LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2966, 2 January 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

■ The third section of the Twentieth Reinforcements will parade on Waterloo Quay at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Relatives and friends will have an opportunity of seeing the'men there.

At 7.36 last evening the fire brigade was called to Beattie's grocery store at the corner of .Cuba and Vivian Streets. The damage was confined to a few cases of goods.

A very groat deal of inconvenience has been caused during the holidays by the lack of facilities for buying stamps. The slot machines at the General Post 'Office help the public to some extent, but they respond only to coppers. 'The person who has no pennies or_ halfpennies can have no dealings with the machines. It has been suggested that stamps should be procurable over the counter during the limited hours when the Megraph Office is open on holidays. '. ''

Phyllis Boyd, the young woman who was admitted to the Hospital on Satur-, dn.y night suffering from the effects of poison, was last evening reported to be in much the same condition as when admitted. •-.-..

A man' named John Boyd was admitted to tbo Hospital yesterday morning suffering-from injuries to his head due to a fall from a mail van in Lambton, Quay.

Although tho weather prospects were not too promising yesterday morning, holiday-makers were not deterred from spending the day at Rona Bay or Day's Bay. and the Duchess aud Cobar wore filled to.their utmost capacity during the morning on their outward trips, and again during the inward trips last evening by a holiday-making crowd, who spent a glorious day at one of these popular holiday resorts.

According to the Melbourne "Age," twenty per cent, would represent tho fair average proportion/of, Australisnmado articles among the toy displays in Melbourne during Christmas week, and the toys were chiefly modelled in wood. . ■

A very fine act of-heroism on tlie part of an ex-inmate of the Burnham Industrial School was related at the school's annual sports gathering by the Hon. 0. A. 0. -Hardy. The young man, who was one of the first to respond to his Empire's call, soon rose to tho rank of sergeant, and was about to--recewe his commission when the incident which resulted in his heroic sacrifice He was giving instruotion in bombing work.in England, inside a building, when he noticed that something had gone wrong with the bomb with which he was demonstrating. Knowing the danger to those in his class and fearing that if he threw the missile throw the window somebody outside migbt suffer, he deliberately covered the bomb with his own body, and was blown to atoms. Many other acts of bravery .on the part of old Burnham boys had demonstrated their manliness arid brought honour to themselves and to the industrial sobool.

The following appears in last Saturday's issue ' of the Christchurch "Press":—A report was supplied to the' "Press" recently, stating that at a. meeting of the Locomotive EngineDrivers, and Firemen aud Cleaners' Union, held in December 17, a resolution was carried "protesting 'against tho severity of the sentence imposed on R. Semple for a first offence." The report of tho meeting, which was supplied by the secretary, stated that "tho meeting was of the opinion that a lighter punishment with a warning would have met tho caso, as it would he impossible to transgress against thelaws .again without being caught and' dealt with in a heavier way." Yesterday a prominent official of tho'union called at the "Press" office, and stated that the meeting bold on December 17 could not by any stretch of imagination be regarded as representative of tho union, as there wero only twelve members.present out of a membership of between' 400 and 500. Tho'official in question further stated that at a largely attended meeting of inombers of the union who woro not present on December 17 tho resolution regarding Sempie's punishment was discussed, ■•tnd it was decided to hand Hie following statement to.the "Press" for publication: —"In connection with tho resolution passed at the Drivers , and Firemen's branch meeting on December 17, protesting against the severity of the punishment inflicted on R. Semplo, \v<s wish to state thnt responsibility of the resolution passed rests with thoso few tlmfc attended that meeting. Tho majority of its members are loyal lo ilieir employers and to tlio country (o which' they belong, and havo done and are doing everything possible lo bring the war to a successful end. and are iip against defying the law."

"No Rubbing Laundry Help," tho world's greatest clothes cleanser; no washboard or washing machine required. It removes oil dirt, pain!, etc., without rubbing or injury to hands or ulotbcs. W.F.C.A.-Advt.

We juess yon ure visht ready for light Pyjamas, ss. Gd., Sβ. Gd., 10s. 6d., to Silk at 225. (id. and 28s. 6d. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street.— Aivb,

The returns available to date concerning the position of labour in Auckland indicate that prior to the Christmas holidays unemployment was" at a minimum, and very few trades were not demanding men. Engineers and fitters were in steady demand, but as thero was no available sourco to draw from tho position regarding these two branches remained tho_ same. Unskilled labour was required for temporary work in the country, but the men proferred to rotnain in th« city during tlie festive season rather than lake up temporary work.

■The New Zealand Educational Institute will open its thirty-fourth annual meeting in the Masonic Hall. Boulcott Street,' to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock. On Fridav evening, tlftro will be hold, in the Town Hall Concert Chamber, a congress on "PostWar Education." Papers will bo contributed by Sir Robert Stout, Mr. J. G. Wilson, and Professor Eastorfield, and discussion will follow. AH persons interested in educational rtelters are invited to lie present.

The following appears, in the latest issue of the "Churcn Chronicle":—" An article- that appeared in The Dominion of December 26, with reference to the resignation of the Rev. M. Mnllineux as Assistant-Chaplain at Trentham Camp, needs a fow words of comment to Churchmen, who hare supported liberally the work of the, Church Institutes in tlie military canips. At the time of the arrival of Mr. Mullineux in New Zealand, the Military Affairs Committee were contemplating the appointment of an Assistant-Chaplain at Trentham. As Mr. Mullineux was understood to have had some experience in chaplaincy work among men, the position was offered to him. The offer, was accepted, aud through the courtesy of General Henderson and the Adju-tant-General (Colonel Tate) Private Mullineux, of the 11.A.M.C, was transformed into' Mullineux in the course of a very few. days. The Military Affairs Committee could not, of course, either make the appointment or control the manner of this transformation. That he was 'discharged'- from the R.A.M.C. instead of being transferred ,, , was the method of tho military authorities, not of our committee. When the transformation look ulace, Mr. Mullineux readily accepted the rate of , pay offered him by the committee, ten shillings a day. He was rationed by the Defence authorities, and our committee provided him with all out-of-pocket expenses. Tec shillings a day, clear, was_ considered to he a fair salary, especiallv as, so far as the Church Military Affairs Committee knew, he had no one dependent on'hinii Had,he brought the matter of pay before the committee, the committee might have further considered .the position. We' are surprised to leam that Mr. Virgo, of_ the XII. C.A. offered a chaplain, holding a commission granted to a recognised ecclesiastical body, a position outside the army, and that that offer ■ was accepted. Mr. Mullineux demanded that he should be sent with the 21st Reinforcements. The Primate-had already appointed the Rev. Bryan Brown.' Mr. Brown stood aside for Colonel Tracey, who, like Mr. Mullirieui. wanted to go to the front, and had been waiting to go lonrr before Mr. Mullineux_ appeared in Nsw.Zealand. The committee asked the Primate to put Mr. Mulluienx's name on the list of chaplains to go-, abroad—^hat list is by no means exhausted—and further suggested to Mr. Mullineux that he should have Colonel Tracey's r>lace at Trentham with a' free ,hatid till his turn came. No more could be done than has been done for him, and when the last offer ■was refused, there was no alternative but to accept Mr. Mullineux's resignation. (Sjvd.).T. H. Wellington, Chairman Military Affairs Committee."