LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 33, 2 November 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"The imprisonment of men who are shirking their duty to their country is simply accentuating the trouble," said the lion. W. Karns'haw in tho Legislative Council yesterday. "The punishment for shirking should not bo confinement in gaol, but shipment to tho front. Tho men who prefer the 6afety of a prison to tho dangers of tho battletteld should not bo allowed to escapo their duty." It is proposed early in the Xew Year to summon the Judges *of the Native Land Court to Wellington to hear and determine the question o£ the rights of the Natives to the soil o3 the lakes wherever clainicd, and also any other rights that may be claimed in connection with thoso lakes. .After tho general principles liavo lwon decided, each Judge in his 6eparato district will deal with tho local circumstances of each particular lake that may be brought before him. Advantage will also bo taken of the presence of tho Judges, who are also Presidents of the Maori Land Boards, to consider questions of procedure in (he conduct and management of those boards so as to ensure unitormity throughout the Dominion.

A return presented to Parliament yesterday shows that there wero 121 convictions'recorded during the past five years (ended August 31, 1917 for sy grog-sell-jiier iu the Ivinjf Couutry. Ihe amount received in fines was -£1997. f]ie number of applications recorded, during the - same period at the various courts for supplies of liquor sent into tho district was 05,510. The admissions to hospital at the military camps for tho week ending October 2G 'wero:—Trentham, 57; Peatherston. 51 j Awapuni. 1. The general health of the camps was good. _ The City Council at its meeting last night adopted a recommendation by committee that Sunday afternoon swimming at To Aro Baths be permitted from Novmber ito March 31. It had formerly been suggested that the permission should not come into forco till Decembcr 1. . The Hon. Arthur M. Myers, Minister of Customs, advises that tho amount of Customs revenuo collected for the month of October was <£277,956, and tho excise beer duty <£23,552. The figures for the month of October, 1916, were . .£334,50 l and respectively. According to a return presented to "Parliament yesterday, 2G5 unlicensed survey assistants' permits have been issued by the Department of Lands and Survey during the hist ten years. The contractor for abattoir slaughtering (Mr. Isaac Sykes) has been permitted bv the City Council to surrender hie contract as from November 1. The council has decided, in compliance with a request from tho butchors killing at tno abattoir, to enter into a contract with Messrs. Gardner Bros, for the slaughtering for tho balance of tho term of the surrendering controct (five months), aiul for an additional three years, ending March 31, 1921. There has been for a long time ft dispute between clothing manufacture] 8 and master tailors with Tespect to bespoke work and chart orders, and tho matter cropped up again in the Arbitration Court yesterday, when the tailors dispute was being hoard. It was stated that the parties had had another conference, but were unablo to reach a complete agreement. Mr. C. !N. Catluo, who represented 'tho manufacturers, raised the question of tho jurisdiction .of the Court, and requested permission to secure the assistance of counsel. Decision on tho point was reserved.

The Finance and Property Committee reported to last evening a meeting ofi the City Council that they had authorised tho officers to negotiate for the Herniation of a small piece of land owned by the Wellington College governors, and situated at tlio corner of Tory and Vivian Streets. Tho Wellington Education Board liaa accepted tho following tenders :-Karori School (additions), and additions to tho Upper Hutt School, Mr. A. A. nnc i r : East Hutt (latrines, addition), Mr. H. May; lulbimie (ditto , Mr. G. L. Wakelin; Newman (new house), Mr. U N. Clavtor; Daleliold (new house) Mr A A. R. Wallis; Hillersden (outbuildings), Mr. .T. Fawcett.

The City Council last evening declined to entertain an application by the Wellington Drum Band for financial assistance.

Emerson Street, Napier, one of the principal thoroughfares in tho town, is Doing newly constructed in concrote (otfr opecial correspondent states). Una wi Ijo the first concreto road in tho district. A notico appears in tlio Gazette fixing the closing-hours of watchmakers, jewelleTs', goldsmiths', and silversmiths shops in the city of Wellington, under the Shops and Offices Act. It directs that all such shops shall be closed as follows :-0n Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 6 p.m., and on Fridays at 10 p.m., with the following exceptions :-(a) Tho working-day immediately preceding Good Friday, when tho closing-hour shall he 10 pjn-i Q>) ty® period from December 1 to December 14, both days inolusive, when tho closinghour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays shall bo 9 p.m.. and on lYidays 10 p.m.; (°) ' comber 15 to December 31, both days inclusive, when the closing-hour on every working-day (other than the statutory closing day) shall bo 11 p.m.; (d) when any day is generally observed as a holiday in ihe city of Wellington, any shop that is closed at not later than 1 o clock on that day, and that is usually closed for tho statutory half-hohday on another day of the week, may remain open on tho lattor day until the hour• fixed by this notice for the day on which holiday is observed.

The speed at which motor-drivers are wont to travel through the city was the subject of some commont by Councillor R A Wrght at last evenings meeting of the City Council. Fifteen miles an hour Councillor Wright, considered an exccssive rate to bo permitted. The Mai or said that the matter would be referred to the y-laws Committee.

The Napior Bqrough Council is communicating by circular with all the local bodies interested, asking thom to send delegates to a conforonco at which it is proposed to appoint a representative as a deputation to wait on Ministers at Wellington and urge the claims for the Waikaremoana hydro-electric soheme (telegraphs our special correspondent). Yesterday tho Napier Chamber of Commerco discussed the question, and also Mr. 13. Parry's roport on tho ficnomo. Burin" tho discussion one spenkor said it was evident tho Wellington scheme would first be proceeded with, as it was already suggested that returned soldiers desiring such' work should be employed on it. Delegates were appointed to assist tho Borough Council m placing the district's claims before tho Government.