LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2649, 21 December 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Telegraph Office draws the attention. of the public to the necessity for presenting tlieir Christmas "greeting" telegrams 011 December 23 and 24. as early as possible to ensure delivery 011 Christmas Day. Last year, owing ,to the immense rush on December 24 the telegraph staff was kept continuously employed from 8 a.m. on December 24, till 8.45 a.m. on Christmas Day.

His Excellency the Guvernor wishes it to be known that the expenditure from the Hospital Ship Fund on t'he Marama amounted to £16,271. After the payment of a few\outstanding accounts the balance in hand for the reconditioning of the Maheno and the Marama will amount to £17,002.

Passengers by the Manuka, which arrived from Sydney last night, had an oxciting experience on Saturday morning, when there was a fairly thick fog over that portion of the iasman Sea through which the vessel was steaming. About (300 miles outward from Wellington, the Moeraki was sighted on the Manuka's bow, and whistles were sounded, giving fcho alarm to both ships' passengers. The two steamers passed uncomfortably close to each other. Manuka passengers declare ; that "You could have thrown a biscuit on to her," but the" captain estimated tho distance between the ships as they passed at "something less than a quarter of a mile." But the passengers 011 tho ships olieered one another, and tho cheers and cries from the Mtieraki could, the passengers at&te, bo distinctly Iwurd on tttS ilAftukft,.

Reporting on the health of tho garrison at Samoa- Colonel Logah'gives tho following particulars:—Gl3 > Sergeant Lawrence, renal calculus; Corporal .T. Swan, enteric (improving); Privates R. W. Simpson, renal calculus; F. Quainton, jaundice (progress slow); L. M. Fress, tinea cruris.

Sneak-thieves have been working ! energetically at Te Aro Baths lately. Several cases of money and valuables having been taken were reported yesterday. A policemau emerged from a splash in the briny to find that he had been relieved of his .gold watch-chain, while three or foi..- oathers lost' small sums of money. One man had a curious and very lucky escape from losing rather heavily. On entering the baths he was warned by the Caretaker, 'Mr. J. Calnan, of the risk of- taking valuables into tho dressing-rooms. He accordingly left some nine pounds with tho caretaker, deciding to "risk it" with a lonely threepence. His threepence was stolen. Every facility is given by the caretaker to those who wish to leavo their, valuables with him, and bathers would he well advised to avail themselves of this. Two huge cakes, eacli weighing 1J cwt., and 6001b. of Christmas pudding, will be (says our Napier correspondent) railed' from Napier to the Tauh'erenikau camp for the Hawke's Bay. boys, one of the cakes, bearing the inscription "Your next Christmas at Constantinople." As the 6.1-1 p.m. train from town last evening drew within half a- mile of Petone Junction, a breakdown occurred to the engine, causing a delay of nearly three-quarters of an hour before another engine could be produced. Most of the passengers completed the journey oil fcot. The Hawke's Bay Soldiers' Club, which has been established in Hastings will be opened to-day by Lady Andrew Russell Pte. B. J. Beckett, a- returned soldier, has been appointed caretaker. A sum of £115 has been collected in Masterton by a house-to-house canvass, in aid of the funds of Dr. Barnardo's Homes. , The sale of a flag at a patriotic bazaar at _ Carterton last Saturday night realised- £3788. This brings the total amount raised in Carterton for all patriotic purposes to over £10,000. During yesterday afternoon it was thought that the Pateena would not get away for Nelson last evening on accountof a shortage in her crew. Endeavours were made to supply the want without' avail. Just before sailing time two men were found who undertook to do the trip to Nelson and back for £2 each. . Tho Scales chartered, steamer Hebburn, which was all ready to clear the port yesterday, has beenAheld up owing to a shortage in her crew. Tho new recruiting scheme which Jias occupied the close attention of the Prime Minister for some time past will be considered by Cabinet to-day, and it is probable that at tho conclusion of Cabinet's deliberations the details of the scheme will be available. Commander Hooper, of tho Government training steamer Amokura, reports (says an exchange) that when he visited Hilford Sound recently the residents there described an unusual happening which occurred in July. There had been a westerly gale for several days, and the wind attained its maximum at midnight. When daylight broke the wind abated, and to their surprise the residents found everything out of doors covered with a fine red, gritty substance. It would appear that the matter was dust, which ifad been carried aloft by whirlwinds peculiar to some parts of Australia, and had 'found its way down to southern latitudes. Rain containing red dust fell in Melbourne about 20 years ago, and similar occurrences have been reported in other parts of the world at various times. . A conference of delegates to the Bricklayers' Federation commenced in Wellington yesterday morning. Mr. T. Skelton (retiring president) was in the chair, and Mr. H. Hanton was secretary. The principal business done during the morning was the selection of next year's meeting place. Dunedin was decided upon, and as that town will be the headquarters for the intervening twelve months, Dunedin delegates were elected to executive office. Mr. A. Hern was chosen president, and Mr. J. Hilton secretary. Among the number who left for Trentham with, the Otago quota of the Eleventh Reinforcements wove four brothers named Woods, of 'Dunedin. They are joining another two brothers who are already "In the lighting lint» . The role of medical adviser was temporarily assumed by Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., in the Police Court at Port Chalmers. The case was one in which a senior cadet was charged with failing to attend drill, and the defendant produced a medical certificate stating that ho had been suffering from muscular rheumatism, but this dTd not cover tho dates specified in the charge. His Worship, addressing the young • man, told him very plainly that physical exercise in xho open airland especially military drill —was the best possible cure for muscular rheumatism. This advicc cost the defendant 17s. •The Telegraph Office advise that week-end soldiers' telegrams (E.F..M.) Christmas greetings, should be lodged early as possible. These messages will bo transmitted any day, and arrangements will bo madgj as an exceptional measure for delivery on Saturday or Sunday. During last week forty-three persona inquired for work at the State Labour Bureau m Wellington. Twenty-two were placed in employment. Of the other twenty-one, eight are harvesters, and about a dozen are men elderly, or unstated to labouring. Work in the Nelson district awaits suitable men. Tho Albert Fletsoe Revue Company, of 17 members, who are going on tho Brennan-Fuller Vaudßville Circuit in New Zealand, arrived from Sydney by the Manuka yesterday. They go south to Dunedin to show there on Monday night. With reference to tho cablo message intimating that tho Commonwealth Government had decided to place the Remington Typewriter Company on tho enemy list, wo aro informed that the local agents of tho firm have received word from Sydney to tho effect that the decision was due to a misunderstanding, and that adjustment is certain. A fine specimen of young manhood, who enlisted a few days ago, returned . his medical examination papers to the Oamaru Defence Office on Monday (says tho "North Otago Times"). Ho had been rejected for that all too common complaint—"flat feet." _ Tho would-be recruit took his disappointment in the best possible spirit, but was not above giving tho Defence staff, in moderatoly forcible language, his own" opinion of the examination regulations. "Look here ( " ho concluded, "I've mustored continually for the past eight years, over pretty rough country, too. I've gone with the team for days at a time, and never knocked up. Yet, when I como here, to put in for a job that doesn't mean a twentieth of the marching and hard work I've had to do, you tell me_ I'm no uso," and with a look expressive of the for Departmental Ted tape and its attendant inconsistencies he stamped noisily ■ out of tho office. Silk Hamflterchiefs, Dainty Ties, Hair Brushes, Fine Belts, Brief Bags, Collar Boxes, Suit Cases, and many other suitable Xmos Presents are stocked best and cheapest; at Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street.—Advt. Eight-cylinder King cars may now be inspected at the Dominion Motor Vehicles Garage, just off the Courtenay Place wood-blocking in Tory Street. Equipment includes Zenith carburetter, Ward Leonard self-starter, cautilever Gpring6. folding steering 'wheel, etc., etc. Writs or 'phone for a demonstration.—

