LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3152, 2 August 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Gazette Extraordinary has.boon issued containing n proclamation by His Majesty tho King declaring that tho name of Windsor is to bo borno by his Royal House and Family, and relinquishing the use of all German titles and dignities.

A return presented to the House yesterday gives tho' following figures showin" the expenditure of war funds to promote tho well-being of soldiers overseas from tho beginning of tho war to March SI, 1917:—New Zealand comforts, .£19,823; ITHi Commissioner's comforts. .£12,3.19; hospital buildings, etc., .£32,691; sundry, £.10.3111: "Red Crn * s (British), .£78,930; ioln'l, .£184,126. Tho total contributions wore- Private, 43187,0011; Govormhcuh, .125,891.

The Secretary, General Post Office,, has been advised that from .Tul.r 19 legal timo ill Rumania has boon advanced one hour.

Delays in tho payment to tho next-of-kin of the back pay of soldiers killed in the war have been a sourco of complaint evor sinco.tho Now Zealand troops wont into action. In tho Houso of Itopre. scntntives yesterday, Mr. W. T. Jennings mentioned a caso of a, mother who had lost lior son two years ago, but had ■ not yet received his back pay. Mr. Jennings thought two years too long a period. Sir James Allen said tho problem was a very difficult one, which tho Department was doing its best to solve. Ho could inform tho lionourablo inoinber that within tho Inst few days somo accounts had been received from Egypt which were two years old.

From Auckland to tho Bluff housewives are singing tho praises of "NO 11UBBTNG" Laundry Help, because it has abolished washboard slavery. A good reason, isn't it?—Advt.

A while ago complaint was made that though farm labour was said to be scarce inquiries were not made at the State Labour Bureaux for suitablo men; Yesterday the Wellington Bureau Reported that its books 6how several farm vacancies for lads, ploughmen, and j'cei'al farm hands.

The Prime Minister stated in wiswer to a question that the Government had arranged for tho shipment of 1000 tons of printing paper by a vessel leaving Canada' shortly. Representations had been mado to the High Commissioner on the question of freight, but tho Government had not yet received tho reply.

Tile effect of war lias brought about what many people desired, namely, iho closing of To Aro Railway Station. The probability is that tho station -will never be opened for traffic again, .is it has never paid "axle-grease" since it was opened. The entrance to the railway yards at the foot of Lower Taranaki Street has now been fenced off, the windows of the station and signal-box have been boarded up, mid tho whole aspect of tho statwn—though it Js within a hundred yards of one of the busiest thoroughfares of _ the city—is that of tho quiot melancholy'of desertion and disuse. The only sight of life about the place at noon yesterday was tho presence of a number of young men from the adjoining stores who were playing football on tho tracks, using tho overhead bridge for a goal. Tho; Harbour.Board's area of reclaimed land between the inihvay lino and the harbour has also been close boarded off to prevent public intrusion. The board lias, however, permitted Hie use of this fairly Tough area to the Wellington Rugby Union for the purposes of boys' football. With the judicious scattering of the Tight kind of grass-seed at fira proper time of tho year, this big block might be made a very presentable snorts ground for play next v/'nter, as it is not likely to bo in demand for at I least a year or two if the war continues— at least not that section of it nearest the destructor.

"General Sir Alexander Clodley commands an army corps of tho British Army in. France," said tho -minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) in answer to a question in the House of Representatives. "Sinco tho army corps is not provided by New Zealand there is no reason that the staff should consist of New Zealnnders. Moreover, as I V.0.v0 already 6(ated in the House, General Godloy is not paid by New Zealand. There is one New Z<--land officer attached to his staff to assist him in tho work ho still does for our troops." Tho building trade appears to be busy in Wellington. There are a few carpenters anil painters out of -work, but the State Labour Bureau reports that that is on account of the wot weather. The bureau considers that the building trade is.sufficiently busy'to employ all the tradesmen offering. , Sir James Allen made a statement in the House of Representatives yesterday rcanling the providing of war pension benefits for the officers and engineers ou transports. He said that in the Act ot last vear a clause was inserted to enaDlo tho Government to do this for the officers, but a hitch had- occurred. The difficulty was that the officers were reqmi-ed to sign on for the period of tho war in order to get pensions. He was unable to say whether tho Act would be amended this session, but in the meantime every ■ case would l)fi dealt with on its merits. This had already been done in the case of one officer. Tho wholesale prices of tobacco ami oigarottes hove been raised, tobacco by Id. nor lb., cigavottes by 13. per 1000. The advance is attributed to the heavy freights and to war risk insurance. Shipping freights on cigarettes are stated to be 1205.,. as compared with 40s. betOTO the war; and in addition tho goods carry ovor-Tisk insurances, ranging from A'-J 2s. to £5 ss. per cent., a charge that did not exist before the war. In furtherance of a complaint made by a returned soldier at a meeting ot tho Wellington Returned Soldiers' Asspcia. Hon against tho War Relief Association s refusal to grant him relief after the recent firo at the Wellington Hotel, tho committee of tho Returned Soldiers Asso. ciation has thoroughly investigated the matter, and- has decided that the War Reliof Association's attitude was justifiable.

