LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3189, 13 September 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

According: to a return kid on tho table of the House of Representatives yesterday, ii 6 returned discharged soldiers up to August 31 last re-enlisted and proceeded again, on active service with reinforcements.

The statement by tho Minister of Defence, made recently, that tho Government contemplated taking over the run. 'Hing\ of camp canteens gives special interest to an experiment which is being:

made at Papawai Camp in thi - 3 direction. The Camp Commandant at Fcatherston decided some time ago to test the working under camp control of a small canteen, and that at Papawai offered a favourable opportunity. It has been running for a month under the new regime, to the general satisfaction of all conoemed. The Base Records Office has received at'vico from tho Camp Adjutant, Featherston, stating that 58,700 Private' Frederick Valentine Wallace, 82nd Specialists, was drowned at Gore on Monday. Full particulars are not available at present. The next-of-kin is Mr. J. S. Wallace, Huron SJreet, Gore. Out of a total cf 190 industrial disputes last year 159 wero settled or substantially settled by the Commissioners and Councils of Conciliation.

The Government hoe refused to,grant ,tho request for inoreased pensions mads on behalf,of South African war pensionera.

It is a simple matter to realise how tho prico of metals has advanced, and the manner in which it must affect industries in this country, when it is learned that the prico of black shoot iron (21 gauge), which was .£l2 per ton beforo the war, is now quoted at per ton f.o.b. in New York. On top of this has to be paid exorbitant freight and insurance rates, which run the price to over £100 per ton by the time it is in store in New Zealand. The. price of steel rails and bars, angle, iron, etc., has also advanced in about tho same proportion, which wili mako all classes of iron and steel works very expensive in the immediate ' future. Only, the existence of stocks in the country has kept down prices to their present level. All .ironfounders are well aware of tho position, which has been accentuated no doubt by America's entrance into the war, and nro employing agents to carefully comb the country for scrap iron of alnnst any description.

The Parliamentary Lands Committee recommends that this Day' 6 Bay Sanitation and Water Supply Bill bo allowed to proceed.' ' ; '

Tho latest papers from. Apia quote the full toit of an ordinance "elating to tho hours for shops and offices. This provides that any shop, office, or warehouse within a radius of five miles f-oni the Apia' Post Office may be open only from Monday to Friday in each week, both days inclusive: from 8 a.m.'to 5.80 p.m., with the' exception of one hour between 12 noon and 2 p.m. on each such day, when 6uch shop, store, or office shall not be open. On each and every Saturday the hours are from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chinese shops may be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday to Chinese indentured labourers only. No employee or assistant is to work for more than 85 hours on any week day or five hours on Saturday. In the case of copra or cocoa buying sheds the hours are to be from 7 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. to .5.80 p.m. on week days, and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Hare is a 'fragment of a lottor from a soldier concerning tha Salvation Army at the front in France:—"Ton can't get away from the Salvation Army iga France. If you come from the trenches hungry they meet you with bacon and egg 3; if yon are sad, they sing you a song; if you'vo been a naughty boy they give you a warm time at their meeting.' If you are -wounded they give you a ride (in an, ambulance), and if you 'go West,' they place a cross or a wreath on your grave, 'and write Home to mother abaut it."

In the Supremo Court yesterday Mr. Justice Chapman heard a claim made by Mary Ann Maisey, wife of Charles J. Maisey, labourer, for .£250 damages, and ail injunction against William John Haines, butcher. Tho plaintiff alleged that • the defendant, by. depositing soil in n depression in a right-of-way, had diverted storm water and flooded the plaintiff's land and buildings. The injunction asked for was one restraining the defendant from depositing 3oil in the depression nnd requiring him to remove the soil already placed thore. The defendant alleged, inter alia, that if t.ho land and buildings had 'been damaged it was owiiu' to the configuration of ihe land. Mr W. F. Ward appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. C. Neilson for the defendant The hearing was not completed when the 'Court' adjourned.

Tho following statement on a nrachdiscussed topic was made by the Defence Minister in the House of Representatives yesterday.—"Military pay, including allotments to dependants, is stopped when a soldier is sentenced to imprisonment. Tho stoppage takes, effect in the Dominion immediately advice of a sentence of imprisonment is received. Separation and children's allowances are also stopped during the term of a soldier's imprisonment, but this does, not take effect until six months after notification of sentence roaches the Dominion. A very difficult problem is presented by cases of the kind quoted,; and, while it is intended to adhere', to tho principle that pay and military allowances must cease where tho soldier concerned is non-effec-tive by reason of his crimes or misconduct, a sheme is at present under consideration to provide some measure of relief to his dependants."

