LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2734, 31 March 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The hospital ship Maheno is duo in Auckland on Sunday, April 9, and after disembarking sick and wounded men for Auckland district at that .port, tho ship will como down the const calling at othor ports to put inon ashore. When the Maheno camo back on her last voyage the medical staff was removed, and a now staff nppoinfbd. This was in accordance with the arrangement that tlio original stall' would bo relieved aftor six months. As tho ship is returning on this occasion so soon after being rocommissioncd, tho. personnel will not bo changed on this voyage.

Tho Defence Ministor stated yesterday that tho Warrimoo was being released from the transport sci'vice. Tho ship is now unloading, phosphates at Auckland, and after diseliaryiiiß cargo she will ro south to Port Chalmors, to bo reconditioned before being banded over again to tho Union Company.

A feature of the parade of tho Eleventh Reinforcements to-movrow will be tho appearance of no foivnr than six Salvation Army bunds. This will be the 'uVllington City and South Hands, and tho visiting hands from FoUdim;, Christchurch, (iishorne, and Palmerston North. They will appear as individual hands 10-morrow, but will he beard as one mussed bund in tho Town Flail on Sunday evening.

One of the f;eiitlemeii who has been associated with the honorary stall' of the Town Hall .HeeruitiiiE Ollico iveeutly said: "My opinion is Hint if n man wants to "|in to the front, all the obstacles in the world won't prevent, him, and if a man dona not want to po, all, the inducements one may oll'er are quite useless." In exomplil'yiiiK tho spirit, of some of tho "wills," he instanced the case of a young man, who turned up for a second |imo at the Town Hall, jubilant that he bad successfully passed I lie medical examination.' "I'm pleased to bear if," said tho polite rocrnilini; ollicer, "and hope Dint, you will return homo safe and sound." "Il'fi not. Unit I'm Ihinlvinu; about," returned the meruit., "All I \\m\\ to (In is to net tharel"

fivery man of military ago in tho J/omlon office of the New Zealnnd Shipping Company fins cither enlisted or idtested Or been rejected, and the result is thai, about SO per cent, of the staff have received commissions, via., Mr. 0. floblsworfh, the assistant manager, who linn u comi'iii-flioii in the Jfoynl field Artillery; Mr. W. A. Martin, who is a lieutenant in the l,ondon Scottish ; Mr. fl. I'i, Wells, now ii lieutenant in the Ivinf .Surreys; and Mr, Krie If. Bennett, who holds n commission as lieul.»mtiil in the flordon Highlanders, f/ieiitenniit Wells joined ns a private, win wounded, and then obtained a eoml/ii.'ii'.ioii before proceeding again to the flout, C/iplniii Dunn, the assistant i/mriiin siij/e/iotcndent, is also on «cLiVii se/vice.

'/'he Trades and fiiibour Council is at, Hie picsent tjino collecting evidence in connection with undue increases in (cut;;, &i far numerous replies have been received by the secretary (Mr. V. M. A. .Il.enrdcn;, who states that some of them (ire of a most astounding natiiii/. Kull inquiries are being made into these discs, and the intention of the council i:i to hold a public meeting nf, mi curly date to bring .these inftlancM bM'oro the people.

A correspondent of the "Mow Zealand Herald" makes tho /.ngiiestion that New Zealand should build 20 largo sailin/', shins at a cost of. say, a charter of a million, and bo relieve tho congestion of shipping, "(f tho scheme is sound." he nays, "tho public generally mid the farmers and merchants in particular, would soon subscribe tho necessary cash and tho ships would do an immense amount of good to everybody and earn ft fabulous profit for several yearn u> come for our wounded soldierr, or any other worthy object, and v/bon tho time for disposal came the shipn would still be. a saleable asset. Auckland could soon build five or six very large vessels, or the v/holo 20, as far as that goes. Good honest work and material without elaborate finish are what is required, and we have everything but the canvas, copper, paint, and bolts."

Tho arrival in Lyttelton on Tncsday of the British full-rigged ship Celtic Glen brought back to old identities memories of tho days when a motly selection of sailers, with their lofty masts, made an imposing spectacle on tho waterfront, says the "Lyttelton Times." It is stated that about eight yours have passed since a British fullrigged ship entered tho port. It is also many years since a cargo of salt was brought direct from Liverpool to Lyttelton, and had it not been for the shortage of tonnage at Home, brought about by the war, it is doubtful whether a "wind jammer" of the Celtic Glen class would have been chartered for such a long voyage. The vessel carries a crew of twenty-nine, thirteen of whom arc Britishers, while the remainder are composed of Americans, Norwegians, Dane 3, Dutchmen, and Swedes. Her journey to New Zealand occupied 130 days, and after clearing the submarine area, Captain Henry met several vessels, but only once did he have any anxiety for the safety of his vessel. On one occasion he sighted the lights of a big steamer, bound east, and several of those on board thought she might be an enemy raider. However, the night was fairly dark, and by daylight the Celtic Glen had got well out of sight of the vessel, much to the satisfaction of all concerned. Apart from this incident and the fact that much adverse weather was met with, the voyage was uneventful, but many of those on board folt no little relief when port was entered and they were again able to learn the latest news of the war, of the progress of which they had been ignorant for 130 days.

