LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Through His Excellency the Governor His Majesty the King has sent an appreciation of the message of sympathy conveyed to him on behalf of the Mayor, councillors, and citizens of Wellington, on the occasion of tho unfortunate accident which befel His Majesty in Franco last year.

The Postal authorities advise that the s.a. l?iverina, which sailed from Sydney-at 2 p.m. on February 2-1, for Wellington, is bringing Australian mails only, and is due here on Monday next.

The retail price of standard brands of butter will bo raised to Is. 6d. per lb. on Monday.

Should the outing, which is being given to returned soldiers to-day by members of tho Wellington Automobile Club be declared o(F owing to bad weather, a red pennant will be hoisted on the G.P.O. before 12 o'clock.

Tho boundaries of tho now education districts arc gazetted. They bave already been known for some time with all but certainty by the boaVds interested.

At the Napier Municipal Baths yesterday morning a pupil of the Technical College, Miss Daisy Thompson, Bwam three miles 958 yards, the time taken kieing 31 hours. This is the longest distance ever swam in tho Napier baths. The Mayor stated yesterday that the amount received to date in response to the appeal by Mrs. W. H. Softon Moorhouse and the Mayor of Wellington for £GOO to provide one motor kitchen and buffet for service behind the fighting line, was £518, 3s. This proposal emanated front New Zealanders°in the Old Country, and it was endorsed by tho Jled Cross authorities there and by Surgeon-General Henderson here. The Mayor said he had no doubt that within a few days sufficient money would be, in hand to permit of the full amount of £600 being cabled to England. Altogether, about 50 motor kitchens are being provided for service with British troops.

A conference is to be held in Wellington on Wednesday next of representatives of the Committees of the Countess of Liverpool Fund. The conference will be held in some suitable room in the Town Hall, and Her Excellency Lady Liverpool will preside. Regulations providing for the export of certain classes of leather are' gaKetted. The exemptions apply only to leather unsuited for military supplies, or for use in New Zealand' manufactures.

A lady, who is interested in kindergarten work in Christchurch (Miss L. Tabarfc), is Wellington to place before the Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Han an) specimens of" toys made by teachers in the Free Kindergarten School in Christchurch. Miss Tabart's claim is that in order to provide children with those toys necessary for recreation and development we need not- spend thousands of pounds in importing toys from Germany, America, and Japan. Quite amusing toys can be made locally with Materials' always at hand. Miss Tabart has with her an attractive collection of the kindergarten toys, and she has interested the Minister in her idea.

• Regulations for the first election of members of Education Boards under the Education Act, 1914, to be held on July 19 next, are gazetted.

Tho I'ostnjaster-General has ordered that no ])ostal packets or telegrams shall he forwarded to Post van der Burg and Company, at. Rotterdam, and also at New York.

"The entries so far in nearly all classes are quite unusually larjje, and in some of our day classes, particularly

the. first , year commercial, it is impossible for us to take as many students

as are offering," reported the director of the Wellington Technical School to the board last evening. Ho added that .more accommodation was urgently needed.

The Federal Defence Department announces that Brigadier-General Wallack. who lias been three times reported dangerously ill, is.' now progressing favourably in a Cairo hospital, lie is still officer commanding the Now South Wales military district, but some time ago went to Egypt in command of a troopship, with the view of improving his health. He received his promotion from the rank of colonel white on the water. Brigadier-General Wallnck is 59 years of age, and. for his services in the South African war received tho Queen's medal with live clasps, a/C.8., and was mentioned in dispatches. The Wellington College Board of Governors met yesterday. Questions regarding leases wero discussed in committee. The statement_ of accounts showed the board as having a bank balanco of £2287, and a' sum of £24 lodged, but not credited. The payments required were set down at £1278.' The rents outstanding amount to £76, and the fees 'outstanding £IG7B for Wellington College, and £1983 for the Girls' College. Reafforestation might advantageously be taken up as a subject to be taught in the Wellington Technical School, according to Mr. G. Frost, tho chairman of the Technical School Board. "Tho subject," lie said at last evening's meeting of the board, "has not been touched yet, and it lias to be. tackled in town and country, and probably the school could give assistance."

