LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 11, 8 October 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In our articlo in Saturday's issue on tho Sale of Liquor Restriction Bill the provision for an adjustment as between hotel owner and hotel lessee was not correctly Btated in one particular. The position under the Bill is as follows: The lessee may require the lessor to reduce tho rent, or, at tho option of the lessor, to accept a surrender of the lease on payment for the furniture and on pay-, inent, aiSo, of a proportional part of the bonus or goodwill. But the lessor is not bound to do either the one thing or the other. He may decide, fp do neither. In that case tho lesseo retains tho lease, and the question of the quantum of the raTuction of rent goes to arbitration. The point is that tho "option to determine uio Tease is the lessor's option, and not the lessee's. The Legislature' does not cancel the contract; it gives the lessor tho right to cancel the contract on equitable terms, instead of reducing the rent if life is not snfisfied that the lessee's request for reduction of the rent should bo complied with. If, however, he is not prepared to reduce the rent to the amount asked for by the lessee, and 110 docs not desire .to determine the lease, lie lias to submit to arbitration tho question as to the amount by which the rental is to be reduced while the Act is In operation.

At 2.42 a.m. on Sunday the Fire Brigade was called to 16 Cleveland Street, Brooklyn, a four-roomed houso owned by Mr. John Odlin and occupied by Mr. E. Ari'owsmith. Two rooms were severely damaged by fire, and the remainder of the houso was injured by smoke and water. Tho contents of the houso wera insured for =6100.

A heavy rainfall for Canterbury up to the end of 1918 was predicted by Mr. Clenjent Wragge on Friday night. He said that there would be dry spells from the nor'-westers and very nasty heavy gales on tho West Coast, but there would be heavy rains on the plains. These wet conditions would ease off as the end of 1918 approached, but 1919 would have a fair rainfall. In 1919 and afterwards, however, there would ( bo drought. and farmers should conserve water, fodder, and everything else. ■ . ,

An notion for alleged defamation of character against a Dunedin polico constable will shortly come before the Court, states the correspondent of tho "Lyttelton Times." The action, in which .£IOO damages are claimed, arises out of the result of a raid for sly grog soiling (which did not end in a prosecution).

"Why should whole families of First Division men bo called up and sent away to be wiped out without giving them a chanco to carry on their business?" was the question of a father of two sons in the trenches, who was supporting the appeal of his only single son, who was managing the business (says the Auckland "Star"). Major Conlan replied that that was the law, but the father indignantly said ho thought the law made a grave mistake. It was not fair to the boys at the front, and much bitterness was being felt about it. Admitting the chairman's remarks about everybody being called on to make these sacrifices, the father said he considered tho calling up of tho Second not necessarily include tho remaining sons of families who have swelled the ranks of First Division men in the firing line.

• Mr. A. A. Creamer (president of the Auckland Second Division League), reviewin" the Government War Pensions Bill in the light ol" the Second Division League's proposals, states that the league lias everv occasion so far to bo satisfied with its efforts. While it was frequently asserted that pensions proportionate, to pre-war earnings would never be granted in New Zealand, the Government had yielded to the extent of recognising prewar earnings un to tho amount of £5 per week. While this is 12s. Cd.'less than the limit of pensions asked for by right by the executive of tho league, tho Government had made provision for an extra XI per week to be advanced by the 1 1 1nancial Assistance Board, which will allow soldiers to obtain up' to .£5 17s. Gd. per week. It was stated at (ho typographical 'fathering on Saturday evening that 25 per cent, of the members of Wellington Union had enlisted. That does not include letterpress machinists, bookbindcre and other allied trades connected with printing. These member* are kept o-ood on tho books, and in the event oi death the next-of-kin are paid he members' clearing allowance as well as .l-U from the mortality fund.

A rcmnrkable. staple of wool, measuring 110 less tliiin 2ft. Tin. in length, was obtained on tho .Fort Hardy sheep-run, n'Uwille Is'and, French Pass. 'I.lio sample was taken from a full-mouth LincolnRnmncy wether, which had never previously been shorn It was mustered a few weeks ago, and clipped no less than Mlb. of wool.

'I'lio following id an extract from a letter written by ti young woman, 21 rears of age, formerly a school teacher, to tiie proprietor of a southern registry office—"Will you do your liest to lmtl, me another job Hint; I can go to at owe nfter leaving here—that, is in less than a fortnight ? As for the job, *>ne much the same as my present one—a few c.ows, calves. l>iS s > butter-making, wnod-shop-n'in", lawn mowing, odd jobs about the jihce and help in the house if need lie. T don't mind n fair amount ot housework' •• • Won't I>° !lll ' ili(1 lo roco "u incur! me. I can manage Hie work all ri ,T lit, inn! •ini developing very fine muscles out hero on the farm."

