LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2849, 14 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An English, via Suez, and an Australian mail is expected to arrive in Wellington by the Riverina from Sydney to-morrow. Tho vessel is running a clay late this trip. The northcm portion of this particular mail ft'Sl arrive from ' Sydney in Auckland by the Victoria, to-morrow, also one day later than usual.

According to latest advice received by wireless, tho Moana was expected to arrive at Wellington from San Francisco at 0 a.m. to-day. The vessel is bringing' European and American mails.

"Up till Saturday tho total receipts from the sclioolchildrcn's effort on' behalf of tho suffering Belgian children had amounted to £4056 odd. A few small amounts aro still expected to swell tho total.

Speaking at tho Conciliation Court on Saturday, Mr. Couzens (employers' representative) said tliat at a meeting lie had "attended in Auckland'a short while ago, it liad astonislicd him to see ranked among tho employers no fewer than seven of his own "boys," somo of whom had left him only twelvo or eight-eon months before. This meant that they wore in competition ivith himself, but the employers bore such men no ill-will at all. Every man had tho right to do the best for himself, and instead of tho older employers bcins! at enmity with the new employers, they wore th'o best of friends. "If at any time they want advice or assistance," said Mr. Couzens, "they have only to come to us, and they never go away empty-handed."

The following cablegram was received oil Saturday by tho National Secretary of the Y.M.C.A. (Mr. lirownell) "Eight Association men, including Parry, Wilkinson, self (Vclvin), with Anzac Mounted Division, during recent battle, astounded' with rcmarkalile performance of our troops. Greetings.''

Music plays a large part in the spare hours of the men in tho training camp at Featherston. There are 20 pianos there, and for 12 months the camp has possessed a brass band. "As cach contingent goes," said a bandsman, "we think we are going to loso our band, but other players come on to till up the gap." An officer was asked: "Do you have much talent in the entertaining line?" The other replied: "It would surprise you, the talented men who enlist. "We have fellows who are topnotchers in every way. Take this lot — the Sixteenths—the very best yet; we have a clever solo pianist, a tip-top 'cellist, a splendid tenor singer, a basso profundo, and an officer who actually played in 'Hamlet' in Sir Beerbohm Tree's dramatio company in London."

Mr. Joseph Dawson, bridge engineer, has drawn up plans for tho construction of a bridge over the Manawatu River, on the other side of Palmerston North. Tho structure will bo 450 ft. in one span, with concrete pilos and floor,,and the cost will not exceed £3000.

Recently tho Wellington Labour Representation Committee wrote to the City Council requesting tho adoption of tho provisions of the Local Elections (Proportional RepresentationJ 'Act, 1914, in the municipal elections. The council replied that the/request would be duly considered. The oommittce has now written again, pointing out that the Christehiu'ch City Council has adopted the system, and urging that Wellington's next municipal eleotions should bo conducted on a proportional representation basis. Four gentlemen mot outside the post office this week (says tho "Hawera Star"). Said one: "I have been worrying over our 6tarved soldiers who aro prisoners of war in Germany." The other three said they also had done the same thing. "Well," said tho first, "let's make a little purse." "Agreed," said they all. With the aid of eight other patriotic people,_ the sum of £45 4s. was contributed in less than an hour, and the same afternooii that amount was cabled through tho Bank of New Zealand to the "Daily Mail," London, which, undertakes tho distribution of food to our imprisoned men, and is ablo 1o guarantee that they get it.

i A framed picture oE tho lato Lord Kitchener, auctioned at a patriotic sooial hold at Mangataiiioka last week in aid of tho Sailors' Dependants' Fund, realised £105 15s. 2d. Tho dotior of the picture, Mr. H. Cowan, who was tho final purchaser at £IQ, has presented the memento to the Mangatainoka. School.

The Salvation Army Band played in the Hospital ■ grounds yesterday afternoon. A collection in aid of the Hospirealised £3 ss. id.

The Bank of New Zealand issued 10s. banknotes for the first time in its history on Saturday. oicing, doubtless, to the novelty more than anything else, there was a brisk demand for tho new issue all the morning- The accountant stated that the new notes were "selling like hot oakes." He wae not far out, for before the day was out' ten-shilling notes were in circulation in th& shops of the city, where the public was just as curious and anxious to obtain possession of them. _ Q£her banks operating in tie Dominion arc considering the is6ue of a 10s. note. To some of these institutions it is a highly-debatable question as to whether the note should be a simple one, involving only the printer' 6 aid. or whether it should be a production that calls for the art of the engraver. If the latter, a delay of two or three months may elapso before some of the banks corno into line with the Bank of New Zealand, as. the work of engraving the plates for a banknote takes timo, and costs in the vicinity of £200.

