LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2822, 13 July 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities a<lvise that .tho 9.5. Kiverina, which left AVellington on Thursday last, carrying Australian and English mails, via Suez, arrived in Sydney on. Monday morning. Legislation to debar the uso of; tho word"Anzac"as a registered trademark will he introduced during tho _current session, said the Hon. Dr. M'Nab yesterday, in reply to a question from Mr. Poland: Tho postal authorities adviso that' tho mails which left\Noiv Zealand on May 25 arrived in London on tho afternoon of July 10. It takes' dCH) years for a totara tree to reach maturity, according to tho chairman of the Clifton County Council. Tho statement was made in a discussion on tree-planting. It is reported that the Government has purchased fov disposal to rotnrned soldiers portion of tho land farmed by Mr. Reynolds, a well-known Cambridge settler. ' > It was resolved by the Agricultural Conference yesterday that tho agricultural associations of tho Dominion should be asked to start and vigorously promote a movement for collecting funds for tho settlement on the land of ruined Belgian farmers. Tho motion was sympathetically received, and a suggestion was tlirrtwn out by Mr. Reynolds (the AVaikato Central delegate) that slvow profits should he devoted to such a purpose. Tho alleged menace of a German settlement at Marton, raised bv Mr. .T. Payne, was disposed of hy tuo Hon. J. Allen, in the House of Representatives, yesterday. "There is a church at Marton where the German language is used,'" he said. "It is tlie Lutheran Church, and tho German language has been used in the church since its foundation. It is not. necessary, and it is not desirablo to take any aciiou with a view to restricting the use of the German language in the sen-ices of this church. The literature circulated by this church in Now Zealand is in tho English Innguage. There is also in tlie Marton district •• Lutheran Church school, and at this school tho German language is. explained to members of the church and its relation to same. Tlie school was closed fov a time in 1015 on tho ground that tho instruction was not efficient, but since then another teacher lias been appointed. Tho senior inspector of the district reports that no German is taught in tho school." A further question from Mr. Payne as to tho employment on the Main Trunk line, of a German resident at Marton, was met by a flat denial from tlie Minister of Railways. The AYairarapa Presbyterv, at a meeting on Tuesday, passed tho following resolution:—'"That' this Presbytery views with alarm tho prevalence of ilrinkin" at the: present time, and expresses it! sympathy with the movement in favour of closing hotels at six o'clock." An alleged attempt at dumping Australian, wheat into New Zealand was indicated in a recent cablegram, which <1 noted Australian wheat "for the mamii'uetu/'o <>t" export (lour at is. l(Uil„ f.0.b.," while other wheats were quoted at ss. IJd. Tho point was brought before tho I'rimo Minister by Mr. J. Ansley (Waitaki), and tlie reply was that the PVime Minister of the Commonwealth was being approached oil the matter.

In replying^ o a question by Mr. AVilford, tlie Minister of' Mines yesterday said:—"ln consequence of a II) per cent, war bonus to the miners, of a 10 per cent, increase in railway freights, increase in steamer freights, and of an increaso in carting costs, tlio Mines Department has been compelled to raise the retail and, wholesalo prices of State coal, otherwise'a heavy loss on this year's operations would rosnlt."

The question of placing a vote on the Supplementary Estimates for the 'Workers' Educational Association will be considered by Cabinet shortly, said the Hon. .1. A. l-liinaiu yesterday in reply to a request mado by. Mr. P. C. AVebb.

The Goodyear Tyre aud P.ubber Company, ol' Akron, U.S.A., has become tlio largest aud most successful tyre company in tbc world, solely by its policy of making only the '"highest class (if tyres. HovLiity per cent. of the now Motor-cars now imported into tliis conntry, eopecially tlie better class ours, arc fitted witli Goodyear Tyres. Motorists should make sure that they buy the genuine Goodyear Tyre. T'nrticulnrs nml price lists can be obtained from The Dominion Motor Vehicles, Limited, Gj Courtenay Place, Wellington, Controlling Agents for Wellington, Gisborne, Eawke's Bny, Marlborough, and Nelson.—Advt.

