LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3159, 10 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tlio Minister of Defence received odvico yesterday that the Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth Mounted Rifles had reached their destination "all well." "The war lias been on three years, and it 6eoms that thoso who go last will get the beat treatment," observed Colonel .T. G. Hughes at the War Relief Association yesterday. "When a man goes to fight for his country ho cannot niako conditions. It makes me cross to eeo them putting tip expensive buildings for tlio men, and so does all this leave and special trains. Kvery minu/to should be spent in training, not in feeding and dancing, especially with men who should have gono long ago. Other men wont away without these things." The following is tho movement of troops from Pcatkcrston Camp for the week ending August 18:—Monday, August 13: Return from final leave of tlio Thirty, first Specialists Company. Thursday, August 16: Final leave of all Thirtieth Reinforcements, less Thirtieth Infantry Reinforoemonts and Thirtieth M.R. Saturday, August 18: Thirtieth M.R. will proceed to Papawai for Table B, and will go on final leave on Thursday, August 23. Our special correspondent at Ivipior states that quite a number of earth tremors wore felt there yesterday. About ten days or a fortnight ago a man whoso name was thought to be Laugney died in the Terrace Gaol whilo en tho point of being removed to tho Hospital, and an inquest was held and a verdict recorded. It now transpires that tlio man's real namo was Tangney, tho mistake arising through tho faulty formation of tho initial letter when tho man signed his namo in tho register. In consoqueuco of this tlio inquest will bo reopened this morning in.'order that tho mistake may bo rectified, and tho Registrar furnished with tho correct name. Life is real and life is earnest in tho back-blocks. In ono of tho remote settlements of Taranaki a travelling picture show arrived recently, aud tho seven-year-old 6on and heir of a leading landowner approached his dad with au application ftiv sixpence. "What do you want with sixpence?" said his father sternly. "I want to go to the pictures, dad," said tho youngster. "Well, you're not going," said the firm parent. "It is only a tow months ago that I lot you go to tho top of tho hill to see the eclipso of tho moon. D'ye think life's ono long round of gaiety and gadding about ?"•—"Eltham Argus." Pronounced shocks of earthquake were felt in Mastorton. at 3.30 and G. 50 a.m. yesterday, says our special correspondent. Two or three shocks havo been experienced every day since Monday. A return published in the GaV.etto gives tlio estimated population of New Zealand on June 30, exclusive of Maoris and residents of Cook and other Pacific islands, at 1,096,210, of which number 510,801 are males and 555,379 aro females. Tlio Maori population ut tlie time of the 1910 census was 49,778, and the population of tho Cook and other Pacific i islands was 12,797, and theso totals brine; the estimated population of tho Dominion up to 1,158,813. Tho annual report of St. John's Church says:—"Tho question of ih erection of a hostel in connection with tho congregation for young women (or young men) on tho vacant pieco of land behind tho Dixon Street Hall has been seriously considered. Thoso who know how girls have been pressing into Wellington of late to tako tlio place in the Government and other services vacnat by tho Umpire's call of its young men to arms, will best' appreciate, tho greatness of tho need. Suitable lodgings for men aro difficult to find; wo aro almost inclined to say that suitablo lodgings for girls, with some few exceptions, are not to be found at all. A hostel onco erected would pay its way, and in tho long run pay even the cost of erection. We are hopeful that this scheme may materialise during the year on which wo havo now entered." Tho announcement of the issue through the Post Office of booklets of soldiers' coupons, entitling the holder to purchase eatables or anything else procurable at Y.M.C.A. canteens is attracting considerable public attention, and when the coupons wcro put on sale for the first time at tho General Post Office yesterday a demand immediately set in. Tho single coupons are valued at 3d., and they are issued in half-crown and fiveshilling booklets. One of the chief objects of the scheme is to avoid the expense, inconvenience, and risk of loss attendant on the promiscuous sending of individual parcels. The association canteens aro to bo found practically wherever tlio men utc on active service, and tho coupons will enable the soldiers to draw on theso stores to suit their own immediate convenience. A number of inquiries havo been made for them at tho local offices.of tho association, but intending purchasers aro asked to note that they are procurable only at moneyorder post offices.

