LOCAL AND GENERAL
The Prime Minister said in (he House yesterday tluit tho necessary legislation for providing for better financial assistance to the dependants of Second Division men would be pat through this session.
Arrangements have been made for the institution of a camp at l.'eatherston at which C 2 men may receive a course cf training to bring them up to tho physical standard necessary for (lie ordinary training course. Selected men who do not quite come up to tho standard required for general service will bo put Ihrough a graduated course, consisting largely of physical training, bcfoTO boj ujr poslcil to a reinforcement draft. Tin' iiiiiil'-r <'!' ;i on ilu; llst,iiii:ili'< for Hi" Workers' Kiluraliuu Association is 'imler the consideration u r tho Government,
-V fine sample or tho logical working Uiul; distinguishes tlio legal mind was provided by tho utterance oi' prosecuting counsel in a oaso of alleged bigamy yesterday. "It will be proved," said counsel, "that Iho woman whom accused first married is alive now; and naturally sin) must have been alive on tlio date on which accused's second marriage took place!"
A note in (lie latest camp orders issued at Trentliam states that non-conuiiissKinid ullicers and men while oil xmns or on leave from camp will be returned to tump at once, and nave tneir pass or leave cancelled, for the following oil'eiiees(a) bailing to saluto uilicori;; (b) wearing civilian greatcoats; tc; being dirty and .slovenly. For tho convenience of intjuiiiug investors in the War Loan, all money order oliiccs in tho Dominion ,iro to reopen 011 I'iiuay ami Saturday evenings from 7 till B.HO, from Friday evening next until Saturday eveuing, fc'eptember 1. lieplying in Hie House of Kepresentativei to a question, the Prime Minister made tho iollowing statement regarding soldiers settled on land: — "Every soldier settler is expocted to pay life rent on the laud allottod to him, and ill most eases docs so. if, however, he is financially unable to pay, assistance may be, and has been, given either "by way of postponement of payment or remission for such poriod as is desirable. Jiach case is treated strictly on its merits by tho Land Board, according to tho nature of the land and tho circumstances of the settler, and in no case has tho recommendation of tho Land Board been disapproved." It is understood tliat somo little fooling has been created in certain quarters owing to tho general committeo concerned in raising funds for patriotic purposes having soleot«I Nelson Day l'or its big effort. In tlio past this date—which has a sentimental value attached to ithas boon the occasion of an effort by tho local branch of tho Ivavy League for sqmo purposo affecting the comfort and well-being of "the boys in navy blue," and thero, exists a footing that of all the year some dato other than Nelson i)ay (October 21) might liavo been selected.
Sir Thomas a' Beckett, tho doyon of the Victorian Bench, is retiring to private life. Ho is just oil 80 years of age. Ono of the stories told about Sir Thomas concerns a man sentenced_to uentb. When tho Executive roviowed tnc decision, bir Thomas, who tried tho man, was present, and one of tlio Ministry asked liini if the prisoner appeared to bo ot weak intellect. "Oh! no," said the .Tudgo with a smilo, "truth to toll, ho had a face liko Justice Hodges." J-'ho law was allowed to tako its course.
After considering n communication from ■tho Trades Council regarding tho celebration of Labour Day, tlio Wellington Branch of tho federated Seamon s Union has decided to suggest that Labour Day this year bo mado tho occasion for a mass gathering of the working classes to protest against "tho unwarranted high pricos of commodities and general autocratic treatment of New Zealand citizens by the Government and Parliament of tho Dominion." It is proposed that motions bo submitted to tho meeting and thon a procession bo formed to march to Parliament Buildings and place tho resolutions before the Prime Minister and demand immediate redress. iho Trades Council is to bo asked to placo the proposal beforo tho various national Labour bodies of Now Zealand, with tho object of securing uniform action throughout the Dominion. Should tno Trades Council fail to cntortam tho suggestion tho Federated Seamen's Union, states the general socretary (Mr. W. 1. Young), will at once approach all Labour bodies of Wellington with the object of bringing about such a demonstration. "I regrot that I cannot see my way to place tho sailor serving i» the English Navy who has mado Now Zealand his home, and who has dependants here, on the sumo footing as tho soldior who belongs to tho New Zealand Expeditionary force," said tho Defence Minister in a lettor read to t'ho Advisory Board of the Patriotic Societies yesterday. "If the sailor is a resorvist who has a wife and children in New Zealand, tho Now Zealand Government does mako up the pay to that of tho soldier on service with our own force, but to extend it to any sailor who happens to bo serving in tho English Navy does not seem to me to bo fair. It would lead to a domand to extend it to ovory soldier whoso homo is New Zoaland- but who is now serving in tho British forces -under British conditions. The members of the Motor Boat Patrol understood-perfectly clearly when they enlisted that they did so on tno conditions of pay allotted to them by tho Imperial Government. In order to meet tho difficulty with regard to wives and children, tho New Zealand Government has made provision to bring the rate of pay in such cases up to that of tlio members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Porcc."