Referring to the influence of wet weather' on the painting trade and the hours worked, Mr. R. F. Way, speaking for the Auckland Painterg' Union in the Arbitration Court on Friday, said that though Auckland was known as "Sunny Auckland," as many rainy days were experienced ..there during 1915 as in Invercargill. Rain to the amount of .Olin. or over fell during the year on 180 days in Auckland, in Now Plymouth on 189 days, Gisborne 153, Wellington 167, Christchurch 119, Hokitika 179, Dunedin 163, and in Invercargill 180 days.

A well-known Mssterton resident, wlio has a penchant for breeding ducks, tells a good story at his own expense (says the "Age"). A few days before the poultry show he was visited by a neighbour who wished to purchase a drake. The visitor was given the pick of the yard, and selected a bird for which lie paid the sum of 10s. 6d. The show camo off, and this particular drake succeeded in winning the New Zealand championship. This was too much for the breeder. He went along and offered the purchaser half a guinea on his bargain. "That's no goal to me," said the proud possessor of a New Zealand champion; "give me two guineas and_ the bird is yours." "Do you believe it," says the duck fancier, "but I paid over that two "guineas and the drake is now located in his old quarters, and, from my point of view, is probably only really worth 2s. 6d., the price of a Sunday joint."

The present appearance, of the breakwater is a striking testimony to the force of the mountainous seas which broke over it during the storm last week (says the "Hawke's Bay Herald"). Hundreds of yards of rails have been uprooted and lie twisted, lengths of iron projecting into the air or hanging over the side of- the concrete blocks to the water below. In several places the concrete has been scoured out to a depth of two or three feet. In one spot there is a scouring out fifteen yards long and two or three feet deep. Kight along the centre of the railway tracks an irregular service has heen carved out. Indeed the general appear ance of the breakwater suggests that an earthquake accompanied hy a cyclone of a robust type had spent a profitable half-hour in iseeing what damage they could conjointly inflict on the concrete protective wall. Before long, if the Sea Scouts of' Victoria, are fortunate, tho Albert Park Lake, Melbourne; may be able to boast of a' full-rigged barque among the fleet rthat daily cleaves its wavelets, says the "Ago." Hitherto tho Sea Scouts, attached to the Boys' Scouts' Association, havo been little known, despite tho fact that their movement 1 has the support of tho State Governor, Admiral Sir William Crcsswell, their patron, tho Ancient Mariners, and many ship owners. But with the purchase of a Commonwealth fleet and the Improvement in tho pa.v of those who man tlio merchant service, thoro is a growing need for Australian-boys to learn to lovo the sea and to handle a fcoat. It is thoifeforo intended that tho Sea Scouts, hitherto only forty in number, sball greatly extend their activities, and attractive plans have now been prepared by the Commissioner anfl his assistants with that object in view. Mr. W. A. M. Lattey, an honorary judge of tho Bombay Presidency, India, who is making a tour of Australasia, and is keen on "seeing the wheels go round" in our young democracy, occupied a iseat on the Auokland Bench at the Police Court on Monday by invitation of the presiding Magistrate, Mr. E. ,C. Cuttcn, "3.M. Tito Proprietors 0 f Desert Golcl Tcainns that the Camels Competition just olosod has been enormously successful. The bundles of coupons are now being counted, and prize-winners will be announced as quickly as possiblo.—Advt.

Proceeding by the 8.20 a.m. train from Thorndqn this morning are about flirty nourcommissioned olhcera of the oth (Wellington)- Regiment, the Wellington Senior Cadet companies and school companies. These men, together with others from Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Feilding, are going into camp for Wo wcoks at the Palmerston North Racecourse, and will 20 through a course of instruction in general drill, musketry, signalling, engineering, and tactical handling of sections. end of two weeks the men will go up for their oral examinations, and in February next will have again to attend at Palmerston North for the written examinatiovfor their first appointments to commissions.

Two littlo children were observed to bo taking coal from the Railway Wharf on Saturday morning, and a constable endeavoured to arrest them. There were about 300 waterside worker?, in the vioinity at the time, and n mob of them attacked the coKstablc. niul a rough and tumble ensued, in \vV-i\ tho children were enabled to escap; -n„-.:ing off as fast as they could. incident looked as if it would have . a serious ending at one but nothing furthor happened, save that the constable was hooted by the watersiders.

