LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2873, 11 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An English mail, via Brindisi and Suez, and also a large Australian mail, arc arriving by the Manuka, which is expected hero about 10 a.m. to-day from Sydney The. Magisterial Inquiry fn 'connection with the wreck of'the Tongariro will probably take place at Napier on Friday next. The day has not, however, 'been definitely fixed, as it was not known on Saturday whether the local Magistrate at Napier would bo free to attend the- inquiry that day. The assessors have not yet been appointed. Mrs. Cattanach, of 200- Tinakori Road, not Mr. William Cattanach, was tho winner of tho third pri7,o in the M'Hardy Art Union. Mrs. Cattanach Teceives for her prize £150. Curiously enough, Mrs. Cattanach was one or those who won 10s. a little while ago when Mr. M'Hardy passed through the streets, and . cho invested the amount in tickets. It was orio of these that has won her tho prize. Tho AVcllington Hospital Fund was increased by £2 65.,- as tho result of a musical programme which was given by the Central Mission Band at tho Hospital' grounds yesterday afternoon. Stamp collectors will be interested, to loam that the dark-coloured lid. stamp issued since- the outbreak of war has | now been replaced by another of similar typo. The first was printed from an. engraved plate, but tho new die, which was prepared iu England, is for surface printing, which is a cheaper method to uso for stamps where there is a big demand. It is probable the orange-coloured 2d. stamp will also be .shortly issued surface printed. The tender of J. E, Scott (Dunedin), at £4594, has been accepted by the Featherston Town Board for sewerage I works and water reservoir at Featherston. ' Three Wellington tenders were received: R. M'Kenzie, £3319; An- ' drews and Kennedy; £6039; J. L. M'Millan, £8472. Mr. W. Ferguson, 51.1. C.E., of Wellington, visited Gisborho near tho end of last week in connection with harbour improvements. He. was to have inct the Harbour Board on Friday evening last. Steady improvements are being made in tho. hay by means of dredging, but owing to the Bilting much inconvenienco has been caused of late. The Joan Craig was expected to tako away about 60,000 ft. of timber on Saturday,' but all that amount would havo to be carried -aboard on account of tho vessel not being able to pull up to the wharf. Thorp are at present two hundred thousand feet of white pine waiting shipment at Gisbome.

Mr. 'Arthur Hinton, examiner to the Associated Board, R.A.M. and R.C.M., London, will' arrive in Wellington to commence the annual practical examinations on October 10. He is at present in Auckland, and he will bo at Wanganui on September 25,- Palnierston North on October 2, Napier on Ootober 5. Ho will also examine candidates at tho smaller towns en route.

There are some very perturbed mothers in Sydney just now. In the flush of patriotism they have christened their babies "Anzac." Now a warning has been issued that the name may only be used for military purposes, and they want to know if they -are likely to be proseouted. Consequently tho State Commandant of New South Wales is having a lively time, being interviewed by mothers of infant "Anzacs."

Giving somo details of the voyage he recently made round the world in the 23-ton yaoht Mana, Mr. Scoresby Routlodgo remarked: "After leaving San Francisco we came down' the Mexican coast. Two hundred ' miles from land wo' came upon three islands marked as uninhabited, and I decided to land to try and get somo meat. One of the,first things that cauglft my eye was a piece of wood bearing the name Annie Larson, which I learn from a shipwrecked sailor who was on the yacht was the name of a vessel on-, gagod in blockade running or contraband. -This remote island had been a dumping ground for Mexican revolutionists." This referenco to the Annie Larson is of more than passing interest to New Zealand shipping men, inasmuch as that vossel brought a cargo of lumber to Lytteltou from Puget Sound only a few. months ago. On arrival at the southern port she was 'arrested' on a ohaTge of gun-running for tho Germans round about, tho Persian Gulf. Tho case, however, fell through, and discharge of her lumber was commenced.

Tlio General Manager of the NeW Zealand Railways (Mr. E. H. Hiley) has replied to the communication from tho shop foreman of tho Hawko's Bay Farmers' Co-operative Co., enclosed to liim by the Chamber of Commerce, complaining that workers holding workmen's tickets from Napier to Hastings were not allowed to board at intermediate stations. Mr. Hiley informed the Chamber of, Commerce,that workers' tickets were- issued between Napier and Hastings as a special arrangement, and on the understanding that they would be limited in operation to those two stations. The rates were unremunerativo. and circumstances did not justify an extension of tho arrangement to intermediate stations. The tickets referred to were not available for a break of journey, and he regretted that ho was unable to authorise the holders to alight or to join trains at intermediate stations.

Last Thursday the steamer Kami arrived in Gisborno flying signals for a doctor. A medical man was taken out to the vessel, and found her skipper (Captain Nairn) suffering .from measles. Ho was later removed to tho hospital. Somo days ago the vessel's chief officer was put ashore at Auckland suffering from the same complaint.

