LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2696, 16 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In order to obviate the unnecessary return to the Dominion of edibles, etc., forwarded by parcel post to soldiers who are deceased or missing, or who have returned to New Zealand, the Military Post Office, Alexandria, now opens ordinary parcels so addressed. It eends perishable contents and articles Buck as socks, handkerchiefs, and writ- ! n K material to the officer commanding the addressee's late,unit for distribution anions the soldiers of the unit, and returns to the Bonder anything of a personal nature or of a valuo warranting its return. At the 6».m0 time it advises the sender of the action taken.

The Base Records Office supplies the following supplementary nominal roll of details returning to New Zealand per R.M.S. Ara-wa, due in Wellington about March 7:—Canterbury Mounted Rifles, No. 7/1014 James Gordon Wilson, baker; uoxt-of-kin, Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson, Pleasant Point. Otago Battalion, No. 8/1989 Henry Garner, farm labourer; next-of-kin, Mr. A. Garner, Caskerton, Cheal, Lincolnshire, England. Wellington Mounted Rifles, No. 11/381 Harold Haddyn'Smith, farmer; next-of-kin, Mr. I!. Harold Smith, Pahiatua. An interesting and unique event took place on Sunday last, when a Chinese sen-ice was held for the first time in the old historic Maori Chureh at Otaki. The service was conducted in Cantonese by Mr. Fang Lai Lav,-, Anglican Chinese missioner, from Wellington, while' as'sistance was given by the Ilev. Te Mucra Tokoaitua. the resident Maori clergyman. The congregation comprised Chinese and Maoris in almost equal numbers. A'Maori lady officiated'at the organ. The effect of hymns, sung to the same tune in both Maori, and Chinese was rather strange. The Maoris asked at the conclusion of tho service that the next time such a '.service is held an interpreter may be present to translate the sermon into Maori or English. Reporting on the health of the troops at Samoa, Colonel Patterson suys:— Privates J. Campbell; colitis; G. H. Winders, septic leg; Bowids, vesioal fistula; W. Fuller, colitis. Officers who are granted commissions in the Territorial Forces to fill vacancies caused by officers enlisting in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, will be issued with cap, tunic, and trousors. This will also apply to officers who have been called up from the. Reserve of Officers and who have not previously had an issue of clothing made to them on being granted a commission. i The Head Office of the Tourist Department has' received advice to the effect that Mr. S. Turner, F.R.G.S., of 'Wollingfcoh, accompanied by Guides Graham and Milne, successfully traversed Mount Sefton on February 11, and also climbcd tho second peak for the first time. The ascent was made by the Fitzgerald iouto, and the descent on the Westknd side to Douglas Rock bivouac, Copland Valley, and thence to tho Hormitage by Copland Pass. During tho course of his reply to a deputation representing; the executive of the Association of the New Zealand Chambers- of Commerce, which waited upon the Pfime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Customs, relative to matters concerning trading with the enemy, the Hon. A. M. Myers advocated a self-contained Empire, and with this ultimate goal in view suggested that Chambers of Commerce should form themselves into a Board of Trade, and endeavour to ascertain: (a) What goods could be manufactured here; and (b) what goods it was possiblo to manufacture in other British possessions. our report of yesterday, the word 1 'country' 1 appeared inadvertently instead of, as stated above, "British possessions. '

Tlie following have been appointed honorary recruiting officers at I?ongaroa: Messrs. Armstrong, R. B. Robertson, F. Herbert, and R. M. Robertson. Reforring yesterday to published statements containing allegations of injustice in the treatment of soldiers, the Minister of Defonco (the .Hon. J. Allen) said 1 that in cases of this character they intended in every instance to ask for specific statements instead of the generalities to which thoy were so much accustomed. Every cose would be thoroughly investigated. The conforonce of representatives of bodies administering patriotic funds, convoned by tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell), will be opened in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall to-morrcrv at 10 a.m. Mr Russell -vill deliver an address dealer,' w ith the objects of the conference. He will-lay before the delegates a statement of the .jeieral poaitioi based upon the figures available, stowing the num her of returned iren, the pensions already applied for, and the number 'if dopendents .vho have become a charge oil the funds. It was intended to allow the fullest latitude in the discussions at the cnofereuce.

Ono of the Napier Harbour Board's employees (L. J. Kenny), aged 75, lias been in their employ for 321 years. It is understood, says our Masterton correspondent, that fhe Wellington Education Board intends recommending the Government to allocate scats on the board under the now Act as follow:— Wellington City, four;_ Hntt, two; Horowlicnua, two; Wairarapa, two; Marlborough, two. Strong objection is being raised to tile Wairarapa representation beinc reduced from thrco to two. It is pointed out that tho Wairarapa lias a greater attendance at its schools than Hutt and Horowhenua combined.

A scholarship of £10 a year, tenable For two years at St. Patrick's College, has been awarded to Charles Neils, of t!io Marist Brothers' School, Tasman titreet. The Napier Hospital Board has written off uncollectable fees amounting to £4200. 1 To date, 356 recruits have enlisted per medium of the Napier Soldiers' Club. Over a year ago the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was enabled, through the. munificence of the Macarthy Trustees, to purchase a very desirable property on the hills of Behnoiit from Mr. l'\ ,T. Pinny for the purposes of a eonv&lcßcont home for children, such an adjunct being highly desirable in order to relievo the pressure on the Children's Hospital. The' property cost, approximately, £4000, and for the purposes named is highly suitable, being on an elevation commanding a fine view of the Hutt Valley aud harbour, and surrounded by a beautiful garden and orchard. Since the property was purchased, however, nothing has been dono towards adapting the residence to the requirements of a convalescent home. It appears "that the total donation from tie trustees for tho object named is to be £6000, in three annual payments. The £4000 has been received as payment for tho property, but a further £1000 is the requirement for'alterations and furnishings. It is the want of this money that has prevented the work going forward. The bequest provided that! accommodation must be provided for at least ten patients, but the board's ar' oliitect and medical adviser have advised that twenty-two patients oouli be provided for at practically the same cost as ten.' The board lias approached the trustees with the request that' they should contribute the extra mone? needed, but nothing has been beard of tho matter' since the now year. Mr. Culford Bpll holds children's classes for elocution 'on Saturday mornings at 10 o'.clock. Miss Betty PuTdora resumes her Lyall Bay children's classea on Saturday, February 19.