As Mr. Will. Telford's Was tho only nomination receded for the vacancy on I tho Miramar Borough Council lie has been eloctcd to tho position. Mr. Telford is an ex-councillor, and was on tho council during tho years 1912-13-I']', when he retired for business reasons. The now councillor was nominated by ex-Coun-cillors Stono and Smith. At a meeting in the Mayor's room yesterday, Mr. Burn, Mayor of Karori. was elected to fill tho vacancy on tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, -caused by the resignation of Mr. F. Townsend, Mayor of Miramar, who resigned on account of having business transactions with the board. Tho Board of Agriculture, wiil meet in ■Wellington to-day. An inquiry .as to whether a German named Zimmerman was a teacher at Waiotapu was' addressed to tho Minister of Education iu the Houso of Repres'ontativ&s yesterday by Mr. J. V. Brown (Napier). In reply, the Hon. J. A. 11 a nan requested that the question be put on tho Order Paper, when it would be inquired into. He was under the impression that inquiries had already been made, and that it. had boon found that thero was nothing in tho teacher's Conduct by implication or otherwise to suspect his loyalty. Tho Secretary of - tho Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce has received advice from the New Zealand Government agent in Sydney that space can now bo booked for Now Zealand cargo in steamers leaving. Sydney for South African ports during the months of August and September next. Intending. shippers may obtain fuller particulars on application to the Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce, "Wellington. • A plea for the exemption of officers at the front from war taxation was made last week by Mr. J. V. Brown (Napier). The reply of the Minister of Finance given yesterday was that the matter is receiving consideration, but considerable difficulties are being found in devising an equitable scheme of exemption. years ago a Sydney firm needed something to keep the offico door ajar. They-used a lump of stuff that had come 'from ono of tho Pacific islands. One day a man strolled in who thought the stuff might \>e phosphatic Tock. Ho got it analysed. His suspicion was confirmed, lie tracked down the sea captain who had brought it to the office years l>s#ore. 'ire inquired, where the thing came from. He made a sea voyage, and lie discovered the' Ocean Island deposit of millions of tons of phosphate. Tho first whitebait of the season are reported from Foxton. A Maori farmer is at present wrestling with a bush section in tho Raetihi district, and near-by-a returned soldier has taken up a holding. Tho Maori, discovering this fact, demonstrated his appreciation of his white brother's patriotism in a practical and very acceptable manner. He-called on tho ex-soldier and expressed himself to this effect: "You good fellow. You go and fight for me. I like to do something for you. I'll send .my bushmcn to give you a hand." And ho did, says an exchange, sending the whole gang, and keeping them on the job for several days. "There is no unemployment in' the Eastern States of America." said Mr. E. Hi'ton in an address to the Agricultural Conference yesterday. "Money is pouring in for munitions, and so on. . . . 1 wish emphasise the desirability of at once fostering a trade with these Eastern States." Two petitions' from J. J. ileikle, now of Auckland, were reported upon in the House o.f. Representatives yesterday by the M to Z Petitions Committee. In one petition petitioner asked that compensation be granted .to him for wrongful imprisonment, ana'that his fingerprints be returned. In tho other petition he asked for compensation for wrongful conviction. In each case the committee reported that it hod no recommendation to make.

A remit which promised to provoke interesting .discussion -was to have bsen considered by the Agricultural Conference yesterday. It cann: from Wanganui, and it ran: 'That this conference exI presses its emphatic protost against an export tax on produce/' However, -when the -timo to move it arrived the remit was withdrawn. . . ' Detective Mason arrested a""man yesterday charged with tho theft of an article belonging to a well-known chemical | firm in Wellington. This is the fifth arrest the detective has made in connection with the thefts of material from tinsame firm. ' A man named AYilliani Pollook was fined <£50 at tho Christchureh Court yesterday for betting in a train.—Pross Association. Acres of sunflowers growing as weeds are among the things that portain in California, which Mr. B. Clifton described to tlfe Agricultural Conference yesterday as a paradiso for every weed upon which the sun ever shone. A request that grounds which are owned by agricultural and pastoral associations as bona-fide show grounds should be exempt from local bodies' rates was made by a deputation which waited upon tho Minister of Agriculture (Hon. AY. D. S. Mac Donald) last evening. Mr. W. D. Hunt, chairman of tho A. and P. Con-, •ference, was the leading spokesman. The Minister, in reply, said that he personally was in favour of the proposal, and ■would bo glad to support it as far as possible. ■ He promised to bring the matter beforo Cabinot. Colonel J. ,T. Esson, who served in Gftllipoli and Egypt with the Main Expeditionary'Force, and has since returned to duty at tho Treasury, will deliver, a lecture on the subject of his experiences bofore tho members of the Wellington Garrison Officers' Club to-mor-row evening. "Better than gold," was the opinion expressed by the president of the Council of Agriculture af yesterday's ■ conference when ho was urging that every effort should be. made to discover phosphates in New Zealand. Such a discovery, he declared, would: bo better than a gold discovery to this country. , The Wellington branch of the Navy League has handed to the Prime Minister for transmission to London a cheque for ,£SOOO, for immediate distribution to the dependants of British sailors who have fallen in the war. This brings the contribution of the .Wellington branch to this humanitarian object up to ,£IO,OOO. A conference of members of Parliament upon some points connected with early closing was held yesterday morning at the House of Representatives, but it proved to bo abortive. The conference, it is understood, was of an unofficial nature, and was arranged by some enthusiastic advocates of early closing, without, so it is said, the knowledge of the party as a whole. In consequence of this there is an inclination to repudiate the conference on both sides, and so far as advancing the in-! tere-sts of early closing is concerned, the attempted conference would seem to have done more harm than good by antagonising somo who wore inclined to be "benevolently neutral." Those asked by the Prohibition enthusiasts to meet them were Messrs. Wilford. Statham, and W. 11. Field, but Mr. Wilford was not present, and Mr. Statham,. while opposing six o'clock closing, denies that ho in any way represented "the trade." What the final upshot of the contest will be remains in doubt, but' (here has been a tendency on the part of VoderMo oninion to favour a compromise on the basis of 'fixing hotel hours at- 0 .a.m. to 0 0.m.. with the prohibition of "shouting." Whether the slight' irritation over the attempted conference will nfioct flint compromise remains to be seen. The War Regulations Bill, upon which the contest will eventuate, will be considered by Cabinet on Saturdav morning (provided the Ministers now ill are then convalescent), and the second reading Achate taken some time aext week. It understood that the discussion on tho measure will not be unduly prolonged, i\s members will be eonloni; t'i let (he issue go speedily lo a division.