Cheerful, liiril'ly. winsome housewives havo been quick to recognise tho superiority of "GOJ.DKN RULE" Soap and "NO P.UBR'.XG" Laundry Help for domestic piirfMi«C3. Both .lines always in stock. Wellington grocers.—Advt.

Jolm M'Ncil, a wool-classer from tho Bluff, was knocked down by a tramoar in Customhouse Quay at about 10.15 on Saturday nig-lit. Ho was taken to tho Public Hospital, but was ,well enough to leave tlioro yesterclay.

"A new method of oconomio cultivation of tho potato" is.described in a recent issu<j of tho "International Review of tho Science and Practico of Agriculture," published in Komo. This consists in planting budding stalks instead of tubers, and has been tried for several years with good results. The tuters are sorted out and spread in a dry cellar at a temperature abovo G3 degrees Falir., if possible. la n few days, before tho tubers wrinkle, rooting sprouts are obtained, which must bs cut before they reach a length of eight inches. After cutting'they must bo planted as quickly as possible. Tho sprouts aro planted in twos on ridgo sides at distances of 8 by 20 inches, at a dei>th of 2J to 3J inohes, according to the soil. In a fow days the outsido part becomes green, and puts out one or two stalks, the roots taking liolil at the sarno timo. Each planted shoot gives ono or two tubers, whioh aro seldom very largo, small; a crop of nearly 8i tons per acre of marketable potatoes may be reckoned on. Tho method in applicable to all loose, light, and relatively dry soils. Its advantage is that it leaves for consumption those potatoes wHich, oil tlio ordinary method, would have been used for planting. The shoots given off by the potatoes on germmsting keep for several days, and can be planted direct, or even forwarded somo distance for planting.

Some bowling clubs in the Wellington district have been greatly troubled by tlio presence of waterweed on their greens —a weed which has a habit of growing and spreading very rapidly. Attempts liavp been mado to dig it out, and burn it oil with acids, but the euro has sometimes proved worse than the weed itself. Then camo news that on tlio West Coast some green composed wholly of the weed has beon found to play as well a3, if not bettor than, lawn grass. Acting on this hint tho Wellington Club has allowed tho weed to spread on its top green, until it probably now covers fully a third of the area, presenting a eloselyiug flat surfaeo to tho bowls, which should ensure a faster green than the grass. The Wellington Club's experiment with the water weed will be watched with interest by the bowlinsr _ community of the whole of tho Dominion. The" Waterside Workers' Band played in the Public Hospital grounds yesterday afternoon, and collected iE6 13s. for the Hospital funds.

"Perhaps it has never occurred to lis before that there .may be children in hospitals who are chronio invalids, but have thoir full mental capacities, and ■who «To receiving no education,'' remarked Mr. B. H. Andrews, chairman of the Appointments Committee of the, Canterbury Education Board. The ci-m----mittee reported having received! a Mter from Dr. L. S. Talbot, suggesting that provision should be made for the education of children in public hospitals. The matter, said Mr. Andrews, was an important one, and the board would be able to consider it fully when the requir. Ed information came to hand.

A soldier who arrived at Balclutha a few days ago on a month's special leave (without pay), which he received on recount of the state of his wifes health, was much annoyed, states the Otago Dailv Times," when; informed on ruesday by the local police that he oould consider himself under arrest as a c!e> sertor (absent from camp without leave). The constable informed the soldier that he was acting under instructions from the military authorities. The eoldier held a pass, and also an inventory which he had received from the camp adjutant granting him leave until October 21, end this lie showed the constable. The latter immediately telegraphed to the military authorities, but, not receiving a reply, declined to do anything further• in the matter. The committee of the Patriotic Society communicated with the Defence. Minister (Sir James Allen),( the member for the district (Mr. A. S. Malcolm), and the member for Mataura (Mr. (*. .1., Anderson), and received a Teply from Sir James Allen expressing regret that such a mistake should have been rjarto. The Minister stated that inquiries would be made and the warrant would bo CMlcelled.

Speaking in reference to the question of the payment of rents by soldiers' dependants. Mr. V. J. Larner (chairman of the Relief Committee of the Auckland Patriotic Association) stated that apparently there was at present too big a delay between the time that financial assistance is voted by the Financial Board and the time that the payment is actually made. The procedure is that the Financial Assistance Board grants the amount and the payment is jrade by the Expenses Department- The gi ants, ns far as the Financial Assistanceßoarti are concerned, are mado expeditiously, but the delay arises in getting the payments put through. This .causes considerable inconvenience and worry to a number of women ( as landlords whose rents have become a few weeks overdue nro pressing for payment. Thel committeo is at present in communication with llio Financial Assistance Board with a. view to getting the payments put through a little more expeditiously. A letter from the board states that it is a lamentable thing that landlords should threaten these women,' particularly in. cases where the latter can a from tho board stating that the aesistanco has been granted. 1