Tho new war film, "Sons of Our Empire,' ' shown privately yesterday, under the auspices of tho Y.M.C.A., is of special interest, as it shows views of Australian and Now Zealand troops returning to tlio lines after a successful advance, and bringing with them many hundreds of Hun prisoners. Another view shows a big crowd of Now Zealand soldiers attending a burial sorvica conductcd bohind tho lines over the bodies of their fallen oomrados—a 6ad sceno, but ono of intense human interest.
Mr. Forbes asked tho Minister of Public Health in tho Houso of Representatives yesterday afternoon whether ho would bring in an amendment of the Counties Act allowing local bodies to subsidise doctors in order to retain their services in tho district. Tho Minister said ho would consder tlio matter and givo a reply within the next two or throe days. I
An inquiry as to whether the Governinent had takon notice of the ehortago of ksroseno was made by Mr. -W. 11. Field in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Pximo Minister said this was tho first time his attention had been drawn to a shortage of kerosene. Ho would have inquiries made, and give an answer in the course of a day or two.
The annual conference of City Beauti-. fying and Town-Planning Associations of New Zealand is to bo held in Wellington to-morrow. Ono of the most important items that will come up for discussion will bo a Bill to bo presented to Parliament to give local authorities moro power than they have at present to spend money oil town-planning works. It is proposed that tho different features brought out at the conference shall bo used as the basis of the Bill which will bo drafted later and submitted to jndividual associations and societies for consideration during tho recess, so as to bo finally drafted for presentation to Parliament next year.
It is not generally known that the Wellington detectives two working at high pressure ami under extreme difficulties. Nevertheless, 'such is tno c#so just now. This matter was emphasised in the Magistrate's Court yesterday by Mr. T. Jf. Wilford, who <lrcw attention to the fact tlmt the police were asking for a further Temand in the caso of two young men charged with attempting to obtain money by fraud. "If I wero not awaro that the detectives were greatly overworked, I would certainly cntor an emphatic protest against theso tentinned remands," observed Mr. Wilford, who further stated that as tho result ol tlio war extia "work bad been placed on the shoulders of tho local detective force, and some of tho members had broken down under tho strain; in some c-ases they had suffered from neuritis, ana under the circumstances he would refrain from entering a -protest. Tho national treasurer of the Y.M.C.A., Mr. 1). A. Ewen, lias _ cabled Homo to the association's supervising secretary in London a sum of ,£6OOO for expenditure in trench comforts and war work generally. A sum of .£l4O has been cabled to Mesopotamia for similar jiurposes, and (lie association's representatives in JsgTPt nave been notified To draw on the isew Zealand funds as required. The National Committee of tho Y.M.C.A., which recently received a gilt of soctions of land from Mr. E. A. lerston, of Wellington, is now ill receipt ot a second valuable gift from tho samo donor. Mr. Perston. has mado over to tho association two suburban lots at Island Bay to be disposed of for its war fund*. liin 11 ill hats frnm (li'o. l'Wlds. J,ld., Miiuuers .Street. f'ireat selection in shades and shapes, Rs. 6d. io i2s. Stcts.oft'g etait Et 27g. 6d.—Adtt.
Tho Prime Minister does not think it will bo feasible to adopt tho suggestion of the member for Auckland West (.Mr. Poole), that a gift of a tin of butter bo sent to every New Zealand soldier. The diliiculties of transport and distribution are too great.
