LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2644, 15 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise chat the

s.s. Ulimaroa, which left Wellington en December 9, carrying Australian and English mails, arrived at Sydney <n Monday morning.

Reporting under date December 13 on the health of the garrison at Samoa, Colonel Logan gives the following particulars;—63s, Corporal J. Swann, enteric, rather better; Privates R. W. Simpson, renal calculus, and F. Quainton, .catarrhal jaundice, progressing favourably. 1 No trace has been found of the boy, Reginald George Dick, -who disappeared from his home at 10 Nblson Street, Petone, on Sunday. • It is thought that the child may havo wandered to the Hutt district, as a hoy of his description was reported to have been noticed there on Sunday evening, A Press Association message states that Mr. Henry M. Scott has been elected Mayor of Suva. Several much-travelled letters have

recently been acknowledged >jr some New Zealand soldiers at the fiont. Jt appears that tho letters were first addressed from Wellington to tue soldiers in question when they were with the Garrison at Samoa. Tho soldiers, however, had left Samoa ."or New Zealand before the . letters arrived, aid the correspondence was re-addressed to tho men, caro of Trentham Camp. Here, again, the letters missed the men, who had left New Zealand with the sth Reinforcements, and the authorities re-addressed them again, the result being that the men to whom they wtio directed eventually received them at Lemnos.

There was a distinct shortage of labour on the Wellington wharves again yesterday, the Harbour Board being the most inconvenienced. The busy season is flow well advanced, and it appears as if the shortage will be more acute during the next three months. A case in point yesterday was that of' the steamer Regulu6. During the day an endeavour was made to obtain men to work her cargo without result,: and arrangements had to bo made to discharge tho

vessel from 6 p.m. onwards by men who had knocked off at 5 p.m.

"I am told that the New Zealand trenches at Gallipoli are splendidly kept," said the Defence Minister yesterday. "My information is that they are models in respect to sanitation and everything else."

It 'lias now been decided to open the new tepid swimming bath at the Boys' Institute with . a big carnival, which 'will be held on February 8, 9, 10, and 11. This stop has been decided upon as tho school holidays commence this week, and many of the boys will be away from town during the next six weeks, whilst others will bo concerned in the diversions attendant - upon the Christmas. al } c « New Year holidays. The Kia Ora, with the long-awaited filter for the bath, has arrived in Wellington, and it will take some little , time to adjust it. In connection with the opening carnival Mr. T. Shields, the swim-, ming enthusiast, is arranging for teams of the best swimmers from, each of the State schools to give exhibitions and take part in team races, each team to wear the colours of the school it belongs to. Special exhibitions of lifesaving methods and fanoy, swimming will also he given during the -carnival.

The Defence Minister has no. .information yet as to where the New Zealand troops at the front are located. A message the other day showed that pome New Zealanders were fighting at Krithia, and, yesterday's catlegratas showed that- there were still .Anzacs at tho old Anzac positions. It was suggested to, the Minister yesterday that possibly the two battalions of ; the Rifle Brigade 'hud been sent to Krithia, but Mr. _Allen said he knew nothing about this._ As a matter of fact tho Minister said he had not heard where the Rifle Battalions had been sent.

Owing to so 'many crioketcrs being on active service, no cricket is being played in the Wairarapa this season.

Tho annual meeting of tho Petone Technical. School Board was held last evening, when the twelfth, anjmal report of tho 6cliodl was submitted by the director. Mr. J. Lynskey. ■ The finances of the institution were reported to be sound, and tho outlook for tlio coming year exceedingly bright.-

At tho anuual meeting of the Petone Ambulance Van Committee, the balance-' sheet presented showed tho receipts for the year to be £59 Ss. 4d.; outstanding accouuts—Petone £29 165., Lower Hutt £19.155. 6d. A Special collection (per Gear Co,) produced £10 6s. 5d., and a donation of £20 was received from the Slaughtermen's Union. The number of calls made-during the year was 48, of which 33 were from Petone, 11 from Lower Hutt, and one from Horowiki.

