LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2830, 22 July 1916, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that ths g.s. Riverina, which sailed from Sydney at noon on-July 20 for Wellington, is carrying Australian 'mails only, and is duo here on Monday next. Mr. W. H. Field asked the Minister of Defence in the House of Representatives yesterday whether the Government had received any information regarding tlie offer of their services made by the •.members.,of'the New Zealand Motor Boat .Association.. The-Hon. J. -said that the Government had not received anv official communication conveying the information desired. It had cabled twice to the Imperial authorities'asking, for definite information, but had received no reply. A third cablegram had just been sent. The-Chief-; Justice (Kir ( Robert, Stout) ■ trillVp'ass'sentence 611 the blowing prisoners at id o'clock on Monday morning: George Coolte and Phillio Kissel, breaking and entering, And James Baldwin and William Thnmi's .Newman, breaking nnd entering, and theft. . In the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr. C. H. Poole asked the Minister of Defence whether he would mate ; n statement as to the intentions of.tlie Government regarding the future enlistment of-' Nine Tslandprs. . The Hon. ,T. AHe'n said that he did riot think it would be wise in • future to accept the services of any more men from Nine Tsiand, as tlie climate to which the tronos were going not be suitable to these islanders. Most of tlie islanders now beinir accepted were from Rara-f-onga,-and they' were all fight physicalIv.

•An inquirv as .to whether he thought a . soldier with seven, children, :the eldest only .nine arid a, half, year's of age", should 00 to the front. . was add'-es.snd ti tl"», Minuter ; of Defe-'oe'.yesterday bv Mr. .T. C. Thomson. The TTon. J. Allen said, that he had discoursed snch'men roiut: so f«V -w'.was '""'sible. without a definite, prohibition. There were cases. ■ however, when men '""lifted and made provision for the children, and these could i>o!-,be <Monned. Por.-tyio future-the deci««>i> of the Cabinet not' t'n "accept men wi"i more 'Inn three children except under snecial circumstances would be adhered, to.. ..

"I. believe'-.that if yon persist in this .crusade : .von are. ' innuniratinsr' n«ainstvenereal disease. ami add to ifc'.'alt'ollol-,ism.-".and consumption, you will fro " long ivav toward sbmning th"»m "'it," r»m"i'l;ed "Sir. P. T. Moor™ +« *>>i» fi.. AV. a*' vesterilay'-r Tr drnn'-aH"". "Am' Cie <im' —. cp" do it." he addpd. . (Vino ti the indisnosition of Mr." Brnard 17. Page (Citv Organist) there ,r iH. ho no organ, recital at the Town. Hall to-night. A matter concerning dentists outside tlie ]>?ntal Association was raised in Hip," House ,'yesterday afternoon by. Mr.. J. C. Thomson, .who asked whether tVs<\ men, 'n'thoush ' professionally .qualified,were debarred from . accepting work'.,for,, soldiers, Mr. Thomson, cited the cas° of a dentist in Tnvercar<jill who fnl( air-"i-ipv"'l under the position. The Hon. ,T. Allen, in replr, stated that, an rangemcnt had been entered inlo between the Tlepartment and the Dental. Association on (he basis of certain Tedn". Ed prices.;.-' Their' organisation examined reeniits, and-did-certain-treatment, but. so-far-n« .hi? knew there was-.■"nthinr (o nrevent til" "mnloymont of orilinary den. ti« | -s In- snlrlicrj. • A- popular idea in the Dominion for sonic years has been that there are more women in the. country than men. This idea, says the Christchurch "Press," is exnloded on reference to the last census taken in 1911, whetwit was shown that thorn- were '531,010 males and 47G,55S females, or a .proportion of females to-each mfl males of 50.57. The birth-rate, ■on referring -to last Tear--Book lor IEII4 sliows -that there, were 14,5!)") boy babies born to 13.80.1 females, or a proportion to» each 1(10 of the latter of 105.3. Kighteen military prisoners reached Bluff this week by the Paloona, which arrived from Melbourne. They were an accumulation of deserters and men who had missed--their passages at. Albany. ; They were taken .over- by a military -pilard on arrival, and sent on to ■headquarters io be dealt with: The Paloona arrived in Wellington last evening. • The Military Cross, which has • Jheen awarded to Lieut. Max JurifS, of Wellington (when fighting in France with the 7th Battalion''of the "London '-Eegiment), was established iu 1015. It consists of a Silver' cross with the Imperial Crown on each arm and the letters "G.K.1." in the centre. The ribbon is white, with a purple' stripe. The Military Cross is worn on the left breast, next (o the ictoria Cross, and is before all decorations and medals Hut. after all orders, which means that the D.S.O. is a higher award than the Military Cross. For washing woollens, linens, muslins, and. mechanics' overalls, we always, recommend "No Subbing Laundry Help"; Is.'cartons.-contains-sufficient for seven we'cklv wasllings. Yv apicll Bros, and Co. —Adv't. See. our window full of well-made Shirts, 3s. lid., or three for 10s. Gd. Geo. SWJ'(>l TJ-J

