LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 42, 13 November 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Balloted moil of the Sccond Division are to bo called up for medical examination in the alphabetical order in which their names appear in tho Gazette. This arrangement mill prevent any unfairness, and will assist tho men to discover when

they are likely to bo called. Tho instruction given to group commanders is that they are not to call up moro than forty balloted men per day for examination by a district medical board, so that there need be no congestion. Volunteers will be examined with the least possible delay on all occasions. Yesterday, says our special correspondent, the Napier insurance companies paid out over .£75,000 in connection with losses sustained at the recent firo nt Dannevirke.

The mid-summer State school vacation tliis year will extend from the afternoon of Thursday, December 20, to the morning of Tuesday, February 6. The question of allowing a picture show on Christmas Day camo before the Lower Hutt Borough Council last evening. It was quickly decided that permission should not be granted. Councillor Cotton rose to protest. "It is a eliamo," ho said, "to put a 6top to the man's enterprise in this way. Picturo (Shows on Christmas Day are allowed in other places." There was no Argument on the point, iiie Mayor was the ■ only ono who spoke. "Christmas Day," he said, "is one of two days in tho year when there should bo a Test from business. It is a djy 01 } which the eternal grasping should be set aside. Other businesses have to close. Discussing the matter of coal supplies the Minister of Munitions and Supplies, the Hon. Arthur M. Myers, stated to an Auckland "Herald" reporter that the outlook at the moment in regard to coal seemed to be somewhat easier, for the ample supplie.s of lignite andbrown coals available had justified him in exoluding such supplies from the full effect of the coal trade regulations. The position, however, in regard to hard coals was such that it would probably bo necessary, for 6ome time to come, for supervision to bo exercised over deliveries, and for tho greatest economy to bo practised by consumers of this class of cpal. No doubt, in the near future, considerable relief would lio afforded to New Zealand consinners by supplies of eonl which would come forward from Newca?tle. At tho opening of the betting case in the S\inreme Court yesterday. Mr. A. Gi'av, K.C., counsel for tho Moused Fitzgerald, asked His Honour to front the latter permission to tnko a seat in the body of tho court. Fitzgerald vas suffering. ho stated, from an injury to his leg. His Honour replied that ho could not niako anv distinction in this case, and that if Fikgerold desired to sit ha must have a «chaii' in the dock. Tho other prisoners might also sit ; f thev wished. When chairs were broivtht each of the prisoners availed himself of His Honour's permission. Whilo the veteran cricketer C.. G. Wilson was passing his Saturday afternoon on tho Basin Ecservo hittihg good bowling for fours and sixes, he lifted one ball out of tho ground and sent it into the Caledonian Hotel, through tho dining-room window. Tho dining-room was locked, and a senrch had to be made for the person holding the. key. When tho room was opened the ball could not be found, till someone looking in from tho footway noticed it tucked in between two of tho'laths of the venotian blind. During tho past month 20 cases of diphtheria have been reported in tho Napier district. Tho members of tlio Third Wellington Military Service Board left by tho Main Trunk Express yesterday for Taihape. After hearing appeals there tho board— which consists of Messrs. D. Q. A. Cooper (chairman), D. M'Laren, and William Perry—will go on to Taumarunui. 1 Our Napier correspondent states that tho keenest competition is existing between candidates for tho approaching Hawke's Bay County Council elections, resembling in many • respects a hardfought political campaign. Some discussion was aroused at the Lower Hutt Borough Council last evening by an application from the_ Petone Council for permission to ply their motor bnsos for hire in Lowor Hutt. Councillor Cotton said legal advico should bo taken to soo if tho Petone Council could be prevented from cutting into tho business of tho private bus owners of Lower Hutt, who had been tho first to come to the assistanco of the Lower Hutt residents. It was a shamo fora municipal body to sot out to fight private owners in this way. Something should be done to let tho Petone Council see that the Lower Tlntt Council did not like such taotics. Several councillors oxpressed sympathy with the Lowor Hutt bus proprietors, and it was resolved to obtain the opinion of tho Municipal Association solicitor as to whether tho permission can be refused and whether tho council has power to regulate fares.

"In a recent summary of tho Government Statistician's figures dealing with tho percentage of tho increase in the cost of' essential foods, Palmerston. North topped the list, as showing the heaviest percentage of increase. Explaining this, the "Manawatu Evening Standard" said: "These figures are deceptive in pimp respects. It is obvious, for oxamplo, that Palmerston North occupies its apparently unfavourable position not because it. is the most expensive town in Now Zealand in which to live, but because it held a particularly good position beforo tho war. It has suffered from a levelling up of prices."

It is ovidontly expected that the big' betting case now before tho Supreme Court will last for at least throe days as jurors not engaged in the heating havo been discharged till Thursday morning. ,

"I suppose tliis is not the first betting telegram that has been rot in at your office?" asked Mr. T. JI. Wilfoid af a lady cleric who gave ovidenco in the betting- case yesterday. "I suppose eho is not permitted to divulge 'nfomntion alxMit 6uch things," interposed the Chief Justice. "I am not poinp to auk for names," replied counsel laughingly. "Your Honour need not be afraid of being given away." "But thero may be other people in court who are," was His Honour's rejoinder.

