LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2902, 14 October 1916, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Postal authorities advise' that the s.s. Eiverina, which sailed from Sydney at 3 _ plm: 011 Thursday, for W.olTuigton, is bringing Australian .'mails,only, and is due liere on Monday. ,

Lieut. W.. Fitchett, has cabled.to'his father in Wollingtoii, fi-om' I'Vance, "to tho effect that the Division is resting. From this it may bo understood that the New Zca-lahde'rs. are not now. at tho front, but are resting behind tlio trenches.

The Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister of Railways, states that -his attention has been called to an allegation that appeared in certain nowspapers to tho effect tilt tho General Manager- of Railways (Mr. Hiley) was receiving a war bonus over and abovo his salary as General Manager. As this allegation. may be considered correct unless contradicted, Mr.-Hurries wishes to state that it is entirely without foundation. Mr. Hiley merely receives his statutory salary and travelling expenses, and at no time has ho received any other sum by way of bonus or other increment during his connection with tho Railway Department. His services to the Defence Department have been given gratuitously, and have not interfered in any way with his work as General Manager. When offering his- services, with Mr. Herries's to the Defence Department he expressly stated that ho expected no payment. The position was made quite clear last session both by tho Minister of Defence and the Minister of Railways in reply'to a question asked in the' House on two occasions.. Mr. Herries adds that lie caiinqt help feeling surprised that statements and. allegations continue to be made and published in tlio Press without any effort heing made to-.elicit the facts.; -

Tho Acting Prime Minister (Hon. J. 'Allen) slates, according to a I'ress Association telegram - from .' Auckland, that all shortages aTe included-'in the quota's caljed up for the twenty-second draft,-and the October draft comes in with the full numbers asked for. .There will be no shortage of any kind whatever in carnp. The Minister added: "The machinery of tho Military Service Act is heing got into operation' as fast as is humanely possible. It was grossly unfair to say. that there had been any deliberate delay. . If there were shortages in the t-wenty-see-ond draft they would certainly be made up subsequently ._ ' The 'family shirker' clause was now in force."

' "Somo years ago I, with other members of Parliament, urged that every law which applied to private employees, concerning compensation .for accidents, holidays, overtime payments, etc., should apply also to the employees of tho Government," said the Hon. G. W. Russell to the members of the Government Printing Oifico Employees' Association last night. "That is a perfectly sound principle, and one from which I have never departed."

Another- illustration-' of t-lie • urgent' need for improved ambulance arrangements in Wellington was brought under tho notice of a Dominion reporter yesterday. A child found to be suffering from diphtheria was ordered by a doctor to be removed to the Hospital. The doctor gave directions that the ambulance wagon should call for the child at 1 p.m. . .It did not nnpeiir. at .the time fixed, and, despite the efforts of tiio parents to hasten matters, it did not arrive till 4.25 p.m. The child died 011 the way to tho Hospital.

It is understood that an information under the War Regulations Act lias been laid against Ivan Levy, who. it is alleged, published information in respect to the armament of "■ tho-naval forces of His Majesty. The case, may be taken on Monday; Mr. A. Blair appearing for the defence.

While engaged levelling a stumped paddock in Jackeytown yesterday morn-, ing (says a Tress Association telegram from .'Palmerston North), ThOmas Mor-. gan, an employee of Mr. A. J. Gallichan, unearthed a human skeleton along with an old revolver. The only means of identification was the discovery of a silver card case,,-bearing tho inscription "John Colo, Palmerston North, N.Z." The case was in good condition. ■ According . .to. the Police Gazette of- 18Q8, a man named John Uole, aged 34 years, a dentist ill Palmerston, was reported missing. The remains arc believed to be those, of the missing man. Colo was a native of England. The Gazette states that Cols was reported to have purchased -a revolver. The only 'clue was the subsequent finding of his clothes on the bank of the Manawatu River, near Jackeytown. The police are making inquiries.

