LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3021, 7 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A. cablegram has been received from tho High Commissioner by Sir .lames Allen (Acting-Primo Minister), stating that tho Military Cross has been conferred upon 2nd Lioutenant D. C. Bowler, Lieutenant A. D. Ilerrick, Lieutenant G. Mathhias, and the Distinguished Conduct "Medal upon 24/345 G. Bates. /

Sir James Allen, who left Auckland for 'Wellington by last night's express, visited the Flying School at Kohimarama .yesterday, and made a flight in a now Curtis machine, built at tho school, being in the air twenty minutes.—Press Association.

Tho Department of Labour is meeting with the samo difficulties as arc private builders in the matter of getting work done. It is ready now to go on with the construction of twenty workers' dwellings in Wellington, and recently tenders wore called for tho erection of seven of them.. Only one tondor was received, however, and the tenderer cnnld not undertake to build more than three houses. Also his price was so high that the Department could not accept thb tender. .

Tho matter of the prosecutions arising out of' recent wharf troubles was mentioned in the Magistrate's Court again yesterday. As ono of the. counsel for defendants was away from Wellington, the cases were adjourned till Friday.

Another man belonging to a Brighton family lias been arrested for failing to report to the military authorities after being drawn in the ballot, says a Press Association telegram from Duncdin.

At 9.30 last night the fire brigade received a call to Crabtree's foundry in Dixon Street. The alarm was caused through a heap of rubbish catching fire. Xo serious damage was done.

The Congregational Union of New Zealand is holding its annual conference in Wellington. A large number of delegates from all parts of the Dominion arc expected to be present. The meetings, which will be held in the Terrace Congregational Church, will commence this evening, when a welcome "social" will be tendered to the visitors bv the local churches. Addresses of welcome will he given by the chairman of the local executive, Mr. F. Mcadnwcroft. and others, interspersed with musical .items. Tho meetings will extend for a week, the morning and afternoon sessions being devoted to council business and conferences, and the evenings to public meetings.

li> is stilted in Dunedin (states a "Press Association telegram 1 that an important find of sehoolito lias been made, in the Barcwood district. A. TNnorli'i syndicate lias secured an nn-t-mi and opened up the reef. Tt is said tlia.Ti exrmrioncod minors are. of opinion tli.it it is the richest and most minor tnnt. discover'- of sclieclit'o yet made in Now Zealand.

The Militsw Sorvioo Board will not sit in Wellington again until Tuesday of next week.

A Marlboro'scii draft of about 30 men to 3" into camp arrived by'tho Pateevia last evening.

The Waterside Workers' Band will piny at. the Basin Reserve to-night.

"It is better to be born lucky ihan rich," has boon lately exemplified by a returned soldier in Christehureh. Ho fought throughout the Boer war, and was not oven wounded. He went right through l'he GallipnH campaign without a scratch, and took his part "Somewhere in Trance," being wounded just, enough to cause his discharge,. Ho returned .practically well, and shortly after his arrival homo his employer" died and left him a nice little income for a term of years. The returned wtldier looks upon himself as oorn on tho lucky side.

The Auckland men, for the Twentyseventh Reinforcements, left for the south yesterday afternoon. Previous to leaving the Drill Hall, Sir James Allen addressed the men, and complimented them on their soldierly appearance.—Press Association.

Out of twelve appeals heard yesterday at Napier by the Military Service Board only three (theological students) appellants asked for exemption, the others either withdrawing or asking for an extension of time. A very large percentage of the men who aro appealing have previously volunteered and Deen rejected, mostly for temporary ailments.

Foctbe position of president of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, rondered vacant by the resignation of Mr. F. Curtice, Messrs. L. Glover (vice-president) and Alf. Agnew have been nominated. Balloting will tako place to-day and to-morrow, at the Harbour Board X store. Mr. H. H. Simmons is returning officer, and Messrs. T. Holding and J. Reid will act as scrutineers.

Tho total liability of the Dominion for war pensions is steadily mounting week by week, until now the annual charge stands at £261,000. In all, 6217 pensions have been granted, of nu annual value of £321,858, hut about 1200 persons who wore granted temporary pensions are now for various reasons off the books, and the actual rate of payment is for the present an amount equal to about £261,000 per year. But, as already stated, the total is being swelled very rapidly. During last week 123 now pensions were granted, of an annual value of £7003. The avcrago pension being paid to soldiers is £o2 per year, to wivos and widows £97 per year, and to other dependants £29 per year.

