LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3175, 28 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Cabinet sat until late yesterday afternoon, and completed the consideration of the Taxation Bill, which contains the proposals outlined by the Minister of Financo in the Budget. The Bill is now ready for presentation to the House of Representatives, and it is to bo introduced there by Governor's Message today or to-morrow. No other mattere camo before Cabinet yesterday. A final settlement with regard to the National Efficiency Board lias not yet been reached. Mr. Justico Hosking never fails to show consideration for such unfortunates as dairy farmers and milkmen, who have to rise with the lark. Of a dairy farmer who yesterday applied, for exemption from jury service ho briefly inquired: "You are a dairy farmer, and have- to get up at all hours?" "Yes, sir," replied tho applicant. "That's enough. You are' excused," said His Honoii! , .. It was suggested by a member of the Commercial Travellers' Club yeeterdoy that the Government 6houAd arrange to take over a shop, or part of a shop, in tho centre of tho city, and on. one of the busiest thoroughfares, where Liberty Loan literntu.ro could be cbfuined, and all information on obscure points could be given by a competent officer well versed in tho subject. The gentleman who mado tho suggestion ?aid tliut he believed that a good deal of money was lost to tho Government through tho ignorance of tho public, who might demur at visiting tho Treasury Department in search of information. A notice published in a Gazette Extraordinary gives additions to the list of companies, firms, and persons declared to be enemies, and also a number of names which have been removed from tho list. A claim for .£IOOO damages in connection with a, motor accident on the Hutfc Koad was to have been heard in tho bupremo Court yesterday. Tho'claimant was Emily Eosina Martin, and tho defendant Alexander Dimdore. The action was settled out of Court. The celebration of tho centenary of the founding of tho religious Order of Marist Brothers, by Father Champagnet, in tho year 1817, will take place in Wellington on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, September 8, 9, and 10. The celebrations will bo: IJequiein Mass on Saturday, September 8, in each of the paa , - ish churches and St. Gerard's Eedemptorist Church; Sunday, September 9, Solemn High Mass at 3 a.m., and general conimimiou of old boys and present students at St. Mary of tho Angels' Church. Mass will bo celebrated by members of tho clergy who are old boys of tho school, and tho music will bo rendered by tho school choir. At tho samo church in tho evening tho Eov. Father S. Mahony, S.M., an old boy and now parish priest of St. Mary's, will preach a panegyric on tho lifo of tho Veil. Father Champagnet. On tho Monday evening a social reunion will be held—"N.Z. Tablet." A littlo that tho Y.M.C.A. has recently been ablo to do in the way of providing comfort? for tho guard on Somes Island has been greatly appreciated by thoso concerned. Till lately the men there had been somewhat overlooked, but now through tho assistance of the association they have had their billiard-tablo renewed and provided with accessories, they havo a gramophone and records, and enjoy a good supply of envelopes, writing material, and various indoor games. A vigorous shock of earthquako was felt in Masterton about niuo o'clock yesterday morning. At the council meeting of tho Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce, yesterday it was decided that a special appeal should bo mado to members this week to eupporl the Liberty Loan. The cliainniin (Mr. A. Leigh Hunt) e.\Ul that lhou"li nil Mayors had been communicated with, thero did not seem iu be any systematic organisation in connection .with the raising of (he loan,

TJin New Zealand National Committee of the Y.M.C.A. yesterday cabled JUOOO to Egypt for expenditure in Holdiers' comforts, and «CSUO to Mesopotamia for a similar purpose.

Kecently tho Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce wrote to the British Trado Commissioner (Mr. E. W. Daltou), asking for information about an index of manufacturers, trado 'registrations, etc., and asking that tho Board of Trade supply them with such a publication if they published same. In reply, Mr. iJiilton replied that he would have plensuro in forwardiug tho request to the Imperial Board of Trade. 'It is possible," ho wrote, "that the board may bo able to supply you with some liabs of British firms and arrange to put your chamber on their lists for other publications which may Ijo of interest. Ido not think, however, that it will be po-.siblo to supply you with a complete official list of manufacturers classified by trades, which I understand is what you want. So far as I know, no such list is as yet available." In reply to the same request made to tho Trado Ccamnissinni'ior Canada, Mr. W. A. Beddoe replies by sending six copies of the Export 1).rectory of Canada, issued by Ihn Guiadian Department of Trade and Commerce.

