LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2768, 11 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the mails which left Ne\t: Zealand-on March 16 arrived in London on May 6.

The Pacific Cable Board announces that all classes of traffic are again normal.

The scarcity of skilled men . for the dairying industry, which is becoming a serious problem, was the subject of a question of which the member for Egmont gave notice iii, the House" yesterday. Mr. Wilkinson is to ask the Minister of Agriculture, whether he has had his attention drawn to the difficulties of dairy companies in retaining expert labour necessary to the carrying on of this import-nut industry, owing to tho indiscriminate enlistment of skilled men; and whether he will take steps to ensure that sufficient experts are retained in the Dominion to provide each factory with one or two experts, as the case may be?

A suggestion that ithc Amokura should bo fitted with wireless- is being made to ttio Minister of Marino by Sir. C. E. Stathani, member for Duncdin Central. It is stated, says Mr. Statham, that the Amokura recently missed picking up the disabled Aurora, "although in comparatively close proximity to her, owing to the Amokura having no wireless installation. The installation of this system on the Amokura would not only increase her usefulness, but is a necessity for the safety of the' lives of tho men and boys on board ' her.

A bulky petition from Auckland in regard to the liquor "treating" question was presented to the House yesterday by the Bight Hon. W. F. Mussey. The petition, which is signed by J. H. Gunson, Mayor, sixteen members of the- City Council, and 14,983 others, asks that the Government take immediate aotion towards bringing into force in-' New Zealand the provisions in* the British regulations against "shouting." •

According to a Press Association telegram thero is a shortage of labour at Lyttelton. About 320 men are employed, but 80 more are needed to work the ships in'. port properly.

Beferring yesterday to the Daylight Saving question, the Hun. J. A. Hanan, who has always been a supporter of the reform, said that he had approved some time ago of it being brought into operation in connection with the Boys' Training I'arm at Weraroa, and his in* formation was that it was working well from ah. economical point of view.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Johnsonville Town Board it was resolved to convene a meeting of Mayors and chairmen of "Wellington Hospital contributing bodies, to be held at the Hutt County Office at noon on Thursday, May 18, to discuss tho increased levy and the matter of making people who use the institution pay for the treatment they receive.

A sign of the times at the recent rac-. ing and.trotting meetings held at Hokitika has been the fact that young women have taken the place's of men as receivers of totalisator investments. The Wcstland Racing' Club's meeting wiis probably the first where the dbange has been introduced, says an exchange.

A young man who enlisted in Napier last week was arrested as a lunatic at large three hours after the doctors had passed him as medically fit. The recruit in question is now an inmate of • tlhe Porirua Mental Hospital. His main obsession was that he could move pictures by hypnotic suggestion. Ho endeavoured to give demonstrations to this effect in various parts of tho city, and later still was observed vigorously tearing up paper into small pieces opposite the local post office. He later attracted the attention of the police and was arrested. Tho man is stated to have been released less than a month ago' from Avondnlc. -, Tlie visiting of boardinghouses was commented upon in Christchurch recently as one of the most unpleasant tasks which any recruiting sergeant could bo called upon to undertake. One speaker said that he did not know whether or not the landladies were afraid of losing their boarders if they enlisted, but invariably he was told at these establishments that "the boarders were out." In one such instance neighbours had vouched for the fact that five or six young men resided there, and were at the time inside the boardinghouse. A' contribution of X2l was obtained for the Russian Prisoners' Belief Fund in a novel manner, says the Auckland "Herald." As a.mean's of assisting tho effort, Mr. Julius Knight knitted three pairs of socks, and these were offered for sale at the Grand Hotel. Many of the guests contributed donations, with the result that the amount named was handed to the treasurer of the fund. ■ Tho Rotorua Soldiers' Institute, conducted by the Salvation Army, is, like Iheir institutes at the training camps, being enlarged to meet tho demands made upon it, proving far too small to accommodate the soldiers desirous of using the various conveniences. A returned sergeant who accompanied the Main Body, and who is now invalided and discharged, is in charge of this institute. He was a Ss\l-> vatlon Army officer before enlisting. The work of this institute is stated to be very highly appreciated by the convalescent soldiers. The'extensions referred to are naid to be Imperative if" the men are to he helped as they deserve, and the Salvation Army authorities state that they would l>e pleased io receive funds to assist in this direction. Citizens of 'Wellington, are you all fully av.nke? Awake! yes, awake!! to the wonderful potential powers of No Eubbing Laundry Help for •minimisine; Labour troubles on washing days?—Atlvt. A winter coat? Good value nap and fleece cloth in navy, brown, and grey, 50s. Geo. IWlds, Ltd., Manners Street.—Advt.

