LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2997, 7 February 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Government lias (says our Mastorton correspondent) decided to acquire 265 acres of land in tho Hamua district lor settlement, by returned soldiers. The land is of first-class quality, and could be cut up into several dairy farms.

"A man is a fool to send his children to a trade in Now Zealand," remarked tho Hon. W. Earnshaw in the courso of a dissertation to the third Wellington Military Service Board yesterday. Mr. Earnshaw went on to say that owing to tbe workings of the Arbitration Court the wages of tlio tradesmen had not Ijeen going up with the wages of the unskilled men.

Although all the ships were at work yesterday there was a marked shortage of labour 011 tho waterside. At ono time thore was a string'of no loss than fourteen expresses and wagons waiting to discharge their loads, which wero to be shipped south by the Rosamond. Owing 'to the limited number of hands available for wharf labour, the unusual spectacle of drivers of carts seizing trucks, unloading their vehicles themselves, and trucking the goods along to the/ship's side was observed.

It was mentioned at yesterday's sitting of the Wellington Military Service Board that it was understood that tho Railway Department does not intend to appeal on behalf of any of its.men who were drawn under the shirker families enactment. "How do they reconcile that attitude with their statement that they cannot spare men?" asked Mr. M. J. Mack, a member of the board.

The fire brigade received a call shortly after 9 o'clock yesterday morning to deal with au outbreak of liro which oocurrod in a wash-house attaohed to a cottage situated in Eva Street, opposite lJixon Street, owned by Mr. It. Hannah and occupied by Mr. Wilkes. Some damage was done before the flames were extinguished. A defect in the chimney is alleged to have been tho causo of the tire. The house is insured in the Guardian office for £500.

The meeting of creditors m tho bankrupt estate of Alfred Peters, Wellington, called for yesterday, lapsed owing to the non-attencjanco of creditors, moflt of whom are residents of l'almerston North. Tho bankrupt, in his sworn statomont, declared that he was formerly a racehorse trainer, at l'almerston North, and also at Napier, and it was during this period that he incurred liabilities which lie was unable to meet. Ho was on a weekly wage now as a foreman, and had no property, therefore ho was unable to make the creditors any offer. The statement of assets and liabilities showed liabilities £578 18s., including a sum of £430 owing to It. A. M'Kcnzie, of l'almerston North. There are no secured creditors and no assets.

Wo have been asked to state that gifts of magazines suitable for soldiers who are to travfil by transports will bo appreciated if forwarded to'the National Headquarters of the Y.M.C.A., Wellington. Any small items such as musical instruments, etc., can also bo used for tho bonetit of the men who are preparing to . join the Forccs elsewhere. '

Dignity, added to any that nature may have invested him with, is lent to the president of the Master Plumbers' Federation by tho chain of office which he wears during the sittings of conference. This chain was the invention of somo Dunediti master plumbers, who had been Home and bail there witnessed a .Lord Mayor's Show. The president's chain of office consists of a silver-plated link for oacli union in the federation, and one for eacli president dating back to the inception of tho federation. It now rests comfortably on the shoulders of tho wearer, but in a few years to come, at the present rato of lengthening, the federation will either bo under. the awkward necessity of barring short men from the office or "making a turn" round the president's hi' Ad.

A conference of representatives of the Railway Locomotive Engine Drivers, Firemen, aud Cleaners' Association was opened in Wellington, yesterday to discuss increases in the cost of living, and possible measures for relief to themselves and other workers. Their idea is that the Government should _ take measures to reduce the. cost of living, or, failing this, grant an increase in wages. These and kindred matters they are discussing, aud they have ar r ranged to meet the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. J. Allen) •at noon on Friday.

' The Napier Chamber of Commeroe received advice from the Ron. J. Allen that it is necessary to hold the Territorial camps, and business men must arrange with the local officers commanding as to a suitable date. Press Association.

