LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2837, 31 July 1916, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Till) Manuka, which is <(ue in Wellington from Sydney at 10 a.m. to-day, is bringing Australian mails only.

All outdoor games for Saturday were postponed on account of tho parado of troops, and so many players having to attend drill in tho aftojrnoon.

Tho Kailway Department intends tn put the now Thomas transmission car on tho .Tohnsonville run, to replace tho smaller petrol car now in use. A gradual decline in the deficiency to be made good to the Facific Cablo Board year bv year is revealed in a return presented to tho House of Bepresentatives on Saturday at the request oi: Mr. E. 11. Khodes. shows that in 1903-4 the deficiency was .£9750, after which there was a gradual decline, till m 19H-io tho deficiency was only £879 9s. 9d. lhe total amount made good over the twelve years was ,£09,196. Temporary employment in tho Public Service was the subject of a list presented to Parliament on Saturday afternoon by tho Minister of Internal Affairs, ino return runs to 83 foolscap pages, and on an average there aro 50 names to tlie page, making the grand total of the temporarily employed last year something like 1000.

Mr. Webb suggested in the House on Saturday that a Stale bakery should be established in New Zealand, on the hues of that in New South Wales, which last year made .a profit of upwards of /•"MO. The Prime''Minister briellv replied that the position in New Zcnlaud was different, from Australia, where many btalo institutions could be,supplied from the one centre.

A street collection at AYanganui on Saturday, organised by tho "Swankora Club," 'in aid of tho Rod Cross funds, realised over .£600.-Prcss Association. '»• The Mayor has been advised that there fire certain Turkish gnus, captured during tho Tigris campaign, -which are. available as trophies for exhibition purposes. Tho council has authorised tho Mayor to secure tho. guns for Wellington.

According to Mr. E. A. Wright, M.P., 1G hours is too long for hotels to be open. In fact, he expressed the opinion last evening that oven 12 hours wero far too much. "I am not an expert," he declared, "bat I reckon that six hours would be enough for mo to-get drunk in," and there was a general laugh from those who occupied the seats at Everybody's aheatre.

As the result of the Eoginicntal Band's recital at the Hospital yesterday ufternoon, tin? sum of JX Os. 6d. was added to the Hospital funds.

A man was arrested by DetectWe Kawle on Saturday evening in connection with a theft of money in Auckland. Jje Is to bo brought before the Magistrate's Court to-day.

Rua's trial reached its forty-fourth day at Auckland on Saturday, when counsel for the defence continued his address, dealt with tho police evidence regarding the fight at Bua's pah. He had not finished when the Court adjourned, and has already spoken for 25J hours.—Press Association.

Reliable information has been received by tho Otago Acclimatisation Society (says the "Daily Times") that native pigeons in the Silverstream Valley and Powder Creek district are being destroyed by men who go out ostensibly after wild "pigs. These birds are protected, and anyone caught shooting them is liable to a heavy penalty, and liable, also, to have his sun confiscated.

Tho Fiji, correspondent of the Sydney "Telegraph" writes that the Governor of Fiji has authorisettV.the. formation of a Fijian unit, which will be under the charge of Hatu Sukuna, the chief who served with the French Foreign Legion, and was wounded in the Champagne fighting. They make a very fine body, and are all picked men.

A new clause to bo inserted in the Washing-Up Hill now before tho House will give legislative sanction to an agreement between the Wellington City Corporation, and Mr. S. Gilmer, relating to the taking of a strip of land for the widoning of Manners Street. Tho lands are leased by tho City to Mr. Gilmer, and the agreement provides for tho surrender of three leases under which .the land is held,, and for tho giving of one lease, covering all tho lands with the exception of the strip to be taken for tho widening of the streot.

A return was presented to the House of Representatives on Saturday, on the motion of Mr. G. Hunter, showing the cost of printing privato members'' Bills for the current session. Mr. Payne had tho most Bills printed—nine—but they woi-o short, and tho total cost was only .£lO 15s. Mr. Veitch produced four Bills, tho cost of which ran to ,£2O 12s. Gd. Six other members had Bills printed, these being: Mr. Brown (j£l 10s.), Mr. M'Callum {£1 7s. Gd.), Mr. Sidey (£1 55.), Mr. J. C. Thomson (12s. Gd.), Mr. Wilford (M 2?. (id.), -and Mr. Wright (£1 55.). Tho total cost was .£35 10s. -

At a meeting of citizens held, in Everybody's Theatre last evening to protest against the action of Parliament in ignoring the appeal to restrict the hours for selling liquor during the war, Mr. B. A. Wright,.-M.P., said that it was 'very difficult "to get pajffc tho Standing Orders in the House. "Well, why don't you get the Standing Orders altered?" shouted someone. "It would take 50 big men with crowbars to shift the House in that direction," replied Mr. Wright.