The conference regarding the milk supply, called for this evening, will be held in the Mayor's Itooru.

At a certain training camp the adjutant of the camp wus taking his farewell, and on saying good-bye to the Salvation Army chaplain ho handed him £i towards the upkeep of his institute, remarking that his experience in that camp had convinced him that a Salvation Army officer was equal to 20 military officers in a eauip at nignt.

A suggestion to the Defence authorities is made in the following question addressed by Dr. Thacker, M.P., to the Minister for Defence:—Whether lie will establish a military barracks in Welling, ton to receive and house soldiers and recruits When on leave, and when there to enlist, owing to scarcity of private accommodation?

Tho members of tho Medical Corps "at Trenthain Camp were entertained at the Petoue Working Men's Club last evening, at a smoke concert. A feature of the evening was the playing of the visitors' brass band. Items wero given by Sergio. Blandford and Coldbeck, Corpl. Simpson, Lco.-Corpl. Monaoh, Ptes. Simpson and Goodacre, and the Medical Glee Club, under Corpl. Wood. ■ ■ .

The Wellington City Council are approaching the Government just now concerning Cify leases. The feud between the council and the lessees as to the basis ou which rentals ought to be assessed when leases fall in for Tencwal is now of long- standing. The City Council contends for one basis of assessment; and tlie tenants object to it, submitting other proposed fairer schemes by which somewhat lower rentals are likely to be levied. It is possible that the proposals of the council may be the subject of legislation, or that the whole question will be referred to a Itoyal Commission.

lief erring to the small pox outbreak on the Wiilochra, tlie Hon. G. W. Eussell said yesterday that there was no reason to suppose that there were any more cases than 'the one already reported. It was for the purpose of allaying any public uneasiness on the point that ha gave full information on the subject the previous day. If any further information on tho subject came to hand he would let the public know. So far ho had received no reply to the; messago he had sent "inquiring as to the number of cases aboard. \ ~

Tho Salvation Army institutes at both the Trentham and - Featherston . Camps have always been popular with the men, and large as they are the necessity has arisen for their enlargement. This because of the numbers of men seeking admission but unable to find room. The Salvation Army authorities 6tate that testimonies continue to flow in from all quarters as to the. usefulness of these buildings, and also constant expression of appreciation for the work performed, by the Army resident chaplains..

A problem that has baffled scientists has apparently been solved by two Auckland inventors, Messrs. W. Overend (metallurgist) and H. Grinlinton (says the "Star"). This relates to the soldering of aluminium, either to itself or any other metal or alloy. The inventors placed their discovery in tho hands of a company, anil they wero commissioned to proceed to London in order to seek inoro expert assistance. Mr. Grinlinton has just returned with the reassuring intelligence that not only have they secured an almost indisputable patent, but were accorded a uiQst cordial reception by London's leading scientific and commercial men. The War Office requested an interview with the patentees, with the result that a demonstration was demanded and successfully carried out at the Royal Woolwich Arsenal, the demonstration proving of such satisfaction that the Government immediately commandeered the letters patent, and assured the patentees that, provided the report on tests was satisfactory, the Imperial Government would take over the-whole of tho discovery. Mr. Overend, who is remaining in England, has been commandeered by the War Office to fully instruct an ex. pert of the National Physical Research Laboratory in the art of soldering alu. minium under the new process.