At 11.80 yesterday morning the Fire Brigade was called to an outbreak of tiro at No. 12 Hadfield Street', Kelburn, owned by Mr. Sawdeu, of Brooklyn, and occupied by Mrs. Louisa Churchill. Before trie outbreak was subdued the back portion of the building and the ; contents were badly damaged. Tho contents are insured m tho Standard Office.

Since the various Waterside Workers' 1 Unions have decided to knock off work at 10 p.m., or if a vessel can be finished by midnight to work her through to that hour but no later, there has been trouble on the wliarves. Tho HuddartParker steamer Westralia wa6 working' late at Lyttelton on Saturday, and aa endeavour was being made to get her clear of tho port for Wellington by midnight. That hour had struck, and although the waterside workers had finished the cargo the hatches had to be put on.' Consequently the men walked ashore, and it was intended that the crew 1 of the vessel should finish the work. The Westralia had cast off from the wharf and was backing out when five of her crew slipped over the side . and got ashore. In order to protect their mates from punishment for desertion, the remainder of the crew gave the necessary 24 hours' notice to leave the ship at Wellington yesterday. Explanations foljowed, during the course of which, it is stated, it was learned that the five men left the ship-as a pro. test against having to put the hatches' on, which they held is the water.iidere 1 work. Had the ship been delayed it., would have practically mdant that she would have had to remain at Lyttelton till yesterday morning, and engage watersiders to put tie hatches on —a half-hour's work at the most. No met) could be found to fill i*he five vacant positions yesterday, and as the remainder of the crew had given their notice to leave, a deadlock ensued. Finally it was decided by the Huddart-Parker Company that tho live men who left the ship should be reinstated, and the crew withdrew their notice to leave. The men who caused the trouble will arrive here this morning, and the Westralia will get away for northern ports a day late in consequence., We have to acknowledge Christmas and Now Year greetings from the officers of the General Post Office, the Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers, Wellington, and the Sisters of Compassion.