LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is an easy matter to havo a sense of duty dona and pcaco of mind under tho Military Service Act. It is well to givo a final reminder that all men of military ago aro automatically members of tho Expeditionary Force Reserve (either first or second division) by tho fact of tho proclamation under (lie Act,' but unregistered men have, an obligation to apply for enrolment. Here, in brief, is the duty of the unregistered: (1) To fill in an enrolment card; (2) to apply (on tho form provided) for a certificate of enrolment. Registered men should similarly apply for a certificate of enrolment, and they must notify change of address, if their placo of abode has changed since registration. Tho application for a certificate is not mandatory, but neglect or delay in this matter may bring much trouble, because tho police and employers • will require the production •of the certificate as proof of enrolment. A call at the nearest post office, wLero cards, forms and advice' aro available free, will clear away all difficulties. It is not enough for a Reservist to keep in touch with a recruiting committee. Tlioro is a personal obligation oil every Reservist to comply with the Act." All enrolment cards, applications for certificates ami notices of ehango of address must be addressed to the Government Statistician, Wellington. To-, day is tlie time for action by aiiy Reservist who has not yet done his duty. A man cannot hope to escape penalties' b.y a plea of ignorance. In all cases under tho Act the onus of proof will bo on the defendant. .

At yesterday's? meeting of tho Christchurcii Presbytery, the Rev. .C. Murray took strong exception to the holding of hare drives on Sundays, and also to the C.D.C. Office being open on Sundays for tlio enrolment of members of the Expeditionary Force. Reserve. He 'did not think there was any public necessity for this on Sunday. It was decided that the matter he referred to the Sabbath Observance Committee for them to register on behalf of tho Presbytery a protest against hare drives on Sundays.—Press Association.

The postal authorities advise that the mails which left New Zealand on August 8 arrived in London on September 9. The s.s. Riverina, which sailed from Wellington on Thursday last, carrying Australian mails, 'arrived in Sydney on Monday morning.

"Wo liavo sent several men to work, but they have not gone to it, thus preventing men who are in search of employment obtaining it. I havo blacklisted three this week." —Extract from the weekly report of the officer in charge of the Wellington Labour Bureau.

In giving evidence before the River Commission, which sat at Napior yesterday,• Sir. G. P. Donnelly said he came to' the district in 1806 and had seen every flood since 1867. The floods had made the district, and lands worth £60 an acre to-day were in 1867 raupo 6wamps.

"It's no use asking the City Council why they don't put this or that right when we have complained about the tramwaymen," declared Councillor It. T. Pell, at tl}e Karori Borough Council last 'evening. "Tho Tramway Union has the City Council under its thumb." Mr. Pell said the men were the real bosses, and it was little use oxpecting the council to deal with them in such a way that a strike might be precipitated.

The Napier Hospital Board is askinn various local bodies in the district to take steps To check the breeding of mosquitoes.

Fourteen nominations have been received for tho seven vacancies on the Taradale Town Board, namely, Messrs. R. Ourrie, A. 1!. Davis, J. Ellis, 0. Goddard, C. F. Goodrick, Geo. Harpham, W. Howard, W. G. Jarvis, W. V. Jeffares, J. R. Martin, L. S. M'Donald, W. Ratcliffe, J. H. Bundle, and J. Willan.

The first prosecution under tho new Act 'regarding dazzling lights on motorcars was heard in the Police Court at Duuedin on Friday, when L«wis Curtis pleaded, not guilty to a charge of failing to take caro that tho light exhibited on his motor-car was not of such dazzling brilliancy as to affect tho vision of drivers of vehicles -approaching in the oposito direction. Sergeant Thomson, giving evidence, said that tho bulb was a 15-candlo power used with a powerful reflector. • It was a regular searchlight, quite unsuitable for use in tho city, and impossible to face. It was not tho power of tho globe, but the 'way it was fitted to throw up tho light that caused the trouble. Motorists agreed that it w<io a useful light on country roads, provided it could be dimmed when traffic was being mot. Evidenco for the defence was given by the defendant and Albert Edward Smitlier, the driver of tho car on the night mentioned, both, of whom said that tho lights were not the strongest in the city, and not bo dazzling as had been contended.- The sub-inspcctor remarked > that the case was ono of those in which there would always be a good deal of dispute. Unfortunately, the Act did not provide for the commandeering of the lamps so that they could he exhibited 'in Court. Tho Magistrate pointed out that the Act provided that tho light should not he of such dazzling brilliancy that it would affect the vision of drivers of vehicles approaching from the opposite direction. The sergeant and constable had placed themselves in the best position to judge tho effect of tho lights, and he did not think their positive evidence was done away with by the statements of tho defendants. As this was the first caso under tho Act, and the orovisions might not be very well known, lie would'inflict only a small penality—a fine of ss!, with costs (75.).

