LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2833, 26 July 1916, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

« The,' Postal authorities advise tli.it tho ss Wimmera, wliich soiled from Melbourne on July 22 for Wellington, is bringing mails from Australia and the United Kingdom, via Suez, and is duo hero on Thursday. The Mocraki, which left "Wellington on Thursday last, carrying mails for the Australian States and tho United Kingdom, arrived in Sydney on Monday morning. "I regret to say," said this Prime Minister in tho Tloiisg last night, "that one of the members of this House who had signified to Pie his intention of offering his services and of again serving liis King and country, as no did in the Boer War, is now lying dangerously ill. I refer, of course, to tho member foi Pahiatua, Mr. Escott." Surgeon-General Henderson, Director General of Medical Services, told a reporter yesterday afternoon, that no fresh cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis had occurred at cither Feathorston or Trontliam Camps, ami that all precautions IKissible had been taken. Probate of tho will of the lato Mr. J. ,T. Craig was granted yesterday, says a. Press Association telegram from Auckland, when the amount of the estate was provisionally sworn at X 50.000. According to a statement made to a reporter by a leading settler in the Tekapau district, there is (says our Napier correspondent), every indication that the returned soldiers who recently took up land there will "make, ado of it." So far, ho said, tho season favours their efforts, and good lambing will ensure suci cess.

Oust befuro the conclusion of the last meeting of tho AVellington Education Board yesterday, Mr. T. Moss paid, a, tribute to tho able manner in which tho Hon. ,T. G. W. Aitkon, tho chairman, had carried out his duties to the board. A resolution of appreciation in this direction, was passed unanimously.

A restricted immigrant, who deserted from tho steamer Star of Australia, on Monday, was arrested .it Lyttelton yesterday, and is being sent np to AVollington.

While the steamer Orari was coaling iu tho stream last night, one of tho tally clerks slipped, and foil into the water, between tho ship anil the hulk. A ropo was quickly lowered and tho man was rescued from tho chilly water little tho worso for hi.s immersion.

Tho Works and Finance Committee of tho AVollington Education Board has decided to asphalt tho ground round tho open-air class-room of tho South AVollington School.

In. a message to Captain E. L. Evatt, of the fifteenth Kcinforcements, tho Mayor states: "The co-oporation of the Hoteliers of New Zealand with comrades from all parts of the British Empire has resulted in assisting the cause so dear to all Britishers. You and your contingent are making great sacrifices, for which we aro all indebted. The freedom and happiness of tho whole civilised world rests on the success of the Allies, and the glorious deeds of New Zealauders in tho present war and in the previous campaign is an incentive to our boys to continue until victory is s-.s----sured."

Owing to 'the largo quantity of imported fruit trees needing immediate inspection at Wellington, Mr. T. C. AVebli, iuu., Orchard Instructor, will be itnanio to hold his demonstration on pruning, etc., at Mr. O'Leary's orchard. The demonstration will bo advertised to take place at a later date.

Election results in regard to candidates for seats on tho Wellington Education Board will be made known en August 2. The first meeting of the row board will bo held at 11 a.m. on 'August 9. It has been brought to the notice o( the Hon. A. M. Myers, Minister ic Charge of Munitions and Supplies, that the reports which have been published recently in the newspapers regarding the wqrk of tljo Dominion Analyst, as outlined in his annual report, have created an impression in th» minds of members of the public, that the food supplied to the soliders has not been of good_ quality. Mr. Jlyors points out in this connection that it was at his request that tho Dominion Analyst examined nt various times samples of food delivered by contractors, and that it is necessary lo follow this ce-urse, in order to ensure that the high standard of quality uponRed In tho conditions of (Ontrnct for military supplies is maintained.

Through tho efforts of the Mayor (Mr. .T. ?. Luko), a piano was secured for the uso of tho Fifteenth Reinforcements.

A Press Association message from Sydney state that Private O'Connor, a son of tho lato "Mr. Justice O'Connor, has teen killed in Prance. The deceased joined a troopship, and obtained his discharge in New Zealand, 'vrhero ho enlisted, i '

In moving tho adoption of Iho statement of finances at yesterday's meeting of tho "Wellington Education Board, tho chairman (Hon. J. fl. W. AitUen) drew attention to tho fact that it would bo tho last Statement of finances the board, as it had been constituted for tho last thiwo years, would adopt. He stated that they woro going out of office leaving a credit balance of JBIB7 2s.

Tho following tenders have "been accepted Lv tho AVellingtou Education Board:—SraitH and Smith, painting Education Board building; E. A. King, fencing at Wnihalccke; C. Skipage and Son, painting, Cross Crook; A. R. Walks, papering Malarawa residence. Tho tender for painting the school at Waingawn. was. declined.

A public meeting on Monday evening, at Dunedin, iihauiniously passed a resolution urging upon tho Government the desirability of making provision in tho War Legislation Amendment Bill for the introduction of a system of daylight saving.—Press Association.

' A man named Alexander MncMahon, who eloped with his landlady's daughter, a girl under 18, leaving tho houso by a window lata at night, appeared m the Auckland Police Court, and was charged with abduction. He was sentenced to six mouths' hard labour and eighteen months' reformative treatment—Press Association.

In the Supremo Court yesterday, on tho application of 'the Commercial Agency, Ltd., for whom Mr. von Haast appeared, H. C. Davy, formerly of Wangnnui, Lootmaker, was adjudicated bankrupt.

