LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3050, 11 April 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A new Order-in-Council to deal with the .importation of enemy goods is published in a Gazette Extraordinary issued last night. The prohibition is now made for all practical purposes absolute. The new decree prohibits "the importation into ' New Zealand, save with the consent, of the Minister of Customs, of any goods which, whether before or after the commencement of the present war, have been manu-! factured or produced in .or exportedfrom any place which at the date; of this Order-in-Council is enemy territory," and doth hereby declare tbat the term 'enemy territory' includes all territory in the military occupation of an enemy State, but does not include territory in the military occupation of His Majesty; 'and doth hereby further declare that goods shall be deemed, to be manufactured or produced in enemy territory if not less than fiv.e per centum of the fair market value* there-: of as estimated in accordance with the: provisions of the Customs ''Act, 1913, with respect to goodaliable to ad: valorem duty has its source in enemy, territory."

A twenty-roomed , house at 47 Fitz-. Herbert Terrace caught fire yesterday afternoon, while the ;buter walls were being prepared , for painting. However, little damage was done. Tho outbreak, occurred, shortly,after r.obn. . The.building was insured in the Eoval Office for £2500. ■ " .

The Hon. W. H. Herries yesterday (says a Press Association telegram from Auckland) received a deputation from the Chamber of Commerce and local bodies in the Eden electorate with reference to railway curtailment, especially with regard to suburban trains. The Minister's reply was oh the'lines of his statement to a Wellington deputation last week. , The Mastertpri County Council yesterday decided (states our special correspondent) to invite a' conference of tho Mauricoville, Castlepoint, TVairarapa South, and Featherston Councils with a view to discussing amalgamation of the whole of the counties in the Wairarapa for purposes of more economical administration. One hundred and twenty-three officers and men have arrived at Auckland on their return from active service. There are no cot cases. The Mayor mot the returned men and accorded them a formal welcome home.—Press Assn. The censoring of films and picture shows generally was briefly discussed by the coachbuilders at their conference yesterday, when tho following resolution, moved by Mr. J, Lock .(Gore), came up for consideration:— "That we are not in favour of closing up picture shows, as a certain amount of. relaxation is necessary.to tho efficiency of all who work. We are, however, pf opinion that, many of the pictures shown are very undesirable, and in exercising a much stricter censorship it might be insisted that a larger proportion of educational picturos ho 'shown." The resolution was adopted unanimously. j

The many in. New Zealand who have an acquaintance with 'Apia, Samoa, will bo interested to learn, that the Tivoli Hotel there was totally destroyed by fire on March 18. The* fire was discovered by Private Ruffin, of Victoria, an "Anzac," who was staying at the liotol, hut as ho was a stranger to the placo ho could not locate the handgrenades. Tho natives, with a posso of soldiers under Lieut. Wollormann, succeeded in saving the church next door after a big fight. Tho natives especially (says tho local pnper) strove with frantic energy. There was something touching in the grave concern they exhibited at tho prospect of losing their beloved placo of worship. "Save the church," Seumanutafa, the high chiof, exclaimed: "We musfrsavo tho church if we lose our lives I"

It was. urged recently by members of the Council of Education, in tho course of an interview with tho Federal Minister of Education, that opportunities should 1)0 provided for Australians to compete for appointment in the. Consular and other Imperial Government Departments. Mr. Tatc, as president of tho council, and 'Dr. Leeper pointed out that at the present time examinations of various Kinds qualifying for admission to Imperial services wore hold. The Australian could not 'com■pele successfully in such examinations urjoss he was. prepared to take up hjs education in the United Kingdom. Some system could be devised on tbo lines of the Ehodes scholarships, so thai orery Dominion might have allotted to.'it , a definite number of appointments to each important branch of the Imperial service. The Minister replied that-the time was opportune for bringing . forward .such a demand as it _ was evident that there was now a desiro to admit the Dominions into a fuller partnership in Imperial Administration. _ He would consult the Cabinet with a view to placing the proposal before the Prime Minister for transmission to the Imperial authorities.

An engine driver named Peter O'Callaghan, aged 60, who resides at No. 252 Queen's Drive, was knocked down. ■ by a cart at 7 o[ clock yesterday evening, and besides receiving injuries to the right side of the head,_ sustained 'injuries to his left leg and right hand.' He was taken to tho Hospital for treatment.

