LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2862, 29 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The' Postal authorities advise that tho mails which left Now Zealand on July 6 arrived in London on tbo aftornoon of August 24. Reporting from Samoa under date August 26 on the health of tho troops at Samoa, Colonel Logan says:—Sergeant J. W. Butler, convalescent; Private R. Knox, carbuncle; W, S. Reid, carbuncle. It has bpi-n decided by tho Defence Authorities that in tho cases of returned' soldiers who have disembarked in New Zealand since February 1, 1916, aiid whoso dental treatment wqs not considered by tho Medioal Boaid at tho timo of disembarkation, such men may apply to the _ Director of Dental Services for consideration and award of treatment if, in tho opinian of tho D.D.S., such is necossaTy. All pilch applications must be received before November 80, failing which th<jy will not bo entertained. No treatment will be undertaken after December 24 noxt. There havo been no further developments of measles amongst the orow of tlio Amokura, and all the boys on the Tutauekai aro doing well. Passengers from Auckland yesterday state that they had a magnificent mountain view coming down by. the Main Trunk express. Tho morning was so clear and bright that Mount Egmont could be clearly observed in its winter mantle, whilst Ituapohu and Ngaruahoe 6howed ! up grandly in tho early morning sunlight. A good deal of smoke was being emitted by Ngaruahoe. A singular coincidence is reported in the death of Mrs. Messenger at New Plymouth and Mr. Dugald M'Kellar at Wellington on Friday last. ■ Both Mrs. Messenger, who was formerly a Miss Mace, and >Mr. M'Kellar wero follow passengers in tho barque St. Michael, which arrived at Now Plymouth, from Madeira on December 3, 1852.

Regulations woro gazetted lost night proscribing tho form of enrolraqnt to bo filled in by men on whom tho obligation rests to see that they are enrolled'in tho Expeditionary Force Reserve, and proscribing also tho form of certificate of enrolment- to_ which every jnembor of the reserve, duly registered, shall-bo ontitled. Tho form of enrolment appears to be identical with that used for the National Register. Tho Karori Borough Council has invested the sum of £1480 in war certificates. The Horth Wairarnpa branch, of tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society lias decided to express to tho main body its strong disapproval of the limited quantity of ova secured for distribution in the Wellington district. It' was also deoided to ask that a rauger bo appointed for the North Wairarapa. An inquest is to be 'held at the courthouse on Wednesday touching the death of Auwtc .Walter Thompson, an infant of five mouths, whoso parents livo in Tui Street. Tlio reports state that it is presumed tha 1 ; overlaying was-the cause of death.

Small birds have hecoino a great niusance in tho Masterton district, and a crusade for their extermination haß boon strongly advocated. Tho Kelbum Boy Scouts arrived at Grcytowu on Sunday aitomoon, and woro billeted by residents, and went on to Masterton at Sl.liO yesterday morning. What may ho regarded as business foresight was alluded to by Dean Devoy on Sunday in tho eourso ol' a reference to tho death of Mr. Martin Kennedy. It was largely owing to Mr. Kennedy's aid that the property on which St. Anne's Church, Newtown, now stands was acquired by the parish. Somo of the parish coinmitt.eo thought the land valueless, and declared they would not Jiavo it at a gift. Still tie purchase was made, and today tho property is a highly valuable one in the heart of Newtown. So far the efforts made to raiso the Wanganui Harbour Board's , sunken dredge have proved unsuccessful. On Saturday punts wero placed on. either side and heavy pile's wero placed across her, but the dpdge proved a very awkward and heavy object to lift. The West Coast Refrigerating Company's annual, report shows that Taranalci exported produce last year to the value of £2,415,144, of whioli PRtea port contributed £1,183,089 and New Plymouth £1, 232,055.

Mr. Marshall Hall told the King's Bench (Loudon) the other day that the periscope was-identical in principle with the optical instrument "used by one of tho Georges to observe ladies who thought they could not be seen." Thus do the frailties of. monarchs contribute to the advance of science. It was also in tho reign of this George that the opera-glass was invented, and led to a, theatre riot owing to the popular impression that it represented objeots upside down, and that the gentlemen using it were thus enabled to study the women on the stage in that indecorous attitude. A meeting of the Auckland Provincial Aeroplane Committee was held last week, Mr. R. E. Fenton presiding. A sufficient sum of money having now been subscribed to enable the gift of an aeroplane to be made to the War Office, it was decided to forward to the Hon. A. M. Myers a cheque-for the first instalment of £2500 out of the fund, with the Toquest tliat this amount be forwarded to the High Commissioner in London, to bo handed to tho Imperial Government through the Overseas Club for tho purchase of an aeroplane. The committee further expressed a dosire that the gift machine should bo named ."Auckland," and that when ready for commission it should be placed in charge of an Auckland aviator. Tho total amount received has been most satisfactory proof of the practical interost of Aucklanders in the soheme, the sum received amounting to £2603 2s. 10d., including £883 lis. 7d. from .Whangaroi. There is further money to come from Wliangarei, and about £175 promised in Auokland has not yot been received by the treasurer.

An elderly lady brought into the Manawatu Patriotiq Society's office 01; Saturday morning three pairs of hand-knitted face-washers. The wash-, ers wero "home-made" in the truest sense of the word. A lamb whicli had been a pet was slaughtered at home, and the lady spun the wool from its fleeoo to make the washers, Tho donor declined to give her name. : Offioors in Now Zealand are particular about their "Sam Browns," and the kind of polish that should be used to give them that'rich brown brilliancy that makes for smartness in appearance. It may Be news for some of the wearers thnfc. the "Sam Browns" are among the first of the equipment to be dispensed with, according to Mr. Lan Hay, in "The b'lrst Hundred Thousand," as thoy immediately denote the difforence between an officer and a private to the eyes behind the German field-glasses on tho Western front. Like many other things that, separate the commissioned officers Irom the men, the "Sam Brown" is cue of those little embellishments which have to bo discarded when facing' tho enemy, in this case in lieu of web equipment, which, 111 its dull utility, blends in so perfectly with service khaki.

