LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 52, 24 November 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Almost unbounded excitement prevailed in Napier on Thursday morning when the news came through that the Allies ,had Bmaehed through, the Hindenburg line, states a Hawko'e Bay exchange. Whistles in every part of the town blew, and here and there bolls chimed in, while motor-car horns

■tooted. A special effort is being mado to scoure a good supply of books and magazines for the use of the men in camp at Featherston, and it is hoped that those who have any books or magaziues to spare will assist by sending thorn along. All parcels addressed to the Chaplain, Churcli of England, Featherston, care Camp Commandant, "will be carried free of freight. ' '

"Owing to the necessity to exercise extreme economy in expenditure," runs a notice in district orders, "it lias b.ee'ii decided that'. all special and other grants allotted to districts for the piirr, pose of holding district and group rifje meetings will be cancelled and remain suspended during the continuance ' of tho war. All grants not yet expended, made for the provision of prizes, marking fees, and for railway passes, in this, connection are,- : therefore, withdrawn from this ■ date.-. Riflo- -meetings will, however, be. allowed to continue proyid-. ing that no expense to the Defence De-partment-is caused'by ' their being held. ,1 . ... .. . .

. There was an entertaining gathering of motorists under the presidency- of. ; Mr. S. E. M'Carthr, S.M.y yesterday morning. Nearly ail of them had been travelling.at what the police considered excessive speed. The first motorist, on the list was asked to come forward,, hut he. did not appear. ■ "Convicted and fined £2, court costs 75., solicitor.'s fee i.os. 6d.-,"' said tW Magistrate/ as. he scribbled'away'in his big book. The next speedist had the excuse that he was a stranger, and did not know,-.tho by-law, also "that h'e was ; soon going into camp. "Fined £2, ..-.court costs 75., solicitor's fee 10s. 6d.," said the busy Magistrate, and the procession continued. A clear view of tho track ahead and no danger of an accident was tho next excuse. "Fined £2, court costs 75., solicitor's fee 10s. 6d." The army' with its army of "reasons" 'far having gone too fast marched on to the.'ac-: companiment of "Fined—two pounds— etc." The last of all was a minister of _ religion. Hβ pleaded guilty, but said that he had been unaware of,' the provisions of the- by-law, ■ and ho expressed the opinion that it was the least the city authorities could do when a man registered his car was to give him a copy of tho _ by-laws, so that there would ho no misunderstanding. "The law," said tho Magistrate, "is that you can get a .copy, of the by-laws by paying for them. / "Fined £2, court costs 75., solicitor's fee 10s. 6d."

The question of keeping our Fire Brigade up to a proper standard of efficiency is tlio concern of the Mayor and City Council, as well as the superintendent of the brigade (Mr.'-H. Tait). The fact that inroads have been, made into the fire brigades of-. New Zealand by tho calling-up of hrigadosmen for military service has been -stressed by the circumstances surrounding the recent big fires in Punedin and Christchurch. The Ataj'sr Qlr. J. P. Luke) is quite alive tojhe dajger to the community by the depletion of the-brigade of its trained_rrien, and now that the Second Division is being called up lie is interesting himself in ascertaining the position, of bridagesmen, nearly all of whom are eligible for military service. Mr. Tait lias pointed out that all the qualities needed for a, good soldier are those required in a good fire fighter,_ and it , is logical to draw the conclusion that those not physically eligible for military service are'of lit tie use to a fire-fighting' force, and strong efforts are to bo made to obtain exemption from military Gcrvico of those brigadesmen whose services ar.e considered essential to the safeguarding of the community.

Speaking at Canterbury College on "Some Poisonous Gases," Dr. \?. P. Evans said that ho honestly thought that the Germans were now very sorry, that they had initiated tho,use of eas in warfare. English chemists might be slow, Imt they were very thorough' once they got to work, and the Germans, so far as poisonous gas was concerned, were now getting as.good as, if not bettor than,.they. gave. . . .'"

A cablegram has been received in Falmeraton North from Dr. Stbwe in connection with tho X-ray- apparatus , which he was authorised to , purchase for the Martin Memorial, and at a meeting of the committee- held on Thursday afternoon it was decided to •hand £650 to tho Hospital Board for remission to Dr. Stowo in England,, to completo the -purchase of the X-ray apparatus, as requested by him.

