and Isaacs, of Owen Street, and occupied by Mr. George Hegarty. Tho fire had .obtained a firm hold 'by tho time the brigado arrived, and the houso and its contents were, practically destroyed. An adjoining house of seven rooms (No. S3), owned and occupied by Mr.' Harry Baker, was with its contents slightly damaged. Mr.Hegarty's houso was insured, but particulars aro not available. The furniture and effects were covered by a poligy in the Sun office for £75. There is sn insurance of £325 in the Commercial Union offico on Mr. Baker's residence, and his furniture and effects are insured in tho United Company for £250.

Troop trains now run from May lion® to Wellington on four nights a week, and on Sundays special trains run from the.City to .the camp in tlie morning and "ihe afternoon, returning . in' the evening. An improvement which mil bo appreciated by travellers from' tho camps b.v the afternoon train has been 'made. This train leaves May Morn at 2.20, and the Upper Hutt at 3.11 ; passing Trentliam at about 3.15. Hitherto passengers on arriving at tho Lower Hutt at 10 minutes to four, had to disembark there and wait for the 4.50 train to town, % othor train only pro. oeeding as far as Petone. It has now been arranged that when convenient tho afternoon train from the camps, wh!<& is a mixed goods and passenger train, will drop the goods wagons at Petone aiid run into Lambton Station as a passenger train, arriving there at halfpast four. On several occasions this week this was/lone, and the passengers expressed their gratification at tho action of the Railway Department in making an effort to avoid tho long wait at- Lower Hutt. It is hoped that the circumstances will warrant the improvement becoming i permanent.

The ideal summer collar, tho "King, ■ wide peals, well open at the neck, Bd. eaoh, or 4s. Bd. half-dozen. Bow Ties, Is. and Is. 6d. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street. —Advt.