LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2977, 15 January 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Manuka, which is due to arrive from Sydney at 10 a.m. to-day, brings Australian mails only. A fire occurred on Friday at J. A. Maclean's Burwood Station, 40 miles from Lumsden, states a Press 'Association message from Gore. A woolshed containing 110 bales of wool, 1000 sheep, and the shearing plant, were destroyed. The loss is approximately £4000. It is reported the insurances total £500. _ Business has_ been very good in tho city and district during the past month (states the Labour report for December). The building trades are still kept busy, many large contracts are in progress, and a large numher of suburhan houses and cottages aw. being built. Engineering trades are keeping busy, and skilled mechanics are badly wanted. Clothing trades have been very busy, and a considerable amount of overtime has been worked. Detail trades have had an exceptionally good month. During the month 140 men were assisted, 11 bv reduced fares. 81 to private employment, and 57 to Government works. Tho callings represented wero carpenters, hotel workers, labourers, etc. Of tho number 51 wero married men and 98 singlo men with 110 dependants. "C.W.S." writes:—"lt will perhaps interest soino of your readers to know that there is a picture of a Zeppelin in the 'Illustrated London News' «t January 26, 1884. It appears to differ very little from tho modern Zeppelin.". A story concerning an exchange of identities which is not entirely without parallel—two similar incidents having corao to our knowledge, states the Auckland "Star" —has been brought under the notico of the secretary of tho Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association by Rev. Father Buckley, of Otahuliu. When men wero being accopted for the Sixth Reinforcement draft, two men—Wade and Burgessoffered their services. AVade was accepted, and Burgess was declared medically unfit. Evidently the men conferred on tho matter, and Burgess went to camp in Wade's name. He pot through successfully, and went to Gallipoli and then to Franco, where Tie was killed. Tho ruse must have been known amongst Burgess's comrades at the front, because Father Buckley wrote to the mother at Otalruhu, 'suggesting that the name should be altered on the grave (at Armentieres). The soldier allotted his pay to himself (in Wade's name) at the Post Office _ Savings Bank, and tho position now is that the money cannot be touched, a.s Wade is alive in New Zea land, although officially dead. The secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association is endeavouring; to locate some of deceased's comrades, with a vie.w of getting them to testify that deceased was under an assumed name.