LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3199, 25 September 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A clause in the Public Trust Office Amendment Bill passed through all its stages in the House of Bcprcsentauvos last evening, provides that tho Public Trustee may apply to the Supremo Court for leave to act upon any will made by a Boldier on active service. Every xnU made by a soldier on pervice, 'whether signed or unsigned, or contained in a declaration, shall be deemed to be a document on which, tho Public Trusr.ee may file an election with the Suprc:no Court. i A number of Masterton youths, nineteen years of age, have, says our special correspondent,' intimated their intention of enlisting for service abroad, provided they obtain the consent of their parents.

The Eastbourne Borough Council has decided to Taieo the fares on the narbour ferry steamers. During the past year the council's coal bill for its steam-ei-s has increased by .61500, and other expenses in connection with the Service liavo increased. Tho increase will.commence on October 1, wlien the Is. return fare to Day's Bay or Dona Bay will be raised to Is. 3d., and the single ticket from 6d. to 9d. The weekly and monthly tickets will also be affected. the fares for children, will not be raised.

An extraordinary rumour, which gained ready credence, (low through the city yesterday morning to tlio effect thai; a well-known lawyer and member of Parliament had been, killed in a motor accident. The matter was discussed on street corners.' telephone inquiries were numerous, and the police were advised of the alleged fatality from several quarters. Fortunately Dnme Rumour proved a lying.'jade. The "dead" man was subsequently (ho recipient of numerous congratulations. i "Don't growl about a puff.of wind," said a "Wellington citizen' to an Auckland man yesterday, "it has been rainin" in Auckland for eighteen months!

Jan Pietorse, a member of tho crew of the ill-fated Port Kenibla, appeared before Mr. S. E. M'Carthy. in- tho Magistrate's Court yesterday, having, at Nelson, intimated 'his intention of pleading guilty to using seditious utterances. On tho application of Chief-Deteotive Boddam a remand for a week was granted.

Consequent upon the decision, of the City Council to reserve the big Town Hail on Saturday evenings for the entertainment of soldiers who happen to bo in town, the recitals of the City Organist (Mr. Bernard IS Page) are for the future to be lield on Tuesday evening. The first of the Tuesday recitals will probably be-Jield next, Tuesday , week. In the meantime Mr. v Page is to lie approached by the council , to discuss ways and means of popularising the recitals.

The statement made in the House of flepresentatives on Thursday "that Christchurch grocers have added fourperiue to theVrico of tea in consequence of.the imposition of a tea duty of threepence per ]b.," was tho/ subject of an inquiry in Auckland on Friday (says the "Herald"), with the result that it was ascertained that so far the new tax has had practically no effect on local prices. In a few instances where firms had very small etocks on hand, a rise of 2d. per lb. was made,on September;?, and this ■was passed on to the public,''but in the majority of instances the stocks were' fairly large, and the prices of thcso remain the same as before. Hoviever, several of the larger blendin? houses, hare decided to increase the prices by 2d. per lb. all round as from October 1. ■ .As this rise is subject to a trade condition, it is highly probable that the retailer will advance his prices bv 3d. per lb. One of the largest retail firms doing business in various parts of the city has bo far made no advance in .their Tates. Tho cmestion will probably be discussed by the Master Grocers' Association before the end of the. month. Inquiries were also made into.ithe price of carbide; but the information went to show that, although the increase—approximately 175 per cnnt—in the last twelve months wns phenomenal, (lie cau6e was attributable to the conditions consequent upon : the war. ,

A . misunderstanding .as to the exact meaning of the, term "only surviving son" led to a oase being brought before the Auckland Military Service Boatd, in whioh the father of a volunteer recruit aslced for exemption for his only son! Hβ submitted a leport of an appeal recently heard by the board, in which another father, wjiose son had enlisted without his knowledge <lr consent, and whoso only remaining son had meantime been killed in action, had obtained exemption for the former on this ground. Tho father, who appeared before the board, contended that an only eon and an only surviving son stood iij the same- class, 60 far as a narent's sacrifice was concerned, but tho board pointed out that no legislation to cover the former case had been passed, and, moreover, a great many "only" sons, some of them sons of widows, had alreadv gone on active service. Tfnder the circumstances, no recommendation could be made to the military authorities.

Our Mastertoii correspondent states that ft difficulty is being experienced in securing lmieterers in the Mnstertqn district for the shearing season. A deputation lias "been appointed to wait upon the Wellington Education Board on Wednesday in reference to the erection of a school at Solway, Masterton.

