LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2776, 20 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the c.s. Rivcrina, which sailed from Sydney «t. 3 p.m. on May 18 for Wellington, is bringing ''Australian 'mails only, and is due id Wellington on Monday next. It was resolved by the executive of tho •Municipal .Association yesterday that the Government should be urged to take such steps as may be necessary to establish a censorship'of'all kinematograph films to be exhibited .in. the Dominion. ■•The question of whether pensions paid to men who served in the South African War should bo raised, .to the level of thoso provided for under the War Pensions 4<3t of .last year is. now ..being considered by Cabinet. . .. . \ ' A further party of 197 Tahitiah, troops, en routs from their island home to reinforce their comrades in tho fighting line, arrived by tlis Mnitai from Papeete yesterday afterniou.. >The Island .soldiersall"men of splendid' physique—presented a fine appearance as they paraded on the wharf preparatory to embarking on the Sydney boat, which left shortly after the ■arrival' of the Maitai. The Mayor (Mr. J. I>. Luke), who was present to meet the boat, extended a welcome to the men through their officer in charge (Lieut. Deloft're), and expressed regret that their short stay did not permit of them receiving a more thorough welcome, and did not allow them to see the City. Mr. Luke headed the inarch of the men across the wharf to the -lloeraki. •Speaking at the Post and Telegraph smoke concert last'evening, Mr. Camp said that since the Public Service .Act was passed the association had been faced with problems it' never should have been faced with. The association had, been forced to engage one of the first solicitors of the land to watch its affairs. Then it had had to go to tho Court with fourteen points for the judges to decide, localise satisfaction could not be got from the Commissioners. The Commissioner system should bo abolished. He wished it understood, however, that he said nothing against the Commissioners. Prior to the Act, 'political pull never entered the service- At the association's conference 815 per cent, of'the remits dealt with ' anomalies which tho Act created. Unless they were relieved of the Act a desperato step would have to be taken, and it had been mooted that there would be a federal council of all Departments to obtain justice for them. What, he asked, had they gained by the Bill? (Voices: Nothing.) He wished for n return to tho old conditions. (Applause.) -Mr. Camp was cheered on resuming his seat,

As tho resul't ot' a public nppeal by tho secretary of S.f. ,I'olm Ambulat-co Association, tlic Hawera St. John Ambulance and Red Cross branch,has donated .£3OO, ami raised another .SSOO towards a motor ambulance,' which lias been cabled for, to be K'lVt to the A'nzacs in France, and to be known as tlie Hawcra motor ambulance. '

The election of even one member of a local body is sometimes a costly proceeding, and the Municipal Association's Confcrenco' of 191-1 carried a resolution in favour of borough councils .being allowed to fill vacancies which occurred within sixanonths of the biennial election. Yesterday the executive of the Municipal Association [lassed a resolution expressing the--opinion that-the power should- be given. . ; •" ; •

Commercial travellers nro_ lianlinpr in storekeepers' orders' for No Rubbing La'undry Help with'- commendable' zeal, because it lightens woman's toil on washing days.—Advt; C

The Secondary ' Schools Conference, which concluded its sittings yesterday, Sassed a resolution . congratulating tho [inister • of,' Education (Hon. J. A. Hanan) on his action in addressing a memorandum,. to the boards of education emphasising the.necessity of scientific temperance instruction in schools. The conference also 'affirmed the ..desirability, of familiarising •, nil secondary school pupils with tho real physiological eil'ccts of olcohol.