A movement is on foot in Christchurch to establish there a hostel for returned soldiers similar to the institution in existence in AVollington. Mr. E. G. Lewey, th cchairman of the committee which controls tho "Wellington hostel, is going to Christchurcli in the course of a few days on business, bnt while he is there a meeting will be held at which ho Trill have an opportunity of tolling the patriotic bodies'interested in tho project something of how the hostel hero has been run.

Tho annual conference of Associated ■Working Men's Clubs of Now Zealand opened in Wellington last evening, and was attended by delegates representing eleven clubs. The delegates were welcomed by the president of tho local club (11 r. E. Mace), and Mr. A. E. '.Renous, of Napier, presided over tho conference. Last evening's business consisted of the approval and adoption or the sot of rules applicable to all the affiliated clubs in tho Dominion. To-day a further session will ho held, and general business will bo dealt with.

As th 9 public are aware, some alterations -svero mado last year by the Minister of Education which had tho effect of stiffening up tho regulations dealing with proficiency certificates. The Minister was asked by a Duncdm reporter if he could stato the results of i"the examinations. In reply, Mr. ITanan said that Otago again headed tho list, as it did in 1915. Trie percentage of proficiency and competency passes in Otago last year was 76 per coiit., Wanganui 70, Auckland 69, Southland 68. Wellington and Marlborough 65, Taranaki 65, and Canterbury 63. In Otago thero were 1658 candidates, in Auckland 3574, in "Wellington -and Marlborough 1829, and in Canterbury 2556. The total for the Dominion was 13,448, as compared with 12.232 in 19.15.

"The 500 industrial disputes fomented during 1916 involved 100,000 Australian workers in tho loss of £700,000', which they should havo received as wages," says tho Melbourne "Argus." "There was, in addition, an even greater loss, and it was caused by tho dislocation of trade and tho disturbance of markets. No figures are issued to show what this loss actually amounts to, but now and again facts como to light which provo that it must bo stupendous. In a report to his Government on the coal trad© with China, ports, the Straits Settlements, India, Java,\and Siam, the New South Wales Commissioner in the East (Mr. J. B. iSuttor) estimates the loss incurred through Australia's not participating as it should in that trade during tho past few years at £10,000,000. New South Wales coal is admittedly suporior in quality to any coal produced in Asia, but strikes havo so paralysed the trado that an inferior articlo with cortaint-y of supply is preferred to the superior articlo that cannot he depended npon to come forward regularly. Mr. Suttor has the same story to tell in regard to other branches of trade, which are being crippled by the industrial raphcavals that arc such a marked feature of _ tho war-time activities of the unions."

The first consignment of oil (forty gallons) taken from a' whale which was stranded on the beach near the'mouth of the Itangitata River, arrived 'in Ashburton on Saturday, and (says a southern paper) experts pronounce the oil to be of good quality. Owing to the appliances used for the melting process being so small, the work has taken a longer time than was anticipated, and large quantities of the oil have been wasted in the sand.

The,depression of late years, writes the Friendly Islands, correspondent of the Auckland "Star," has been the main cause why the natives of Tonga have not been able to contribute to any great extent to the many patriotic funds which are before the public. Honey has been exceptionally tight, and, indeed, the natives have had a big struggle to meet ordinary tax, payments. But there is a change for the good, and the Tongan, who by nature is of a generous disposition, is begin-, ning to show his mettle. The ActingBritish Consul (Mr. G. B. SmithRowse) a few months ago placed before the public an appeal on behalf of the Lord Kitchener Memorial Fund, established to make provision for the disabled officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Army and Navy. The first meeting in. connection with the fund was hold in December, and addresses were delivered by the British Consul, the Premier of Tonga, the Catholic Bishop of Tonga, and others. As a result of the meeting the fund received a good start, and the returns are sure to be very great; it woufa appear that the £1000 mark will be reached on this island (Tongatabn) alone. The ftther islands of the group will no doubt make a ready response. The King of Tonga is keenly interested in the appeal for funds, and has addressed several meetings in connection with the movement. In the early stages of the war there was every evidence of a spirit of loyalty amongst the Tongan neoplc. The Government contributed £500 to the Ponce i _ of. Wales's Fund, and many of the cmefs sent donations from their districts.