LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2927, 13 November 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A small Australian mail will arrive in Wellington from Sydhey by the Manuka to-day. A wireless message" received from the vessel last evening stated that she was meeting with had weather, and it was not expected that port would be mads till 7 o'clock this evening. Latest advice concerning B.M.S. Niagara was to the effect that she was expected to arrive at Auckland/ from Vancouver at 8 p.m. yesterday. TTie southern portion of the vessel's English mail should l arrive in Wellington to-morrow morning.

The census returns show the population of Dunedin City as 55,290, compared with 41,529 in 1911. Since 1911 four suburbs amalgamated with tho city. Their population in 1911 was 65,210, so that the increase amounts to 80.—Press Association. A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that the steamer Albany, which sank in the breakers off Muriwai beaoh after_ being refloated, is reported to be breaking up. Somo surprise was expressed when it became known that the local branch of "Our Day" Red Cross Fund was endeavouring to raise £10,000 by a combined. effort. Tho committeo has now £9300 in hand, and Mr. D. M'Laren stated on Saturday that two cheques of £•500 and £200 have been promised, and that when the "Our Day.Fiind closed a sum of nearly £11,000 will have been received.

Some thirty' invalided soldiers, who were landed in Australia recently by a returning transport, reached Welluigton on Saturday in tho Riverina from Sydney. The men were received on arrival by the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), who extended to them a hearty welcome on behalf of the citizens of Wel-

lington. Most of the men were in an advanced! stage of convalescence, and they were able to proceed to their homes. Some of them were provided with temporary quarters in Wellington, pending the departure of trains. The men spoke appreciatively of tho kindness they had _ received during their stay in Australia, where they had l shared the disappointment of Australian soldiers at the result of the referendum The names of the officers and men who returned are:—Lieuts./\\hitter, Burnett, Finlayson, Thomas, S'ergt Morton, Corpls. Shairson, Bryan, Best, Drivers Cooper, Redstone, U.ttler, Walker, Troopers Ahier. Bailey, Back, Cox, Davies, Hancock, Latta, Mabey, M'lntosh, Tongi, Richardson, Taylor, Railliley, ■ Warman, Wilson, Wiley, Sergt. Bayley, Ptes. Bird, Washer, Ruane, Bandsman Young.

At their sale on Saturday, Messrs. Laery and Co., Ltd., realised 3s. 3d. per pound for strawberries. This constitutes a record for some seasons past. The strawberries were grown in the Auckland district.

4 special meeting of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union was _ held yesterday morning, at which remits in connection with the proposed Waterside Workers' Conference, which is to be held at Auckland, were considered. It was decided that nominations for the election, of four delegates to attend the conference should .close on Saturday next. Mr. M. Carlson was elected returning officer, and Messrs. lieid and AgneW scrutineers. Tho ballot will take plaoe on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 21 and 22. Mossrs. J. Laurensenj E. Canahan, and L. Glover were appointed tbc union's representatives to meet the Harbour Board aiul Marino Department regarding conditions of work on the waterfront. As the business of the meeting was not concluded, it was adjourned till one night tliiß week. The following pensions have been granted under tho Civil Sorvice Act:— Charles Halliday,' General Post Office, £246 13s. 4d.; W. M'Hutchoson, General Post Offioe, £400;' P. P. White, General Post Office, £283 6s. Bd., F• D. Holdswcrth, General Post Office, £400; Charles R. Pollen, Lands and Survey, £400.

The Third Tunnelling Reinforcements, 198 Europeans and 70 Maoris, paraded the town on Saturday, (says a Press Association telegram from Auckland). They were offioially farewelled at the Town Hall. Chiefs of the Ngati-Tuharetoa tribe and sub-tribes —To Hiraka . Pine, Te Heuheu Tukino, and Topia Kingi, and Chieftainess Ngahina—waited on the Native Minister (Hon. W. H. Herries), the Acting Minister of Lands (Sir Francis Bell), and tho Hon. Dr. PomaTe, with tho magnificent offer of 30,000 acrcs of land in the Ohaokoa Block (botween Taihape and Napier) for settlement by returned Maori soldiers. The gift, it was explained, was intended to he unconditional, and irrespective of tho tribes to which the returned Maori soldiers belong. The deputation urged the Ministers to use expedition in transferring tho title of the land from the Maori owners to the Crown, and the Hon. W. H. Herries, in replying, gave an assurance that that would bo done. At the eame time, ho said that the Government accepted the offer in the spirit in which it was made, and would lose no time in calling; a meeting of owners to pass tho necessary resolutions to complete the transaction. Mr. Herries added that when h« received notice of the rcnerous offpr ,lip at once informed His Excellency the Governor, i" order tlint he might convey to the Kin? the ffood news; and also the fact that the Maoris were not only contributing their sons to tho maintenance of tho TJnipire. hut also contrihutin<x land, as they had done in this case, for the use of those of their pons who were fortunate enough to return to the Dominion.

A large audience attended to see the. patriotic picture entertainment in aid of "Our Day" Red Cross Fund at the Town Hall on Saturday evening, but liad to be turned away owing to a fault in the projector of the cinematograph. For twenty minutes, endeavours to project the pictures ciearly were futile. Mr. I). M'Laran mounted the platform and stated that tho performance would have to be abandoned, and added that admission money would ho refunded. Someone in tho body of the hall suggested that the money should_ not bo refunded, but Mr. M'Laren insisted on keeping faith with the public. Three lambs uonatcd by the Wellington Meat Export Company were submitted for sale, but only one was disposed of. "Writing to a Christcliurcli friend, Lance-Corporal Charles Kichardson, of Greymouth, who was captured hy tho Germans on July 9, says:—"l am wounded and in a German hospital. Am now able to got up from my bod, and am being treated verv well. Will be. kept here till tho end of the war. Hope it won't bo long. _ I expect I shall be posted as missing, but I am only wounded." Tho note was written from Kricpsgefangenenlager. LanceCorporal Richardson received nine wounds, and was unconscious when made prisoner; wlion lio regained consciousness ho awoke in a German hospital. Messrs. Bnnnatyno and Hunter are wholesale agents for "Tho Thinkers' Favourite" TVritinft Tablets, School Exercises, and Note Books. . The "Thinker brand is now the favourite throughout Now Zealand.—Advt.

