LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3092, 24 May 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Private advice has been received by his parents, residing in Ghristclmron, of Reginald E. B. Brosnan's arrival from France at Sling Cainp, Salisbury, for a commission. The Efficiency Board ia sitting in Wellington at present, and it is understood that the hearing of evidence in the liquor inquiry, which tlio board has been making, will be completed next week. The board will probably present its report to the Government very soon after the evidence is complete. The Efficiency Board reported to tho Government on the )iorse-racin<r question a month ago, at the conclusion of the last meeting of the board. The State schools of the Wellington Education District will "break up" tomorrow afternoon for the first week of the term holidays. A large number of appeals by the Railway Department on behalf of' its employees is expected to come before the Military Service Board in the city to-day. Plans have been prepared for the erection of a Masonic Hall for Lodge Whetu Kairanga, E.C., at Seatoun. The site of the new hall ia exactly opposite the tramway terminus in Dundas Street, backing on to the Seatoun Bowling Club. The building, which, will be erected in wood with a. tiled Toof, will consist of a spacious hall, ante-roome, dressingrooms, and a kitoh«n, and will be located 10ft. back from the street, s> as to provide for a garden approach. The chairman of tlie 'Wellington Harbour Board (Mr. C. E. Daniell) reported to tha board last evening that the Marine Department has notified the board that the Governimmt does not 6ee its woy to make any alteration in the existing arrangement regarding the payment of harbour dues on transports and ships carrying Government" cargo. It was explained that the existing arrangement la the payment of proportionate dues on a basis of the freight-earning cargo to the cargo-carrying oapacfty of the ship. At a preliminary meeting of those residents of Island Bay who are promoting the formation of a bowling groon on the Parade, it wag decided to raise tho sum of .£SOO in debentures. The sum of «E375 (three for .£SO each) was raised in tho room. A public meeting is to bo called a little later.

An inventor hes como forward with an idoa by which it is hoped to savo valuable and important papers from shipwreck. An omoer on a vessel in port gave an Auckland "Star" reporter an interesting description of tho now "floating safe," as it is called. Menotto Nanni has devised, a non-sinkablo vault, which is not only largo enough to hold the purser's eafo, but which also provides ample storage space for registered mail, gold bullion, and valuables owaed by passengers. The inventor plans to iiistal several of hie floating eafos in a largo vortical, cylindrical steel casing placed in a well amidships, the ton of the well boing flush, with the upper deck, and covered with a loose-fitting, oasilyromoved cap. If a ship equipped with' such a system of floating safe 3 should, sink, the.cover oE the well would float off and water would enter tho eteol casing and force tho safes to tiso to tho surface. The inventor has also provided for hermetically-sealed floats to bo placed at the extreme Tjsttom of tho vrell under flio last safe. Attached to these floats is a cable, which would serve to indicate tho position, and identity of tho fillip. Tho money that will be raised from tho coming spring carnival that is being organised by the Wellington Patriotic Society will, says 'Mr. J. Lewis (secretary), be devoted t» the proposed hospice for soldiors who roturn from the war mentally afflicted, and the funds o£ the War Relief Association (which disburses money to . Now Zealand sick,' wounded, and necessitous soldiers and their dependants, wherever thoy may bo). The first full-blooded Saanoan to fight with tho Allies and to roturn home again bearing the honourable scars he received in Gallipoli and Prance is Pte. Albert Fruean, who was recently accorded a Samoail feast to mark his welcome home at Apia. His Excellency Colonel Logan, who was present, was received by tho High Chiete MaKetoa and Tamasese, and was conducted to the cool and spacious native house on the greon, whore a short rest was taken. Meanwhile the repast was being laid out., In order that the meal might bo partaken of in comfort, parallel rows of stakes had been set up, and across these a roofing of pabn leaves was placed, thug affording welcome protection from the heat, of the sun. The food was set out on banana leave 3 arranged on the grass, and the diners, sitting on the .ground with legs crossed in a style more or less Samoan, made the best of tho unaccustomed position. Vegetables and fruits wero represented by taro, bananas, pineapples, and molons, while more substantial fare included pork, chicken, fish, crab, and prawns, with the milk of green coconuts as liquid refreshment.

