LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2715, 9 March 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

» •It has been decided by the Public Service Commissioner that girls shall be admitted to the Public Service entrance examination this year. Each candidate for tile examination will be .required to pay a fee of £1, which will be refunded if the candidate is successful and accepts an appointment in the service. ' Silica the "War Pensions A'ct was passed 1 last year, its administration lias been controlled by two Ministers, namely,. the Minister of Defence, the Hon. Mr. Allen, who, by the interpretation. clauses of the Act, is the Minister authorised to superintend its working, and the Minister of Pensions, the IjLon. Air. Myers, who, by reason of the association with the Ponsiona Department or v the work in connection with the carrying out of the Act, lias consequently ucen concerned with the administration. Ae the dun! administrative control bus not been conducive to an expeditious syrvice, ana as it is part of the Defence scheme, it has been arranged by the two Ministers concerned that in iutiiro the Minister of Defence shall entirety control all matters iu connection with the administration of war pensions. By Order-in-Council gazetted, the export of wool to any destination other llhan tTie United Kingdom without the consent of the Minister of Customs is prohibited. The exportation of wool to neutral countries was already prohibited. The new Order-in-Council simply varies the method of making the prohibition, perhaps witfc intent to mako ft more eftuctivo ft» working. Tli? first consignment of Stewart Island o.vsters was received in Wellington on Saturday last, in excellent condition. Compared with this time last season, the oysters were of particularly good quality, and everything pointed to a season of plenty. For tlio Auckland rock oysters the season does not onen till May 1. In New Zealand mon who ought to enlist are known as shirkers; the Canadian soldiers at tho front have dubbed them "sooners." A ''sooner," as was explained in a letter from a Canadian in the trenches, is "a young man who Would sooner stay at his work, sooner be on home defence than on active service, sooner stay at the base than go to the fighting lino, sooner drill men in home camps, sooner swank round the streets in a uniform than .enlist for active service—in fact, sooner do anything than light." Tlio name should stick. At t.ho recent Wanganui races, e-o n Hastings visitor informed a "Tribune" reporter, the German flag was flown on tlio grandstand for both days of the races. Apparently very few people noticod the mistake', and' those 1 responsible were not notified of the insult, as the (las was aicain flown- on the first day of ilin trotting meeting. Mr. P. Mandeno Sulenfca, Dalmatian Slav,-now a resident of Awanui, has prepared a valuable leaflet for tlio use of New Zealand soldiers abroad and others, containing the moist important military commands which will be of excellent value to our boys abroad. T'ho leaflet is iu ten languages-English, French,' Kussian, Serbian, Italian? Ja. panose, German, Turkish, Austrian, and Hungarian. Mr. Sulenta has dispatched « copy to the Cabinet, of New Zealand for approval. As soon as it ia approved ho intends to forward copies to everv Mayor of- Now Zealand and the leading newspapers for publication. The article is considered of excellent help to soI(IK'VS and others.— I "Huwke's Bay Tribuna." J

The work of duplicating the portion of the Brooklyn tram line between tho main entrance to Central Park and tho Nairn Street Reserve was commenced 011 Monday morning. Tho heavy rails required for the scetion wore carted up to tho ground before the Christinas holidays, and will be laid on concrete sleepers made at the Corporation yards. Tho traffic oil tho Brooklyn line has greatly increased during tho past year or two, and much inconvenienco lias been caused through the absence of a double track between these"two points. Letters were received in Picton last week from. the Te Awaito boys at tho Campbell Island (says the "Marlborough I'ixpreos"). Tho llachel Cohen recently Visited the isolated islands to bring a portion ol tho wool clip to the mainland. Tho barque will revisit tho Cnmpbells next montli for the balance, when "the boys" hope to be able onco more to return to civilisation. They are all in excellent health and spirits, liavo had a good sealing season, and arc individually keen to reach home in order to enlist for tho war. At a meeting held in tho Masterton Drill Hall on Tuesday evening, under the allspices of the National Service League (says the "Wairarapa Daily Times" of Tuesday), it was decided that o. badge of honour, to be worded. "For National Service," be issued to returned soldiers, those who have enlisted, and those rejected as medically unfit. The cost of the badges will be os. The badges, which will be worn ill the buttonhole, will be of neat design, and will he made of silver. Mr. J. Allen (Minister of Defence) has approved of a specimen badge sent to him, stating in a telegram that the design is good and the wording appropriate.