Great complaints are being made in England now owing to the shortage of jurymen. Cases have been" known where tho Judge has appealed for the jury to stay on and serve in the next case,. owing to tho difficulty of raising sufficient men. In sonic American States women and men sit together on juries, and in Norway the same rulo holds good for civil cases, and'it is thought that perhaps women may be asked to perform the same service in England.

At last evening's mcctim* of tho Wellington Technical Education Board, a letter was read from the Mayor saying that he had interviewed tho Minister of Education (the Ron. J. A. Han an) as-to -ho City Council's proposal for a site for a new technical school. Tho Minister, the Mayor said, was favourable to the Mount Cook site, and would, very shortly, make a recommendation to the Government.. Tho board dccided to wait on the Minister for tho purpose of urging forward the proposition, and to solicit tho support of the Wellington Education Board in tho mutter.

The St. Patrick's Day Celebrations Committee lias been numerically strengthened this year,in order to allow the various sub-committees to prosecute their respective duties with dispatch and precision. The sports function is to bo held at Newtown Parle on Friday, March 17. There will be a largo procession, and a bis list of events lias been arranged. The national concert, to lio held in the Town Hall in tho evening, is cxpcctcd to eclipse tlio success of past years. Mr. Farquhar Young and Miss Mildred Wrigbton iiave tieen re-engaged. Miss Kcavins, of Palmerston North, is also under snecial engagement. Miss Teresa M'Enroo is among tho list, and is a popular favourite. Tim full list of artists wiE appear later.

The Wellington Education Board lias notified the Technical School Board, who use the Education Board's building, that the space reserved for tlio Education Board lias been insufficient for years, and that tho position will be worse now that the Marlborough schools are to bo udniinistered from here. Members of the Technical Board expressed the opinion at last evening's limiting that the facts must ho brought before tho Minister.

On the motion of Mr. H. M. Gore, tho Wellington Technical Education Board decided last evening: "That a sub-committee be appointed (1) to inquire into and report whether any alteration is desirable in the present system of inspection and supervision generally of art work in primary schools; (2) to, if possible, devise a it-cans whereby the pupils in upper forms of the secondary schools may ba enabled to continue their art studies The committee to report to the board at its next meeting."

Among 'those who are about to go into the non-commissioned officers' camp for the 13th Reinforcements is Mr. Arthur Jackson, a representative of the Marlborough Sounds family, who for many years have been engaged in whale fishing, with headquarters at To Awaite, Tory Channel. Jlr. Jackson states that tho past season—from June to September—was the most successful they have ever experienced. AVithin a period of a ■ little over three months tho party secured forty tvhalos, five being "rights" and the rest "humpies" (hump-backed whales}.

The drought is being severely felt in the East Coast districts, says our Masterton correspondent, and settlers are, in some cases, on the eve of removing their stock to other districts, as they were compelled to do last year. A Maori fete was held at the "Hiona" Pa at Lattsdowne, Masterton, on Thursday in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, and a sum of £35 .was' realised.

Colonel Porter stated at a meeting I of citizens in Masterton .on Thursday that 30.000 men had already joined the National Reserve, 7000 of whom belonged to tho Wellington Military District.

A Boy Scout , named Stephen Gallagher was, says our Mastorton correspondent, tti Wednesday presented by Mr. A. Varjtey, general secretary of th<> Y.M.C.A., with a modal for bravery in rescuing another boy from drowning.

Yesterday was devoted to a street campaign in aid of the French Red Cross (siys a Press Association telegiam from Auckland). At yis Majesty's '.theatre at. night a Frcnch (tag was auctioned for £501. The total results of the day should reach £2000.

At Thursday's meeting of the City Council, Councillor ames Godber asked if the rates for water used through meters over and above thai, allowed every householder could not be charged annually infctead of every six months. In order to keep their* gardens beautiful; —11 tiling they all desired to see— citizens may use water in excess of their allowance during one half of tho year, but may not use the quantity of water allowed them free of cost for the other six, months. He thought that it would be more equitable if tho water rates were charged annually. The Mayor promised that the matter would be looked into.

