LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho members'of the Board of Trade were engaged yesterday making an .investigation concerning the price of gas in Wellington. They will submit a report on this subject to the Government 6hot-tly:"

Tho health.of .the,- troops in camp is particularly good at the present time. The total-number of men in hospital yes. terday wa9 reported to. be 62,; and this number included only three serious cases. Nearly all the cases in the camp hospitals were of a mild nature. Tho contagious.diseases hospital r at Dunedin con-, lamed seventy-five cases.'

John• Blomquist, a Russian Finn,'for making a disloyal statement at Greytown.on Saturday-yiz., "Germany is'going to. .win .this, witr,;and .will put all you —— sentenced: -to ..amonth's' imprisonment 7 at' the;Mnsterton ; Polico Court yesterday—Press'-'Associa-tion.' I

Tho meat 'industry representatives met in conference yesterday to discuss matters of importance in the working of the industry. Tho conference was not one of those convened. by the Government, ■but the Minister of AgricnUu.ro. was present by-invitation. «»<! lie. took advantage of the opportunity to give the companies somo of the views of the Government on tho conduct of tho industry. Tho conference has not been open to the Press.

Mr. It. A. Armstrong, president of the Now Zealand Second Division League, who has been on a visit to Auckland, returned id' Wellington yesterday. .In conversation with our representative,.. no stated that the northern branches of, the, league are all actively extending their influence, it being fully recognised by reservists that it is tho duty of. those who'may not have-to go on active service to organiso for the protection, of the interests of the men who aro sent away. Mr. Armstrong addressed a public meeting in FeUding on Thursday night, when a branch of 'the league was formed, with the Mayor of FeUding (Mr. A. M. Ongley) as president. The- General .Assembly (if the. Presbyterian Church of New -Zealand will open its 1917 meeting at First Cluirch, Dum edin, on Tuesday next, November 20. The Moderator-Elect is the Hon. J. G.-W. Aitken, the first lay-member'of the Piesbyterian Church in Australasia to'occupy this, the highest position in the Governing Assembly of the Church. ..-•" Tn the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, yesterday, Albert Leahy was. sentenced to two months' imprisonment for failing to enrol—Press Assn. ■ At a'confereneo last night between Mr. Frostick, the Efficiency Board Commissioner, and the waterside workers (states a Press Association message from Christchurch), a decision, subject to approval from Wellington, was avrived at regarding the Christchureh-Lyttelton train .service and .the handling of cargoes.. Since the discontinuance of evening trains the watorsiders have refused to work after six o'clock, th« 3 causing serious delays to shipping. ■ ..

Mrs. Dean, wife of .the licensee of the Springston Hotel, was fined £5 at the Christchurch Court yesterday, on eaoh of> (wo charges of permitting ''shouting."— Press Assn.

A largoly-atlended conference at Tilnaru of delegates from local hodies of South Canterbury and Ashbuiion year tcrdav passed a unanimous resolution calling upon the Government to fulfil its promißO to supply Lake Coleridxo power to Ashbur.ton and South Canterbury before undertaking new installations elsewhere. Tho conference strongly protested against the Government's proposal to initiate new schemes in ~the North' Island before redeeming its -promise to South and Mid-Canterbury, A deputation of fiyo members of.Parliament, all the Mayors, and. the., county chairmen and others was'appointed to visit Wellington to present the resolution to the Minister.—Press Assn.

The Canterbury Hall directors have decided to rebuild His Majesty's Theatre in Christchurch and tho block of buildings which was destroyed on Sunday night. -Mr. Henry White, the well-known theatre architect, who line buiit all Fullers' ..theatres in recent years, will probably supervise the work. It in proposed to crecfejie of tho most up-to-uato vaudeville theatres south of the Line, with, a seating capacity of 2000, also a smaller theatre to seat 800 for concern, to take tho place of the Alexandra Hall. Tho work will be proceeded with without delay. i . A sports mooting in connection with the Thirty-second Reinforcements will bo held- on tho Trenl'iam Racecourse on Saturday .next,.. November 17. :Tho first event will start at 9 o'clock sharp. ..An invitation., is extended to' visitors from 'Wellington and surrounding districts.

