LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3000, 10 February 1917, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

/ 4— Tlie 22nd Reinforcements have been granted special week-end leave, and those who desiro to visit the City will arrive by special trains this' morning and this afternoon. "It is difficult nowadays to persuade boys that it is wise 'to go to a trade and remain at it," said the chairman of the Plumbers' Conference last evening. "I know of men who have left trades for higher wages ivhen .they were young, but now they ' are averaging about £2, whereas if- they had remained at their trade they would hp getting A marble statue of i Captain Scott, erected by the people of Ckristchurch as a memorial to the Antarctic explorer, was, says a Press Association telegram, unveiled- yesterday afternoon by the Governor, in: the presence "of- a. Hugo assemblage. The statue, ' which cost £1000,' is the work of Lady Scott. An -unforeseen incident during -the hearing of a caso in the '. Supremo Court yesterday led to tho discharge of the jury and the fixing of a fresh "date for the trial. While Dr. Henry, a'witness, detailing'the nature of-* certain wounds which were the subject of the charge, a juryman showed signs of collapse, and finally had to leave the Court. Ho was attended to by the doctor, and it was shortly afterwards announced ;that he had only recently recovered .-from a serious illness, and was really unfit to serve. A fresh jury will try the case next week. !" Speaking at' the master plumbers' I dinner last evening, Mr. W. S. La Trobe,' director of the Wellington Technical Scliool; at -present, the skilled workman was at a disadvantage with the unskilled workman. "It is unfair," he continued, "and a grave danger -to - the people at large. It •Weans rapid degeneration ill industries in this country, and it is more 'than ever necessary for the bodies controlling the different trades to-jinite-•and conserve their interests in opposition to the demands of'itbe 'irrespon"'eibles nnsthe labour. w.orld:-?>' ■ A Press Association _ telegram _ fronr 1 1 preymouth states tliat 'the Committee yesterday passed 'a' motion condemning the attitude of Mri P. Webb, M.P., for not attending sendoffs to troops, and in regard to patriotic work, also a motion urging the' Government to bring to bear the clause of the Military Service. Act to round up inen who have not answered the ballot call. Before the Otago • Military Service Board opened its sittings at Oamaru the other.day, the chairman (Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) made ■ a statement • specially intended to reach the public., "it ought to be publicly known," he said, "that the proper administration of this Act is of national interest and national importance, and if there is any person in the body of the hall who can .give evidence, or knows of any evidence that can be given that would be of ~any assistance -to the board, .it is the duty qf ; that ' person .to-communicate at once-with the military representative; If any such person does not.do so;ho is failing in a public duty. It is their duty to assist the -board .-as - far. as possihii by bringing all the evidence' before it. It should be generally known that it is a matter of public interest:oii the part of evfryone to communicate with the proper' representative so that all evidence snail-" come before us." .. At the meeting Af: the, executive of. tlio Wellington Avar Relief Association on Monday afternoon next, a new chairman will have to be. elected, vice Mr. Wm. Ferguson, who has resigned'.the office in order to give his attention to the duties of the National Efficiency Board of which he is chairman. . Mr. Thos'. Shields, of Wellington, and Master Stevenson, a champion diver,. and pupil of Sir'.'Shield's, paid'a visit to Palmerston North on Wednesday, and gave swimming and diving exhibitions at a carnival held in the High School baths, which was very largely attended. For some time, past" the 'Palmerston North Borough Council has contemplated erecting baths, but have put off taking definite steps." It is a curious coincidence that on tlio evening of the carnival, which was attended by somei members of' the' council, the tender of Messrs. Trevor Bros, was accepted to erect tho baths. The contract price is £4239. Lieutenant J. Downey, lltli Battery, N.Z.p.A., in a letter to Mr. B. Reid concerning -the death in action of his brother-in-law, writes; —Just a short note as an appreciation of the good.work done by your brother while in our, battery. Although not officer commanding tho battery, I am the only officer J left, as tho others have been killed and wounded, and I' feel it my. duty -to write to tho only relation I liavo the address of. ' Please convoy my deepest sympathy to Mrs. R. Brown, and say that we had not had a better worker i in tlio whole of the battery than was her husband. . Ho was wounded while conveying ammunition up to the guns during a tight corner, and his death is a great loss to all of jis. He was. very popular with all his comrades, and as his section commander, I was very sorry to hear of his death." Tho Makara County Council offices aro to be closcd for a period of three •weoks, owing to the continued ill-health of the clerk, Sir.' W. L. Becch. Once feel the thrill of the eightcylinder ICing superiority, and there will be little satisfaction for you in other cars. Lightning "get-away"; from a creep to a racing speed at the movement of a finger; hills on "high"; silence; economy; these are a few reasons for ICing Eight success. Send for a catalogue' to the Dominion Motor Vehicles Limited, 65 Courtenny Place.—Advt. For 'Summer holidays you'll need a pair of cricket trousers, its: Gd., 10s. Gd., 15s. liil.. to L'lls. '(id. lor sound quality, at (.!eo. FoivkU, Ltd., Manners Street,—, Advt. '

