LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 21, 19 October 1917, Page 4

Tlio Secretary of tho General post Offlco has been advised that legal timo has boon restored in Continental Portugal from October 15. A legacy of JSOO has been received from the .I'iililic Trustee from the estate of tho late Mr. Allen M'Guiro for the maintenance of a cot in the Children's Hospital.

It is notiiied in Ihe Gazelle that, subjects of Allied or neutral countries proceeding to China will not be admitted to that country unless they have in their possession passports with din. photographs of tho holder attached thereto, signed by Chinese Ministers or Consuls, and stamped with seals of Legations or Consulates.

A lire-roomed house in Waifcato Street, off Tamar Street, Island Bay, was totally destroyed by fire at midday yesterday. The hfiuse was occupied by Mr. Ernest Gilling, who had an insurance of iCISO on his furniture in the South British office. There was nobody at home at the tima of the fire. The cause is not known.

lire. Massoy was invited by a wellknown shipping company while she was England to christen one of their new ships. Sirs, llassey has just received the following cablegram from the owners: "Pleased inform you ship christened by you has sailed on her first voyage after successful trial trip. May gor-d luck attend her." The 6teamer is a big 15,000-ton vessel, for the Australian-New Zealand trade.

Yesterday two calls wero made on Hie waterfront for labour to coal a certain steamer, and although there is not a shortago of labour, there was no response. This is the second ship it lias been found impossible to get 'abour for.

A petition was presented to the House of Representatives yesterday from six Otago nolelkeepeers pointing out that if the alterations of the boundaries proposed by the Representation Commission be carried into effect tho result will be to place their licensed premises in a NoLicense district, the consequence being that tho licences will not be renewable after the next licensing, poll, unless at such poll the proposal of restoration of licences is carried. A majority of the electors in the vicinity of the hotels concerned voted Continuance at the last licensing poll. The petitioners state that the proposed alterations' will result in very serious loss to them, and in some oases ruin. Tho petitioners believe that if the allowance -which the Commissioners are authorised to make by way of addition or deduction of population in adjusting the quota of a district were considerably enlarged the boundaries of districts could be altered in such a way as not to place their licensed premises in No-License districts. The' petitionars pray that the Legislature Act, 190S, be amended by increasing the allowances as suggested, or that such other legislation be pasesd as may effect the samo object.

Christmas being at hand, the matron of tho Public Hospital has been granted .680 to be spent in buying Christinas presents ior tho inmates of the Hospital.

It was reported yesterday that tho tender of E. S. JCniglit, at £25,500, for the erection of the naw.i'evcr hospital had boon accepted.

Corporal E. M, FuUor, son of Mr. W. E. 'Fuller (of Messrs. Levin and Co. a staff), in the courso of a recent letter, relates that his unit were billeted in the ruins of n fine old chateau in the north of France. The owners had long since left the place owing to its being under shell-fire, but two old servants (a man and his wife), though it was not unusual for stray shells to drop among the roses or plough up the lritchon Harden, worked awiiy qnito bravely and contentedly, doing their level best; to keep the beautiful grounds in something like order. One day a big howitzer shell lobbed fair in the middle of tho latehcn garden, and scooped out for itself n hole big enough to plant a cottage in. Without distressing himself in tho least, the old man started in on the crater, ■smoothed the sides, and within two days had tho shell crater neatly planted, row above row, with cabbages and lettuce. Corporal Puller had a very narrow escape on one occasion, when on outpost duty with a unit of the E.'h'.A. He was provided with a bicycle, arid it was his duty to ride into the sectional naso each day with information. He was tearing along one dav when a gas shell burst on tuo road in front t>f him. He had no time to put on his gas mask, so ho just pedalled hard, held his brentli, and went through the. cloud, and much to his surprise sustained no ill effects whatever.

The fortieth annual meeting of tho Dunediu Shakespeare Club was held on Saturday last. Mr. T. W. Whitaon was elected president.

On account of Miss Ada Reeve having developed laryngitis, the Christclmrclt season of tho company (which was to have commenced last evening) liaa been postponed.

