LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2784, 31 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities adviso that the mails which left New Zealand on April 11! arrived in London on tho afternoon of May 28.

TJho Postal authorities adviso that the fi.ti. Riverina, which left Wellington on May 25. carrying mails for Australia, United Kingdom, and Continent of Europe, via Suez, arrived at Sydney on tho morning of May 29.

This week's Sydney boat—tho Manuka--has apparently met with heavy weather on the trip across tho Tasman Sea. Under ordinary circumstances tho vessel should have shown up on Monday vnornlug, but according to a radio message received from Captain Clift (tho master of tho ship) last night ho expected to make port at 1 o'clock 'to-day-two days late.

The hours of duty at the Chief Telegraph Office on Saturday, June 3, will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 7to 9 p.m. Tho Telephone Exchange .will be open continuously.

When about a week ago tho matter of bringing the Dunedin Shop Assistants' Award there into line with the Wellington nward was brought before tho Arbitration Court, the union asked the Court to add to that award a ten per 'cent, war bonus. The Court reserved its decision on the point. Yesterday a privato telegram was received stating that tho Court had only granted the war bonus in respect to storemen, and not to shopassistants. The same point .will receive the attention gf the Arbitration Court in Christchurch next week.

At yesterday's meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the inspector, Captain Henry, reported that he had attended to 13 cases in and around Wellington tiuring'the Inst month.

Regarding a recent accident to a pupil attending the Petono School, and the committee's request that the Education Board should endeavour to. formulate a scheme whereby compensation would bs awarded in future oases,' the Wellington Education Board passed the following resolution yesterday: "That, while thanking the committee for its views on the matter, tne board is unable to accept liability in the circumstances described, on account of accident to a pupil, noi can it seo its way to approve of the creation of the proposed fund."

Only one case of infantile paralysis was reported in the Wellington Health District yesterday, and it came from Wairoa, Eawke's Bay.

A number of recruits for tho 17tii Reinforcements arrived by the Pateena ficm Nelson and Picton last night, and were quartered at the Drill Hall, Buckle Street, for the nigbt, The southern portion of the quota, will arrive by the Maori this morning. All the men, together with those who are desirous of going into camp with the No. 5 Group Area's extra men for the 17ths, will proceed to Trontham this morning.

A letter was received from the New Zealand Catholic Federation at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board in regard to the censorship of cinema films. Tho chairman (the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken) said that tho Federation were afraid that, on account of Parliament being so occupied with business in connection with the war, the matter would be lost sight of. With the idea of keeping the matter alive, a meeting will be held in the New Zealand Catholic Federation rooms on Juno 8.

The sum of X 75 was granted by the Wellington Education Board yesterday to tho Mount Cook Infant School for fencing and levelling grounds. "That in specific cases where the committee and teachers are working on welldefined plans the board will provide'shelter and hedge trees for planting on Arbor Day," was a resolution passed at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board.

It was resolved at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board that the committee of the Eastern Hutt School be informed that in the adjacont schools of Taita, Epuni, and Lower Hutt there is sufficient room to accommodate tlio children of tho district. • \

Soiuo discussion took place on the question of erecting a laundry room 'at tho Masterton School yesterday afternoon, at a meeting of the Wellington Education Board. . Mr. A. W. Hogg strongly opposed the proposal, but it was subsequently agreed that tho Masterton School Committee should bo informed that tho room has proved suitable in other centres, and it also decided to point out that it is to be used for drying purposes only.

On May 1 a telegraph message from Christchurch appeared in The Dominion, based on a letter received by a resident of Christchurch from Mr. W. G. Jamieson, warning people about forwarding money to soldiers then in Egypt through certain agencies. This paragraph was forwarded to the agents of Thos. Cook and Sons at Cairo, with a letter of inquiry as to the truth or otherwise of tlio alleged risk senders of money wero taking. An answer to that letter has been received which states that in no case has money sent to New Zealanders through Thos. Cook and Sons been paid to the wrong person.

The following tenders wero accepted by tho Wellington Education Board, at its meeting yesterday New school at Wadestown. Mr. H. H. Knight; laundry rooms at Grey town and Dahiatua, llgssrs. H. •batman and Sayers and Grilßtns respectively.