■ Somo remarks were wade in the House of Representatives yesterday r-y Mr. George Hunter (Woinnwa) regarding tho medical'inspection of .recruits Mr. Hunter was strongly of opinion that this examination' was not stringent enough, and the result was that men. were often sent into camp and thrown out unmedintelv afterwards. This had been the cause of great hardship to many men. Ho asked the Minister to see that these examinations should in future be earned out with greater care. At present it v. as by no moans thorough, and was notsatisfactory. . The case of a big transport which ne alleged had returned to this country empty was mentioned in the Housoot Representatives yesterday by Air. 1. M. Wilford, who asked whether this was due to the operations of a shipping ring in England. It was important that ships should return with cargo in view of the shortage of shipping at those times. Mr. Massoy said that he was not in a position to reply regarding the individual ship. The instructions generally at the other end itero that transports were to bo loaded for tho return voyage it cargo was offering. All the transports, and the loading of thorn, wots under the Shipping Controller in England, and Hint gentleman certainly would not allow a ship to leave empty if cargo was available. '"I am aware of a statement by Captain Baldwin that of the First Division over 80,000 men had been rejected as medically unfit," said the Defence Minister yesterday in" the House of Representatives. "Tho medical boards which examine members of the Expeditionary Force are composed of eminent members of the medical profession, who hnvo placed ther services at the disposal of tho Defence Department. It does not necessarily follow becauso a man who volunteered twelve months ago and was then rejected for medical. reasons that ho is to be regarded as permanently unfit. In hundreds of-instances these men on reexamination by the medical boards have been found to come up to tho required standard."

Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East) asked tho Primo Minister if tho Government was aware that a meat trust outside the Dominion was invading the butter market by peaceful penetration, seeking to obtain control of the trade; and if lie would state what steps the Government proposed to take to check this evil. Jfr. XLissey replied that tho Government was not aware that a- meat trust was invadins the butter market liy ■peaceful penetration or otherwise. Ho would l)e glad to have any information on the subject which the honourable .member was able to supply.

The French Reservists were the guests of the management of Everybody's Theatre Inst ni?ht to see "War' Ah It Tfeally is." Thy evinced particular in(eTPst in., r'>c scene of dentins; round Verdun and Fort Douaumont, where ininy of them were actually ou<ra<red for many months prior to their rest trip.

During tho week ended July 27, 10 married and Mi single men implied for work to the Sta'to Labour Bureau in Wellington. Ten married men and 1H single wore placed in employment.' Of 20 for whom work was found Seven wofo sent to Government employment and 13 to private employment. The. bureau reports that all the applicants cdllld have been placed had the weather been good.

"Wo have to look forward to the limewhon our brnvte soldiers will return to this Dominion at the conclusion of (ho war," said Sir Joseph Ward in the course of tho Financial Statement. "Tho country's duty, in addition to providing land, h to SCO that those requiring work are fully employed until they settle in the ordinary avocations of life, and a special sum not exceeding .£2,000,000 spread over a noriod of two years will bo devoted to public or other works for the ptirposo of providing employment for these soldiers. Part of this'amount will he made available through the State Advances Department, for local tallies. \tlio will he asked to assist in this laudable work."

Next Tuesday evening a ritual comDcTTcion is to be held in the Coronation lodge fU.A.O.D.), Newtown, between past and present members of tho lodge. This Will be the first competition of its kind held in Wellington.

Yours now I We're overstocked in Overcoats, and must clear before stocktaking. Good vitlno Coats reduced 30 to 40 per cent., now Rioting at 2 ° 3 - 27s - 6(1 -> 35s '> 425. 6d. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.—Advt.

A question was put to the Prime Minister regarding the dispatch of a Eirsfc Division man to Fiji by tho Valuations Department to value laud on behalf of the Fijian Government. Mr. Masscy replied that the olficor in question liatl r.ot been drawn in the ballot. He had volunteered for service and was . to enter camp on October 18 next, by which date ho would have returned to New Zealand.

