LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2924, 9 November 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho postal authorities advise that tho s.s. Itiverina,. which sailed from Sydney at 10 a.m. on Tuesday for Wellington, is carrying Australian mails only, and is duo here on Saturday. A party of twelve Now Zealand soldiers who have lost limbs are going back to England by tho hospital ship Marama to have artificial limbs 'fitted. Tho Mayor had planned an excursion for theso' men yesterday, but they did not arrive at the appointed time, probably on account of the heavy rain. It will not now be possible for Mr. Luke to arrange another excursion, but on behalf of the citizens he intends to mark their leaving in some suitable way, and to wish them a good voyage. A fatal accident occurred on the road between Masterton and Carterton last night. Two lads, riding en bicycles,, were knocked over bv 'a motor-car. One of them, William Jiidd, 14 years of age, died beforo reaching the Hospital. His companion, James White, was seriously injured. Tho extensive brick premises of Thomson and Co., wholesale merchants, of Tnvercargill, were-gutted by fire yesterday morning. The bulk of the stock was destroyed, and only the walls of the building remain. Tho insurances total £29,000 in the Guardian Office The loss is almost a total one. —Press Association.

The Minister of Education was asked by a rcportor yesterday if he intended to adhere to the new regulations raising fcho standard of proficiency certificates in Standard VI., or to hold them over until next year. "I shall certainly not hold them over," he said. "There have beon widespread complaints made to mo by, business people, officers of Government Departments, journalists, and othors, and from what has come under my own personal notice I am satisfied that the step taken by me to raiso the standard was justified in the interests of the children themselves and the various callings in which they may ultimately bo engaged. A certificate oF proficiency should undoubtedly ensure a satisfactory standard of education, and it is because I havo been convinced that many pupils have been given certificates without having reached such a standard that I have been compelled to issue the now regulations. To delay their coming into operation would only perpetuate a 6tato of things which I, as Minister of Education, cannot accopt tho responsibility of defending. The need for thoroughness and greater educational efficiency is being more and more impressed upon us, and to this end I desire that our children may become better equipped for the duties that will devolve upon them in future."

Tho term of appointment of the representatives of employers (Mr. W. Scott) and workers (Mr. J. A. M'Cullough) on the Arbitration Court bench wilf expire on January 24. ,Forms for the nomination of their successors and also for the nomination of deputyrepresentatives will be issued by the Labour Department to unions of employers and workers noxt month. Mr. W. Pryor is at present deputy-represen-tative for tho employers. The deputyrcpresentativo for the workers was tho late Sergeant K. J. Carey. In view of the fact that the term of appointment was almost at an end, it was not considered necessary to hold a special election for tho appointment of a successor to Sergeant Carey.

The Minister of Education stated yesterday that ho proposed to bring the Wellington Technical School question before Cabinet at its next meeting. The siini of £1350 is, says our Master ton correspondent, being sent In Wellington as Wairarapa's first contribution to the Bed Cross Fund. The canvass of the district is not yet completed. At a gathering of members of the Wellington Philosophical Society last evening four papers were read. Mr. 13. Parry lecture's ou "Resistance fo the Flow of AVater in Pipes." Mr. F. AV. Furkeft read "Notes on a Recent Crane Failure." "Chemical Method of Measuring Flow of AVater in Turbulent Rivers" was the subject chosen by 'Mr. F. Kissell; and "A White Metal Expansion Slide for a Reinforced Concrete Bridge" was Mr. J. E. L. Cull's subject. In the Supreme >. Court yesterday, wheu the prisoners Orowther, Birch, M'Lean, and Hazeldine were placed in j the dock to answer a charge of dis- [ abling a warder, causing him actual bodily harm, one of the men, Hector M'Lean, acting as spokesman, complained that they had asked to have witnesses brought forward, hut their request had heen declined. His Honour the Chief Justice asked if the witnesses were prisoners, and on receiving a reply in the affirmative, pointed out that there was a special procedure for obtaining prisoners as witnesses. Eventually it was announced by the Crown Prosecutor that three of the four witnesses asked for were present, and the other would be sent for. M'Lean then asked for a. few minutes'' respite in order that the prisoners could discuss their defence, and this was granted. Mr. A. Rippon has given notice to. move at a meeting of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust on Friday: "That this trust form the nucleus of a committee to go into the question of the establishment of an educational institution on the reserve at Lansdowne; and that the Agricultural Association, district school committees, and Technical School managers be invited to attend, so as to fully discuss the best means of utilising the land aavilable." Although the Ferry Wharf has been shifted for some considerable time to its present position near the Railway AVharf, it is astonishing 'to see the number of people who have not yet discovered its new position,, going down to the end of the Queen's Wharf in search of the Lyttelton ferry steamer. On Tuesday night it was very noticeable, and a large number of would-be passengers made down the Queen's Wliarf and went aboard the thinking she was the vessel for Lyttelton. It was the same last evening when quite a number went to the old ferry berth. A suggestion has been' made that a lighted notice should he put up near the tolls office to direct passengers to the right berth.

The Masterton deputation which waited upon the Camp Commandant at Featherston on Tuesday, urged that during the summer months a week-end train be run to. Masterton, to enable the citizens to entertain the soldiers at suitable outdoor games, such as cricket, bowls, lawn tennis,'etc. Colonel Adams gave the deputation a sympathetic hearing, and said that personally he would be pleased to have a week-end train run to Masterton.

It was suggested ,by Mr. Holmes at last evening's meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society that the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, who are instituting district meetings, should join with the Philosophical Society in holding combined meetings and discussing papers. In this way they might get over the trouble that (as things stood now) there was no system of preserving matter prepared for lectures. It was late to do anything this year, but something might be done early, next year.

The Education Board has chosen the following teachers to fill various vacancies in its service:—Tane, sole teacher, Mrs. Markland; Waingawa, solo teacher, Mrs. Barclay; Dyerville, sole teacher, Miss A. Robinson; Ballance, sole teacher, Mr. K. Cumber; Worser Bay, assistant, Miss M. Gilpin; Ocean Bay (Marlborough), head master, Mr. F. Eager; Mount Cook Boys' School, assi6tant, Miss M. C. Munro; Roseneath, assistant, Miss M. Loftus. Some men-of-warsmen off the French ship Kersaint, who are passing through here on their way to France, were entertained by tho Mayor yesterday. It was not the best day for an outing, but in closed motor-cars the Mayor took the men for a drive to the Hutt Valley, and took lunch with them at Bollovuo Gardens. In spite of the incessant heavy rain tho men appeared to enjoy the' trip immensely. The Mayor was accompanied by the French Consul (Mr. ■Tames Macintosh) and Councillor J. Hutcheson, who speaks French, and who because of this has been of considerable aid to the Mayor in extending proper courtesies to French soldiers and sailors passing through Wellington. Private E.'Reid, writing from Sling Damp, Bedford', England, to his father, Mr. T. H. Reid, of Christohurch, says: "I was at the funeral yesterday of one of my mates from Christolinreli. Ho wan a lieutenant in the Flying Corps (Vic. Abbott), and was evidently killed last Friday (September-'ls). The night before 1 was with him, and bo had arranged for another airman to take me np. T went up twice. Vie. had just finished bis first course of flying, and was on his fourtber flirdit by himself, when ho took a nose dive in landing. The whole danger is in the landing. . . . Don't ho surprised if you hear that I am in tho Flying Corps shortly."