LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2637, 7 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In connection with the. Roseneath School effort to assist the Gallipoli Da.v Fund Mr. Darroch acknowledges a cheque for £25 from Mr. Vivian Riddiford. Mr. Darroch made an appeal to a number of leading wool growers for one bale of wool to bo sold at next Friday's sale, Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co., agreeing to sell the wool free of commission. 4

The resolution of the.Dunedin Chamber of Commerce in support of compulsory national service was placed before the Wellington Chamber yesterday. The president (Mr. J. Macintosh) said that he did not think the-time was opportune to discuss the matter, and no action .was taken.

The' Minister of Finance when in Dunedin remarked to a deputation from the University Council that in the matter of financial requirements for schools and colleges it might be necessary in the future to introduce a new system and call upon education administrators to -supply, as State departments had to do annually, a list of their financial requirements at the beginning of cach year for buildings and equipment. This, Sir Joseph Ward pointed out, would enable the Minister of Finance to know the extent of the calls upon the' Treasury, and to inform applicants as to the amount of money that would be available. The present system was a case of the cart being before the horse, and it led to misunderstandings and a little friction. It is reported that the country and the crops in nearly all parts of South Otago and Southland have a splendid appearance. Better crops have not been known in those parts of New Zealand for many years. The position is accounted for by a suitable spring and ample summer raius. Southern farmers, in the circumstances, are in _ good heart at the prospects of their yields. The journalists of _ Wellington are to givo their confreres in camp a farewell social on Saturday evening next. All journalists in camp and those waiting -to he called up are cordially invited to" attend.

At a special meeting of tho Petone Borough Council, hold last evening, Mr. B. A. Palamountain was appointed caretaker of the Petone foreshore. There were 29 applications for the position. The shooting competition in connection with the Potono unit of ihe National Reserve was commenced last evening at the Petone Drill Hall, Corporal Hobinson acting as range-officer. Sections 1 and 2 liied, the aggregate scores being: No. 1 section (13 men) 717, and No. 2 (9 men) 471. At the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court a young man was charged with using obsceno language at a dauco at Tataraimaka. Sergeant Bowden, who prosecuted on behalf of tho police, said the language complained of was of a most revolting character, and was used at a euchre party and dance at Tataraimaka in the presence of women and children of all ages. The sergeant laid stress on the seriousness of tho offence, and hoped an example would bo made of tho accused. This would act as a warning to other young men living in country districts, where, owing to thero being no. nolice, they thought they could do as tfioy liked. The Magistrate said it was perfectly amazing that any yomig man should use 6uch "filthy, abominable languago," and he inflicted a lino of £10 and costs £2 9s. Christcliurcli residents are making 30,000 pull-tliroughs to the order of the Minister of Munitions, according to tJlie Christchurch "Sun," Christmas is fast drawing near. Tho women folk should inspect our stock of nicely-finished 6ilk handkerchiefs, with initials, ,«t 2s. M, tttnl ss, ad,. Geo, Fowldi, Ltd., Manners Street,

Hie Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) received yesterday ,1 donation of £1500 from tlie Gisborne Citizens' Defence Committee, to bo used for tho benefit of Now Zealand soldiers in hospital—£ooo in England, £500 in Egypt, and £500 in Malta.

Mrs. I'lynn, of JV.Wera, has received a letter from her son Maurice, who arrived at the London General Hospital on August 23 (says the Stratford "Post"). He had been operated on three times, and had moro to go through, ;lH other pieces of bullets were still in his body. Referring to the action of August 8, when lie ivas wounded, Bi'ivato I'lynn said there was bound to bo a heavy casualty list, judging from his experience. Of a platoon of 50 of them, after the Hn.t morht of battle, there were only six left, "Tho day I got wounded." continued "Privato Flynn, "was tlie day the Fiftli Rein, forcemonts arrived, and, strangely enough, Charlie Ritchie was the first to spot me lying; down as tl'\v rushed past, and he said he would he hack to take me out of the firing line if he could _ get away without the officers knowing it, and in less than on hour there were no officers' loft and very few men, so Charl.'> came and'carried me two miles on his back, while bullets, shrapnel, anid bombs were whistling all around us. I may,tell you that we did not wait long to get away from it. I can never forgot Charlie for his brave -action, aud I hope he will be spared." there has been much favourable comment on the Thomas Transmission Rail Car, the new type of petrol-driven coach which is being assembled for the New Zealand Railways Department in the 1 etoue workshops. Made by Thomas Transmission, Ltd.—a British company, of which the sole representatives in tfie Dominion are Messrs. A. D. Riley and Co., Ltd.—this car is the first of its kind brought to Australasia. Its chief mechanical feature is the. method of transmission, which is partially mechanical and partially electrical, and is said to eliminate all losses during 90 per cent, of the distance travelled. "When completed the Thomas ca.r will convoy about fifty passengers, besides hauling a trailer.