' Recently tho Makara County Council decided to deviate a stream which runs through Johnsonville, and tho idea was that it would do' away with the -iifeed for two bridges',-' both -of which are duo for repair or renowal. One of tho property owners who would bo''affected if the deviation proposal was carried out objected, and the council then planned to take the deviation along one of its own roads. Now it finds that, while the road is a chain wide in .most parts, at one stretch.it may be-'tally, cart: width..- Tho thoroughfare., is an old military, road- The part that may turn out to bo narrow is known as a paper road—no road was laid out just there, but it bocame a road through long use as such. However, though use has created the strip referred to a road, the part the council can lay claim to may be only so wide as tho space taken up by one vehicle in passing along. Tho councillors. being laymen in such matters, have decided to have the road defined, and it is not altogether unlikely that the Supreme .Court will be .asked, to furnish the definitioii. ' " ' ,

Tho Waitomo County Council is circularising- local bodies, asking for support for the following motion passed by the council"That this council ask tho co-operation of all local bodies throughout the'Douiinion in urging the Minister.of Defence to discontinue the voluntary system • of'recruiting, and that-a ballot be taken for'the quota in" .each -military district; -as provided,, in tho War. Regulations Act of .1916. This council, in ; asking for your sup-' port,- is prompted in. doing so by the fact that there iare.too maiiy youthsvolunteering, whilst older and matured men eligible for service are' contented to hang back and see these boys go and figlit for them." , The. ijakara County Council considered the subject, yesterday, and came to the conclusion that it should take no action as the. authorities knew best what should tie done.

The Rotorua suggestion that prison labour should be used for maintaining the main roads of the Dominion was approved yesterday by the Makara County Council.

Tho Court of Appeal delivered several judgments in Wellington yesterday. The Chief Justice stated that there were still two judgments to deliver, and that theso would probably b'o read on ( Wednesday morning.

"The Akitio Midget" is a little paper that circulates in tho Akitio district, oil the East Coast, and is sold among tho settlers' for the benefit of the Red Cross Fund. For the month of August, £2 ss. was realised, and for September, £2 10s., which money has been received by tho editor of The Dominion, and is being handed over at once to the Red Cross Fund.

Tho swimming (distance) certificates won by the school children, under the direction for the most part of Mr. Thos. Shields, have arrived at last from the -headquarters of the New Zealand Swimming Association at Christchurch, and are now being sent out to the various schools for distribution to the children. . These certificates testify faithr fully to the distance a child has swum under supervision, and havo proved an effective incentive for the younger gen'oration'. to learn that ihost diefflthful! tffcj creation and use'ful accomplishment.

The changes made recently in Che boundaries of Education Districts have rendered necessary some adjustments of> accounts and assets. Referring to this matter yesterday, the' Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education, told a Dominion' reporter that the work was making good progress, and, so far as tho Department had been advised, was in some oases fully completed. Tho secretary to the Department. (Mr. Do Castro) had tho matter well in hand. "There was a very large amount of work involved ill this matter," remarked the Minister. "The hoards of the old districts were required under regulations made by Order-in-Counoil oil June 19 last to prepare full and complete statements in respect to the school buildings and other property to be handed over to the new board, also of all teachers who would, bo transferred to the new board, and statements of its (the old hoard's) receipts and expenditure and assets and liabilities as at July 31 last. These accounts were required to be audited and certified to by the Auditor-General, and when this has been completed the Department will be in a position to say that tho whole of the necessary adjustments have been effected."... •

