LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2651, 23 December 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Passenger traffic by steamers bound from and to Wellington last night was particularly heavy. The Maori, which loft for Lyttelton, wa6 a full ship, and she'took away 703 passengers in both classes. Some 50 intending passengers were compelled to remain behind ou account of Customs regulations. The officials of the Union Company wish to impress on country passengers the necessity of making early application for passages on ferry steamers during holiday rush times. Jf intending passengers would communicate with the local office a few days before thov intended travelling much disappointment would ho avoided. Bookings from Lyttelton were heavy again last evening. Ihe Mararoa had 350 passengers on board for Wellington, and the Mokoia 200, I'aloona 100, and Manuka 50. A Press Association tolegrain from Christchurch states that the Land Board yesterday resolved that single men of military age will not in future bo admitted to land ballots, or obtain Crown leases by transfer. Two vessels were delayed at Wellington yesterday on account of a shortage in their orews. The Kauri, which was to have left for Napier and San Francisco, was held up- in the stream because she was a fireman short, and the Kittawa, whioh was to have sailed for Westport, was similarly delayed by. a shortage of deck hands. From inquiries matlo yesterday it was ascertained thst the Blackball Coal Company and the Westport Coal Company had agreed to give their captains and officers a 15 per cent, increase as from November 1. in common with that granted by the Union Company. The offices of the 1 Wellington Education Board closed down- yesterday for the Christmas and Now Year holidays.. They will not reopen again until January 11. - Our Carterton correspondent says: Inquiries at tho South Wairarapa Hospital on Tuesday morning elicited the fact that all the soldiers injured in the railway accident at Feathorston are doing well, with the exception of Corporal Harding, whose case is critical. In tho course <:f his remarks on the toast of the "Alma Mater" at tho Marist Brothers' Old Boys' Teunion, Mr. Leo Loyden drew, attention to tho fact that Captain A. J. Shout, of the Australian Forces, and one of tile first New Zealanders with that body to gain tho V.C., was an ex-pupil of the Marist Brothers' old school in Bouloott Street. The statement was greeted prolonged applause. Recruiting has been fairly brisk in the AYair-arapa during the last few There were fifteen registrations (all medically lit) on Tuesday. The General Manager of Railways has (says a Press Association telegram from Christchurch) . advised Lieut.-Colonel Cossgrovo, Dominion Chief Scout Commissioner, that school stop-over tickets at excursion rates will be granted boy scouts going into camp in parties of not less than twenty. The tickets are available for one week after the close of the camp, and the scouts must be in nniform, and in charge of a scoutmaster. A sum 6f £250 is the gratifying result of the entertainments recently provided by Miss Estelle Beere and her pupite in Wellington and MastertonTwo recitals. were given in Wellington, ana the net proceeds amounted to £150. A notification has been received by Miss Beere from His Excellency Lord Liverpool stating that £50 had been cabled to Lady Godley and £100 to Lord Plunket, to he utilised in comforts for the New Zealand wounded in the hospitals as directed. As the result of the entertainment given .at Masterton, th 6 Tsum *>MlOO,wwa t -realised, Jncludinff a donation of £23 Js.'7d. from Mr. Charles Bennett. In presenting a balance-sheot to Miss Beere, Mr. H. H. Boddington, secretary of the Mnstcvtou Patriotic Committee, writes: "I take this opportunity of complimenting. you upon the delightful entertainment provided, and especially upon tho 'splendid financial result." A cook who had signed on and failed to' turn up at sailing time was responsible for delaying tho Ivaramu s departure for Westport till last evenin"'. One was found to take his place eventually, and tho vessel got away at 6.55 p.m. John Ball, a City tram conductor, was admitted to the Public Hospital yesterday suffering from shock received through t'ho trolley-polo of a car breaking and'dragging him to the ground. What are the usual profits of a taxicab? The question came up in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland in connection wit'h an investigation as to the means of a taxi-owner who was sued on a judgment summons. The debtor s own testimony on the point was that, between competition and the expenses of wear and tear, he found it difficult to make £1 a day. "If one could always make £1 a day," he added, "that would be a fair thing." The same witness stated that his running and repairs expenses were more than £200 a year. An Auckland messago states Chaplain Thornton, who is in Egypt, sends a useful hint. He points out that' unless cigarettes are packed in air-tight tins they arrive in a mouldy and useless condition. Hundreds of cases where donors packed cigarettes in socks had to be thrown away. The same remark applies to plug and cut tobacco. The trouble seems to arise on the voyage, the warm, humid surroundingß quickly affecting the leaf. During a recent flood in the Inangahua River, Mr. Thomas Andrews, a settlor at Inangahua Landing, who resides on the west side of the river, had a narrow escape while crossing the river in a boat carrying cream from his homestead to the outter factory. Tho boat, getting into the grip of the current, was capsized, but the occupant luckily was able to swim bo an island, tvhere he remained all night and the greater part of the next day. A few days before Mr. A. Croawoll lost his life a short distance from the same place. . .

