LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2642, 13 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An Australian mail will arrive in ■Wellington from Sjdiiey by tho Moe-s raki at 8 a.m. to-day. it.M.S. Niagara has sent a wireless message to tlie oifect that slio expects to arrive at Auckland from Vancouver at 9 p.m. to-day. Provided the liner makes up time, her English mails might catch tonight's express for Wellington. In that case they, will arrive hero at -2.40 p.m. to-morrow. II «ho missos the connection, however, the mails will not arrive here till 0.26 a.m. on Wednesday.

The postal authorities advise that the next 'Frisco mail is due per R.M.S. Moana on December 30.

.The Government has arranged with the Public' Service Superannuation Board, the Railway Superannuation Board, and tho Teachers'- Superannuation Board, to pay the allowances to annuitants for December On the 24th of the month.

As tho Union Company's steamer Pateena was being berthed at No. 12 Jorvois Quay on arrival from Nelson and Picton ui Saturday evening, she collided with the end of the wharf at No. 10 berth.. Although tho impact was slight, three stringers and a mooring pile were damaged. The ship hwself suffered no damage whatever. •

A shipment consisting of 1100 ca6es. of bananas, ex the Talune, from the Islands, was landed in Wellington by the Victoria from Auckland on Saturday.

The State schools of Wellington will close for the long vacation on Thursday afternoon of this week.

The steamer Haupiri, which left Wellington on Wednesday night for Durban, via Fremantle, put into Nelson on Saturday morning owing to trouble with her fire bars.

Thirty-five men mustered for yesterday's. route march, which was for the morning only. The squad marched by way of Hawkestone Street and Tinakori Road towards the wireless station, and returned through Northland and the Karori Tunnel to the city. A high wind was blowing onthe Tinakori Hills, and portion of the journey was therefore not as pleasant as it would have been in more favourable weather.

Referring to the bravery and cheerfulness of the Now Zealand soldier in Gallipoli, Captain Vine, officer in charge of tho Records Branch of the Defence Department, related at ;he journalists' sccial on Saturday evening that lie had been told that on one occasion a soldier limped along the sandy beaoh to the dressing station with ono of liis fingers just hanging on. When the doctor saw him he snipped tho member off with a pair of scissors, whereupon the soldier grinned and said: "If I'd known you were going to do that, doc., I wouldn't have brought it so far!"

A. meeting of the Roman Catholic fraternity will be held in St, Patrick's Hall on Sunday next to consider the arrangements to be made for receiving Dr. Ceretti, the Apostolic delegate for Australasia. Dr. Ceretti, who is now in Australia, will arrive hero in February next.

The conference of delegates from Hie various waterside workers' unions in New Zealand was concluded on Saturday. Further consideration was given to remits affirming the prluoiple of ceasing work at 10 p.m. The next conference will be held in Auckland in December, 1916. The executivo of the newly-formed Waterside Workers' Federation is now in committee discussing matters dealing with tho organisation, etc., of waterside workers.

At a bathing parade of the troop's in camp one day last week it was noticed that a mail appeared to have got into difficulties. Sapper H. J. Cooper, late of Hamilton, who is serving with the Engineers, took tho situation in at a glance and dived in to tho rescue. On reaching his man the sapner was surprised to find that he had hold of another mail's leg. Tho two men were gradually being sucked down in the eddy, and their plight was becoming dangerous. Sapper Cooper dived and managed to break the hold one of the men had on' the .other' 6 leg. Ho then hrought-one exhausted man to the surface, and, having landed him safely on the hank, dived in again, arid rescued the second soldier.

In connection with the balance-sheets of the various "Queen" committees concerned in the recent pntriotic carnival, it is only fair to the Patriotic Society to state that in the beginning regulations governing" the efforts of the committees were adopted, and one of these provided that the accounts of each committee should at the conclusion of the carnival be audited by a certified auditor. The audit now being made by Mr. E. W. Hunt does not concern the "Queen" committees, further _ than, a checking of the vouchers with the monfeys paid into the society. Each "Queen" committee has had its own account audited. Mr. Hunt audits the account of the society only, which work he is doing personally.

A sitting of the Aliens' Commission was held on Saturday morning in the Magistrate's Court; before Mr., J. W. Poynton, S.M. Evidence was taken on one case—whether a certain individual should be interned as-a prisoner of war. The evidence will have to bo considered by all tho Commissioners, and a report made'to tho Minister of Justioo. beforo tho decision can ho announced.

