LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2769, 12 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ihe Prime Minister stated last evening that arrangements hail been completed for the purchase of 2500 acres of excellent land in tlio Waikato for the settlement of returned soldiers.

According to the table of causes, relating to deaths which have occurred in Now Zealand during the month of April, tbero were only three attributable lo infantile paralysis, all of which occurred in the Wellington Health District. Twft were un'dcr live years of age, and ono over that age. .

His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking will preside at a Chamber sitting of tho Supreme Court at 10.30 a.m. to-day, when the civil list will be called over, and the order of cases fixed.

Comment was made at yesterday's con> fereiico of fruitgrowers upon the pool attendance of the, public at tho I'atriotio Applo Fair, which is being l held In tho Town Hall. Various speakers were of the opinion that the scanty attendances, ooiild bo attributed to the want of advertising.

A peculiar position arose on a car running from Seatoun to the city on May 4. The car took its departure from tho Seatoun end at 2.56 p.m., and passengers were' unable to .pay their fares because the conductor liad no borough tram tickets to givo out. Vfhon asked for the reason, the conductor is stated to havo said that the error had been made in the town office, where tho officials were supposed to kntfw hoiv many tickcts had to lie served out. Writing to tho Sliramar Borough Council on the matter, a ratepayer said: "No wonder we lose on our cars if this happens." Tho Mayor (Mt. J?. Townsend), at last night's meeting of the council, said that the matter had been submitted to the Tramway Department, and a reply had been received to the effect that the circumstancas had been reported by the conductor, and full inquiry had been made. Councillor Green stated that in spite of instructions, conductors on cars from the city continued to issue borougji tickets in town. It was resolved to communicate with the tramway authorities on the matter.

Some Judges of the Supreme Court have become tired, evidently, of administering warnings to the public generally in the .matter of cashing cheques for strangers when the cheques bore the signatures of people they did not know (says a northern paper). At tho conclusion of a forgery case in the Auckland Supremo Court, His Honour Mr. Justice Sim declined to make an order for a sum of money founil on the prisoner to lie paid over to the person who had cashed the forged cheque. His Honour said that it was amazing the way hotelkeepe.rs cashed cheques for people they (lid not know, signed by people they did not know.. 1 In the present case, two hotelkeepers had cashed cheques for the prisoner, whom they did not know; nor dill they know the person whose signature was on the cheques. "In those circumstances," added His Honour, "they deserve to lose their money, and I decline to make the order."

A conference of local bodies will lie held at the Hntt County Council office on May 18, for the purpose of discussing the increase in hospital levies. At last night's meeting of the Miramar Borough Council members unanimously supported the idea, and the Mayor (Air. P. Townsend) was appointed to represent 'the council at the conference.

Nine recruits have enlisted at the Petone Borough Recruiting Office this week. A big sUortago of labour on the Lyttelton wharves is reported.

"Conscience money," to the amount of iC3, has been forwarded to tho Secretary of 'the Treasury from the Railway Department at Christchurch.

A Press Association telegram from Hamilton states that at a poll of ]?rankton ratepayers yetserday, it was dccided to iinialagamate with \Hamillon.

A correspondent writes:—A" paragraph in -Wednesday's Dominion mentioned that tho recruit "with the record chest measurement— 43} inches—turned up at the Town Hall last week in tUu shape of a young Manxman from Canterbury. There are almost always some fellow-countrymen of his in the camps near AVellington, and last Saturday evening a dozen of them foregathered in Miss Tendall's tea-rooms, at tile invitation of Mrs. 'I'. E. Corkill, to meet Manx residents of Wellington to the number of '10. That last week's recruit is only keeping up the national reputation is suggested by a fact which Mr. Corkill mentioned during the evenin"; the Manx I'encibies, a regiment raised in the Isle of Man dining 'the Napoleonic Wars, consisted of such a broad-shouldered lot of men that it covered more ground than any other regiment in the British Ariuj-.

At the monthly meeting of the Vogel. town and Mornington Municipal Association on Wednesday night, it was decided to call a meeting of residents early in Juno to"discuss .the erection of a school for Vopeltown.; also to \vnt» to the City Councillors reminding them of theii promises to extend the Wallace Street tram to ■ Hutchison Road, _ and make tho road from Brooklyn to Vogeltown.

