LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3079, 9 May 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Advice lias been received by the Act-ing-Prime Minister that the second portion of tho Twenty-Third . Reinforcements has reached a certain port, all

Tho Twenty-seventh Infantry Reinforcements a'-o r.i, present in Trentliam Camp, aud e> yigcd in their advanced musketry courw. The Twenty-eighths will leave Troiitham to-day for Fcatlierston, o.ud the Twenty-sixths are to move from Feathorston to Trentham by train on Friday, the usual., route march having been dispensed with on this occasion.

Owing to tho action of the Railway Department tit the Bluff, tho oy storing industry is practically at a standstill, says an exchange. Only one boat, is now trawling one day a week, filling such orders as she is able to dispatch by the trains. Four boats were steadily at work previously. The best market is Wellington, which is absolutely cut off, and all efforts to create., a change have been 'ignored.. A goods train from the south arrives in. Christchurch ten minutes after a goods train for the ferry service has left. An offer by merchants to pay the cost of a special goods train from Christchurch to Lyttelton was,, not accepted. A trial shipment by a .small steamer proved useless, the oysters being condemned on arrival, at Wellington. Merchants had to bear the loss.

The lengtll of the streets in Auckland is approximately 160 miles. By way of an interesting 'comparison, tho Mayor montioned (says the "Herald") that tho.'street. mileage of the Sydney municipality—which includes a largo portion of the suburbs of Sydney—ls 134? miles 20J chains, and the mileage of Melbourne, including, similarly, portions of the suburbs recently amalgamated withlho city, .is miles. The matter of street maintenance and new formation in Auckland, Mr. Gunson pointed out, was as heavy as that of tho largo Australian cities, wlaosc financial ability was very much greater.

Last month Mr. F. A. Handcock, of Myrrliee, enlisted at Wangratta (says the Melbourne "Age"). Hβ is the eighth son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Handcock to bo accepted for service. "Five sons arc serving in France, the sixth returned to Australia recently, and the seventh gave his life on Gallipoli. One son, 18 years, remains at home.

From tlie early hours of Saturday morning until late in the evening, the North Canterbury district- experienced the heaviest rainfall for many a long day. In Christchurch, during the period mentioned, no less than 3.369 in. of rain wore recorded, the nearest approach to theso figures in the city being on March 30, 1909, when the fall amounted to 3;77.in. Since that date' tho next heaviest fall to that experienced on Saturday was Christmas Day, 1909, when 2.72 sin.'were recorded. A board consisting of Colonel Strong," Lieuteiiant-Coloncl Frederic, and Major F. Shand ! , opened a military inquiry on Thursday last at Port Chalmers into the allegations friade recently by Dr. Bedford in respect' to the sale of stores by'members of tho crew of a certain transport. It is understood (says the "Otago Daily' Times") that Dr. Bedford was present at tho inquiry, birt from what can be gathered the board had great difficulty in eliciting any information from tho witnesses called.

Tlio Napier Harbour Board yesterday decided that at the coming session of Parliament the . Napier Harbour Board Empowering and . Loau Bill should again be brought forward, the passage of the Bill being entrusted to Sir John Fiiidlay, M.P.

The Benior scholars of the West End School, Palmerston ' North, intend to assist in solving the food 1 supply problem by putting down portion of tho school grounds in potatoes for patriotic purposes. Other schools are said .to bo likely,to follow. .' ~ .'-.:

The annual Dominion conference of the Church of England Men's Society' opens to-day. The morning; and afternoon will be devoted to business. At 7.30 in the evening there will be an open-air meeting, opposite the' King's Tileatrc, addressed by the Rev. C. 6. Mutter. At £> o'clock a public meeting in the Concert Chamber of the .Town Hall will bo addressed by-the Bishop of Nelson (Dr. Saddlier) and tho Principal of "YVangauui College (Dr. Marshall). Their subject will bo "The Present Crisis and Christ's -Message of Peace."

A native named Ruruanga, employed on a launch at Bowento.wn, . was engaged in filling a. benzine tank, first having placed a light beside him, when suddenly the benzine burst into flame,, in which the man was enveloped, says the Auckland "Star." The hair on his head was completely burned off,and hefore the fire on his clothes could bo extinguished he • received severe Furns on various part- of tho body. Though seriously injured he is rdalsing a good-recovery. •■.••• A Native .of Ngunguru- named ■vVnare ~3.m05, while sowing grass seed, on a newly-burnt bush clearing, noticed a shilling on the ground,- writes the Whangarei correspondent of the Auckland "Star." Looking round he saw another coin of. the same denomination, and further succeeded so far that he came across ten sovereigns, a half-sovereign, and £2 9s. 6d. in. silver. The lemains of. a human skeleton scattered about the vicinity indicated that someone who Ifaa perlsnecTthere was accountable for' tho coin. The gold coins were all in a. heap, as though they had been wrappad in a separate parcel or contained hi a puree. The locality of the find is on the Ngunguru side of iho dividing ridge between Ngunguru and TutiiliaTca, half a chain from a track which was used By Natives in passing from one place to the other many years ago. TTie latest date, oh any coin (a sovereign) is 1553, placing the occurrence at least .fifty years distant. ". \ The earliest-dated coins were a shilling and a half-crown of George 111 (1816).

An inquest was held at Christehurch on Friday concerning the death of Charles Hurden.Worsfold, aged 26, who was missed from the Salvation Army Rescue Home on April 23, and' was later found hanging' in an unoccupied shed in the Sumner Valley. ■ Deceased, it appeared, left a note scrawled on the margin xif a newspaper. It ran: "Haversack at railway station. Clothes, etc., in haversack to be given to Salvation Army, also clothes in black portmanteau, but books and articles in leather kit bast, also box in New Zealand Express stores, to bo kept and sent to my father in England. I have had a nervous breakdown, and am suffering from nervous exhaustion,- nervous debility and anaemia, and can see no hope for recovery, so have decided to end my life as lam not.fit for work. I have no friends, and not much money. I thank the matron of the Rhodes Convalescent Home, also the. ensign at the Salvation Army Home for their kindness to me. but I have lost all hope for the future." A verdict of suicide while temporarily of unsound mind was returned.