LOCAL'AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL'AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Uhmaroa,, wliioh left hero on November 19, carrying Australian and English mails, arrived at Sydney on Tuesday evening. The Prime Minister has received manj. letters and telegrams recently protesting against his leaving New Zealand IW "'- Tho communications have come to Mr. Massey from political friends and foes alike. ' The Defence Department is arranging tor tho regular periodical payments to he made to the boldiers m camp before Christmas, instead of at the ond of December. The Prime Minister stated yesterday that ho presumed that this arrangement would apply also to allotments of pay to soldiers' dependents, and also to war pensions. The applications for the three seats on the Board of Trade, to be set up under the Cost of Living Act, are now being classified- The appointments will bo made by the Government through the Minister of Commerce and Industries.

In soveral_ localities lately school childrea have intimated their willingness' to forgo their annual prizes and to accept certificates, in order .that the difference in cost may be devoted to tho Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The question as to whether such contributions' can legally be made was referred to the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education. Mr. Hanan replied that the position was met by the War Contributions Validation Act, which gives any local authority or body of persons, whether corporate or incorporate, power to make contributions in money or in kind for the relief of distress or other approved patriotic provided the- contributions £,re paid into certain approved funds. At the last meeting of the Protestant Federation (N.Z.) approval was expressed of the desire of the Roman Catholio Federation to improve the tone of moving pictures. It was hoped that success would" attend them in this particular. The action of the British Cabinet in appointing an envoy to the Vatican was discussed, and it was felt that as the canon laws of the Vatican prescribed unchanging opposition to Protestant Governments the British Cabinet had I placed itself in an invidious position. Arrangements wore accordingly made to obtain signatures to a petition to Sir. Edward Grey requesting that the envoy to tho Vatican be immediately withdrawn. Addressing the_ Kelburn and Karori section of the National Reserve on Tuesday evening, Captain Simson urged on the Reserve to induce the younger men to join their ranks. _ He pointed out that with the speed reinforcements were being hurried away from New Zealand, they expected to turn out soldiers in ten or twelve weeks from men who had spent the whole of their adult lives in an office, afraid to open a window last they catch cold, and who'only smelt the fresh air or the soldier's life at week-ends. It was scarcely possible to effect the radical change in so short a period, and get entire satisfaction, for out of that line the men got ordinary leave and special leave, all of which out down the,time for training. It would i be a great 'help- to. those young fellows if thoy were admitted to the "National Reserve, and so learned to drill and handle a ( rifle before they went into i ramp. ' '.'""'"', '

The Hon. J. Hanan, Minister of Education, inspected the State school hoys' exhibition of splints for thp hospital ship Marama yesterday afternoon. Ho expressed admiration for the finished workmanship shown, and the good spirit which had animated the classes in doing the work.

At a targely attended meeting of the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce,' held at 10.30 a.m. yesterday, it was unanimously resolved to support the request of the War League to attend the deputation being fixed by fill at '_ body to present their report on pensions to the Government,

The, office of the Registrar of Pensions was removed yesterday from the Goneral Post Office Building (opposite the wharf) to the Wellesley Club Building, in Eeatlierston Street, immediately' behind Levin and Co.'s warehouse. War pensioners, old age pensioners, and widows' pensioners will therefore do well to note this change of address, and also that payments usually made at the Post Oifice building will be made at the new office. '-•...

Albert Rebechi, a resident of Manly, was surf-batbiiig at North' Steyne recently, states tho Sydney "Daily Tele-, graph," when he was attacked by a shark. Ho lost two toes from the right foot, and a portion of the loft leg. , So sudden was tho attack. that people near the scene of the occurrence were unaware of Eebechi's danger. But for the fact that, the injured man retained his presence of niind.-v, he would probably have been fatally injured. Rebechi received attention at a local private hospital.

