LOCAL AND GENERAL
Tile currency of alarmist rumours regarding tho health oij- tho troops in Trentham Camp was referred to iu the House yesterday. Mr. Webb said lie had been asked by a soldier to bring tho matter up, and this soldier stated that tho hospitals were overcrowded, and that deaths wore occurring at tho rate of two per day. If the Minister would make a statement it would relievo a good deal of anxiety. Mr. Allen said lie could give tho statements a most emphatic denial. „The hospitals wore not overcrowded. There was ample room, and there was overflow accommodation which had riot been used. Deaths were not occurring at tjio rato of two per day, or anything approaching that, and, generally, tho reports were that tho health of the troops was better than it had been some fendays ago.
A slight shock of earthquake was felt in Wellington at 3.30 a.m. yesterday.
A suggestion was made to the Defence M'iiiister in the House yesterday byvMr. Buddo, that soldiers should be supplied with warmer clothing than the denim fatigue uniforms during tho cold weather. Mr. Allen said that the men were provided with warm nudorclothing. and ho'had never heard complaints as to the denims not being warm enough.
The practice of inserting clauses in tho leases of hotels providing that they may bo ilcterinii/ed on the licensu6 being convicted for a breach of tho : icousing Jet, was commented on by Mr. F. V. I'jazer, S.M., (luring tho hearing of a case at the Auckland Police Court. : A licenseo was charged with permitting clrti ktiincss ou Ills premises, and his counsel, in arguing tliat no conviction should bo recorded in the circumstances, pointed out that a conviction would probably rerult in considerable ISnancial loss to his client. Tho Magistrate remarked thnt if a man wore foolish enough to sign a leaso giving up the wholo of his rights to the brewers on a conviction being recorded against him, especially in view of the fact that convictions could bo recorded in ccnnoction with breaches for which lict-usees might not bo directly responsible, he could not expect any sympathy from tho Court. The Magistrate said these clauses In hotel lcasos wero not proper. Ho did not liko them, and iho was not going to givo a licensee any consideration on account of them. In tho case before tho Court, Mr., Frazer decided that there was nothing to warrant tho endorsement or tho license, and said that, as Tar as lio could sec, thoro wa9 no justification lor ..the leaso being interfered with.
The sale of a valuablo city property has been concluded this week. The' property is that throe-story brick block in Manners Street, known as tho Mercantile Building!; occupied bv Duncan and M'lntosk and others), having a frontage of 62ft. by a depth of about 100 ft. This property belonged to the estate of tho lato Mr. Jus.- Jnnucson, and has been sold to Mr.' S. Gilmer (proprietor of the Royal Oak Hotel) for between JCIS.OOO and .-CI'J.OOO.
TKo wildest woather experienced for many years was raging in Palmerstou. North yesterday, and numerous fences wero Mown down and other damage reported.
At a spccial meeting of tho Dunedin Chamber of Commerce yesterday a, resolution li as passed urging the Government to take power to deal with the position of .wheat growing and flour milling in tho Dominion, with a .view to ensuring a sufficiency of wheat for requirements' being grown this season—Press Association.
/i'he new Soldiers' Hostel which has been established by the Y.M.C.A. in Boulcott Street (next to the Albert Hotel) will bo opened formally by the Minister of Dofenco at 3 p.m. to-day. His Excellency tho Governor will ' inspect 'tho. premises at noon to-day.
It is reported that supplies of ten shilling banknotes have been distributed to tho branches of the various ..banks of issue in the Dominion. The notes will bo placed in circulation within a. few days. Authority to add banknotes of this denomination was given by Parliament in tho Finance Act which was recently passed by the Legislature. The design adopted by tho Bank of New Zealand is much simpler than that of any of the notes already in circulation. Smaller than tho ,61 note, the new note is minted on pink paper, water-marked Bank of New Zealand," and has none of tho pictorial decoration which distinguishes the existing paper currency. Neither the shaded background nor the repetition of the denomination appear in tho new note. The back of tho noto is plain. The principal reason for the issue of ten sliilling banknotes is the discontinuance of the supplies of half sovereigns from tho Australian mints owing, it has been stated, to tho difficulty of rcplac-' ing worn dies. Further particulars of the stranding of tho cargo steamer Rangatira on Robin Island, about ten miles from Capo Tov;n, wero received on tho .arrival of tho AVaiwera, which reached Auckland on Sunday. The Rangatira was bound from London to New Zealand ports with a full gonoral cargo, and was steering a course lor Capo Town when she encountered a dense log. The vessel was under easy steam, and at 11 a.m. on March 81 she struck about a quarter of a mile from tho shore. Tho ship Temained hard and fast on an even keel, and appeared.to be firmly embedded between roclcs in the form of a cradle. Large, jagged rocks extend between the ship and the shore,, and it was impossible for tho crew to reach the land by means of tho boats. A line was eventually sent on board from tho beach by soldiers who wero encamped in tho neighbourhood. By means of a breeches block most of the crew succeeded in reaching the shore without mishap. Some of the crew remained on board until April 20, and every effort was mado to refloat tho vessel, but without success. When the crew,left tho Rangatira was drawing 14ft. of water alt, instead of 29ft., which indicated that slio was held fast by the rocks aft, as the forward part was afloat: After she struck No. 1 and No. -1 holds were soon flooded, also the bunkers and tunnels, which showed that the vessel had suffered considerable damage. .When'tho Waiwera left Cape Town on Jnnq 30 the R-anga-tira was still in' an upright position, and the balance of tho cargo was being salved as tho weather conditions permitted.
'At yesterday's 'meeting of the Federation of New Zealand War Relief Societies, on the motion of Mr. W. Ferguson, a hearty vote of thanks was passed tcj the Sports Protection League for tlio services given by tho secretary (Mr. Shalerass) and staff.
Disapproval was expressed at yesterday's conference of Jievr 'Zealand/ "War Belief Societies that tho Tolls containing particulars concerning soldiers and their places of domicile had not so far boQn prepared as promised. It was resolved to request that elTorts bo made to complete them at the earliest possible date, as the rolls aro so necessary for use by patriotic societies in their work.
In response to o cablegram sent to London asking whether tho "New Zealand War Contingent Association (in London) were placing comforts on troopships for returning New Zealnml soldiers, tlie High Commissioner (Sir Thomas llackeuzie) has replied as follows thing .necessary being provided after consultation with military authorities, to Vivoid overlapping.-" At tho conclusion, of the conference of Die Fedorated New Zealand War Relief Societies yesterday tho following motion was carried, all standing and singing, "God Save Our King":—"That, on this,' tho second anniversary' of the declaration ol' a righteous war, this meeting of citizens records its inflexible determination to continue to a victorious end the struggle in maintenance of those ideals of liberty and justice which are. the romliioii and sacred causo of the Allies."
Tho next meeting of the Advisory Board of the federated New Zealand War Relief Societies will be held on September U. Decently, tho ladies of .Dannevirke sent .£7O to. Egypt for tho Soldiers' Club in the desert. They have received a cablegram from Hiss Rout, thanking them for tho money, and announcing tho arrival of Mrs. Grown and Miss .Tones, and also stating that Sister Kerr and Miss Stephens liavo sailed for Sa-loiiikn.-\Prcss Association.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2841, 4 August 1916, Page 4
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1,375LOCAL AND GENERAL Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2841, 4 August 1916, Page 4
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