LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3117, 22 June 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Durin" the year ended March 31 no fewer than 4468 patients were admitted to tho Wellington Hospital for indoor treatment of some kind or other. Iho average- number of patients to be attended to daily was 360, and. the average leii"th of stay iu the institution was twenty-seven days. Out-patients to the number of 465") were attended to durin" the year, and the number of attendances to such totalled 17,691.

When the Parliament of Now Zealand is about to assemble in session, Wellington people, particularly Crown Ministers and pressmen, have visions of myriads of "deputations to the Minister." There are indications that this year will l)t» far from an exception. Several ilec.lanrtions wero made at the National Dairy Conference at !Palmorston North yi-stcirday that tho matter under discussion would shortly be tho subject of "a deputation to tho Minister." On ono of theso subjects it was suggested— and Iho suggestion was well received — that the wholo conference (a hall full of people) and as many more as could be gathered in should proceed to Wellington to interview tho Minister.

Men in favour of "the strong hand" urged the National Dairy Conference at Paliuerston North yesterday to "take the bull by tho horns." "Well," said a delegate, who breathed an atmosphere of caution, "I think 'wo hud better take him by the tail. We can leave go when wo liko from that end - '."

At G'ourtenay Place last evening Patrick Muloncr. :i middle-aged man, residing ill 156 Piiddifnrd Street, was knocked, down by i> Iniuiciir. the approach of whicli ho had foiled In notice. Up sustained slight injuries to his head and body. Alter receiving attention at tho TFriondly Societies' Dispensary nearby, he .was able to proceed homo.

When the question of labour for the dairy industry during the war was mentioned at tho National Dairy Conference at Palmorston North, tho chairman (Mr. A.' Morton, Tarauaki) eaid that representations had been made to tho Defence Minister and other Ministers, but littlo satisfaction had been received. Now, he added, they wero not going to make any more representations till they were able to make them to the PrimeMinister.

It is noiv nearly a score of years sinco the days when the Pollard Opera Company were wont to tour New Zealand year in and out, but that there are still several of its members yet connected with the slago was, conveyed to Mr. Tom Pollard soon after his arrival from tho south yesterday morning. Ho had not advanced far along busy Willis Street when ho met two of his old proteges in Mr. Charles Albert and Mr. George Young (brother of Miss Florence Young), who are members of the "House That Jack Built" Company. He passed on, only to meet Miss Constance Cayley (formerly Miss Buttoll), who is the Prince in tho pantomime, and was several years with tho Pollard Company before she left the stage to marry Air. Louis Schatz, who has returned to New Zealand with his wife. Mr. Pollard lias come to Wellington, partly to make preliminary arangements in connection with tho Wellington Amateur Operatic Society's coming performance of "La. Mascotte."

It was decided at yesterday's meeting of tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board that tho present motor delivery van bo sold, and tenders bo called for a now ono carrying up to one ton. Tho chairman said that it was almost imperative that a new van. snoifld bo obtained. They had boon paying 12s. Gd. per Sunday extra for tho carriago of their milk, and now they found that they had to provide for tho roturn of cans to tho dairy farmers. Mr. F. T. Moore thought it was surprising that tho board had to pay transit charges after letting a contract for tho supply of milk to the Hospital. Mr. Baldwin said that tho position was that tho supplier had four sets of cans, but owing to the railway authorities they could never be suro of getting their cans hick. Tho recommendation was agreed to.

At a well-attended meeting last night, under tho auspices of tho local branch of tho Now Zealand Society of Accountants, says 11 Press Association telegram from Auckland, resolutions were passed: (I) Affirming tlio opinion that the excess pvofite tax lias proved inequitable and *>*iould not be re-enacted; (2) that tho simplest and fairest mothod of raising taxation would be by means of a graduated income tax, and (3) tliat this meeting Tcquest.tho Parliamentary representatives to urgo on the Government to hasten tho setting up of tho pronosetl Commission of Inquiry composed of experts to report upon the irholo question of direct taxation.

Bank of New Zealand shareholders aro reminded that ths ordinary general meeting of the Bank will ho lield at the banking house to-day at 11 o'clock.

Various letters of well-known persons, somo portraits of Maori War veterans, ii very fiuo example (on parchment) of Sir George Grey's autograph, a copy of "Tho Chatham Islands Press News," a monograph on the 57th West Middlesex Regiment entitled "Reminiscences of tho 'Die Hards/ " by Sergeant-Major Bezar, some books on New Zealand, including a volume entitled the "New Zealandors," published in 5830, are all among tho recent gifts to tho National Historical Collection. A large water-colour painting of tho s.s. Arawata, from Mr. Farquhar (who also gavo some books), and a delightful littlo booklet by Lord Lyttclton, published in 18(58, and giving an account' of his visit in that year to the Canterbury Colony, presented by Mv. Leonard Stowe, C'.M.CK, are also among tlio recent gifts.

Mr. 1 , . J. PinDy has been thanked by tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the gift of a gramophone and records for tho uso of the inmates of the T. G. Macarthy Convalescent Home.

The Hon. H. F. Wigram, chairman of the Canterbury Aviation Company, together with Mr. Hill, tho instructor, made on. Tuesday morning the first flight in tho new dual-control Caudrou biplane, and roso to a height of about 300 ft., says the ' "Lyttolton Times." Next tho instructor took up with him Mrs. Wigram, and this time was able to riso 200 ft. higher. Following upon this, each of the pupils of tho school was given his. "baptism of air."

Sinco the Commonwealth Film Censorship Board was created at the beginning of March, the registration of 15 of the 61 films examined has, says an exchange, been absolutely refused, while in 17 other cases excisious havo been made, varying from 18ft. to 1220 ft. Twentyniuo films linvo yet to bo inspected by the board. Importations during this period number 940, representing 1,880,000 feet of film. Most of the pictures are judged on tho 6ynopses supplied by the importing firms. If these do not correspond with the subject illustrated, the film is liable to bo seized. The effect of certain classos of pictures, which, though not injurious in themselves, might havo a harmful influence on young minds if allowed to be multiplied without Testraint, is being closely watched by the board. Sir Harry AVollaston, chairman of tho board, stated recently that it was believed that when the principles underlying the Australian censorship wero understood tho importing firms would take care lo avoid bringing into tho Commonwealth films of an objectionable class. The boatd had no control over Alms which were imported prior to its creation, and probably some months would elapse before old. imported stock was exhausted. After that lie felt sure there would be very little cause for complaint. Outside of topical subjects, very few films were produced in Australia, tho total in the last sevon years of what might be termed "story films" being only twenty-two.