LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 23, 22 October 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'A contingent of sick and wounded soldiers, comprising_ 152 officers and men, and ttvo nurses, arrived at Auckland jestcrdny. There are no cot or serious cases, though a few of the men have lest limbs. One maii, Private Hark, of Tupuron. near Gisborne, left at a port of call suffering from trench feet. Ihe arrivals include one wearer of the Sliiitary Medal, Lance-Corporal Halpin, 0/ lisvercargill.—Press Assn.

In t'no course of n sermon at St. Joseph's Church Inst evening, on "Forgiveness of Injuries," Archbishop O'Shea counselled Catholics to be patient and forgiving ip regard to the attacks being made upon them of late. Such thing?, no doubt, were difficult (o be borne with patiently, especially who.-, they were so entirely without foiuulution, and when thejr bo outraged every canon of decency. But they emanated from a very small section indeed, and their Protestant fel-low-citizens as a body had "nothing whatever to do with them, and discountenanced them altogether. These attacks wore made liy men, some of whom wero ouly half educated and could no! speak the English langua.ee correctly. His own impression was that thesa peoplo, knowing that a statement of tho true things Hint might be chnnred against Catholics, would inll !oo flat and attract no audiences, had determined to find hearers by appealing to the morbid imagination and. prurient curiosity of a class of persons who. unfortunately, rip in l>p found in every community. No matter how trying theso things (unprovoked as they wore) might be to Catholics, ami trying they certainly were, especially when even their honoured dead were subjected to vile treatment, let them havn patience nli<l endeavour to Vyn.r with it a little longer, hoping, like Thvid of old. "that the Lord may rwider (them) good for the Kill-sing of this day."

A deputation is to wait upon fb<>Minister of Education, at tho Old Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, to-morrow at 4.30 p.m. for the purpose of urging him to hringhefore Cabinet the necessity for an immediate grant of increased capitation to enable committees to properly carry out the work of eleansing schools.

Men of military age who (ravelled to Trenlhnin races by train on Saturday met with a surprise- in. the "orm of a request; to produce their enrolment certificates. Where tho certificile was not produced the name and address of the man were taken and his explanation was recorded. At the racecourse gates a similar task oi' examination was undertaken by ihe military police.

Labour Day will bo celebrated to-day, and there are a number of attractions offering for holiday-makers. The principal attraction ie tho second day of the Wellington Racing Club's Spring Meeting, and there will also be '.-ports at Nowtown Park and the usual harbour excursions. At 1.30 this morning a fierce south-westerly gale ivas sweeping over tho city, and gave every indication of continuing its mad career.

The interior of premises af 191 Cuba Street, occupied as a tobacconist's nnd hairdresser's shop by John Lawrence Turner, was damaged by fire early on Sunday morning. Tho brigade was called up at 3.51 a.m., and was on the eceno in timo to save the building, but the contents were considerably damaged. The stock and fittings of the shop were insured in the United Office. Tho building was owned by the City Council.

Fvftnots Walker, aged 63, has been arrested in Auckland (says a Press Association telegram) on a charge that at Korokomii, near Tβ Awamutu, in Juno Jio incited Gilbert Walker to refuse to α-ondor service as a member tf the Expeditionary Force. The arrested man i» the father of the your." man, Gilbert Walker, who was arrested about a fortnight ago by constable? ns r.n alleged military deserter under dramatic circumstances" at Korokonui. when the young man was found to be in possession, of firearms and ammunition, and his actions indicated a possible intention to stand o(T the. polieo by a. show of firearms. Tho father was remanded to le Awamutu till Friday next. Bail was allowed, in tho sum of .£IOO.

The National Committee of the Y'jr.C.i. acknowledges the following contributions to its war funds:-Mr. William Busby. Tokoitiavn Bay .£400; Ladies' Auxiliary, Wellington VJI.C.A., ,£275; New Zealand' Insurance Company (per tho Mayor of Wellington), .£B3 6s. ad.; Mr. George K. Cliff, Kaipara, £5 Os. 6d.; Mr. J. P. Maxwell, Wellington JJi>; Mr. M. .T. Miller, Becks, £i; Mise M'Llrca, Wellington, £1; Mr. W. K. Michaejis, Cromwell, Us.; "Friend,-' Wellington, 2s. 6d. Gifts of crutcnes and walking-stickP. which would be sreatly appreciated by soldiers in Victoria Hospital, are asked for by the T.M.C.A., which would gladly take cliariro of any such donations at its headquarters in Bakers Buildings, Featherston Street. The eighth anniversary of the Kolburn Presbyterian Sunday School w celebrated yesterday, and notwithstanding tho boisterous weather all the services were well attended. Tho preachers for the day were tho Rev. J. Eeid Glasson, Mr- Richard Binn, and the Rev. J. H. M'Kenzie. A special feature was tho singing of the schoiare, under the leadership of Mr. B. Tail, jun.

In Trenthnsn Camp Orders it is announced that the following toldiers, having been convicted by district courtmartial of disobeying lawful commands iriven by their. superior officers, have been sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard 1ab0ur—51,625 I'nvato H 3' Levctt, Trentham Details; 64,795 Private N. M. Bell, Trentham Details. The Agricultural Department, in ils tireless campaign against the rhincoceros beetle, has (says the "Sainoan Times") hit upon a novel idea which should bo productive of substantial results in the direction aimed at. A kmematogr.iph has been procured, with which, in tho course of tho next few days, a tour oi tho island will bo commenced, the charge for admission to tho entertainment being represented by beetles. Tho main idea underlying tho scheme is to enlist the services of the women and children in the work of fighting the pest, which hitherto has not been the casu to nny considerable extent. Tho entertainment will do give" within an enclosure of canvas 10ft. high, with accommodation for about 300 people, and the charge for entry will vary according to the locality. In a badly infected district tho price in beetles "or larvae will, of course, be higher than in a clenner district, but in ever} - case malo adults will be charged at a higher rate than tho women and children. The machine employed is a liiph standard one, ami the films are first-class, the pictures representing, among other subjects, a circus, lion hunt, rough riding, mounted police, mountain scenery, and numerous comic and other pictures likely to appeal especially to children. Tickets will be issued in the daytime, in exchnngo for beetles wwl larvae, and it may be mentioned, in view of a po3siblo objection to the scheme, that every precaution possible will bo taken ogainst any attempt at breeding the beetles. For this reason only a three days' notice io collect will be given, and for thn present at any Tivte tlis island will probably be tonrwl not more fhan twice. Following , on the general cleaning np which has been going on for some timo in the native plantations, the Dγparbnent exwets tiip innovation ehmild ;issi=t materially in 'nrtliering llso rliminntion of the ilroadod post.

"ft is of course against tho rules to tal;o away stock found," writes an Auckland officer on tho Sinai front. "Ono day our regiment rounded up a nice little mob of sheep, which were divided ivround the squadrons, and in most cases promptly cut up and placed out of 6i(?ht. One sheep was tied up at the headquarters cookhouse for tho colonel's mess, when an assistant provost marshal rodo up. The cook did the beet ha could, and t.hrew an overcoat over the live meal. Tho assistant provost marshal began complaining to tho colonol about our regiment confiscating sheep, and the colonel was just busy explaining that his hoys would not think of doing such a thinsr. when tho unimal under the coat bleated nnd wriggled, and the coat fell of)' and the cheep had n sumo with himself by KHinlwlliiU: round on his tether onlp a few feet from thn assistant; provost marshal. Them was a row, of course, but that, did not matter. W.i had tho mutton."