LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 23 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The sale arrival at their destination of the Twenty-lifth Reinforcements has been reported to the Minister of Defence, (Sir James Allen).

Tho Secretary, General Post Office, has been advised that from July M to September 13 loyal time in ltussia has been advanced one hour.

On Saturday tho I'reneh soldiers who aro recuperating in Wellington wero taken out to tho Bollovuo Gardens at Lower Hutt, where after a pleasant hour spent in roaming round its sweetscented paths they wore entertained at afternoon tea. So well havo thoso soldiers been entertained in 'Wellington that they desiro to reciprocate in soma measure, and to that ond havo secured the Town Hall for July 31, ■when tney will give an interesting entertainmont in aid of the funds of the Bed Cross Society and tho Wellington Betuxned Soldiers' Club. To show what they think of Now Zealand most of tho Frenchmen, are now wearing what they term "tho Order of Nouvelle Zealnndia —a silver fern-leaf with, tho words New Zealand" embossed thoreon. Tho gas supply will begin at G. 30 a.m. to-day and will continue until 10 p.m. "I notice you report Dr. Newman as saying that butter is soiling wholesale at Is. 3d. per 1b.," writes ..Mr. E. Moore, storekeeper, Petone. "I would like to contradict this, and cncloso invoice, from which you will sco that Is. 6Jd. is tho price." Tho oncloaed invoice bears out tho statement in the lotter. Thoro is a large and growing district in the hills roughly between Lyall Bay and Island Bay, usually approached by that road which ascends to tho high land 3 from the "Zoo" entrance to Now- ! town Park. This is called, for convenience, Melroso district, being a part of tho old Melroso Borough, that was absorbed by the city many years ago. lor children in this locality tho only way to any of the nearest Bohools 19 distant and tedious, and there is a movement afoot to havo a school established thoro in the near future. Tho matter was brought before tho Education Board some time ago, but as that body decided not to take any action at presont, the need is to bo brought under tho notice of tho Minister of Education, and to that end a census of tho children of school ago within tho district is to be taken. The body of Ellen Witcombe Burke, wife of Charles William Burko, was found washed up on the beach close to the Miramar Wharf on Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Burke, who lived in the Wairarapa, came to Wellington recently, so that Mrs. Burke might havo further medical attention. It appears that Mrs. Burke suffered a great deal from lllnealth, and more particularly from insomnia, for which she was attended bydoctors in tho district. On Friday last she left the home of her brother-in-law, No. i Blucher Avenue, Newtown, about ten o'clock in tho morning, and failed to return, her body being found as stated above. An inquest will be held. An impressive ceremony will tako placo this evening, at 8 o'clock, when the "Last Post" will be sounded for tho late Corporal Paul Froyborg, who was killed in action recently. Members of tho Otago High School Old Boys and tho D Battery Reserve will be present, ond an invitation is also oxtended to the general jiubTic. Among the recent awards made by tho Directors of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand aro throo for bravo acts performed by Wollingtonians. Certificates have been awarded two Wellington College students, Hector Clousten and James Bronte, for rescuing Mrs. and Miss Stewart from drowning at Day's Bay on December 10 last. It will be remembered that the lads jumped in on seeing the difficulties into which the bathora had got, and managed to bring them to safety. Arthur Brister, the recipient of a lotter of commendation, jumped in, fully clothed, to the rescue of Mr. Slado, who fell into tho water near Waterloo Quay on October 16 last as the result of a fit. Mr. Brister brought the man to the surface in an •unconscious condition, and later re* moved him to tho Hospital. The present year in Wellington has been a rather remarkable one meteorologically. The summer extended itself well 'into tho autumn in the form of fine, clear, still, hot days, which brought their