Tlio llastertori County Council Ims (says our declined io support n proposal of tlic Anti-Gorman 1/oague in I'Ofrnixl to tho Naturalised Subjects' f'r.mrhiso l!ill. introduced to Parliament by .Mr. Vigor Brown.

■Ask stationers and storekeepers for "The Thinker's Favourite" writing tablets. Shakespeare's photo, villi samplo of hh • most inmortant philosophy mi outside cover and pretty picture on inside. Best for everybody.—Advt.

l r or Hen wlio wear pood Caps.—We have landed a supply of Tress's "stitched mascot/' from ss. 6d. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Ma-rmo.rs StrAoi—Adrfc.

The question of giving a salary lo the Minister of Education (tho ilon. J..A. Hanaii) will bo considered by Cabinet at an early date. According to a Press Association mess, ago from Christchurch, the new iiward for mustorera made in tho Arbitration Court gives an increase of wages per day from 10s. to 126. 6d., and per week from ,£8 ss. to £i 10s.; Sundays, 10s. to 12s. Gd.; snowrakers, per day, 15s. to .£l. Packers get an increase of 15s. per wook. Learners' wages were also increased. A question bv Mr. W. H. Field as to tlie maintenance of arterial roads by the Government was replied to by the Minister of Public Works yesterday in these terms:—"The question of the apportionment of the cost of maintaining main arterial- roads is ona which cau only be properly dealt with by testation. . This important matter has not been lost sight of by the Government, and will receive duo consideration after tho conclusion of the war." Speaking of the war generally Admiral Matsumnra remarked to an Auckland reporter: "I think wo are now seeing great battles on land that will hasten the end of this terrible war. But when wilt it end? Who can say? It may be this fear; but, of course, I do not know. And then there will bo the war .for trade. That is quite right, I think. Germany cannot be trusted, and would go on building ships for another war if she got her old trade back." A man charged with the theft of n suit caso, the contents of which are valued at ,£ll ss.' Gd., was arrested by DetectiveSergeant Rawle last evening. The property belongs to Roderick M'Allum. In a case before Mr. T. A. Boiloy, 6.M., at Christchurch ■ yesterday,' a motor-cycli6t was charged with carrying a pillion, rider in addition to a passenger in a side-car, contrary to the cornioil by-laws. Evidence was given that it was now a practice, commenced in America and other, countries, as giving stability to.tlie cycle, especially when climbing hills. The Jfagistrate said he saw no danger in the practice when a side-car was attachod to the cycle. He dismissed the charge to allow tho council to alter the by-law.—Press Association. Tho Mastevton County Council lias set up a committco to report upon the ijnofr ,tion of the advisitLility of crcetiug a toll-gate on the road between Masterton and Castlepolnt. ■■Reporting on tho health of the New Zealand Garrison, in Samoa Colonel Logan, Administrator, under date July JO, states:—"Pte. S. Morrison is suffering from insomnia; AY. M'Pherson, enteric; W. Crowley, conjunctivitis; E. Mackie, synovitis knee; (3. Fanthorpe, haemorrhoids; W. Strutters, ' septic soro; W. Mlvenzie/ entoTitis; ,W. Grant, synovjtia knee." 1 The annual tea and entertainment were held last evening at the Constable Street Citadel, there being about 250 people present at tho tea, and a large number at the entertainment given afterwards, both of which were great successes. CTiider the auspices of the Workers' Educational Association, iv lecture will be given to-night by Professor H. B. Kirk, M.A. v of Victoria University Collce, at tho Concert Chamber (Toitn Hall). The subject is "Flies aud Disease," and the lecture will bo illustrated by lantern slides prepared in connection with Profcssdr Kirk's work in the military camps for the last twelve months. Hints will bo offered to householders as to the way in which they should combat flies in their houses. Those who have already heard tholceture" sav that it could well bo ten times repeats. The public is invited to attfrsd. i '•