Charges of failuro to attend drill, levelled at a number of youths, were cnlled on in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. The Defence authorities asked for ono of the cases, to bo withdrawn and permission was granted. The father of tho lad,- who appeared when the case was called on, afterwards stated to 'tho Press -tliat thiswas tho fourth occasion on which he Tiad attended Court respecting tho case. On the first three occasions the case was adjourned, and then on the'fourth it was withdrawn. He added that the reason for tlie withdrawal was that the Department had discovered that his boy had not on any occasion missed drill. In another.case cnlled on at about the same time the Defenco representative also requested permission _to withdraw the matter. -The Magistrate again granted the request, but remarked that it appeared that the boy had attended fourteen out of fifteen parades. , "

Tram travelling in Wellington can bo mado as expensive- as it is sometimes cheap. A. man who over-rode his ticket on a Lvall Bay car recently refused to pay another penny, got into .an argument with the conductor, and wound nr> bv attempting to pull the conductor n(F the ear when it was in motion. Yesterday, Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., fined him £5 r with, costs £1 2s. Cd.

Mr. J. W. M'Ewan intends to move nt next week's nicotine;.of the Harbour Board: "That tlie Shipowners' Federation rind the Watorside AVorkers' Union bn each invited to appoint five representatives to meet five represciitaMvps of the board to consider the following proposals: (1) That the Harbour Hoard control all labour employed- oil tho waterfront; (2) that all such labour shall bo on a. permanent- basis."

Jan Pioterso, a mail 30 vcars'of ago; was charged in the ■Magistrate's -Court yesterday with having miide -Qic"'followins "seditious utterance-" in the Metropolitan Hotel on November 22: "The Kaiser will win'this war. Good luck to tlic Kaiser." Pieters'n was remanded till to-day. Ho pleads hot guilty. Many complaints of overcoats having bceti stolen from shops in Wellington have been received' by the'police'of Into. Yeslerdayii man was arrested liy the , Taranaki Street'police,-and today ho will appear in court, qn several charges of overcoat lifting. ■ ' .An electrifying exposure of Mormon practiced'■■ when the creed- was kt the heigbt of its'power, is made in '-'A Mop•■lhoii 'Maid,". Hhevbig.-picture-play .which opeus to-<lay at-the-King's Theatre, and marks its conversion-into-a -continuous house. -First -session, at 2 p.m. ■ Usual continuous. pricM.-r-Ad.Tti .. .'

"That , local flour, stocks'are wqefuily short and that a critical position h immirioat, not only in Canterbury, but in ninny parts of the Dominion, which naturally enough may affect the consumer," was.a. statement made by aCanterbury.' miller to a "Sun" representative, a statement which, the "Sun" adds, received support and confirmation; from other gentlemen connected with the industry.

Strully, of .the Northumberland Fusiliers, -who is only 28 years of age, has had the unique experience of beinc; reported "killed in action" no fewer than five times. . ,

Those who have sons or relatives on. active service will bo reassured bv Dr. AV. P. Evans's statement, made in -the course of his lecture on "Some Poisonous Gases" ' in Cbristchurch, that it was not difficult to protect our soldiers against cas attack's. The old-ens helmets, he- said, had given■ place to skilfully devised hex respirators, cciuinped with acids to counteract the effects of chlorine ' The French Army ofßcials now accepted the fact-that for practical purposes an ordinary handkerchief that hid bean well damped, placed over the mouth and; nose would bo a sufficient protection, if necessary.

. _ Several cases concerning the registration of reservists were .dealt with in. the Magistrate's Court yesterday. James Casey was-fir.ed'£2| with costs,, for having failed to show his enrolment-, card and fof ; having given a police sergeant' evasive answers. Horace Fisher" Richardson, who had changed his place o£ residence without notifying the Government Statistician, was-fined £I'.-

A Taihape milling coinpany .lias just completed, the sale of half'a..million feet of rimu and white pine t<l-a. Victorian merchant, at an advance of_ 20 per cent, nbove the New.Zealand price, and another shipment of white pine is' shortly to be made at' more than 30 per cent, above the price charged to local merchants.

Charges against three "persons of uridelinking' to'.tell.fortunes.. .have been laid. lsy the police.. Tho cases are-Bet 'down to.be heard.on December 7.",.. ■

Dr. B. M.. Moorhouse has made another to the. Canterbury , Museum, states, a. .Cbristchurclv paper. He has given a. valuable colleo•tion of ethnological specimens obtained by. him on. a recent visit, to New Guinea. They illustrate the .arts and crafts of the- New Guinea natives. Some of the .stone axes in the oolleoiion. are; bo-.ancient that their design is not rV cognised by tribes how living in .tlie country.. The collection,. therefore,.'lißs a commercial value as well £is a sentimental and scientific -qiie.. ■'. In, addition Dr. Moorhouse'./ has given several New Guinea; ■ specimens representing zoology, a branch_ of science in which he talces a' deep interest. Mr. 0. Brien, of New Plymouth, has presented tho museum with .0 button belonging to iv soldier of the 40th Regiment. '