In the House on Saturday afternoon Mr. J. S. Dickson stated'that he had received information that a largo shipment of l drapery had been, received in Dunadin from Crerniauy by way- of America. \He aslted the Minister of Customs whether he would take steps, through tho Customs or otherwise, to asoertain-.wliethor this was .correct. He could supply the Minister with the name of the firm concerned. Tho Hon. A. M. Myers, Minister of Customs, said that the Customs Department, oven without any special instructions, wa3 always on the alert in regard to such The Department always insisted upon recoiving tho documents as to tho country of 1 origin in regard to all goods imported. He would be glad if Mr. Dickson would furnish him with the name of tho firm in question.

A very caustic paragraph in tho report of tho lnspectsr of Fire Brigades, which was presented to Parliament on Saturday, refers to tho "tinkering" by motor experts witli costly fire-fighting engines. "A matter wliich I consider it necessary to comment ui>on," the Inspector, "is the management of costiy brigado motor machines. After acquiring a motor appliance, generally some local chauffeur is appointed driver and "motor expert" to the brigade, and, having considerable spare tirno on his hands in most discs, ■turns his attention to electrical inventions with their corresponding experiments, with the result, as has happened in more than one case, the machine under his care suffers in consequence. In tho particular caso I have in view, 'the expert' has mado a more or less crude electrical attachment to a very expensive machine that, amongst other things, is acting' in a manner detrimental to the life nf the engine and at tho same time effecting' advantage' in any shape or form. Although this was pointed out to tho chairman and other members of tho board, as well as to the superintendent, no steps wore taken to remedy the matter. In this comment I do not refer to any of the principal centres, whero tho professional superintendents assume entire responsibility for the practical working of their brigades, and do not allow any 'tinkering'—the word is used advisedly—with their motor machines."

Miv ttluko,' head teacher of the Cross Creek School, has received two photographs of his scholars at physical drill from Mr. Alsushi Matsnmoto, an officer on the Japanese warship Aziiraa. These worn "snapped" while the Japanese party were en route. A letter accompanied the photographs, thanking the school for their welcome. Mr. Jfatsiimoto, on behalf of (ho "middies." has presented sixty Japanese' national flags to tho Cross Creek School.

An easy name to remember—Desert Gold Tea.' Once you've tested it you will n»iw have any other, family Blend. Is. Sit. Special jfrades, Is. lOd. and 2s — Advt

No cold can strike the small of yonr hack if vou wear one of our "knitted back" Waistcoats-Vis. 6d., Us. fid., ISb. Bd. (ieo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Slreot.Artvt.

Jumping with joy. Storekeepers say th'it thrifty wives arc jumping with joy over their success with "No RuhMnj,' Jjaundry Help" for washing an clothes clean without rubbing or injury.—Advt.

lation of postal matter in Egypt, Mr. P. Mander asked tho Minister of Defence on Saturday if ho would consider employing women iu Egypt. The Hon. J. Allen replied that tho 'hon. member's information must bo very old, as tho accumulation was now quite reduced, and Iheetaffhad 'been strengthened. It: was not practicable to employ women on the staff in Egypt. - In regard to parcels, ho mentioned that owing to inadequate packing many addresses had been lost, and the parcels could not be delivered..

A. mine manager's lot is not always a happy one (says the "Inangah.ua Times"). Ho has to accomplish many things often under extreme, difficulties. Tho other evening tho AVillard-Johnson light was billed to show in Eeefton, with tho result-that in one mine only • a few miles from Iteefton not ono man went to the afternoon shift—they went to see the fight instead--and ..the result was tho works were closed down until next day.

In tho Ciiristchurch (Magistrate's Court on Friday Sidney Mayno was fined 4JIO for selling milk containing M.5 per cent, added water.—Press Association.

Tho Eogimental Band visited the Hospital grouuds yesterday afternoon and rendered a programme of music, which was tho means of £8 Os. Gd. being added to the Hospital .funds.