The Hon. C. J. Johnston, M.L.C., Consul for Belgium in Wellington, has received from tho secretary of the Belgian Relief Fund, London, the following communication in acknowledgment of a consignment of clothing which was recently sent forward With reference to the turther gonerous gift of clothing, I have pleasure in advising you that same has reached me quite safely, artd will be forwarded as quickly as possible lo Belgium, where there is tho greatest need. I am very glad to have this further splendid contribution to the fund, which is particularly acceptable at the present tinio, in view of our diminishing supplies,W'hich inako it sometimes difficult to meet ilio many calls made upon our fund for further help, from the other side. I should be glad if you would kindly convey my heartfelt thanks to all the .kind friends in New Zealand who havo given us such generous support in our relief work throughout. Thanks to the liberal' contributions received from- that source," it has been possible to bring help and comfort to numbers of our poor compatriots, to whom the useful garments have come as a veritable God-send."

A notice in the current "Gazette" revokes an earlier proclamation' under which the business of Jerusalem aad ; ' Co., Ltd., wholesale-jewellers, Wellington*, declared to be an enemy company. The ground of tho revocation is' that the Attorney-General is satisfied that no alien enemy possesses or.exejcises any substantial interest, or control in or over the company. Mr. Cobbe will move at the next meeting of tho Harbour Board: "That the. Government be asked to introduce legislation amending the Harbours Acts with' a view to giving the Wellington Harbour' Board power to acquire land..on which to establish homes for t.he beard's workers. And that the board appoint a deputation to wait on the Prime Minister iir support of this proposal." "Neaily one-third of the teachers in' New Zealand: are .uncertificated," said Mr. J. Caughley, 'Assistant Director, of.Education, last evening. He was speak-, ing on the subject of certificates at the.time, and mentiohed that his argument against only one certificate being issued to teachers was that it was essential that a series of examinations should be held so that, the best teachers could be found. Tt would also give the younger teachers some object to work for. A committee of Old Boys of the Mount Cook Boys' School has been formed with the object of collecting funds to erect a suitable monument to the memory of the late headmaster, Mr. Charles J. Ilardie, li.A. Old Boys are invited to send contributions to the members, as j>3r the 'advertisement elsewhere in this issue.. Grading marks will in future be given to teachers for k-jeping their, schools clean. If it was thought that a teacher', had made a reasonable attempt to ini-' prove his school's surroundings marks would bo. given accordingly, said Mr. J.. Caughley, Assistant Director of. Education, in his address to tho Wellington District' Institute of Teachers last evening. Messrs. Murray, Roberts' an'd 1 Co. have donated to the Navy League Sailors' Dependants' Fund. — "The one-teacher or two-teacher school-, is the hardest'to rlin'in New Zealand,"' said Mr. J. Caughley'in addressing members of tl'B Wellingtoi) District Insti-. tute. last evening on the new 'grading, scheme. "The same routine, 1 supervision mid work has to be gone through in instructing 35 children as in the\case of a school of 1700," he continued. He was speaking on the question of grading assistants the samo as sole teachers, and said that the assistant did not have to use his-powers of organisation; whereas the 9ole teacher had ■to exercise all hi 3 powers in this direction. Under th'e circumstances the assistant should not expect to get tho same number of organisa. tion marks as the country school teacher. 'Kvo former always had tho headmaster to apply to if in difficulties. On the other hand, the sole teacher had to rely entirely, on his own initiative. . A; man named Harry .Morris, residing at Houghton Bay, fell off an Island Bay tramcar while proceeding to the bay last night, and as a result was badly cut about the face and head. He was admitted to the' Hospital about 11 p.m.