Tile very satisfactory sewerage disjwsal scheme which is Hearing completion at Petone reflects great credit on all concerned, in carrying it out. The difficulties in the way seemed almost in-' surmountable, but-Uiese have been overcome by a system equal to anv in efficiency and economy. Particularly ingenious is the work performed in the four pumping stations. 1 When tho sewage rises to a certain level the rotary pumps are automatically started. These pumps are in duplicate, thus providing for tho cleaning or breakdown of either. There is no danger of blockage from the many hard substances such as wood, old boots, etc., that find their way into the mains, these being most effectively dealt with by rotary knives. The entire pumping plant was supplied and erected by the well-known firm of A. D. Rile.v and Co., Ltd., Wellington. Mr. H. I. Tnnes-Jones, a well-known farmer, of Te Awamutu, Waikato, has all his sons enlisted for active service. Melville lunos-Jonos, Howard IrinesJones, and Evan' Innes-Jones, all of +116 Main Body, havo either returned or are returning home after having been through the fighting on Gallipoli. ' Melvillo Innes-Jones was promoted to sergeant on the battlefield after the .great 'August 8 fight, in which lie was badly wounded. He is to go into camp again'for the 11th Reinforcements. Of the other-three sons Humphrey and Eric are now waiting on the active service list, and H. S. InnesJones. the eldest son, who losides at Island Bay, is to go into the N.C.O.'s camp at. Palmereton, North in the N.Z.M.C.i'-.lid ."having! beon 'an - active member of the St. John Ambulance Association for a number of years, and now holds the association's medallion and certificates. Ho goos into-camp on December 14.

Wild pigs abound in the forest-clad mountains" of _ Northern Kaipara, and their dfestruction is aimed at bv settlers. In tho district 'Northern Wairoa, the pigs invade the grassed areas. If tliey stopped at that liHle objection would be taken to their existence, but they stalk, kill, and devour the young lambs. Durinix the past two years the manager of the Mauncaru Estatohas thinned their mobs to ail appreciable extent by the employment of men with guns and dogs, and estimates that he is responsible for tho death of some hundreds. Unfortunately, their (lesh, although toothsome, is on the lean side,- and is no use to butr.hers, so the carcasses are allowed to lie and rot' By the death- of the Rev. Jolni Steven, which occurred at Wanganui last week, the circle of older settlers ot Worth Otago loses 01:0 of its most chensed members (says in exchange), the deceased was born in' Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1844, and while quite a came out to tlie Dominion inth his parents, the familj finally settling at Balclutha. The deceased at first followed teaching as n profession, but later conceived a desire to enter the ministry, and after studying for Bcmo time at O'tago University, in 1872 lie secured a seat at tho Theological Hall, Dunedin. On August 19, 1875, lie was ordained. Mr. Steven was married in the sanio year to a daughter of the lato Mr, W. Kerr, of Ayrshire. A little over two years ago, Mr. Steven resigned, after a charge extending over 89 years. For the greater portion of this period Mr.' Steven had fulfilled tho duties of clerk to the Oamaru Presbytery.

Mr._ Gerald Griffen, the Irisli-Ameri-can singer, visited tho Trentham Camp last evening, and gave a recital, which found ready favour with Ms soldier audience.. fie also sana at the orphanage at the Hutt yesterday afternoon.

A meeting of the Alice Parkinson Releaso Committ-eo was held last week. It was unanimously agreed to resume activities in this case after the Christmas holidays. It was urged that the fact that 70,000 people signed the petitions showed plainly how the sentence was regarded, and the opinion of such ' a large body of citizens could not be put lightly on one side. 1

Eight-cylinder King cars may now be inspected at the Dominion Motor Vehicles Garage, just off the Conrtenay Place wood-blocking in Tory Street Equipment includes Zenith carburetter,"' Ward Leonard self-starter, cantilever springs, folding steering wheel, etc.. etc.' Write 'or 'phone for a demonstration.— Advt. •