Professor Macmillan Brown has returned to Christehurch after a trip of a most interesting nature amongst tho most easterly of tho Pacific Islands, mostly thoso iu li'icnch possession. After, visiting several of tlio Society Group (states ic Clms-tehurch. paper) he went south to Bapa and Tubnai, investigating ami photographing the slono images winch hail never been subjected lo tho Operation before. The. Professor also obtained a number of fine photographs of tho natives, both men and women. Visits were paid by tho Professor's party lo the Gambier and Paumotu Group, and then a return was made to Tahiti. J. ho United States Consul happened to_ be there at tho time, and tho French Governor made a good deal of his visitors, who were treated to a round of festivities, feted, and complimented as being representatives of France's Allies. A Stale processional kind of trip was raado all round tho islands, which lasted for four days. Professor MacmUl.'ra Brown also visited the Marquesas, which he said proved tho most interesting of all the island's, with fine stone temples and intelligent and interesting inhabitants. The Leeward Islands were also visited, and the Professor was enabled to carry out a most valuable series of original investigations, and obtain a very fino series of photographs of the. people and their ancient architecture.

At yesterday's meeting of the Central Cnambcr of Commerce, tho method of taxation of company funds was criticised adversely. The present method, which taxed all company profits .before the dividend was paid favoured tho big man at tho expense of the small ono. It was reported that in the Commonwealth* the individual was taxed on his dividends, not the company, so that each man paid according to his holding. On the motion of Mr. L. A. Edwards it was decided that tho Government should be recommenced to adopt the Commonwealth method of taxation, as being more equitable than our oivn.

The case of Herbert 'William Gough, who was recently convicted r.f sending a threatening letter to demand money from a woman, was mentioned in the Supreme Court yesterday. A charge against the accused of attempting to stupefy a girl by means of a drug, with intent io commit a crime, was to have been heard, but Mr. V. R. Meredith, on behalf of the Crown, aeked for a further adjournment. Hie Honour Mr. Justice Hoskmg set the case down for hewing on Friday, September 11. Mr. .''• W. Jackeon represented Gough. Corporal W. H. Cox. who is engaged ou home service in "Wellington, has just received an interesting memento from his son Eobert, at the front. This is a poc-ket-book containing a Y.K:C.A. envelope and paper with a bullet-hole right throngh it. The book probably helped to savo tho son's life, for though he was pretty badly wounded at tho time, he as now making good progress in hospital. Private Eobert Cox, who was wounded at Messines, on Hill GO, on June 8, has two brothers with the forces on active service, ono as a Y.M.C.A. field secretary. Men or women with ideas are wanled by the Wellington Industrial Association. Tho association, is fathering a competition, in which Wellington fac-tory-hands may compete, for suggestions respecting the utilisation of waste products. The conditions of the conipolilion have not yet been framed. .A sum of £5 ss. has been donated towards the prize-moziey. "It fiecms to me that -until tho row between the Government and the National Efficiency Board is over we will get nothing," said a member of tho Wellington Industrial Association last evenin" "It seems to me our only chanceto get anything is through the National Efficiency Board, and they are the only crowd that has stood up to the Government bo far." Mr. C. J. Parr, C.M.G-., M.P., addressed a large audience in Masterton last evening, in which he described his visit to England and Trance. He was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. "The Industries Committee of Parliament might do something to secure Now Zealand manufacturers supplies of raw material," a member of the \Velling_ton Industrial Association remarked at iast evening's meeting. "Works hero are closing down," he added,. "because they have no more raw material to work on. "A useless-committce-a totally useless committee"-said a member of tho Wellington Industrial Association last evening when referring to tho Industries Committee of Parliament. Members said their experience with tho _ committee OT last session was not satisfactory, and that what the association wanted was the Prime Minister's redemption of his promise to establish a New Zealand Board of Industries. It was said, also that the Parliamentary Committee did not contain, ovon ono manufacturer. "Say, boss! can't wo do Bomoßiing with this ?" observed a worker in a Wellington tannery when tho manager was walking through tho works one day. "Boss" adopted a suggestion made- by the worker, and tho firm is now making per month from what was fonnorly a waste product. Tho worker was presented with £W for his suggestion. Mr. E. W. M'Villy, Assistant General Manager of Railways, slated at yesterday's sitting of tho Military Service Board that 1255 appeals had been made for railway employees. Thero had been 98G men balloted sinco November, 1916, and they had been dealt with as fol-low-.-Dismissed, 50!); withdrawn, 52; not appealed for, 215; granted leave, 210 (voluntary recruits). The Department was willing, said Mr. M'Villy to release anothor 137 employees, to niako up the 400 already promised. The Dunedin Presbytery resolved that while Tendering all tho assistance possible to the War loan, to protest to the Government because ■of its inaction in the face of the fact that millions are bein" wasted on the liquor traffic every vear and the efficiency of the Army and tho Dominion is being greatly impaired thereby, as is borne out by the report of tho Efficiency Board. "I notico that you tiso tho term 'Nonconformist ministers' in your questions, nnd that tho witness invariably substitutes 'ministers of religion' in his , answers." eaid Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., to Mr H H. Ostler during tho examination of tho Ecv. Howard Elliott before the Postal Commission at Auckland on Saturday (says tho "Star"). "There are no Nonconformists in New Zealand, went on Mr. Bishop, "because there is no State Church here. 'The Church of tho Province of New Zealand, commonly called the Church of England,' is on the same footing us all Hi? other religious bodies, nnd there is really no 'Church of England' in this country. Hence there is no question of conformity." "I ™™t apologise/, rejoined Mr. Ostler. °[ tho term, I am afraid, is due to tho fact that I was brought up i" the Church of England. I hope Mr. Elliott will fnrfivo me." "Quite so," remarked Jlr. Ei'iinp. "I was brought up in it myself." Tho weather is getting spring-like. Does it suggest to you lighter boots. See our aW kid, lte. Gd., 21s. 6(1., 225. Bd., to Ms.—Gon. Fowlds, Ltd., Afanners Stroet.-Advt. "No Uubbing" Laundry Help is what is recommended for washing clothes clean without rubbing or injury to the hands or fabrics.—Bannatyno and Hunter, Ltd.—Advt,