An appeal has been issued by the Wellington Trades and Labour Council to unions throughout New Zealand for funds for a national memorial to the late Sergeant E. J. Carey. An officor who was wounded on the second day of our Somme advance, writing to his friend, says: "How I am here alive to tell the tale goodness only knows. To say that it was hell is only putting it mildly! However, you won't care to hear about that side of the story. By Jove, give me the New Zealanders when there is a hit of scrapping and bayonet work to he done. It was great to soe the way they went through Fritz's trenches —four of them. There was no 'beg pardons,' and our chaps left each trench strewn with; dead. Prisoners were numerous, and it was fun to see the Boches putting up their hands and saying, 'Mercy, kamarad 1 !' Wo had heard so much about that, but it is really funny when you see it. Of course, there were numerous Germans who fought well, hut on the whole wo had them well beaten. I was not with our crowd when they reached the fourth and final objective, as I got my crack just before we reached tho fourth, but I saw enough to show mo that it he long before Fritz crumples up, and things come to an end."

In connection with the forthcoming appeal for funds in aid of the Wei-, lington Returned Soldiers' Club, a meeting has been called for this evening at 8 o'clock at tho , Club-house, Lambton Quay. Tho Eotumed Soldiers' Association invites the assistance and co-operation of all bodies and citizens in Wellington, and request the attendance of any person who is willing to assist. Various organisations havo already offered to send representatives to attend this -meeting. Initial arrangements are well in hand, but the scale on whioh it is_ intended to operate demands the active sympathy of the outside public. The soldiers themselves havo been working hard for some -weeks past, and have laid the | foundation for an effort which should

1 considerably assist tho finances of tlie institution which is fast becoming that popular and useful resting place for returned men which its founders foresaw. In a letter from Christchurch (Hants), Sapper George Wadman, of New Plymouth (New Zealand Engineers), TV-rites as follows: —"We have made quite a. name for ourselves in smashing all records for certain works which they test all engineers on. Last week we built a pontoon bridge 150 ft. long aoross the river Avon in 17min., the structure being big enough to take heavy guns. The previous best time for this feat was 22mia., so you see we have something to be proud of when we brought it down by five minutes. Wo also won tho guard mounting, and in consequence of the exhibition were granted a day off.' A lingering interest attaches to the Antarctic vessel Aurora in that she *is intended to rescue men marooned oil the ico. No expense is being spared to put the vessel in first-class order, and judging by her appearance as Bfle lies at the Port Chalmers wharf, repairs are nearing completion (says the Dunedin "Star"). Her fore-topgallant mast has been sent aloft, and the main and mizzen topmasts also hoisted into position. Tho "crow's nest" gleams at the main topmasthead with something of the adventurous element that sec ths vessel whale-hunting in Davis Straits' over forty years ago. Time had left its mark in,various ways on the one-time dauntless dialer. All that has been made good, and she is now said to bo equal in. seaworthiness to the'days of her first youth. The cost of the latest repairs is said to have run into a considerable sum, but as this is tho last enterprise, of the kmd likely to be seen in these waters for many years to come, the cost will not be grudged. The Aurora will probably leave for the ice in December.

Tho Military Medal has been awarded to Lance-Corporal H. Linklater, of the New Zealand Engineers, in recognition of excellent work carried out by mm when accompanying a. raiding party in France lately. In connection with the award, Major Barclay, in a letter, states, inter alia: "Lanoe-Corporal Linklater and another sapper, ui re-, sponso to a call, volunteered to accompany a raiding party from the 2nd Battalion New Zealand Riflo Brigado. Each sapper carried three laTgo charges of guncotton, togother- with primers, fuze and detonators, in order to carry out any demblition which might be necessary 'n the German trendies, and ftiiy person with a knowledge-of explosives will recognise that a man thus equipped undertakes a very hazardous task when he sallies forth amidst flying missiles and the concussion of bursting shells. The raid was splendidly carried out, and quite in accordance with the programme arranged. Nine prisoners were taken and at least thirty Germans killed, our men conclusively proving their superiority at close quarters. The engineers, faithfully carried out their portion of the work; each followed a different officer and acted under his directions. Linklater was not only able

to place mines under the German parapet, l)\it ho also demolislid au elaborate pumping plant with gas _ engine. The latter task was not carried out without some difficulty, as while in the act of placing his charges, he was interrupted by tho arrival of one of the enemy, and' he had to temporarily discontinue his work until tho intruder was disposed of. The award of the modal has given' general satisfaction amongst the New Zealand "Engineers." There is a never-failing fund of humour to be obtained from pernsal of tho well-known London journal "Punch," with its clever satire and inimitable drolleries. The' cartoons alone are sufficient to reward tho purchaser, but there is so much else that is valuable that no one can find a better investment than now supplied •by

The Dominion, whereby for two guineas three half-yearly volumes and a year's subscription parts (1916) can be obtained. For an extra 7s. 6d., volumes for this year may be had in lieu of parts, and another IPs. fid. _w ill pay for the woekly issues for 1917. . A remittance for 6Ss. will thus secure five bound volumos (1914-191GV. and a year's subscription numbers (1917). Early application is necessary, as the supjilv is limited.