LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 26, 25 October 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Priuio Minister stated in the House of itepreecntatiree early this morning that he belioved the work of tha session would bo completed on Saturday. The report of tho Meat Export Trade Committee would, ho said, be further diecussed this afternoon. A petition has been presented to tho Legislative Council by tlio president snd secretary of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, protesting- against some clauses of the Was- Legislation Bill, which has already been passed by thu Houeo of Bopresentatives. The petitioners state that tho Bill passed through tho House bo quickly that tho petitioners had no chanco to protest against the olauses relating to the postponement of the retirement of public servants. The petition urges that the Bill violates a

contract made between the State Mid the railway servants, who aro compelled in effect to Temain at work at a merely nominal wage after becoming: entitled to compensation. The Council is .isked to reject so much of the Bill as prejudicially affects the rights of railway 6ervantk At last evening's meeting of the Harbour Board it was reported that an application had been niado for additional accommodation for the military guard at the head of the Glasgow AVharf. It was stated that nothing had been done respecting tho application so far. '.['ho Prime Minister said, in reply to a question in the House of Representatives yesterday, that one of the firet duties to bo undertaken by tho Government early in the l-ecess will be the setting up of a commission to inquire into Defence expenditure. Beference was made by tho Defence Minister in tho House of Bepresentatives yesterday to an article published in a local newspaper, written from England, by Miss Ettie A. Rout, on the subject of venereal disease. Sir James Allen 6aid that there were statements in Use article

which ho believed to bo totally incorrect, and he had telegraphed General Bichardeou and the High Commissioner for exact information. He deprecated the publication of the article by any newspaper trilboiiit reference to him. He read to the House a statement furnished by Surgeon-General Henderson to show that tho spread of (he disease was not so serious as the article represented. The member for Nelson (Mr. 'P. A. H. yield) drew tho attention of the Minister of Defence to a report published in London of the arrest of encniv alien seamen, who Tind been concerned in placing bombs bn British ships. "Attention has been called to the paragraph in question," replied Sir .Tnmcs Allen, "and in all cases where New Zealand has been concerned a full inquiry has been held. Tho method of manufacturing bombs which are available to the eneniv are many and various, but it is not seen that any good would result by setting up a commission at the present moment in New Zealand, as tho members of such commission would have practically nothing to go upon but the evidence which has already been obtained at other inquiries, which is quite inconclusive." Tho member for Wallace asked the Prime Minister, in the House of Bepresentaftves, whether the Government would provide a bonus to encourage the production of tanning'bark. He said that according to the statement of a leading Southland tanner, there was sufficient bark in the tongwood forest to tan all the bides in New Zealand for tho npx£ 50 years. Mr. Massc-v replied that if a practicable scheme was placed befoi'e the Government, the matter of offering a bomw for the production of tanning baric or tanning extract from indigenous vegetation would receive consideration.

Mr. B. Fletcher (Wellington Central) asked the Attorney-General if it was a fact that the cook employed at the Wellington Police Station was an unuaturalised Austrian and was on the police books'to report once a week. The Hon. A. L. Herdman (Minister in Charge of the Police Department) replied: "The man referred to wus born in Berne, Switzerland, of Swiss parents. His parents emigrated to Austria, and became naturalised there. The man is em«

ployed as cook by the police mess committee, which decided some weeks ago to dispense with him as soon as ho

could bo replaced. The Police Department had nothing to do with this appointment."