A question was asked in the House of Representatives recently as to whether all persons arriving in New Zealand from Sohleswig-Holslein were regarded as Danes, and it was pointed out that there was a danger of enemy aliens coming into New Zealand in this way. Replying to the question yesterday, the Prime Minister said: "Persons arriving from Scldes-wig-llolsteiu would bo regarded as Germans. Tho War Regulations of August 21, 1910, .provide (Regulation -1): "After October 1, K'lfi, no person whose age exceeds lil'teeu years shall land at any place in Now Zealand from any place beyond the seas unless he has in his possession n passport which has been issued to him not more than two years before his arrival in New Zealand,* and which, in tho caso of a person coming from a foreign country, has been issued or vi-ed b,v tho British Ambas=ador or a British Consul in that country, and ill the caso of a person coming from any part of tho British dominions has been issued or vised by some public official thereof duly authorised in that behalf."
Arrangemenls have been made by the meat companies in New Zealand for a new method of dressing and packing mutton and lamb carcasses in order to 6ave space in tho cold chambers, on shore and on shipboard. Tho method is to cut off tho hind-quarters and fold them inwards into tho rest of tho carcass. It is estimated that a considerable increase in the capacity of stores will result from this method of packing. "I was under the belief that my father was dead," said a witness in the Supreme Court yesterday. "Whero do you believe liim to be now?" was tho innocent query of counsel. Tho following statutory declaration has been mndo in respect of tho bankrupt ostato of David Clayton Howell Price, of Sydney, formerly a lieutenant in tho Commonwealth Military Forces:—"l, .Tohn Thomas' Murray, Victoria Barracks, Paddington, Commonwealth public servant, am attached to the Defence Department, Camp Pay Section, Sydney, and tho facts deposed to are within my own personal knowledge. In consequence of frauds committed by David Clayton Howell Price, who was an officer in tho Defence Department of tho Commonwealth of Australia, tho Commonwealth has been defrauded of a total amount of ,£67,012. David Clayton Howell Prico was convicted at tho Quarter Sessions at Sydney in March last of offences in respect of tho frauds, and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, which ho is now serving. Tho Commonwealth of Australia has not received any portion of tho xC6",012, and holds 110 security of any kind in respect of that amount."
The Public Petitions A to L Committoo of tlio House of Representatives lias recommended that the petitions of Alexander William Bir.?s tin dThomas Holland, of Carterton, praying for remission ot tho fines imposed in connection with certain legal proceedings fllioiid be referred to tlio Government for favourable consideration. The Minister of Defence yesterday oxpressed definite opposition to Mr. J. V. Brown's scheme for the training of Second Division men at local camps in their own district, so as to ensure their, seeing something of their families. Mr. Brown suggested as an alternative that the men should, get week-end leave. Sir James Allen said that tho establishment of local camps was not considered neces. sary, and that week-end leave, aa suggested, would seriously interfere with the training.
Thousands of business and professional men in England who have enlisted have transferred their bank accounts and chequo books to their wives. While tbo husband is with, tho Army it devolves upon the wife to manage and settle everything—rent, rates, education, wages, household, and all other bills. She also has to receive the husband's income and to pay it in to the bank. Most cf the women who are now choque-6igners never before had a banking account. But tho manager of a big London bauk said recently that his admiration for tho capabilities of the war-time woman has been heightened by the intuition, end system she displayed in tackling her absent husband's finances. "Women, lie said, "do not make the mistakes and display tho simplicity in finnncial affairs that legend credited to them. They aro very methodical in thoir banking. Women customers pay in promptly and are more attentive to their pass books than many men. It is very seldom that women incur overdrafts.".
Regarding tho agitation that has arisen in certain quarters of the community and among a numbor of Parliamentarians for tho granting of furlough to the remaining members of the Main Body, an interesting observation was made by Mr. M. J. White, a returned soldier, at the annual reunion of the Otago High School Old Boys on Saturday evening, states the "Daily Times." He said that the representations of some of these peoplo were not quite in accord with, the intentions of the men tliomselves. He was in a position to say that tho men did not desire furlough. Some of them hod gono through Egypt, Gallipoli, and France, and at this late hour were determined to see it through. They did not require leave, and they were not going to shift until the war was over. This statement was received with applause, and with mingled expressions of surprise.
Councillor Appleton intends to movo at Saturday's meeting of the . Onslow Borough Council: "That the council wait upon the General Manager of Railways in regard to an evening train service on the Manawatu line, and that if necessary the council pay a subsidy for the uso of the motor train."