A letten, has been Bent to each steamship company by the secretary of the Federated Seamen's 'Union of New Zealand, asking for an increase .in wages. Inter alia, the letter {stated that the steamship owners in Australia have agreed to an increase from December 1 of £l'ss. pei' month and overtime to a ■uniform rate of Is. Bd. per hour. These increases apply to engaged exclusively in the coastal trade of a State in Australia, in addition to .inter-State, Eastern, Pacific, Vancouver, and American trades. The' reasons given for the increase in New Zealand are that the present agreement was entored into at the termination of the industrial trouble of 1913, and at a period when normal conditions between nations existed. Additional burdens, through taxation .and otherwise, have now been placed on members, of the union. It is requested that the shipowners agree to tire application of Australian increases to the New Zealand agreement from the same date, it being agreed that should the increases be' taken off in Australia on the termination of the war a similar reduction may be nmde in New ZeaJand.

A memorandum from the Minister in Charge of the Soldiers' Information Department, requesting tho assistance cf technical colleges in the work of training invalid soldiers to new occupations evoked indignation at tho Education Board yesterday, says a t'ress Association telegram from Duneiin, Jvm the fact that in the information attached was a report taken from a Goiman paper -relating to measures taken there. Tt was resolved to forward to the Minister and technical school managers a resolution affirming that the board does Dot recognise the necessity fir enclosing an extract from a Gernu'i paper giving methods of administration and advise as to the treatment of disabled soldiers. At this period of <"e nfitws history, it seems to the board a fate reflection on British humanity ard -outliers. "At this period of the nation's pride, to suggest, by the forwarding of such an extract, that we might take an example from Germany in proper, and humnne treatment of cur wounded heroes.

One of the greatest hiird.ihips experienced in tho German _ Stiith-West African campaign, according tc Sergeant A. W. Stuckey, vho ratiir.yeii to New Zealand a few days njo, was tau sand storms experienced in ll» sand country which stretches inland for some two hundred miles from . ;he oust. "Wo bad always to nave two pair of wheels on the back axles of tho guncars," states Mr. Stuckey, "and we carvied four spares, so that >vo had ten tires, altogether—quite a load. When the sand was very soft extra wheels had to be attached to the front axle as well, to get over tlie > patch. When the wind blew the sand rose, and with it myriads of fine particles of mica, that were very damaging to the eyes, and which stung and burnt the skin, though veils wcro worn, in a most extraordinary manner."

The Government have purchased a blook of land near the freezing works at Oamaru, which, it is intended, will be cut up for settlement in small holdings by working men. One of the matters before His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman in the Supremo Court yesterday concerned an estate, in which a German woman resfc dent- in. Germany succeeded to two-thirds of tho property, and was the sole sur' viving executor. The testator's sister, who succeeded to the remaining third of tho property, applied for administration de bonis non. In granting tho applicationj His Honour said there was sfjeaial legislation,in England to deal with fluids of this description, and he thought there ought to be legislation here by which the Public Trustee or other suitablo person could remit funds like these to the Public Trustee in England. Already tho latter had some 100 million pounds in his hands to the credit of enemy aliens to be held until the war was over. His Honour had not.' looked into the matter, and it might bo perhaps that the English legislation was Imperial ii\ its effect, and binding on the Dominions.

■ _ Yesterday the Fund for Wounded .SoL dierrf and Sailors, which is being admin, istered by the War. Relief Association, was enriched by a donation . of £270. forwarded by Mr. J. P. Firth, on behalf of' the Miramar Golf Club House War Fund. This fund was established at tho time the new club-house at Miramar was opened, _■when the members decided that they would do their test for those who were fighting for • the Empire, and the is an earnest of that endeavour. This amount,- with a cheque for £100 from Mr. Martin Kennedy for the 'same fund, was received by the Mayor yesterday.