LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2698, 18 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Gazette notice states for public information that tho Imperial Government will not permit tho exportation of high-speed tools from the United Kingdom to New Zealand without the approval of tho Minister of Customs, Wellington. Any person or firm desirous of importing such tools from the United Kingdom should make application to tho 'Customs Dopart-ment to ascertain the conditions under which the necessary approval will he given.

"I want to know why this man was brought here in the -uniform," said His Honour- Mr._ Justice Chapman yesterday, after passing a sentence of imprisonment upon a corporal, who had been convicted on his own admission of stealing money from his employers. No one in Court seemed to v be able to answer His Honour satisfactorily, as tho prisoner had been on bail until his name was called yesterday morning. The probable solution of the problem was that as the prisoner had been in camp at Trentham since last month, he had no suit of clothes save tho uniform in which ho appeared.

Bathers on the beach at Lyall Bay yesterday morning received a surprise on parading tho lieach to discover a huge'cuttlefish which hail been washed up during tho night. The body, which weighed about a hundredweight and a half, was about 10ft. long and a half-a-dozen forbidding looking tentacles, with protruding suckers, were as thick as a man's leg. The bag from which is discharged the inky fluid when attacked, or when making an attack was visible and the single eye was also prominent. A fight between a cuttlefish or devik lish, as they are sometimes called, and a whale was described in one of tho magazines some time ago. It was witnessed oir the deck of a liner, and lasted for nearly an hour, tho whale struggling furiously the' whole time to disengage/itself from the deadly embrace of the cuttlefish, filially sinking beneath the surface out of rew, the whale apparently being the victim, as its straggling had almost ceased before it disappeared.

"My lmsband would have enlisted earlier," writes a wife whose husband has just enlisted, "only his 6tature was below regulation height.' also an illness intervened. However, like the widow's mite, he is all I possess in the way of value; but I am proud and happy In the knowledge that even as his pioneer forbears (1850) had grit in assisting to colonise this 'Britain of tho South,' ho himself has the same grit to determino in helping to keen the flag of the free still waving o'er it. I know ho will do his duty; the rest is God's affair."

At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, it was made clear that it was contrary to the provisions of the Act that any expenses should be paid to a member of a committee, who is not ft member of the board. This was tlie outcome of a letter from Mr. B. R. Gardener, of Levin, who is a member of the Otaki Sanatorium Committee, but not a member of the board, and who wished his _ expenses paid between Levin and Otaki when attending meetings. On the motion of Jlr. C. M. Luke, it. was decided that the Government he approached for permission to •pay such expenses, tho mover remarking that the services of M.r. Gardener must bo invaluable in the district.

Tho gate at luncheon takings at the Musterton Show this year amounted to £473 10s., as compared witth £<164 10s. Gd. 'last year.

Something like a ratine in monej- belts for soldiers. 2s. lid.. 3s. Scl., ss. Gd. 5s lid,; snake or buckle fnßteccrs, Geo! sVwUls. Ltd,—Advt,

A week ago it was stated that workers at the Petone Woollen Mill, in view of the refusal of the directors to grant an .increase of 10 per cent, in their wages, were considering whether they should continue to work overtime. Yesterday it was reported that an offer had been made and refused. Yesterday the workers did not commence at' the usual early hour (6 o'clock). The chairman of directors of the "Wellington Woollen Company-(Mr. W. H. P. Barber), in the course of a statement 6a.id that the workers were offered a bonus of 5 per cc-nt. on their wages aiid the directors agreed to recommend to shareholders that the bonus be made up for the whole period of twelve months. These were better terms than the southern woollc-n mills were offering to their operatives. With regard to overtime, Mr. Barber said that this work had been entirely voluntary on the part of the operatives hitherto, nnil if they now desired to discontinue it, the board had no wish to force them to work overtimed

The foljowing reorganisation scheme was adopted by the Locomotive Enginedrivers' Conference in Christclraroh:— "That the head office of the association be situated in We!l :, igton; that the president of the association be elected by the Grand Council, not necessarily from their own number; that subscriptions be increased from Is. to 1«..1>d. a month; that a general secretary bo appointed to devote his time exclusively to association matters, the salary to be £300 per annum; that three months' notice from the general-secretary and a threelifths majority vote of the association members shall be necessary to remove the general secretary from officer the 'Loco. Record' to be published at tha head office of the association, the general secretary to bo editor and manager."

According to the report of the Public Health Committee of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable./ Aid Board, -14 cases of infectious diseases were rejwrted in Wellington during the month ended February 8, as against 26 for the same period last year. Of the cases reported, 26 were scarlet fever, 11 diphtheria, 2 enteric, 2 blood-poisoning, and 3 infantile paralysis. The latter record will be regarded with some trepidation, as the Health Department has reported that only one case of infantile paralysis (of Auckland origin) has been reported.

During January ten patients were Admitted and four -discharged from the Otaki Hospital. Eight patients were admitted and four discharged from tho Otaki Sanatorium, where there were now twelve males and eleven females undergoing treatment.

The cash takings in the dental branch of the out-patients' department of the Wellington Hospital for the past month -were £38 165., which constitutes a record for the department.