During a recent sea voyage the members of J. C. Williamson's Koyal Comic Opera Company and artists on the Fuller circuit presented a combinaiian concert which netted over ,£7O for patriotic funds, thus beating the record established recently on the earns route by a concert, the performers at which included Madame Molba, Miss Ada Iteeve, and tho Cherniavskis. Mr; W. G. Riddoll, S.M., held an inquest yesterday moping touching the death of a day-old infant, who died nt the house of a registered nurs9 in Taranaki Street. Medical evidence showed that death was duo to thymic asthma, and a verdict was returned accordingly. Tlio annual street collection on behalf of tho Salvation Army Self-Denial Appeal will take place to-morrow. From morning till night busy workers will occupy prominent positions on tho main thoroughfares, armed with boxes bearing a "Sell-Denial Fund" labol. It is generally conceded that tho Armv deserves public patronage, for, not only does it carry on an extensive work amongst boys and girls, and wrecked humanity generally in tho Dominion, but it has, sinco the outbreak of war, taken on enormous responsibilities for the good of soldiers serving with tho colours. Its huts, institutes, and hostele are almost legion, while its ambulance unit—manned by Salvationists—accomplishes both a medical and a spiritual work; and there can bo no doubt of either its willingness or ability to servo in Hid Empire. These facts have only to be remembered by Wellington e generous citizens to guarantee a full supply of "munitions," in the form of pounds, tihilliugs, ami pence, with which the organisation can alono carry on.

The Hon. A. L. Herdman attended the annual meeting of the New Zealand Employers Federation yesterday, and 1 , in the coarse of a brief speech requested the employers' assistance and sympathy in tho matter of giving employment to disabled soldiers, wherever that was possible. The Minister was given a sympathetic hearing.

In America (according to a statement made by Dr. Florence Keller) the Government had taken over the coal. Coil after the declaration of war by the United States had commenced to "o up to tremendous prices Then the Government decided to take over all the coal mines in America, and within 21 hours coal had Mien from £2 per ton. to 30s. per ton. Tho big fight in Congress just now was the question of dealing withthe war profits. The Government was desirous of taking 80 per cent, of the war profits, but this was opposed lv many. The question was not yet settled, but there seemed to be a possibility that the Government would win out, i s there vras only a difference of two or three rotes.

In telegraphing his regret at not being nblo to preside at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Veterans' Association, His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral conveyed to those present his best wishes for the continued success of the association.

Several frion.de of tho late Captain Edward (Peter) Harris, of Gerakliue, who was killed in action, have subscribed a sum' of over .£7OO to found a memorial scholarship to be tenable at Christ's College. Tho primary purpose of the scholarship is to help (a) eons of soldiers of the N.Z.E.F., who have fallen or euffered. in. the war; (b) sons of members of tho N.Z.8.1 ,, . who have been on active service; sons of members of the various forces of the British Empire who have served during the present war; (d) sons of members of any New Zealand naval or military forcoe; (e) near relatives of any of the above classes. Tho scholar, ship will be open to boys of any age, and it will be of in. annual valuo "of -215 for a day boy, and ,£3O for a boarder. Applications will be received bv tho headmaster on or before November' 1 in each year.

Mr. W. P. Black, editor of the "New Zealand Capital and Labour Review'" who is touring the Dominion to organist) ft National Labour Party, has arrived from Auckland for the purpose of establishing a branch of the National Lobour Party in Wellington.

Tho richest ranker of tie war is Trooper Marshall Field, grandson of tho founder of tha vast Field fortunes, who recently enlisted in tho First Illinois Carairy. On account of the peculiar conditions of his grandfather's will, the foriuno has to accumulate until tho beneficiaries reach the ago of twenty-five, when each takes a proportionate life interest. It was willed, too, that the whole capital should be kept intact for forty years. Thus Marshall Field will be fifty when ho comes into possession of his inheritance, and will probably find himself worth ,fiH),OOO,eOO!

It is not given to everyone to reach the age of JO; neither can every septuagenarian give aysiy .£70,000—.£1000 for every year that ho lived. Yet that great pleasure was recently the lot of Mr. Joseph Hoult, a Liverpool shipowner, who in IDIS offered four Bums of .£SOO each to the first four merchantmen who sank a German submarine. Mr. Hoult's gift of J!70,000 ie being distributed mainly among Lancashire institutions and churches, the biggest sum going to the establishment of a fund for the benefit of marine engineers and firemen. The sum of ,£30.000 is to be t?et aside on this account, and tho whole of the interest accruing theiefrom is to be spent by a committee composed of Liverpool gentlemen. There is to bo no accumulation of funds, B. provision expressly stipulated by Mr. Hoult.