An" Inglewood correspondent writes: — With tli©- troops that passed, through Christchurch .last week, when the Eighths made their memorable visit to this city, were two grandsons of an old pioneer, the late Captain R. E. Haworth, if the 4th Royal Lancashire Light Infantrv, who, with the late Sir Michael C. Fleming, had a sheep station at the Hokoherawea in the fifties. They are sons of Mr. E. 11. A. Haworth, of Inglewood,. Taranaki. The eldest, Private Lionel Haworth, is in the Eighths, the second son, Corporal Mervyn W. Haworth, is in the 6ths, now at Gallipoli, and the third son, Sergeant-Major Lawrence R. P. Haworth, is in the 2nd Reinforcements of the N.Z.R.B. (Lord Liverpool's Own). All three have thrown up lucrative np- . pointmonts in the North Island to join the King's colours, and "do their bit" for the Empire. They arc also grandsons of the Lite Mr. Robert Wood, of Milford, Tennika. The following note' appears in bat. talion orders issued by the Commander of fhe Fifth Regiment last evening:— "Prior to landing over the control of tlie regiment to Lieut.-Cbl. J. Duthio, Major \V. Simm desires to express his appreciation of the cordial co-operation which he has received from all ranks during his temporary command of the regiment. Major Simm wishes to particularly recognise the loyal efforts of O.C. to maintain the efficiency of the regiment." 'A child nt a local school who was asked, in a history examination, to say what she know of Sir Robert Walpolo, gavo him a glowing character, and concluded by saying: "Ho would never think of putting monoy into his own pocket unless ho really needed it." At the Hastings Court yesterday, Ernest Peter Anderson, alias C. David- [ son, alias H. Harding, ploaded guilty to I having forged two cheques for £6 15s. i and £16 10s. respectively, and was ! committed to Wellington for sentence. ' Those in search of a really silent and beautifully smooth-running motor-car of nioioi-ace price would do well to inspect the shipment of 8-eylinder Kinfis just landed by the Dominion Motor Vehicles, Ltd., at tho D.Jt.V. Garage, Tory Street. A demonstration run oannot fail to impress one with the renmrkablo power and smooth running of tho car. Telcphono for particulars, or, better still, call and eee ft fos yourself twlay.-Advfc. ,:

A Press Association telegram from Hokitika states that Mr. James Murdoch has been elected chairman of the Westland County Council.

Mr. Henry Walton, of Waikanae, forwards a water-worn piece of fariscap found in a bottle on tho Waikanae beach by a native (T. Stewart) on Tuesday last. Tho pencilled lines on t'he paper read as follow:—August 16, 1915: "All's well; good luck to tho one through lifo who receives this note. From one who may not return. Good-bye and God bless you.—l 2/2209 Pto. J. S. Green, 6th Platoon, A Company, 6th Reinforcements, troopship Willocbra."

Some weeks ago the Harbour Board was asked by a deputation from the Waterside Workers' Union to revert to the arrangement for the engagement of labour on tho wharves prevailing prior to the strike —the ongageoieht of all labour in or nnnr, the ""Donkey Room." Last night another deputation representative of tho wharf workers on tho Harbour Board's register waited upon the board to protest against any such change befng made. They said that the Donkoy Room in othar days was anything but an agreeable place for men to wait, being frequented "by all tho riff-raff of tho town who came there to gamble and carry on." They said that they were well satisfied with the accommodation now provided for_ them in P Shed. The chairman promised, on behalf of tho_ hoard, that the request of the deputation would, have consideration.

A very poignant story reaches "Punch" indirectly from the trenches. A gallant Tommy, having received from England an anonomyous gift of socks, entered them at once, for he was about to undertake a heavy march. He was soon a prey to the most excruciating agony, in the. big toe, and when, a mere cripple, he drew off his footgear at the end of a terrible day, he discovered inside the toe of the sock what had once been-a piece of stiff writing paper, now reduced to pulp, and on it appeared in bold feminine hand the almost illegible benediction:- "God bless the wearer of this pair of socks I"

News has been received of Dr. Jessie Scott, of Remuera, who left Auckland in July to join the Scottish Women's Hospital at Kragujevatz, tho.town in the north of Serbia that was captured by the Germans a few weeks ago. A post-card was received by, a- friend, in which Dr. Scott, writing on September 24, said she had arrived at Kragujevatz about three weeks before, having travelled via Port Said, Alexandria, Athens, and Salonika. "The Scottish Women have hospitals in four places," she continued. "I am to remain in the village of Lazarevatz forHhe present! Tho country is vory beautiful, with its undulating fields and soft-wooded hills, and so fertile. _ Tho maize was just over,, but the vineyards were full of grapes. Our hospital is full of malarial and typhoid cases just now, but we expect surgical oases., Big guns •were' heard in the distance all.last Sunday." A sarcastio woman ratepayer wrote to the Mount Eden Borough Council in terms of' gentle raillery as follows:— "Will you please send as soon as. convenient a squad of men with scythes to mow the grass and weeds on the footpath just outside my front gate? It will repay you to send a full complement of men, as the hay you will be able to stack' will amply pay their wages. Please remedy the nuisanco at once, or you may also be saddled with" the costs of a big doctor's bill." Her grievance is to have satisfaction in due course.