LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3093, 25 May 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Officer Commanding tbo 25th Eeinforcomente reports that they have arrived at a certain port, and that the health of the troope is excellent. Replying to a question yesterday Sir James Allen said: "I think it is intended that the men in the First Division classed C 2 (home service) shall bo reexamined. My own opinion is that every man in the First Division shoujd be re-examined before the Second Division is called up."—Press Assn. A regulation gazetted last night extends tne powers of thfl ' Government 'Statistician in the collection of statistics regarding stocks of certain goods held in Now Zealand to cover the following articles:—Tin plates, galvanised plain sheets, galvanised corrugated iron, steel plates, boiler plates, steel tecs and angles, steel bars (rounds, squares, and flats), steel shafting, iron, bars (rounds, squares, and flats), wire ropes, copper sheets, brass sheets, copper tubes, braes tubes, hoop-iron (for wool and flax (lumping), hoop-iron (for tallow casks and meat companies' products), conduit tubing for electrical purposes. Every person holding stocks of any of these articles shall, on request, within such time or times as he may be required by the Statistician so to do, furnish particulars as to ench stocks held him on a date or datee to be specified by the Statistician. • . Sir James Allen, interviewed in Christchurch, yesterday, dwelt on the great necessity for economy in the consumption of coal. "It is no use," he said, 'one city economising and others not doing so. Tliero ought to be universal economy exercised throughout the Dominion."—Press Assn. The motor in. eport is referred to in the- annual report of the Wellington-Ac-climatisation Society, when mentioning tho proctico of shooting swans from fast motor-boats on the Wairarapa, Lake. The report says: "The council intends to have this form of swan ehootins carefully examined, as, beyond question, the limit pei- gun has been often exceeded in the past. Two hundred and ,twenty-one licenses wero sold. The 1917 season gives promise of good sport; hnres, cock pheasants, Australian &nd Oalifornian quail may be taken under license. Grey duck, teal duck, and swan may be takon without license. Pigeons, Paradise ducks, and pukako are protected. With regard to pigeons, -the Minister of Internal Affairs declines to allow pigeora to be shot, -under the impression that tho birds will increaso largely, but in practice ■numbers are shot in spite of tho efforts of tho society's rangers."

"Reports from various parts of tie district go to prove once more that eels, shags, and seagulls deetroy large numbers of fish, and again all sportsmen are urged to exterminate these pests whenover and tvhererer -possible."—From the annual report of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society.

Mr. L. G. Keid, S.M.,' delivered his reserved judgment yesterday in a case heard as far back as December 8 last, in which Softley aii'l Curie were charged with a breach <>1' the Gaming Act iu posting a notice on their premises as follows: —"War Loan Certificate free. To commemorate' the opening of our new premises we are (fiving a War loan Certificate to every one hundredth customer recorded in the cash register." The Magistrate held that a lottery had lieen etartcd, and convicted and fined the accused 40s. and costs.

At the last meetinu of the Karori Boroii.Th Council, ,Councillor Drydon jave notice of motion that he intends to more at the next meeting of the council: "(n) That all concession tickets now existing over , the borough tramways be . made transferable; Q>) that a 24-eection ticket be issued between Johnston Street nnd the Botanical Gardens for Is. Gd., in lieu of the present 12-section now issued, one section to be taken for a I'ido to the tuuTiel, or two sections to be taken for a ride to the Gardens."

The Napier': Borough Council is considering a scheme to improve its ciirdeiis and parks and generally beautify the town. One citizen, whose name has not been disclosed, has, it is authoritatively stated, sa.vs our Napier correpondent, offered to pay the entire cost of the necessary work.

The sum of JUBS has been subscribed in Napier in answer to a new appeal for the Aircraft Flotilla Fund.

There' is evidently some confusion over the date of Empire Day. Originally it was celebrated on the birthday of the late Queen Victoria, J>ut since the accession to the Throne of George V, it was altered to June 3 (His Mujesty'e birthday), owing to the two dates'beins so close together. The Empire Day service that is being arranged by the Wellington Patriotic Society will take place on Sunday week (June 3), in the Town Hall.

"I am guilty, 1 was drunk—full up to the, neck," was tho admission of <i first offender, who appeared in tho Court .vesterdaj on a chai'Eo of insobriety.

Sir .lames Alien says that tho number of Hansards printed next session will hare to .be reduced owing to the. shortage of paper.—l'ress Assn.

The following temporary appointments havo been approved by the Camp 'Commandant at yeatherston:—Sergt. E. J. 6. Lewton, C Coy., 28th, to be quarter-master-sergeant. 2Sth Specialists: Lce.Corpls. K. A. Cliffe. D. Eose, and A W. Stead to bo corporals; Ptp. W. C. S. Searlo to be corporal; Ptes. S. L. Carey and 0. Duff to bo Innce-corporule.

At a public meeting hold at Timaru on Wednesday night a resolution was passed iu favour of S o'clock dosing, i\nd slops wore 'Uken to orgiini.se ;i canvass Tor signatures to a petition.—Press Assu.

I'iclwviril Boyson, residing in Tiiwkori Komi, was jTsterHii.v working in Curtis'g tilubUs. when lie was kicked in the stomach by a horse. Ho was removed to the Hospital where ho was reported last night to be doius fairly well.