Very strict limitations are set nowadays in England to the amount of food that may be consumed at an hotel or restaurant. Regulations wero issued by tho Food Controller on April i defining tho amount of different articles of (regular consumption that might be given to one person ut any publio eating-house. In the first place ho potatoes were to bo allowed on any day except Friday. Tho allowance for breakfast was two ounces of meat, two ounces of broad, and twosevenths of an ounce of sugar. No flour in any other shape was allowed. For luncheon or midday dinner, the'meat allowance was five ounces, and an extra ration of one ounce of flour was added to tho two ounces of bread and two-scvenths of an ounco of sugar. Tho rations for the evening meal—dinner, meat-tea, or euppor—wero the same as for the midday meal. For tea only bread and sugar are specified, tho amounts being tho same. Tho total meat allowance for the day was therefore twelve ounces, of bread eight ounces, with two ounces of flour in scones, buns, cakes, or other edibles, and one ounco and onc-scventli of sugar. And the weight of meat is not the cooked weisht. but tho uncooked weight of meat, including bone, as usually delivered by the butcher.

Brisk demand continues for "Thinker" Writing Tablets and "Thinker" School Exercise Books. Parents, encourage yoiui children to uso the "Thinker" Brand for tho nation's good. Bannat.vne and Huntor, Ltd.,- Wholesalo Agents for tho

An interesting experiment is being mado by Mr. Richard Keene, of Island Bay, on his Parenga Estate, in the north of Auckland. When he was in Auckland ho found out that rubber plants were being cultivated tliero by ono of the nursorymeu. Air. Keene secured 200 of the plants, and during his recent vißit to Parenga had them planted out in sheltered spots that wero considered most favourable to the growth of the plant. As tho summer at Parenga is very warm, and tho winter quite mild, Mr. Keene convolved the idea that the soil nnd climate might bo favourablo to tho growth of the tropical tree. If they do grow, tho discovery will be a valuable ono for New Zealand; if not, nothing much would be lost.

A sailor who had cnusod trouble on his ship came before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at Auckland on Thursday on a charge of refusing to obey lawful commands. Among other things it was mentioned (says tna

"Star") that when the' man was put on the job of chipping tho rust and paint ho sketched out tho letters "1.W.W." . After furtlmr evidence had been given of tho man's refusal to work, the man was put in tho box, and tho. Magistrnto asked him if ho know that "1.W.W." wns usually interpreted "I won't work." "It moanß a lot of things," replied tho seaman. "I won't whistle." and other things.

A ten-dollar gold pieco forwarded in n small box by a man in America to a person in Perth has kept the Postal authorities searching for the last 12 months. They ran their quarry down rewntly. When the box camo to hand the recipient stated that there was no ooin in it, and the sender mado a complaint (o the Postal authorities. Not being satisfied with tho answer, ho approached Mr. Walter Long, the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Mr. Long sent on the complaint to Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, nnd in timo it got back to the Postal authorities. Then a Postal official in Perth asked to seo the hox from which the coin wns said to have heon stolen. Ho examined it, and found a piece of paper pasted over tho bottom. Beneath the paper, the coin was found.

The National Committee of the Y.M.C.A. acknowledges the following contributions to its wnr funds:—Mrs. Saunders, £8 29.; P. M. Rnmsden, Woodville, ,£6; Hutt Patriotic Guild, £5; 'J'. A. Bridge, Manaia, .£5; Westland Patriotic Guild, .£2 .12s. 2d. ; ICaikoura County Council (monthly), .£2 25.; J. H. Seager, Christchurch, and Mrs. M. A. Leslie, Ahuriri Flat, each £2; Misses Mowbray-and Govan, Palmerstou North (monthly), ,£1 55.; Women's Hostel, Wellington, .El 25.; Miss E. Fitzgerald. Wellington, Mrs. C. Grant, ICarori, LanceCorporal T. Leslie, Trentham, and F. Peaoh, Brooklyn, each «Cl.

Tho "hat trick" is one of the bowling feats that few cricketers have the distinction of accomplishing in first-class matohes. Bruce, now in Trentham Camp, but formerly known in Wellington and Auckland cricket circles, did the.trick on the Basin Reserve on Saturday, but there was a good deal of discussion as to whether his feat actually was the "hat trick." Bruce clean bowled C. G. Wilson (who. by the way, had made IG2 runs), got Hiddlestone caught out off the next ball, and with the tliird ball clean bowled Burton. Most of those present claimed that tho "htvt trick" had been done, but others said that to get the "hat trick" the bowler must take three wickets with three consecutivo balls by clean bowling. Ah authority states that that version is wrong, and that Bruce did tho "hat trick."

Fourteen married and thirteen dingle men applied , for work to the State Labour Bureau in Wellington last week. Nineteen of the twonty-seven wore placed, most 'of them in private employment. Tho majority of the applicants were general labourers.

No part of tho city bears a more improved appearance this summer than tho Basin Reserve. The alterations made by tho City Council have added greatly to the neatness of tho grounds, but apart from that Caretaker Brewer has_ the turf in perfect order. Tho cricket oval is in botter condition, taken all round, than it ever been in. Good playing and practice wickets aro rvailable, and the outfield is excellent. Cricketers are enthusiastic about the improvements which the oaretaker has effected.

The balance-sheet of tho borough of Lower Hutt was presented to the Borough Council for confirmation last evening. The Mayor said the sheet had been passed by the State auditor as satisfactory, and had been returned "without a tag." His Worship took that as a compliment to tho corporation's officers., Tho ■ council nocopted the bal-anee-shcet, and it was agreed, that it should bo signed.