While the Winton train was on its way to Invercargill last Tuesday morning, a truck, containing three valuable horses, caught fire, and the animals were burnt to death. One, named Gold Cross, belonged to Mr. William Swale, and the others—Lady Patrick and Top I llail —were the property of Messrs. Gerard and Kain. of Taringatura. Each of tho horses, which were hunters, was valued at £40. The train was pulled ii]> promptly, and a hose played on tho truck with expedition, but by this timo the animals were dead. It is supposed that a spark from the engine caused the outbreak. The liOrses were separated from tile engine by only one truck.

Mr. George Humphreys, the Frencli Consul at Chris tchurch, has received a circular from tile French Foreign Office notifying him that the Lyons Municipality and Chamber of Commerce have decided to hold a samples exhibition on the lines of tho Leipzig Fair, in this mattsr following the example of London and Birmingham (says the "Press"). The Fftir, which is to extend from March 1 to 15, 1916, is intended as a step in the development of the French industries, and especially of those competing against the industries of enemy countries. At the Fair, samples of fclia manufactures of the allied and neutral countries may be exhibited. It is hoped that the co-operation of the Chambers of Commerce of friendly nations will, bo secured.

Three stevedores who are members of I the Port Phillip Association (says, the Melbourne "Age") recently re-' ceived salutary punishment from followmembers for thieving cigarettes which were portion of a consignment oi Christmas gifts for troops at the front. The men were engaged in handling this portion of the cargo.' and at a convenient time pillaged the cigarettes and secreted them in their clothes. Whu4 number was stolen is not known, but a few days afterwards they offered boxes at a ridiculously cheap pri.-e- to members. An Italian member of tho association bought a quantity at the rata of 50 loose ones for sixpence, but at the time he had 110 idea that they had been stolen, as ho could not rsa'l the letterpress on a tag attached' to one parcel that he had purchased. Some hours later a "boss" stevedore hwird that oigarettes were being freely sold to people in the street, and ho made it his business to inquire. He was fortunate enough to meet one of the mea under suspicion, and purchased from him a box. On opening ihe packags he read on an attached slip, "Froai the public servants of Victoria. Bft-.t of good wishes. Bravo, boys 1" His belief that the cigarettes had oeen stolen was now fairly substantiated, and lie communicated his opinions to authoritative members of tho association. They agreed with him, but instead of informing' the police they took the law into their oivn hands. On meeting the three men a figlit occurred, and it is stated that" the punishment of the offenders was so severe that two of them had to he carried home. Further action by club members is contemplated. Probably the thieves- will be banned from the association. ■ Many stevedores are on active service, and a number of sons of wharf labourers arc at tho front. Members generally agreed I that the action of the three men was about the most despicable that could occur, and no corporal punishment was regarded by them as too severe.