pumslunont in the form of an unnatural dryness of the soil, an almost complete denudation of stored water, and an unprecedented drying-up _ of springs in certain country districts. March and April found the city m straits for water, and the greatest eco. nomj had to be urged. There was ill the City Council a good deal of talk of pushing on with the work of tapping the Orongorongo Stream as a safeguard to our water supply. Since then we havo had two months of tho wottest or winters; the whole country has had a thorough soaking, the springs have resumed business, and everything is as it should be in mid-winter. \ Somo of the. curious shifts to which men aro put when stranded in the city were mentioned iu the Auckland Police Court, when a man, aged thirty-five, came up on a chaTge. of vagrancy. He had beeu met on the street by Constable Rebertson, who was on special duty looking for shirkers, and when the constable asked for the man's enrolment certificate, the man told a hard-luck story. He said ho was without money to get a bed, and ho was soaked through with the rain. Respecting his enrolment certificate he said it w.as in pawn. In explanation he said he was "broke," and in order to get money he had gone and sold his jacket to a second-hnnd dealer for a coat of an inferior quality and a, shilling. Later ho had similarly disposed of his trousers to a dealer for a poorer pair, and got sispence in cash on the exchange. In that transaction ho had, he said, left his enrolment'certificate in a pocket of the trousers that tho dealer got. As the man was apparently down and out, the constable took him into custody on a charge of vagrancy in order that ho might get s(telter from tho rain. A strange visitor to New Zealand has been sent to Mr. E. .T. Haynes, taxidermist at Canterbury Mnseum, says the •■'Lyttelton Times." It is a glossy ibis. The ibis family is not represented in the native birds of this Dominion, and tho arrival of this member of it is a notable event in the country's natural history. Its visit is more surprising because it belongs to an Old World form of ibises, and not to any of the several species that are plentiful in the Australian Com"monwealth. It is a haudsome, stately bird, with a long, slender, slightly decurved bill, and a, plumage characterised by a distinct gloss. Somo of its feathers are maroon or chestnut brown, with briliiaiw green and purple reflections.. Thoso on the head and neck are reddish-brown, and some of the wing feathers are brownish black, tinged with purple. On tho side 3 and breast and undor-parts there are deep reddish-brown colours. The eyes are hazel. The principal European haunts of the bird 6eem to be Slavonia and the Valley of the Danube, but it is also found in India and other parts of Asia. Northern and Southern Africa, and fixe Eastern Archipelago. The specimen in Mr. Havnes's hands was obtained "by Mr. E. P. Childs, at Makikihi, Walmate County, a few days ago. About twelve years ago. another specimen was shot at the Washdyke, near Timaru. in the same part of South Canterbury. The head of the latter specimen is preserved in Canterbury Museum. These are the only records of the glossy ibis's visit to New Zealand. A serious accident happened to two sons of Mr. 1\ Doduuski, of Durham Road, New Plymouth (says the "News"). During the dinner hour the boys placed several plugs - 'of "gclignite-on or near the stove in the residence to soften, previous to being used for blasting purpose*. The gelignite exploded whilst the eldest (a youth of 20) was examining it, with the result that both boys were injured. The injuriss to the younger boy were of a superficial nature, but the elder brother suffered a, fracturo of the skull in addition to severe flesh injuries. The Rtove was completely shattered and the chimney was blown almost.to pieces. The CHEVROLET is completely equipped. Standard equipment otrcvefy CHEVEOLET includes Auto-Lite Two Unit Self-starter, Electric Lights, Electric Horu, Speedometer, and Ammeter, Hood with side-curtains and full tool equipment. You may also havo demountable rims it you so desire. Wo should be pleased to demonstrate this car to yon, and models are awaiting your inspection at THE DOMINION MOTOR VEniCLES, LIMITED, U Courtonay Place, Wellington.—Advt.