In a reccut letter from Egypt, Lieut.-. Cclonel Barclay, of the New Zealand Engineers, writes as follows with respect to his corps:—"You will recollect the fine command which I took away, 'from New Zealand in April—hue both in regard to personnel and equipment— and 1 am sure you will feel a pang of regret whpn 1 sell you thai, of the 240 men who arrived- here with me, only

some 20 are now on service at Gallipoli. Some have been killed by the enemy, others have died from disease, i while many have been wounded or have been

compelled by illness to relinquish'their duties for tho time being. All the original officers are now away. Several have been invalided to England, while others are in hospitals in Malta. Even with the addition of the men from the Fifth and Sixth Reinforcements, the company can now barely muster 70 men. The arduous nature of the duties which

members have been called upon to undertake right from the moment of their arrival at CTnba Tepo has undoubtedly produced tho maximum of sickness, etc.

The other engineer units have been decimated to a similar extent. This campaign has been described as an engineering nvar. and, bearing this in

mind, I often bemoan the fact that wo liave not received reinforcements which will bring us within reasonable limits of our establishment." A bull that had suddenly developed an antipathy to being converted into bovril made, things exciting for a time in the vicinity of the Whangarei Freezing Works. While awaiting slaughter ■with other cattle in the paddock, it attacked <i passing resident, who sought safety by to the top of a convenient rook. Then things began to happen in quick* sequence A lady with a milk-pail on her arm- came tripping down the track, and t|ie bull charged again from the ambush of a gorse-bush. The lady screamed, and, throwing the bucket iu the bull s face, also gained the sanctuary of the rock, scrambled up, and sat herself beside the man. The next scene opened with the arrival of six butdicrs from the works, armed -with eleavers and axes, bent on slaying the bull where it stood. The bull scattered its adversaries, and succeeded in forcing three units to seek refuge on the' rock with its first two prisoners.- The animal then mounted guard over them. It had acquired by this time an aspect of monstrous comicality, by reason or the bucket. The utensil had become impaled on one long horn, and sat on the creature's head like a disreputable hat. One eye was obscured, but the other optic still glared truculent hatred. Howover, a rifle was obtained, after an in. terval, and a well-aimed shot enabled the rook-dwellers to 'descend.

The Y.M.O.A. War , Funds appeai opened in Gisborne on Monday, and already nearly £1500 has' beon subscribed. In addition. Mr. W. Mander, of Gisborne, has given £500 for the erection of a Now Zoaland Y.M.C.A. soldiers' hut in France.—Press Association. The Directors of Messrs. J. B. Clark.

son and Co., Ltd., wholesale mcr< chants, Wellington and Christclmrch, have voted sum of £100 towards the wholesale and retail section of tho Queen or tho Carnival of tho Canterbury, Patriotic Fund. "Fifty-one" -writes to the Hawera 'Star" regarding the unveiling of a monument to the memory of the llev. John Whitelcy on the spot where lie was found shot by the Maoris. on February _13, 1869, at tho AVhite Cliffs, Taranaki:—"Owing to the fact that tho person of John Whiteloy was considered tapu by all classes of the Maori race from Wanganui to Auckland, tho news of his massacre by Northern Maoris, created a profound sensation among the Taranaki tribes, and they mourned him ab they would one of their own. The European population in the province did not'exhibit more genuine grief than did their dark-skinned neighbours. The JTa mentations of the women were'typical of those for the passing of a great chief. Some years ago the then Governor of New Zealand opened a new Wesleyan Church in New Plymouth,' bearing the .name of the Whiteley Memorial Church, . and this secured the permanent perpetuation of John Whiteley's name. Then there is the obelisk in To Henui Cemetery, on which are inscribed the names of all those who were killed on that fatal 18th—John Whiteley,, Lieutenant Gascoyne, his wife and children, Milne, and Richards. _ Now the spot where the grand old missionary laid down his life 47 years ago'is to bear further testimony to the esteem in which ho was held. I can still picture that good old man as I saw him lying on his back, divested of his coat, just at the brow of the Fukearuhe plateau. He was shot, if I recollect rightly, under the left eye and in the breast. ' His horse ;a well-known animal), minus saddle and bridle, lay dead close by. -However, the Maoris who committed this crime appear to have had sufficient respect for Mr. Whiteley not to resort to (he tomahawk, as they did in . the case of the other victims."