A question as to whether there was any different in tho treatment of soldiers in hospital in New Zealand from that of widitrt tn Egrpt was addressed to tho Minister of Defence yesterday dt Mr P. C. Webb. In'reply, the Hon. J. Allen said he could not make any com, patison. l»ut he could outline the treatment given in Egypt. The soldier who went into hospital there' did not receive his fnll pay (wnich accumulated on his behalf), but he was allowed credit re tffis extent of a few shillings per week to felly oertain necessaries. He was also allowed to have anything that a doctor certified he might have, and for this purpose "chits" were signed. A lot el thesa wero coming hark here, and were causing a great deal of work. He promised, finally, to inquire what the prac tics in tho hospitals of New- Zealand was in this rmjieot, ' '

A photograph of the headstone which ha* been orected over the crave of eaoh soldier of the New Zealand Expeditionary Foreo buried in Esry.pt, is being forwarded by tho Minister of Defence to the next-of-kin. A photograph of some of the crosses erected has been handed to THE Dominion by tho Hon. .T. Allen. Tho cross, which* is set in. concrete, is of iron. A brass plate is attached at tho head of the cross, on which is engraved the letters, "N.Z.." and the number, rank, and name of the deceased soldier.

It was- stated in yesterday's issue that tho chairman of tho meeting of propertyowners held in the Chamber of Commerco to discuss tho Government's proposals regarding rents was Sir. E. Hunt. The name of the chairman should havo Icon given as Mr, A. H. Hunt,

The school shelter-shed was a subject touched on at yesterday's meeting of the Education Board, and it was decided that tho refusal of tho Education Department to provide money for outside shelter at Shannon be referred bach. It was also decided that the general C[iicstion of shelter-sheds bo considered with the inspectors. A request that provision should be mndo for the heating of factories in the winter season was mndo to the Prime Minister in tho Houso yesterday by Mr. A. Walker. Mr. "Walker-said thatthoro was a provision in tho Shops and Offices Act for tho heating of shop's '"to tho satisfaction of the inspector," and he urged that a similar clause should be inserted in tho Factories Act. Sir. Maesey said ho had had several communications on this subject, especially from Dunedin. Ho had asked for a report on the subject. He expected to have that report in a very few days, and then he hoped to bo able to inform the honourable member what the Government intended to. do. '

Replying in the House yesterday to a .question by Mr. Sykes, the Prime Ministcr said that the Government did not intend to ask the people to observe August i, the anniversary of tho declaration of war, as a public holiday. Tho Government was asking Mayors'of cities and boroughs, and chairmen of town boards to convene meetings at which.resolutions similar to those passed on this day last .year might be passed.

"That, this board concur in the proposal, and co-operate with 'tho Auckland Education Board in its contention that tho space per child should be maintained at 151't.," wns a resolution passed at yesterday's meeting, of (lie Wellington Education. Board.

Tho Proprietors of "Desert Gold" Tea do not claim that "Desert Gold" Family Blend at Is. 9d. is equal to "Desert Gold" 2s. grade, but guarantee it to be the Best Value at Is. 9d. in New Zealand.—Advt.

Ladies, we are glad because you are glad about the great success of "No Rubbing Laundry Help" for washing all clothes clean "without rubbing or injury. Wellington Grocers.—Advt.

For Winter Wear—Youths' strong boots, too and heel plates, at 13s. Gd., from Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street. -Advt.

War bonuses were mentioned in the Works and Finance Committee's report at yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Education Board, and the following resolution was carried:—"That from July 1 there bo added to tho salaries of the office and building • stall's an amount equal to 7i per cent, of tho preseut salary up to six months after the termination of tho war; this arrangement to exclude tho secretary."

A inurement ' has been initiated recently to establish a Forestry League, tho object of which is to educate public opinion on the necessity of conserving our rapidly-diminishing forests, and encouraging the planting of trees <.n the farms and waste lands of tho Dominion. The question has been raised that tho system of valuing land for taxation does not «sneourngo a farmer \to preserve pieces of bash for shelter, or to plant shelter bolts, and this was touched on by Sir James Wilson at the Agricultural Conference yesterday. "To an extent," he said, "there is somo truth in that statement, but it is not all tho truth. The position is, that, on the representation of tho union, the Valuation of Land Act was amended in 11)12 to provide that all plantations, whether native or exotic, should be treated as improvements, and as such, these aro now exempt from taxation. Tho difficulty comes in tho valuing of tho laud on which the trees grow. In some cases, where plantations do not interfere with the grazing qualities, tho improved value of the laud is equal to the land on which the stock grazes. The Valuer-Gonoral, howeviT, assures us that in all oases where the land is exclusively used for growing trees, or used to such an extent a 9 to effect its value as workable land, that land is specially considered in the valuation. It mav not bo sliown in the actual Roll value, but it is so ealculated in the computation of tho value of the farm, jusl as areas'of rough country am allowed for in 'Hie valuation of an otherwise level or undulating farm."

In Prance, some years ago, the whole wiuo industry was threatened with extinction in some districts: tho wino turned sour and had to bo mado iuto and sold as vinegar. A chemist, unknown almost at the time, but one of the greatest aud simplest of men, Mons. Pasteur, was called in to investigate. Ho was successful in discovering tho cause and the remedy. A growth of some kind had soured.tho wine, and by 'the simple process ot heating, the urnivth «is killed, and tho industry saved. It i.as this that gave him the first tlu-ughr of a genu being tho cause of suppuration in wounds. It is said that the value <o Prance of Pasteur's discoveries iu this aud tho silk-worm disease would have paid tho huge indemnity that Germany, after the 1870 war, exacted fro»n her. Sir James AVilson relatod this at l.bo Farmers' "Union Conference yesterday (o.sup. port his contention that our agricultural scientists should be free to do research work instead of being kept in offices.