An interesting publication has just been received by the American CWsulGcnenil, Mr. A. A. AVinslow, Auckland, in the form of a copy of tho first bulletin issued by the United States Government for the purpose of making public official war news. The bulletin, which is published daily, contains nil pioclamations and e.vccutivo orders issued by the President, .Departmental regulations, etc. aucl is the only official channel through which military information will bo issued to tho tress and public. Among; many items of interest contained in the bulletins for the first month of war betweon the United States and tiermany is an nccount of the 6tcps taken toward? tho organisation of tlio civilian and military medical forces, and the mobilisation of mining euginecrs ard chemists, over 10,000 of whom had already 'registered for service. The number of doctors needed immediately for the Army was stated to be 6000, wiiich number would have to be doubled by tho raid of the year. To meet this demand, four medical military training camps were to be established in different parts of tho country, training to commence on June 1. ' Explaining his reason for not getting in lils spring crops an. appellant at the Auckland Military Board attributed the delay to tho bad weather. "I -understand that Mr. Wragge say* wo are going to have two or thrco years of this weather," said Major Conlan, "so appellants must not rely too nincli upon it." A meeting of .representatives from Uid Otago cheese I'aotones is to be /.eld today for tho purpose of considering a. lielecram from the Prim© Minister, sent at the instance of tho Imperial Government asking the price Which producers will accept for tho next season's output of checso. If t'he price submitted is accopted (says an exchange) payment will be made -when the cheese is shipped, but if tho shipment is delayed beyond 81 days, tho Imperial Government will pay tho cost of storage, fire insurance, inii interest. Representatives will bo appointed from tho meeting to-day to proceed to Wellington to consult with tho Prime Minister. A meeting of delegates from the Southland factories has already been held, and Messrs. T. W. Foster (chairman of the South Island Association), H. J. Middleton and J. Fisher have been appointed their rcprcfientativea to the Wellington conference. The meeting of representatives from the Canterbury cheese factories will be held nn Wednesday; and tho whole ci' tho southern delegates will arrive in Wellington on Thursday. Another matter which will bo discussed at tho meeting to be held in Dunedin to-day relates to the provision of cool stores at either Dunedin or Port Chalmers. A considerable amount of controversy ras already taken place between the Harbour Board and the Dairy Association as to which body should bo at tho expense of erecting the store, but nothing has so far been decided on. Dairymen point out. however, that both at Bluff and also at Wellington the respective- harbour boards have built the cool stores. A young officer in France sends to his father tho following fine letter: "I am confident that things can never bo as bad for the infantry as they were last August. The dead are not too niimeroufl to bury, and the Huns will not stop long enough to resist many, attacks in. tho samo place. Tho trenches will never again bo a tangled mass of mud and shell holes which are full of dead. Thank God. wo are moving forward, and I really feel optimistic. When I'have read of wonderful new inventions and heard of gigantic attacks which will bo irresistible, I have frequently folt that the end of the war was not move than a couple of months away. But my hopes were soon shattered. However, I have now come to my senses, and I realist} that one action will not end tho war. Wo have tried to break tho stone with one blow of tho hammer, and wo have-cer-tainly chipped it. We have broken many hammers in tho attempts, but we have discovered that tho quicker, way of destroying the stone is by grinding. Ivowthe stono is really showing signs, of decrease; nobody really knows how long tho grinding will have to go on, but J. firmly believe that tho stone is not so bi" as it looks, and is in reality hollow inside. I think we shall come to tho hollow this summer, and then it will only bo a question of days before tho stone is smashed to smithereens. One morning just before the present phase of tho Western advance opened a flying squadron set out for France from an inland aerodrome (says; "A, Londoner' in the "Evening Standard"). Thoy took exactly two and a half hours to complete the journey, and sat down Jo lunch behind tho British lines at 1.30. Every machine completed tho journey without a single forced landing. The following day another complement of learners occiipied the aerodrome, and within seventytwo hours of leaving England the squadron commander, who possesses the double distinction of being an intrepid flier ami a first-class instructor, was back at the drill" school, and ready to.take his new mvnils in hand. In the meantime, however, ho had, single-handed, accounted for three Germnn machines.