LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2827, 19 July 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The following is Colonel Logon's weekly report oil the health of the Samoa garrison:—"Privates Grout, synpvisis, knee; M'Pherson, convalescent; ' Gray, tinea, cruris; ,T. S. Jones, ecchymosis ankle; Seott, carbuncle. The Fifteenth Infantry and Engineers Reinforcements will bo inspected by His Kxcolloncy tho Governor at Trontham llncccouTSo at elevon o'clock to-morrow morning. It Ims been.decided by Defence Headquarters, Wellington, that tho lodging allowance of 2s. per diom payablo to men on siuk leave from camp sliall bo giyon only in tho case of men to whom such Biol: leave has been granted by tlie medical authorities in camp. It shall not bo paid to men who are away on ordinary leave when tho sick leave is granted, as it is found that some nion obtain sick leave as an for overstaying their ordinary leave. A closc investigation of all the circumstances surrounding the firg at Auckland Government House on Saturday night has failed to reveal any cluo as to tho origin of the outbreak. It is understood, says a Press Association telegram, that experts who viewed the gutted structure increasingly incline to the belief that it cannot effectively be restored without complete rebuilding, for, apart from tho estimated cost of tho work, some dSGflflO or .C7OOO, exclusive, of coarse, of furnishing, tho building is looked upon as l>eing out of dato and totally unsuitable for a modern Vice-Kegal residence. At last evening's meeting of the Wellington ltugby Union, Mr. l'\ J. M'Comisky; referee, reported having ordered an Athletic Club player off tho field last Saturday during .the match against Wellington College. The alleged olfence was rough. play. The player in question attended tho meeting, and denied that thorc had been roughness on his part. Tho Union suspended him till the end of the season. At a meeting o£ tho Kelburn Ratepayers' Association last evoning, advice was received from tho City Council that a sum of .£2500 hud been put on the estimates for a lift in Church Street. TJic president staled that tho Mayor of Wellington had given him to understand that the lift was the first stage in tho work of making a tramway which would connect with tho lift, and run via Kelburn Parade and connect with tho Ivarori line. A Maori woman named Louie Graham, who was arrested by tho Auckland police in a shelter at tho Auckland Railway Station (states a Press Association message), stated that she camo from Thames with her threo-months-old baby, and met a woman who handed her one pound and took her child. The woman gave her tho address of a person resident in Wanganui. The police stated that this was tho second time this sort of thing had happened here. They asked for an adjournment in order to investigate. Accused was remanded for a week.

The Wnirarapa Patriotic Association recently set up a committeo to consider tho best means ef assisting returned, soldiers on to the land. report of the committee, which was adopted at a meeting of the ftxecutivo on Monday, is as follows:—(1) That a permanent land committeo bo set up, not necessarily memof the Patriotic Committee; (2) to consider the advisability of financing tho soldier landholders on tho rural banking' system; (3) to assist the Government in every way possiblo in securing suitable land for tho purpose; (4) to endeavour to place on the land only men capable of working same; (5) provided the Government is prepared \o hand over the control of tho land to tho committee, tho interest could bo guaranteed; (6) the cummiltce to deal with Wairarapa land only, as it would bo impossible to supervise transactions in other districts.

It is anticipated that the new building for tho Napier Soldiers' Club, a brick structure costing about .£2OOO, will b'o completod by October. Home ,fc!00 or ■iMO lias already been subscribed towards tho furnishings.

Great interest: was shown by all who witnessed Mm Hotpoint Cooking Demonstration in one of Kirlicaldie and Stains', htil,. Lambtou Quay, windows. The demonslrntion will bo repented every afternoon till Prid^y.—Advt. Tho liquidator in tho estate, of the "North Otago Times" Go., Ltd., Mr. Prior, arrives from Auckland to-day, and will interview persons interested in the purehnse of the plant, etc. Mr. Prior leaves for tho oouth to-morrow evening. —Advt.

Monday, says a Press Association telegram from Christchurch, was tho -final uato for* the receipt of replies from shareholders of tho New Zealand Shipping Company with regard to the transfer of New Zealand Shipping Company shares for I'. and O. Company stock, anil over 75 per cent, of tho shareholders had replied. Cabled instructions were, however, received from London to extend the dato for receipt of roplics, and this has been done.

