LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2706, 28 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At 7.22 last evening the City Fira Brigade was called to 23 Thorndon Quay, a house occupied by Mrs. Annie Wilson. The outbreak was caused through a blind coming into contact with the flame of a candle, and little more than the blind was damaged. The 'I'ai'anaki Land Board is exercising its powers wider the Land Act in regard to the ■ rejection of applicants for land who are single men of military age, and _ who have not been rejected a 6 medically unfit for service. At the last •meeting three such applications wore Tejeeted. Tho board laid it down as a principle that during the period of the war all similar applications will be treated in like manner.

Tho Minister of Defence (the Hon. James Allen), speaking in Dunedin on the new recruiting scheme, stated that it was urgent that committees should commence work at once. "It is very urgent," tho Minister wont on to say, "because we expect the Fourteenth Reinforcements to bo brought under the scheme. At the same time, we do not want to have any break in continuing the work of existing organisations for recruiting. These organisations must go on until they are absorbed in the now scheme." Mr. Allen added that ho was snro there were a number of volunteer .lyorkers who would assist in the preliminary work —ladies and others who would help if the committees wanted temporary voluntary assistance.

Word has been received from Bulls (states a Press Association- message from Wanganui) that Corporal Watson, son of Mr. F. H. Watson, manager of the Bank of New South Wales at Bulls, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Corporal Watson, who was a Government surveyor, enlisted in the Auckland Infantry at the commence-' mcnt of the war, and was attached to the machine-gun section. He landed with the Main Body on Gallipoli, and after a strenuous time fell ill with enteric fever, and was invalided .to England. He is now progressing favourably, and expects to be sent back to the firing line shortly.

The Methodist Conference at Auckland lias adopted its committee's recommendations urging liberal treatment of chaplains at the front and the maintenance of their work in the circuits affected by their absence.—Press Association. ,

On a charge of breaking and entering the shop of Mr. P. J. Fear, Willis Street, and stealing £1 6s. 6d., a youth of fifteen years was arrested on Saturday by Detective Carney. He will appear before a Magistrate this morning.

In accordance with the resolution of the last General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New. Zealand, the Rev. Mr. Scorgic, Moderator,, has fixed March 19 as a Day of Humiliation and Prayer, in connection with the war.— 'Press Association.

Mr. Edward Newman, M.P., has drawn the attention of tho Minister of Railways to the serious shortage in rolling stock for the transport of chaff and grain from the Rangitikei. The farmers have been asked by tho Government to grow more crops, and having responded, their produce is now ready to be sent away, but it is impossible to get haulage. It is necessary that relief be given to allow of the fulfilment of the farmers' contracts. —Spoeial Correspondent.

Captain Barclay, of tho Town Hall Rocsßiting Office, states that there are to bo badges for returned soldiers, for thoso who have enlisted and are waiting to bo called up, and for those who have been 1 turned down as medically unfit. He says that there is yet another. and a highly deserving class, to whom badges should be issued. This' is composed of men who have enrolled but have been set aside temporarily t<l see if they can reach tho required standard. These are men with varicose veins, bad teeth, and perhaps deficient chest measurement, but who are undergoing treatment calculated to fit ■tliom for service. Such, on asking for badges, should be entitled to them, as they are goine out of their way to qualify as soldiers of the King.