Tho .sum of .MIS 3s. Sd. has been nandcd over to tho "War ]!elief Association of Wellington bytlio"liladeyedlcrs," being the proceeds of an entertainment given by lliem in tho Paramount'Theatro recently. Tho party subsequently visited Palmorston North, where -£112 13s. wns given to tho Flying Corps Hospital Fund us tho result of a record ontertainment.

Statements, soiao of thorn emanating from Ministerial sources, havo been made regarding the number of men etill availJiblo in tho First Division, and, generally speaking, these, statements havo been of an optimistic nature (says the "Otaso Times"). Several of the Military Sorvico Boards have now reached a stage w.lien men who have had their appeals adjourned sine dio have again had their cases reviewed. Tho Otago No. 2 Military Service Board commenced the reviow of sino dio appeals at Gore on Thursday afternoon, and if tho culling out process adopted there is to be accepted as a criterion, it does not appear as if prophecies of tho optimistically inclined are even approximately correct. In all, 0G cases were dealt with at Goto on Thursday, 50 of which were sine die eases, the remaining 1G being fresh aypeals. An analysis of tho results shows that, of the Gβ only eight were ordered to camp—four to go in November, and one each in September, October, December, mid January; two appeals were adjourned sine die, 20 adjourned for three months, ono for two months, three for n month, and four until next sitting of the board; eight wore referred to the ■Efficiency Board, one was adjourned to Timarii. ono of the nnpellants vras in ho.»pital, and another had .eouo to camp, and 17 were classed C' 2. Of the adjourned cases, it is not expelled that six will be nsked to don khaki, notwithstanding that. they have nil been medically examined and passed fit.

In reporting to tho. Central Chamber of Commerce- yesterday on the recent deputation to the Government on tho hydroelectric scheme for the district, Mr. L. A. Edwards said that all ho could report reply to the deputation that there was reply ti tho deputation that there was no money for. anything other than the war, and the members of the deputation heartily supported the Prime Minister in his "win the war first" policy. Personally he thought that the Government might go a little further, as such a work would give employment lo returned soldiers. Besides that, it would savo hundreds of thousands of tons of coal annually. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt said that iff view of the impetus in trade that was. expected after the war, he thought that tho Government might go further and give them more information about its plans so that manufacturers might make their plans as far 83 expenditure of money was concerned. They would certainly like to have a little more information at tho present' time.

On the subject of the- registration of chattels, which is now centred in Wellington, tho Central Chamber of Commerce recently wrote to the Registrar suggesting that the lists of different districts should be interchangeable. In liis reply, the Registrar rather misunderstood tho point. The chairman (Mr. A. Leifh Hu,nt) said that what they wished to bring about was that complete provincial lists should be kept in the different districts,' AYellimrton, Palmeiston North, ond Masterton. On the motion of Jlr. L. A. Edwards it wasdwjde<l that the chairman and secretary interview the Registrar and explain exact-' ly what was wanted, and report to the eonncil.

A rote lias been made l>y the Edncation Department for the purchase of a school site at Solway, near Masterton.