The Hon. G. W. Russell told a representative of a southern paper rccontly that be hopes that the YearBook for 1916 will be issued shortly. Its publication has been delayed owing to the , pressure of work in ■ tho Govornmont Printing Office, caused by tho requirements of the military authorities. ;

On Saturday (says the Christchurch'. "Press") Mr. H. J. Hanger put up record! for a motor-car trip to Duiie'din and back which will take 'a lot of beating. The double trip lias not been! attempted before. He did the jouriioy from Curistchurch to Diuicdin in 8 hours 34 minutes, and the .homo run.' in 8 hours 20 minutes, or a total timeof 16 hours 64 minutes. 'From this -has -to be deducted an estimated time of 1 hour. and 45 minutes for sundry stops at different place's, "so the actual running time of the cir on the journey was 15 ho'urs 9 minutes, which means that*an average speed of about 33 miles per hour was kept up—a remarkable performance on a long trip over roads which were indifferent in. parts, and which had to be negotiated for some hours in fog and darkness. A North Canterbury resident points out (says the Christchurch "Press") that during this dry season the flax plants have been attacked with the American blight, similar to that on apple tree*. In the flax it forms on the portion of the leaves nearest tho ground, and some of the branches, of flax aro losing'all the' Wade's from, the cause referred to.

The habit.of meddling with other people's umbrellas, though looked upon generally as & more or less venial offence, is not always safe (says the Auckland "Star"). A man who came before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., on Thursday, on a charge of theft of an umbrella, explained that it was really a pretended theft by ray of a joke. He was drinking with several men in an hotel, he "said, whon <>ne of them, who he didn't know, left his-umbrella hanging on a hook. He shifted the umbrella, and, .putting.. it behind a door, said nothing, when the man made a fuss about missing it, and called'a policeman. Next day he took it from behind the door,, and put it in another hotel near at hand, \vith the intention of telling the .constable who had received the complaint- so- that the owner might get it; but the information that he had put the -umbrella there reached the constable first, and he was charged with theft. He admitted that the joke was en him,, and made no complaint when ha was finetJ £2 for his fun. .

It is practically certain, says the Auckland "Star," that if Fiji is not visited by hurricanes the output of :oopfa this year will lie a record one. The nuts are not only more numerous this year, but the kernels are larger and thicker than usual. • Unfortunately, at the present time, it is .difficult to; :get snipping space to New .Zealand. , Itisprobable, therefore, the copra will be carried in : the bottoms of American •schooners. The planters at Fiji are exercised in their minds regarding the dangers to be feared should the rhinoceros beetle find an abode in these islands. A deputation* waited recently' upon the Governor of Fiji, and pointed out the great havoo this pest had-done in Samoa. His Excellency .promised to have inquiries made upon the subject. The matter of. making young men of military age members of friendly'societies was considered, at the Foresters' annual meeting (says the Dunedin '■'Star"). It was shown'during the discussion that.friendly societies are paying the contributions of members -who aro at the war. The point raised *?as whether it was advisable to initiate such new members at present, because it was possible that the paying of their contributions, during ..their absence might constitute a lieavy burden, which was not contemplated ,when the. irates of contributions and benefits were :forrmilatpd. A proposition iiot to admit men of military, ago as members failed to find a seconder.. Members recognised that .burdens had to be borne in order, to further : the .winning of the war, and the meeting unanimously resoltfed that the matter of initiating new members while the war is on be loft to the discretion of individual courts. . ...-■■

The Christehurch .'papers give the Wellington amateurs glowing . 'notices for their performance of "Tom, Dick, and Harry," /vvhich they are playine for tho- whole of this week in the southern city. The "Lyttelton Times" says:— "Barely, during the past, ten years at any rate, has any production in Christchurch induced an audience to indulge iii as niuch laughter, and ■it_ is safe to sav that on no occasion during that time "lias any farce made a hiffger hit. The revival" of 'Tom, Dick, and Harry' at the Theatre Royal. can confidently challenge comparison with, any recent comedy production, amateur or professional. It'is a fine cha.ncofor an excursion .in merriment which in tKeso serious times can bo recommended. 'Tom, Dick, a-nd'Harry' is a strong medicine, n dose of laughter to help life along. The chief parts were assumed by Messrs.- N. and .K. Aitlceh, J. Larson, J. L.-Phillips, P. Latham, and Miss j St. John. j