LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3035, 23 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, speaking at the annual meeting of the Canterbury. A. and P. Association last evening, said he could assure'tEem that before the Second Division was called up every industry and every Government Department would be combed right to thebottom.—Press Assn.

Though the war is now well on in ite third year, and New Zealand has drawn heavily on its manhood right from the beginning, the men who join the forces from, this' city are still of exoellent stamp. A draft'of over forty was sent to the training camps this week, and it was agreed on all sides that their physique was splendid, and that in every way they appeared to be men who would make first-class soldiers. Wellington City has always produced good soldiers, and' its resources do nob seem to be near ended yet. The police on Wednesday evening arrested one Thomas Silsby, an employee in the Mental Hospital Department,' on a charge of forging a Government voucher for £89 14s. 9d'.. and using it as if it were genuine. The arrest took place in. the Government Buildings, and the prisoner, when searched, was found to have in his possession about £1200 in £50 notes. Silsby appeared before Mr. W. G. Itiddell, S.M., yesterday morning, and was remanded till March 28. He was allowed bail in his own recognisance of £200, with one surety of a similar amount.

Dr. Fitzgerald (house surgeon at the Wellington Public Hospital) wrote to the hoard yesterday asking if he should enlist at once or wait till drawn as a member of the First Division. The request provoked a discussion iu which it was generally agreed that .tho oountry's stook of doctors needs to be conserved to some extent. Mr. W. ,T. Thompson said ho did not see why any medical man or minister Bhould be exempted! while • other mon fought their battle. Some members agreed with Mr. Thompson, and others held that no more doctors could be spared. The chairman said the honorary staff was doing what it ' could to assist at the hospital. Personally, _he didl not favour appealing, but this was a special case, and it wa3 necessary to retain sufficient doctors hero. It was decided to appeal if Dr. Fitzgerald is drawn in the ballot. >

At last evening's meeting of the City Council a letter was received from Mr. A. M. Lewis, suggesting that Cambridge Terrace should be renamed. The writer pointed out that a new Congregational Church and Sunday School had been ereoted there, and the present name had not a very savoury reputation. In view of the fact that a statue of the late Queen Victoria stood in, the Terrace, he suggested that the street should be named Victoria Terrace. The Mayor said that he presumed that the council would take no action. He was sure that the existence of the new church would havo an uplifting effect on the locality referred' to.

: The d'aily average of poisons receiving oharitaible aid in Wellington is 175, whereas at this time of the year 1918 it was 195, and in 1915 the number stood at 275. The rations distributed in the city and suburbs in the past four weeks were less in number than in the previous year, and tho cash grants weio loss. The cost of the maintenance of children was less than in the corresponding period of last vear, but a good! deal more than in th<j 1915 period. The decreases are said to have really occurred in tho suburbs, and it is- reported that the city is a little higher than last year. The decrease is very marked in the Petone. Hutt district, and the Horowhenua district shows a slight fall.'

•At last night's meeting of the. City Council, Councillor- M. F. Lucln© spoke strongly in favour of making provision "to deal in a comprehensive manner with private that are being used, to all intents and purposes, as public streets. Ho stated that properties in these streets were rated as highly as those in publie streets, and they were not receiving the benents ot the full services give<r to properties In public, streets. The M<jyci; said that to do what Councillor Lucbe wished would mean the raising of a loan ot something like £59,000, but whera tho residents or owners vrers prepirn: to pav part of the cost, they did their best, "but it happened in some cases that some of the residents could not bo induced to pay their, share, and that had delayed the work, as ws>s iho case in Princes Street (which work ts to be put in hand at the corcmeucnmenb oE the next financial year).

The province of Ontario (Oanafisu alono contributed £4(30,00? to lbs "Our Day" Red Cross Tuna.

0d Saturday, March 31. a man will traverse the principal.streets of this city and present a half-sovereign to each vOrson who. on request by him,_ can pjodues a Bed Cxosg art .union twist*

The following firms' tenders were ac- I cepted for annual supplies to the City | Corporation during the year 1917-18: — Cement, F., Holmes, Golden Bay Cement Co., and P. Hut soil, Ltd. supply each alternative month); firewood, Westport Coal Co.; gravel, Mr. F. Lamberg; sand, Tonks and Andrews; saddlery and dog collars, Mr. S. J. Manning; timber, C. and A. Odlin Timber Company. _ With regard to the supply of drain-pipes, the committoo recommended that the council authorise the city engineer to purchase his supplies as he considers best, so | long as the prices are in accordance j with the tender schedules.

"The By-laws Committee of the City Council reported to last evening's meeting of the city, upon receiving a complaint from the Police Department regarding the indifferent manner in which a shooting gallery situated in Willis Street was being conducted. The committed stated that an inquiry was held, and the proprietor attended before tho committee Tor examination. As the result of such inquiry, the committee recommended that the council resolve to decline to issue a renewal of the license to the present proprietor" Tho recommendation was agreed to. ,

The population of Sydney at the end of 1916 was 764,600, an increase cf 1600.—Press Association.

