LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2740, 7 April 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The proclamation summoning Parliament to meet on Tuesday, May 9, "for the dispatch of business" was published in a Gazette Extraordinary yesterday.

A casualty list issued from the Base Records Office .yesterday reports the death in hospital of Pte. David James Poison; next-of-kin, Mr. G. Poison, Hifrdiiiß Street, Port Arlington, Victoria. Pte. Poison died,\so the report states, of cerebrospinal meningitis on March 31.

Postal packets or telegrams addressed to the "Mother Earth Publishing Association, Now York," will not be forthrough the New Zealand Post Office.

Before ordinary business of the council commenced last evening, Councillor W. 11. Beimctt stated that he wished to make a statement tinder Standing Order No. 44. Being givon permission to do so, Councillor Bennett said ho wished to make the amende honourable in connection with what ho bad said at a previous mooting about the milk supply. He had said that tho dairy herds and bails in tho Wellington district bad not been inspected for twenty years. He had been informed by a lato inspector that bails and herds were regularly inspected, and statements in a report made by the Minister of Agriculture wore- to the same effect. Ho felt constrained to make this explanation on account of the use that was being made of his remarks hi certain quarters.

By Ordor-in-Council gazetted the importation of "the instrument!) known as oxydonors, oxygenerators, .or oxypathors, or of any instruments or appliances of tho same or a similar nature," is prohibited. The prohibition is made under the section of the Customs Act which gives the-/ Governor-in-Council power to prohibit the importation of any goods, "the prohibition of the importation of which is in. his opinion necessary for the prevention of fraud or deception."

Tho Director of Base Records has received cable advice that a sailor named G. Mathioson, on the hospital ship Marama, had a. leg smashed, and that the limb had to be amputated. Mathieson is reported as "doing well." .Any person knowing the name and address of this man's next-of-kin is requested to notify same to the Base Records Office. Writing to the, clergy of the diocese regarding the celebration'of Anzac Day

(Tuesday, April 25), tho Bishop of Nelson says: "Some efforts aro being ma'do to celebrate the day with festivity and carnival. I am sure, however, that those who think seriously, and who rea-

lise the gravity of the present circumstances, will seei'that such a method of celebrating .the'anniversary of the death of so many of our heroic brothers is entirely out of harmony with the fitness of things? As a befitting remembrance of their heroism and self-sacrifice I ask you to make arrangements in your parish to keep the day as one of solemn memorial and intercession. Naturally', you will arrange for- the usual celebration of Holy Communion. . . . Other services may be arranged, according to local •circumstances, but oppor-. tunity should be seized, where possible, to tell'the children the story of the heroism of our' boys. Such a method of observing the day. does not preclude such patriotic gatherings as will tend to the deepening of our national life and sentiment. • / The recent loss of the Peruvian steamer Pachitea, in Lomas Bay, is said i have been due to the act of a German fourth officer. It appears that German officers from vessels lying in South American ports _ are glad to take posts in junior positions on neutral-owned steamers, and the captain of the Pachiteai himself an Englishman, .had been forced to employ one of these.Tieniann by name, as fourth officer. On the day of the wreck Tiemann.was on watch, with instruction to call the captain at a certain hour, which he failed to do. The captain, coming on deck later, found his vessel among the barges in Lomas Bay and driving straight for the shore, while Tiemann loafed by the man wheel without lifting a finger to save the vessel. The .steamer was lost, and. on< searching for the fourth mate, after getting ashore, it was discovered that he had departed in a local schooner. The theory is that Tiemann knew the vessel was insured in London_ and struck on the ingenious method of injuring his country's enemies by casting the vessel away, causing a loss to the British insurance market of at least £100,000.