The sea in parts of Polorus Sound last week was rougher than lias been knoWn to settlers for the past thirty years. ScveraT launches, anchored close in-shor'c, were completely swamped by tho tempestuous waves, . whilst those moored to small wharves were considerably knocked about.

There is a hum and stir in the Lyall Bay air that presages a momentous happening. At the month end there will occur an event which should be worth witnessing—to wit, a monster bazaar. Tho Maranui School is to be utilised, and nearly everyone in the Bay district is lending a helping hand to make tho gathering a huge success, because tho proceeds are to be partly devoted to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund and partly to the improvement of the school grounds. The teaching staff and scholars, assisted by the School Committeo and friends aTe the promoters, and already quite a l®rge and varied assortment of useful goods liajfo been prepared for sale at the many stalls. Amusements, side shows, guessing competitions, and such like, are to bo features of the programme, and it is hoped that all who desire to aid a good .causo will make a note of tho event.

An accident, due to what appears to have been a typical case of road, hogging, occurred on Saturday on the Lyall-Bay-Island Bay Road. Two cyclists, Messrs. Gifford and of Wellington, travelling towards Lyall jßay, were met by a car which, on the wrong side, was travelling at a good rate of 6peetl. There was room for one cyclist to pass, but Mr. Edmondston, who was behind, did not sea the car, and had at the last moment to turn his bike into that of Mr. Gifford, in order to miss the car. - Wheels were buckled on both bicycles, and a number of spokes ripped out. -

A man, seventy-two years of age, who was brought before the Feilding Court lately, on a charge of vagrancy, informed the Bench that a few- years ago he was worth £22,000, but had met with misfortune. He had lately been working as a saddler along the Main Trunk line, but had left there with £6 to look for work. ,The police said that from inquiries made the man was industrious and of good character. The presiding Justices, Messrs.' Pirani and Atkinson, decided to pay the man's fare back to the town whence he came, out of their own pockets. The police undertaking to see he was taken care of on arriving at hi 6 destination.

r "Sessifin after session," remarked His Honour Mr. Justice Cooper in the Auckland Supreme Court on. Friday (says the "New Zealand Herald"), "I am confronted with divorce cases in which the husband has been a drunkard. I cannot-help thinking that too much carelessness exists on the part of parents of girls' in inquiring into the previous conduct and life of the men who desire to marry, their daughters.' To my mind, the lives of far too many wives aro spoiled by the drunken habits of their husbands, which must have been in existence before they were married."

Apropos of the cablegram ftom Melbourne which appeared recently stating that the Governor-in-Council had decided to prohibit tie importation of soap without permission, it is interesting, to note that an article oti this suhject was published in a Melbourne weekly journal called the "Patriot," on July 29. . The - writer of this article states tlint "every patriotic Australian should refuse to buy American soaps, or, better still, the Federal Government should prohibit the importation of suoh soaps while the war is being waged. As a necessary war precaution, Great Britain has already done so. The average person may ask what connection there is between soap and the serious strugglo the Empire is engaged in. Ouce tliey realise the' position, their patriotism must impel them to refuse buying any American soaps;" Proceeding, the-writer estabr lishes the connection between soap and glycerine, the latter heing a byproduct in the' manufacture of tho former, arid shows the present vital importance of glycerine, which is a constituent, of certain explosives. Some time ago the British Government fixed the price of glycerine, so far as British soap-makers are concerned, at £59 10s. a ton, but in the open market of the United, States American soap-mak-ers can obtain fi'om £170 to £190 a ton. It therefore came ahout that each ton of soap the British manufacturer failed to_ make through suoh foreign competition -meant a- reduction of at least lewt.; in the output of British' glycerine.

The position of recruiting in Auckland wag discussed on Wednesday by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, -vfho is chairman of the City Recruiting Committee (soys the "New Zealand Hefald"). He said that recruiting had been considerably slacker during the past month, but there was full provision for the next two Reinforcement drafts, and the average of 8 to 10 recruits daily was steadily filling the requirements for the drafts to go forward in the later months of the year. "As far as we can see at present, there is no likelihood of failure on the part of the city to contribute its quota for the next four months," said Mr. Gunson. "There has been a considerable drain on the city by tho demands for men to fill shortages in the drafts from other parts of the military district, but so long as tho men can be found, the city, committee is quite prepared to uso its endeavours to maintain tho required numbers month by montfc"

Mothers should early instruct their daughters liow to-wash clothes clean with "No Rubbing Laundry Help." Is. carton does seven weekly washings.—Advt'.