The Waligauui Education Hoard lias received a communication from the Efficiency Boar<l in regard to tlie proposed utilisation of the services of boys ami Kirls of Ihn secondary schools for farm labour, it was sjujgestwl that the autumn ami spring holidays should ho reduced to a week, and that an extra- four weeks should lie added to the summer vacation. The letter added that in Otago the labour, of schoolboys had proved beneficial to the farmers, mid hnd enabled the Former to earn packet money. It was considered that lwys would bo particularly useful at nicking fruit and thinning turnips. The chairman said that they were not prepared to Rive the whole of the school holidays, lint would release the boye most useful. It wa.3 ridiculous to interrupt the whole course of education simply because a. few pupils might be useful. They would release any suitable labour,, but it was not intended to close the schools as suggested.

The Taranaii Echieatioji Board recently obtained a Tecord of the occupations, entered upon by children who left the primary schools in 191 G. The figures show- that 10G boys anil 134 girls, proceeded to secondary schools, the destination of SO is' unknown, and the remainder are employed as follow:—Boya: Homo duties, 95; farm work, 54; grocers' asfi'itants. 7; motor mechanics and post office, 6; cabinet-making, 5; blacksmiths, plumbers, shop assistants, 2 each; butcher, draper, saddler, baker, carpenter, foundry, training ship, stable hand, bank, railway, and painter, 1 each. Girls i Flome, duties, 145; domestic service, fl; farm work, 5; dressmaking, 2; post office, shirt factory, and boot factory, 1 each.

.TTio Minister of Customs, tho Hon. Arthur Myers, has brought under our notice the following flagrant instance of an attempted evasion of. tho Order-in-C'ouiicil prohibiting the importation of German-made gcods from any destination. The Eegal Post Card Company, of O'Connoll Street, SySney. New South Wales, recently attempted to get rid of their stocks of German, cards by distributing through bundles of Britiehmado cards certain others of German origin. Theso latter had tho words "Printed in Germany" stamped out wflih a large black arrow, and were re-named "Arrow Brand." Other cards similarly distributed had the ends cut off, but unhappily for tho exporters, in a few cases the guillotine-machine had only eliced off half of the lettering, and it was still apparent that Germany was tho country of origin. Outside of the obliterated words the general appearance of the cards was indicative oi German mako. The goods wore, of course, detained, and will not go .into consumption.

The Hon. G. W. Eusfiell had a conference at Palmerston North yesterday morning with the members of the Hospital Board, the honorary medical staff, and the chairman of the Martin Memorial Fund, to consider a scheme for the extension of the hospital, and also proposals for the erection of tho Martin Memorial, which, is to take the form of an X-ray and bacteriological department at the institution. The Minister and the members' of the conference made a _ complete inspection of the grounds with, "n view of. selecting the best available site' for the extensions.

The Tnumarunui branch of the Railway Servants' Association has passed a resolution condemning the action of the Department in running a private ballot. The branch considers men should go in the order drawn in the military/ ballot. The meeting also passed a resolution asking for one shilling a day increase in 'pay owing to the nigh cost of living and the Government's failure to deal effectively with exploitation.—Press Assn. . ' '

The shortage of ships and consequent congestion in the cool stores has (snys an Auckland correspondent) prompted inquiry as to the possibility of a reduction in tho retail, prices of meat and butter in tho Dominion in the near future,. The point,'so far aa it affects meat, has been referred to a number, of Auckland butchers, but they stated that they wore unable to express any definite opinion on the subject. "You had better ask the Board of Trade; they know more about these things than we do," was tho reply received. One butcher 6aid that as this was the dack period of the year accumulations of meat in stores would not greatly increase during the next few months, and that it -was expected that sufficient ships to relieve the congestion would be available before next season opened. Ho added that as yet there was no prospect of any material reduction inlocal retail prices. In regard to butter,' ilr. H.' E. Pacey (managing director of the Now Zealand Dairy Association) said that in view of the London market rates he did not anticipate any fall in tne local retail price of butter.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., gave reserved judgment in the case against a young man named Albert Victor Carnegie, who was charged vith betting on licensed premises. The Magistrate said, he was satisfied accused was at the time engaged as a bookmaker, and the Court's only concern was as to tlio penalty to be 'imposed. He had decided to impose the minimum penalty of .620. "and I am not going out of my way if I say that if an appeal is made for a reduction of tlie fine I would support it."

The prizes won l>y the school childyon in the Empire Trades Alphabet Writing Comnetitions will ..lie distributed l>r the Mayor (Mr. .T. V. Lnke) in the Queen's Theatre at ■ i p.m. to-morrow. There were numerous entries for the competition, and Mr. Cauehley, Assistant Director of Education, acted as judge.,' The first prize in Division A was won by Master Thwnites. of the Clyde Qnaj School (son of Mr. Thwnites, headmaster of the Island Bay School)-:

The following from Melbourne appeared in the "Sydney Morning Herald" of Itay 17:—The Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) 'announced to-day the sale to tho New Zealand Government of 1,500,000 bushels of-wheat, with n further option to the New Zealand Government of taking 1,000,000 'bushels, at ss. (id. net f.0.1). The New Zealand Government has undertaken to provide shipping and pay for Hie wheat, whether delivered or not, by the end of August. The ordinary price fixed l>y the Australian Wheat Board for wheat for New Zealand is at present ss. 7d. a bushel, with nn allowance of 1 per cent, commission to agents who sell. The sale at . ss. 6d. net amounts to ss. 6 2-3 d. a bushel if sold in the ordinary way. . In view of the present shortage of shipping, the "board is extremely gratified at having been able to make so fine a sale on behalf of the pool.

The distribution of the .£25 in sums of 5?. or 10s. to those who produce on request Crippled Soldiers' Hostel Art Union tickets commonees at an early hour today. Pctone will be visited.*