Arrangements are being made to provide more suitable premises for tho Returned Soldiers' Club than those at present occupied, and if the plans prepared for tho club are carried out, returned soldiers remaining in Wellington will liave very comfortable quarters indeed. The local Returned Soldiers' Association, which is active in this matter, is also about to issue silver badges to its members, and as the association only admits those honourably discharged to membership. the wearing of such a badge will bo a distinction.

At the next meeting of the Onslow Borough Council Councillor Browne will move: "That the Railway Department bo asked to 1 remove tho turnstile at the eastern entrance to the Ngaio Station as it is a needless obstruction to free acoess."

During the last few days, says our Napier correspondent, there has been an exceptionally heavy rainfall in Hawke's Bay, over two inches being recorded in the past 21 hours. A considerable quantity of surface water has collected, and reports last night indicated that all tho ■rivers are rapidly rising. Ail an.tbority 011 tiio rivers states that if heavy rain continues for another 24 hours Hoods are practically inevitable, as the ground,] b.v ing thoroughly saturated, allows tor little or no soakage. Many of the settlers havo already taken the precaution to remove their sftjck "to high ground, it the rime of telegraphing (8 o'clock last night) there was little indication of tho weather breaking, and rain was still falling. A fairly rough sea, which had the effect of backing the waters up tho rivers, made the situation appear even moro serious.

At yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Education Board, tho Education Department forwarded a list of tcachcrs who aro receiving a salary higher than that of tho position held. flu Hon. J, G. W. Aitken, chairman of the board, pointed out that the board -had. during the last yflTr, built ft nchool in a district which previously was supplied by'another school. Up till that time the salaries of the tcachcrs wero paid upon the number of pupils attending tho latter school. When the new school was built, the attendances at the other school naturally decreased, and ho did not seo why tho Education Department should take exception to the salaries paid on tho previous basis. Ho contended that it was not tho fault of tho teachers that the attendances had decreased, but. owing to the fact that a new school had been erected by tho Eduction Board.

Commercial travellers are hauling in storekeepers' orders for No Rubbing Laundiy Help with commendable zeal, because it lightens woman's toil on washing days.—Advfe,

On account pf the rapid increase of tendances at the Kelburn Infants' School, it wns decided at yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Education Board to asphalt the grounds and provide more Keating accommodation, ami room for liata and clonks. On the King's Birthday (Juno 3) the Chief Post Ottice will he open in ail its branches (except Money-order and Sav-ing-bank) from 0 to 10 a.m. Mails' for dispatch l>.v steamers will close at 8 a.m., .-Aid the only dispatches of correspondence Uy trains will closo as follow:—For tho Sfyirarapa, lliuvko's Bay, Manawatu, Hai/gitikei, Wanganui, and Taranaki districta at 5.45 a.m.; for Auckland and Auckland district at 8 n.ni. There will ho no delivery of correspondence b.y let-ti;i-i!:uiieis in the city or 6uburljs, and the city and suburban receivers will not b'i ck'urcd during the day, but night ule.jiuiiccv: will be made .is usual. On Friday. .Tunc 2, the Letter-carriers' Department (upstairs from Feathereton - Street) will be open from.B to 9 p.m. for the delivery of correspondence addressed t') streets in tho city and suburbs, the public delivery counter will bo open from H Ui (J p.m. for the delivery of correspondent addressed to the Post Office, and the parcels delivery counter will also bo open from 8 to 9 p.m. Writing from Marseilles to Mr. M. Cable, Traffic Superintendent of the Wellington Tramways, Motorman A. Coupcr, who left with the 9th Reinforcements, says ho is satisfied- Wellington has nothing to learn from France in the matter of tramway arrangements. . In his opinion tho Wellington cars arc far before those he has seen in tho Eepublic in the matter of comfort, both for motorman and conductor. Women are acting as the con- 1 ductors of all the cars in Marseilles. The writer adds that he -was in the best of health and that tho French people, .jvho are most sociable, cannot do enough for the New Zealand soldiers. A considerable quantity of earth fell away from tho new Constable Street cutting during tho heavy rainstorm: on Sunday night and Monday morning. Tho slip shot across the tramline, and covered it to a depth of some feet in placca, but an emergency gang was requisitioned, and cleared the line sufficiently to allow the • cars to run on time-tablo yesterday morning. "I don't think the pill has been gilded to-night," said Sir Edward Gibbes, when being dined by his staff on. retiring from the ppsition of Secretary for Education, "by tho usual reference to a wellearned rest. : The . fact is that it is not so much a rest as it is reduced employment. The time wo are supposed to work is seve nliours day, but I know of many officials who work nine and ten hours regularly. It's a mistake! Dr. Anderson, I ask you to put your foot down on it—or your hand—to have that stopped. It's a bad thing," said- Sir Edward, growing earnest, 'as it deludes the Public Service Commissioner as to the amount of work to ba done. How can he know the strength of the staff where three men do two 'men's work!" This statement was greeted with shrieks of laughter, much to Sir Edward's surprise, who intended, of \ course, to put it the other way about. "It is not genius that is required tc make the ideal Public Servant," said Sir Edward Gibbes, Secretary for Education, when farewelled by his staff last evening. "If a man gives his full attention to whatever comes before him, and attends strictly to his duties, he's the man the Government wants. I'm not a man of genius, and I've been successful. Re- - member the old Biblical quotation: 'Whatever thy band find itself to do, <k ' it with thy might.' That's all I've done!"