"Ye ■ Ancient Athenian" is a cheerful i little magazine published by the Twenlyseventh Beinforcemonts at a way-port as a record and souvenir of their nssociations as a draft, and of their voyage* to Europe. It contains much that will giTe it lasting value to the members of the Twenty-sevenths. and to their tinsfolk and friends. Most of the sketches and other contributions in prose mid verse deal with life on shipboard, but a number of writers' bark back to experiences in camp and elsewhere before they left tho Dominion. The illustrations, particularly a few photographs of transport scenes, aTe interesting. One ,of (ho best items is a sketch by Lieutenant AV. Eoss, of Wellington—a breezy account of the things that happen to recruits on tho day on which they enter camp. "Ye Ancient Athenian" is edited by Clutha Maolcenzie, who naturally , seizes tho oportunity to put in a word on behalf of the "Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F." and invites the spribes of the Twenty-seventh to contribute to the pages of that journal.

Becords'are daily being established and broken nt tho local, markets in the disposal of onions. Yesterday Messrs. Thompson Bros., Ltd., sold' a small parcel whicli was grown by Mr. E. 0. Lewer, at Kavori. These bulbs realised tho fanoy price of Is. 4d. per lb., which is equivalent to £\Vi 6s. _Bd. per ton. Until the present scarcity is relieved by supplies from Australia, it is jus!;, possible that higher values will obtain.

The charges prescribed to bo made for tho use of coin-in-the-slot telephones at all exchanges aro published in tho Gazette. They are: Under two miles (Hno distance). Id. per call; over two milcg and nndor four, 2d.; over four miles and under six, 3d.; over six miles, Bd. Tho for each call js five minutes. \

A thoughtful and kindly act was performed last week by nine railway men (says tho "Wanganui Chronicle").' They visited the home of a lato fellow-employee <who recently returned from tho front invalided), bringing with them garden tools and seeds. They set to work to dig and'sow and plant, and before the evening closed in the greater portion of the soldier's quarter-acre section was transformed into rows and beds of seeds, plants, etc.

Few men careless enough to drop £W notes in tho street have been fortunate enough to reclaim them; but then a policeman, is rarely tho finder (eays the Dunedin "Star"). The other day a farmer from Hillgrovo cashed a cheque for „E!3O, and sot out to pay his account with his agents, passing through the Arcade cu route. A few minutes later Constable Lean found two' jilfl notes lying on tho footpath at the intersection of tho Arcade and High Street. An advertisement brought tho farmer to tho Police Station, and when ho had proved ownership the notes were returned to him. Vow people leave a police station as satislieil as that man. It should bo added that lie left something behind in token of appreciation.

An important prosecution under the Defence Act will take place in t'ue Dunedin Polico Court v shortly, Bays an exchange. A Dunedin business firm will be charged with penalising a man for rendering personal service under the Act. Tt is alleged that the young man, who was a book-keeper in the employ of tho firm in Invercargill, attended a Territorial camp as required by the Act, and in consequence was dismissed. This is - probably tho first prosecution of the kind in the Dominion. The hearing is sot down tor Novembor 5, /

A London cable messago to tho Australian papers states that the Imperial Institute has tested wattle bark l'or tho

manufacture of paper. It was found that the bark yields excellent paper of reality suitable for newspaper. Bigger tests are being made.

A dastardly act was perpetrated at Knottingly Park, Waimate, on Sunday, between tho hours of 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the emu, one of tho great attractions of tho park to children, was deliberately and cruelly killed, stales tho "Tininru, Herald." Tho bird was apparently knocked on tho head with a stout stick, and tho tongue was then cut out by the roots. The bird is valued bv the Domain Board at ,£M. The matter was immediately placed in the hands of the police.

the Sydney 'Varsity honour roll is something to be proud of (states the "Bulletin"). To tho end of last month graduates had gained 23 D.S.O.'s, 65 Military Crosses, one D.C.M., three Military Medals, seven French War Crosses, and one each of the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, tho Serbian Red Cross, the Montenegrin Red Cross and Order of Danilo, and the Chevalier Cross of the Legion of Honour. Also, three C.M.G/s and one Order of the Bath havo a placo in the list. Others, of course, havo done well; but their turn- for decoration hasn't come yet.

The City Council resolved last evening that tho application of the Wellington Free Kindergarten Union for a remission of rates on their la.nd in Taranaki Street be not granted, as the application does' not comply with the exemption provisions of the Rating Act, 1908. Councillors W. H. P. Barber and L. M'Kenzie made mention at the City Coun-. cil last evening of extra care being needed respecting children being allowed about tho streets. One of the committees of tho council also reported that Vhey had directed that a letter be sent to the Wellington Education Board requesting the board to urge school teachers to impress upon children tho necessity of using caution in crossing streets, and also -warning children not- to drink out of street water troughs.