The rescuers from drowning of three persons at Lyall Bay recently are to bo written to by • tho City Council, thanking them for tho ■■ splendid services they rendered.

The district electors' roll for the municipal elections will close on Tuesday, March 27, at 5 p.m. The roll is on view at the Town Hall.

The contractor for the supply #of books to the public libraries is to be iniormei tta/t the, City Council's decision requiring hiin to extend his period of one year at the same prices cannot be departed from.

Tho question of workers' homes'for corporation employees cropped up at the meeting of the City Council last evening. Councillor W. Hildretb stated that a report had been adopted agreeing to erect homes for tramway Workers on 6J acres at Lyall Bay. He wished to know if the necessary Order-in-Council had been applied for. The Mayor replied that legislation was necessary to enable the council to proceed, but Councillor HDdret.li would he informed as soon as there was anything to_ report.

Dazzling motor-car lights continue to cause trouble in- the city streets. after nightfall.. At last evening's meeting of the City Council it was.decided that tho attention of the police be drawn to the continuance of _ the danger caused by glaring headlights on motor vehicles in and around! the city, and also to the fact that tlie by-law requiring motor vehicles to pass a. stationary trahicar at a pace not exceeding four miles an hour, is frequently broken, and that the Department bo requested to take action to detect and punish offenders.

Mr. .T. Ct. Bruce, secretary. oF the Waterside Workers' Union, has been advised that the; Crown will withdraw thA charges against tho remaining men prosecuted for an alleged breach of the W&r Regulations ill that they refused to coal the Maori and the Kittawa. One of these cases was tiied by Mr. L. 6. Ileid, S.M., rncl dismissed 1 , tho others being adjourned. The Hon. W. D. S'. Mac Donald visited the Ram Fair at Addington yesterday, and made a strong appeal to those present to grow' sufficient "wheat for the Dominion's requirements. / He stated that if appeals were made'to the Military Appeal Boards on behalf of those required to carry on the agnculturallndustry, those appeals would be granted t but the men must promise to remain in that industry—Press Assn. /The oure for infantile paralysis, the scourge that has killed and'maimed thousands of children, is claimed by Dr. John "VV. Nuzum/resident pathologist of the Cook County Hospital.

"That 'the gentlemen representing the districts 5 Northland, Kelbnrn, and Taitville, etc., who approached the committee for bathing facilities .to be provided along the Upper Kaiwarra, Stream, he informed that, export opinion does not consider the scheme would be satisfactory, as the baths would require to be mostly availed of during the period when the water could not be spared." The foregoing resolution , was adopted by the City Council last evening.-

The Finance and Property Committee of the City Council reported last evening that they had received a circular letter from the National Efficiency Board, asking for a special report upon matters which would tend to increase! efficiency in the City, under the council's control, and such letter , has teen forwarded to the executive offioers for a report to the committee. The said' he was sure the council and its officers would do all in their power, to co-operate with the National Efficiency Board. Erio M'lntosh, a young blacksmith, residing in East Brunswick, one of the Melbourne : suburbs, was shot on a recent Sunday afternoon by Stella HinGS, who was living in the same house. The fatality is believed to be the result of an accident. So far as can be learned, the deceased man and Mrs. Hmes had agreed to .fight a mock duel, "like they do in the pictures." Mrs. Hmes had a revolver which she believed, was unloaded. She took aim at him, pulled the trigger, and lie fell mortally wounded by a bullet that struck him above the left eye. On hearing , the report and the crie3 of Mrs. Hmes, the neighbours rushed into the house, but beyond endeavouring to quieten Mrs. Hines, who was-in a hysterical condition,' and was threatening to shoot herself, there was nothing to bo done. Mrs. Hines, who was formally charged with murder, seemed to be too dazed to realise what had happened.

The City Council decided last evening that the necessary legal steps be taken as soon as possible m order Wit the work of improving Princes Street can bo put in hand at the commencement of next finanoial year. The ' necessary legal steps" mentioned refer to an application to the Court to compel certain residents to contribute to the cost of the work proposed to be done. The Mayor statedl that at present the council had no such power.

"Public endowments should be-re-tained by public bodies and only dea t with by lease," said the Hon. G. »• Bushel!, Minister of Public Health, in the course of a speech in Auckland. The Minister added that he had always been strongly opposed to the sale of anv land belonging to the people. In a -roung country like New Zealand, land which was tff small value to-day tvoi'.ld in the course of. a few years rise io -price. The land owned bv the public bodies of Auckland would certainly increase in value, and it would be a shortsighted policy to sell it. At the meeting fo the City Council lift evening the following special »r\Ws (psssed at a special meeting of 1,1.? council on February 22) were confirmed:—(a) Special order declaring Falwvn Terrace to be a public street or f.hc oitv; (b) special order altering the naraos of Princes Street and Kegel" Street, Wndestown, and substituting for tho street comprising such streets t,li° nam 3 of MarearetStreet.

