LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2703, 24 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Mocraki, which left Wellington on February 17, carrying Australian and United Kingdom mails, arrived at Sydney 011 the morning of February 21. llie military service oud exemption badges, which are to bo issued under the new recruiting scheme, are now at tlie Defence Stores and ready for issue upon application. The exemption badges aro only to be issued at the direction of the Minister of Defence. By Order-in-Couiicil gazetted the importation into New Zealand of explosives containing more than 50 per cent, of nitro-glyccrine is prohibited. His Excellency the Governor notifies through ,tiie Gazette that an'important order-in-council, concerning the control of the movements of mercliant shinning, has been made by the Imperial Government. The operative portion of the decree is as fojlows: "From and after March 1, 1916, no British steamship registered in tlio United Kingdom exceeding 500 tons gross tonnage, except steamships engaged iiv the' coasting trado of the United Kingdom, shall proceed on any voyage unless a license to do so has been granted to or in favour of the owner or charterer of such steamship by the Licensing Committee appointed by the President of tlio Board of Trade, which licenso may bo general in reference to classes'of ships ov their voyages, or special, and the President of the Board of Trade to act and give instructions and directions accordingly."

The Harbour Board last night agreed to the following motion l submitted by Mr. W. Cable:—"That the Engineer report at an early date as to the adaptability of the wharf sheds and the older wool stores for the installation of* electric cranes owing to the urgent necessity of reducing "the cost of handling goods." Mr. Cable urged that there was need for all the laboursaving machinery possible in view of the increasing cost of handling goods. The chairman ,said that the Engineer had already prepared a series of "plans for the .installation of crane's. The now appliances in the Pipitea shod had turned out a great success, saving tlio men, saving the goods from rough handlins;, iin<? saving time. He believed it-would bo a wise thing to allow the men to use. their heads a little more and perhaps their hands a. little less. But lie yarned members that the installation ff ttiose cranes would cost a great deal of money, although the cranes would make for the efficient handling of goods. However, he thought that it was proper that the board should have a report on the proposal. In this view members generally concurred.

Detectives Mason and Scott yesterday arrested a man on a charge of stealing £2, and Detective Carney arrested another man on a charge of theft of a mirror. Both cases will be investigated' in tlio Magistrate's Court this morning.

Since the Patriotic Industrial Exhibition opened on Saturday last over 200 persons have joineef' the Women's AntiGerman League.

Mr J. C. N. Grigg, vice-president of the Agricultural Board, is leaving on a visit to England during the present month. Members of the board, at the last meetrug, expressed their appreciation of the taluatee services he had rendered to the board during the past two years, and expressed the hope that as he was only leaving the country temporarily, he would not- resign liia position.

Very brief reference to the recent negotiations to fix the rates of pay for waterside labour was made by the chairman (Mr. C. E. Daniell) at the meeting of the Harbour Board last r.ight. Ho informed members of tho board that the terms agreed upon by the conference of employers and employees had not been acceptable to most of the unions, who objected especially to tho clause providing for work after 10 p.m. The latest development was that that afternoon the employers had made a request for another conference. Tho employers would meet the following morning to consider that request. No other' members offered any comment on tho subject.

A proposal was lately made to tho Wellington Harbour Board by Mr. John Fuller that on Sundays and holidays flic Day's Bay and Eastbourne ferry steamers should sail from the TaranaUi Street Wharf for the convenience of tho population at the To Aro end of tlio city. The Harbourmaster reported auainst the pronosal on the ground that tlio Taranaki Street Wharf was continually required for trading steamers, and that if berths had to bo reserved for the -"ferry steamers the working of thejierfc would . he disorganised. "Tho board last night adopted the Harbourmaster's report without debate.

Things a soldier wants. Inspect our money belts, buckle or snake belts; our khaki shirts and handkerchiefs, writing outfits, at Geo. JTowlds, Ltd., Jilaauors Street,-AM.

The Ordcr-in-Couneil having been issued, the work of laying down a new loop ill tlio tramways iine opposite the old i rout ol the (.lenwal Post Oflico lias been authorised, and is about to bo l>ro»3cdcd with. Though there is a double track at this point, a loop lias been found necessary there for the more convenient handling of the cars that centralise in the square. Later on some of the via Constable Street cars will complcto their journey at the G.P.0., and the growing freight traffic necessitates the handling of a good deal of goods at the central depot. A start will bo made with the laying down of the new loop at once.

'J'lie Mayor lias some very curious experiences in connection with people who visit hint soliciting in somo form or other aid that they may or may not ba entitled to. There are truculent men, a bit down on their luck, who have no compunction in demanding half-a-crown "from the funds" as a right to seo them over "a tight place," or perhaps it is only a shilling for a drink. Then there'are women, whose husbands, perhaps, have gone to the front, and who, in their lieiv experience d'o not- exactly know where they are or how to do tho necessary thing. These are alwayis given the soundest advice in a kindly way. Quito recently, however, a very well dressed woman, with plenty of evidence that she was not hard up, : approached the Mayor for a loan of £50 from tho funds. She quite candidly admitted that she could get the amount from her friends, but'said that she did not want "to be beholdon to her own people." The applicant never troubled to mention what she needed the money for, and was quite indignant when the loan was refused.

