LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2976, 13 January 1917, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The recent increase in the rate charged by dairy farmers for the milk retailed to the people of Wellington was the subject of a recommendation, from the Board of Trade, which came before Cabinet yesterday.- Tho Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald said last evening that Cabinet had reached a decision, and that a proclamation dealing with the matter would probably" bp issued 1 in a day or two. . .) ' During the hearing'of a case.in/the Magistrate's Coiirt yesterday, Mr.' S.E. M'Carthy, S.M., had occasion to caution persons in the auditorium for attempting to indulge in applause. A cheap witticism perpetrated by an anticonscriptionist at a constable's expense had elicited a demonstration of approval,, which led to "His Worship s theatening to clear the Court if anything further of tho kind occurred.' The members of the Board of Trade left for Auckland last iright in, order to deal further with the question of tho retail/price of meat. -, It may ho remembered 1 that some weeks ago th'e Auckland retail 'butchers announced that the price of meat would have to be increased owing to the rise in wholesale charges. The Board of Trade took the matter in hand, and was discussing the position with the butchers in the northern city when.summoned to Wellington to consider the price of wheat. Before leaving Auokland the board got an assurance from the retailers that the old scale of prices would bo maintained pending further discussion. But tho butchers liave since advised the hoard

that they cannot d'elay the increase in charges any longer, sinco tho cost of stock is rising rather than declining. The members of the hoard, have hurried hack to Auckland for the purpose of studying tho situation at closo quarters. Beforo leaving, for.Auckland the Board of Trade made some preliminary inquiries concerning tho increase in tho retail price of coal at Christchurch. '.Che investigation has . 'not", "alreadiy placed before the board do not suggest that much relief can lie givento tho consumers. It appears that the increase in tho price represents nothing mors than the increased charges to be met by the retailer.

The' Mount Hector Tourist Track Committee (Groytowm) "mot on Wednesday, when a plan for a hut in the Tauherenikau Valley'was"submitted and approved: Tho ; plan includes a ing room and a cookhoute, tho latter to bo used as a sleeping room when ladies are present. This will be submitted/ immediately to the general manager of the Tourist Department for his sanction.

The chairman of the Canterbury Military Service Board (Mr. J. S. Evans, S.M.) criticised the action of the authorities in Wellington in merely notifying the board of withdrawals of ap-. peals (says the Christchurch "Evening News"). All withdrawals, he said, should be sent to the board, who should have an opportunity of comparing' the signatures ointhe withdrawals with, the appeals in cases of forgery. The boardadopted it as a rule that all withdrawals must be received by it in future.

At yesterday's meeting of the Makara County Council-the clerk reported "that the Internal Affaire, Department had carried -out -the. necessary rarrauge-■ ments to make the council a motor registration body; ..and that the .distinguishing letters "M.K.E-."-' had "been assigned to the council. The clerk also reported that already two motor-cars had- been-registered in the county."

' | Inquiries made by a. reporter of the Auckland "Star" .in reference to. ,a statement made in Christohurch by the secretary of the Canterbury Drivers' l Unioii to the cffecfc that, some of the employers had Tefused to pay the war bonus provided for in tho settlement of the drivers' dispute, on the grounds that they had not received any official intimation of the decision of Cabinet, indicate that there are no grounds for a. similar complaint in Auckland. Mr. E. A. Craig, who had the matter in hand on behalf of tho.employers, .stated in reply to a query that as far as he knew the Auckland employers had all given effect to the decision of Cabinet. The plea that no intimation had been received, hs said, could hardly hold, because the decision had at once been made known to Mr. W. Pr.vor, organiser for the New Zealand Employers' Federation, who,had.in turn notified the various associations. Continuing, Mr. Craig stated that lie had personally agreed on behalf of the employers to the .payment of tho /bonus,, and ho would be. pleased to know if thero. were any who were not. paying it. .

' During the war many stories of providential and perhaps miraculous escapes from death have been told. Mr. F. 11. Steel, of Asbbtirton, in conversation with a "Guardian" reporter, related r story concerning his son, which ho vouched for. In tho "great push" 'on the Sonime, Corporal It. W. Steel was in tho front line of trenches when the Germans ivore indulging in tho pastinio of bombarding. Corporal Steel and some of his comrades were in a dangerous part of - tho line, when a shell burst alongside of_thorn, killing and wounding some ol his matos. Corporal Steel had a marvellous -escapo from death. In his left-hand breast pocket ho had a pocketbook, a Testament and a photograph of his sweetheart. A piece of shell piorced tho pocketbook, Testament and photograph, and made a big bruise over his heart, but otherwise he was uninjured. Sir. Steel produced. tilio photograph, and ifc was pierced in the middle, snowing the passago of tho picca of shell. "No Kubbing Laundry Help," the world's greatest clothes clcanser; no washboard or washing machine required. It removes all dirt,, paint, ttc., without rubbing'or injury to hands or clothes. W.F.C.A.-Advt.