It was decided by the City Council last evening: "That the recommendations of the conference of experts "egarding the fire alarm installations from Government Departments and private business homes io tho fire stations, as endorsed by the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, # be given effect to, subject to the conditions regarding the control of the instruments, etc., as prepared by the Fire ? rl Superintendent and approved by the City Solicitor.'' Amended regulations under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act are published in the Gazette.) They provide, inter alia, that the amount advanced in anv case for the uurposo of erecting a dwellinghouse and other buildings shall not exceed .£250, and that the amount of ndvance that may be made to any one nerson shall not exceed .£SOO. but a prp,viso is added that -the Minister may, if in his opnion special circumstances render such amount inadequate, authorise an additional advance not exceeding £250. ' The money market is tight, and this condition will, it is Btated by financial authorities, continue for some time to come (states the "New Zealand Herald ). Owing to heavy demands in connection with the recent War Loan, and tho financing of produce which is detained in the Dominion because of shipping difficulties, the banks are conserving their finances for these purposes,' and al6o for legitimate business requirements. 1 Advances arc not being made by the banks for the purchase o£ land,' the erection of buildings, for investment, or for speculation. Some of tho principal lending institutions outside the banks are now charging 61 per cent, for loans on first mortgages, an advance of J. per cent. on'the recent rate. It is very evident that the present tightness of money will continue, owing to the demands the Government must mako in connection with further war loans. This being so, there is' every necessity for the exercise of caution and economy.

The statement to the effect that Captain L. S. Jennings lost his life through a treacherous prisoner is, according to an Auckland officer who was present during the advance, not in accordance with fact. It appears from this officer's story that Captain Jennings was shot by a sniper from a shell-hole while he was consolidating a portion of a enptared switcli trench. This sniper is believed to have been overlooked during the advance, but he was ultimatelv discovered in the afternoon, after having shot another New Zealand officer, and was promptly bayoneted by two London soldiers, who had witnessed the latter incident. A New Zealand 60ldier, writing to his relatives from Palestine, says:-"This is an awful place for dust, which is ever so much worse than the sand of the desert. A man walking raises a cloud of it,, so vou can imagine what happens during the movement of 2000 or 3000 horses. The whole country becomes obliterated from view, and those who are unfortunate enough to be amongst or near tho horses fairly choke. The flies are far worse than further down. Fortunately at night thev do not worry one. or I think we should all go crazy. There are here, as in Sinai, a wonderful collection of insects, and other life. In addition to those of Sinai,, we have scorpions, tarantulas, centipedes, crickets, gnats, and wasps. Fortunately it is not so hot here as further south, and even on.the liottest days we have a cooling breese from the sea." . The War Belief Association recently submitted to the Government a resolution asking that the dependants of men serving with the Motor Boat Patrol Corps, and the crews of two warships under control of the New Zealand Government should have right to apply to the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, has received a reply from the. Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen), stating that the matter had been submitted to Cabinet', and the decision was "no action be taken." The Minister, in his letter, pointed out that the mcrr of one of the warships were on tho'NewZealand rates of pay, and that they were not. at the front; that the men on the other vessel were not in any ,way under New Zealand control, and that the Motor Boat Patrol men were enlisted by the Imperial Government, but that provision liad been made by New Zealand in the case of married men to bring their wives and' children up to the same footing as tho wives and chil-. dren <-i members of our own Expeditionary Force. "Further than this, by an amendment of the Pensions Act which was before Parliament this session, the men of the Motor Boat Patrol would bo eiititM lo the benefit of the Now Zealand Pensions Law.

A meeting of members of the Prolestnnt Political Association was held in the Town Hall Concert Chamber last evening. 'Representatives of the Press were not admitted. Reports on progress in niembershin and finance were submitted, and committees were elected to further the objects of the association. The Rev. G\ Knowles-Smith was elected president, and the Hon. W. Earushaw, M.L.C., and Colonel C. B. Mackintosh were elected vice-presidents. A vote of sympathy with the Rev. Howard Elliott in tho recent attack made upon him in Auckland was carried.

When completed, the CourEenay Place Rp-ifrve will be divided int" thr"e islands of green turf decorated with a few ornamental trees, which will completely niter the aspect of that busy junction. The fence has now bona entirely removed, and the design of tho new turfed islets is outlined by a ton-inejt concrete lcerbing. An improvement is already .observable in tho general look or this . mid-street reserve.