It is a long iimo, says the Auckland "Star," since such a fine sailing vessel as the Golden Gate has arrived ill Auckland. As the loftily sparred four-mast-ed steel barque, flying the Stars and 'Stripes at the peak, came up the harbour early on Thursday morning, from San Francisco, with kerosene, in charge of two tugs, 6he was the centre of interest on the water-front. -A few jsears ago the whole of tho Iceroseno trade between the Dominion and America was done by wooden sailing vessels —barques, schooners, and brigantines—of which the Alice was perhaps the best known. The Golden Gate was built 28 years ago in Great Britain, and until a few months ago was' owned in Liverpool. She was formerly called the Lord /Shaftesbury,, and still carries at her figurehead the effigy of the noble peer, famous for ' his philaiithrophy. Tho vessel came into port after her 51 days at. sea. in spick and span order. Her tall masts, -many yards—she carries double topgallant sails as well as the usual double top-sails—and beautiful sheer gave the younger generation some idea of the. finf sights thai were common in Auckland a decade or .so ago, when J the arrival of those picturesque sailers was a common occurrence.

Trooper Wm. White,. writing to a friend in Wellington, says:—"As you no doubt know, Gallipoli -is now a campaign of the past as far as we are concerned. When our brigade took over the position we held on the peninsula it was in the roughest of weather, in fact, there was a blizzard on, and the cola was intense. The position was just on the right of the famous Hill 60. I would like to fell you the way in which we left the difficult- position, but I am afraid the censor would refuse .to send the letter. I was on.the peninsula the last night our troops occupied it, and had no trouble in getting away. I can assure you it. was a great feeling that went through one when we knew that in front of us—a matter of yards only —there were thousands of the enemy, and behind us we had not a soldier of any description nor a gun to help us in the 1 event of an attack —there was just us handful of men in the firing line, and our orders were to fight to a finish — we just bluffed thein right to tho finish with all sorts of tricks to make believe we had a large forcf;, and when I tell you that the enemy were placing out barb-wke ; entanglements on the last night It'will'tell you how successfully it was worked. How little wo though: wo would be away by New Year, and yet here wo are again in the land of the Pyramids and Sphinx and doing well."

Some impressions of the people of Australia and New Zealand, and of,the conditions iii the two countries, were given by His Excellency Archbishop Cerretti, the Apostolic Delegate, in an interview in Auckland a few days ago. J)r. Cerretti said the contrast between Australia and New Zealand had struck him greatly. The Dominion's natural bcanties, so lavishly bestowed, the remarkable phenomena of the thermal. district, and the grandour of the mountain scenery had given him very pleasant memories. The qualities of the Maori people had also impressed liini greatly. While at Lake Taupo, and in Rotorua and Waihi, Dr. Cerretti had several opportunities of observing representatives of the Native race! He was greatly impressed by the speeches delivered by Native chiefs at Rotorua— the imagination and splendid ideas expressed with such eloquence affording a striking contrast with tho evidence of intellectual development in such races as the Indians and negroes' of the American Continent. "I have been greatly impressed by the economic and social conditions of tho people in both Australia and New Zealand," Dr. Cerretti remarked. "They are, I think, the best in the world.' In every other country there aro men who are extraordinarily rich, but others who are most miserable. Here the riches are divided' and shared nruch better." Archbishop Cerretti remarked that there had not yet been any great progress in Australasia in the fine arts, but it ■was reasonable to expect that the manifestation of artistic taste and vocation would appear later in their development. ■ On the other hand, the intellectual professions were the eqfials of those in the most advanced countries.