LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2835, 28 July 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that the mails which left New Zealand on June 8 arrived in Loudon- on tho afternoon of July U. .

Tho belief that there is money in tho Treasury for the prosecution of public works appears to be still prevalent in many parts of tho Dominion, despite tho repeated statements of tile Minister of Public .Works to tho contrary. Mr: J. C.' Thomson stated in tho House yesterday that lie had received several communications from people in his district asking for votes. Tho Hon. W. I'raser repeated his former statement that, all tho money_ available for roads and bridges was required for the revoting of Inst year's unexpended grants, and that therefore there would bo no Supplementary Estimates so far as this class of wori was concerned.

How the country can save a year is set forth by tho Public Servico Commissioner (Mr. D. Robertson) in his annual report. The following are the details of possible savings:—Cessation of expansion of service, at least during the year, ,£35,000; travelling expenses should be reduced by .£10,000; amalgamation of Departments and branches could be undertaken now at a saving of about ,£19,000; Cohen Education Commission recommendations referred to under "Inspector of _ Education Department," £10,000; abolition of stamp commissions to private persons and reduction of commissions to vendors. £1000; ditto in Land and Deeds and Justice Departments, .£1000; Lands and Survey Department, staff etc., could bo reduced by ,£5000; examination fees, Public Servico examinations, should be resumed, .£2000; other savings by close attention bv permanent heads to details, .£SOOO. Total, £151,000.

"A Sinner Saved by Graco" is tho signature of a correspondent who has written to the Mayor, enclosing the sum of 10s. "conscience money." Tho writer is assumed to be the person -whoso depredations in tho reserves a couplo of years ago was the sonrco of many newspaper 'paragraphs, for in tho courso of the letter tho writer states that the money is tho retail value of certain plants removed' from a public reserve "whilst living in sin."

"That this council is opposed tt> the proposal of tho Government to postpone tho local bodies' elections," was a motion proposed by Counoillor J. G. Smith, and carried unanimously at last night's meeting of the Onslow Borough Council.

The 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 bo tho Best Value at Is. Dd. in Now Zealand.—Advt.

For Winter Wear—Youths' strong boots, too and heel plates, at ISs. 6d., from Geo. Fowlde, Ltd., Street. -Advt.

"Mr. Chairman, I want to know before this conference adjourns if it is this pernicious freo trado tendency .that is responsible for the disappca_ranco of my umbrella this morning and" my overcoat this afternoon," asked a delegate at yesterday's sitting of tho Farmers' Union Committee,

Tho sum of ,£2BOO, subscribed in Auckland, will be forwarded to Loudon to pay for one of tho most powerful type aeroplanes, which, is to bo presented by the citizens to the War Office.—Press Association.

It is proposed in a clause *n the Wnshing-Up Bill that tho rate of interest at which Palmerston Borough may borrow ,£IOO,OOO for the purchase of gasworks shall be increased from 5 to 5J per cont, and that the term shall be increased from 33 to 36 years. Inothcr clause empowers tho borough to borrow for the purpose of acquiring an abattoir.

Mr. P. Norris, lion, organiser of the National Service League, has also been appointed hon. organiser of the Dominion 80, l Scouts, to get them to take a keen interest and kelp* in any of the homes of men away at the front, and to do all they can for disabled returned men and war orphans. He is at present touring the South Island, speaking at schools, to get maimed men honoured and helped by children in the years to come,,and to impress on tliem to do all they "can for war orphans, and to give preference for British goods.

Mr. Prank V. Kempton has been elected a councillor for the borough of Groyand Mr. Mark - Mnxton a member of tho Waiohine liiver-Board.

A clause in the Washing-Up Bill empowers the Government to acquire from tho Native owners the remainder of Kapiti Island, part of which is already held by the Crown.

At the Dominion Conference of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, Mr. W. J. Birch. (Marton) moved:—"That this confereuce would enter a strong protest against tho passage of the clauses of tho Finance Act, which provide for the compulsory acceptance of debentures in payment for land purchased by tho Government, as that entails a. direct hardship on the individual, which 6honld be borne by tho general public." Mr. J. Bcgg (Otago) seconded the motion. The proposal of tho Government was simply confiscation, as tho land was to bo paid for out of debentures, which might not. be worth thoir faco valuo. Mr B. Maxwell (Taranaki) said that not only was thcro no certainty that a 3100 bond would bo worth .£IOO, but there was a strong probability that it would not. The motion was carried unanimously.

Addressing the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, Mr. E. Newman, M.P., said that there was a determined effort being made to link up with tho Labour institutions such public services as the Railway and Education Departments. He mentioned this as a thing which was likely to have an important bearing on farming in the future.

A Rataia bird-trapper received £22 for birds trapped between July 8 and 17, says an exchange. Another party trapped worth of small birds during the same period.

In tho course of his annual report, the Public Service Commissioner pays special attontion to the travelling allowances incurred by tho Civil Service. The amount of travelling to be performed by officers, Mr. Robertson remarks, ,is a matter over which tho Commissioners have no control, but tho financial result of tho operations of tho past few years would make, it appear that it should be tho duty of somo central authority, to oversee such expenditure as a whole instead of leaving it to tho individual Departments to expend such total amounts ns they think fit. On examining the Estimates for some years past it was found that travelling expenses had been' increasing at tho rato of approximately .£12,000 per annum, and that for 1015-18' the .vote was .£17,000 highor than 19H--15. After making 6iieh inquiry as was possible, tho Commissioners had no hesitation in advising the Government that they, were of opinion that there was a great deal of unnecessary travelling., and in some cases an extravagant method of doing it, and it was suggested that the total vote might easily be reduced by as much as £10,000 a year.

