LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho moral training of New Zealand children is loft in a considerable measure to chance —chance coloured largely by tho picture show, tho totalisator, "Tatts," and so on. This is tho opinion of Mr. H. A. Parkinson, a schoolmaster, who delivered an address beforo the Women's Social Investigation League last evening. Tho Auckland Farmers' Union Esecutivo has carried unanimously a resolution, to bo forwarded to the Government, urging that voluntary enlistment should bo stopped.—Press Assn. By notice ill tho''Gazette, the Post master-General notifies that money-or-dors and postal correspondence for "T. Just,. Saunders' Chambers, 29 Murray Street, Hobart," will not be delivered, as thero is "reasonable ground for supposing" that Just is engaged in promoting or carrying on a lottery. For another roason correspondence with Tho International Developer is prohibited.

Tho Board o£ Trade visited Masterton yesterday, and after taking evidence agreed that butchers should bo supplied with 'first-grado meat from the Waingawa Meat Works at prices similar to those operating at Auckland and Gisborno. It is generally assumed that tho well-to-do are bettor educated than tho wage-earning people, remarked Mr. H. A. Parkinson, at the Women's Social Investigation League last evening. "I don't think it is so. I think there is as much narrowness of view and lack of comprehension in ono class as in another. At the meeting of the_ Onslow Borough Council last ovening a special veto of thanks was accorded all thoso ladies and gentlemen, also boys, who materially assisted in suppressing tho recent outbreak of fire in Khandallali. Tho City Council was also thanked for allowing tho Firo Brigade to render assistance. The Mayor said the residents wero very much indebted for the help given, and the ladies in particular wore muoh to bo commended for tho vory great assistance they gave on tho occasion. A branoli of tho Efficiency Board was formed in Palmerston North yesterday at a mooting of business men and farmors, presided over by the Mayor, Mr. J. Nash. Tho following Board of Trustees was elected: Messrs. J. H. Stevens (chairman), J. Linklator (agricultural and pastoral), J. A. M'Leavy (dairying), W. W. Barber (dairying, agricultural, and pastoral), and ft. S. Abraham; hon. trustees, Messrs. J. A. Nash. J. Balslllio, and J. M. Johnston, Mr. P. C. Frooth was elected honorary secretary Association. The Health Inspector reported last evening to the Onslow Borough Counoil the existence of two oases of infectious diseases in tho borough. [ It is announced in tho Gazette that I tho rates of postago to some of tho recently acquired islands in tho Pacific which formorly belonged to Germany i have been altered to make them tho samo as thoso for British possessions. Tho names of the islands are,: New Guinea (except Dutch Now Guinea), Nauru, Bismarck Archipelago (incuding Now Britain, New Ireland, Now Hanover, Admiralty Island), Solomon Islands (including Bougainvillo and Buka). The total cost to Now Zealand of the military occupation of Samoa to dat 6 is £303,604. The Railway Boiling Stock Commission, which should have presented Us report to-day, has boen granted an extension of time. A dwelling s.nd store at. Blenheim wero totally destroyed bv lire yesterday. The store contained 26,000 bushels of grass seed, which was insured in tho Standard Office for £SQ(L_ The dwelling was insured for £225, the store for £125, and the furniture for j £100, all in tho Royal Office. Tho j cause of tho fire was spontaneous co-m i bustion.—Press Assn.

Word has been received that the land cable for the Eastern Extension Company, to connect Titahi Bay with Wellington, is to arrive shortly, and labourers arc needed to excavate the trcnch for its reception. It was stated at the meeting of the Onslow Borough Counoil by Councillor L. A. Browne that a numbor of Ngaio residents had sunk _ wolls and l wero using tho wator for drinking purposes. It wa£ stated that theso wolls were not more than about 20ft. deep, and it was not believed that the water was quite safe for human consumption. It. was proposed to communicate with the owners of these wells, and set them to have the water analysed. In the course of his remarks on fires in tho Onslow Borough the Mayor (Mr, C. 0. Crump) stated that one family living close to tho railway line was much perturbed and in constant fesr owing to hot cinders from the locomotive being thrown out_ on to tho side of tho line. Tho members of the family were obliged to keep watch day and night for fear of a conflagration through this practice. The council decided to call the attention of tho Railway Department to this matter.

Wm. Campbell, Ltd.. is. not too phy tx> tall thrifty housewives that "No Bub- ! k' 3 "" Help does wash , ail dol -^ s "P 01 !® clea " *} tho » t f' l ' 'EJ'iry, also give.s Thinker Note Boos j freo witb evory Is. nackot of s'No Hubi bing/'-'Advi.

The relatives of the late. Acting-Lance-Sergeant W. H. Moseley, of the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment of tho New Zealnnd Expeditionary Force, havo received from His Majesty the King a. letter of condolence. His Majesty (through his Military Secretary) refers to the fact that Acting-Lauco-fiergeant Moseley was mentioned in dispatolies from General Sir Archibald Murray (Commander-in-Chief in Egypt), dated October 1, 1916, anil published in the London Gazette, "for gallant and distinguished conduct in tho field." Tho King expresses his high appreciation of the deceased soldier's services, and trusts public acknowledgment of those services may bo of some consolation to his relatives. Sir James Allen, Defence Minister, has also sent a sympathetic covering note. Acting-Lanco-Sergoant Moseley wnnt away_ with the Main ( Body of the Expeditionary Foroe, and met his death in Egypt. Bofore enlistment he was third steward of tho Wellesley Club.