"I observe (says Professor Kirk, of Victoria College, in a letter to tho "New Zealand Herald"H;hat it is proposed to kill mosquito larvae in tho districts around Auckland by means ' of kerosene. This does the work well. A cheaper and more -effective subst-anco is, however, available —light oil. This is the first of three great, fraotions into which coal-tar is first distilled. The crude petroleum film is not the only means by which mosquito larvae 'are killed in hot countries. Various emulsions are used which diffuse evenly through, the water. Thus an emulsion, of crude carbolic acid has been extensively used in tho Panama Canal zone.An emulsion-of light oil with soft soap, or with resin, is more effective. One part of the emulsion may be used'with eight to twelve thousand parts . of water. The above notes are part of the outcome of a long investigation into known or possible larvicides, whioh was made in tho hope that it would be of service to our troops aboard. The results of tho laboratory experiments have been verified by fieffl. experiments on an extensive scale, and the advantages of light oil are placod beyond dispute."

A proclamation was gazetted yesterday fixing tho maximum prices to bo charged for wheat, flour, bran and pollard. These prices were published in Thh. Dominion yesterday morning. War Regulations are also gazetted by which parties to contracts of sale and purchase of wheat are required to furnish all particulars regarding thoir transaction to. the secretary of the Board of Trade, in Wellington, l>y letter, within savon day's of tho making of. the contract. This does not apply to purchases of less than 50 bushels of wheat, but if a man contracts with the same person to buy or sell more than one parcel of wheat at the sarno time all these transactions are to ha regarded as ono transaction. It is nindo an offenco against the War llogulations to buy or sell wheat at a price higher than that priced in the pro--claination, or to furnish any false or misleading information to tho Board of Trade, rogarding a transaction. Tho maximum penalty for an offence under the War Regulations is a fino of £100 or imprisonment for ono year.

We congratulate tfio manufacturers of "No Rubbiiiß" Laundry Help on their determination In maintain thoir usual high standard (junlity without increasing Hie price. The demand is growing enormously. Wellington Grocers.—Advt

Splendid variety in good material striped negligee Shirts. Well-made SUiite at 3s. ild., 4s. 6d., ss. 6d., at Geo. ■Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street,—Adivt,

An 11nusa.1l instance of father and son serving together in the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces is given in the caso of Privates Augustus Clement and Frederick Clement, of Linwood (says .a Christchurch paper). The son, Private Frederick Clement, left New Zealaud on December 12, 1914, with the Second Reinforcements, and went to Egypt, and but for a. bad attack of pneumonia would no doubt have been in the lauding oil Gallipoli. The father left on August 14, 1915, with the Sixth Reinforcoments, and was at the evacuation of Gallipoli. It was three months before they met, at midnight, in camp, in Egypt. Together they left for France in May last as drivers in the New Zealand Army Service Corps, and except for a few weeks' illness tho son bad ill Wimmereux Hospital in Franco, have been together ever since. Both soldiers were Dorri iii Christchurch.

Mi'i Basil Watson, on the evening of January 24, Hew by < aeroplane from Point Cook to Warrnambool, covering 166 miles in 1 hour 55 minutes, thus establishing a record non-stop flight for Australia. Mr. Watson loft Point Cook at 4.40 p.m., and landed at tho Warrnambool racecourso at' 6.3 a p.m. Tho weather was ideal for tho flight, and tho aviator travelled most of tho distanco at a height of 4000 ft., cuming down at times to 500 ft. He flew low over Colac, and wlion approaching Camperdown came down t° within 300 ft. of tho up train from Warrnambool to Melbourne, and was cheered by the people in the train.

Statements by Now Zealand'importers that manufacturers in the United Kingdom in the past failed to study consumers' requirements in theso parts wero mentioned to Mr. R. W. Dalton, British "Trado Commissioner, when ho was interviewed in Christchurch last week. Ho was told that while British manufacturers often sent goods of a higher class than was actually, required here, manufacturers in other countries, scnts goods slightly inferior but of the exact standard to meet the position, and at lower prices. Mr. Dalton said that it was wrong to explain tho position by the theory that British manufacturers wero not as enterprising as foreign manufacturers. The true oxplanation was that the conditions in. tho country tliat seemed to study New Zealand's needs so' successfully woro almost identical with tho conditions here. Like Now Zealand, it was a comparatively new country. It had big farms, bad roads, heavy lands, and denso timber, that left great stumps in the groupd. Goods made for homo consumption in that country, consequently, were suitable to New Zealand, while goods made in ' tho United Kingdom were intended for somowhat different conditions. Another explanation was that in the past tho Uniijed Kingdom never had been compelled to seek trade. Plants woro designed to meot the orders, and manufacturers did not see tho necessity for erecting fresh plants if they were not likely to he fully occupied. But the war had completely changed tho view. Manufacturers all over, the United Kingdom now had installed largo plants, which must he kept busy, and it would be, necessary to find markets for the increased production. In addition, there was a bettor understanding of the overseas dominions, a hotter spirit, and new enthusiasm for Empiro I trade. V

