LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2981, 19 January 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"I can quite beliovo that lanß in. Wellington is dearer than in. tlie city of London," observed the Chairman of the Leaseholds Commission (Mr. Justice Hosking) yesterday, after hearing certain evidence of values.

At this evening's meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Council, Councillor Rusßcll will inovo the following resolution: "That in the opinion of this council the time has arrived when steps should be taken to enable the borough of Eastbourne to become incorporated in the city of Wellington."

Tho Minister of Defence has received «. cablegram from tho Officer Commanding the 19th Reinforcements. The health of the troops is reported to be excellent.

Land costs up to £1000 a foot in Auckland, according to a statement made at the Leaseholds Commission yesterday.

The waterside workers at Westport havo given notioo that they will not work shipping between 10 p.m. aiid 8 a.m.—Press Assn. \

The police yesterday arrested a waterside''worker on a chargo of having made a seditious utterance at Wellington. Ho will appoar before the Court this morning.

During the month of January tho Health inspectors of Wellington investigated 28 cases of- scarlet fever. 13 cases of diphtheria, 1 case of enteric fever, four cases of tuberculosis, and 'three cases of ecrebro-spinal meningitis. Tho work include_d 52 disinfections, 48 sanitary inspections, and 45 rc-visits.

Two old city landmarks, in Wellington have disappeared , during the current week. One is the old Mannors Street Fire Brigade Station, for a long time occupied by Mr. John FlocEton, with its high watch-tower, which has beon a dominating structure for over 45 years past. The other is Williams's smithy in Courtenay Place, which has been demolished to make way for a. more pretentious structure in keeping with the fine array of modern buildings that is making that thoroughfaro one of tho busiest and most important in tho city.

Duriug tho past 'month eleven patients wero admitted and sixteen discharged from the Otaki Hospital. Nino patients were admitted to tho Otaki Sanatorium, whilst twelvo were discharged. There were at present under treatment in the Sanatorium three female and fifteen malo patients.

An innovation which should commend itself to holiday-makers is introduced into tho Anniversary Day time-table, in the shapo of a non-stop run for ono of tho excursion trains between the city and tho seaside The outward train is timed to leave Thorndon at twentyfivo minutes past nine, running without a stop to Plimmerton in fifty-four minutes. Tho inward train will leave Plimmerton at eight minutes past five, and, with a stop only ,at Paremata to cross the Palmerston train, will reach Thorndon at eight minutes past six.

A strango story concerning tho loss of tho Hampshire, the British cruiser aboard which was Lord Kitchener on his ill-fated journey, has reached Oaniaru. A lady there has received a lettor from a relative in England in which the writer states that a friend of his, the supposed-widow of ono of those aboard the Hampshire, who had given ur> her husband for lost when the Hampshire went down, was startled into hopefulness on receipt of u letter from her husband in Germany, statins that he was a prisoner there, and that his wife would be astonished if she knew who were prisoners with him. That, however, ho was not allowed to toll. It will bo remembered that there were only ono or two survivors from the Hampshire, who drifted ashore on a rugged part of the Scottish coast, from which perilous position they were rescued. _ A storm was raging at ■ the time, and it was not suggested that the cruiser was torpedoed. If, however, tho story is true—and the receipt of the letter from the prisoner in Germany is vouched for—then the Hampshire must have been torpedoed, else how did tho man roach Germany as a prisoner of war? It must have been a submarine or a German war vessel that rescued him and others. The story is a remarkable one, but the lady whoso husband is reported to be a prisoner in Germany is sure that that part of the story is correct.

Tlio King of Serbia, who Tccr.ived New Yoar grootings from the Governor of Now Zealand recently, lias replied as follows:—"!, am very sensible _of .your kind wishes, and thank you sincerely. I am certain that llio knowledge that wo are lighting hi tho causo of justice and humanity will aid tho Allies in bringing about in tho now year a decisive victory, which will aspuro io tho .world all tho benefits of peaco."

A. Commission is sitting to hiriuire into and report on the matter of making another road in tho Wellington Patent Slip. Thn Commission consists of Mr. W. (i. Riddell, S.M., and Mr. W. J. Roche, engineer for tho borough of Lower Hut);. The parties interested are the Wellington City Council, tho Wellington Harbour Board, and the Wellington Patent Slip Co. Tho Commission is to inspect the locality in question, and will Bit on January 23.

Ten years ago this month, Auckland was visited by one. of the most destructive storms known in its history, practically tho whole provincial district being affected. For tho greater part of three days the wind veered between nnrth-oast and north-west, bringing with it a heavy downpour of rain. Shipping traffic to and from the port was blocked for two days. Slips aud washouts occurred on the railways, interrupting tho main lino traffic both north and south of the city, and also on thn Eotorua, Thames, Waibi, and King Country lines. The most formidable obstruction was that of' thn Waikato line, which was under water practically from Manurewa to Waerenga (noc To Kamvhata). It was more than a fortnight from the time of the interruption before through traffic i-o the Waikato and Rotorua was established, and a much longer period before, complete repairs were effected. In the interval the Railway Department adopted the expedient of carrying passengers by steamer on the Woikato River from l'okeno to Taupiri, as a imcnns of bridging the gap. When the flood was at its height, part of Paeroa town was under water. The crops in the upcountry districts suffered gravely from tbo effects of tho storm.