The tender of Mr. John O'Donnellat £3779 3s. 6d. has been accepted by the Harbour Board for additions to the Day's Bay wharf. The engineer's estimate was £3901). Tho unsuccessful, tenderers were:—Mr. John M'Williams, £3940 Is. 3d.; Mr. Roderiok M'Kenzie, £3984 14s}; Messrs. D. M'Lean and Co., £4037; Messrs. A. Pulley arid Co., £4201 9s. 2d.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) has arranged to tender a public weclome to Captain W. J. Hardham, V.C.i in the Town Hall this afternoon at 5.15 o'clock. Captain Hardham's gallantry in the South African War, his service to Wellington City and New Zealand, both on the football field and in connection with tho management of the sport, have endeared him to his countrymen, and they will no doubt make his return from active service the occasion for.a popular demonstration. . v At the last meeting of the Wellington Central Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, the protest which the Wellington Trades and Labour CounoiL is making agaiust the Government's intention in connection with industrial awards was discussed and fully endorsed, and the following resolution was carried; —"That we deplore tho attitude of tho Government in attempting to break down the Arbitration Act, especially at a time wlien organised labour is supplying so many men for the front." A letter was received by the Auckland City Council last week from the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defence, in regard to the disposal of a number of trophies from the scene of the Australasians' operations at Gallipoh. The Minister's letter stated:'"Recently, a troopsliip which returned from Egypt brought several pieces of ordnance from Gallipoli. Among these were two ancient mortars, and insido the barrel of one was a note dated 24th October. 1915, written from the Now Zealand and Australian Division Ordnance Depot. No. 2 outpost, Gallipoli. signed by Sergeant A. Gilmour, Auckland Rerdment, and five other members of tho New Zealand and Australian Division. Those' men expressed the desire that the mortars should bo erected in some suitable park—Auckland preferred. • I shall bo glad to send them on to Auckland if you will undertake to have them placed in a suitable spot in one of your parks, In this connection," continued the Minister, "I desire to advise that the Department rule in regard to the disposal of war trophies is that where same are not returned with a s]>ecifio. request for their allocation t<i any partioular district they are stored and listed, pending a distribution at, the termination of the war; but in cases like the present, wliero the donors express a definite wish, the same will be duly given effect to immediately on the nrriyal of the trophies." The WorUs_ Committeo of the council will determine wliero the trophies are to be placed.

At a meeting of the Timaru Brancli of the Teachers' Institute on Saturday, a -motion was passed that the Junior Scholarship Examination be abolished, and the money so saved spent on deserving pupils not. otherwise able to attend secondary schools.—Press Association.

At a meeting in Auckland of 250 members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, a resolution was carried affirming the branch's loyalty t;i the main executive, and pledging the branch to "support any action which the controlling body deems advisable to counteract the apathy and indifference the Government has shown to the men's demand for a living wage." It was considered that a demand for not less than Is. per day was ai reasonablo one, and, failing a favourable reply, a special conference of all railwaymen should be called to deal with the question.

The official pass lists for the teachers' certificate;., examinations which wera hold in January hist are published in lull in to-day's issue.

A vacuum cleaner for the teeth is tho latest tiling la dental hygiene in America.

A man with a cork leg recently presented himself at the recruiting office in Hull (England), passed through the formalities which hundreds of thousands underwent, and received the customary 2s. 9d. to seal the coiltract. Though possessing an artificial hinb the recruit walked so well that his physical unfitness was not detected. The story created considerable amusement, and the paymaster jocularly 'remarked that he did not think of conoealing an assistant beneath the table to tap tho legs of recruits.

The Methodist Conference at Auckland devotod its attention on Saturday chiefly to the consideration of a nuj»o ber of minor matters connected witl the various stations. A letter was ceived from an anonymous donor, 'contaming £50 for home missions and £50 for foreign missions.—Press fion.

■ On Saturday afternon the convalescent returned soldiers from the Hospital and Soldiers' Hostel were taken for an enjoyable motor spin into the country by the members of the Wellington. Antomobilo Association. They were driven out to Mr. John Barton's pleasant countrj house at Trentham, and here they were splendidly entertained under the most delightful auspices. The 'irentham Camp' Band was m attendance, and a capital afternoon's outing concluded with an enjoyable run home in the cool of the evening. A well-known Canterbury meteorologist, Mr, F. L. Wooles, hi an address to tho Farmers' Union, prophesied that the coming autumn would be remarkably cold_and wet, and would be followed b,v a severe winter, supplemented by a cold spring and a cool, wet summer.