"I think tho time has gone . when you caii. look upoii the City. as. being .vested in tho ratepayers," remarked Mr. J. P. -Liiko. (Mayor of 'Wellington) before the Municipal Association's Executive yesterdaj. The matter upon. which. His Worship was speaking was introduced by Mr.,' F. Towuseiid (Mayor of Miramar), who -moved respecting the union of boroughs that tho Act should bo. amended so that any poll taken jivould be a poll, of ratepayers and not -a poll of electors. Mr. J. J. Clark (Dunedin) expressed opinions in. agreement with- Mr., Luke, ..and the motion was lost by nin'. rotes to three. Great praise -.was bestowed at yesterday's conferenco'.'of the secondary schools .upon the Navy .League for the work it has accomplished -in tho direction of training the the young. In this i connection, Jlr! l'\ Milner,-.moved: "That this conference, expresses' its hearty. >'»p----proval of the educational work done by the Navy League.-, ill our schools. in the interests of Imperial •patriotism and public-spirited citizenship, and recommends principals to-put facilities in tins way of- the leaguo , for this purposo wherever possible.". : ' Taking his cue frOiii the record prices obtained for West Cdast cattle at the Aldington sale. yards lately, Mr. Webb :aSked tho Minister of Agriculture, in tho House yesterday, whether he' did not think this fact gave all assurance as to the agricultural possibilities of the West Coast. To develop them, however! the lime deposits of the district Tcqnired development, and lie ,desii%d to know-What the Department wquldjlo for the farmers. 'J'he Hon. AY. I). S. Mac Donald replied that lie recognised the of helping the district.. Already .the Government was subsidising a -lime burner, and the farmers received tire tisual free carriage of lime for-100 miles..; ,'Tlio Govern--1 meilt was also considering'' the (Juestion of itself opening up some-deposits as well' as other proposals whicli could not how bo. mentioned. . .... " ' " ; Dr. Sidney Smith, of the ; Public Health ■Department, is at present in Hastings, investigating mi outbreak ofrdiphthcria. .In view of the':fact that no arrest has 60. far been made in 1 connection' with the murder ofitlie Holland " family at Kaiapoi on May 11, the Hon. D. Buddo yesterday asked tho Attorney-Generalc(the.Hon. A. L. Hei'dman) whether a substantial reward wouy.be offered for any evidence which would lead to tho punishment of. [ tho murderer. It was eswntial, said I Mr. Bnddo, that such ail appalling crime should be speedily punished. The Minister replied that he woultl be ;lad to take tlie matter into consideration. An arrangement would probably be niflde that would be quite satisfactory to tho honourable gentleman. ■ • I "That this conference • heartily supports tho 'movement' • for a reasonableV censorship of picture films, believing> that this would bo greatly' for the benefit of boys aud girls of school age," was ii resolution passed unanimously by the. Secondary ■ Schools Conference yesteruay. It-was decided to send copies of tho resolution to the Minister, of. Internal Affairs.! - Night signals for tram cars running via tho liirbirnie 'Tunnel will undergo'some alteration as from to-day. Cars to' Lyall Bay via the tunnel will show a green head light between two .white head' l lights, aud cars to Kilbirnie Post Office, -via the same route will show 'one green "and one white light. Cars proceeding as. far.as Hataitai only will be signalled by -one white light, while the signals for Miramar (tw;o white lights) and Seatoun (three white lights) will be the same as usual. The signal of a white light between two blue lights will now be used - exclusively,'; for cars running to Lyall Bay via Constable Street. Night signals for other destinations are practically tho same as before. They are shown on page'7B of the new time-table. .

The executive of'the Municipal AssociaJ-i tion of New Zealand favours the election-, of town boards being',-held,-at the .same. time as borough council elections; j, •' The Government is..giving, consideraj-. tion to tlve.-Question., of . puftihg on'the same footing asVmen.''in,oui-'' i own'..fo'iswfe iii the matter of' pensions' those New' Zealanders now serving in British forces. The railway timertable on tho. Foxton •branch is being. altered, and more time: will be given in future to the trains to do the journey, it . having; been ,'found in actual .practice .that' the additional slops made: since the establishment of the Kangiotu Camp render it impossible for tho trains to run to the present schedule. ■■The new time-table will be brought into ■ forco at aii early, date. This irregularity ill the running pf.the trains on this line, which, .has been, a grievance in. tho district for some time, was the . subject of a question to the, Minister .of Railways by .Mr. W. H.-Field, M.P. The. foregoing statement is in effect -the Minister's,reply; It is possiblo that a census . will be taken towards the end of the present year. The ■ Minister _of- Internal Affairs stated yesterday that it was iToped that, this could bs done.

With tho singing of. tho National Anthem, the following, resolution of loyalty; by Mr. J: P. Firth was carried at the Secondary..Schools, Conference yesterday — I "This conference -,of : the -secondary schools of. New Zealand expresses its -unswerving loyalty to King and' country, its admiration of the deeds of heroism of tho sons of the' .Empire, its deepesitsympathy with all who have. lost. and suffered, or shall lose and suffer, in the struggle for ; freedom, justice, and humanity, and its' determination to do all in its power towards' tlie. fin,al 'triumph (if right over might." .