Will the native birds of the Dominion shortly be but a memory, consequent on the murderous proclivities of stoats, weasels, and ferrets? A member of the staff of the "Otago Dailv Times, V who has just made the overland trip from Lake Wakatipu to Martin's Bay. on the West Coast, had opportunities of studying this question, and he gave it as his opinion that the native birds are doomed. On the trip referred to, through forests of birch which once echoed to the music of song birds, there was a most noticeable absence of bird life. From Elfin Bay to Martin's Bay, the overland party did not see one tui. They saw about three "moekies" and a similar number of tomtits, and one Maori hen crossed their path. A kaka and some native pigeons were also noticed, and at nights the call of a few moreoorks was heard. One night at the Middle Hut the subject of the absence of the birds was brought uo. The Messrs. M'Kenzie (who have lived all their lives at Martin's Bay), Mr.'E. H. Green (who has spent most of his life in the samo loealitv. and on the West Coast), and Mr. "J. Pellow (Lake County inspector of works) —residents who could be considered qualified to pass a thoroughly convincing opinion on the cause of the diminution of bird life—were unanimous in the view thai the stoats, weasels, and ferrets were killing out the birds. There are no rabbits in Hollyford Valley, but there aro plenty of the animals which were brought to New Zealand to kill them out.

"I do not like to meddle in uncanny firings -which are called politics," said Chaplain-Captain. A. Alacdonald in the course of an address iu Auckland, "but 1 am hero to give fair' play aud to speak tho truth. Tho next time when you think you have occasion to the Minister of Defence to pieces just oaf! to mind that when the first ship landed tho first batcli of wounded New Zeahuulers in Egypt the Hon. J. Ailen at once cabled 'a sum of £1000, aud saut: 'Spend it on the wounded.' Tho next dnv the Minister had cabled another £1000, and htid said that nothing was to ho spared to make the wouidsa happy and comfortable," (Apphu >o)

In view of tho further activity of (ionium submarines hi sinking unarmed steamers wilh Americans on board, tho following extract from a letter just 'Cooired by an Auckland resilient from a friend in New York is of interest: —, "The vacillating policy of I'ivsuknt Wilson is greatly iesenU-1 ty a iarte. portion of tho people hove, particularly by that portion of the population which win properly be called American, and tho imbecility which seems to have characterised our foreign oolioy, both villi reference to Mexico and Europe, is also bitterly resented. The German vote iu this country, which is largo, is clso quilo hostile to the President, as they think ho has favoured ireat Uiitaui at the expense of Uormiuvy, and in thenext election that vote will probably bo iiguiitsl him. Mr. Wilson is going to run again, and .yid ilduV.lcm get tin. Ilonioonitio nomiuacbn Ii»I- summer, but I think that if a strong llepiiblican candidate is nominated, and it that party is not split again into two fuctions, the Hormblican and Progressive, as it was four years ago, Mr, Wilson will probably be defeated."

Tho Uovornor-in-Coiiiieil has consented to tho raising of a loan of i'2ooo by Iho Unit Uivor Hoard. By the Appropriation Act ot lust war it is maclo uiiliiwl'nl for any local body to borrow money for any purpose while tho war lasts.

lVtrol raotov traction is advancing ly loapi and hounds tluiiusluHit tho Doiniuiim, ami tlio forward orilors for Vnclish motor vo!iiolt\s i\t jit'ivsoHt in tho hands of tho local Dominion Motor YpliMm, Mil,, mo piled no, and now represent a capital v.ilmi' t'l ninny tlmuainids of p,i;uik Tho difficulty of deliveries is n voost serious factor, and whilo wo tlrn.uk our many customer* for their patienro and wiltinKm'M to wait, wo iwoKnisii Hint business \\\\H ko on, Wo have, therefore, secured control of absolutely the finest Mnwlnrd American Motor l.oiiT, ami Jiiivo now on hliow ii !!/SI-ton vehicle, with every poshilno w|iilyimonl. and dealßiied fov heavy road* unit rouiili work, Wo invito inspeoion l>y nil our present clients and inlendim! purchasera, 'I'ho Dominion Motor Yehiolns Ud., OS Courtenay l\i\co

The 'Wollington City Council is instituting a novel departure in the Reserves and Forestry Department By the appointment of it limited number of enacts, who will require to be indentured for live years. 'Ilio (selection is_ to bo con/tried to youths just leaving school, and Application must bo made by parents or guardians.