The following officers were elected on Saturday for the ensuing half-year for the Potono Working Men's Club:—Presi. dent, Mr. E. Jones; vice-prosident, Mr. W. &. Forsyth; committee, Messrs. G. E, Aplin, W. J. Burk, and A. Phare.

"It would be a good thing if we could get hold of a fanatic who would go round some of our old schools and set a matSfl to them," remarked Dr. E. Baker, medical jnspeolor to'tho Canterbury Education Board on Thursday, when speaking of some of the older schools in the district, which are hy "no means on up-to-date lines. "Then we could collect the insurance money and build again; but lie would, I am afraid, have to be a fanatic."—The "Press." s

Seventy-five years ago on Fridav last tho foundation-stone of old St. Paul's Church, Auckland, / was laid' by Captain Hobson, Now Zealand's first Governor. Special commemoration services were held at St. Paul's Church yesterday, a feature, of the morning service being the unyeiling of a memorial tablet to the late Sergeant R. B. Nairn, who for many years was connected with the work of the Sunday school, and was killed on activo service at Gallipoli. The ceremony was performed by Colonel G. W. S. Patterson, officer commanding the district. The Anglican Bishop of Auckland,' Dr. A. W. Averill, preached at the evening service.

Joe Kwong Leo was the name of one' of tiie recruits who left Palmerston North on Tuesday last for Trentham camp. . He is the son of a Chinese merchant in Palmerston.

It is. not often that one police officer prosecutes another member of the.force, and it becomes unique wheri the seniorsergeant appears for the prosecution against the sub-inspector. Such' a case took place in the Dunedin City Police Court on Thursday, when Sub-inspector Broberg, who was well 1 known in Wei lington when chief detective Ivere, was charged with permitting a chimney in his residence, in Castle Street to - be on fire. A plea of guilty was entered by the defendant, who explained that he had been ■an occupant of the house for only nine weeks. Ho pleaded guilty'bocause he realised that he should have examined the chimneys and ascertained their true state. After the Sre he found out that the chimney had been dirty. The magistrate, in imposing a fine ot 55., remarked that this was a new role for a subinspector. • . .

There was a, strange double misadventure on the premises of a Hawera homo on Tuesday (says the "Star"). While the lady of the house was removing things from a clothes-line, she stepped on the .wooden cover of the dry section of a septic tank, and, as the boarding gave way, she fell'down into the tank, which was about seven feet in, depth. As the lady is not tall, it was fortunate that she had, in falling, clung .to a sheet which happened to be in her hands, for it remained fluttering at the top of the.tank, and this with the- lady's calls for help attracted the notice of her little girl, who, unable to do anything personally, rushed out into the street,' calling for assistance. ' Tho first passoi-by went to tho rescue not knowing exactly what it was that was amiss, and he, too, dropped into the tank, fortunately, other citizens were soon attracted to the scene, and thoso in distress were dnly rescued—the man slightly injured, and the lady more or less painfully bruised and suffering from shock to her nerves. It would appeal- that the coverings of septic tanks should bo carefully, examined at regular intervals, for it is not long since a somewhat similar accident happened in Hawera.

"The colonel and I were looking over tho trenches at the wire entanglements when a sniper had a go at us and missed mo by inches," Captain W. Drummond, of Dannevirke, Hawke's Bay,'wrote on May 27 in a letter to liis relatives. "I tried to find him -to give one in re■turn, but could not locate him. I stuck my steel helmet up for him to have another shot at while I watched from another part of the trench, bnt it was no good—he would not-fire. My part of the trench wns'troublcd for some timo with a sniper who made things very uncomfortable for my men, so. I decided I would wait for him myself. After watching for some time I discovered him about GOO yards off on an old brick stack. I had a shot at him and missed him. I raised my sighting; and fired again, and missed him by about two' feet. He then had a shot at'ine and missed. Then I fired the third and last, administering the sleeping draught to him. Ho won't trouble us again. I am sorry to say we have had a good many casualties, but that is 1 all in the game. I have not had my clothes or boots oft' since coming into tho trenches, as we are on the alert for Fritz, and will give him a proper colonial welcome' when he does come over." Captain Drummond was a crack ride shot, and was a member of the New Zealand rifle team which visited England some years ago and won the Kolapore Cup. •