At the Trades, aid... Labour, "oimcil meeting it was ■ unanimously resoTved:— ."That the Trades : &nd Labour Council, having repeatedly ■ stated . . its position clearly and definitely on ,the matter of municipal .control of . milk, views ; with disappointment the delay -in dealing " with this urgent imato by the City. Council, and is of opinion that this reform will not eventuate until Labour , is adequately represented on the council.".

Mr. M. Cohen will move at the next meeting of the Harbour Board: ''That this board resolves to approach the' Minister of Marine with a request for an amendment of the Harbours Amendment Act, .1910, relating to the election of chairmen, in order that candidates for the chairmanship must'be nominated at least seven clear days before the date I>f tho aunual statutory meeting for the election of chairman, and that, in the event of only one nomination being received, the said .'audidate be declared by the secretary of the board duly elected as chairman for the ensuing- year without the necessity of holding an annual statutory meeting." The Prime Minister has replied to Mr. T. M. Wilford that the Government does not see its way • to' allow a clear week' in which to discuss the cost of living problem. Mr. Massey states that he considers. that there „will be sufficient opportunities offering during the session for the discussion of the question. The. Masterton • Chamber of Commerce is arranging a deputation to the Minister of llailways on Thursday next to ask for an improvement.in the railway services to the Wairarapa. A comparative table, extending' over three years' operations at the Auckland Municipal Abattoirs, has been prepared by tho manager for submission to the City Council. It will be accompanied by a s'necial report dealing with the; unusual situation revealed by the figures in' tha fable appended. It is shown that 'there has been a' considerable falling off in the quantities of beasts slaughtered'since, the outbreak of war in 1914. • "Under ordinary- circumstances one might expect that in accord with 'the general progress and increased population of the city that tho total quantity of meat consumed each vear would show a proportionate increase, W 'the effect of the exceptional demands of the Home market, tiie local shortage and consequent high prices have resulted in a marked economy in meat consumption. It, is suggested also that, the establishment o? (lie trawling industry' and the increase in supply and reduction iii price of fish, is also a contributing cjuse. The figures indicate a sharp decline in the consumption of mutton and beef. Replying to a 'question..in the House yesterday, the Hon. J. Allen (Defence Minister) stated that it was not decmed.de-. sirable to consider", tho 'question «f. the issue of any medals until after tho iter'••ii>"ition of the war.

: The' Prime Minister stated yesterdaj that up till the present no-cases of ex-" ploitation or boycotting had been reported by the Board of Trade. He pro* liiised to refer any such cases reported to him to the Board of Trade.

It was reported at the meeting of' the Auckland Education Board on Wednesday that Mr. G. A. Gutry, headmaster of the Mauku School, had forwarded to the supervisor of the technical and manual branch, Mr. J. Kalaugher, a frill a of <£8 7s. 9d., .representing money Taised, by the Bale of seeds gathered by the scnool children for tho .Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund. It was stated that the Beed collected was remarkably pure.

The old .-.windmill tower' which stands on elevated ground just off Symonds Street, and has been one of Auckland's familiar landmarks for tho past TO years, is undergoing repairs' and additions, amongst which is the reinstatement of the windmill, whibh some years ago gave way to steam and.gas power. Another 20ft, lias been added to the tower, which, with the dome on top, is about 80ft. in height. The new sails now being fitted are constructed on the same principle as the former, ones'. They' are 70ft.' lone and 9ft. wide, and each of the four sails contains 54 shutters, which open and shut automatically, according to tho strength of the wind. They'have a wind surface, of lllfO square feet. liver since tho mill was constructed it has been used by Mr. J. Partington (is a flourmill, and 1 the present alterations a.fe being made to his own design. : The price or milk will be raised to-i day ill' Auckland from 4ld. to sd. per 'quart, and of cream from Id. to ljd. per oz. Explaining tho decision of tho" milk vendors, tho president of ; the association, Mr. G. E. Tansley, stated that several reasons- forced the retailers'to- raise the •price. Owing to the high value of dairy produce, the factories-were able to' pay such prices for butter-fat that milk vendors had experienced increasing difficulty in : obtaining supplies at the price they were ablo to .offer. Tho greater value of cows, owing to the demand for dairy produce,-also increased the value.of.milk, Tho position was alra affected by -a shortage of labour, due to the enlistment o£ many men employed, in the industry. : A suggestion was made" to the Prima Minister, last week that tho Government -should utilise tho labour of some of the returned soldiers for. the purpose of ufforestiiig the sand drift areas nnd other wa9tc lands of the country. . The Prime .Minister's reply is that the afforesting of the'lands in question would entail a. considerable addition to the present expenditure on tree planting, and owing to financial exigencies the proposal could not lie given effect to just at present. Arrangements had, however, been made by which 'discharged soldiers who were able to, work 'in the existing State nurseries and .plantations might bo employed therein when opportunity offered. ' 'Municipalities should have the powor to Jimit' the height of buildings,' according to the executive of the Municipal Asso- • elation, which met in Wellington yester- ' day. .' - The proposal to close Now Zealand hotels at 6 o'clock is,to be discussed by .the Trades, and Labour Council next week. . . ~ In to a question .the Prime Minister stated. yesterday that the Gqv■ermhejit was considering tho question or preventing the shutting out of necessaries from ships from the Pacific Coast -to New Zealand, by the importation to this country of Amorican' motor-cars and other luxuries. ' . . "New Zealand, which'has taken.suchi a wonderful- part in this war—GO,ooo' men have been equipped—finds that its expenditure, on a per capita basis/ is commencing:'to run close to the expenditure in tho Old Country," remarked Sir Joseph Ward last evening at tho' Post and Telegraph smoke concert. • At this, week's meeting of. the Trades and-Labour - Council, the question of increased rents was further considered, and suggested -legislation discussed. It was decided to form a Tenants' Association, and;to convene a meeting for next week. .In connection with this matter it was further to investigate the conduct of certain land- agents.