A little girl named Myra Mullon had a narrow escape from drowning at Opunake, says a Taranaki paper. Whilst bathing in the surf with some ; other children, the little girl got into the unusually strong sea''that was running, and was gradually being forced out to sea; Luckily, Father Kelly's attention w'as drawn. to the plight of the little girl, who was carried amidst the boulders on the jetty side of the bay, and ho lost no time in going to the rescue. Encumbered with the child, Father Kelly was buffeted against the rocks, and was having ail anxious time in getting clear, when the Rev. Mr. Welsh lent a helping band at the successful rescue of the girl from a perilous position. Father Kelly was much exhausted, and felt the effects of hia knocks against the rocks. "The majority of people who into gaol have no trades," said Mr. Justi'co Cooper, in Auckland. "It has been my experience that if they have trades they generally keep out of prison." Referring to a youth of 18 years who was brought up for sentence on a c-harge of receiving stolen property, the Judge said that it was greatly to be regretted that his father, who took him away from the biscuit-making v trade in order that he should have higher wages in another vocation, should not have allowed hiin to learn a. trade of soma kind.

The sneak thief lias found a new scope for his activities in Christchurch. Owing to the war, lead has beconio very valuable, with the result that several householders- ill the ,southern city have v discovered within the last day or two that the lead-piping in their outhouses has> been cut out and taken away by some dishonest individual.

Commenting on tho effect of the war upon postal charges and methods, the Hon. YV. Webster, Federal PostniasterGeneraT] who is at present -on a visit to New Zealand, is reported to have slated that Australia still retained its penny postage system, but had recently increased the telephone rates" Tho call rate Had been doubled, and lie considered that before long it would be found necessary to increase the telegraphio raio and to make certain alterations in the postal rate. This did not necessarily meau that the postal rate would bo increased, but that the present facilities would have to be remoulded. Matters had now come to the* stage, said Mr. AYebstor, when concessions would have to bo reduced or the Department would become overloaded with non-pay-ing facilities.

It was thought by some that after the completion of the Featherston military camp there would be many carpenters out of work in Wellington; The fact is, however, that carpenters are scarce, particularly good men. Building operations in the City and suburbs are sufficiently brisk |o absorb all the carpenters offering, and now there is another call from Featherston camp for these tradesmen.

Sooner or later the City Corporation aut'liorlties will lave to take into consWeratlon the matter of providing more room for tlie tramways powerJiouse, or institute a new powsr-liouse altogether. This is made evident by the fadf! that at tie present, time preparations are being made for the reception of a Babcock water-tube boiler in tho only available site left in the powerhouse. This means that as soon as more boiler-power is needed there will have to be an extension outward or 'upward before another boiler could be erected. There are cases where a second boiler room lias been, provided oyer the oue on the ground floor by building a very strong and suitable high second story, but such a plan of extension is not one to be considered so long as the necessary room can be provided foi otherwise. There can be no doubt, howeVcr, that Mr. Morton's scheme of a year ago to provide for one big central power-house on a'new and mora Utilitarian site than the present will have to be given earnest consideration by the council this year.

A collapsible rifle shieldj for use in trench or open warfare, has been invented by Mrs. Hedberg, of 43 Wallace Street, who has submitted a model to ,the Defence authorities. Tlic finished type is to be mado of bullet-proof steel, and will, it is stated, be easily adjustable to thp rifle barrel, tiie extra •weight being but 81b. On the march, the shield collapses into a single flat sheet of steel,, but, on a spring being released, it assumes a conical shape, behind which. the rifleman ir.av tako aim. with some degree of security. . The following extract from a letter received by a southern paper is regarded as showing that right in cur' own country heroic actions are eanied out without any blare o ftrumptets: — "We have just finished up a most enjoyable month at Quail Island camp, and all were sorry to leave. _ There aio three poor lepers on the island, and wo used to try our best to biing a ray or so of brightness into tlv.'ir l-.ves. We frequently took quite a concern party round near their quarters, .and entertained tliem. It meant nothing io us, but tho way in which thoso poor fellows thanked us for anything we did'was very touching. One of these lepers— a Maori—is, in my opinion, a regular hero. He was discharged a y.car ago as cured'. His mate —a leper who is blind, and altogether in a very bad way—has j;o hope whatever of being cured. After bis discharge, tho'Maori asked she Health Department if he might b:icl; to Quail Island to look .after'and see to the wants of his sick friend. On analysing that, isn't it a wonderful thing: the feelings that would prompt the Maori practically to give up'his life and live a Hie where lie will l>e ostracised by all his former friends, for tho sake of brightening the remaining hours of his friend's life; those feelings must be splendid. " I am not what is called a religious man, but something in that poor Maori's action moves 1110 very deeply. One thinks of the Scripture: j! 'Greater love hath nq-man than this, that he lay down his life for iiis friend.' : Many a man lias achieved famo and , glory for an action not nearly as noble , as this. The greatest point is that the Maori does not seem to realise that 1 he has done auythias beyond bis duty." ■