LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2860, 26 August 1916, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Moeraki, which sailed from Sydney at 3 p.m. on Thursday for Wellington, is bringing Australian and English mails,, via Suez, and is. due here on Monday next. . At the.Supreme Court this mornin" seven prisoners will come up for sentence, including Connor, Bray, and Hellawell, convicted in connection with the thefts of patent medicines from the warehouse of Sharland and Co , Ltd. Men who returned to Wellington bv the transport which put back through Tier machinery being out of order com. ment favourably on the splendid food they have been supplied with. Thc< menu all round was better than 90 per cent, of tho men anticipated. The following cablegram has been received by the Government from the High Commissioner:—"People already discussing question, of Christmas presents for the Now Zealand 1 troops in England and on Continent. Should be glad to know New Zealand's intentions on the matter, 'so that co-ordination may be secured and overlapping prevented as far as.possible. I am advised that if it is decided' to inake purchases here orders should be given early owing to enormous supplies required for British Army ?.t 'Christmas.." ''Not according to the tables of*molality," said His Honour Mr. Justice Cooper in the Auckland Supremo Court, when' the statement was made that a nonogenarian plaintiff, who had met with a motor-car mishap, had been expected to live until he was 106. "The .old .man is- apparently in good health, and might live livo or si.-, years," added His Honour, "but it is ridiculous to say that he would last as luug a period as stated." A patrol of Kelburn Boy Scouts is to walk through the Wairarapa on tour. They leave Wellington and go as far as Dannovirke and through to Pallncrston, and Lack via Manawatu.

A five-legged sheep, the property of the Anzuc Art Union, will bo on view at the' Economic this morning, and at the Hotel Windsor, Willis Street, tin's afternoon..

During tho week commencing September 4 the trial -of tlie man Dovoin in ■ connection with the Nairn Street tragedy will- bo taken, also the civil Returns,of A. K. Cocker v. Jits. M. Nightingale, claim £698 for alleged inreceived, -and- Edwin Nops v John Cameron and others, claim £1000 return of purchase money. • •

Stoats and weasels are giving a good deal'of trouble to residents of Wadestown, particularly those people who go in for poultry. As a skilled despoiler of the henhouse the stoat is not a guest to be encouraged, and as an egg thief he is very expert. It is difficult to imagine a four-footed creature making off with whole eggs and storing thein up, but one .Wadestown watcher has seen a stoat hop out of n nest cuddling an egg between its two forepaws, and in that manner conveying it to its hiding-place. One shrewd amateur poultry-farmer, who thought he would got a sly one on to a stoat, planted a number of china eggs in an old nest, but to his great surprise he found that these, too, disappeared as readily as the genuine article. Searching one day underneath an old case, he found quite a store of eggs, china and otherwise, neatly stored there by the atoat against a rainy day.

A youth aged 15 was arrested by Detective Trieklebank yesterdav on a charge of stealing £11 10s. at Dannevirke.

An unusual record was achieved by the Engineers' draft which, left with the Sixteenth Reinforcements. During the whole time that these troops were in camp none of them were guilty of any offences, or "crimes," as they are known as in camp.' No draft has ever achieved this record before, though of late the number of offenders who have faced the. Commandant's Orderly Room at both camps has been remarkably low. ' --

Unpleasant interviews with the police are in store for men who neglect to enrol or to report a change of address under the Military Service Act. For their own protection, .Reservists should apply promptly to the Government Statistician for certificates of enrolment, for which forms will be oh. tainable at any post office. These certificates will only lie issued l on application. Employers will have an interest in such certificates, because the employment of non-enrolled moil or deserters is prohibited. -The production of a certificate is a guarantee to an.employer that the Reservist has a right to work. A consecration services "will'bo bold at the new Anglican Church at Karon to-morrow. The Bishop of Wellington, Rev. Dr. Sprott,' will be present.