-. From tho ss. received for each badge a sum of Is. 3d. will be placed to tho orphanage fund for tlie children of fallen soldiers. The Federal Parliamentary Public Works Committee lias been considering a proposal to extend tho railway in till ftcrthern Territory from the Katherine River to Bitter Springs. It was understood when the last mail left that the committee would report shortly to the Cabinet- that, in view of the conflicting nature of'the evidence submitted to it regarding tlio country tlirougli wliioli the lino would pass, it could not recommend anycontinuanco of tho work at present llio decision of the committee is likely to create a rather serious position in the Territory, as the Government has an expensive plant on the lme at present, and several hundred navvies are engaged there. .'When a returned soldier was charged with drunkenness in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Mr. E 0. Levvey, who appeared for tho accused," called two independent witnesses to state that unnecessary force had been used by the arresting constable, and mat the accused at the time of his arrest appeared able to-look after himself. On tho other hand, two- police ofucers other than the arresting constable swore that tho soldier was very drunk ivhen he was brought to thn police station in Manners Street. In addition, there was the fact that the accused had pleaded guilty when ■ first charged (on Monday last), and had afterwards withdrawn this plea for one m "« ot S'. 1 ! 1 ?-" Tlle Magistrate (Mr. ft. Riddell, _ S.M.) said tlmt tho questions raised in the defence were not jelevant to the issue before tho Court, rile only question which the Court had lo decide, on the proceedings was wliotlier the accused was drunk or not. tin the ovidence he would be convicted, and as he was a first-offender lie would be discharged. "The high cost of rent," observed Mr. Justico i Stringer in Auckland, aproPj? B if a witness's evidence in support builders' labourers' claims, "is 'largeiy due to the high cost of buildings, and you want, to make buildings more Jostly by increasing'the rate of wages." da ? s a S° Mr. C. Rutledge, of Jimtcinirch, who is well known as an ;x-sirgeant in, the Police Force, and urs>. Rutledge, received cable advico rom the British War Office that their 'oungest son, Lieutenant J. Rutledge, >r the Royal Field Artillery, had boen ivoi/ndea. _ They have just received a iliafaeteristic letter from Lioutenant vu( ledge, telling them how it happened. Writing from a clearing hospital in L'ranco, under date January 4, Lieu:enHnt Rutledge said:—"Them-beastly Jojch people have landed your youngict hopeful at last. Now, before going 1113 further, please "worry, for I mi as well (probably a jolly sight betoi/ than any of you are. My wound s meiely a very slight graze, and does iOC hurt in the ieast. Yesterday morn"S f was at an observing station with n.Y u.0., when three Bosch shells camo piily oyer in our direction, and about -Vi o minutes- later three ir.ore came, t was a tiny piece of one of the second nn , ollr J°seph. Fortunately ny U.O. and two telephonists wore not .ouched. Tho splinter grazed my leek. Imagine a plumb-line hangiii" lown from my right' eye, where it would •each about the Centre of my neck—. ;hat's where I have got my neat," weo ;ut. Jn about two-days' timo I shall, io sent down to a base hospital, wlicro . shall have a jolly lazy time, and then i shall probably go back to my bat, ;ery." A.n uniiftual charge of trespassing was ieard in the Auckland Police Court (rewi'ts an exchange), when two Natives, lamed Wi Repa Hetaraka and Rawiri Puhala, were charged with trespassing m tlfe Roman Catholic endowment at Edward 0. Blomfield, soli, ijtor, who acts for Dr. Clear.y, the pre. sent trustee, said that in January ho , nforniecl the Natives that Bishop Cleary lad asked him to warn them to leave : :)ie which comprised 223 ' wres. Rawiri said he would not leave ! ;iie place, preferring to go to Court, j 3.epa, who was then settled in a wharo ill. the property, was similarly warned, rat Repa said ho would let the case go :o the Court. Defendants claimed ail lucestral right to