LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2954, 14 December 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal _ authorities advise that tho mails which left Now Zealand on October 26, via Suez, arrived in London on tho evening of December 10.

The postal authorities advise that tbo s.s. Manuka, which left Wellington on Friday, December 8, carrying Australian and English mails, via Suez, arrived in Sydney at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

"Has any programme been arranged for the purpose of raising further funds?" askod Mr. Geo. Sbirtoliffe at the mooting of tho executive* committee of the Wfir Relief Association yesterday afternoon. "The.ro is something under discussion," said Mr. 3, Lewis (secretary of tho Patriotic Society), "and wo hope to put a scheme before the public after the holidays."

A man who is accused by the Wellington Acclimatisation Association of poaching for trout is reported to have said that he disliked tho idea of being prosecuted, because ho is a Sunday School teacher. Ono of tho members of tho eboicty says lie agrocd with tho man that Sunday School teaching and poaching did not go well together. Ho thought the mail ought to decide which of the two bo was going in for.

A ; igorous earthquake shocks worn- experienced in Maßterton at 10.4 on Tuesday \night and 12.43 yesterday afternoon. The latter shock lasted for about quarter of «v minuto. A.shock was also felt in Wellington afc 12.30 yesterday.

A number of dead rainbow trout have been seen floating in the Maowhango River, near Taihape, and it is thought that dynamiting is lieing practised there.

Illicit fishing is said to be rife along the Hutt River. Boys have been seeu using sot lines, and men have been heard to say that they have fished for jears without a license. Tho Acclimatisation Society is of. opinion that a campaign of prosecution is necessary to stamp out trout poaching, and 6omo cases are pending,

A bottle-collecting campaign inaugurated at Napier in aid of. the Red Cross Fund has so far resulted in the collection of 22,500 bottles. , Inquiries made by a reporter ;it Napier indicate that nearly all furniture removals, even to and from places a considerable distance away, are now being done by motor instead of the railway. One business man expressed the opinion that he believed the day was coming when concrete roads and motor traffic would supersede tho railways. Tho goods traffic in • Hawke's Bay is already going in that'direction.

A AVeliington boy writing from England on tho eve of departure for the front says: "AH our boys ar«- in excellent spirits, and.to look at them you would never think that they wore all off to fane danger and hardships. Whatever happens, I'shall never regret having come to light for freedom and all that is worth lighting for. jjlen are needed very badly over hero; lots of poor beggars have been sent back into tho firing lino who were totally unfit, just becauso ihero was no man io take thoir place. Every fit man will bo needed if we are to win." ,

Quartermaster-Sergeant Hugh A. Parkins, mentioned as'having received the Military Medal for bravery in tho field, is a soil of Mr. T., T. Perkins, of Ohristehurch. Ho has now been prompted to regimental sorgeant-major. R.S.M. Perkins enlisted in tho Main Body as a private, and went through the landing at Uallipoli. He did feood work at Capo Holies, and was conspicuous in a raid in June at Quinn's Post. Ho was promoted to sorgeant just bofore the Suvla Bay landing, was wounded in August, , 1916, sent to Malta, and then to England. On his return to his battalion in December last year he was promoted to quarter-master-sergeant, and now to regimental sergeant-major to the Ist Canterbury Infantry Battalion. His brother Fred was also in tho Somme fighting of September, being in tho 3rd Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. He was wounded, and is now in England.

A Maori soldier from the reinforcement camp at Narrow Neck was tried by court-martial at the Auckland District Headquarters on Monday on a chargo of desertion. The finding of tho Court has been forwarded to the officer commanding the district 'for/confirmation.

In the course of an address at Otago University Dr. P. Marshall said that in 1881 the South Island had a larger population by 100,000 than ihe North; in 1901 both islands had tho same population; but to-day the North had a population creator than the South/ by 200,000. Those figures were facts, and tbia disparity of population was going to beeomo greater arid greater.

At the meeting of tho Dominion executive of tho Now_ Zealand Cathplic Federation last night reference was made to tho statement published in tho Press on Deoomber 11, on the subject of compulsory service. The question was asked as to the interpretation to bo placed on the concluding paragraph of that statomont. In reply, the chairman stated that it was one of tho planks of the federation that it does not touch politios except whore politics touch religion. The federation therefore made no .pronouncement for or against consoription.; it was purely,a matter of conscience for each individual member.

Wanganui was threatened with a serious shortage of water owing to the huge consumption by the new freozing works, says our special correspondent. The matter came before tho Borough Council last night, and it was stated, that the works wero using fully 200,000 gallons per <!ay. The Westmere' reservoir had dropped ton feet, and was never so low. Tho Mayor said he did not like to throttle tho freezing industry, but something would have to be done, and quickly, to avoid the threatened very serious shortage of water. Eventually,, the matter was referred to the - engineer, with power to act, The refrigerating company's officials fullj appreciated the acute position,. and a staff of men were employed working all night fixing' pumps for the artesian wells' supply, and to-day tho pumps were operated with marked success. In fact, the company's own dam is now meeting requirements, and tho threatened water famine has been happily averted.

The first number of the "New Zealander," states a Press Association message from London, has been published. It.aims at convoying Dominion news to the troops in Europe. Prominont Now Zealandors aro providing the funds.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

In regard to the paragraph that appeared in yesterday's Dominion regarding a communication from the Wellington City Council to the Hutt County Council inspecting care in the issue of drivers' licenses, the Chief Inspector (Mr. J. Doyle) points out that it has always been customary to submit the names of applicants for licenseos to the police, and this was not, as conveyed, a recent decision of the council. What is asked by the City Council is that surrounding borough authorities take the same precaution before issuing licenses.

llepnymenb of loans can scarcely be said to be of," too common occurrence in tho oxperionce of the- War Relief Association, but'when a loan is repaid and a contribution to tho funds accompanies it, it cortainly can bo called a matter for congratulation. The mother of a soldior passing through Wellington on her way homo happened to bo in difficulties for a little ready money, and bethought her of the War llelief Association. As it seemed a genuine case, the loan asked for was granted, and a. week or two later the secretary received a post office order for tbo amount with 60 per cent, added on as a- donation to the association. This might be an incontive to others to do likewise.

The medical examination of iirst-bal-lot men is proceeding steadily (says a IYoss Association telogram from Christchurch), a' large number of men presenting themselves. Tu every easo tho men appeared quite prepared to do their duly in tho event of the doctors passing them.