The Defence Minister stated in the Houso of Eepresentative3 that he was of opinion that in many instances the fines inflicted for breaches of the Military Service Act had been altogether inadequate, having regard to the seriousness of the offence. It must be remembered, however, that the Magistrate who heard the case was in full possession of tho facts, and was therefore in the best position- to judge as to tho'penalty to be imposed.

A collision between • a tramcar and a horse-drawn vehicle occurred in Upper Wallaco Street last evening. The cart was fcadly smashed, and its contents strewn about the ' street, bat it is reported that no one .was seriously injured. In. addition to the completion of 37 workers' dwellings commenced in the previous years says tho Minister of Finance in'his"Financial Statement, 28 new dwellings have been built and 11 were in course of erection on March 31, making a total number of workers' dwellings in tho Dominion 62!). The year's exoendituro under this heading was .£35,497.

During the past yeaT, 6ays the Minister of Finance in his Statement, claims amounting to .£4578 were paid out of the' 1 special sinking fund established to, mm losses in public'buildings destroyed by fire. The annual contribution of .£IO,OOO made to the Government was paid over to the Public Trustee, by whom a credit balance of £18,988 is now held. ■ The Chief Justice yesterday granted a special jury in the case of Neill and Co., Ltd., and "the Union Assurance Society, of Canton, v. Joseph Nathan and Co., Ltd. " The operations of the Land for Settlements Department have been confined principally to the purchase of land for discharged soldiers, said the Minister of Finance in his Financial Statement. The area purchased amounts to 50,140 acres, valued at .£564,110. The offers received have been based upon the high values now ruling for all produce, therefore it has,been a hard matter to secure lands except on such a basis.. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) lecently drew i tho attention of the Prime- Minister to reports that persons were "coming from, non-conscript Australia to buy up farms in New Zealand, which are thrown upon the market by reason of the conscription of our farmers and farm workers. He asked also if was true tliat Germans and other aliens were profiting in the same way. Mr. Masaey replied .yesterday that the matter was being investigated with a view to legislation. Uhe Government at present had no information on the subject. "Members seem to be under the impression that children are committed to an industrial school for a definite period as in the case of prisoners,"' said the. Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) in the House of-Kcpresenlritives. "This is not the case, 6ince the children are simply committed, and the Department can have them released at any time when their good conduct warrants this step being taken. As stated in a Tecent roply to a similar question, I have to point out that during the. past year special consideration has been given to every case, and that as a Tesult an unusually large number of children have, been sent out from the institutions, so that they are in almost every respect On the same footing as ordinary members of tho comrannitr. In cases where consistent good conduct is shown tho boy or girl is entirely released from control."-

Replying, to a question regarding the present high prices of TOofing. iron, fencing wire, fencing staples, and other requirements of settlers, the Primp Minister stated that this matter was now being dealt with by the Board of Trade. Ha might mention that as Minister of Lands lie had been able to make arrangements to purchase supplies on behalf of soldier settlers. An order had recently been placed for fencing wire at .a price very much below the best quotations available in New Zealand.

Tho Abattoir Committeo reported-to the Christchurch City Council on Monday night that the working account of the citv abattoir for the twelve months ended 'March 31 last showed that the abattoir was run at a loss of .£11,36 3s. 4d. The abattoir manager had reported that since the council took over the slaughtering some five years ago tho increase in wages had amounted to about ■JUTO per annum. At that time the clforgo for slaughtering cattle was reduced by Is. per head, which, on last year's figures, amounted to <<:53G. Everything in the way of materials used at the abattoir had'"gone up in price, and, against this, the number of stock slaughtered last year was 52.82 C kss than the previous year.

A case, tho first of its kind under tho War Regulations, was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday: before Mr. W. G. Riduell, S.M., when Charles Edward Adams was charged with interfering with tho running and dispatch of en oversea vessel by attempting; to persuade seamen to absent themselves from tho ship contrary to the War Herniations. Accused was" standing near the .vessel on Tuesday last, when a ropo was thrown overboard, and a man slid down the rope, accused holding the end to facilitato the man's effort to land on the wharf. Tlio escapee was secured by tho pclicc, and replaced on board, and Adams warned. Later on a second attempt was made by the same means to escape, and Adams again helped by holding the rope. He was then arrested, and yesterday be was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. \

\t Tuesdav eveniiic's meeting of- 'the committee of tho Wellington Rugby Union, a member of St. James s Club was suspended for two playing Saturdays for striking a Wellington College 'player. Our report, bv an inadvertence, made it appear that' it was a College player who was suspended.