The Fcathcrston Trumpet Band" Has" returned from lea,ve, aiid'fesumed duty. On Wednesday night me bandsmen made a presentation of/a largo framed photograph of tho bafl'd to Mr. E. J. Read, of Wellington, ,who has frequently entertained theuyduring their visits to 'the City. Trumpeter-Major Chegwin made the,-' presentation. A pleasant evening was afterwards spent, with Mr. Read as host. Musical ami elocutionary items wero given by Servants Ncill and Webb, and Trumpeters Rowoll, Jenkinson, Porter, Vincent, and Lester. Trumpeter Vincent was at the piano. /

A' feature of, the United States elcc- j tions in November last was an increase.; of "dry" territory that has been called-; astonishing, and other notable successes by the Prohibition Party. Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Montana wero added to tho ranks of the "dry" -States by constitutional amendments. Prohibition Governors were elected in Florida and Utah, and a popular vote for the abolition of the liquor traffic was carried in the territory of Alaska. The "Literary Digest" points out that tho number of States under State-wide prohibition laws has jumped from 19 to •23; or almost one-half tho Union. *

A young New Zealand soldier named Private R. Brebner, who enlisted in Westport, owes his lifo to a rather curious coincidence. When ho was spending his final lea.ve in Westport the Mayor of that town (Mr. A. Leaver) placed in bis money belt a "lucky" halfpenny, and the story of how this coin contributed towards saving .his lifo is best told in his own words. In the course of a letter, written to Mr. Leaver from tlio New Zealand General Hospital, Codford, England', Private Brebner says: "You, will probably havo heard.that 1 oiw.' I was saved, by your lucky halfpenny. The bullet struck the pouch of the money belt and glanced off the coin, cutting it in. two. I have one picco, but am sorry to say the other is missing; otherwise I intended sending it to you as a souvenir. I havo a nasty gash, but surface only, and I hope to be right again in ,'a month at most." Writing under date November 21, tho London correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times" states that a New Zealauder, who has been- revisiting the Island of Skye after an absence of 20 years, has written a letter to the New Zealand Government, saying that ho found "an appalling jstate of things existing there in regard to the condition of tho people." He further says that he found German- prisoner labour was ' being used on tlio .island. of Raasay to tho detriment of the crofters there, those same crofters being "in a truly pitiable condition." It might be well to mention that tho crofters referred to are men declared to be unfit for military scrvice, but the contention is that they are quite, fit to (10. the work now being done by the German prisoners. Mr. H. C. Cameron, New Zealand Relief Commissioner, who is also a member of the London branch of the Highland Land League, was present the other day at a meeting of ills league, when a deputation from Raasay waited on the council-and confirmed the state of affairs complained of by tho NewZealand traveller. Further evidence on the point is coming to hand, which also supports the W.hen a thorough inquiry instituted by the Highland Land League has been completed, a full report on the matter will bo issued.

A few days ago a "Grey River Argus" representative, in strolling along tlie North Beach, came across an experienced digger busily enaged in sliittijij; a patch, of black sand and gravel which had recently been deposited on tho beach at high-water mark. " A "prospect" taken by the scribe revealed several grains of gold to the dish, and the lucky minor who had pegged off the small claim stated that he oxpeoted to make £3 per day from the drift for a weok at least. Tho same miner reported that some time ago, in the same locality he struck an alluvial drift which he' worked for "31 .'hours' Ywithout. _ ,abreak. the yield in yellow metal working out at tho profitable rate of £1 per hour. ' is

At a meeting of the-Licensed Operative Drainers' Union at Dunedin a resolution' was carried declaring that it was ill the best interests of. the union that members should give their energetic support in and-oiitside tho.nnioii to such candidates'for civic honours, as in the opinion of the membors irero most loyal to the Empire outside of local matters, and who favoured the Compulsory Military Act in all its clauses and were British from the crown of the heatl to the sole of the foot.

An unusual charge, says the-"New .Zealand Herald," was heard by Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., in'the Auckland Police Court recently, when Sarah Gallop'admitted selling ice cream without informing the purchaser that it was deficient in milk fat to the extent of 47.6 per cent. Defendant, said the trouble arose from, her ignorance of the fact that there were two qualities of cream, "single" and "double." She ordered the cream from the milkman, and when supplied with "single" cream did not know it was different from "double" .cream.' She was always careful about selling good icis cream, a-nd complimented on.the quality of it bv. her customers. The Magistrate said she could sell ice cream deficient of the' requisite percentage of milk-fat-.-as.lpng .as.she informed the purchaser at the time v As, however, it. appeared to.be •a. matter of ignorance -he, .-would, only convicti her ■ and order her .to pay.. 10s. 6d.j cost of analysis,, and lis. Court costs. ■ ."