LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2663, 7 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is reported l that His Excellency the Govornor will visit Rangiotu Camp 011 Saturday. On board tlie liner Star of' India, which cleared Wellington for London yesterday were 6600 crates of cheese, Valued at £39,600. The Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) was advised by telegram last night that <!8 more soldiers who returned by tlie Maheno were released yesterday from the isolation 'hospital at Auckland. There are still 48 in the hospital. We liavo been asked to state that tlie advance parties of the Third and Fourth Battalions of the Rifle brigade will receive their next-of-kin tickets on their arrival in Wellington this afternoon. The Sau Francisco mail steamer Moana was delayed for nearly two hours last evening waiting for a fireman: Between 7 and 8 o'clock the full complement was on board, but later one of the firemen wont ashore. A search was instituted, and lie was found in the Lainbten Quay Police Station. The Moana sailed for the Californian port at 10.45 p.m., and is duo at her destination on January 26. The Sydney mail steamer Moeraki was also delayed on account of a shortage in hor stokehold crew. Men were found, and the vessel got away at 7.35 p.m. . . The statement receipts and expenditure of the Overseas Club Tobacco Fund for the year ended September 30, 1815, makes very pleasant reading. The total amount collected was £60,005 13s. 6d., of which £49,984 17s. 9d. was received in subscriptions, and the Children's Empire Day Collection realised £10,020 15s. 9d. Tlie subscriptions received from tlie various countries were as follow:—Canada, £11,647; United States, £8082; Australasia. £8315; Europe, £5347; Africa, £6893; Asia, £4860; South America, £3558, and Central America, £1283. The amount paid for cigarettes tobacco, etc., for soldiers and sailors was £50,695 10s. lid., the casli in hand and in bank being £9310 2s. 7d. Mr. Wolf Harris, London, governing director of Bing, Harris, and Co., has sent to the Mayor of •Wellington, for the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, £300. Mr. Harris's firm lias given £1000, but the £300 above referred to is part of a personal gift of £1000 for this purpose, of which £300 is for thcDunedin fund, £200 for the Cliristchnrch fund, and £100 each for the Wanganui and Invercareill funds. In tho places named Messrs. Bing, Harris, and Co. have branch houses.

Tho sum of £10 Bs. was raised by Mr. Arthur Tozart in liis sketching campaign in the City in aid of the. "Weekly Despatch" Tobacco Fund. Ho collected also 4s. on the stago at His Majesty's Theatre, and lie induced one recruit to join tlie colours. This money will provide 424 New Zealand soldiers each with 31) cigarettes, one ounce oi tobacco, and matches. A difficulty often presents itself to tho returned soldier of ascertaining the proper Department-to approach with relerence to certain points on which lie desires information. Soldiers who find themselves in this position have been invited to seek information at the office of Mr. J. Lewis, secretary of the Wellington Patriotic Society, J8 Grey Street, or the office of Mr. Wills, secretary of tho War Belief Asociation, South British Buildings, Lambton Quay. Throughout yesterday, tlie iires at the Gear Company's Vetone works were manned by permanent employees, and no inconveniencc was experienced. It is understood that several applications for firemen's positions havo been roceived. Tho new Engine-drivers' Award, which comes into operation' on January 10, provides that exempted persons or com. panies, including meat-freezing com-, panies, shall pay the award rates and overtime, which are as under:—Firsts class certificated engine-drivers, lis, per day; second-class, 9s. 6d.; looomotive and traction drivers, 10s. 6d.; uncertificated drivers and others, 9s. An additional ss. a week is allowed when the work of getting up steam necessitates working moro than 48 hours a week. Tlie Lower Huit Court returns for tlie year ended December 31 show that during tlie twelve months 63 persons were arrested or summoned, four were discharged for want of prosecutions, two dismissed, 56 summarily convicted, 49 fined, and seven convicted and discharged. . The criminal fees paid amounted to £40 10s., and tho civil fees to £22 lis. There were 50 plaints entered, the amount sued for being £305 145., and the amount recovered £274 3s. sd. Eight judgment summonses and three distress warrants were issued; 7G summonses were served by the bailiff; 76 civil summonses were served and eiglit distress warrants executed.