Mr. Poole ask«d the Minister of Marine yesterday afternoon whether ho had received any further information regarding the missing steamer Waimna. The Hon. Or. W. Russell stated that ho

had been informed by the Marino Department that the most likely islands for castaways to take refuge on wero Christmas Island and Harvey Island. Both the Admiralty and the Union, Company had caused these islands to ho searched some weeks ago. It seemed as though nothing further conld bo done. He would, however, consult the Admiralty, and make further inquiries, and would ho ready to take any further steps that might he suggested as tho result of such inquiries.

A question asked in tho Honso of Representatives by v Mr. Fletcher would seom to indicate that there are rumours that tho Government Intended to place tho Railway Department under military control. Replying to tho question yesterday, tho Prime Minister said that the Government had no 6uch intention.

Replying to a question in tho Houso of Representatives yesterdny, tlie .Prime Minister said that tho New Zealand Government is again considering tho possibility of allowing Jugo-Slavs to go to tho front.

Following upon complaints niado by soldiers regarding tho quality of iho tea provided in tho various messes, the Camp Commandant at- Featherston, Colonel N. P. Adams, C.M.G., is trying*out an idea in tho mess of a, permanent camp unit. Under this plan each mess will havo its own teapot, sugar, and milk provided, wliilo pepper, salt, and mnstard pots aro to bo provided also. Whether tho experiment will prove to bo a success or not will depend vjpon tho men themselves. Ample rations of all tho ( articles mentioned aro provided for each mess, and if thero is a shortage it will be duo to tho over-generous selfhelpfulness of other mombors of tho mess.

Tho Local Bills Committee recommended to the Houso of Representatives ■ yesterday that tho Borough of Karori Empowering Bill be not allowed to proceed.

A Press Association message from Dunedin states that tho Rev. Howard Elliott addressed a largo meeting under tho auspices of tho Protestant Political Association last night. Tho meeting passed a resolution expressing hearty approval of the national system of education as opposed, to a sectarian system, and congratulating the Minister on hia firm opposition to o grant of State aid to Roman Catholic schools. Another motion was carried protesting j against preferential treatment of Marist. and Christian Brothers respecting military service, and calling on the Government to ensure tlat sectarian teachers were called on for servico before Second Division men.

The body of an unknown man was found floating in the harbour near the King's Wharf steps early yesterday morning. Mr. James Buckley, of- tho Harbour Board Tolls Office, reported tho matter to the police, and the body was removed to the morgue, where it now nwaita identification. The deceased was 15ft. 6in. in height, and was wearing a dark brown coat and vest. The body was Tory much, decomposed when found.

Tho London "Times," speaking of tho heroes who the other day were honoured by the King, referred to Salvationist 3?ynn in the following, terms:—"Ono of the decorations will be ong remembered by al who saw that ceremony. Private Jnmes Fynn, V.C., late of South Wales Borderers, performed a dozen deeds of heroism at Sanna i-yat, in Mesopotamia, when he bandaged wounded men under continuous fire. He was killed over a vear afterwards in Mesopotamia; and on Saturday his father, Private John 3?ynn, was present to receive . the Victoria Cross. He was an old man, and his hair was grey, but he was young in body and mind, and brisk in his step, and his salute as he approached and left the dais amidst .rousing cheers. It would be a fine thing if Fynn were allowed to wear his son's V.C." . '

The discomfort experienced by_ the. 6trap-hanger is comparative. If it is essential' that he should reach a certain ?oint on a crowded car, he will accept he hand-hold with equanimity, and sometimes thanks his lucky stars that he. was able to board the car at all—particularly if it be one of those bull-dog perambles during rush hours at important junctions. Tho short person suffers the greatest agony owing to the tension at which his arm is stretched. The tramway management is at ,length showing some solicitude for the strap-hanger, for the newest cars have a white enamelled leather grip at tho loop of the 6trap, which feels very cool and comfortable in the palm of the hand. On some of tho combination cars, if not on all of them, no straps at all are provided' in the open section, yet people have to stand there iust as frequently as on cars of other design, with the result that on the car making good speed round a.corner it is not an uncommon sight' to see standing passengers clutching at seated ones for 6o"me sort of support. On a. recent occasion a citizen of undoubted respectability and weight was seen to plump himself down on a lady's /knee as an instinctive act to save him'from a .worse fate.