■ "About sixty officers of the garrison at-* tended' a lecture which; was given byMajor Sleeman' last evening on special 'iloings on the Western front. .. Major Slee'ma'ii, who has'seen-service on the Western fronts and,is,.now, attached to New Zea'land Headquarters, - was most interesting ..and. instructive in his description ofc modern campaigning, and his Temarks shed a new light on recent events. These lectures to garrison'officers are . given fortnightlv, and the committee which has the syllabus in hand lias arranged for a series of-four, lectures on! the Western 'front, to b'o given by Major Sleeman. ■ A "universal" system of voting is _favcured bv the executive of the Municipal Association, who resolved at yesterday a meeting: "That a universal system for the recording'of votes at municipal'and Par. liamentary elections should be adopted, as ntpresent the difference in the systems is confusing." _ An ofellant collection of root crops ana < vegetables grown at the School for the Deui, Sumner; has been . secured by the Department oE Agriculture for exhibition at the coming Dunedin Show. The ex 4 hibit, which comprises vegetable marrows, parsnips, carrots, leeks, beet, and mangoldsV has been grown in the grounds attached to tho school, wliero there is poetically no irrigation, and shows what can ba dona with a. sandy subsoil ill one of the driest seasons known. The largest vegetable maxrow weighs 32 pounds, while there are also several others very near this weight. Tho whole exhibit makes ai very-fine show, and is a striking tion of what can bo done by good cultivation.. , .. ..

The Commonwealth High Commissioner advises tot the War Office authorities are prepared to accept any suitable, youug candidates over lfij- years of age, for training at the. cadet schools for comma* sions in; the Imperial Forces. Conditions of ■ acceptance are: (a) Men with previous experience' in ..the.; rants preferred; (b) candidates'.will proceed to England at their own Expense, and be required to enlist for "general service during the wari (c) in ihe case of failure to pass the tests oil the termination of lua instruction tiio candidate may be returned for duty in the ranks; (d) candidates when gazetted receive .£SO outfit, allowance,pay of lieutenant, Bs. 6d. a day for cavalry and artillery, 7s. 6d. a day for infantry, and 23. 6d,'a day &" QwaliCo .viuder canvas.