About 400 attended at tho Town. Hall last evening, ivlien Mr. Harry Atmore, ox-M.P. for Nelson, gavo an address on "War Taxation—Cost of Living-and Exploitation." ' Tho address was listened to with. interest.

As the Tesult of heavy rain wluch has been falling in tho Wairarapa. since Saw tirday, says our Carterton correspondent, a .good deal of low-lying land at Dalefield is under water.

The medical inspector of schools for Otago and Southland, in the course of a report upou corrective classes established in the Duncdin and adjacent schools, gives eoino interesting analyses'of tho defects found in children. For example, tho doctor groups as under the types of deformity found most commonly in boys and girls, the number examined being 308 boys and 308 girls -.—Round shoulders, 82 boys, 4G girls; curvature, 135 boys, 222 girls; Hat chest, 115 lwys, 142 girlsj pigeon-breastedness, 14 boys, 4 girls.

The following subscriptions for the two weeks ending May 30 were received by Bio secretary .of tho Wellington Society for tlie Provontion of Cruelty to Animals: —Bristol Piano Co. and N.Z. Express Co., 10s. 6d. each; Mr. C. D. Macintosh, 10s.j Messrs. Brodrick hnd Co., Dr. A. Martin, Mrs. Balcombe Brown, Keid and lteid, .Van Stavcren Bros., C. A. Ewen, Wright, Dixon, and Witt, AV. S. La. Trobe, .T; B. Vinlay. Hayward Pictures Ltd., Pullers' Pictures Ltd., 'J'onnsend and Paul, Thompson Bros., W. Tonks, T. A. Roberts, C. Haines, SS. each; Miss Chalmers. Messrs. Stewart, I. Clark, W. A. Browning, 11. D, Edwards, Eev. W. lakcourt, Mrs. S, M'Guire, G. and C. Aldous, H. W. Preston, J. Kellow and Son, A. Walker, W. Pending, W. Crichton, M. J. M'Leod, 0. H. Barratt, P. O'Donohue, Shacklock and Friend, Miss Kicbardson, 2s. Gd. each. Total, £7 ISs. Gd.

Mr. H. A. Keeling, manager of the wool and produce department of Messrs. Abraham .and Williams, Ltd., Wellington, who has been appointed produce manager by the Bank of New Zealand, a position occupied by the late Mr. Morton Clark, was presented at n meeting of the Wellington Woolbrokers' Association on Monday with a suit case, as a testimony on the part of members to his high personal and business qualities. The presentation was made by Mr. Alex. F. Roberts, chairman of the Woolbrokers' Association.

Messrs. Harconrt and Co. submitted at auction vesterdav afternoon eight business sites in 'Aitken Street. There was a fair attendance, but as the reserves wero not reached the sections were passed in and are now in .the auctioneers' hands for private sole at the upset price of .£37 per foot for Section 3, and <£3!) per foot for the other seven sections, which will bo .sold in frontages to suit purchasers.

Stout soles .in Box Calf Boots. Ideal for winter wear. 225. to 355. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street.—Advt.