LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3007, 19 February 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Some members of the Expeditionary Force Reserve are slow to understand that when they have been drawn in tho ballot it is quite unnecessary for thorn to apeal for exemption if their ground is alleged physical -unfitness. If a balloted man believes that he is not fit for active servico lie has ineu'ly to wait until lie is summoned before cue of the medical boards. Then the decision will bo made for him by experts. A reservist who appeals on tho ground of unfitness goes before a medical board just as lie would have done if ho had not appealed. 'The sole difference is that he has added a little to tho labours of the recruiting branch by -innecessary correspondence. Representation is to be made to the Government bv tbe Taranaki executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union that dairy farmers be represented on the Military Service Boards, it being contended that greater satisfaction would be given to farmers if their appeals were heard by dairy farmers who realised the position from the dairy farmers' point of view. Tha slacking down in the rate of progress in connection witli the erection of the big sea-wall in Oriental Bay does not represent any change of policy on tbe part of the council in regard to that work. It simply means that the men engaged there are required temporarily on more urgent '.work elsewhere, owing to the shortage of labour making it impossible to keep all work going at the normal rate. It is believed that owing to the very marked shortage of labour, which is weekly becoming more acute, there will bo a decided check in the progress of new works during the approaching financial year. Maintenance work must _ have first consideration, and that, it is expected will eat up most of the available labour.

Two, out of three of the Carterton bakers, have, says our special conespondent, practically withdrawn their delivery carts from the road, owing to tho high cost of distribution, and sell at a cheaper rato for cash over the counter. The butchers adopted this course .some weeks ago. Thoy report that, the'new-method is working very satisfactorily.

. Tho Third Wellington Military Service Board, which has handled a largo number of appeals here in the last few weeks, will ho in Wellington to-day, but during the week will go north, to hold sittings at Taumarimui and elsewhere. '

Henry Stringer, of No. 1 Mudge's Terrace (off Adelaide Road), whilst driving an express, met with a rather serious accident. In rounding the corner from Adelaide Boad opposite the Caledonian Hotel, his express collided with a trnnwar, with the result that Stringer was jjinrwn from his seat on to the road, sustaining a deep flesh wound in the thigh and some bruises about the head. Ho was removed to tho Hospital, where ho is doing as well as can ho expected.

Mr. J. Lowis (secretary of the Patriotic Society) states that a .sum of about £125 will bo handed over to the National Reserve as tho result of Mr. T. M. Wilford's war lecture at the Town Hall on Wednesday' evening last. So largo Ais tho attendance that the lecture may ho repeated.

Amongst the subjects to be discussed at the New Zealand Methodist Confer-' euco to bo hold in Wellington this month will bo the military ballot and the position of eligible ministers. At present tttcro arq fifty ministers, shir dents, and homo missionaries in camp and at the front out of a totalof 200. For single men no appeal has been mado, and already somo of' tho 2nd Division have notified tho president that if called up they will proceed to camp. It will ho nccossary for the conference to review tho situation. Already tho work of stationing is exceedingly difficult; many placeß must work shorthanded, and sonic will have to do without altogothor.

A man named Christie, member of a Reinforcement, who was being brought to Christchurcli to answer a. police charge, created a sensation when the Maori entered tho harbour on Saturday morning by jumping overboard. An alarm was given, the steamer put hack, and a boat was lowered. The man was a, strong swimmer, but was overtaken and caught. He had a lifebelt undor his coat. The constable, who was much concerned over the attempted escape, then handcuffed the man. The Maori was delayed for twenty minutes. —Press Association.

Tho Royal Commission set up- to make inquiry regarding the causes of the accident on the Auckland waterfront in October last has presented its report. Sulphuric acid was being unloaded from s.s. Monowai, when one of the barrels or vessels containing the acid exploded, inflicting very sovere and very painful injuries on several workers engaged.; The Commission found that the explosion was due to the insufficiency of the' bung of ono of the drums. Instead of being secured with a screw tap and a lead washer, as tho Commission 'thought it should havo .been, it was closed with an improvised rubber plug, without a screw cap. The Commission declared that the evidence showed that this method of securing tho drum was highly dangerous. Certain proposals, are made to the Government for the carriage of acid in suitablo and safe vessels, and for the amendment of the law and the regulations governing the carriage of dangerous cargo. It is found that the acid was shipped at Melbourne by Rosenhain and Company, qf Melbourne, and the' Commission makes the following remark about costs of the inquiry: "Wo are of opinion that the whole of tho costs of this inquiry should bo paid by the said Messrs. Rosenhain and Co., of Melbourne, and if we have jurisdiction to make an order to that effect against them, arid such order can bo forced, wo are prepared to make and sign a formal order." ' The inmates of the Buchanan Home, at Greytown, havo resumed possession of their building, which for some time past had been in occupation by 'the military authorities, sufficient hospital accommodation now being, available,at the camp. . Territorials and cadets of the Wellington Garrison were engaged in manoeuvres on the hills between Ljall Bay and Breaker Bay on. Saturday. They had a, fairly,heavy aftornojn's work before returning to the city at dusk. "The Maoris just kill them by the sackful," said Mr. C. A. Whitney, at a meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last week, when the advisability of Government sanction for an open season for pigeons was being considered. Mr. Whitney remarked that tht natives simply, wont into the bush and killed as many pigeons as they liked at any time, and tho Department took no notice. Mr. L. Hammond thought the society should strongly urge the Minister to grant an open season for pigeons. It was decided to recommend that during tho forthcoming season, permission be asked to shoot the same kinds of game as last year, with the addition of pukaki and pigeons, , throughout the district. It was also decided to strongly oppose the granting of licenses to sell game. "No-Rubbing" laundry Help is what we recommend for washing silks, prints, muslins, linens, woollens, and creamery workers' overalls. Geo. Thomas and Co., The Osborne Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Laery and Co., Ltd., Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., Bamißtyne and Huntor, Ltd.; Levin and Co., Ltd.; J. Nathan and Co.. Ltd.; A. S. Paterson and Co., Ltd., Johnston and Co., Ltd., Thompson Bros., Ltd., F House, wholesale agents for "No Rubbing."—Advt. >