An interesting, though brief, account of operations against the enemy in the heart of Africa is given hy Gunner Neaye, of the Mounted Machine-gun section, Nyassaland Imperial Service Contingent, in a letter to his parents in. Christchurch'. The contingent travV elled by transport from Capetown to the port, ofChinde, and then went up the Zanibesi River in paddle steamers for a distance of about 200 miles, passing through plantations of tea, coffee,' tobacco, and cotton. At a settlement called Cliindio the men disembarked and took train to Limbe, where the Scotch settlors greeted the soldiers with the greatest enthusiasm. , From Limbe the" troops travelled to Zamba, where a rest was made for a day or two. 'Travelling was not_ easy,) for horses cannoflive in the climate, and journeys have to be made on foot. Each man'has a boy to carrvhis kit, and native boys also carry machine-guns and provisions. For a force of less than 300 there were 500 carriers. From Karanga, north of Zamba, the force went out on patrol and had a brush with the .Germans. For a while the engagement was lively, but owing to the high firing of the enemy, only ono man, a ..native scout, was injured.

Accordiug to a Canadian nurse, who writes from experience (the "Nursing Mirror" says), she-did not find Lemnos an. ideal spot for a hospital, especially as that hospital was in tents, which blew over In a tropical storm. Water was difficult to get, conditions in the autumn especially were not, sanitary, and all stores had to come by. ship, as nothing could be obtained on the island except figs and tomatoes. The nurses were obliged to. wash their own linen; every drop of water for drinking had to "be boiled, with very inadequate conveniences; the only light at night was a candle; and at meal-time the flies covered-everything, so that eating was a misery, to be got over as soon as possible. But she has nothing but praise alike for the gratitude and the bravery of the Australian, New Zealand, and British soldiers when under her charge.

The question of the City Council taking over all the cspress-stand telephones in the city cropped up oncemore at last night's meeting of the council. Councillor-W. H. P. Barber explained that the Carriers' Union only consisted, of twenty members, and had control of the telephone on tho Grey Street staiid-4he most important in the city, whilst there were 300 car-; riers in the city deprived of the use of that telephone. They had also found that there was another telephone on .the tramways waiting-shed in front of the G.P.O. where others were charged ■for the use of it, which was surely not a proper thing. On the motion of Councillor W. Hildreth, it was decided that the council adhere to its original resolution, viz., to resume control of those .telephones. The City Council last evening authorised the City.'Engineer to proceed with tho extension of tho water .mains to Mornington. The Dominion Museum has secured a valuable collection in the shape of a number of photographs of officers and medal winners in the Maori wars, besides photographs.of the principal Hau-hau chiefs, and a number of plans and views. These will ultimately be incorporated in the general collection of historical documents, but meanwhile a special exhibit will be shown in the library room of the museum. This will be opened at 3 p.m. to-day by tho Minister of Internal Affairs, who extends an invitation to the general public to attend. At the same time the'Miiiister will present the King's medal for Polar exploration to Mr. H. Hamilton, late of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, now on the staff of tho museum. No cold car rides if you wear one <tf „tho latest rap overcoats at.6os. to-905., from Geo. IWlds, Ltd., .Manners Street. -Advt. ■ Every' Housewife would use "No Rubbing Laundry Help" for washing clothes if she onlv )-n«w Wellington Grocers.— Advtj

To celebrate the opening of the Constable Street tramway connection the business residents of Riddiford Street have made arrangements with the Patriotic Society Band (late Jupp's Band) to give a programme of music from 7 till 9 o'clock this evening. The residents of the surrounding districts are invited to try a trip over the new line. Tho Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) mentioned at last evening's council meeting that a deputation from the council would probably "wait upon the Primo Minister on ouo day next week, in connection with the acquisition of tho Orongorongo watershed for watersupply purposes. At the samo time they would consult the Prime Minister regarding the proposed tramways waiting shed opposite the Government Buildings. At the meeting of the City Council held last evening the Public Health Committee recommended:—"That the Wellington Housewives' Union bo thanked for their lotter regarding tho removal of all stables from the City, with the view of checking the spread of infantile paralysis, and also suggesting the appointment of women sanitary inspectors, and be informed in reply that the council is fully alive to the , dangers of the disease, and are taking all steps necessary to stamp out the epidemic."