LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2762, 4 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Official information has been received tliat the whole of the 10th Reinforcements have arrived safely at their port of disembarkation. The Postal authorities advise that the s.s. Wimmera, whicli sailed from Melbourne on May 2, for Wellington, is bringing Australian and United Kingdom mails via Suez, and is due here on Satur3ay. 'I ne Labour Department reports that there are vacancies for workers on the Otira tunnel work, and that a few farm labourers can be provided with employment in Canterbury. An originating summons—the Wellington City Council v. Compton—will bo heard before a Full Bench of the Supreme Court this morning. The I'ohokura Defence Rifle Club has been disbanded. 'L'ho labour market throughout New is reported by tho State Department of Labour to be normal. Last week in Wellington tliero was a surplus of (ten men for whom billets were not found. Seven were labourers, two farm hands, and one an,electrician. Tho surplus in Auckland was 15, in Christchurch 20 (nearly all labourers), and in. Dunedin 1. There was no surplus in the chief provincial towns. Proceedings are .to bo taken by • tho Inspector of A.wards against a number of firemen and trimmers, who on March 17 haiuled in their noFiccs on the s.s. Maori. At the time it was reported that these members of the be-low-deck crew had a difference with the second engineer. One of; tho men had been punished, anil his fellow-workers dosired to know the name of tho informer. They: handed in their notices at Lyttclton, and sixteon men signed off at Wellington. The men could not be replaced at once, and, in consequence, the Maori was unablo to sail that luglifc. . 'Die Inspector of Awards is claiming from the men penalties for an alleged breach of the strike clauses of «ho Arbitration Act.' i

The latest information to hand regarding the stranded Rangatira is that 3000 tons of cargo havo been salved in good order, and- that another 4000 tons arc still on board, in an undamaged state 1 . The remainder of the cargo is wet. The position of the vessel is reported as serious, and salvage operations are proceeding slowly. Tile "Otago Daily Times" says that tho point which ia troubling local consignees is whether the salved cargo will be sold at Cape Town or whether it will be brought on. A.s the matter of securing a vessel to carry the salvaged cargo' is one surrounded with many difficulties at' the present time, it seems to be more than likely that the goods will be auctioned at Cape Town.

"The man who lias married'since the shadow of compulsion fell has begun to falter, and ought to be made to go to the war. I have no time for the man who cries 'For God's sake, marry me, Mary, or I 6liall have to go and fight.' "—'The Her. R. S. Gray at a recruiting meeting at Gore on Friday night. [ ■ Last evening the "Wellington head centre of the .Royal Life-Saving Society dccided to amend the conditions of the Public: Schools' Challenge Shield by malcinp; the age-limit thirteen years. It was also decided to institute another challenge competition _ for secondary school and college pupils (ages 14 to 18 years). . A correspondent who states that lie was rejected over a year ago, when he volunteered for _ the Expeditionary Force, seeks advice concerning his eligibility for the army (says the Melbourne "Age"). He says a stutter-, iliac delect in his speech completely Tobs him of the power to express himself when excited. He is healthy, and is anxious to become a soldier. The rule laid down by the authorities is that if tho medical examining officer considers that an applicant's impediment is not serious, he may be accepted. Medical officers, however, point out to .these men that for 'then- own safety they should not become soldiers. AH soldiers are liable for sentry duty, and it may happen that at the critical moment a stuttering man might not bo able to givo voico to the challenge. On the other hand, overy soldier, whether in the trendies or elsewhere, lias, at times to pass sentries, and if ho has an impediment that would prevent him responding to tho challengo promptly he is liablo to bo shot dead on tho epot.

The Melanesia!! Mission steamer Southern Cross, which has been laid up in Auckland Harbour since December, will sail for Norfolk Island and ether islands of the Melanesian Group 011 May 20. The funds of the mission are Jiot in a flourishing condition, and unless they aro augmented in the near future the second voyage of tlie year, usually niado in September, will" not take place. The Southern Cross is tho only vessel running direct from New Zealand to the Solomon Islands and the Now Hebrides, and slie is largely • depended upon for stores and mails by the niissiotiers. If, however, money does not come to hand shortly, says tho "New Zealand Herald," it will be necessary to abandon tho September voyage. Dear Madam—Do you not think the abolition of washboard slavery is a splendid triumph for No Rubbing Laundry Help? A personal reply will oblige. Wellington Grocers,—Advt,

A meeting 'of the Wellington Hairdressers' Union y&s held last night at the Trades Hall.: '''The election of officers resulted as' (.follows: —President, Mr. Wm. Campbell 1; vice-president', Mr. H. Harvey; tresi>urer, Mr. J. Harrison; secretary, 31 r>. T. Doyle.