At tlio last meeting of the committeo of flic Victoria University College Graduates' Association tho followiug resolution was passed: "That this association is of opinion that the raising of money for patriotic purposes by such methods as Queen Carnivals, Silver Bullet campaigns, and similar methods, is not oulv wasteful and inequitable, but it is also contrary to tlio spirit of the time, and shows an entire failure to appreciate the sacrifices of the men at the front, and for this reason this association reeo'rus iU strong prote.st'against any such proposal." "The amount contributed under tlio heading of ordinary collections is the largest in the history of St. John's," says tlio annual report of St. John's Church. The whole of the Wellington City Council are to support a deputation from Palmersion North to the Minister on the question of introducing a hydro-elec-tric scheme. The City Coincil informed the Jliramar Borough Council last evening 'hat the lliramnr Golf Club would be able to drain their links into the City Council's outgoing sewer, provided a fee of £"i lis. was" paid yearly and on ngrcoment was drawn u.p in relation to the drainage. At last evening's meeting of tho City Council the following resolution forwarded by the executive of tho Greater Wellington Town Plauning and Municipal Association was "received":—"This association strongly urges that no further nower should be grunted to the Wellington City Council to impose » permanent charge 'cillier direct or indirect on ratepayers without the express consent of the latter, and while concurring in tho proposed safeguards for reserve, renewal and other funds if created, maintains that such funds should only be permissible, and to a specified limit, out of surplus revLiiue -remaining after all '•nvful i-h-M'jes now cxislinj have been ,!„lv s.'i-finl iiml furl her Ihal any Imtaiico beyond the Miggestcd specified statu lory limit should be utilised In relievo tho Bcaoral Jfllcs"

An amendment to tho regulations relating to trade-marks is published in the Gazette issued last night. Tho following "!"'»» is inserted after Clause 02:— (1) Where a trado-innrk lias been registered in respect of goods included iu moro than one of tlio classes of goods described in tho Third Schedule 1o tho regulations there ehall bo payable for tho renewal of tho registration of that trade-mark a separato foo of £1 in respect of each kind of goods to which that trado-mnrk relates which is included in j a separate class in tho said Third Schedule (2) All references in the regulations to a feo for tho renewal of the registration of a trade-mark shall bo read subject to this regulation." The appointment is gazetted of Constable William Herbert Brodley to be an inspector of factories. Tho Hon. Arthur jr. Myers, Minister m Charge of Munitions and Supplies, when approached by a reporter in regard to the appointment of the Munitions and Supplies Board recently gazetted, stated that the personnel of the Munitions and Supplies Board is identical with that ot the Supplies Board of Advico which has, as his advisers, gratuitously assisted tho Minister since August, 19i5. "Tho reason for tho change In titlo of board," remarked Mr. Myers, "is due to tho fact 'that tho activities of my Department havo, since its inception two years ago, multiplied in variety to suoli an extent that it was considered desirable for tho original order of referenco for tbe Supplies Board of Advice to lie amended so as to cover the full'range of business which is now conducted by the Munitions and Supplies Department." It was stated at tho City Council last night that fourteen acres of land had been reclaimed from tho sea at iCilbirnio Recreation Ground. The Mayor said the ground would be extended still further south.

A letter complaining* that the early morning train from Miramax did not connect with the 7.30 a.m. train at Lambton Station was read at last evening's meeting of the Miramar Borough Council. It was pointed out tliat the tram was not scheduled to arrive ot the station until 7.33 a.m., but an effort is to bo made to get the tram to arrive earlier. The executivo of the sports bodies met last night, when it was agreed to continue collecting; for the Citizens' Christmas Gift Fund, as has been done in previous years. ■ Referring to the adherents of St. John's Church who are participating actively in the great war, the annual report says:— "The Roll of Honour grows steadily larger, and so docs the number of the woiiroded and the slain. To the relatives of the soldiers who died on the field of battle, or later of wounds, we tender our respectful sympathy. May God help aud comfort them! With the relatives of the wounded we also deeply sympathise, praying that the men may speedily recover from their injuries, for all wlio have husbands, sons, brothers at the front we express our unfeigned solicitude, Knowing how anxious and care-burdened they are, day by day dreading what tho day may bring forth. To the gallant men who havo gone from our fellowship to tho field we send a message of affection and of just prido in their achievements. Not a few of them havo received promotion and various military honours, and nil of thcm nave done well. It is a somrce of Veen satisfaction to learn, as wo have