LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3073, 8 May 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Private R, Huki, 167452, who was returning to New Zealand with tho draft of soldiers who are due in Wellington to-day, died at sea en route. Mrs. It. Rammond, Femhill, Hastings, is tho next-of-kin of ,tlie deceased soldier. The State schools will commence their term holidays on Monday, May 28. The schools will reopen on June 5. The following letter was received hy the national secretary, of the T.M.C.A. yesterday from a firm which had sent in a chequo for £1000 for trench comforts last December:—"As we promised when sending you £1000 some time- ago, we now enclose the balance of increased price oii wool, taking the season 1913-14 with tho last season. Wo wish the money to go for trench comforts, and please remember we are still anonymous. Tho cheque is for £1497, and we trust that the boys will get as much pleasure out of it-as wo got in handing it over to you." Yesterday the majority of tho milk vendors of the city made an important change* in their scheme of delivery. Milk usually delivered long before even the very early risers were afoot was delivered between 8 a.m. and noon. Whilo prices are low wo invite your inspection of our Winter Boots at 255. Gd., 265. (3d., 2!te. C«l., 325. Cd. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street.—Advt.

' "I think it is a pity that some other section of tho Act does not deal with these cases," said Mr. L. G. Reicl, S.M., yesterday, when an apparently respectable man was charged with bein* "a rogue and a vagabond, in that he was found by night without lawful excuse upon enclosed premises. .Uie case against the defendant was that he had wandered on to somebody else s premises while he was under the influence of liquor, and that he liad slept there for the night. "Sleeping on a place does not make a man a roguo and a vagabond," observed His Worship.' "In the absence of previous convictions, a conviction under this section is rather severe." Inspector Marsack: "That is so, sir. Unfortunately there is no other section to make an offence of this kind of thing." His Worship suggested that the difficulty might lie removed if the offence were made to consist in.being upon enclosed premises by night for an unlawful'purpose. Tho case before the Court was dismissed. Tho annual luncheon of members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerco will be held in the chamber at 1 p.m. to-morrow, and at 1.30 p.m. the annual meeting will take place. Tho.greater part of the chamber's annual report ha's been published already in tliese columns.

Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., delivered his reserved judgment yesterday in the case in which Clarence, Christopher, Leonard, and Albert Hobbs wore charged with attempting to enter tho bedroom of Ellen J. Reesby for the purpose of causing annoyance and provocation. The case was heard at Lower Hutt. Mr. E. P. Bunny appeared for the petitioner, who asked that defendants be bound over to keep the peace. Mr P W Jackson represented the defendants. His Worship held that the evidence in the case of Clarence Hobbs was not sufficient to warrant his being bound over. The other defendants, however, would be ordered to furnish £25. as security for their future behaviour to the petitioner.

