LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2857, 23 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho New Plymouth express train to Wellington on Saturday afternoon met with an accident a little to the north of tho Ohau railway station. Tho bogey wheels of the engine left the rails. Fortunately the driver applied tho brakes promptly and quickly brought the train to a standstill, thus preventing any damage hc-ing done. Considerable delay was caused in getting the engine back to tho rails, and tlm train reached Otaki about an hour and a half lato. The passengers on tho train numbered 120, including 40 soldiers belonging to B Company, Seventeenth Reinforcements. They presented a testimonial to Driver Sleman and Guard M'Burncy for their prompt action in pulling up the train, and thus averting a very serious accident. The testimonial also made special reference to the help rendered by Sir. Anderson the local schoolmaster, in replacing tlie engino on tho line. Tho weather continues boisterous, says our Wanganui correspondent, and yesterday, all along the coast, heavy showers of hail foil. Just before daylight yesterday morning an alarming crash of thunder followed, pnd later the report was spread that the eliim-nev-staok of the Christchureh Ment Co.'s new freezing works at Imlay had been badly cracked. Investigations, however, proved that tho damage was not of a serious nature, being confined to the displacement of tho outer brickwork at one or two places in tho base. An accused person's replies to SubInspector M'Hveney in the Auckland Police Court caused some amusement. "Were you over in Court before?" asked the sub-in6pector. "No." "Are you sure?" "Yefe." "Not at Te KuitiP" "No." "AVere you not fined £2?" "Yes, but I was not in Court: I paid a solicitor 10s. to appear for me." A daring robbery was committed at the Paeroa railway station on Saturday night last, the circumstances of which have just been revealed. The station offices and safe were loft open by an official, and when the clerks returned they found that tho safe had been robbed and that £30 in notes and gold had 'been abstracted. A considerable amount in cheques was untouched. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), accompanied by the members of the committee set up to consider the advisability of building dwellings for corporation omployees, made a tour of certain districts on Monday afternoon for the purpose of'inspecting sites for such dwellings. Among these were certain areas of land which hive been offered for sale to the corporation, and others inspected were areas belonging to the city. The party visitsd PerLampore, Island Bay, the high lands at the back of Newtown l'ark, and also Lyall Bay. It is not anticipated that -any immediate action will he taken in connection with the proposal, but tho tour helped the committee to a knowledge of tho class of land, and its relation to tho city, which may bo of value when the matter is moro closely gone into. Eighty-four of tho members of the New Zealand Society of Accountants have enlisted for war service. Three have been killed in action, one- has died of disease, and one who was reported missing has now been,reported dead. Regarding a house at Karori, in which cases of scarlet fever havo occurred, tho Karori Borough Engineer (Mr. G. C. Brigham) stated at last evening's meeting of tho council that the District Health Office had forwarded a list of alterations necessary, and these had been immediately sent on to tho owner of tho property. The position at present was that the inmates aro convaloscont, although still isolated. The premises are still isolated, and it is proposed to finally fumigate the house on Saturday nest, and the isolation restrictions will then bo lifted.

A New Plymouth soldier in camp oil Salisbury Plain, England, says: "About night miles away is Salisbury, a fairly large old town lull of interesting and beautiful tilings. The cathedral I canjM)t- describe. Wo attended tliero on Sunday night, and three of us . from New Plymouth took up the collection in the ancient edifice. Ono of the officials asked us to, and everybody is so kind we couldn't refuse, so we, with four Australians, collected the offerings and clattered up over the flags with our hobnailed boots to the altar. S'omo of the old saints buried there must have wondered, I think." On Saturday. 2nd Sopt., a man will traverso tlio principal streets all day carrying Ansrac Art Union Tickct No. 1)1506. All persons who show Anzac Art Union Ticket stamped "Howe and Sowman" on the back and asks tho man carrying the tickets, "Have you Tickct 91,506?" will receive ,£!.* Dear Madam,—You'll never loso an opportunity will von, of explaining the great labour-saving and perfect cleansing qualities of "No Rubbing Laundry Help"? Is. worth docs seven weekly washings.—Advt.

The beginning of a policy of self-re-liance was a description given last avoning at the annual meeting of tbe New Zealand Society of Accountants to the Dominion's War Loan. Tlio president (Mr. J. S. Barton) moved that the society should express jts gratification at the result of the first , loan offered for publio subscription in the Dominion, and congratulate tlio Minister of Finance on the result. > Everyone, said tlio president, had been confident, but the greatness of the sue- ; cess had been an agreeable surprise. , Such a result spoke well for the patriot- ' ism of tlio people. Tho fleece on the Anzac Art Union , sheep on view at the Economic is esti- ( mated by experts to bo worth £1. i On Wednesday ovening next all members of tho Nonconformist churches in AYollington are to meet in St. John's Church, Willis Street-, for tho purposo of holding a united intercessory service in connection with the war. During the hearing yesterday of a claim for damages for alleged malicious prosecution, a constable stated that he proceeded against ono of tho parties on ! a charge of sheep-stealing % way of ; summons, and did not arrest lnm, be- 1 cause ho was satisfied the man could not leave tho district. Mr. Justice Edwards remarked that the police should not arrost a person if they were satis- ' lied attendance in Court would be secured by summons. Messrs. Harcourt and Co. advise that at the auction sale yesterday afternoon of tho 12-roomed residence, No. 57 Ellice Street, tliero was a fair attendance of the publio. The property was passed in at £1675, the reserve not being reached, but subsequently sold at the upset price, £1750, to Mr. P. W. Corby. It was announced at last evening's meeting of the Society of Accountants that £1000 had been set aside as the beginning of a benevolent fund. Members of the society will have an opportunity of contributing to the fund The idea is that the wives and children of deceased members of the society will not be left destitute. A collision between a motor-car, owned and driven by Mr. S. C. Colmore Williams, and a taxi-cab driven by Mr. John Weir, occurred at Mangawhare on Saturday night, resulting m the taxi-cab being driven against the forepliore, over which it completely capsized, falling a depth of 20ft-., says a Dargaville message. Fortunately the tide was low, but the occupants wore violently thrown on to the etono facing of tho bank. Assistance was speedily rendered by Mr. Williams and Dean Van Dyk, who was accompanying him, and further help was hastily summoned. The taxi-cab contained five Maori passengers, two of whom were conveyed to the hospital. One girl, Pera Kamera, aged 12 years, sustained a fracture of the thigh, and Watikena. Tupari, an elderly man, severe concur sion. Tho latter was able next morning to leave the institution. The driver, Weir, was severely bruised, and lie is Buffering from (shock. The taxi-cab, winch was considerably damaged', was next morning raised by tho steamer Tuirangi, and lauded at Dargaville. In the interview with Professor Macmillan Brown in yesterday's Doinmost, reference was made to bananas as an article of food. This word should have been "pandanus," for, as a later statement in tho articlo set out, the banana was one of the Polynesian staple foods that had never been cultivated in the Gilbert Group.