LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2916, 31 October 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Defence Minister has received the following advice from the Army Council:—"The Turkish Government having withdrawn all restrictions regarding the length of letters to and from British prisoners of war, all such restrictions on correspondence to Turkish and Arab prisoners are cancelled.." Another oise of corebro-spinal meningitis was reported in Featherston camp yesterday. The sufferer is a member of the Twenty-first Reinforcements. His condition is serious, but, not at present dangerous. Referring to the proposal mooted at the meeting of Day's Bay residents on Saturday that the bay should become part of the City, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said he could not make any definite statement on the proposal, as it was still only something in the air, and a deputation was to wait on him during the week. Speaking generally, however, he felt that the question was one of which a wide view should be takon. The City had a property of considerable value at the bay— the reserve that stretched to the top of the hill all round and included both watersheds— and, further, as a place largely visited by Wellington people in the summer, ' it was an area that should be kept as healthy as possible. The Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morten) had gone very carefully into the whole matter, and had perfected his plans on a sound basis. The adoption of these was a wise step, but, regarding the absorption of the bay by the City, he was not proparcd to say anything at present. Eleven, Tahitian soldiers, who have proved unequal to the strain involved in training at Noumea, arrived from Sydney by the Manuka yesterday, and willbe 6ont forward to Papeete at tho earliest opportunity. Word has been received in Napier (says our special correspondent) that Air. Allan Berry, who about four years ago wa s a junior reporter on a local newspaper, and worked his way homo as a stoker on the steamer Furumii to "studv at-Guy's Hospital, has passed bis final examination. Mr. Berry enlisted for active service, but was compelled, with other students, to complete his studies until fully qualified. A lad suffering from cerebro-spinal meuingitis died in tho Masterton hospital on Saturday. Sir Francis Bell will preside at the annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, to be held this evening.

A shook of earthquake was experienced in Mastertoh at 12.20 o'clock yesterday morning.

The Canterbury College Professorial BoMti (says a Press Association telegram) has nominated S. C. Ponder (now on active service) and R. J. Richards as this year's candidates for tho Rhodes scholarships.

An old man named Brown, aged between sixty end seventy years, residing at Drummond Street, oft Adelaide Road, was admitted to tho Hospital last evening, suffering from injuries received through being knocked down by a taxicab near the Tramway Hotel.

A man aged 63 years has returned to 'Wahganui from active service (says the "Herald"). When he enlisted ho gave his age as 89, and with credit passed through all medical tests, the training which came subsequently, and also aotual active service. He has returned on three months' leave.

A personal canvass for recruits was commenced in Masterton yesterday by Captain Roberts and a staff of six ser-geant-majorSj to endeavour to make up tho shortages in the Twenty-second and Twenty-third Reinforcements. The total •'number of men required for the Wairarapa area by. November '11 is 138. Of this number forty have so far been secured. ■

One case of diphtheria in the Potone district was reported by the Health Inspector to last night's meeting of the retone Borough Council., ■ The J. C. Williamson Comedy Co. have issued an invitation through the Returned Soldiers' Club, to 60 returned men to attend the company's performance at the Grand Opera House tonight.'

The Wellington Provincial Industrial Association is still moving in the matter of,industrial scientific research. At the annual meeting of the association last night, the president (Mr. E. J. Evans) stated that Professor Easterfield, with whom he had conferred, was willing to undertake any research work in his power on behalf of the members of the association. There were certain practical difficulties to be overcome, and the subject was to bo discussed further with Professor Easterfield before a report was prepared by a sub-committee set Tip for the' purpose. Tho professor had mentioned that by assisting one firm, in the pretention of waste or tho treatment of by-products, he might possibly injure another firm. Another difficulty arose from the shortage, of trained scientific workers at Victoria College, owing to tho enlistment'of many senior students. A sample of paper of New Zealand manufacture, was beforo the executive of the Wellington Industrial Association last night. It was stated that arrangements were being\ made for the printing of tho annual report of the New Zealand Industrial Corporation'on Dominion-made paper:

The annual meeting of the Wellington Zoological Society, which was to havo been hold last night, has been postponed for aunouth.

