LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2760, 2 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Twelfth Reinforcement lias its own brass band, and a very good band it is for the time it lias been in existence. It was heard to advantage in yesterday's parade, and it is cheering to know that the baiid instruments belong to the reinforcement and are going away with them. There is a trifling debt of £70 on the instruments, the liquidation of which has been .undertaken by the Wellington Patriotic Society, -which is making a special appeal to those to whom the need appeals. It must bo an enlivening feature to have a band on a troopship, and no' one will begrudge the "Twelfths" their musical comfort. About 10.35 a.m. on Sunday the contents of the letter pillar receiver at the corner of H-iddiford and B-intoul Streets, Newtown, were discovered to he on fire. Water had to be poured in to extinguish the'flames. On opening the receiver it was found about 200 letters and several packets had either been damaged by water or fire. About 50 of tho letters were so burnt that the' 'rem--nants were unidentifiable and cannot be sent on to tho addressees. The contents of this particular receiver have repeatedly been sot on firo during the last two .years and tho destruction of public property,is evidently the work of some miscreant. Anyone in a position to Kive_ information which might assist in tracing the offender or offenders is requested to communicate with the Chief Postmaster.

The Curtis's aeroplane imported by an Auckland syndicate for use at the Kohimarama Flying School arrived by the Makura yesterday morning, and is ill course of removal to the school's depot.—Press Association.

Water supply was a subject touohed upon in the annual report of the Ha-taita-i Municipal Electors' Association. The reference was as follows:—''During the last lew weeks, citizens have been warned not to use more water than has been absolutely necessary. In fact,- it has beeu suggested that' the morning plunge should be abolished in favour of a shower bath. When the ratepayers ivere asked six years ago to. raise a loan of £90,000 for a new dam and the duplication of the mains, they were distinctly told by the Oity authorities that such expenditure would enable .sufficient water to he stored to serve a million people. are only some 80,000 as yet, and the facts seem contradictory. Evidently someone has blundered, and the citizens are not only to pay for it, but are expected to suffer the penalty also."

Yesterday afternoon members of the Royal Strollers Company gavp the wounded 6oldiors in tlio Wellington Hospital an excellent entertainment. Major Deck, in thanking them for the performance, said that it was something better than medicine that they had given the men. Groat applause from the soldiers farewelled the troupe from the ward.

The War Work Fund of the Y.M.O.A. has received a donation of £25 from the. directors of the D.I.C. A similar gift has been made by each of the Dunedin and Christehurch houses.

The roof of the Myers Kindergarten, the handsome gift with which the Hon. A. M. Myers has supplemented his benefaction to the city of Auckland in the shape of Myers Park, was hoisted on Thursday, and the workmen employed on the iob exercised tlie traditional privilege of their craft by "flying the flag" as a hint to tho owner. Though Mr. Myers might, in the circumstances, fairly claim to be in a different position from a person who builds for his own benefit, he happened to be in the vicinity during the morning, ;-nd accepted the reminder. Accordingly, ho invited tho workmen, some thirty in number, to a luncheon at the Strand Arcade.

Another of those troubles about tho fishing rights of Maoris over inland waters has cropped up in South Canterbury, regarding a stretch of salt or brackish water known as the Washdyke Lagoon, outside of Timani. The Maoris have taken fish from this_ lagoon from time immemorial, but owing, it is alleged, to the misdeeds of a European who shot some swans on this water contrary to law, the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society is disputing the Maoris' right to fish there. Such, at any rate, was the account of the case given to tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) by a doputatioti of Maoris who waited upon him yesterday. Tlicy asked tho Minister to secure to them the right they had held always, which riglff they claimed was specifically made them by the Treaty of AYaitangi, to take from the lagoon eels, flounders, and whitebait. Mr. Russell said ho held very strongly tho opinion that the rights of Maoris under the Treaty of Waitaugi ought to be protected in every possible way, and he proposed to have, a report from the Department on the subject matter of tho request. Ohoose your hat fancy from best makes of British, Italian, and American manufacturers. ' Soft felt, smooth finish, at favourite prices, 7s. 6d., Bs. 6d., 9s. Gd., 10s. 6t]„ to 23a, Gjo, Fowlds, Ltd., Han. ners Street,—Advt,

_ From yesterday the butchers' shops m Auckland have entered upon the new svstem of business hours docreed by the latest award of the Arbitration Court. The principal alteration —indeed, the only one that directly concerns the public—relates to the closing hour on Saturday. Instead of being kept open on Saturdays till 6 p.m. all butchers' shops will close at five o'clock.

The Right Hon. the Prime Minister visited the Returned Soldiers' Club yesterday, and congratulated Capt. Donald Simson on his efforts, but said the accommodation was far below the requirements of a city like AA'ellington. He further stated that if a suitable building were found, and details furnished' to him, lie was sure the funds necessary v:onld be found by the public. So far as his work in connection with the club went, he told.Capt. Simson it had the Government's approval.

The Minister of Public Health 6tated yesterday that in hospitals throughout the Dominion tilers were on April 17 529 returned soldier patients. Of these 178 were out-patients and 351 inpatients. Of the total 159 were at Rotorua, 31 at Hannier, 53 at Auckland, 54 at Wellington) 29 at Christchurch, 43 at Dunedin, 18 at Invercargill, and the rest spread over the various smaller hospitals of the Dominion.

The Health Inspector reported to the Petone Borough Council last evening three cases of infectious diseases in the borough.

The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts held its annual meeting yesterday. There was a full attendance of members, and the following resolutions were passed unanimously"That the proposal of the Executive Council to proceed with the extensioiPof the Art Gallery at an estimated cost of £1100 be agreed to, also that the necessary, financial arrangements proposed by the council be agreed to."

Under the heading of "The Toll Gate," the following paragraph appears in the annual report of the. Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association:—"As was forecasted in the last annual report, the carrying of tram passengers nearly a mile further, and without an extra charge for that distance, by way of Constable Street, has not resulted in any relief being 'given to residents in this district, 'i'lie insanitary overcrowding still continues. The trams at rush periods, and especially during the luncheon hours, are not as numorous as heretofore. It is understood that some alteration has yet to bo made to the timo-tabla. Meantime the position is most annoying and inconvenient. The reason given for the overcrowding is want of rolling stock, due to the war. The need for vehicular aud pedestrian traffic between th& City and the eastern suburbs has been more than ever emphasised of late, when so much building is going on on this side of the range. Your association advances the claims not only of Hataitai, but of Kilbirnie, Maranui, Lyail Bay, Miramar, and Seatoun, in showing the nee<T of a traffic tunnel through Mount Victoria as affecting the whole of the .business community of the City. Your association does so because it is of opinion that it is a most necessary, work."