At Blenheim on Friday and Saturday last, George Gray, the champion cueist, pave two exhibitions of billiards. His best breaks were 264, 186, and 178. Formal mention of the Patent Slip question was made at last evenings meeting of tho Wellington Harbour Board, and Mr. J. G. Harkness asked if there was any guarantee that a new slip would be gone on, with. The chairman, Mr. C. E. Daniell, replied: "I don't think we should look forward to that during the period of the war. As a nation we must keep our business going as best we can."

A case of considerable interest to the mercantile community came before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., in the Police Court at Auckland last week, when a. merchant was charged with failing to affix and cancel a stamp to a promissory note for .£92 to donoto that duty had been paid; and also with issuing the promissory note unstamped. There were also two similar charges in respect of a promissory note for JEI2B. Another merchant was similarly charged in respect of promissory notes for .£IOO and j>Bo. Mr. A. E. Skelton, for both defendants, agreed to plead guilty to any one charge. ChiefDetective M'Mahon said that after the notes were issued by the two defendants they were taken to the Stamp Offic to be stamped, where they were impounded by the officer in charge, and. the present oharges laid. He understood that notes such as these were often not stamped until they reach a bank, and tho duty charged to tho drawer's account. Counsel said the section of the Act was not generally understood, as everybody through whose hands they passed had to see that the stamps were affixed in order to secure a strict compliance with the Act. One of the defendants, who was a Napier merchant, obtained goods from an Auckland merchant, who forwarded a promissory note form with an invoice, showing the amount of stamp duty. Tho form was filled in and roturned to tho Auckland merchant. Defendant had really paid the stamp duty. The practice was a common one, and out of the scores of oases occurring every day these were the only ones brought to light. The Magistrate, after reading documents produced, said he was satisfied that the defendants had had no intention of evading tho revenue. Tlach defendant was convicted and fined -22 with' costs.

Tho Academy of Moral and Political Science has awarded to Cardinal Merrier, Priiuato. of Belgium, its grand prize of 15,000 francs, designed to recompense "the finest and greatest acts of devotion of whatever kind." The academy made the award in these terms: "In awarding this prize to Cardinal Merrier, the academy desired to honour his noble patriotism, his respect of right, his zeal for justice, his firmness in the fare of oppression, find his devotion to tho poor and oppressed. It desired also to render homage in Uis person to the nation which, in eo many, ways, is dear to France,'-

Beside the fire at 8 Pine Street, Manly, says a. Sydney paper, there sits a boy of 16, who is gradually recovering from shell-shock contracted on the historic field of Jlouquet Farm, in France, He enlisted at the age of U and a , few months, and his name is Cecil Thomas. Ho is fair and slight, and serious-look-ing. Ho gave his ase as 18 at (ho Town Hall Tocruitins depot, and as he was fairly tall the white lie passed undetected. Jfis parents' permission he filled in himself, writing backhand to disguise his boyish penmanship. They' put"him into reinforcements, and after a time spent in Egypt, Thomas had his llith birthday on a troopship bound for France.

The death on active service was announced in the casualty lists published in. London recently of Captain L. S. D. 0. F. F. T.-T. de 0. P. Tollemache-Tolle-mnehe, Leicester Regiment. Captain Tollemache-Tollemnche (with his "eight brothers and sisters) was a victim of one of the most extraordinary nomenclature freaks ever perpetrated. Hie full name was Leone Sextus Denys Oswolf Fraudati Films Tollemache-ToHeinache de' Orelanna Plantaaenet Tolleniache-Tolle-mache. Ho was a son of the Rev. Ralph rollemache. who. for some Teason which has never been made apparent, doubled hlB Jiamc, and, to judge by the extraordinary result achieved, went on nddiiie to it. One of the sons declined to carry the burden, and in 1903, by legal process, stripped himself of a irreat deal of his inconvenient dory. His name was Leo Qnintua Tollemache-Tollemaoho de Orellana. Plantagnnet ToUemachn-Tolle-niache. He became comparatively plehoian as Leo do Ofellana Tolleinache. Both were fortunate in comparison with another brother, however. This unfortunate gentleman represented in his eodrmrents' sifts at least two ancient mythologies, to eay nothing of the Angles, the Saxons, the early English Royalty, the modem aristocracv. and, not to miss a point in British history, Hie Ironsides. Living or dead he was: Lyonel Ydwallo Odin Nestor Egbert Lyonel Toedmae Hu»l> Erchi>n Wvne Saxon F.sa Cromwell Omm Nevill Dvsart Plantap-n.net Tollemache-Tollc-maehc. Two of the sisters of the hnnse Tun the brothers very close. The elder of the two was Miss Jfnbel Mho] Helmimrham Huntinefower Beatrice Blazonberrio li!vangeliiie Visg if Lou de Orellana Plantasanet Saxon Tnedma" Tolle-maohe-Tollptnanhfl; but, after all, she could boost of little more than eonld her immediatn junior, Miss Lvonesne Matilda Dm-n Tda Agnes Ernestine O'rson Pnulflt 'Wilbraham .Tovce Busenie Bentley SflTonia Dvsart Plantagenet Tolle-niicliP-Trtllemeche.