When tho Australian cruiser Sydney sank tho notorious commerce raidor, the Emden, Mr. J. B. A'Deane, "of Takapau, cabled a good remittance 'to tho gallant heroes who had done so well. Tho amount wa-s sufficient for a good "blow out" for 400 men, which tho remitter fully expected would happen, but to ,his delight tho Sydney's .men decided to.procure momentoes of that memorable event. Tho offices of the New Zealand Minister of Defence were scoured, and Mr. A'Deanc increased tho cheque, and in due course every man on tho Sydney -will receive a pendant shaped artistically to rosomblo tho typical New-Zealand weapon, the nicro. On a gold-encircling band will be inscribed tho dat-o of the Emden's fate, and the name "H.M.A.S. Sydney."

' There seems to be a probability that two ships may proceed from Port Chalmers 1 in search of the men left on the ice (says tho Dunedin "Star"). The whaling vessel Discovery, , which left England last month to' rescue the Elephant Island party, is now on her way southward, As sho probably has no wireless installation to inform lui of the'rescue of that p'artv. slid will possibly' call in at :tho Falkland Islands or some South American port for final instructions. These instructions may be to proceed to New Zealand and join the Aurora in quest of tho men yet on the ice. A Press cablegram has alroadv stated that Sir Ernest Shackleton may comG to New Zealand to take charge of tho Aurora, which is at pre-sent-refitting at T'ort Chalmers.

Nothing in shirts looks smarter than a black and white stripe. 'Our sound material linos sell at 4s. 6o\. 4s. I'd., and Rs. Ctl. (loo.' Fnwlds, Ltd., Manner? Street.—Advt. Scotch women enjoy the reputation of being canny, clean, and thrifty, consequently you can't shift them from "jS T o Rubbing "Laundry Help" for washing clothes clean. Seven weeks' supply, Is. -Advt.

Hamlet was engaged in very serious converse with the ghost of his' royal father at the Grand Opera House on Saturday, when a ribald femalo voice began to chatter irresponsibly at the back of tho dross circle. It seomed like sacriiogo. Still the voice ambled on bibulously, until nearly everybody turned indignantly round to note the' soulless interrupter, who at that point burbled: "Him talkin' about Donmark 1 It's enough to make a cat laugh!" Then the ushers got to work, and silonco was restored.

Some interesting facts regarding the action of sulphuric acid wore given by Professor Worley, who has been inquirin'g into tho probable causes of tho acid explosion by which men were injured on the Auckland wharf last weok. He oxexplained that sulphuric aoid is'always carried in a concentrated form, in iron vessels. Dilute sulphuric acid attacked iron and formed sulphate of iron and hydrogen gas. This had two', offects. In the first place, it made the acid impure, and secondly, the hydrogen, being generated in a closed' space, would exert more pressure on tho vessel and tend to burst it. On the other hand, concentrated sulphuric acid does not attack iron and is easily carried in wrought-irou vessels. "In my opinion," said Professor "Worley, "the explosion on Thursday night was caused by tho entrance of water at the bung. I made an inspection of the drum, and was strengthened in my'opinion by seeing some sulphate or iron around tho opening. Snlphnrio acid absorbs moisture from the air very rapidly, and if the air could penetrate to the drum by the smallest aperture, a dilution of tho acid, possibly only on the surface, would generate hydrogen. The "consequent corrosion of the iron probably had the effect of sealing the drum, and the further generation of hydrogen created pressure sufficient to force the bung.

The method of the distribution of the war bonus to,members of the Public Service is causing some dissatisfaction amongst certain of the Civil Servants, observes the "New Zealand Herald." The bonus is payablo to members of tho service earning salaries not higher than £315 a year. The bonus for married men is £15, and for single employees over 18 years of. age it is £7 10s. Information has been received in Auckland„to the effect that officers on "the,£3ls mark," who draw any extra sum or sums, however small, above their salary, as overtime or for additional work of any kind, will not participate in the bonus. Thus, it is urged, a married man with a salary of £315, who may earn £1 for overtime or extra work which he may be called upon to do, will be penalised to tho extent of £14, seeing that by earning the extra sum he will forfeit a £15 bonus. The matter is causing considerable feeling amongst those members of the service who are' affected. What is claimed to bo anothor inequality will obtain in regard to the differentiation between widowers with and without children under 14 years of age. Men with, children under that ago will receive the full bonus of £15, but if the children are over 14 the bonus will be only £7 10s., which' amount will also he received by a boy over 18 years of age, who has no dependants whatever. The sharp line drawn between single members of the service who are over 18 years of age, and those who are under that age, is also adversely criticised. A youth a month under 18 will receive only £3, but if he is over 18 he will receive £7 10s. This distinction is regarded as inequitable, particularly when a contrast is made between the case of a youth under 18 who is living away from homo, and that of another over 18 who may he living with his parents.