"Mo IvuHbiV Laundry Help is our (treoi&i favourite for wnshing silks, musiipfl, prints, voollenSj and mechanics overalls spotlessly clean without/rubbing rir UV'UTV to the'hands or fabric. Wo jrive 'the famous Thinker Note Book tpm with every Is. packet of No Hub-fen-r." W.P.C.A.—Advt.

Notwithstandins continual ris»s in' price of leather, we can still quote good, '.tout Mon's Boots at 195.. 6d., 24?. fid., 2io. Bd., and 80?. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.— Judvt.

The question whether legislation should be passed requiring a certificate of purity and fitness to be obtained | before marriage could take place has been put to the Minister of Publio Health, the Hon. G. W. Russell. Referring to the fact in his speech at a publio meeting in Auckland, _ Mr. Russell said that, until publio opinion, had been educated much further in advance than it had been at present, lie did not think any such legislation would pass the House of Representatives. He was prepared, however, at any time, to propose an amendment to the divorce laws maldng communication of venereal disease a ground for the dissolution of a marriage.

It _ was decided at last evening's meeting of the City Council that the sun; of £400 be placed on next year's Estimates for the erection- of a c'OiPcroto retaining wall at Grafton Road, Rosoncath, replacing the existing unsafe wooden wall. Councillor A. R. Atkinson questioned the principle of tlio present council deciding on works to be carried out with money on next year's Estimates, and raised the point as to whether such, procedure was falling in with the National Efficiency Board's ideas of necessary work to be done. It was explained that Grafton Road was the main road in Roseneath. Part of it had fallen in, and if the work was not done before the winter there was a nrobabiftty of the whole of the road foiling in. The City Engineer confirmed that view. It' was also stated that there was no money left on this year's Estimates for the work, so thai the obvious thing to do was to arrange that it be done out of next year's Estimates. The re.port was adopted.

Yesterday was a poor day for th» Army at the military office in. the Town Hall. Only one fit man. was secured, and seven others were rejected.

It ivas decided by the City Cbtmcil last evening that, the applications received from the Wellington South National Reserve and the Wellington East National Reserve for permission to use the corporation yard miniature rifle range, be not agreed to..

In connection with an appeal to the Third Military Service Board for temporary exemption for Archibald Colquhouri, the appellants were Mr. Colquhoun's late employers. Mr. Colquhoun volunteered for service, and is at prosent in camp.

The _ City Council has' decided that provision be made on nest year's estimates for a sum of money for the erection of a building necessary in connection with the hiring of bathing costumes, surf boards, and lockers, and sale of hot water on Lyall Bay beach, and that tenders for the lease of such building, with the right to carry on the sole hiring of the above articles, be obtaine3.

It was reported to the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday that during the month ended March 31 the health inspeotors had investigated thirty-two cases of infectious disease. In the same period last year the total number looked into was forty-three. There is a big decrease this year iu scarlet fever oases—a drop from twenty-seven to eleven. The diphtheria cases were thirteen, as against two in the same, month of 1916.

• The City Council decided last night that the Island Bay Municipal Electors' Association "be informed.that the complaints regarding persons throwing and breaking bottles on the Island Bay beach, and persons living on the foreshore using the beacli as' a drying ground for clothes, have been considered, and the committee aro from personal observation satisfied that prompt aiid careful attention is given to the beacli by the corporation staff, and that .the complaints are hardly justified.

For the purpose of probate the estate was sworn at £1,000,000 of Sir Joseph Beeoham, Bart., of Beeoham's Pills fame. The goodwill, trade, and business of a patent medicine manufacturer carried on at St. Helens, with the assets, lands, factories, and buildings, secret formulas and 1 -recipes, trade marks, stock-in-trade, and monoy in the bank, he leaves to the trustees in trust, to form a private limited company, with a capital of £30,000 in £1 shares, and out; of which he gave to each of his sons, Sir Thomas Beeoham and Henry Beecham, 460 shares out of every 1000 issued, 20 shares each to his daughters, Josephine Boston, Edith Woolley, and Amy Christine Beecham; out of each 1000, !j> each to Charles Rowed and William Moss, 3. each to Edward Glover and Charles Taylor Scrymmgour, and 2 eaoh to Edward Bamford and Austin Scott. The shares given to the last-named six persons to be conditionally on their being in his employ at the time of his death. The testator gives 3219,000 to follow the trusts, of a settlement of £1000, and he directs the executors to fulfil his covenant to pay to his wife £2500 a year. • .'■■■' • .