Statistics show that only one in ten young New Zealand pnpils reach the Sixth Standard, observed Mr. H. A. Parkinson, in the course of_ a paper read before the Women's Social Investigation League last evening.

Six young ladies of tho Bed Cross Brigade visited Masterton racecourse yesterday, and encouraged by gentlemen who have been prominent in tho patriotic movement, succecded in collecting £626.

Tho Coast Defenco Commander (Colonel Campbell) held an inspection of No. 3 Company, Garrison Artillery, at Fort Dorset on Wednesday night. Lieutenant Ilaglo wttff batter.y commander. Colonel Campbell was accompanied by Major Sandle as staff officer, and Colonel Courtney, O.C. Division Garrison Artillery, was also present. Previous to the parade Colonel Campbell presented two medalß for long and efficient service. The first was to Company Scrgpant-Major JohnBon, who has a record of twenty years' sorvice, commencing as a cadet in tho Nolson district. Tho other recipient was Sergeant Cowan, for many years jn.c.o. in tho Volunteers, and now ,«S.c.o. in tho Territorials, who has a record of sixteen years' sorvice. _ Both men aro ex-members of the Wellington Navals.

The Onslow Borough Council last evening received a complaint from tho city cfectric lighting department regarding tlfo number of lamps that were being wilfully broken in tne Khandallali Ward. It was stated that tho city authorities were posting a notico in the locality offering a reward for tire deteotion of those guilty of causing the damage, and the Onslow Council was asked to lielp in the matter, an 3 agreed to do so.

Enlistments for the No. 7 Napier and Hastings Group are so satisfactory (says our Napier correspondent) _ that it is anticipated that no ballot will be necoßsary in Napier for the 30th Reinforcements. The group is endeavouring to got back to its old voluntary status.

The Melbourne "Argus" states that a plaguo of mice is assuming serious aspects in some of the wheat-growing districts of Victoria, particularly those areas in the Wimmora portions of tho Mallee. An inspector wlio recently returned from the north-western parts of the State described some of tho stacks as* presenting the appearance of being mountains of live mice, while in other cases the effect of the plaguo was described as resembling thousands of wriggling snakes. Of courso, those extreme instances are not typical, but even where tho attack is comparatively slight it is a monace to wheat-grow-ers. A conference, consisting of representatives of tho eight shipping firms and a number of null-owners interested, met at the office of thelVietorian Wheat Commission to consider means for combating tho threatened plague. The consensus of opinion was that tho only Teal solution of the trouble would bo to liavo the wheat trucked to the seaboard, but in tho present circumstances this would tako many months. Tho only other'suggestion that was considered worthy of a trial was the bi-sul-phide of carbon treatment of the stacks, combined with tho erection of low iron fonces to completely enclose tho 6tack area. It was unanimously decided, aftor a full discussion, to test the efficaoy of tho proposition of a suitable railway stacking centre in on© of tho Infested districts. A conimittco o£ shipping agents and mill-owners was formod to carry the proposal into offect.

Miners who wero cailed up in tho ballot, and failed to present themsolvos for examination to tho Military Board, Reofton, havo roccived notico from the various mines that their services havo boen dispensed _ with _ (says a West Coast paper). This is in accordance with the regulations under the Military Sorrico Act, which entails a penalty of £50 on anyone employing those who fail to conform with the regulations.

An Auckland officor, writing from the Western front, says: Still another matter let me mention. Too many old men and too many weaklings are allowed to leave New Zealand. The authorities here absolutely refuse to Bend a man over 43 years of age to tho front. | With the Eighteenths we brought at least 20 or 30 men over that age. All aro now at Codford, waiting for a steamer to take them back to New Zealand. Likewise there are at'least anothor 30 thrown out qn aocount of physical disabilities. . When it is remembered that it costs nearly £250 per man to land New Zealand troops (after four months' training} in England, it is worth while exercising a little care. • The Soldiers' Relatives Hostel, erected at Featherston by the_ Salvation Army for the housing of soldiers' wives and families while the men are in. camp, will be opened by Lieut.-Colonel N. P. Adams, Camp Commandant, on March 21, at 3 p.m. News from America. (says an exchange) is to tho effect that "Oha.rlie" Chaplin has been offered by tho Mutual Company a. re-engagement for another year on the same terms as before, namely, a salary of £2000 per week in addition to a payment of £30,000 in consideration of his signing the contract. Chaplin lias expressed his willingness to sign up again, but wants more time for production. Tlio retail price of milk in Wellington will be increased to 5Jd. per quart from to-day. Mr. L. Ashcroft Edwards intends to move at noxt meeting of the Central Chamber of Commerce: "That discussion be "held upon the following resolution passed by the Otorohanga Chamber of Commerce, that the attention of tho' Government be drawn to tho fact that all importations from U.S. America of non-essentials, siicli_ as motor-cars, etc., should be prohibited, on the grounds that (1) such importation takes up valuable shipping spaces; .'2) our money spent in Amerioa has to bo found by Britain, and indirectly affects the rate of exchange: (3) all expenditure on non-essentials ia at the present- timo distinctly against public interest; (4) that the Government be asked to take the. matter into immediate consideration." ,

Tha following correction appeared in the Gazette issued on Wednesday o, '® n " ing containing the names of men called in the ballots ordered to report to the llefen.eo authorities:—Park, William, fanner. Frascr Road, Hawera: This name was inserted in Gazette No. 35, on February 23, 1917, bj mistake.