At a meeting of the Wellington School Committees' /■ Association held last evening it .was resolved to recommend to committees that endeavours bo mado to divert collections taken up on Guy Fawkos' Day to the "Our Day" Red Cross Fund. The .association also considered that in future a "Children's Day," to bo devoted to distinctly patriotic purposea, might with advantage he substituted for Guy Fawkes' Day. It was also resolved to bring to tho notion of the Minister of Eduoation the unfairness of raising the standard for proficiency and free place examinations so late in the year, and to respectfully suggest that the raising of tho standard bo postponed until next year.

The seoretary of the Wellington War Relief Society acknowledges with thanks the receipt of £160 from the committee of the Maranui School,' same being half the proceeds of a bazaar organised and carried out by tho residents of Lyall Bav and Maranui.

The New Zealand Federated Furniture Trade Association has written to the Hon. W. D. S. Mao Donald (Minister of Comtnerce) conveying the following resolution, which was carried unanimously at a meeting of members:

—"That we enter a strong protest against the high cost of living, and ask the Government to use its power _in assisting the Board of Trade to' give effeot to the Order-in-Council, to still further reduce the present high price of butter and other necessaries of life."

At last night's meeting of the Potone Borough Council advice was received from the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department stating that there were no discharged soldiers on the Wellington register who could undertake the duties of assistant at the pumping station. It was further stated that particulars of the position had been'sent to the Department's representative committees throughout tho Dominion.

A special order has been issued by tho Australian naval authorities directing the attention of petty officers and men to the desirability of their making a will as a matter of prudence. It is pointed out to married men especially that, m case of their dying without having made a will, the law in regard to tho distribution of the estate of an inestate allowß of only a part of lm property being paid to his widow, an 1 * it may happen that a part will have to bo paid to a distant .relative Further, tho administration of an estate where there is no will is often very much delayedj and while tho necessary legal action )s being taken no part of the property can be paid to dependants; thus they may become destitute during this delay. Apparently anticipating a plea by some sailors that they will .have little to leave behind should' they fail to seo out a voyage, the naval authorities mention that there may be sums coming to a man of which he may hays no present knowledge. They have in mind the fortunes of war and the possibility of prize money. Properly executed wills will be lodged at'the.Navy Office for safety, and receipts will be giveu by the Naval Secretary.

Owners of taxi-cabs plying at Featherston are protesting against a tax that they are asked to pay for the upkeep of the road between Featherston and Greytown, portions of which road have been used much of late on account of the military camp being reached by it. The County Council, and the military authorities have arranged, in conjunction, a scheme to require taxi-cabs plying' on this road to pay a tax of £1 per month. A deputation of members of the Featherston Association, accompanied by the member for the district (Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby), waited ■upon the Hon. J. Allen yesterday to protest against this levy. They expressed willingness to pay somothing towards the upkeep of the road, but urged that tbo military, who aro using the road with their motor wagons, and also the, owners of private cars, ought also to bear a share of the cost. They suggested that £1 per quarter would_ be a fair charge on taxi-cab owners, pointing out that this charge, with tho other charges to be paid in Fetherston, would bring tlio total charge on a taxi-cab in Featherston up to £8 per annum. The Minister said ho would _ take the whole matter into consideration again, and would hold over for a fortnight the collection of the charge pending inquiries. He expressed the opinion that all persons using tho road now morethan thoy used it before the war ought to bear a share of the increased cost of upkeep, and he admitted that the military authorities ought to bpar a share of the cost of maintaining that portion of the road between Papawai and Featherston.

A complaint was received by the De* fence Minister soma time ago that New Zealand soldiers in England could not get felt hate and puggarees—the distinguishing marks on the uniform of a New Zealander—and that thoy had to buy hats at their own expense. General Richardson, in command of tho New Zealand Base in London) has reported to the Hon. J. Allen that the complaint has no foundation in fact. General Richardson says that at the time to which the complaint referred hats were issued to our men by the High Commissioner and by the War Contingent Association. No doubt some men did buy their hats because they were not then in plentiful supply. But now every sick or wounded soldier arriving in England receives soon after his arrival a new hat and puggaree. General Richardson states: "No men are better j treated or more cared for than ours; there are no complaints regarding their treatment by the authorities."

