LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2808, 28 June 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the s.s. Ruapehu, which sailed from Sydney at G p.m. on June 21, for Auckland, is bringing a small mail from Australia. The Wellington portion is duo by tho Main Trunk train on Thursday. Mails which left New Zealand on May 10 arrived in London on June 23. 1

"To send children into the streets with collection boxes gi"fis them an education they would l>e as well without, observed the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken at 5 es * terday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board. "It makes them pert and forward, and destroys that modesty ana niceness wo lovo to eeo in children. Sir Walter Buchanan, disagreed. _ 1 think it is a very good thing," ho said, "to liavo the children collecting. In the Wairarapa they have done very well. I have had notes from the Hutt and from AVellington, and so on, and in every case the appeals have been so attractively niado that I found money tbat I would not have found for adults.'

A Gazette Extraordinary issued yesterday declares the notes of the following banks to be legal tender for a further period—till December 31, 1916:—Bant of New Zealand, National Bank of r>ew Zealand (Limited), Union Bank of Australia (Limited), Bank of Australasia, Bank of New South Wales, and Commercial Bank of Australia (Limited).

During last week thirty-eight men applied to the Wellington Labour Bureau for work. Twenty-irco were placcd in positions, two in Government employment, and twenty in private employment. Of the sixteen for whom work was not found, thirteen are labourers.

A letter from the Government to the Wellington Education Board yesterday informed the board that no salary would be allowed ex-students of the Teachers' Training College l'or tho month of January. The chairman of the board (Hon. J. G. W. Aitken) said tho position,was tliat the students left tho college in December, aud could not get an appointment till February, so that they wcrre without pay during January, after their serving two years at the training establishment. 'This is hardly fair," Mr. Aitken added, "and I think we 6hould make further representations to tho Government." Tho board agreed, and the Government will again ba approached.

A report on the open-air class-ropm result at Wellington Soutlw School waa made to the Wellington Education Board yesterday. Tho report was to the effect that children taught out of doors showed (by comparison with those taught inside) increases in height and weight, ana immunity from minor complaints, such as colds.

"It is a great pity, in tho interests of the outlying districts, where it is in tho interests of tho whole Dominion to plant successful settlements, that so little educational advantages are offered by the Government," remarked Sir Walter Buchanan at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board.

The Minister of Railways stated in tho House yesterday that the report of the Foxton Harbour Boyal Commission had been sent to His Excellency the Governor. It would depend on His Excellency's instructions when the report would be laid on the table of the House.

With reference to the statement telegraphed on Monday that the State Coal Depot in Christchurch has shut down for a month or more ou all household orders, owing to the shortage of railway supplies, it is explained by the Department, says a Press Association telegram from Christchurch, that it is only the sale of coal that has been stopped. The depot is still open and the usual business is being done in slack, coke, firewood, etc.

An extensive petition praying for thfl official recognition of tyie Railway Tradesmen's Association, was-presented to the House of Representatives yesterday. Petitioners represent that they are members of the subsidiary trades of the Railway Service, and for years have been endeavouring to work through the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, but the policy of that body on the skilled labour of the tradesmen is in conflict with their interests, and hence a special'association has been formed, for which official recognition is now sought.

There aro 542 teachers in the employ of the Wellington Education Board, and one-fifth of them are eligible for military service. Half the eligibles are married. It was stated at yesterday's meeting of the Education Board that the Government had asked for an expression of opinion on the question of the enlistment of teachers. Tho board decided that the matter was one of policy for the Government to decide; that the' Government should be the best judge of what was needed. Sir Walter Buchanan said that the board might express a hope that the Government would give due consideration to the great importance of retaining, if possible, the services of headteachers and high-grade teachers. The board agreed with- this view. •

The Wellington Central Branch of tho Amalgamated Society of Carpenters nr.d Joiners, in the following resolution, bikes exception to the decision of the Wellington City Council in regard to the letting of the Town Hall to labour bodies, and the condition imposed in that connection:—"We emphatically protest against the action of the City Council in refusing to grant the use of the Town Hall to labour bodies, except with tho impossible condition that the City' Council has the right to debar certain speakers; also, we draw public, attention to the open partiality displayed by the City Council and police in preferring charges of obstructing traffic, by holding meetings in the streets, only when held by labour. We ivonld remind certain public officials that they have, on election, solemnly sworn to impartially administer their duties, yet on occasions labour organisations are morally and socially flouted."

Mr. P. Ilallv, of the Board of Trade, has- gone to i)niicilin to investigate an alleged breach of the Commercial Tilists Act in respect to the supply of coal. Tic is accompanied by the secretary to the board, 111'. .1. W. f Collins.

The Goodyear Tyro and Rubber Company, of Akron, U.S.A., lias become tho largest and most successful tyre company in the world, solely by its policy of making only the liighost. class of tyres. Seventy per cent, of the new Motor-cars now imported into this country, especially tho better class cars, aro fitted with Goodyear Tyres. Motorists should nuike sure that they buy tho genuine Goudyoar Tyre. Particulars and prico lists can bo' obtained from Tho •Dominion Motor Vehicles, limited,. G5 Courteiiav Place, Wellington, Controlling Agents for Wellington, Gisbome, H.awkc's Bay, Marlborough, and Nelson.—Advt.

We give ,£lO guarantee with every Is. package, "No Rubbing Laundry Holp." that it will wash all clothes porfectly clean, without rubbing or injury. Wardoll Bros, and Co.--Advt.

There are still two smallpox cases front the Willochra on Quarantine Island, reports the "Otago Times." One mail is now quite well, and is simply putting in time until lie can be discharged, but the other man, although he has made some improvement, is yot severely ill. Major Wheeler remains in charge. There are also four attendants. The nurses have been taken off the island.

Whilst there were a great Many complaints about tho postal arrangements in Egypt during the first six ur ,e;ght months of the war, tho public were >nly vaguely aware of the enormous difficulties in the way of prompt dispatch being made to the men in the fighting foica>. They might have been in Egypt one day, nivay to Gallipoli two days later, and perhaps.a week afterwards would be in a Maltese hospital or on their way to London sick or wounded.- The secretary o- tho Post and Telegraph Department (Mr. W. 11. Morris) has been presented wttli a capital series of views showing the Kew Zealand Forces' base post office at Alexandria, the staff at work in the various sections, and a splendid group of the 31 officers employed, under Lieut. D. M'Curdy. This department has for a long ■ time past been thoroughly organised, and has done its work splendidly since the days of chaos marked the initiation of the Army Post Office. What the public may not know is that the letters for the whole of the New Zealand Forces (unless specially addressed) still go to Alexandria, though most of our men are in France. The reason for this is obvious. There are still New Zealand troops in Egypt (in the Canal zone), and there are still many of our men. In Egyptian hospitals and eonvalcscent homes, so that all general mails for the Field Forces are sorted at Alexandria, ia order that those still in Egypt may receive their letters at the earliest possible moment, whilst little time is lost in forwarding tho rest on to France.

The date is approaching in Wellington when the planting of trees should be in full swing. The Government has decided not to observe a holiday for .< rbor Day this year, and the Reserves Committee of tho City Council will not arrange any official celebration. They have,' however, a- limited number of trees for distribution to the public who are desirous of improving their properties. These trees will be distributed on i'riday and Saturday, July 7 and 8. Applications in writing shoiil(l be made to the Towrt Cleric by Tuesday next, by those desirous of profiting by the council's offer.