Ernest Devoine, who was charged with tho attempted murder of Louisa "Whito in tho Nairn Street Reserve, and who stood part of liis trial at tho Inst sittings of tho Supromo Court, will appear again at the Magistrate's Court to-day, charged with the murder of tho girl. At tho last hearing Miss Wihiite was still alive, and it was feared that elio would not rccovor, hence tho Crown asked- for an adjournment, wliicli was granted. Subsequently Miss Whito succumbed, and today's trial is a result of tho occurrence. A man named James Joseph Ecclcs and his info wore, says our llnsterton correspondent, arrested in Masterton on warrant issued from Wellington, charging thorn with infringement of the Patent and Designs Act in manufacturing and soiling certain fire extinguishers. Thoy were remanded to appear in Wellington on Wednesday. Tho whole of their plant was seized by tho police. Tho increase in tubercular disease among men owing to tho war, and tho recognised necessity, for making additional provision for the treatment of patients has led tho Otago Hospital. Board to take action with regard to this matter. TJio Inspeotor-General of Hospitals has had his attention drawn to • former communications on this subject, and has been asked to reconsider tho board's proposal for making extensions and additions to tho Pleasant Valley Sanatorium in order to alloviato tlie present positiop. So far no reply lias been received from the Inspector-General, but the matter will probably be again discussed with tho Minister (the Hon. G. W. Russell), at the end* of tho month, says an exchange. Tho vatuo of gift goods shipped through tlio Internal Affairs Department since the outbreak of war amounts to .£139,870 (,£BO,OOO for British and Belgian relief, .£8095 for Red Cross purposes in England, and .£51,775 for hospital requisites and comforts for New Zealand troops in hospital in Egypt, Malta, etc.). Tlio Department continues to be tlio official channel for remitting relief moneys to England. During tho year the Depart-, mont has handled ,£340,335 3s. Gd. Tho principal item is ono of .£202,077"* 7s. 7d. for Belgian, relief. From November 1, 1915, to March 31, 1910, 870 passports were issued by tho Internal Affairs Department. , Several thousand permits were also issued. One of the returned soldiers by the TJlimaroa, who was present at tho oivic reception yesterday, stated that those who returned Jiy the Ulimaroa wore among the last of the New Zealand colli iers to leavo Egypt. All the big hospitals, including tho New Zealand bnse hospital at Pont do Koubbeh had been cleared' out, and as far as' ho was aware tho only New Zealandcrs in khaki left in Egypt were a few v,'ho were still convalescent in., tho Aotea . Convalescent Homo in Heliopolis, tlio home established by the people of the and Wanganui districts. The soldier, who had spent some weeks thore, describes this home as the best spot in Egypt. "You could not liavo been hotter treated if you had been at the best hotel in Wellington, and I would like the people who subscribed to it to know that," he said. Mr. Hugh D. M'lntosh, of Sydney, now in New Zealand, recently cabled to tho Tsar, congratulating him on the Russian offensive, and in duo course received a courteous reply. It is expected that tho by-election for ono councillor at Petone will bo keenly oantested. Fivo residents have already signified their intention of standing, but it is thought that with the closing of nominations to-morrow that number will be increased. A. burning question in this connection is the half-holiday for shops. Tho report of the Registrar-General shows that tho war has had a considerable effect on the marriage market, tlie increaso during the.year being 891,

A an early hour yesterday morning an outbreak of fire occural in an outhouso attached to a dwelling in Bay Street, Petone, owned by Mr. Bull, of Eastings, and occupied by Mrs. Hannam. In the absence of any wind, the local brigade vas able to prevent the flames from spreading, but the outbuilding was destroyed. The occupant states that about -£15 worth of effects, which were in the shed, and,uncovered by insurance, were lost. The house iB insnred for £140 in the Ocean office.

Writing from a. dug-out in France, a Wellington stage-hand writes to Mr. Sort Hoyle, of Wellington, as follows'"Sorry to hear that things theatrical have not been too brisk. 1 hope the boys won't feel it much. If they do there is a fins show on over here for tho single ones. Tho pay is sixpence more a performance and seven shows a week—matinees every day.' Once they join the show they don't '.•ant to leave till the last act is over and the stage cleared. . . ,' The weather here is getting pretty warm now, but we don't work up a thirst as tho pubs are only open for two hours a day, and its p. long, long way to one. You don't want to be here in tho winter, as it is very cold and wet, but I guess wo will be out af it before next winter. Pleased to hear that the news you get is good. We don't get any tore, but will try and keep that up when'the time comes to move."

A meeting of householders and expupils of the South Wellington School was held on Monday evening to discns3 the final arrangements for a. suitable Eond-oif' to Mr. George Flux, headmaster of tho 6chool. who is retiring on superannuation, after being associated with tho South 'Wellington School for the past twenty years. The following were elected to act on the General Committee:—Mesdames Deihl and Have and the Eev. Shirer, tlio .householders: Misses Petrie, Morton, and Short, and Mr. Ballachy, representing the school, and Messrs. M'Kenzie and Brool, the expupils. Mr. Startup presided. A number of those present came forward with subscriptions, and it was r<«olved that expupils or householders in the district bo asked to forward any subscriptions to the lion, secretary of tho committee.