Tramway grievances still troublo Karon. Tho council is strongly under tho impression that it docs not get all tho revenue it might. It is held that many peoplo do not pay their fares, sometimes through conductors' laxity, sometimes through trickery by passengers. Steps are 17 being taken to stop For oue thing, it is suggested that in future conductors shall ask for a show of tickots, not merely say "fares please." Another matter is that cars which lcavo tho Karori terminus on .time, get away from tho Johnston Street stop as much as two minutes ahead of tho tinio scheduled for that stop. The latter matter has been brought to tho notice of the Tramway Traffic Manager, who has promised to attend to it.

At the last meeting of the AdvisoryBoard of the. Federation of New Zealand Patriotic War Societies, it was decided, on a remit from Canterbury— "That the Minister of Fiiianco be requested to exempt cheques and receipts from payment of stamp duties." This was submitted to the Minister, who has replied that Section 49 of the Finance Aot, 1916, provides for the exemption from duty on receipts given by or to or on behalf of the trustees of any war fund within the meaning of the War Fund Act, 1915, in j respect of moneys paid to or out of that fund. It was not considered desirable to exempt cheques from duty.

There is 110 doubt, that people like to praise anything which pleases them. One of ninny letters of that kind says: "We find that Desert Gold Tea is the best of nil teas in New Zealand, and will always use it." Prove Desert Gold's superiority in your home—Advt. Nothing in shirts looks smarter than a black and white stripe. Our sound material lines eell at Is. 6d., 4s. lid., and lis. Gd. Geo,. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street—Advt. Brisk demand continues for Is. cartons "No Kubbinc Laundry Help" becauso it washes all clothes spotlessly clean without rubbing or injury to hands or finest fabrics.—Advt.

Of the fifty-nine men who sought! nork through the Wellington Labour Bureau last week employment was found for forty-<>ne. Tho applicantd were:—Carpenters, 3 applied and 2 placed; plasterers, 1 and nil; painters, 4 and 3; hotel-workers, 5 and 4; general labourers, '16 and 32.

The Mayor of Karori (Mr. B. G. H. Cum) stated last evening that lie had that day handed the :ynr of Wellington o cheque for £17 ss. 3d., tho amount of the-net proceeds of the carden fete held at Karori last Saturday. The money goes to tho Belgian Fund. Die gross takings wero £21 10s. Id., and the expenses, £4 4s. Gd. A little girl named Hettie Collie, whose parents are believed to reside in Wright Street,. was run over by a motor-car 111 Adelaide Road, near the lire .brigade station. Sho was removed to the Hospital, where it was discovered that her thi«h was broken. Tho annual contest for the Plunket Medal for oratory, which, owing to the war, has been abandoned for tho past two years, is being, revived this year, and will be held on Saturday next in the Victoria University College Gymnasium. There are six competitors,each of whom speaks for twelve minutes on a man of note in history. The public are invited to be presont. Deporting to yesterday's meeting of the Hutt County Council, the Inspector of Works called attention to tho encroachment of the Hutt River between Mr. Seagcr's property and the foot of the Gorge hill. The flood on unSday last, ho said, carried away several feet more of the bank, and tho encroachment was now only 12ft. from the centre of the metalled roadway, and just in a oondition. to cause a lot of troublo if not checked immediately.