It is anticipated that the Eastern Extension Company's cable will terminate at the top story of J. Nathan and Co 's building in Featherston Street m about six or seven weeks' time. At present the work of laying the land end of the cable between Wellington and Titahi Bav is being carried on by; a gang of about fifty men. Traversing the Hutt Road, the old Kawarra Gorge Road, and the Porirua Eoad, the work has been completed as far as Johusonvillo, and the stretch between that point and Porirua, and bo on to Titahi Bay,' is expected to be completed within the next six weeks, proven"- the weather is reasonably, line. A new length of cable has already been laid out from the bay to a point where it can be connected up with the existing cable that crosses the Tasman Sea. Similar work has been done on the Sydney side, where the cable is being conducted into the city via Bpndi instead of 'terminating at La Perouse. It is in the agreement with the company that the New Zealand Government shall find accommodation ashore, and a very comfortable suite of offices have been provided in Nathan's building, where recently the girl telegraphists were trained. ' Under this head the cost will be less to the Government than is the case at Wakapuaka. ' Mr. H. Baldwin has decided to offer himself for re-election as chairman of tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The first meeting of the new board will be held on Thursday next. ; ■ , Following the defeat ; . of Mr. J. M'Combs, M.P., for the Christchurch Mayoralty, upon the Military Service issue, Mr. J. 0. Jameson,Vof.Christchurch, according to an exchange, chal; lenged the.member for Lyttelton to re-'i sign and recontest his seat in Parliament.' Mr. Jameson offers to pay Mr. M'Combs's expenses up to '£50, if the latter defeats him. A congratulatory message to Commander E. R. Evans; R.N., on his splendid work in the recent destroyer engagement in the EnglisTi Channel was sent recently by the Mayor of Christchurch, and a similar message was also forwarded by the DeputyMavor of Lyttelton. On Thursday Mr. Holland received the following acknowledgment from Commander Evans:—, "Sincere thanks for welcome "telegram from Christchurch and Lyttelton.- 1 --* Commander Evans." The New Zealand Official Year Book for 1916 has, with usual promptitude, been-published during the last week. The volume is less in bulk than is generally the case, and it is evident that compactness has been studied in the selection of the matter compiled, which has been judiciously done by Mr. Malcolm Fraser (the Government Statistician). The book includes >a handy summary of the legislation of 1915. In this section is set out the details of the forms of the National Registration Act, which is likely to be of historic interest. The Military Service Act, of 1916, and the method of drawing the names at the ballot is all lucidly set out. The dark green cardboard binding is quite attractive and fairly serviceable. On Friday and Saturday, May 25 and 26, the sum of £25 will be presented in sums of ss. and 10s. to those who on request can produce / a Crippled Soldiers' Hostel Art Union ticket stamped "Suratura D." There will be no distribution on May 18 and 19.

At last evening's meeting of the Victoria University College Graduates' Association, a resolution was passed | putting on record the great loss Victoria University College and the University of New Zealand bad. sustained by the deaths in action of Lieut. Athol Hudson (Rhodes scholar), Captain Allan M'Dougall (Rhodes scholar), and Captain G. V. Bogle, N.Z.M.C, all graduates of Victoria College.

The latest copy of the "Scindian," the journal of the Napier Boys' High School, is to band.. The publication is exceptionally newsy, and contains a great deal of interest to old boys and present hoys. The old boys' corner of the magazine consists chiefly of the part the former students at the school have lately been playing in the great war.

The following temporary appointments have been approved by the Camp Commandant at Featherston: —Pte. H. It, Nesbit, Permanent Band, to be corporal, acting as fire-brigade corporal. 27th M.ll.—Lce.-Corpl. Kemp, to be corporal; Ptes. J. Dunipace, N. A. Cowie, K. G. Sim, and Jl' T. Preston, to bo lance-corporals.; Gorpl. L. Irvine, 27th N.Z.F.A., to be sergeant; Gnrs, S. Guy and 11. Hamer, 27th N.Z.F.A., to be bombadiers; Dvr. A. Young, 28th N.Z.A.S.C, to be driver saddler. P.E.A.S.C-Sergt. A.. E. Weeks, to be sergeant-major; Sergt. It. Campbell, to be staff sergeant; Lce.-Corpl. C. V. Llewellyn, to be corporal; Corpl. J. L. Guildford, to be sergeant. Pte. F. B. Ellis, F Company, 26th Reinforcements,, to bo sergeant. A farmer who was consulted respecting the proposed potato-growing campaign in Wellington, said that to grow potatoes successfully was not so easy as it seemed, and it could only bo made a success in Wellington providing there were'expert superintendence over the work. "A large number of people imagined that they just had to dig a hole and drop a potato m, but all the pleasure thev got out of that as a rule was tho digging. You want to know something about the quality of the soil, added the farmer in question, and see that the seed potatoes to bo planted are the kind suitable to the soil. Then it must be a good bearer, and care must be taken to eliminate sterile tubers. Believe me, it takes as much art to grow potatoes' well as it docs anything else, and men of experience must be got to interest themselves in tho project, or it will not be the success antichmted,' l

It was decided at last evening's meew ing of the Victoria University Collegd Graduates' Association to donate £5 ssj to the War Relief Association out'of the year's balance of £8 Is. 9d.