It whs announced at the Fruitgrowers" Conference yesterday that Messrs. Alor> rison and Sons and Mr. 11. 1. Morrison, of Warkworth (Auckland), had forwarded o, donation of .£3O towards the expenuea of tlia V<itriotlo Apple Fair.

On Saturday next the National Reserve intend holding on the Basin lieserve the platoon competition for the flag presented bv Major Davis, V.D., officer commandin" Group 5. The Tramways Hand litis consented to enliven the meeting with musical selections, 'the committee lu\vin" this competition in hand are disappointed that there are not as many entrants as might have been, had the members of the various units evinced a little more interest' and enthusiasm, but a very pleasant and instructive afternoon is expected In addition to the competition, a display of squad drill will bo gone through by those members of the Instructional Stair who have been so assiduously trainin" under Captain .1. \V. Steel for some weeks past, in order to obtain their certificates as qualified staff servant instructors Colonel Potter, Camp Commandant at Treutham, has consented to allow Staff Sergeants-Major Wright; and W. Bates to act as judges for the platoon competition nml award the points. W.F.C.A. calls public attention (o the very exceptional merits of "No llubbinp Laundry Heln," for washing oH clothes clean without 'rubbing 6r injury. Is. per package; MO guaranteed.—Advt. A winter coat? Good value nap and fleeco cloth in navy, brown',- and grey, 50s. Geo. I'owlds, Ltd.. Manners Street—Advt.

This week's Gazette notifies the transfer of tho New Plymouth Patriotic Committee's Wounded Soldiers and Sailors and their Dependants' Fund to the Taranaki Provincial War Relief Association, which has been incorporated under tho War Funds Act. The Bulls, Sanson, Ohakea, and Lower Ifangitikei War lielief Fund, and tlio Southland War Funds' Association have also been incorporated under tho Act.

At next Monday's meeting of the.Central Chamber of Commerce, Mr. L. A. Edwards will moved"That for the purpose of making this chamber of more nrsietical value (o the community there • i-Miid bo established a comprehensive filiation bureau, capable of placing Iri'are the prospective fanner, settler, buyer, manufacturer, merchant, labourer, etc. reliable and adequate information concerning the resources, economic conditions, etc., of Wellington Province, and for that purpose this council desires to set up a, special committee with power to act, to bring this scheme into effect:"

Arrangements have been made to suitably entertain the soldiers who will arrive in Masterton by a special iroop train on Saturday. ,

A meeting of .the Public Service Superannuation Board was held yesterday, at which the Hon. G. W. Ensseil presided. Tho Minister brought before the board tho importance of every consideration being given to returned soldiers by the lending Department of the board, and a resolution was carried to the effect that in lending the moneys of the board on freehold securities, under the legislation passed last year, conditions being equal, preference should bo givon in every case to returned soldiers. The Minister also jiru. mised to bring before Cabinet, the desirn. bility of legislation being introduced to enaljle soldiers belonging to tha Civil Service, who had . resigned their positions to enlist, arid who had subsequently been found medically unfit, and had resumed 'Government, employment, to pay the money drawn out on resigning into the Superannuation Fund again on resuming public employment, and to count their military service time for the purposes of superannuation,

According to the list of returned soldiers in hospitals throughout the Dominion furnished to tho Minister of Publlo Health, there are 173 outpatients and 334 in-patients, in all such, institutions. These numbers apply to soldiers only, of course. At Rotorua there are 121 inpatients, and at Hnnmer 37, at Cashmere Hills Sanatorium for Tuberculosis ]fl, at Te Waikato Hospital, which is also a consumptive station, 7, 'and at I.owry Bay IG.

The names of a number of alleged- German and German sympathisers in the service of New Zealatid Government, and especially of the Defence Department, wor» mentioned iu tho House "yesterday by Mr...John Payne. These names aro not known to anybody but the members of the Anti-German League and their friends, but from these people they have received a great deal of unpleasant attention. The Defence Minister informed the House later of tlie' facta concerning every singe man. Hyery one was, ho said, a natural-born British subject. Ono, who was the son of a soldier, had lost two biothcrs killed iu uction in this war, and his father and his only remaining brother were fighting in Hhe British Army. Tlie others were all sons of Germans, but born iu this country, with a good record of service behind them here. Two against whom some suspicion might be alleged, although not with right, had been given extended leave until the end of the war. Another had been before the Aliens Board, nnd the recommendation of the board was that ho should bo allowed to remain in his position, and to keep his rank. Concerning an officer of the Lands Department, against whom it- was charged that ho was a German, Mr. Jfassey slid tVat the man wns born in New Zealand, mid ttir.t his parents li«d come here very many years ago. Mr. Jennings interjected that they had come 50 yearn ago.

