LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3012, 24 February 1917, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The.Minister of Defence, in. a letter, read at a meeting of the Auckland Recruiting Committee, stated that all the men called up in the Group under Section 35,- and sent into. camp, would .be credited against the next draft. He regretted that it had not been possible to credit them to the last two drafts..-. The quota would, therefore, be. reduced .correspondingly. ' ... A Press Association- message from. Sydney states that the 42 Now' Zealand wounded soldiers, who arrived there yesterday,-have left'for New Zealand by the Manuka. "With, the .prevalence of 'small families it is common for a girl to grow .up with-ucr. knowledge of littlo children or babies, and no affection for them," remarked Dr. Truby King at tho '-Women's Health. Conference yesterday. "Anything which tends to take her out, of the attitude that children are orying little brats is beneficial in the highest degree to the race," ho added. "I think some of those gentlemen who play bowls oould bo better employed making cases in which to pack parcels for the men nt the front," said the Mayoress of New Plymouth (Mrs. 0. H. Burgess),, when addressing the meeting ■ of the Women's Patriotic League. The supply of cases,- she said, wi-.s exhausted, and cases would have to be made.- The material could he supplied. A number of handy men were required to' make them, and if they ■would come forward their services would be appreciated.

Wellington, -grocers, deli'shting thirtfy wives, giving the. famous "Thinker" notebook" free with every Is. package "NoRubbing" Laundry. ffllp.—Advt, •'■'■•'