The story of a sixpenny stick of timber, was considered in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, when Newman Coffey was charged with the theft oF a piece of timber "belonging to tho Wellington City Corporation." Tho police said that the corporation wero building a breastwork at Oriental Bay, and that, for some time timber had bean disappearing overnight from the scono of oporations. In consequence, Constable Harrison had watched tha locality, and at 5.30 one morning ho bad arrested Coffey after seeing him carry a piece of timber into his father's residence. In evidence, Harrison swore than lie distinctly saw Coffey take ,the timber from the corporation's heap. • Coffey 3enied this, and said that he picked it up on the beach, and carried it up some steps near tho corporation stack. Tho police called in evidence Mr. J. J. Korslako,' the corporation overseer. "Does that piec.a of timber belong to the corporation?" they asked him. "No," was the reply. The police: "Is it worth 45.?" (the value' sot out in the charge). Mr. Kerslake: "No. It is not worth sixpence." Tho .Magistrate said the charge had not boon proved, and ho dismissed the case-

,i An announcement, mentioned in a cablegram from London, that the War Council intends to acquire all stocks of light-weight leather in tho United Kingdom, is espectwl to have a steadying influence on prices. The cablegram mentions that "owners have been ordered, to furnish lists of stocks, 'including Australian and Now Zealand sides and bonds." The prico is not stated, but probably it will be high without being speoulativo. It is possiblo that the decision of tho Imperial authorities will ho followed by some action in New Zealand, but no official information is yet available on that point. I'he export of hides to jieutral countries was prohibited some time ago.

Some fow years ago Mr. diaries Philpot, of Auckland, cabled tho Duke of Portland' (states the "Star"), asking him to put a prico on the great racehorse Carbine, adding that a number of Auckland sportsmen were anxious that' tho famous son of M'.ifiket should dio in tho land of his birth. No tcply was received, but evidently the Duko boro tho matter in mind, tor at a. recent meeting of tho Auckland Racing Club the following letter was read from tho Duke of Portland to tho secretary of the olub, Mr. J. F. Hartland "The skin of Carbine is at present in tho Tmiuls of Messrs. Rowland Ward, Ltd., the taxidehnists, of Piccadilly, London, undergoing the |>rocesses necessary for its preservation. 'As Carbine was born in new Zealand it- has occurred to mo that it would be fitting that his skin be deposited in tho land 1 of his birth, and I think that perhaps tho best qourso 1 could tako would bo to ask you, na secretary of "tho Auckland Raoiiisj Club, to rocoivo it, and then present it to the Auckland Museum."

A man will traverse the" princi]sl streets of the City on September 2 and present Half-sovereigns to persons who, on request by "him, can produce an Anzao Art Union "Ticket bearing the stamp, "J. and M. BERMAN," on tho back* There is positively no excuse for anyone wearing discoloured linen because the price of "No Rubbing Laundry Help" is within the reach of ail.—Advt. Over 600 women secured prizes in the lsjcent Desert Gold Tea Competition. A new competition is ijow under way, with .£SO in prices, and also gift prjtos. Drink Desert Gold Tea and save the "Camels." i — Advt

Enrolling the fighting man-power of Now Zealand is practically the task of the Government Statistician. His work is twofold. He has to obtain tho names and addresses of men of military age; lie has to ascertain what tho manpower is and whore it is. Every Reservist is under statutory obligations to report any change of abodo. A lioavy penalty may be suffered by a Reservist who fails to give information as to his new place of residence. It should bo noted that a post office address is not sufficient—place of abodo must be furnished. Some years ago (says the Auckland "Star") an interesting case was Jiefore llio Supreme Court at Auokland, in which damages were claimed by tho plaintiff against a medical man for liaving removed a large area of skin /or the purpose of grafting on another girl suffering from wounds causod b.V burns, and which would not heal. Medical science has progressed since then, as thore is a gentleman in Auokland who was grafted with skin taken from a sucking pig, and the operation proved completely successful. As tho pig was chloroformed before tho cuticle was removed, and was killed at tho end of the operation, it was spared the aftersuffering occasioned to the young lady m the case where damages were sought.

"It has often been stated with somo pride by the people of this province (says Saturday s Auckland "Herald") that Auokland has got tho men and got the money too, out, according to a well-known inan in the land and estate business, interviewed by a reporter this morning, St is Wellington that hag got our men and got- our money too.' It wag when asked! t'o account for the fact that the notice "To Let" was to he seen with such depressing frequency in oitv and residential areas that he nited out that although Auckland supplied more recruits and moro money than any other part of New Zealand, practically the whole commercial benefit from that outlay was being reaped by Wellington. In Wellington business was undoubtedly booming. One could not honestly say tho same thing for the whole of Auckland 1 . In Wellington there was not a. shop to let, and rents Were at a premium, while in Auckland there had been a fall of about 25 per cent, in shop rents, and lg per cent, on houses. Small houge9 in the immediate suburbs still lot at fairly good rates, but for large houses it is difficult to find tenants. As long as Auokland was allowed to be drained in this way, lie said, no improvement coukl be looked for in business; Indeed, it looked as though masters would grow steadily worse. When the application for local camps had been made in tho first place, the Government had been ready with comfortable assurances that the effects would not be those anticipated by the Auckland applicants, and even now, when the effects had become all too evident, the responsible Ministers still seemed indisposed to move."