By last mail, Mr. A. M. Bobertson presidont of the Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association, received the medals and diplomas awarded to the association at the Pacific-Panama International Exposition, held ut San Francisco iu 1915. 'i'he Hawke's Bay Association were particularly successful, gaining two gold medals, seven bronze medals, and three diplomas of honourable mention. The medals are of a large eize and splendidly finished, whilst the diplomas, printed on art paper and measuring 18in. x 24in., are beautifully finished and artistically engraved. On Monday last, according to a Napier paper, the cost of benzine at Napier was increased by tenpenco a case, and on Tuesday tfie price of oil was increased by sixpence a gallon. Benzine is now costing £1 Os. (id. for a case of eight gallons.

The military camp at Liverpool (N.S.W.) is not comparable in any. particular with Trentham or Featherston. So wo are informed by men who know. The tents used by ttio recruits do not keep out heavy rain, tho "bicker" is relatively poor, and the camp appointmonts aro not in any way equal to those in New Zoaland.—Dunedin "Star." i The Fire Brigade received a call a few minutes after 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon to a liouso in Willis Street, No. 253, occupied by Mrs. H. Goodwin. Mrs. Goodwin was airing some linen and bedding in front of an open fire, when a spark set the clothes on fire. Tho brigade had very little trouble in suppressing the outbreak, and there was very slight daningo a few blankets being , destroyed. Mrs. Goodwin was slightly burnt about tho arms, while endeavouring to put out tho Dames. The toll-gate question, says our Masterton correspondent, is. becoming acute. It is not unlikely that a deputation from the Castlepoint County will wait upon the Minister of Internal Affairs, andprotest against tho proposal of the Masterton County Council to erect a gate at Lower Tareru. Probate Iris been granted in the will of the late Duke of Norfolk at (states a Press Association message from London). The will bequeaths £100,000 for various Roman Catholic purposes. A correspondent writes to the Christcburcli "Press" as follows:— "Looking over an old 'Hansard' (vol. 119). I came across a point in debate on October 23, 1901, which. I hand on to you. for whatever interest it may possess. Mr. Hemes was speaking (on the Cook and Other Islands Bill), and he said (page 639): 'For instance, if we went to war with Germany the first thinfi wo would do, no doubt, would bo to send ah expedition to tako Samoa.' Mr..Seddon; 'No, that would not be prudent.'" Members of the Pharmacy Board, who are holding a conference in Wellington, ■visited Trontham Camp yesterday, and were conducted over the training ground by Major Waite.

At yesterday's sitting of the Pharmacy Conference, Mr. F. Castle, Wellington, put forward a proposal for the establishment of a echool of pharmacy in Wellington. His idea was that students nhould be compelled to attend classes in technical 6ubiects at the school for sis months, but that they could take their other subjects at a university. He thought the Government should subsidise the school. The proposal was discussed (it length, and the opinion was expressed that it was useless imposing conditions on students seeing that when they were qualified they were not particularly well protected in their calling. Eventually. ' the principle contained in the proposal was affirmed by a small maioritv. " On May 25 and 2G, .£25 will be given away in Wellington and Petone. and on .Tune 2 £15 will be distributed i the Wairarapa in sums of ss. or 10s. to those who on request can produce a Crippled Soldiers' Hostel Art Union ticket, stamped "Suratura, D." #