LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2936, 23 November 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

. Hie Defence authorities have decided, following upon British practice, to relax somewhat the regulations governing the examination of recruits for the N.Z.E.F. In future men suffering from such ailments as varicose veins and varicocele will not be rejected as unfit unless tlie complaints are serious in tlieir cases. Presumably the change is being made as the result of experienoo at Homo having disclosed the fact that men only slightly affected with these minor troubles can stand up to the work of soldiering well enough. The big reclamation scheme, involving the .corner of the harbour from Waterloo Quay to Kaiwarra, was mentioned at last night's meeting of tlio Wellington Harbour Board. Mr. M. Cohen said that the proposal was of the greatest importance to the City, and he would like to know what progress was being made towards its realisation. The chairman of the board (Mr. C. .15. Daniell) said that the .Railway Department was considering the matter rather slowly. The board's engineer had been in communication with thorailway engineers with the object of devising a basis upon which the reclamation could proceed, but progress bad been slow. He lioped the Railway Department. would assist the board to preparo a suitable scheme, so that lvorKeould begin when the war ended. The Chambers of Commerce Conference passed the following resolution yesterday, on the motion of Mr. .Tames Macintosh, president:—"That this conference, representing Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, desires to place on record its profound aclmiraiion of and thanks'for the invaluablo services rendered to the Empire. by tho Royal Navy, and its sincero admiration and appreciation of the valour, heroism, and devotion shown by all' ranks of His Majesty's Forces wherever, duty 1 has called them, and the conviction that, in conjunction with our gallant Allies, their efforts will ultimately bo crowned with 6uccess: and at tho samo time expresses its sincere sympathy with the wounded' and -.with_ tlie relatives of .those who have given their lives in maintaining the honour of tho Empire."

The Rev. James Gißb, of St. John's Church, does not believe in the baptism of infants unless their parents are faithful churchgoers, who have attested their faith in the Church and its traditions, and are j such as are likely to hold to their baptismal vows. What would be tho use of him baptising a. baby that was the next moment borne away<by a black woman to the heart of Africa., and there brought up to heathenish customs? Under such circumstances baptism would mean nothing—less than nothing. Dr. Gibb's remarks were directed to those churches which to him had too many baptisms during the year. ■ "Where they rake them up, I can't tell," said the pastor in semi-comio despair. A branch of the Post and Telegraph Association has been formed in the Wairarapa, with Mr. H; E. Moore -.as chairman and Mr. F. G. Ackerman as secretary. The inaugural ceremony is to take place on Saturday next. An effort is to be .made to form an Old Settlers' Association in the Wairarapa. The Harbour Board lias instructed one of its committees to make recommendations regarding the naming of streets on tho Waterloo Quay reclamation. Four streets will require names, and the question was referred to the hoard by the City Council. "Give the streets Maori names," said a member of the board at last night's meeting. "We havo too many streets named after people." Mr. W. G. Biddell, coroner, held an inquest yesterday afternoon touching the death of William Thomson Townley, who was injured on October 31 at Ngahauranga while repairing a traction engine. After hearing the evidence, the Coroner returned a verdict of "accidental death." A resident lias, says our Napier correspondent, offered a valuable house and section to tho Hawke's' Bay Hospital Board as a maternity homo. As the house is splendidly eituated on the hills, the offer will doubtless he accepted. At yesterday's meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly, the_ Hon. J. G. W. Aitken issued an invitation to tho lay members of the Assembly to the annual meeting of the Laymen's Missionary Movement, to be held at the Y.M.C.A. on Friday evening. Tea is to be provided. The members of the Presbyterian General Assembly are to visit Trentham Training Camp this afternoon. They will leave Lambton Station at 2.10 p.m., and return shortly before 6 p.m. After thanking tlie council for the honour conferred upon him yesterday in electing him to the position of chairman of the Makara County Council in place of Councillor Monaghan, who has retired from the position, Councillor Haggerty remarked that he believed in a "go slow" policy in view of the many important works required,, and also stated that, as the proposal for a concrete track on the Hutt Hoad had apparently fallen through, he foresaw additional expenditure which would seriously affect the borough. A girl a little over 16 years of age, who appeared in the witness box at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, admitted that she was nnable to read, but was able to sign her name. The conference of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce, when it met yesterday, reaffirmed the resolution passed at last conference whereby it recorded its determination to do all in its power to assist the Government in organising and using to tho fullest extent all.tho resources of the Dominion to aid in continuing the war until' it is brought to a successful conclusion. The world's best judges have placed tlie Chevrolet Motor-car first value for money. It 'has a perfect electrical equipment. It will start electrically by merely pressing the button, and the latter js absolutely reliable. A schoolboy can drive and manage the Car with perfect safety. With the Chevrolet Car a person of moderato means can enjoy the pleasure and health invigorating influence of motoring. Tho price of tho Touring Oar is £Sis, and the 'Roadster .£lO less. For further particulars, write or ring up THE DOMINION MOTOR VEHICLES, LIMITED, 65 Courtenay Place, Wellington.—Advt.