A deputation'representing the Wellington "Football Association waited on thfl Reserves Committee of, the City Council yesterday afternoon, with the request that use'of part of some'of the-City recreation grounds should be granted the ossociation rent free this winter. As a reason for this request, it was stated that ns the association did not intend to play o'njr games higher than third-class, and that men of military age were being debarred from playing at all, the association's revenue would be very low indeed, leaving next to nothing with which to pay for grounds., In replying to the representations made. the chairman (Mr. Geo'. Frost i said that the request would Vcoeivi full consideration, but he pointed nut. that it wa." the intention of the council to close up the nlaying area at. Newtown Park for the whole season> The around had been verv lianril-worked. Tind had not be°n top-dress°d for fnurfe»n year?, for which reason they had thouiht it advisable to take, the chance that offered this year in giving the park a rest nnd some refreshment. ■ Th"re was, however. the I'vall Bay ground, where =mni twelve to ffto°,n ncr°s hnd bee" levelled, and -wem quite good enomrh for junior "'play. The grounds availnWe for play Hiis sea*«n will be Wakefield Pm'k 'at Duppa Str«etL Anderson Ko'l-nn-n P.vk. th" Hiwrve, TCilbirnie Park, nnd the'Lviill Bay Park. It i= understood that the ton-soil that was olared on the levelled land at Lvall Bay fairly rough, but could be made playable bv a good rolling with a. heavy Toller when the ground is damp after._a fall of rain.

The Commissioner of Taxes was asked yesterday if any great difficulty was being experienced by his Department in gettins all tlie particulars for the purpose of land and income tax from those who •have gone to the front from New -Zealand. The Commissioner said that, so far, the Department had experienced 'no trouble on the score mentioned, and that every man who was taxable had appointed an attorney or made an arrangement for someone to look after his affairs. Of course, us far as incomes were concerned, most of the men ceased to become taxable when they got into khaki. Homo troubles might crop up in the future, but the Commissioner did not anticipate that they would be insuperable.

In order to facilitate the business o* the Department of Labour, it has 'been arranged that the head otlice shall in future.be separated from the Wellington district office. Hitherto the local work has been under the control of the, lic.nl office, which has necessitated tho time of tho administrative officers being, occupied with purely local duties. They will now ba enabled to devote themselves OL'lirely to the administrative work which concerns Now Zealand as a whole. Mr. H. Moston, \ylio has been inspector in charge of the local work, has now been appointed officer in charge of Uiti district. Tho position of second inspector has also been placed in a higher grade, 'i'ho new district office organisation will be precisely similar to that of the distiict offices in the other large centres. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. I'. lially, has now removed to the Board of Trade offices, Virion Bank Chambers, and this will enable better accommodation to' be provided in the Qhuzuee Street building for the district inspectors. It is anticipated that the American magnetic survey yacht Carnegie will gel away from Lyttelton finally about the beginning of next week. Her scientific work will 1» continued daily until she reaches New York, whsrc, according to her itinerary, she is due early in 191? Mr. 11. I''. Johnston, of the scientific 6taif, will come ashore prior to the Carnegie's departure, and will proceed t« Washington. His successor, Mr. Bradley Jones, arrived at .Lyttelton from the States some weeks ago. Owing to the rapid increase of fruitgrowing throughout New Zealand., the question of marketing is at present having serious consideration. In order to cope with tho increase in this class of business, and also to provide for the handling of farm produce by auction and otherwise, Messrs. Bray Bros., whoso premise; are situated in Blair Street in 'the area which is at oresent devoted fruit and produce auctioneering, have had extensive alterations made to their premises in order to make them suitable as an up-to-date auction and produce mart. It is the intention of the firm to work this class of busiuess in close touch with 'their blanches in Auckland, Dunedin, and Invercargill. The firm will continue to earrv'on the agency for the New Zealand Poultry Industries, Ltd.,. in the remodelled promises. "We advise storekeepers to forward us their orders for "No Ilubbing Laundry Help" in advance, to insure delivery, as stocks arc rapidly diminishing. Levin and Co.—Advt.