A labourer rained Jack Wilson, who had been holiday-making for a fortnight, shot himself in the forehead in a wharo at Land's,- End on Saturday' morning,' Bays our Mastertoii correspondent. Hβ was brought in to the Masterton Hospital. Tho wound is not considered serious. ■

Beforo the ordinary meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council was held last evening, a special meeting was held to pass a resolution making amendments to the by-law relating to vehicle traffic .iii the borough streets, also with respect to flic storage of petrol, etc. After a protracted discussion, tho by-laws were referred? back to tho committee for further consideration.

A boy named Clifford H'QMo, residing &t 13 Rintoul Street, was yesterday knocked down by a motor-car in Adelaide right' leg, and had to be taken to the right leg, and had o bo taken to the Hospital. About 10.30 in the evening a Mr Burnett, who had been capsized while riding in Did,side-car of n motor cycle, had a nasty cut in his head stitched up at the same institution. Mr. Burnett is a resident of Brooklyn.

The OHEVKOIiET is completely equipped. Standard equipment on every CHEVKOLET includes Auto-Lite Two Unit Self-starter, Electric Lights, Electric Horn, Speedomctor. and Ammoter, Hood with side-curtaine and full tool equipment. You may alep have demountable rims It you so desire. We should bo pleased to demonstrate thie car to you, and models are awaiting your inspection at THE DOMINION MOTOR VEHICLES, LIMITED, 65 Courtenay Place. WelUngton.-AdTt.

In recognition of the splendid work performed by Miss Ada Eeeve in providing entertainments and comforts for New Zealand soldiers in Egypt and England, an'd for her efforts on behalf of the London Anzas Buffet, the popular comorfienno is to be tendered a recoption at the Soldiers' 'Club on Saturday afternoon next nt 3 o'clock. Lndios -representing Rio various patriotic societies will provide afternoon tea.

Miss Ada Reeve has consented to assist in selling 'foods at the Paddy's MariTet at the Town Hall on Saturday night. Misa Reeve's appearance should add to the interest already taken in the ffi3« to raiso funds for our blind soldiera and 6ailors.

For the year ended July 31, 1017, Uin Lower Hutt Borough Council purchased from Petfcne u<1315.000 feet of gas, of which 12/?82,G00 feet was accounted for by eales, and unaccounted for 1,353,400 feet. Of tho quantity sold, 10,941,200 feet was Tor, domestic purposes, 991,900 for power, and 840,500 for street lighting.

An elderly citizen who.wanted to know wily the workers of New Zealand did t.ol stand on their own feet instead of continually calling upon the Government for assistance made his appearance at the Labour meeting in New-town last night. He eaid tlfat ffie people of the Dominion wanted to be nursed and nurtured at the expense of tho Mother Country, by means of borrowed money, and never thought of spending their own money on co-operative societies, and so forth. He was ruled out of order by tho chairman, and resumed his seat by request. A correspondent of tho Auckland "Star," writing from Rarotonga on September 18, makes fae following reference to iSe mysterious five-masted' schooner which was referred to Si a telegram fr.oin Auckland last week. "About a fortnight ago a big iive-masted'6chooner sailed pus,'. Bhe came close in, and looked very pretty. It was evening, and she stood right lu to Avarua, and then started an engine and had a look at the Maitai on the reef. Then stood out to the north, and people in Avaraa say sho switched on electrio light. I feel sure stio is a raider of some sort but why eho wastes time round here I don't know, unless she is being chased. Why should an ordinary merchant snip come 60 close in here and waste petrol? I fancy /they sighted the Maitai, aud came for a closer look, for. when sue passed our place she did not appear to be heading for Avarua at all, but must have Btood in as soon as sho saw tho Maitai. Have since heard tho vessol called at Atiu and got food and water. Sho may have been mine-laying somewhere, ana perhaps the AVairuna was sunk in that way. She was a long vessel, with polo masts, no top-masts, and had a yard on the foremast, and looked a nice vessel.

Three soldiers at '.flrentham Camp lor disobeying lawful commands given by their superior officers have been sentenced by District Court-martial to imprisonment with hard labour for eleven months. The names of the men so sentenced are as-under:—s6,6ol Private J. is. Hpn; A.S.C.; 62,803 Private S. C. Watchorn, kS C. 50,570 Private T. P.Bixon, A.S.C. \t Featheiston Camp, No. 83,408 Private Alfred Miners, Feathereton Details, tound •utiltv of deserting His -Majesty's Seme?, and 'losing by neglect equipment, clothin<* and regimental necessaries, has heen sentenced to eleven months' imprisonment without bard labour, and to be put under ?£» of W he has made good the sum of JEW Is. 6d. Mrs. Hall-Thompson and-Mrs. -Barry Keesing have been appointed to representthe Navy League on the executive of the War Funds Collecting Committee.