The Victoria University College Debating Society held its first regular dobate of the season in the college gym- 1 uasium last Saturday evening. The subject of debate was "That racing should be abolished during the continuance of the war." ■ Messrs. E. Evans and G. S. Troup supported the motion, and Messrs. J. A. Ross and W. E, Leicester opposed. After the addresses an interesting discussion took • placfl* Most of the speakers -upheld the abolition of races, urging. moral and economic grounds in support of their views. On being put to the meeting the motion was carried by a small majority. The judge placed the speakers in the following order for the purposes of the union prize:—Messrs. Evans* Leicester, Troup, Ross, and Miss Neumann. The judge commented on ilia style of the various speakers, and briefly reviewed tho subject of debate.. A' vote of thanks to the judge concluded! the meeting.

The banana beetle borer, which' is de-* scribed by the "Brisbane Courier" _aS one of the worst scourges of the Pacific Islands, has recently been discovered in' Queensland. One planter in three weeks captured 4340 matured beetles. While discussing the sieamer_ and tram service at Auokland on Friday, the Hon. E. Mitchelson, chairman of directors of the Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company, said that the cost of coal had increased from 19s. to 35sw 3d. per ton. Tho conference to be held in Wellington, he said, would probably lead to another increase. Mr. Mitchelson said that while his company; had to bear this increase, it was prevented from reflecting the expense to the travelling publio by its', deed or delegation. . In the list of essential industries published last week, Tanning should have been included in the (b) list, containing the industries classed as essential, as distinct from those considered "most essential," which were in the (a) list. The last of the big chiefs of Fiji died recently, aged about 90 years, namely, Ratii Rabici, Roko Tui Dreketi. He was one of the signatories to the Deed of Cession, and all through his lengthy career a constant friend of British sovereignty in Fiji. He was installed Roko Tui Dreketi in 1855 by King Tupou I of Tonga, when visit-' ing 'Fiji.' When the Crown Colony, was established Ratu Rabici was appointed Roko Tui Rewa. on September 1, 1875, which office he held until his retirement in 1895. A firing party, was provided by the native platoon, of tie Defence Force when the last of the old chiefs- was interred in the burial grounds of the Tui Dreketis.

To profess or expound, religious and conscientious objections would appear to spell a measure of independence, and warrant extra consideration, says the Auckland "Star." Thomas Atkinson Bentley, draper, Dargaville, whose appeal for exemption was previously dealt with, again appeared before the First Auckland Service Board on Friday, and was requested to sign- the regulation undertaking to do civilian work, as provided for by recent Wat Regulations for such objectors. Bentley said he objected.to being subject to the military authorities in any way. The board pointed out' that the compact was quite a reasonable and businesslike one on the part of the Government.' He would get 55.. a day, and would not have to wear a uniform. "I can't see my way to, sign this tindertaking," said Bentley, after thmkuig for several minutes, the board awaiting his pleasure. "No, I'm afraid I cant sign that. I thought the. Government was going to give religious objectors a clearance, free of the military. Once I sign that I am liable to military commands. You say we will be put on civilian work>but one doesn't know. The chairman considerately explained to the appellant the probable consequences of his failure to comply with the formal official wish, but-the persuasion seemed like "water on the duck's back." ."If you don't," the chairman declared, "then you will be sent off to camp and eventually .to fight like any other man. You may not be put on any work connected with the military, if on b° m e service. Perhaps you had better think this over." "Very well," the'obdurate one drawled out.' The board again persisted to no effect, and tho objector was requested to weigh the matter; otherwise lie would have to go and fight. "Of course they can't make a man do a thing against his will," Bentley exultantly "flashed out as he left tlie box, the board responding with a chorus of "Oh, oh! Can't they?" in rather changed and grossly offended tone. Major Conlan said _ Bentley would be unwise to say that in camp. The hero of this drama was given three days to "graciously please" the board with his answer—consent or otherwise.' \