from many letters, ■ that the men who, cro they left us, had mado a siand for Christ and tho Kingdom of God aro in tho faco not only of danger, but of manifold temptations, fighting tho Rood fight and proving tho sincerity of their faith in the Ron of % God. May. tho gracious Lord watch over all these men of rurs, and come what may keep them over in the path of puritv, truth, and honour." At last evening's meeting of the Miramar Borough Council Mr. A. R. Hislop wrote offering a 6mall pieco of land lo widen a dan.eerous corner on the Karalca Bay Road. Tho offer was accepted. At the Trades Hall last evening, boforo the council and other unionists, Mr. W. Maddison delivered an address, choosing for his subject "A Living Wage, What is It? Is tho Worker Getting It?" The lecturer iirged that tho industrial unrest among tho workers was connected with the cost of living and the standard of living, and maintained that tho fact that tho wprker at a minimum wage was not getting a living wago enabling him to keep his family was the real cause of the unrest. The Salvation Army has accepted the tender of Mr. M. Browman, in tho sum of .£899?, for tho erection of the Returned Soldiers' and tho Workmen's Hostel at the corner of Vivian and Tory Streets. The main entrance to tho hostel will be on tho Vivian Street frontage. At tho back of tho entrance hall will be the office, and adjoining the hall will be the dining-room, which will have an addftional entrance on tho street oornor. Besides tho pantry, kitchen, larder, etc s there will be on the ground floor the smoking-room and • accommodation for forty boarders, with the necessary baths and lavatories. On tho two upper floors accommodation will be provided for one hundred and two boarders. One wing on the first floor has boon specially designed to provide accommodation for returned soldiers. Tho contract will be completed about Christmas time. The plans havo been prepared by Mr. W. Gray Young, architect. A notice is gazetted fixing the closing hours of chemists' shops in tho City of Wellington. From August 20 nil Buch shops, save tho shop established at Cambridge Terrace for tho salo of medicines and surgical appliances that are urgently needed, will close at G p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, at 9 p.m. on Fridays, and at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, but the shops may reopen .on tho Saturdays between 7 and 9 p.m. for the salo of medicines and surgical appliances. Tho attention of the Upper Hutt Town Board is to be drawn by the Wellington City Council to the fact that complaints havo been made regarding tho driving of motor-cars from Trentham to the City by boys. The council will request that a system of licensing persons, bo applied in the Hutt District on the same lines as tho City regulations.

The Tramways Committee of the City Council reported to the council last night that they had teen waited upon by deputations from tho Tramway and Electric Lighting Pgwer Houses Employees 1 Union, and the Trades and Labour Council, tho first with respect to wnges, and tho other in connection with a proposed system of transfer tickets for workers. Tho committee will report ou these matters at the next mooting. Tho Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association is to ho informed by tho City Council that it is not possible under present circumstances to place more cars on tho Kilbirnie section during rush hours. The Finance Committee of the Cily Council reported to tho council last night that they had received the following letter from tho Executive Committee of tho Greater Wellington Town Planning and Municipal Electors' AsKociation: "With reference to your letter referring to capital worts being paid for out of revenue, I am directed by my Association to ask, since when has tiie Finauco Committee had tho prerogative of side-tracking matters which have been sent to tiro City Council. My association considers that tho lotter of June G should have been referred to the City Council as a whole." The committee recommended that the letter bo "received," and this formality the council adopted. A question of interest in its relation to the effort now being made to secure Iho financial of the Athletic Parle lease was asked in the House of Representatives yesterday by Dr. Thacker. His ouestion was: Whether the Prime Minister will financially assist football and sports clubs, most of whoso members and players have gone to tho front, to lido over tho keen exigencies entailed on them by tho war? The grounds of these clubs, added Dr. Thacker, depended on gnle-monoy for maintenance and upkeep. The players being away fighting, there was practically no income. Thesogrounds, if permanently established, would be a graceful tribute to and memorial of those who have fought so grandly for us. A suggestion was made by Mr. .T. V. Brown, member of Napier, in Uio Hoiwe of Representatives yesterday that the Government should provide more accommodation for tho families of soldiers at Trentham and 'Peatherston, where there is a great dearth of houses. Mr. Brown nronnsrd lhal the Government should l"'ilc!. sav. (welvo tliree-rnoined col rages lie .Via led I hat .«omn soldiers paid an miicli as AM a week for two-roomedlidusos near tho caniraj.