A Christchurch Reservist, who had been drawn in one of tho ballots and who had appealed unsuccessfully for exemption, passed through T'cTtlngton yesterday under military escort, on his way to 'lVentham Camp. After-the dismissal of his appeal, tho man had been directed to join his draft on a. certain date. Ho failed to appear, and was thert treated as a deserter. This case is an "indication that the Defence Department is ready at last to put tho compulsory clauses of the Military Service Act into effective operation against balloted men who have refused or neglected to obey the orders given thorn. Every man" who, after being draw in tho ballot, has neglected' to present himself for. medical examination, or who, after being passed as/ fit and attested, has fa'iled'to present himself on the day of mobilisation, is technically a deserter and is liable to immediate arrest. But these defaulters, who are understood to number many hundreds,, have had a respite owing t« the faet that the-Defence Department was.not ready to deal.with there. A knowledge of the care and feeding of babies should be necessary before girls can matriculate, is the opinion of the Conference of the Society of'the Health of Women and Children., "Every woman a Plunket nurse," was the apt phrase in "which a delegate to the Women's Health Conference summed up-the ideals of the society. • •.This afternoon, members attending tho Methodist Conference in Wellington will pay a visit to Trontham Camp. Referenoo was made at the Methodist Conference yesterday to the large number of New Zealand Methodists who had fallen at the front. The Rev. A. C. Lawry stated that 624 deaths had been reported, and this total had been certified by'the superintendents' of. • the various circuits. When the system .of placing secondary education" at the disposal of deserving scholars in bur State schools came into operation ■ a decade ago, the probable effect on the position of the paying- pupil attending such secondary sohools -was freely canvassed by mem- j bers.of the controlling bodies. It was pretty generally agreed' that in time the paying student would practically disappear, and instead of such schools I .being, in a measure at least, .self-sup-porting by reason of the fees paid by those attending, they would become public secondary schools or colleges existing on State bounty. How 1 far that prophecy has come true was borne out by figures presented to the Board of Governors of tho Wellington Boys' and. Girls'' Colleges,", at yesterday's meeting-. The return stated that the number of students attending the Wellington Boys' College this quarter was 487, of which number 426 were those, who had;.won free places-by exaniination, leaving only 61 paying students. In the case.of the Girls' College, the number of'students this year is 503, of "which '405 are free-place students, leaving' 98 students who are paying' for instruction. Residents of the city who own horses and stables will bo well advised to see to the manure heaps. Quite reoently the City Council passed a by-law to put down, tho fly nuisance, and tho destruction of fly larvao in particular. The . existence of this by-law was brought ; home to several persons in tho Magis- | trato's Court yesterday, when the Inspector of Nuisances (Mr. James Doyle) proceeded against Albort Boniface, 864 Tinakori Road; Arthur Chinnook, 5 Martin Square; Frederick Kemp, 170b Riddiford Street, and George Smith, Todman Street, who were charged that fly larvae was found in manure on their premises to.such an extent as, to cause dangei-'to the public. Each of the defendants was'ordered "to pay 7s. Court 'costs,- in'- default "48 '.hours' imprisonment.;' A deputation representing the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational Churches. waited upon .the Defence Minister yesterday to' inquire' of ' him as to the general practice.of the Department in regard to exemptions of olorgyr Sir-James-Allen informed them that the'regulation by which the Minister of Munitions -sent circulars to the' Military .Service. Board suggesting that ministers of religion- should ■ bo exempted.-applied .to,, all clergy. No partiality was shown. The only condition was that tho head authorities' of the different Churches should apply incases where they deemed it necessary to make the application. ■ Referring to the interview afteryards, Sir James Allen said: "They were very loyal—all of them.'" It was very gratifying to, mo to hear what they had to say. They rang true." Fifty of the students attending the Otago Medical School passed through Wellington yesterday on their way to Awapuni. Camp, where, .they are to be given a week's training in ambulance work. The students, who have been constituted an officers' training corps, 'were -under the .command! of Major Gowland, Professor of Anatomy at the Otago University,, and were accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Faulkner, principal medical officer for the Otago Military District. During thoir stay.in the camp" they will be trained with the ambulance' rlmforcoments. at' present at •Awapuni.'- - r ■ - " : - ;V '• - ' .' The special Belgian Children's Christmas Fund, which was started in Well-.. ington. in-December in response to an 'appeal from the Lord- Mayor of London,-, has realised £3031- 18s. Id., and this' amount has been cabled Home by the Belgian Consul to the National' Committee for relief in Belgium at' London.^ In connection, with the expenses of bringing "the children" to Wellington who are to compete in the New Zealand swimming school championships at the Te Aro Baths"this afternoon,the New Zealand Swimming Association is being assisted in its efforts to encourage swimming among the- young people of New Zealand. The railway faros are being paid by the RailwayDepartment and Education Department in equal shares.- The City Council is lending- the baths free of cost, and- is also putting on an observation car for the visiting children to do the 'round trip"' this morning. The New Zealand - Picture Supplies, Ltd.; is .throwing the King's Theatre open-to them this evening,°and the Eastbourne Borough Coun-cil-has • issued 25 free'passes for the use of the visitors on the harbour ferry steamers whilst they are m Wellington. The Tjnion S.S. Company was written to for a reduction in the fares of tho half-dozen children who are coming from the south, but replied 'that' owing to" war conditions they were unable to accede to the request. •'■■" If the -weather to-day "is deemed to <be unfavourable ' for ' 'holding the schools' 'swimming championship of New Zealand at' the Te Arb Baths/ arrangements have been made for a blue pennant to bo flown from the G.P.O. tower at noon. . If. such.should be .the. case, the races : will take placo at the Boys? Institute. Tepid. Baths. '.'.'Oil.' Sunday' .lasy. a fire .was.discovered at the HTkiirangi. Native' College at. CUrevillo (nev Carterton). The circumstances led to *i*e belief that it was a case of arson, and suspicion fell upon a student named David Mitchell, who., on being charged with the offence, pleaded guilty. • He will be brought beforo tho Court this. morning for sen'tonce. ' ■ ■ ' ' Tho Conciliation Council, which • is investigating the dispute initiated by the employers of labour regarding the pay and conditions of work on the waterfront, met again last night. The Press was, by a vote of the mobbing, excluded from the proceedings: ' ; '

The transfer of the Twenty-fifth Infantry Reinforcements to Featherston from Trentham was completed yesterday.