By way of practice for his prospective* unaccompanied climb of Mount Cook this season, Mr- s - Turner. F.R.G.S., made- a. double ascent, of Mount Egmont on December 28, aud njrain. on'the 3lst. Mr. Turner traversed the mountain to North Egmont Houso, doing tho outward journey in. four and a. half hours, and tho "turn, journey in considerably less time, this is believed to be a record.

At the- meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday it was decided to. nave tnrco hundred copies of the report of the recent conference of hospital boards printed in pamphlet form and circnlnted. It was' suggested by Mr. J. "W. M'Ewan that the Minister might have tHo report printed at the Government Printing Office.

"That a special letter of thanks be sent,-per Mr. A. Dorset, to an anonymous donor of £100 for division between the Victoria Homo for Chronic Invalids and tho Hospital Convalescent ]i\md," was a resolution adopted by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board at its meeting yesterday. * The Wanganui River Reserves Commission, appointed to consider matters connected with scenio and forest reserves on tho banks of the Wanganvii River, sat in Wellington yesterday. The board consists of Mr. T. A. Duncan, of Hunterville (chairman), Mr. H. T.ikiraii, and Mr. E. Phillips-Turner, Irisnector of Scenic Reserves. _ Somo evidence is boiiig heard in "Wellington, and the board will proceed then to preparo its report, which is to contain recommendations for scenic and forest reserves on the Wanganui River.

•At the Hospital Board's meeting yesterday satisfaction was expressed at tho result of the remit to the recent conference in regard to tho retention by tho Education Department of moneys recovered on account of indigent children in industrial schools. 11l that regard Mr. Campbell, chairman of the Charitable Aid Committee, said it would be remembered that the Education Department proposed to increase tho chargo for indigent children from 7a. (3d. to 10s. The demand was so heavy that the committee consulted the board's solicitor, who advised that ho thought there was a good teat case I for the Supreme Court. Before they went that far the matter was brought up at tho conference, when the Jhree other centres decided to support Wellington in sending the case lo Court, i The Hon. G. W. Russell was at tho conference, and on learning the point at issue said he would bring tho case before the Crown Law officers, and get their opinion. Tho Crown Law officers advised that the Education Department had no power to charge the 10s., so they wero to go on as at present. Tho sum involved in tho proposed increase was £1400 and £1500, which would have had to comeout or tho pockets of tho ratepayers through the local bodies concornod. It was a great victory, and ho was very proud of it, and proud, too, of tho superintendent, who had thought the proposed charge one that was not justified. ■

At yesterday's meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Mr. 0. M. Luke asked if Dr. Basil Adams (formerly tuberculosis oxpert to the Hospital Board) hud formally sovcred his connection with the board. Ho had heard that Dr. Adams had left the Army owing to a breakdown in health, and that ho was about to leave the Dominion for South Africa. The chairman (Mr. H. -Baldwin) said that ho had no information about Dr. Adams'e movements. About two months hnfore ho left to join , tho Army ho had advised him to take a holiday or he would breakdown. Hβ knew nothing of Dr. Adams's intention to leave tho Dominion.

Discussing city buildings at the Leaseholds Commission yesterday, Mt. W. Ferguson said that a. great deal of trouble had arisen through the false policy of the City Council in allowing the sections to remain so small as they had done. A great deal of the freehold had been cut up into small sections. Therefore, it was not possible to build economically. "If you have a small section you havo to waste a lot for light area. If they had been on a larger scale, I believe i>eople could havo built more economically. I think there has' been a great want of foresight on tho part of the city." The Leaseholds Commission will finish its Wellington session to-day, and ■will afterwards leave for Anokland or Dunedin. It will 'sit. again in Wellington on its return here. An echo of tho recent electrical storm was heard at the Wellington Hospital Board's meeting yesterday, when tho Charitable Aid Committoo reported thub tho main central building of the Ohiro Home sustained considerable damage by lightning during the thunderstorm on the night of January 8, a stack of four chimneys being thrown down. Part of tho debris went through the tiled "roof over the superintendent's quarters. The internal damage included the blowing out of a. fire grato and the destruction of tho papering of two rooms and a good deal of personal effects by rain water. Damage was also clono to telephones and to the electric light installation, both mains and services. Fortunatey no one was injured. 'Repairs to the roof and chimneys had already been effected, and also to the lighting arrangements. Other necessary repairs were in hand. In referring to this matter, the chairman of {lie committee (Mr. D. Campbell) said that they could congratulate themselves that no injury was sustained by anyone. Tho roof had been fixed up, and the chimney had been re-erected, so they 1 were all right oecq wore.