•' Detectives• Burnett and'"Black' yesterday arrested a man on a charge of house-breaking, involving the theft of jewellery valued at .£IOO. It is stated that this man is alleged to have been concerned in thefts elsewhere in New Zealand. Ho 'will appear before the Court this morning. Mr. Henry Eord makes it quite clear that whatever were his views in tho past he is now convinced that the war must go on until militarism it) crushed. .He thinks no great harm was done by America's delay in beginning her preparations, as wiir material quickly passes out of date. "Wo are making," he said to a "Now York Times" interviewer, "200,000 airplane cylinders of steel for the Government, to be delivered at tho rate of 1000 a day. We hnvo just developed a way of making a cylinder of solid steel cheaply. Wo would produco 5000 or 10,000 a day if called upon. A great many of tho men who work on these cylinders are of German birth, and they are just as keen for stamping out militarism as any of us. We all want the war 1 stopped, and the way (o stop it is to let the world know that this country is in it for all it is worth." The settlement of. a slander action lhat was to have been heard, in the Supreme Court yesterday morning was announced when the case was called en. Tho plaintiff was Susan Mahgin (Mr. Dunn) and tho. defendant Alice Welsford (Mr. H. P. O'Leary); .£250 damages was the amount claimed. Mr. O'Leary informed the Court that the defendant was willing to withdraw any allegations she, had made against the plaintiff's charac- 1 ter, and Mr. Dunn said that such a settlement would bo satisfactory, as the plaintiff had no desire to do anything but vindicate her name. The case was accordingly struck out. A long interview took place in Christchurch (says an exchango) between Mr. J. A. Frostick. National Efficiency Commissioner for Canterbury, and the dental sub-committee of tho general committee of professions and commerce. A report has been prepared showing the number of men available in the various classes, as defined by the Medical, Service Act, who possess the necessary dentistry qualifications. A thoroughly organised scheme Is to bo prepared, 60 that the.' actual requirements of districts may be met, excluding all the'more expensive kinds of dental work and work which might be deemed unnecessary in view'..of the war situation. The Napier Borousrh Council decideci last night to "respectfully ask tho Hon. W. F. Masscy (Prime Minister), and the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister of Education) to proceed immediately with the erection of the Napier Main School on tho Colenso Hill site selected by the Education Department and the Hiiwke's Bay Education Board, and approved by the Main School Colnmittee, as the present temporary teaching arrangements are very detrimental (o the best intcr- ; osts of education."—Press Assn.

Referring yesterday to a reported caso of infantile paralysis, Dr. Yalintinc, Chief' Health Officer, said: "We aro bound to'have a few sporadic cases occurring. Wo havo this disease among us. It has been endemic in the Dominion for a considerable number of years, and we aro always likely to havo isolated cases. As in the case of other epidemics, it is ouly when there is a! certain proportion (insusceptible'persons in a com- ' munity that this disease takes epidemic .'form.' So far as thjs disease is concerned there does not seem to be any: occasion for alarm.\ The following aro the numbers of cases which have occurred in the .Dominion for some weeks past, mid tho figures speak for themselves':—For tho week ended November 12, three, casesone at Kainnra, one at Hawke's Bay, and one at Wanganui. v For the previous week, two cases were notified from Kaipnra. For the week ended October 20 six cases were notified from Kaipara. and ono from Waikato. For' the previous week one caso (from Kaipara); and for

the week ended October 15. two cases— or ono from Kaipara and one from Auckland; and for tho week ended October. 8, two from Kaipara and ono from Auck-' land." ' .

Replying to the Vogeltown and Mornington Municipal Electors' Association 'iin the question of the new Toad which tho association has been agitatiug : for, tho City Council states that while agreeinfi with the importance of the work and the urgency for carrying it .out, the council desire to mako it clear that with several other equally important works,it must, in their opinion, remain-lover until 'there is some relief from"the"-present: strained financial condition. In.-the mean-, time, however, the.City .Engineer is now: compiling estimates- of- (he cost of an alternative road, and this will come up for consideration at an early, date.