"When the. census is taken to-mor-row night, not even the-individual who i sleeps out in the open—his canopy the sky—will be able to elude tho subenumerators," observed the "New Zealand Herald." . "Some of .the latter will penetrate the darkness of the' Domain in the dead of-.night, and, with tho aid of bull's-eye lanterns or electric torches,, spy out the denizens, of _ the open spaces and the bush areas. Should.'they find any; advocates of fresh-air slumber they will arouse them, and ask their names and their religions, '.and will also launch thermurierous other pertinent question's required to-complete the census paper. In the parks, where sleepers sometimes lie, the latter will, on Sunday night, be | awakened by policemen furnished-witli schedules which they, likewise,,-will.- be required to -fill in according-to the replies obtained. .The' -Act carries the i-search for living humanity, only into tho dwelling, but into any building, into every tent, and into any othei place. ■ Tho last phrase is widely-inter-preted. It will reach the .person who may sleep to-morrow night m .tho shel-. tor: of a haystack. ~THe other day'-'a- proud father, who lives not many miles north of-,Auck-land registered the birth of teenth child. The parent is himself more than eighty years of age.-,' New Zealand Herald.' Messrs, Thos. Cook Son-have been commissioned by tho Government of the Philippine Islands to take jn hand the work of making known to he world the attractions tha.t exist m the group to those who lake pleasure in viewing the beautiful in remote parts of tho world. Fr° m several pamphlets submitted, it is very evident that the Philippines are rich in natural attractions particularly round ...Manila,. iWu'io, and Northern Luxon, ' - With Europe closed to the tourist there are those in Australasia who may wish to see the scenic glories,of.the fascinating Philippines. A beautiful statue, imported from France to tho order of tho Wellington. Catholic- Club, has been placed- on a neat altar, the gift /of -the ._Altar Society. The statue .is of St.: Vincent do Paul, and is to the memory of tlio. Into ■ Rev. Father Charles Venning, P.jr. It will be blessed to-morrow at St, Mary of-the ; An<rels' Church before the eleven o'clock Mass by. His Graco Archhishon O'Sliea. ; who will- also, lireaeh. * In the evening a panegyric, of St. Vincent de Paul will be preached by the 'Rev. Father Hurley, S.M.

The City Engineer (Mr. Morton) dfew .attention to the marked erosion which, had taken place on the foreshore at the spot where the overhanging wall was proposed. . This indicated that when the wall was'.constructed a new beach would be formed very rapidly.

A visitor to Wellington relates a; case of remarkable behaviour by a.poldier in one of the main streets o£ .Wellington yesterday. . The man in khaki shouldered iuto another'man, and asked him in a very aggressive manner why he was not in khaki;. The other made to push past; ;butv again the . soldier blocked his progress, .and repeated the question: .Receiving no reply, thasoldier hit. the man'.a smashing blow ill the face, felling him to the: pavement. Then other- soldiers, came .along, . and hustled the .pugnacious one amir, whilst tho_ unoffending sufferer.slowly' rose, wiping the blood from his- battered face. '

Referring to the. rental 'scale for. the ■Town Hall yesterday—a. question- men-' tioned by. Mr. John Taiiflo' 'i ,I>aitf«iojr. reporter ,pn /Wednesday—thei Mayor, stated _tbe. charges' approximated those charged for the Sydney. Town ' Halj (which seats about 1000 more, people' than the Wellington Town ' Hall);. Whether the local scale would be Te-' vised was a matter for the'coiin'cil todetermine./ A.t the' last meeting of the council the question was raised, and the Mayor "promised :that the Finance Committee would look into' it and see if it was advisable to make any alterations in the tariff. -

In connection with the census to be taken throughout the-'Dominion tomorrow night, tlie whole of the. work is-being done by tho Post and Telegraph Department, .whoso organisation makes it more economical and equally as effective asothor. means tried in tho pist. By noon to-day some 20,000 schedules .will have been distributed in the Wellington- district,- which includes the surrounding boroughs, town board districts, and tho Hutt and Makara Counties., As far as the city o concerned the schedules will bo collected By. - the letter-carriers on- Monday morning. Each steamer in.- Now Zealand waters has been -supplied with schedules, which-have to bo" filled in with the .namos of,-everyone qn .'board at midnight to-morrow ( or on arrival at" any port on Monday, . ; The .figures, for tile Wellington .-district trill not .bo available, until about;, the end, of-.No ; ' vember. ' • .