The Taviuni murder trial, which presented remarkable • features, was brought to a conclusion in the Fiji Supreme Court on April 28 before His Honour Chief Justice Dawson (states the "New Zealand Herald"). In this case five Indian's, named Mahomed Jamal. Nokki Potagadu, Ramchandar, Sarichand, and Amudala Pillay Kotiah; were charged with the murder of a sirdar, Ramfal, on the- Sc~ gulu Estate, Tavnnii, in February of 1915. Witnesses agreed in the admission that they had deliberately misled tho Coroner by presenting to him a concocted account of Ramfal's death. They stated frankly that the story represented a deep, laid conspiracy. There was, however, considerable conflict of testimony as to who actually perpetrated tho crime. Some of tho witnesses declared that the wholo gang of 17 men who were working under tho sirdar was implicated, while other witnesses asserted that'all took part in the murder except four men. Potagadu, one of the accused, gave evidence on his own behalf, and denied absolutely having ,had anything to do with the murder. Ho indicated that blame should attach chiefly to Siricharid and Mahomed Jamal. It 'will be remembered that in tho Lower Court the accused all blamed-each other, The evidence also, showed that tho assault which apparently caused the death of Ramfal was of a horrifying nature. It was detailed to the Court how Ramfal's assailants jumped on his body 1 and smashed his ribs; how they rubbed red pepper in his eyes. After a brief review of the evidence, the Court Justice announcd that the Court found that all five of the accused were guilty of the crime of having murdered the sirdar, and then passed sentence of death on the whole of tho five prisoners, who received it with calmness.

"I think the drill system for senior cadets needs absolute reorganisation," complained tho Rev. IT. R. Jeffreys, probation officer, in the Auckland Juvenile Court, when four youths appeared before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M. Amplifying his remarks, the Rev. Jeffreys. snid the youths wero out at drill until 9-30 p.m., and when they wero returning home there was bound to'be some horse-play. Some boys drilled three or four times a, week. Night-drilling was certainly tending towards Inrrikinism. If possible, drilling should bo done in the daytime. Mr. -I. S. Shell, probation officer under the Education Board, said he agreed with the remarks of the Rev. Jeffreys, but ho'did not seo how the-difficulty />E night-: drilling could be'avoided. ■

Tho utmost geniality and good fellowship prevailed at a gathering of about fifty members of tho Victoria Bowling Club in the club's pavilion onTuesday evening to say-good-bye and wish Godspeed to their fellow-bowler, Mr. John Mackay, late Government Printer, on the eve of his departure on a visit ,to the Homeland. The president of the cijiib (Mr. J. S. Keith) occupied the chair, and conveyed the good wishes of tho club to Mr. Maekuy, a member of eighteen years' standing, and one who three years in succession had filled the presidential chair —an honour which the club had to the present conferred on none other of its members. Messrs. W. Mack. G. M'Morrun. M. Marks, and . F. C. Crnv made . eulogistic , references to "their guest's qualities as a bowler and as a man, and when his health was proposed by the president the response was most enthusiastic. 'Mr. Mackav expressed the hope and intention to return in due time and once again engage his brother-members in the friendly game. He presented to the club a framed enlarged photograph of himself, which, on behalf of the club, Mr. Keith accepted as a welcome and valuable addition to their gallery of ex-presidents. During the evening contributions in song and story were giveu by Messrs. V. C. Cray, J. Martin, G. M'Morran, Hwjh Wriaht, Partridge, Gallichan, M.Marks, J. Hislop, G. AVilson, and the chairman, Mr. P. Levi presiding at the piano. Tho singing of "Auld Lang Syne" and tho National Anthem brought a most enjoyable function to a. close. Mr. Mackay leaves by to-night's Main Trunk train for Auckland, from which port he' embarks.