dccupy the property. I'hey did not recognise any Crown ifanfc. The Magistrate reserved his Incision. TTr. F. J. Oakes (conductor of St. Gerard's choir) will act as adjudicator n connection with the solo Binging and :horus competitions to be held at New- j jomi Park on St. Patrick's Day. 1 The public is requested to nbte that | nviiig to the annual picnic of employees, i rim Dominion Office will close at 11 1 i.m. on Saturday, and will reopon from 1 r p.m. to S p.m. as usual. " j The. secretary of the Navy LCagiw, i Jhristchuich, has received from Lord I Dharles Kereslord the following letter, s tcknowledging £500 on account of thy j Flag Day appeal made in Christcliurch in October 22 last:--"l beg to thank ' /on warmly on tho part of the Ladies ] Emergency Committee for tho geuermis j ram or £'500, stmt from the Navy \ jeaguo, Canterbury (New 'Zealand) f branch, to aid the naval hospitals and ' lospit'al ships, and for the provision of 1 :omforts anil warm clothtng tor tho ! lien of tho various lleets. Amid all , iori'oi-3 and disasters attending tins j vickcd war, there is one bright spot, ( nimely, tne loyalty, chivalrous scnti- i neiits, and allection bestowed upon the ' tlotlior Country by the Doimnion.-i. J iVlicn tlie history ot tho war conies to ; ie written, there will be no more glori- f his episode than the heroism of tho of- ; icers and men of tho New Zealand and- j lustralian armies at Gallipoli." t A meeting of tho Victorian Football o Association was held in Melbourne a f ew days ago, to consider tho attitude f if tho association towards football dur- e ng war time. For a wliilo there was I ome doubt as to the attitude of dele- t ;atcs, but gradually the feeling be- } ■ame unanimous, and when the motion 1 or the abandonment of the game- was ' manimoiisly agreed to the delegates ose and sang "God Save the King" i .nd gave three cheers for tho troops i •t tho frontt j

_ A condemnation of the use of putteef m the trenches appears in the "Lan«. cct, which states that amonp tii6 French troops, in whom cases of trtncli foot have been notably fewer than in the British, they are not worn! Ihe puttee can obviously be keot for home and review purposes, savs the Lancet,' in expressing the hope that sufficient waterproof material is available to provide thick stocking for every soldier at the front. "Witli the arrival in London of fresh cases of frost-bite, misgivings cannot altogether be suppressed until the Government is willing to give more precise details as to what has actually been done in the way of tlio prevention of trench foot." _ One of the performing seals belong ins to Captain Hilling, of Wirtli's Circus, died at Tailmpe, states the Feild. lug "Star." . In the gazetted list of clergymen licensed to officiate at marriages, appears the names of ten Maori inein< bcrs of the Bingatu Church. The Hi, ngatij form oT religion is (savs the Auckland Star") practically the Hau< liau form of worsliip, of which the high priest at one time was To Kooti, and later tho wily Urewera recalcitrant Rua, J-he scheme of worship is a continuous uplifting of the hands and tha rapid chanting of a mixture of Old and i\ew testament phrases, interlarded with native ideas regarding the Deity, the ten men who represent the churcii Jiave now tho right to claim tho prefix of re\eiend to thfiir names. Only a portion of the English and American mail arrived at Auckland by tile Makura from Vancouver on Monday. Some 200 bags were expected, and only j were received. It is anticipate ed that a portion of the mail must have been delayed in transit across America, but no official advice to that effect was by the Postal authorities by tho Makura. It is known, however, that the Ventura, which left San Francisco on February 29, has 600 bags of mails, and it is assumed that this lot includes the delayed l portion of the mail that should have been oil the Makura. The Ventura's New Zealand mail will not reach Wellington until • Monday. March 27. Tho position with regard to the out. break of Infantile Paralysis is becoming more serious every day.' Heads of families and others are strongly advised to disinfect all drains and austhcaps with Jeycs' Fluid.—(Published by arrangement.) Our travelling correspondent states that tho New Plymouth tramway service between Fitzroy and the railway station is to be inaugurated to-day, though the official opening is to be delayed until a permanent and extended service to the breakwater can be carried onfe _ This will bo some little time, as a portion of the plant still required is on the water. Hie Government offical inspection proved that the plant and cars are very satisfactory.