The Gazette announces that tho Government offices throughout New Zealand will be closed on Monday, September 21, in celobration of tho tenth anniversary of tho day on which New Zealand was created a Dominion. An eldei-ly maa was arrested by tlio police yesterday in Iho precincts of Parliament Uouso" on a warrant issued at Auckland, tho charge being one of assault. It appears that (ho man arrested is labouring under the impression that ho discovered a goidfield some years ago and was entitled to receive a reward of ifilOOO from tlio Government. lie took round a petition in Auckland praying tho Government to grant the reward, and a foreigner who was approached declined to sign the document, and is alleged to have been promptly knocked down. The "discoverer of tho goidfield then took. train for Wellington, and was on his way to present his petition when tho polico pounced upon him, The work of tlio Wellington War lielief Association in increasing steadily. The applications now dealt with average over 80 a week. During last month 450 letters wero written and over 500 cheques drawn. Tho lieliof Committee of Wellington War Rolief Association reported to the association yesterday that tho committee had brought before tho Minister of Defence the inadequacy of pensions to wives and children of menially affected soldiers. "Wo have in those cases brought.before our notice." added the committee, "obtained payment (with arrears) of the maximum pension, and on tho advice of tho Minister application by tho Public Trustee has been made for a pension (payable to tho dependants) on behalf of the "soldier." Tho operations of tho Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board are, under regulations by which— the board was created, confined to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The Wellington War Relief Association has received requests for assistance by dependants of members of the crews of two warships and of the Motor Patrol Service, and tho Minister of Defence lias "been supplied with full details of the position of these dependants, and reo.uestcd to so amend the Act that its provisions shall apply to tho dependants of naval men. Replying to a. communication from tho Wellington War Rolief Association, urging that the public sale of strong drink bo° confined to the tinio between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., the Prime Minister said: "Tho Government is preparing legislat;on bearing on this question, and Parliament will be given an early opportunity of dealing with the matter -luring the present session."

The Hawko's Bay War Eehef Association on Monday received appeals for funds from Hie Salvation Army, Catholic Federation. Church Army, _ and Methodists. After considerable, discussion the cTiairman (Mr. T. Mason Chambers) moved that £300 he granted to the Church Briny for providing comforts and alleviating distress at the front. This motion did not find a seconder. On the motion of Messrs. Eansom and Harding the following resolution was passed :-"That a reply ho given™ the bodies who appealed »r funds that the association could not grant the request, as thev had appointed tho Y.M.C.A. as their agents at tho front." Hood conditions still menaced tho country round about Hastings and Napier at the beginning of the week, In a motor drive round the country between Napier and Hastings (a«yfl the Napier 'Telegraph") ampls evidence was found that the heavv rain on Saturday night and Sunday stopped just as another serious flood was beginning to threaten. Between Napier and tho Waitangi washout a great deal of water was on all the lowlving land yesterday. Beyond the washout water had come over tho road between there and Clive. Tho same was tho case in a number of places on the Hastings sido of Wive. On tho road from Hastings to Havelock thero was any amount of water. In one place it was nearly right across the road and there was a good deal in the paddocks. At Meanee the roads on both sides of tho bridgo were in a very bad state. Ino road was in about as iiad a state as it was possiblo.for a car to negotiate. Small channels scored out by streams during last flood had become Piled with silt, which the latest downpour had liquefied, making a trap for unwary drivers and a menace to springs and axles. In the House of Eepresentatives yesterday, Mr. E. A. Wright gave notice to ask the Prime Minister whether he will direct that, in all cases where the sons or daughters of members of tho Now Zealand Expeditionary Forces are applicants for positions m the Government service (all things being otherwise equal) they shall receive preference ovor other applicants for such positions. Tho National Committee of the TMCA. acknowledges tho following contributions to its war fundsi-Monga-tainoka Ladies' Patriotic Committee, .£lls Bs. 6d.; National Eeservo, Ladies Branch, Napier, £50; Mr. C. Cathie, Wellington, £50; Ihakara Patriotic Society, £25; Thomas Mountfort, Gisborne £22 10s.; Takaka Patriotic League, £15; Lawrenco Patriotic Fund, £U 2s. Gd.; Otaki Patriotic Society, £7 is.; Hutt Patriotio Guild, "Anonymous, Onehimga, £3; Willowbndge Sunday School, Waimate, £2 10s.; Three Officers, G.I. Department, £1 las.; Misses Mowbray and Govau, Palmerston North, £l "s 'Gd ; Mr. James, AVellingtou (monthly), Miss H. C. Tucker, Christehurcn, £1; Mrs. Graham, Waimate, 15s ; Mr. ,T. C. Fraser Wellington, Mr. G..11. 1.1liott, Palmerston North, Mrs. J. i. Harraway, Dunedin,los.; Mr. C. J. Westland, Christclrurch, 7s. fid.; "M., Wellington, ss. Corporal H. L. Hondra, of Levin, ha 3 been discharged from the Expeditionary Forces on account of being medically unfit for active service. Corporal Uendra enlisted in May, and was a member ot the Thirty-fifth Reinforcements.