About eight months ago the' New Zealand Eiflo Brigade Band on service at the front met with a serious loss through a German shell falling in their practice ' tent and exploding and killing three of the bandsmen and damaging-Ihe instruments. Particulars of the occurrence were forwarded a. few weeks later by Lieutenant Cole, the' conductor. Lieutenant Cole stated it was tho intention' to return the damaged instruments to Palmerstoir out of consideration for tho great assistance that hod been rendered by the Patriotic' Society and citizens there in equipping tho band. The damaged instrument reached Piilniereton on Wednesday, and comprise two basses, a euphonium, two trombones, a' cornet, and flugel horn, ami their battered aud\ torn condition 6errcs to show, the terrible effects of artillery fire, and also that our bandsmen share (he common dangers of the battlefield. .. The slang phraseology used at the front is, to say the least, weird and wonderful.. Writing to his people at Otam'ila, Private Frank Dunn says: "In talking of a German we usually call him Fritz or Jerry. Every-class of soldier has his nickname, and of course you know the terms Tommy, Jock, and Scotty..etc. ,The Australians are Anzacs or Ozzies, ; and some call us Anzacs,. but mostly .we get 'Digger/ One New Zealander speaking to another says 'Digger,', but I do not know where tho name came from. The Canadians are mixed up a lot in 'Scotty' regiments. The Portuguese troops are called 'Pork,' 'Cheesy,' or 'Tony,' and 'Yanks' are called 'Sam. 1 Another great word here is 'buckshee.' A slight wound is a 'buckshee,' a big one is a 'blighty.' Also spare bread, stew and tea, or Ii'Y.H.C.A. hutmeut where we get free tea and cakes or parcels from patriotic societies are all 'buckshee.'" Writing to his wifo in Timaru, Rifleman rfarold Jainieson describes a visit which he paid to Windsor Castle, in company with a number of New Zealanders. They were shown through the Castle, each room being visited imdor a different guide. The vaults were visited, also the Castle armoury, a place containing rare specimens of ancient weapons mid suits qt' armour inlaid with gold and precious stones. The banqueting hall, with its priceless paintings, tho throne room, decorated with gorgeous hangings, were all of breathless interest to them.

The carpetiin tho latter room,-lie says, weighed Jienrly three tons, and took nearly 100 men to carry it out! to beat it. After going over the Castle, which, he said, would take a week to look over properly; they were taken to a room where refreshments were given them. "Wo had a real live princess to 6erve up," he writes. "She seemed a decent sort." The princess lie afterwards difr covered was Princess Alice. After lum?d' ing they were taken over tho stables, the numerous horses _ and carliases being a source of great liileie. . . *Tlie New Zealand' Natives' Association's Band will play selections at J-5 ail Bay to-morrow afternoon. An exceptional opportunity to 6C "'™ magnificent residence at Eastbouine (Wellington's most popular seaside resort), is offered by the truslees in tho estato of Hie lato Jfr. . w, , l '\, shpr n^nr property, which is freehold, comprises over half an acre, with a frontage to three streets, is beautifully laid o gardens, lawns, croquet and tennis ciurts, shrubberies, ornamon al trees, op I'of the most admired homes in P<;Pplar residential quarter The house, which is fully fufmehed, ( inchHhnfir Brinsmend piano and billiard-table, contains eight living rooms, bath-room with porcelain bath and basin hot and, cold water, gas, smoke-room, fully equipped photographic dark-room ho outbu. dings 'include motor garage (25 x 18), tennis Vavillion, glass-house, Rummer-house, wash-house, etc., a never-faihng water sunplv is Iflid 011 property, and laps are placed in convenient positions Throughout tiio garden. Drainage l>y septic, tank system; p.w.c. Price and further particulars of this beautiful home can be obtained on application to W. F. Shortt, Ltd., Willis Street. Wei-' Hngton.—Advfc

Th tworidihg's' of the Wairarapa Bods , County elections have bcon held, l'anHJing in tho return of the sitting member*, viz.: Parkrale, Mr. Wm. Perry; Maungaraki, Messrs. J. Strang, D. jf'Gregor, C. A. Cameron, and M. J., M'Qregor. A Press Association tolegrain from Gisborne states that/ a remand was granted in the ca6e of J. S. Dods, who is chargd with arson. ' The recount of the polling in the Porirua Riding' of the Makara County on Wednesday 'has not affected the actual result, hut the positions of the various candidates have been changed. Tho official result is -now given as follows':—Alfred J. Taylor,'. 162; Ernest Windlev, IG2; John H. Haggerty, 160; Stephen Bryant, 146; B. Prosser, 139; Francis H. Greer, 55. As previously reported, the first four mentioned hare hoen elected. In the first result given the order of tho candidates was: Haggerty, 158; Windley, 158; Taylor, 156) Bryant, H3; Prosser, 142; Greer, 55. A flurry of excitement was caused in Manners' Street shortly after 8 o clock yesterday-morning by a. young, runaway horse, which broke its tether-rope while waiting to bo shod at Talbufe forge, Parish Street. . The animal—which belonged to Messrs. H.: Baldwin and Co., ' produce merchants—bolted into Manners Street, knocked over a passing postman, then slipped on the footpath, and crashed into two plate-glass irindows of Messrs. G. Fowlds's (Ltd.) 'drapery establishment. The horse received a Tather bad cut on the chest, and damage to the extent of about .£4O was done by the runaway.'