At the meeting of the Charitable Aid Committee of the. Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board held yesteiv day a unanimous, yoter.of. thanks was accorded to Messrs? dY- Staples'- and Co..' Ltd., for a donation of forty tons, of coal' for distribution among necessitous pei^ : sons in the City. :

In Chambers, in the Supreme Court, at Christchurch, yesterday, says a Press. Association telegram, upon the motion of the Canterbury District Law Society, an order nisi was made to show why a Christchurch solicitor of the'Supreme;Court is to be struck off the roll or suspended.

An instance of how consumption' inav be spread through lack of State control of the sanatoria and the victims was given at the Hospital deputation to tho Hon. G. AV. Russell yesterday by Mr. B. E. Gardener, ol' Levin, who in an advocate of the nationalisation of the sanatoria. He said he knew of a case of a family in which both parents died of . the scourge. There .were eight children, and all, of them were allowed to •go their own sweet way', and.grow up without any authority taking the slightest heed of the possibility of-their developing the disease themselves or . trans, mitting it to their children. ; Under the present system of no control ifothing couM be done in such ; cases, and. not until there was State control couTd. flie .disease be effectively fought. At present only three hospital boards in New Zealand: were fishting the disease, and the remaining sixty were doing nothing toward stamping it out.

Messrs'. Baldwin arid Kayward, patent attorneys and consulting engineers, of 215 Lambton Quay; report that recently they acted as agents in filing the following applications for, letters patent of New Zealaml:—D. IJ. Perrett,.. Talmerston North, motor silencer; I. , E. Annand, Napier, brooch; T. P. M'Shane, Auckland, felling trees; Gallacher and Spence, Christchurc.h, stallion shield; J. I'alliser, Auckland, making staples; A. J. Goodin, Auckland, windmill;' J. L. I'onbister, Auckland, change gear; F. T. F. Evans, Auckland, (lax machine; W. Darrnll, Auckland, tea cup; Subiiought , Gearing Co., Melbourne, winch; Marconi Wireless Co., London, telegraph receiver; Phillins and Keller, Sydney, davit.

Professor D. B. Waters,-'now Captain ■of the Tunnelling Company that-(vent from New Zealand, writes from France, under date May 12,, to his . brother, Mr. J.'B.'Waters: "We arc still in the same place grovelling away underground look-, ing. for the wily Hun. He is about as hard to find as a patch of scheelite. We have driven a lew thousand feet at a. depth, of 100 ft. below the surface in many, cases and never less than liOft. Talk about explosives! AVc put in five tons, to-day and let' it go, shaking the' whole British Army, and we hope also taking a chunk off the German gallories: ..The Bosche is-up Jo all-sorts' of tricks to hide his position, and we, who are fast learn-, ing them, are now tricky too. So far we reckon the honours, are with us, as we have hit hiin twice and lie has hit u.only once. We have been very fortunate in the fact that so far we have not had a casualty cither below or 011 the surface. The Busche has had a great, advantage over us, as lie has been milling for months, and was uearly under the British lines when we came. We are fighting. him right on the line, and now have been able to get a go at him 011 the flank,..and we reckon, lie- must get back or we will give liim a homethi-ust, and you can be sure the bill for explosives will be a pretty solid one ; r - but \»e are working lor a big company,., and...never have to worry about' finance. It is. a, wearing business, though, listening'day after day. Ton never know , where the Hun has a. drive, since.be had such a good start. He seems sonic days to have the'whole Gorman army underground. , Then some officer will get nervy and come in with a marvellous tale. This means that' someone has. to go out and. verify it, or, as it often happens, upset it after a lotof work. . . . .We had a : great artillery' duel last Sunday. We. live between the' front line and the artillery, and the shells were flying overhead both ways for three hour's, ion could hardly 'speak for the row. Up at the front the shelling | of the trenches was terrific, but we had | only two men killed, and of the eight wounded five went back to the firing line after being bandaged up.. If the first shell or two do not get men, the rest seldom will, as everyone bolts for a hole, and stays there till the shower is over, leaving perhaps one seiitry every few hundred yards, and he is under Bonibproof cover, looking through a small peephole. ... Tho French artillery is the best in the war. No troops can get flini" fir a "