'' The'-.Whole/ of" " the" drums ..of " th» - - Featherston /Trumpet Band have been; re-silvei'ed by the.Wellington Gas Coip-7/ pany free /of charge. The smart! ajw;/ . pearance of the band has-been interisi.- / lied as a/result, the drums making a brave: show as .they catch the sparkle of the sualight as the bandsmen inarch. ..At/a meeting of the Auckland City Council (says a I'resß Association telegram) the Mayor (Mr. J. Hi Gunson) submitted.a sclieme for united action bydocal bod.ies to borrow for individual and joint requirements in order that they 'con get money at a cheaper-rate. It was pointed out that the difficulties • already _ experienced were likely- to'in-;.*, crease (luring the war.The scheme would need Parliamentary approval,: aud the? council decided to discuss it later. Yesterday afternoon Messrs. Harcburt and Co. offered for sale' bv_ auction at their rooms the unsold sections - of tho' Dominion Estate, Tipper Hutt. There was a fair attendance, and the following, sections were sold, either at auction or immediately after Sections 85 to 88, in Royal and Alexander Streets, to the Upper Hutt Convent; ( , Sections 35 and 37, . King's ■ 'Street 7 (Gibbons RoadV, to Mrs. Mary;Morri-/ son; Sections 71) to 73, Victoria Street," to Mr. E. L. Cooper; and Sections 151, Poplar Grove, AValdegrave Park Estate, and Section 164,. "Willow Grove, to Mr. E. C. Cooper, the total for the twelvo lots sold being £430. An acre section of the G-olf Einl,-s Estate, Heretaunga, was submitted, but was passed in,' and is now for private sale. In a letter by yesterday's mail, Driver Percy AVimsett, ■ of- tlia New Zealand Field Artillery, who was on leave in England, and attended the dinner at Westminster Hall oh Christmas Day, given to tho New Zealand' soldiers, sent a souvenir menu.-card'of , the dinner, which comprised roast turkey, roast beef, Christmas pudding, mince pies, dessert, lemonndej mineral waters, cheese, buffer, celery.'/ On the card- was written the-autographs . of-distinguished visitors, among them being tho Right Hon. AY. F. Masscy, Lord Plunket, Sir Joseplr AYard,-Sir T. Mackenzie, 1 and Sir-James Carroll. Driver AVimsett was staying- at the New Zealand Club, rup by New Zenlanders, and says that- it-is a splendid •institution, everything possible being done for the comfort and welfare of the guests. Considerable improvements are being effected to the spacious .street junction at the eastern end of Courtenay Place, where that lively thoroughfare joins' issue with Kent and . Cambridge Terrace,' Majoribanks Street, and .Clyde. Quay. Hitherto this 'has been a vast open area o£_ macadamised road, possible of great improvement from "tho city - beautiful" point- of view, but which has; become 3imply' a maze ■of tramway piles and a'fino starting poiub for the clouds of dust and grit that sweep up the terraces, when th'cj boisterous northerlies ltow." "At present an_ improvement is being made in the surface by concreting all the space between the liorthefn end :of Kent and i : Cambridge -Terrace, and .a: line drawn between the City' Hotel and. Cording's shop.' Before any further work is done jnorthward,'(towards ,Clydo Quay) of that line'it has been suggested that somp plantations of hardy shrubs or ornamental barriers of some kind migho be tried as a dust preventive, as well as being sbme'attempt to make the en-' trance to a beautiful marine parade a trifle less drab and unpleasant than it is at present: Years - ago the. Mayor said it was contemplated improving the .: rusty corrugated iron fence that shiits • in the corporation,yard, but th 6 schema.- . ; . is evidently'still in the region of' con-- ■ temptation. Tho work at present beingdone provides for a foot-path round -the' existing plantation; in Courtenay Placc, * and the rounding of the eastern comers of that reserve. ,j. ' Messrs. .Baldwin and Rayward, patent attorneys and consulting engineers,--'of--215 Lambton Quay, report that rece.it- • ly they acted- as agents in filing the ' following-applications for letters patent of . New Zealand: —P. MacDoiald, Lower Hutt, treating flax; Carburettor 1 Syndicate} --'Melbourne,--.''- carburettor: ■:leaf -binder;; At I.onidSs, oua -mixtures.;v.Office'-; -Apphcance My, Wellington, filing device; R-". Duniari,' New York, talking machine; W S. Brown, Knoxville, U.S.A., valve jear; H- G. Bedell, -Wellington, Jiniup of costumes; G.'E. Kinch. Q'uifiridi disinfectant appliance; J. Day, Ramwick, concrete building: C. E. Rae, Auclland, bridle; E. Pohl, New York, fuel-burn-ing ;'T. TJnderdown, Auckland,'droj>ping bombs; A. Hollobon, Chriskhurcn,.., . roof spouting.' ' • •- .-