The munificent additions to . war funds in the Grey district through the instrumentality of Mr:' Tom' Pollard were referred to in.highly commenda.-. Tory terms at n recent meeting of tho Grey Patriotic Committee. Mr. Pollard has given the whole, of the. receipts from one night's, entertainment..in each month for the past two years. Tho attendance at these'entertainments has, however,, fallen off-during the past few months, and the committee thought it was "up to them" to renew the support and interest which marked their appreciation of. Mr. Tom Pollard's efforts ill the earlier months of the war. It was decided to ask the "local clubs and Orchestral Society- to contribute towards future programmes, and issue 1000 tickets for day sales in connection with these entertainments.

The effect of the war in depleting the teaching- staffs of schools was tho subject of a resolution passed by the Auckland Grammar School Board. The resolution, which was to be dispatched to the- Minister of- Education, was to the effect that in relation to the standard of attainments required in tlie examination for senior scholarships,' while the board had no wish to see the standard lowered, attention was dratra to the fact that a serious disturbance of staffs had been caused during the last period, owing to the war, and should be taken into consideration. ' In tho course, of a case in the Auckland Police Court, in which a bookmaker was fined, it was stated that the constable who had made the bets had managed to secure three wins out of-four-bets. -.This led the Magistrate .'to ..'remark that the constable "must have known something." As a fact the constable was quite ignorant of any of tho horses, and as he was supplied -with Government money to make the bets the winnings have to go into the State Treasury. Writing to a friend in Chiistehurch, an Anzac artilleryman now in France gave a graphic description of the effects of the poisonous gas used by tho Huns. 11a described how the men were awakened by an awful din, the alarm being given by-the ringing' of bells. "The men hastily donned their respirators," he continued, "and str.ud by the horses. Within about five minutes tho gas reached the men,-but had little effect on them, thanks to the precautions taken. The next day the effects of the gas on the near crops of peas and onions were plainly seen, the vegetables being quito blackened and the peas also .laid flat. The harness on the horses,.too, which had pre-, viously been as bright as silver, was covered with black rust. Yet, strange to say, the horses were not apparently alfected in tho least." At St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, The Terrace, on Sunday evening, the Rev. J. Gibson Smith will preach his farewell sermon as minister of the church, and on the Wednesday evening following tho .congregation will tender Mr. and Mrs". Smith a valedictory social. ' ' ' ' An indication of the growth of Seatoun is seen. in the Education Board making provision for a side school near the tram terminus. The Education Department has no money just now to buy land and erect a permanent building,- but the Education Board can find rent for anv building that might be available. Tho board has secured the use of the Soatoun Presbyterian Church during school hours for a school, and suitable out-buildings, and a necessary addition to the church are in course of erection. This new side school will be opened probably early in-September, and will supply, for the younger childr ren, a .much-needed want.

A serious charge was brought against Emily Amelia Callaghan in the Police Court at l'almei'ston North yesterday. It was alleged that on 01 about August 22 she attempted to extort from A. 11. Buchanan £1000 by moans of a document contaiuuig an accusation that he criminally assaulted Nellie Callaghan, aged 15. Accused was remanded till Monday next, hail tu £100 being accepted.—Press Assuci, ution. The Wellington Performing Musicians' dispute was lieard before Conciliation Commissioner Hagger. yesterday. The employers' assessors were Messrs. E. J. Kighton, Bert Eoyle, and H. W. Shortt. The assessors for the union were Messrs. John West, Henry Savage, and J. F. Woodward. Mr. Breen was agent for the employees, and Mr. Grenl'ell agent for tlio employers. Last evening it was officially reported that a complete agreement or the dispute is assured. Wages have A been increased in nearly every instance, and other concessions have been gained by the employees. The wages of musicians with travelling theatrical companies have been increased to £3 10s. per week; permanent vaudeville and variety performers are to receive £3 os.; at permanent pictures (G shows), £3; at continuous pictures, day, £3 los., 6 p.m. to 10.30 p.m., £3 os. The scope of the award is limited to a radius of five miles of the G.P.O. The hearing of the dispute will be continued to-day. Hares arc- so numerous in the Wairarapa that they are becoming a positive nuisance to farmers, says our Mastcrton correspondent. It is probable that a. request will be made that the protection of hares bo 'removed for at least a year or two. • '

The jury summoned for the Supreme Court next Monday will not be.required to attend. ....