As from ne xl week the price of bottled whiskies bo,ld at hotels will be advanced by abcfiit 25 per cent, on pre\vnr prices. 1 'he rise is duo to increas, od first cost aud shortage of stocks passed on by distillers to merchants and by mcrchi tats to hotel-keepers, tlienco to the 1 Itihlic. The bottle will Bo handed to ha r habitues to help them, solves, according to_ ancient Australa. sian custom, as and with no oxCra charge; Imt for mineral waters taken with tho 'spirit an extra charge will bo mado for the diluent nominated. Soda water is ex. icptod. For this purpose it is not to 'be regarded as a miih oral water. ,

"I had four 111 (sn to see mo to-day who had been tin lied out of Trentham Camp, and everyo no had a V.G.," remarked the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) at yesterday's meetin; » of the War Relief Executive. Mr. i V", Ferguson: "Send them along here." Mayor: "Theywanted ivork." Mil. (Ferguson: "Send them along." I Respecting the question of land for soldiers, the War Relief Association has been J informed that tho Land Board has the power to remit the first half-year's ns nt, and to assist the applicants financial Uy. ■ A meeting of tho A* "lvisory Board of the Federated New 2 ealand Patriotic Societies will be heldto-day. Mr. Clement Wrag fee will deliver another lecture to-nigl it, and on Saturday, at the Chamber, Mr. Wragge will give his I lecture', ' "Die Eternal Union and the 'War," in aid of the Mayor's Patriotic l'Vtnd. For the five years e tided Maijch 31, 1915, the area planted in timber trees under the State alfore; Ration schemes was 10,760 acres. Last > year the area planted was 2000 acres.' ,'ln these times it is impossible for the government to launch out in a big wa; ( 'jn afforestation, but a good deal is yet being done. Some of the work is dc ine by prison labour, but there are a \so camps at which work is provided t- for married n;en.

Some time ago Mr. Char ies Leccli, of the Cam Flaxmill, Jiaugic tra, included in a bale of flax fibre which he exported to London a letter addre ped to tile purchaser of the iibre, co. iitaining an inquiry as to whether his fibre might bo improved in any way. T; he.bale was eventually purchased by the Minnesota State Prison, and Mr. Leei .recently received a. reply to his lettei j from the warden of the prison. The : interesting point which is evidenced in the letter is that this prison, which conti vins about 1100 prisoners, carries on se\ feral industries, manufacturing bind e'. - twine and farm implements. Last year the output of binder twine was 2. 2,000,000 lb., in the making of which al '(out 400 men are employed. To quote th 3 letter: "This is a new prison, aiid is claimed to bo the finest in the world, i Tith an enclosure of 22 acres, buildings a il modern; besides the twine indust: it we manufacture farm machinery. Ti o's mill was started in 1895, to fight the trusts, and has been successful in.keepi: Bg the prices within reason." The prise prints its own newspaper, which it 'calls "The Mirror," with'the motto ol f "It is never too late to mend." Mr. 1 ueecli received a copy dated March 10, 1916) which contains much interesting matter and is surprisingly free from •]r5Y' lr news. ? ' Messrs. T. H. Belliuno and Co. h\edd ft property auction at their, rooms y 8 sterday afternoon, when; xintfer instructions from the Registrar of the Eitj'preme Court, they disposed of two properties. These comprised a section. iiV Northland, having a frontage of 60f£.« •to Harbour View Bond by a depth of | 100 ft., sold to Mr.'X Berg for £50,_an<3y an Island Bay property, comprisingn freehold land, with a frontage of 40ft. • to Melbourne Road by. a depth of 118 ft. 6in., with six-roomed dwelling-house i thereon, sold to Mr. Chas. Harper, as agent,' for £400. ■ In the report of the bootmakers' dispute in yesterday's issue, Mr. J. A. Frostick, who appeared for the employers, was credited with stating that the New Zealand employers had invested the sum of £45 per worker in land, buildings, and plant. The figures lie quoted, however, showed that the capital invested represented over £109 per worker, as against £61 per worker in Australia. That is to say, the amount invested in New Zealand is £45 per head more tlian that invested in Australia in the same industry. : Choose your Infancy from best mate of British, Italian, and American manufacturers. Soft felt, smooth limsh, at favourite prices,' 7s. Gd., Bs. Gd., Gd., 10s. Gd., to 255. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., ilanltors Street—Advf.