A proclamation published in the Government Gazette on April 6, 1915, has been amended by adding to the list of articles, the _ exportation of which to any destination is prohibited without the consent of the Minister of Customs, "Leather of kinds, dressed or undressed, and leather belting." The schedule ill the same proclamation relating to goods, the exportation of which is'prohibited to any other destination than the United Kingdom' and Brtish possessions and protectorates, except with the consent of the Minister of Customs, has been amended by omitting the words, "Leather, dressoi or undressed, suitable for saddlery, harness, military boots, or military clothing."

Tho Hastings Wounded Soldiers' Fund now amounts to £14,943.

Gounod's opera, "Faust," has been selected as the first work to be sung by tho. Royal Wellington Choral-Society during the coming season. Tho performance will probably take place in June.

An election of a member to represent contributors in the Police Department to the Superannuation Fund will he held at the Public Service Superannuation office, Public Trust Buildings., on Monday, April 10. Nominations will close on March 13.

An election of a member to fill an extraordinary vacancy on tho General Council of Education Trill be held on March 24. The electors 'will consist of the certificated male teachers of public schools in the Sonth Island. Nominations close on March 4.

Tho tender of Messrs. Charles Hill and Sons, of Lambton Quay, to supply helmets for the Police Force has been accepted by the Commissioner of Police. The contract (three years) price is lis. 6d. each per bine helmet, and 10s. for ■white helmets.

At next week's meeting of the Wellington' Harbour Board, Mr. W. Cable will move as under:—"That the Engineer report at an early date as to the adaptability of the wharf sheds and the older wool stores for tho installation of electric cranes, owing to the urgent necessity of reducing tho cost of handling goods."

"I had hoped," said the Minister of Internal Affairs, at tho Confercnco of Patriotic Societies yesterday, ''to have been ablo to lay before you a clear statement of the patriotic funds raised in New Zealand—how they arc invested, tho interest they are earning, and the amounts expanded to date on hehalf of soldiers and their dependants. Returns were asked for in accordance' with Section 10 of the War Funds Act, both in November and January. Many ol' the societies have forwarded tho information asked for, aud to them I extend my cordial thanks. A large number, however, have neglectcd to supply the information asked for, and consequently I am unable to complete the task I set myself of endeavouring to' lay before you a statement as to how long the funds would last in tho respective ■ military districts on tlie basis of tho pensious already granted. I may remind trustees of patriotic funds that under the War Funds Act ample powers are given to enforce the supply of the information that has been asked for, and this information will certainly bo required later in the year to lay before Parliament."

In opening the conference of patriotic societies yesterday, the Minister of Internal AiFairs, the Hon. G. W. Russell said that the number of soldiers dispatched froni New Zealand up to January 17 was 31,788. Of these, 1669 liad' been killed or died of wounds, 22 wore drowned, 282 died of disease, and C 5-5 are missing, making a total of dfad and missing or 2625. In addition, 2$ are known to be prisoners of war, 5496 liavo been wounded, and 3642 have returned to tlio Dominion. Of this number, 410 have been reported as fit to return to activo service at the front. "The Hon. Mr. Hurdman, who is in charge of the Department for Returned Soldiers, informs me," said the Minister, "that aboit 460 have informed his Department the.y need no further as--sistance from the State. This may bo regarded as very satisfactory. Theso men have not only shown the highest valour and endurance as soldiers, but have indicated they are prepared to resume ttheir civilian employment, and presumably ask nothing from cither the State or "the patriotic societies. I do not think their.decision in this mattor should bo regarded as final, but that the door should be left open, so that, at any time, the fact of a man having worn Itliaki at the front, with honour, should entitle him to preference aG regards public employment—all things being equal—cither under the State or tho local authorities, and also to any | assistance which it is possible to give liim i" the future, either from the | Stato or tho patriotic societies. I em-1 phasise tho words 'with honour,' because in some cases men have been /returned to the Dominion -under a cloud caused by their own folly, and theso must he regarded as having largely forfeited any claims ui»n the Doming u or tu neonW

The regulations for doer-stalking in the Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, and Southland Acclimatisation Districts appear in the current Gazette.

By Gazette notice, signed by the Ministor of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell), the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association is approved under the War Contributions Validation Act, 1914.

An inquest was held by Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., yesterday, in connection with the deatii of Robert Henry Walker at Martin Square on Sunday morning last. Dr. 11. A. H. Gilmer, who conducted a post-mortem examination of the body, was of opinion that death was due to heart failure, resulting from tha diseased condition of other organs. A verdict was returned accordingly.

Notice is given iu the current Gazette by the Public Trusteo that he proposes to oxereiso the powers vested in him in respect to certain property in Otago, owned by Robert Fulton Lindsay, mariner, of London, it not being known whether he is or dead.

Our Napier correspondent states thai J. C. Brewer, fell monger, ot Olive, has filed a petition in bankruptcy. The liabilities, which amount to £158 lis. 6d., include fSO in dobts incurred at Petone and* Lower Hutt, six or scvei years ago.

A live-seater up-to-date motor-car, donated by a Hawke's Bay gentleman, will bo sold at the Napier wool sale to* day, in. aid of the patriotic funds.

By notice in the Gazette, correspond dence is prohibited hy the PostmasterGeneral with the firms of Rounds, Schurman and Dwight, Now York, ana C. H. Huberich, Sau EVancisco.