To be left to face the world on the sum of 38s. weekly is the lot of Mrs. Shout, the widow of Captain Alfred Shout, V.C., and her eleven-year-old daughter (states the "Sydney Morning Herald"). This sum is allowed to Mrs. Shout by the military. Prior to leaving for the front as a lieutenant the deceased soldier was a journeyman carpenter. Mrs. Shout lives at Darlington, with her widowed mother and her, sister, whose husband is now a private on active service. . Her mother is in feeble health; her sister has one child, maintained on a private's pay allowance, and. Mrs: Shout is not'strong. Tho deed by which the late Captain Shout won his V.C. was one of the pluckiest performed , on the Gallipoli Peninsula. 'His name was a synonym for bravery there, and many considered that ho did more than his share of_ good work— work which ended in his life being sacrificed for Lis King and country. The .Returned Soldiers' Association, many of whose members fought under and with the captain, and Ipew his worth as a soldier and a man, has started a fund, the object being; the purchase of a cottage for Mrs. Shout. The late Captain Shout was known in New Zealand, his father having, resided at Trentliam for a number of years.

The French Consul at Auckland (SI. Rigoreau) has sent to -His ExcellenoTthe Governor, on behalf of tho French Government, a letter of thanks for tho kind attentions paid by the New Zealand authorities, and by tlie Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke), to French soldiers from Tahiti passing through Now Zealand on their way to Noumea for training. . Through the generosity of Mr. Walter Fuller, a first-class entertainment was given at the Returned Soldiers' Club yesterday. Many returned soldiers and their lady friends enjoyed the entertainment, the programme having been arranged by Mr. Clement May. After the entertainment tea was served in the tearoom. Mr. Fuller has extended an invitation to roturned soldiers to bo liis guests at Wednesday matinees at "his theatre.

Lieut., _A. .G. .Brockett, late of Messrs'. 0. and E,. Beore's office, and reported killed in. action on July 15, mot his death under the following circumstances, as related by liis Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Colonel Chartors :—"On the night of our 'go,' Lieut. Brockott was not in our sector, having been detailed for special duty that night witli another unit. On lis hearing of what had happened, ho said that he felt very much the fact that he had not been able to help our men tho previous ovening, and asked if be could be the officer detailed to go in charge of a searching party into 'No Man's Land' that night. His company commander agreed to this, owing to the. fine spirit shown, and ho was the officer detailed. Everything went well; all tho men of his company wero recovered, and Mr. Brockott waited in 'No Man's Land' until tho stretcher-bearers should be certified as all in. Tho company sergeant-major went out to rejoin him, and found his body just where ha had left him a few: minntos previously, 'lie sergeant-major took up tho body, and started off for the parapet, when a' burst bf machine-gun fire started; ho tumbled into a shoU-toole, where ho waited, and eventually got the body in. Poor Mr. Brockett was shot through the body, and deat.li must have been instantaneous. We were all very much cut up, myself particularly, as I hnd been talking to him during tho day, and he had been telling mo of his regret at not being present tho' evening before. His relatives will have tho consolation of knowing that ho 'played tlio man' and that lie gave his. l\fa while engaged in searching for men likely to be lying wounded in 'No Man s' Land.'"

Mr. Victor Grayson (well known as a former M.P. in the English House of Commons, and associated with the Labour movement of tho Old Country) mil deliver a public lecture at the Alexandra Hall, Abel Smith Street, next Sunday evening..

Owners of Chevrolet oars ha to said they have lived half their lifo in this country, hut never knew its beauties until'they got their Chevrolet. The. business man is able to take his family for a 20 miles spin in summer evenings without encroaching tipon his business hours. A motor-car is the most unselfish luxury the head of a family can buy. It contributes to the health and happiness of the whole family. The Chevrolet is tho lowest price reliable car upon the market, and is fitted with tho latest equipment, including overhead valves, and is sold at a price within the reach of nil, namely, from .£255. for^herJ"' tinilar:. writ/? or rins up THE DOMINION MOTOR VEHICLES. Go Courtenay Place, Wellington.—Aavt.