Your old travelling bag just about'done?. View' bur .week-end cases from Gs. 6d.; Gladstones from 305.•; Brief Bags from !os.'-6'd.' Geo.;F6wlds;.Ltd.-j-Advfc •

The Hawera. Branch of the New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children had a proposal before the conference yesterday to the.effect that it was advisable to establish maternity homes in every town. However, when the time for discussion arrived the proposal was withdrawn. Mr. John I. Fox, manager of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club, has forwarded copies of the followingletter to Surgeon-General Henderson and the superintendents of the various hospitals in' New Zealand:—"l have been managing the Wellington Return-; ed Soldiers' Club since its. inception, and naturally, come in contact .with hundred's of returned soldiers. My experience leads me to believe that there are many men, although discharged and in receipt of a pension, who are still in such a nervous state that it will.be impossible for them to follow- their civilian occupations. Several influential friends of mine have, expressed: their willingness to help along an institution which will have for, its aim the bringing back of those unfortunate men-fp normal nervous conditions in order that they may pursue their own trades and occupations. I have in my mind an institution in the country where mixed 1 ■ farming can be carried on, and, what is more, would be self-supporting. There the men can lead an active, healthy life, and get a chance to.get strong again. They must save up. alltheir pension monejy.and thus be able to get back to face the.world again. I am approaching several medical practitioners who are constantly in touch with returned men, and-would value your opinion and suggestions before any definite move is made." An Auckland swimmer's failure to "bo a sport" cost him £1 12s. a few days ago. At the tepid baths, the bather, an adult, collided with, a youthful swimmer and swallowed a mouthful of water, became angry, and struck tho lad on the face. When charged in the Police Court with assault, tho man said ho was a poor swimmer and that he was nearly drowned as a result of the collision, which' he considered was intentional. He declared it was a serious matter. The boy concerned said the collision was quite, accidental, and after hearing the evidence Mr. F. \ . Frazer, S.M., said evidently defendant was "not much of a sport," and imposed a penalty of £1 and 12s. costs. It is estimated that 1 there are ;now about 7000 crates of cheese awaiting shipment in the cool store at Port Chalmers, the Government gfadmg store at Dunedin, and at tho Taieri and Peninsula Company's store, .and. further storage accommodation is how being sought (says the "Otago Daily Times"). In addition to the quantity named, most of the factories havetheir curing rooms piled with cases, and their directors are anxiously looking (around for more space. A Home steamer is' expected in Dunedin about the beginning of the week,' but she will' havo accommodation for some 2000 crates only. AVhen another steamer will bo available is not known yet. It'is understood that tho factories have in the I meantime to draw largely on the banks jfor money, on the security of their ! cheese in the curing rooms. On all I cheese, however, placed in the Goverri- : ment stores after an interval of 28 days i from January 16—the date on winch the i Government took over the Dominion cheese output—an advance can' be secured from the Government. For months many New Zealand women and girls have plied busy fingers in the making of baby's clothes to boused in relief of those families who have been bereaved and impoverished by the war. Most of the clothing nas been sent to England to relieve distress •in the families of-soldiers, and sailors, but latterly the Wellington Branch has found it necessary to distribute some of the garments locally. Reports on the good work done by the garmentmakers were made at yesterday s sitting of the Conference of the Society for the Health of Women and Children, and.it was unanimously decided that the work "diight to be continued. The conference, also, thanked the "shipping companies,--who have carried the clothing to England free of charge. Island Bay has' been selected for a visit of the New Zealand Natives- Association Band, which will play there there to-morrow afternoon at 3 o clock. A pig, sold at the Masterto'n. Ram Fair yesterday, on behalf of the funds to erect a . soldiers' club, realised £2067.—Press Association.