Mrs. Gustav Dielil, of Elizabeth Street, Wellington, has rceeived a. letter from Captain C. E. Daniell, of' tlie 6tli Battery, N.Z.F.A., relative to the death of lior son, Bombardier E. Dielil. Captain Daniell says: "I regret to have to inform you of the death of your son, Bombardier R. Dielil, who was killed in action on the 23rd inst., and ask you to accept tlie deepest sympathy of the officers and men of the 6tli Battery in your sad loss. Bombardier Dielil was one of the most promising N.C.O.'s in l my battery, and his death is a great loss to the battery as a whole. He was buried at 7.30 p.m. last night, not far from where he was killed. Tlie Rev. Mr; Green, of tlie Ist Australian Light Horse Brigade, read the burial service. Before closing, I again ask you to accept my personal. sympathy." Mr. Gustav Dielil died suddenly on November 27, his end being hastened by the news of liis son's death.

Lioufc. J. Davis, son of Major A. P. Davis, V.D., Wellington, who was on Brigadier-General Sir Andrew Russell's staff with tho Main Expeditionary Force, writes that lie has now returned to his regiment, the Cth Wellington Mounted ■Rifles, with the rank of captain and adjutant, besides being instructor in bombthrowing. As to the late Lieut. Winder (son of Mr. George Winder, Wellington), he says his death was instantaneous, while he was leading his troop, "as game as a pebble." Captain Davis addsthat he and his men received a packet of sweets each' from New Zealand school children. His packet, strange to say, came from the children of Clyde Quay School, where he himself was educated.

'For flexibility, springing, silcnce, power, and beautifully even torque, it is impossible to beat tho eight-cylinder King. This car may bo inspected at the garage of Tho Dominion Motor Vehicles, Ltd., 65 Courtenay Place, or 41-46 Tory Street. If you oannot call personally, write or 'phono for a demonstration or catalogues, which will willingly bo sent you free of cost—Advt.

Excursion tickets commence this week. Therefore, wo would respectfully remind you of our fino stock of travelling requisites at moderate pric&s. Geo. Fowlds, litd„ Maflwrs Street,-Advt,

Dr. Earp-TliomaSj a New Zealander who went to the United States some eight years ago, is on a visit to the Dominion. He is prominently connected with a largo firm 111 the States engaged in the manufacture of nitro-cultures. The American official magazines speak in high terms of the value of thus utilising nitrogen in agriculture, and Di\ Earp-Thomas is bringing the mattef directly under the notice of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture. At its monthly meeting held in Wellington last weok the Board o? Agriculture had an interview with Mr. J. W. Collins, chief clerk of the Labour Department, in reference to the subject of farm labour, particularly ill view of the harvesting operations. Mr. Collins road reports from officers of his Department throughout New Zealand, from which it appeared clear that the shortage of farm labour would rot be so serious as at first contemplated, there being only two or three districts where a moro than average crop-was expected; in other districts, owing to the weather conditions causing the crops to be light, farmers had in many oases decided to mutually, assist one another, and so it was hoped to get over the difficulty of the shortage of labour caused through the abnormal condition of 'things existing at the present'time. The Palmerston North Patriotic Society has made an important move by appointing the Y.M.O.A. its distributing agency in Egypt for comforts for the siclc and wounded, also for the men in the firing line. It has been de-_ cided to make regular contributions, and the first instalment of £250 was passed at yesterday's meeting. It is considered better to help the men at the front than lock up all the money for future needs.—Press Association. 'A lire at Waverley at 3 o'clock on Saturday morning destroyed premises occupied by Messrs. Bedford (butcher), Turner (cabinetmaker), Patton (tailor), and Pepper (plumber). Tho origin of the fire is unknown. The insurances total £1280—Press Association, Drainage will be tbo business upon which a deputation of Karori representatives will wait upon the Mayor this morning, Provision was obtained some years ago for a large portion of Karori to be linked up with the oity system. But the area under the new Act has been extended. The whole matter raised will come beforo tho City Council in due coursfe.

The latest issue of "The Wellingtonian," Wellington College magazine, is a war number. The college has a record to be proud of, for its roll of honour includes over 850 names. There are 29 who v have died on active service and nine are missing, while 64 others have been wounded in action. The college is endeavouring to obtain a photograph of every old boy who has answered his country's call. Already some 120 have been -secured, and some are reproduced in the' magazine. The old boys' notes contain many interesting letters from ex-pupils of the school on active service.