An interesting couMgnni'iiit, brought by the steamer Victoria to Auckland on Tuesday, comprise! four rod fsuvos, the gift of Mr. CMrnsule, of Wevibeo I'nrk, Victoria, to the New Zealand Tourist Department. The deer, which arc fine specimens of their kind, have arrived in good condition. They will be sent to J'otorua by train and, after bring kept in a ioser/o until Hie/ become acclimatised, w'l! be liberated on the shores of one of the lakes in that district. Mr. Chirnside has paid periodical visits to Me?/ Zealand for many years, and is keenly interested in this country. The dcor which arrived l.y the Victoria do not represont the first gift horn Mr. Chirnside, for, tie has sent similar consignments at intervals during tho past ten or fifteen years.

Following is the text of a new Order-in-Council regarding the compulsory registration of postal packets containing articles of value:—Valuable articles soht in unregistered letters are exposed to risk. All inland and Australian letters or packets, therefore, which are supposed to contain watches or jewellery above Ids. in value, or coin or bank-notes, even though they are posted without registration, are treated as "registered," and charged double the registration foe, in addition to the ordinary postage, and any such letters, etc., which cannot fee registered in tims to be forwarded by tho mail for which they are posted are detained for the next dispatch. If on being opened in the presence of an officer of the Post Office the letters are found not to contain such aforementioned articles or any of them, the registration fee and amount of the surcharge are refunded. Coin, bank-notes, bullion, gold, cheques, money-orders, and postal notes (except the three last in bankers' packets) may not be sent to Australia except in letters, and such letters containing coin, bank-notes, bullion, or gold mu3t ba registered.

How the Now Zealand troops ar« cared for in Egypt will be told in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall thi3 evening by an old Imperial Army officer, Chaplain-Captain Angus Maedonald, who lately returned to New Zealand after devoting himself to work amongst the New Zealand soldiers in hospitals in Egypt. The chair will b« occupied by His Worship the Mayor. Wfiile no charge is being made for admission, a collection will be taken up m aid of the sick and wounded soldiers.

Four members of the Citizens' Benefit Society, who are leaving for the front, were entertained by the society last evening. The chair was occupied by 3{r. A. H. Hmdmarsh, M.P., and a tnoroughly enjoyable time was spent in song and story. The toast. "Our Boys Who Are Off to the Front." was proposed by Mr. O'Regan, and responded Uo by Mr. Harlow. During the evening musical items were contributed by Messrs. A. Williams, Houston, T. Donnelly, Mills, and Barker.

It is announced that Lance-Corporal Thoni3s Sutherland is believed to have been killed at Gallipoli en May 23, 1915 (says the "Southland Times"). LanceCorporal Sutherland, who was in. his 22nd year, was the son of Mr. and Mrs, F. Sutherland, of Riversdale. He was a railway clerk in Invercargill when h» enlisted, and went en service to Samoa. He was sent back to New Zealand in. charge of German, prisoners, and landed in time to get away with the Main Body. He took part in the famous landing at Anzac Cove, an<L after being engaged in operations there, went' with part of the troops to Cape Helles, where he took part in the great action fonght on May 22 and 23. In that sanguinary fight he is- believed to have inet_hi3 death. According to information given to the parents by returned comrades. I<ance-Corporal Sutherland was one of 40 men who were sent to attack a trench, and not on= of whom returned. He was posted as missing at Cairo, but his parents were not notified until a few weeks ago.

The Hataitai Bowling Club's pavilion presented quite a gay appearance on Wednesday evening, the occasion being the send-off to Private A. Gray, by, the members of the yacht Waitangi and his relatives and friends. The pavilion was tastefully decorated with flags and.buntins, the entrance being transformed into a = ship-like appearance with ropes and tackle carrying the port and starboard Jiahts. The "members and ladies of the vacht, in their yachting uniforms, added considerably to the nautical effect. Private Gray, who is a keen vachtsman, is with the 11th Keinforceinents. He was presented with a set of military brushes" tobacco pouch, eto. Private Gray suitably responded.

Mr. H. H. Coote, of Rintoul Street, met with an accident on his motor-cycle iu Dufferin Street yesterday evening, and fractured three of his ribs. First aid was rendered by Councillor L. M'Kenzie. who resides in the street, and Mr. Coote was afterwards removed to the Hossital. .

Pear Madam,—"No Kubbing Laundry Help" washes roughest, also finest, jrartuents perfectly clean without rubbing « iuiurv; our guarantee of .810 goes with every Is. package- Wellington farocers.Advt.

Just to announce we have opened a fine range English and Colonial Underwear tor winter season. Come and inspect, the roods with our moderate cash prices, wo. Fowlds. Ltd.-Advt.