A reply has been received by Mr. J. Craigie, M.P., to his question to the Postmaster-Genera! as to whether savings bank facilities y?il be granted to the members of the military force in Samoa. Sir .Toseph Ward 6tates that it is already ooen to members of the Force, if they 60 desire, to have a portion of their'pay credited to accounts in their names In the Post Office Savings Bank in New Zealand, and to make withdrawals from such accounts. He adds that it therefore docs not appear that, so far a's tho members of the Fore© are concerned, there is any need to open a branoh of tho Savings Bank in Samoa.

The' Mayor, tho City Engineer, and City- Solicitor are to represent the City Council at the conference arranged in connection with the road through the Gracefield Estate at the Lower Hutt.

It i 9 proposed hy a clause in the Washing-Up Bill to postpone the date of valuation of certain leases granted by the Wellington City Council from 1917 to 1918. '.

Tho Wellington; Centre of the New Zenland Amateur Swimming Association having taken it upon themselves to foster swimming in the schools, it was suggested at last .night's meeting of the committee that the rules be altered to allow of a school teacher being appointed ns a delegate to the committee from the schools, and with this end in, view it was decided that a.deputation wait on the Education Board to see if arrangements could be made for the of the various schools to attend swimming classes at tho baths, on certain school days, as a compulsory school subject.

At last evening's meeting of the City Council the use of the Town HaH was granted for a repetition of Mr. W. H. George's lecture on T.M.C.A. work in Egypt, and for the purpose of a farewell to the New Zealand Commissioners of the Y.M.C.A., who are leaving shortly for France to report on what com. forts will he needed for our troops there during the coming winter. The proceeds will be devoted to provide comforts for the New Zealand soldiers in London.

Only moderate interest was taken in tho by-election held yesterday at Petone for the return of one councillor, less than half of the electors taking the trouble to record their votes, Tho results are as follow:—J. P. Gaynor (elected), 3GS; T. Moseley, 187; S.-'J. Newland. 155; E. A. Hartley, S6; A. J. Skinner, 31; informal, 9. The successful candidate 'briefly thanked the electors for the confidence placed in him, a trust that he should endeavour to merit, and several others also addressed the public from the municipal buildings. The Mayor of Petone (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) made the' following statement to a reporter last, evening:—"Considering that v the number of electors on the roll is 2882, tho poll (839) is a very poor one. The weather had no doubt much to do with this, and the ladies probably failed to turn out in ' their usual voting strength. Besides this, there was really no burning question at issue, so that the election turned mainly on the personal qualifications of the. candidates. The fact that none of the aspirants adversely criticised tho administration of the council, and only slight differences of opinion on matters of policy wore disclosed during the contest, goes to show that tho present council hns the confidence of the people of tho town."

It was .stated by the secretary of the Wellington Land Board yesterday that quotations had been recoived from various firms who had mado a special reduction in tho price of foncing-wiro for discharged soldiers who have gone on the land. Tho wiro can be got at a very much cheaper rate than if tho soldier bought it himself, and all he has to do is to give his orders through tho secretary.

At yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Land Board it was stated that thb advances to discharged soldiers who had settled on the land wera made through the Treasury only, and as payments through the Treasury take slightly more time than those paid from imprest accounts, tho soldiers have to wait a little longer to settle thoir accounts than tho private individual who settles on the land.

Emerson says: "If you want friends you must show yonrsoif friendly." It's tho Baine with "No Rubbing Laundry Help." Be friendly to it and it will bofriend you. Think it over, doar madam. -Advt.

The Onslow Borough Council is a\u thorised by the WnsMng-Up Bill to close part of an unnamed - street in, Kniwarra, leading from off the western sido of the Hutt Boad towards the Kaiwarra School.

The By-laws Committeo of the City Council reported last evening that they hod received a report from the City Engineer drawing attention to the dangorous condition of the wooden breastwork at Plimmer's Lane, and also calling attention to an enoroachment of a. building at Boulcott Street. The dangerous breastwork is within the boundary of the road reservation of the thoroughfare. The committoe recommended that the council pull down tho breastwork and inform the owners, whose property abuts on the work, of such intention, and also give them notice to remove the encroaching building on Boulcott Street. This was agreed to.

Surf-bathers will bo interested in th» following new by-law agreed to by the counoil Inst evening: "The council may from time to time, by flags or other marks, indicate the limit within which tho use of aurf-boards is permitted in any waters adjoining any such beach in. the city. When such limits aro so indicated no person shall use any surfboard in such waters except within the limits indicated."

"I would like tho Press to take notice of this," said Councillor W. H. P. Barber, referring to tho following clau6o in the By-laws Committee's Teport: "That the attention of motorists and the general public bo called to tho fact that the Police Department intend to strictly enforce the provisions of the Lights on Vehicles Act, passed lost session, with tho object of prohibiting glaring lights on vehicles." The committee also reported: "That they have asked the Police Department to take 6teps under tho bylaws to prevent the obstructiou of street traffic by business vehicles loading and unloading goods."

In reply to a question at last nighfs moeting of the City Council as to why the killing returns at' the municipal abattoirs had fallen off this year compared with previous years, Councillor W. Hildroth stated that one of tho reasons was that thcro was no cool chambers at tho abattoirs. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) added that another cause was that Mr. Sykes.who had formerly killed at •the abattoirs, was not doing bo now. Ho was supplying the camp with meat. ' The misprint of the word "promised" for "procured" had the effect of misrepresenting a remark tho Minister of Hallways made in the House on Wednesday evening. Mr. Henries was made to say, referring to the rolling 6tock. that "some new plant had been promised from 'America, and tho Department in this connection was in a very good condition to meet tho demands of their customers." What Mr. Herries said' was that eorae new plant had been procured from America, and in addition ho.said that that supply had been supplemented locally.