• An interesting rsouvenir; of: the Solo•mon Islands was' brought,by 'the. sion steamer Southern Cross in s the form of a canoe purchased, by Bishop Wood from the natives of Bugotu (Ysabel). The canoe is about 20ft.. long, and beautifully inlaid with shell.; Canoes of this kind are stated by Bishop Wood to be difficult to obtain, as the natives only build them for their personal use. The Bishop , intends to offer the canoe to the Auckland Museum authorities, to be placed in tile Polynesian collection.

"Business conditions in Sydney seem to bo prosperous," said Mr. George Elliot, on his return to Auckland, after a Visit, to Australia. "So far as building operations are concerned," Mr. Elliot added, "matters generally appear to bo booming." On the question of the conscription referendum, Mr. Elliot said there was considerable excitement when he was in Sydney, the momben of a section of the-Labour Party being' the most conspicuous in opposing it. Re did not think there was any doubt that the referendum would result in favour of the Government's proposals.

. The deepest sympathy will be felt by the many friends of Mr. and Mrs. • H. P. Allen, of Wellington, who have been advised that their son. Private F. A. Allen, of tho 13th Reinforce- \ ments, has been killed in action m France* .The late .Pte. Allein was particularly brilliant' young "man, having qualified as a Fellow of tho Insh.tute of Accountants of New Zealand, and also as a.Fellow of the Institute of Victoria. He was regarded as one or 'the'coming-,men in his'j>™f<w;ion,-and ■: was on subjecte'^relatiiiij'trf accouiitaTtcyunT r: The drceased c iVaSiedu"oate , d'-"afc'.s'hn;.Ter- a,; race School" and v ?W^ilin"gtorti)€ollege,.Tn> ( .- and had for the past tew years been - associated with his father in business. ; He was a member of the" Wellington Amafeur' Boxing -Association, and at . one time nlayed Rugby football .for the .- Oriental Club .' Private: Allen-was only-..- - 31 years of age. He has a brother at the front;

An interesting statement in regard to" tho amount of the valuable-fertilis-ing agent, potash, contained in New Zealand wool exports was made •by Professor F. P. Worley, in a report presented to tlio Auckland Provincial Industrial 'Association. The Professor stated, that the yolk of wool contained potasTi amounting ~to nearly half of the crudo wool was, probably about five per cent, of the weight or the raw wool, on an average. The recovery of the potash or lanoline, of the wool washings was carried out on . a large soale in France, Germany, and Belgium, and in the Koubaix district potash salts of the value of £100,000 per- annum were obtained. In New Zealand the wool washings went directly into the sea, but most of the wool, was exported in a greasy state, some' 4000 tons of potash being thus sent annually out of the country. In his opinion, the question of scouring wool in central depots before exportation deserved consideration. Not only tlio value of the products obtained had to be-considered,but also the saving in freight. . .. Mr. H.' Holland, Mayor of. Cnnstchurcii, is at -present' iii Wellington, arid' was' the guest of the Mayor.-'.(%;;'J." 'P.-; Luke) vesferday ' morning in- a'tour' round the city .&nd outlying districts. The visitor ira's enabled-'to inspect' tha 'latest city' improvements : '-undertaken; 'including "the Oriental Bay Esplanade,. Lyall Bay,' Central Park,'the;Botanical Gardens, and.other-points of interest."

- An incident which caused, riq lit-tla surprise.' during .the .'.school swimming championships .held' at the tepid saltwater.baths i.n.' Auckland, was the 'appearance on the scene'of a tiny tot : of five year?. Not content with swimming one length of,'the bath, the diminutive lass negotiated the return by swimming on her back' to the .start-ing-point. As a finale she executed a ■very ueat running, dive from tho springboard, to the amazement of the crowd assembled... . The. little _ girl is the daughter of Mr. M. Champion, tha caretaker of the baths, whoso riamo 19 famous in swimming circles.