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) has telegraphed' the Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly: "Please convey to your members my hearty good' wishes for a successful conference. May God's blessing rest upon your labours, which I am sure will make for the promotion of Christian fellowship throughout the Dominion." A little girl about eight years of age fell from a tramcar in Vivian Street shortly before 10 o'clock lastnight. She was admitted to the Children's Hospital suffering from concussion of the brain. Her tame is not known. Eloquent intercessory prayers to God for aid in the present great struggle were offered by Professor Dickie and the Rev. A. White at yesterday's meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly. A small dinner was given in the officers' mess, Featherston Camp, on Tuesday evening last as a farewell to tbe officers of the Twentieth Reinforcements, who march over the hill today for Trentham, prior to embarking for ihe front. The amicable relations existing between the permanent and Reinforcement officers was once more evidenced and nicely expressed in the few remarks made by the Camp Commandant at the close of the dinner. A lad named Jack Conden, who liyeß in Clyde Street, Island Bay, met with a serious accident at about 7.30 o'clock yesterday morning. He was riding a push-bicycle, and at the corner of Ellice Street he was thrown off the machine, sustaining abdominal injuries and concussion of the brain. Ho was removed to the Hospital. There was little change in his condition last night. "It is surprising that there is not some general rule in connection with tho restrictions on wifeless," said an operator aboard an overseas steamer in Auckland. "When wo' wore in London the aerials were lowered and the Bradfiold taken out. This course was followed when I. was in Marseilles some time ago. 'Tn .Canada—at tho several ports to which I went—no notice was taken at all of the wireless plant, and it was permissible to transmit and receive messages. At Gibraltar, Malta, and Port Said no inspection or sealing is' done, and tho same freedom as in Canada is allowed. ,In the Australian ports the silence cabin was sealed, hut on arrival in Auckland, I find that nothing is dono to prevent our using tho plant." The problem of tho coloured races, as it affected New Zealand, was mentioned by tho Hon. G! W. Russell in tho courso of a speech at. Dunedin. The Empire had great native populations within its bordors, and it had a coloured Ally in Japan, which was playing an important part in the war. "I ask myself this question," said Mr. Russell. "If tho Japanese come over here and demanded tho right of access into our country, as our Allies—they have mado great advances in thoir education and \heir manufacturing talent —what is to be our answer? I say we hopo thai, we may he able to preserve New Zealand as a. white man's country. I cannot say, however, that, tliis is ono of the problems that we ourselves will have to face."

The incorrectness of the paragraph sent out by the Press Association at Masterton on Saturday, about the righteous indignation of the people of that town about a married man called up under the ballot, is admitted, _and regret has been expressed for its circulation. Tho affair appears to have been a, hoax..

Salmon up to 151b. and 201b. in. weight are flow being caught in some of the snow rivers of the South Island, a proof that" the Government's experiment in acclimatising quinnat in New Zealand has proved a success. The Minister in Charge ,of Fisheries (the Hon. Dr. M'Nab) has authorised Mr. W. T. Jennings, M;P: for Taumarutrui, to ascertain whether the upper waters of the Wanganui River, which rises near Ruapehn, are suitable for salmon. The difficulty is. that the maximum temperature must not exceed 51 degrees. Commenting on the .work of the year at the Presbyterian Church Assembly yesterday, the Rev. Donald M'lvor said that a complaint had been made to him that a great deal too much attention was given to routine w6rk rather than to the devotional side of the work of gathering the people in from outside. Ho had felt, whilst defending the Presbytery, that the remarks were justified. It was the case, too, with the General Assembly, where perhapei too much attention was paid to details, to the neglect of such things as were mentioned in the Moderator's address delivered the previous eivening. He hoped that the address would not only be printed, but that the many excellent suggestions lit contained would be given practical expression to. A peculiar development occurred in connection with 'an indecent assault case that carao before the Magistrate yesterday morning. Tho complainant, a girl of 16, who had given the police a signed statement, repudiated that statement when placed in tho witness box, and the case collapsed.