Tho exceptionally dry weather prevailing during January (according to tho monthly report of Labour Department) has boon tho'cause of brisk businoss in many retail trades, aud after-season sales are now in progress. '"The dry weather, however, has caused some anxiety' to dairy farmers, and tho shortage of milk threatens.to become a sorious matter. Building trades are; kept busy, but a serious handicap is the shortage of carpenters, theso tradesmen in some parts being offered almost double the award rate of wa/jos. Suburban houses arc being built, aud many town houses and buildings give evidence of having been newly painted. Tho engineering trades \are keeping busy, and the shortage of mechanic;? lias not eased in the slightest degree. Cabinetmaking trades any very busy, and a. shortage of tradesmen is delaying many orders. Clothing trades are up to their usual standard, being kept busy by Army.contracts.' Rogarding unskilled t labour, tho report states:— "During the period tho number of callers decreased considerably. This may bo accounted Jor owing to the Christchurch and New Year holidays. .Those assisted comprised carpenters, fitters, painter, farm ' ■ hands, bootmaker, quarrymen, driver, hotel workers, and general labourers.; Eighty were sent to private employment and 30 to Government work. Of the number 27.were married and 83 single men.'

The possibility of Wellington City being left without a supply of milk was mentioned ; in all seriousness by dairymen who appeared , before the Board of Trade yesterday. The dairymen insisted that with the Government paying 9?d. per pound for cheese they were .losing money by supplying milk to the City at approximately 9Jd. per gallon on trucks. The trouble, from their point of view, was aggravated by the fact that the actual consumers were being required to pay Is. Bd. per gallon for milk delivered at the homes, the vendors oharging for distribution as much as farmers did for production. _ One witness offered the opinion that if the conditions were not improved by the raising of the farmers' price and the provision of a proper distributing organisation in the City, Wellington people would find themselves dependent upon supplies of ' tinned milk. There would be no froßh milk for them.

The men of Anzac have won imperishable fame, and, taking one who oom•peted at the recent regatwi as a fair specimen, the seoret of that fame is not far to seek —it is sheer, downright pluck (says-the "Waikato Times"). On the slopes of Gallipoli the, man received a wound-in the throat, which happily missed the windpipe, and it laid him by for a short period only. .Returning to the trenches he was wounded again. This time ho was struck in the back, and the missile pursuing its way upward lodged in Ills lungs. It was dangerouß to leave it there, and to administer an anaesthetic would have been certain death. The option was left to the patient, who decided for the operation, which necessitated the removal of a rib, and he went through the ordeal without a palliative. '.Plus took place about a year ago, and though not fully recovered, ho, in order to make up a crew, participated iii a rowing race of one nnlo and a half. It was a tough struggle, and he stuok to it right through. ,There may be differences of opinfon as to tho wisdom of such a proceeding, but there can certainly be nono as to tho superb pluok which prompted it.

The uncertainty as to tbc Government's intentions regarding tho Devonport Convalescent Home for Soldiors was referred to by several speakers at the luncheon given to the Parliamentary party at Devonport 011 Saturday. It was stated that the owner of the property, Mr. A. R. D. Watson, had given the use of it free of charge, and that tho residents of Devonport had subscribed £400 or £500 for equipping the institution. Tho' building, it was pointed out, was allowed to lie idle for some months, and even now that it was boing used nothing definite was known as to tho Government's intentions. Mr. Watson stated that if the Government intended to continue, using the homo he would be prepared to consider the question of extending tho term of his olt'er, but he had had 110 intimation as to what the authorities proposed to do. The disadvantage _of. Government control, as compared with local administration in .regard, to such institutions, was also etnphnstsed by several of the speakers.