It is the practice of a number* of gro* ■ cers assistants (states the "Sun") to uso their in the employers' service. At tho Conciliation Council ou Thursday* the.brocers. Assistants' Union preferred n claim that an amount of -3s. 6d. per week .should, be paid by the employer for this particular service, such provision to be incorporated in tho award. A vast amount ol discussion, took place on the •proposal, Mr. Wardell in particular stren. iiously objecting. The .Commissioner made -elaborate calculations covering depreciation, sinking fund, etc., and arrived at Jit) conclusion that la. ft!, per week was a < ! n j o " ut :i The . employers, however, ?6isi&tod.in then* objection. I, *^ n , '"teresting relic of early Canterbury has been identified by. Mr. ,£l. W. .'Seager (sajs tho .. Lyttelton Times") in un. iron standard at the rear of the City Council Chambers. This i. is one .of tho 150 mm . poles, imported for tho first * telegraph line between Christchurch and Lyttelton. ■ .Apropos the introduction of telephonic .communication, Mr. Keager claims to have ' P?fn the .first to. speak over the wires between Christchurch aiid Dunedin, and through Dunedin to Cromwell. This was ■'about 1870, and the-Post Office \n Christchurch was then situated in Armagh Street. Ono of the indications by which Mr. heager _ knew that he had got into communication with Dunedin - was the . pronounced Scottish accent of tho man at the other, end of the wire, who was Mr.• J. li. Logan, then in charge at Dunedin, and who, later, was for several years superintendent of the electric lines ol" the Dominion. • ' ■~3 h: Ja'ie.s Bennett, of Oamarn, gives ;t.ie following interesting Inioruiation • respecting quinn'at salmon, the presence of which in South Island rivers is proving eo gratifying to anglers, and which augurs so well for,future seasons:—'"The quinnat are going up the "Waitaki jn.-thou- . lands, the head waters being fairly, alivo with them. They look well in the water —just like a yard of dark green ribbon —and I know of three poached up above Lake Oliait which weighed respectively. 64, S'2, and -IS pounds, so you see they grow to some size. L We have hooked some at the mouth of-the AVaitaki, but they .generally get away with the lot if the*hooks' do not pull. out. ' From what I can see they never go very far past the mouth— nor more than, half a mile—during ,the season, , but start to .run during the'last two weeks, right in the centre of the stream,..only an odd one going up -the bank. There must have been thousands . of them for I. could see. them rising for. soma two miles- that'l- went down the river." ! Lieutenant.-Rupert Garsia, of H.M.A.S. Sydney twho, it will be -.remembered, received the surrender-of Captain Mullcr, of the Eiuden),Writes to Mr. Bevaii-vtirown, head master of the Christchurch Boys' High School: "It was indeed .a pleasure , :to receive the 8.H.5.: magazine. ... I ' naturally read with special interest the paragraph concerning the. Navy League.: . It would be a fine thing to see every boy y . I had .intended, enclosing In. this letter a small subscription to . the Navy League branch, and also , for tho school magazine. 1 find there is lio ■way''of doing, so here, but'l am nrraug- - lug 'to do so next month. I would like very much to -be identified'in a quiet ..sore of way with the schoul branch." A demand.has been made by some'nicm- ' bers of. the. House: and by many inore men outside the House'.'that, the pay of ?en-. listed, men and the' allowance .'of wives and children of married/men shbuld.be increased. The Defence Jlinister 'gave the following reply to one'of these demands i yesterday : "The. rate of pay, and -allow- . . auces have been fixeld after, dub cbn'sidera■tion'.; It- is not considered practicable to alter them." ■ '. " Last 'February .the. Otago Education Bojird issued a circular to, teaciiers'--re-quiring- them to pay the oost of cheque books lor use in connection with the' puy- . .- men": of their , monthly salaries. '.I'his was brought .under the. notice of Mr. E.- , P. Lee,. iI.P., who communicated with the Minister of. Education., ' The Minis- ' ter, in.his reply,;said: "The Department has always, held, the. view that have a right' to be paid their salariß.i I ■ and allowances ;in fuli.'Ti liave'given'in-, strnctions that the attention of the Otago /., Education Board be drawn to the mat- 1 .) ter. The Department has no knowledge / .that' any otber Educafion., Board I adopted the practicecomplaincd . of.'* This matter, it was--thought, was definitely cieared'up'"in'thb time of the latb ) —.'Mr. Seddon, ;and from th'e ; letter sent-,by • Mr. Hanait 'it Sfould' teach-: •• 'ers.-v.-ho have paid for their cheque books , ought to have the amounts ■ refunded. , Another matter, says the. "Otago Dail: y Times," wliich teachers wish to'have di-.j.' finitely defined ' is. whether, they shou 1 <1 pay postage, on their official 'communic,;' a . tions. Sonie.are doing so'and some t :,xe . not. It is understood that this uncVirtarnty does not exist, in any other brai -en of the' Public Service. ' Some cor: ,*espondence strictly on. school, matters j,■ is sent to the.'board by teachers, ehdor ified, "On His-Majesty's .'Service" or "On.J -Jublic Sorvice Only," addressed; to tlui'-jsoc-retary officially, and received withojj' j; fle. TtlUl'. ' • • .' - ' ■. ■ ;. I .