LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2818, 8 July 1916, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The-infantile paralysis epidemic, which caused something of a scare last summer,. has'now subsided. Following, are. the totals of the cases notified during the months of this year:—January, 77; February, 297; March, 322; April" 190;- . May, 58; June, 16. The cases for June were distributed; a's.'fbllow 11 r Canterbury; 2; . O'tago, 3.' Aucklandhad a clean bill of health. The ' Fifteenth Infantry Reinforcements, who marched across the-Bimutaka. Hill yesterday,- ; left /'their bivouac at. Kaitoke yesterday morning and readied Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt, at. about noon. After lunching there the troops moved "off in three bodies .to .tako up out-, post positions at poirits : between..Wallace-; ville Township arid ' Miingaroa ; . The weather promised to be fine for the night operations, and at .an early hour, this morning 'an attack upo'n tlie defenders' position was to be made by two bodies of attackers. "' The cabled description of the 'riots .in Berlin (published, in The Dominion' this morning) may possibly have had something to do with what happened in Palmerston North last night. According to. a Press Association telegram, a rumour originated in' Palmerston -North that the ICaiser and the Crown Prince had been assassinated by the mob in Berlin. .The rumour reached'the.Opera House, when Mr. W. H.' George was delivering a lecture on Egypt to a packed house. The Mayor announced the sensational news from the platform, and the audience rose in a body, .cheered, and' sang the National Anthem, while tlio Ambulance men at Awapuni camp gave a liaka. Indescribable scenes of enthusiasm followed. The rumour was contradicted. ■ Fifty-two. members of Parliament have signed a'letter which lias been forwarded to the Minister :of Public Health (tho Hon. G. W. Russell). The litter is as.follows:—"We,-.the undersigned mem., beta of the House of Representatives' uitd Legislative Council, desire to impress upon you the urgent necessity that exists for action in , the .• matter of tho local branches of the British Medical Association. Wo respectfully suggest.that legislation be introduced at once, giving power to the Government similar to that taken in Australia. All that is asked for is that where a reputable and duly= registered medical orac-. titioner is concerned, members of the B.M.A. shall not have power to »ofuse to consult with such-, practitioners, 'es-jieciallv-where human life is at stake.— (Signed) R. Fletcher and- 51 others.". A man, who appeared to be a fireman on' a vessel in port, was found in an unconscious condition on the concrete Uoor of a bathroom in X Store, near ■ the. Customhouse yesterday. He was suffering from a severe wound in tho head, and appeared to be in a bad way Dr. Hendry was summoned, and on his advice the man was removed to the Hospital. On inquiry at that institn. tion last evening it was-found-that the sufferer had not regained consciousness, tliorefo**! his name was not ascortain ab'le. ' Wellington College has now reached the "1000" mark with regard'fo enlistments by her "old'boys"; 1020 "old boys".are definitely known to have enlisted. Many others doubtless have gone also from other parts, but of whom it has not been | possible to get any record. . . The.Woodville School has been closed for three weeks on account of the diphtheria epidemic.,'

The Canterbury. Land Board (states a. Press Association telegram, from Christ church) lias resolved to :open for selection l).y discharged soldiers a grazing run of. 2260 acres in tho Mackenzie County, also three sheep farms- 011 Uhc Cheviot Estate, and two sheep farms in tho Rollesby run, Mackenzie County.

A cheque for JiIOOO was received yesterday by tho secretary, of' the. Education Board (Mr.. G. L. 'Stewart) from the Belgian l'uiid Committee as a contribution' towaids the Belgian Children's Fund, which has been taken in hand by tho schools of 'the Wellington district.

The secretary"of St. John Ambulacss Association > Wellington -reports that ia response to ah appeal made for a motor ambulance from each towu in the provinces of Hawke'fl Bay, Wellington, and Turanaki, the Wanganui St. John and Red Cross Society lias cabled for ono motor, ambulance to lie sent to the Anzaes in Trance, making a total oi three already forwarded since Lord Eanfurl/s cablegram was received. Plainclothes Constables Eurnett and Wallace arrested a girl last evening who bad absconded from an industrial school lii Christchuroh. ' Last evening a social was held in the Alexandra. Hall in welcome-to the delegates to the Federation of Labour Conference. ShorJ/ speeches were delivered, and the evening was very pleasantly spent. Among those present were the lion. .T. T. Paul. Messrs. A. K. Hindmarsh, M.P., P. Webb, M.P., J. M'Combs, M.P.,aiid A. Walker; M.P. • Members of. the Anglican Synod, which is now sitting in "Wellington, will visit Trentham Camp to-day. The question of 6 o'clock 'closing was considered- by the Anglican Synod yesterday, in committee. The consideration of the subject will be continued on Monday. The Auckland Waterside Workers' Union, at a meeting attended by 100 men, passed a resolution, in sweeping. denun. ciation of the-,'Military-• Service Bill, .which tias .characterised in the resolution as serving no purpose but securing cheap soldiers, abolishing trades unionism, and forcing the people of New. Zealand under military dom.nation. It was stated that only fifteen o.' twenty members voted against '.he resolution—Press Association. ; " :. z" ' - .'i'ho. Anglican Synod has been discussing education ai:d' religions instruction at its recent sittings, ana one member of the Synod is reported as having said that I he Minister of Education is eonling round to the churchmen's way of thinking on these subjects. ' The statement had special reference to religious instruction in' State schools. In the. fiou.se yesterday ■ Mr. Isitt; asked the .Minister whether, he had : so changed, his mind; Mr. Hanan said he had made no public utterauce whicli would justify this inference. The last occasion on which he had referred to ..he subject was at-the annUul conference o( pumary , school teachers,-and then lie cj{.cd the teachers to'stand.firmly by tuo 'j.- -esent 6ysteni,of free, secular', and ronioulsory education, a system l in which he iu\.l aiways.believed .strongly. i The formation of a'Forestry League as proposed by Sir James 6. Wilson is the subject of a .meeting of subscribers' aiid others interested, called for Wednesday evening next,. July' 12, at .the Chamber of Commerce. Mr". D. E. Hutchins, F.R.G.S., late. Director of Forestry in fSouth Africa, will 'deliver an address, on '"Forestry." i'- '''>■ : - -- : Brrlha Grover, H years: of age, is reported as.missing.-, from, the .-home of her parents at' Palmerston North since, midday- on Wednesday-last.''' The'girl is 5 ■feet .2 inches in'; height-,.-.has, very long dark.brown, hair, and prominent front teeth,- and at the 7 time of her disappearance ivas .wearing <t white, felt hat,' with a red. band, and a grey tweed overcoat, Mr; H. 'G. Grover, the'father of the missing girl, supplies these particulars in the hope that they may lead, to her discovery!