Owing to the strict secrecy observed in all matters pertaining to airship construction, it is difficult to estimate the actual loss to Germany involved by the destruction of a raiding/Zeppelin. Discussing this question in an article in the "Edinburgh Review," Lord Montagu of Beaulieu remarks that tho public'are apt to over-estimate the monetary loss sustained by Germany. "A Zeppelin of the newest typo," he writes, "does not cost more than £125,000, or a good deal less than the cost of a first-class destroyer. The number of men lost, even if thoy all perish, is infinitesimal, compared with the loss of those •who,may perish in a cruiser, or even in a destroyer. Even if the Germans have lost since the beginning of the war 20 such ships, tho total loss in money would not be more than £2,500,000, 'though the trained men 1 lost count for much more in the balance-sheet of war. Germany, moreover, is turning out these airships, somewhere about the rate of three a month, and .is making preparations to increase this output. Probably she haa well over 40 now available for riava) and bombing purposes."

Mrs. Burridge, Dannevirke, has received advance that her brother, Ablo Seaman Albert Charles Phillips, has had a high honour conferred on him. He has been awarded tho Russian St. George's Cross for the work ho has done with the Russians in the Baltic for the past twelve Wearers of Russia's St. George's Cross are entitled to be saluted even by a general. Young Phillips, who is only 23 years of age, has had a Temarkable career.

"The British are absolutely crazy over the Australians. They think they aro wonderful, particularly since the Big Push commenced in France, and they can't do enough for them." This statement was 1 mads by Mr. J. D. Waern, Swedish Consul at Melbourne, ■who has just returned after a. six months' tour of Sweden and Great Britain. Mr. Waern went away on a business trip to Sweden, but he journeyed to Great Britain to see his son, who is with the Australian Forces. Ho said that Great Britain was wonderful —an absolute eye-opener. Nobody could conceivo what was being done to win tho war. It was ono mass of soldiers from end to end. Uniformed men were to bo seen in thousands everywhere. It was-just a huge armed camp, and the people wero not only making munitions for .their own soldiers, but for all the Allies. Ono munition factory he went over was three miles Ion;:. The majority of the Swedish peoplo were distinctly pro-Ally. Thore were a fow,. like Sven Hedin, the author, who ■were making a noise and creating the impression that the nation favoured Germany. But there was no v doubt that the wholo of the working and middle classes wanted the Allies to win. As a result of Mr. Waern'e visit to Swcdoli, Aga automatic lights, which are used in the lighthouses on thf> Australian coast, will in future ha manufactured in Australia. The Taw material will be imported from Sweden, and will bo mado up in Australia. Captain W. Page, of the N.Z. Divisional Train, writes from Franco: "We have just com© baok to rest from the *'ront line after three months' strenuous time. All the time we were in it was continuous shelling. You can hear the shells coming and then wait for the burst. It is a glorious sight to watch a bombardment, but it's not so nice to be in it. I was right through our front line trenches two weeks ago. I was within 60 yards of the Germans, and had several shots at their sniping posts. We had the machine-guns turned on us sereral times, and several high explosive shells put in our parapets. Of course our'guns were firing the whola time. 1 saw one big shell hole where six of our boys were buried alive —the explosion was so great that it shifted hundreds of tons of earth. Where wo are at present it is quite peaceful— cannot hear the guns at all. Last Sunday night I trekked 30 miles with a convoy of transport two miles long. What would you think of that in New Zealand ? And we moved in perfect or-, der and without any mishaps! We are. getting ready for action again, and before yon got this letter I am afraid our casualty list will be heavy. I have been, home on leave and had a good look at the Old Country. I had a good spin round London, and then took the train to Liverpool, and stayed a few days at Blackpool. England is a wonderful oountry. Next time I go I will visit Scotland. Wo get free passes all over the railways." Captain Pago is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Pago, welft known in Canterbury, and a brother'of Mrs. B. Middleton, of Brooklyn.

The Christmas number of the Christchurch "Press," or "New Zealand Illustrated," is now published, and it is a publication reflecting the very highest credit on its compilers. Everything within its artistic and very beautiful covers has' to do. with this wonderful country of ours—a country full of splendours only half explored by its own people. These.annual pictorials have done more to impress upon New Zealandere the charms of their own land! than perhaps any other agency, and the "Weekly Press" of this year appears to bo even better than its many excel-, lent forerunners. It contains views of New Zealand's grandest mountains, its rivers, and its coast. It portrays episodes in the daily life of dwellers in' the remoter interior. There are-peace-fid glimpses of the down country, of fat; pastures, teeming with their flocks and! hords, and pictures, too, of wind-worn' crag and plain. The story featured in tho production is "A Horso and Barbara," by Dora Willberg. a Welhngtoa writer.