The soldiers' coupons, which wcro first placed on sale in Wellington last week, immediately attracted public attention, and are likely to become a very popular form of gift to send to the front, -The holder of the coupons is entitled to exchange them for food or nnv description of goods obtainable at Y.M.C.A. canteens. As is generally known, these "huts" or canteens follow the men very closelv wherever they are engaged, ami, as a matter of fnct, i\ew Zealaiulers are better supplied ill this respect than any other section of the Army. The lost Office is issuing, the coupons from every money-order office throughout the Dominion at their face value, and free of all exchange. They are done up in half-crown and five-shilling booklets containing ten and twenty 3d. coupons. Thev should be especially valued by the peoplo who wish to nvopj the ralrai ngance and uncertainly of sending parcels which mav never reach their destination, or may be quite useless when tliev ilo The coupon system is designed to enable the soldier to get what, he wants just at the time when he is able to make uso of it.
Councillor .T. Castle has given notice that at t'ho npxl; meeting of the City Council ho will ask why the aquarium at the Zoo hod no fish in it when he visited it on Sunday, August 12—"a. day on which a very large number of people visited the aquarium, and its appearance caused great disappointment to many men who went to see it for the last time before leaving for the war." He has also given notice of the following motions:— II) "That, seeing that twice, when the aquarium had raised tho interest of the peoplo to a hitrh degree, it has suddenly been renedrcd tenantless, the council wiTI immediately try to arrange for Mr. Ayson and the City Engineer to devise "some method of working tliO aquarium that shall prevent such catastrophes as tho unfortunate, though popular. institution has twice been ruined by." (2) "That tho curator o'f the Zoo be asked to report: (a) What means aro used to supply the fish in the aquarium with oxygen; (b) on what principle the number of fish that can bo maintained in good condition fn a tank is estimated; (c) how many keepers have had cluirgo of tlio aquarium and how long each of them has held tho charge." (:)) "Thai the operation of the new by-law. providing for tne increase of charge for admission to the Zoo, be suspended, pending tho restoration the aquarium."
The Hon. A. SI. Myers said in tlio House of Representatives yesterday that it was not proposed to amend the Pensions Act in Iho direction of providing pensions for women whose husbands are clmmii: invalids. An invalid?' pensions whelm l , with I lie heavy financial responsibilities at tho present time, was riot favoured by Goveramwifci
To supply tbo great demand for houses in tbo vicinity of the camps, Mr. J V. Brown suggested to tho Government that, Bay, twelve three-roomed oottages shoald 1)6 eroctWi by tho Government. Sir James Allen stated yesterday that the providing of twelve three-rooinod houses at Trent liam and leathcrston for (lio purpose indicated was impracticable To adequately meet tho demand for houses which would arise, should this bo done, he considered that hundreds of houses v.uuld require to be crected. A very sympathetic reply was given by the Prime Minister yesterday to tho pica made by Dr. Thaeker for financial assistance to save sports grounds for the eoldiers 011 their return. "It would b» an everlasting disgrace to New Zealand," .said Mr. Massey, "if these grounds passed into tho hands of the mortgagees during the absence of our soldiers, and I am confident that Government and the public will join to prevent anything of tho sort tating place." An influential deputation, consisting of representatives of most of tho local bodies between Wellington and W'anganui, is to wiiit upon tho Prime Minister this morning to discuss with him tho advisability of urging forward tho prosecution of the preliminary work in connection with the proposed hydro-electric schemo for the Wellington district, or at least that part of tho district westward of tho Tararua. iiange, which has been reported on by Mr. Evan Parry (tho Government expert in hydro-electrics). Most of thelocal bodies concerned would liko to have ii more definite idea as to when the scheme' is likely to come into operation, so that they may bo spared any expenditure which may be necessary a little later on in connection with power pjants. It is not considered likely that the machinery necessary for tho power station would bo readily obtainable, but there is other works, 6uch as tho piercing or tunnels and building of dams, that confld bo pushed on with at onco in preparatfon for that happy period when peace will fransfer the industrial energy of the Allien from artillery to electrical machin.vy.
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3164, 16 August 1917, Page 4
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3,364LOCAL AND GENERAL Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3164, 16 August 1917, Page 4
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