LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 62, 6 December 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

True to its promiso of six months ago tho Bank of Now Zealand is about to issue ten-shilling notes of a new design The new note is printed m light n ink and dark blue. It has tho baak s uamo in old English lettering in a straight line across its upper half, and the vignettes of New Zealand scenery, with Maoris and kiwis in the forearound, on either side, winch are features common to all the lower denominations of notes issued_ -by the Bank of New Zealand. _ The pink notes of the present issue will not_ be immediately withdrawn from circulation. They will be reissued until, by wear, they have become unfit for further circulation. The following note appearsi in Trentham Camp orders ■—"The Commandant wishes to express his appreciation of the plucky action of Corporal J. H. Day, bootmaker, of the camp permanent staff, in rushing on to tho tramway line and pulling a child from in front of a moving tramcar in Wellington on November 12, 1917, at considerable risk to himself. Tho promptitude and coolness of his action saved tho child from a serious accident, if not from being killed." On being interviewed by a "Daily Times" reporter, the Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) referred to tho following statement respecting the Fourth Infantry Brigado in a telegram from Wellington: "It is stated . . . that the stop of breaking up tho extra brigade is being taken in order to delay" as long as possible the sending of married men with children." Th 6 comment tho Minister made on this statement was: "I have made no such statement. My announcement with regard to tho Fourth Brigade, as telegraphed from. Wellington on I'riday last, is full and complete. Tho reason tho Fourth Brigado is bemg_ broken up iB that we liave received information that it can now be drawn unon for reinforcements for the New land Division. As I have been advisea to that effect, it will he drawn i.pon to supply reinforcements. I am as anxious as anybody to keep tho married men back, but I would not sacrifice the strength of the division to do it, nor, I am sure, would tho married men wish mo to do bo."

Tho Mayor and members of the City Council are to make a tour of some of the principal city reserves this afternoon. His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking and a special jury of twelvo yesterday heard further ovidenco in tho caso cf Chipman (Australasia) Ltd. against John Edward Fitzgerald, motor importor, ft Lambton Quay. Chipman Ltd., who are motor manufacturers' agents, claimed from Fitzgerald £2394 17s. 8d as due upon Colo cars and Burford motor wagons supplied to the latter. Fitzgerald denied that he owed the P'a,ntiffs anything, since (as lie alleged) l-o was entitled to recover from them £5750 damages for loss they had occasioned him by not carrying out their obligations under a oontract. Sir John Findlay, K.C., and Mr. D. B. Hoggard appeared for Chipman Ltd., and Mr. A. W. Blair for Fitzgerald. The case was not concluded when the Court rose. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) lias consented to preside at the _ presentation of certificates in connection with the Wellington Technical School on Wednesday next. Tho Chapter of the Christchurch Cathedral has agreed to give space for the Godley statue in tlio centre of the grass plot 011 the north side of the cathedral, and the work of transferring the statuo from tho Square is to he put in hand shortly.

The Soldiers' Club in Masterton is expected to be ready for opening early in the New Year.

On Juno 7, 1902, a resolution wa passed by tho Nelson Harbour Board levying a rate of 0110 penny 111 the h on 'all rateable property m tho Nelson harbour district in order to provide security for tho interest on the loan of £65 000 for harbour improvement purnoses Fortunately for many years it has never been nccossary to collect the rate, the revenue for the port having been more than sufficient to meet current expenditure and interest charts The war, however, has had a serious effect upon tho revenue of tho port, as disclosed by the monthly returns, and with tho object of placing the board m a better financial position, both in leR ard to meet ing interest charges and to effect further Thomas Edwards moved at Monda> s meeting of the Nelson Harbour Boa d in accordance with not.ee given that a rate of one-sixth of a penn> in the £ ho levied and collected for the ynn 1918. parable on •Tu ,le , -n resolution was carried unanimously, all 0 f the members expressing regret fol luivimx to do so. "Unlike some other Ministers, Lord Rhondda is ready to acknowledge tho Sat debt which the nation owe* to tho newspapers in these days of wai, and, S aware of the measure of its lsistni.ee, he felt constrained rece.itw tn nav it a notable tnmue. the co-operation of the Tress one s offnrU oan Ix 1 . of no avrnl. I consider ' i iavo i,een "handsomely treated, ns h,„ th. otl.er W mP in saving that without tne rrebs the nation could not he effectively organised for war." With the opening of the Australian transcontinental line it is now poss.We to travel continuously on a single ran 11trin in the Commonwealth for no r y +1,0.1 ifW» miles. The stages or this; 6 great length of continuous railway hampton 428 miles; Bockhamptonto Sane, 395 miles: Brisbane to Syd£i 715' miles: Sydney to Melbourne 583' miles; Melbourne to Adelaide, 483 ■i c. Adelaide 'o Port Augusta, 260 •' T>ort Augusta ito Kalgoorlie, ?n 3mi£ KaYeoorlie to Perth. .375 S, Perth to Meekathara, 600 miies; total 4892 miles. The loiirney while P inches. The gauge chances at the Queensland border until the .border of v" , ?->uth Wales and V lC tom is reached. From Victoria to Adelaide the gauce remains the same, but. «t Terowie,' in the iourne.v from Adelaide Augusta, there is a further 1 V The^Kast-West railway thence to'Mgoifl eis of tho 4 feet 3} inches ffaiiae *ind then again from Kalgoorlie fn Alceicethnva, via Perth the saugo ..Iters to 3 feet 6 inches. In sue; circumstances, to convey, hv example an armr corps from Loiigroacli to Meekathara bv rail would certainly be a lengthy process.

A' meeting of tlio Advisory Hoard ol tlio Federation of New Zealand Patriotic War llelief Societies is to bo held to-day in the Accountants' Chambers.

Wliilo tlio Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) was in the Taupo district ho received a deputation of aggrieved anglers and tourists. It appears that the Native owners of the land on the banks of tlio Waituhanui Stream, which is one of the nearest and host of the trout streams in tho Taupo district, aro demanding from anglers wishing to fish the stream a feo of 2s. 6d.-per day for the privilege of going on the laud along tho bank of the stream. Some of these Maoris were fined some little timo ago for taking fish from this stream without a licence, and tho suggestion is* that they have chosen this way of getting square with tho Europeans. TEe Minister promised that on his return to Wellington he would have investigation made as to the legal position, and would, if necessary, consult with the Minister in Charge of Tourist Resorts and the Native Minister regarding the matter.

Owing to a breakdown in the main pumping engine at the Lower Hutt waterworks, consumers of water in the district are requested to economise in the use of water foi the next two days until repairs are effected.

An unusual contest between a bull and a motorist.took place on a country road in Taranaki a fow days ago./Tlio man was cranking up his car when a fiorce-loolting bull suadeuly uiado Ins appearance. Letting Øog the crank handle, tho man dodged round the car, tho bull following, and overy time he dodged round ho gave the handle a twist in the hope that tho engine woulq start. After this had gono on for some minutes tho motorist thought of the hooter, which ho sounded. This appeared to confuse tho animal, which began to look round for him. This gave tho motorist.a chance to get oho car started, and ho was able to get away with groat speed. What jnay or may not haro been a deliberate attempt at incendiarism was perpetrated at the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, Cliristchurch, cn Saturday night, or early on Sunday morning (says a Cliristchurch paper). A dooi at 'the east side of the church, leading into tho choir-room, was found on Sunday morning to be considerably charred. Further investigation revealed on the stono steps outside the door a bottle which had evidently contained benzine, and a little lowor was found a substance which looked like cut-up tobacco, and burned tobacco aßh. There was, however, nothing to lead to the conclusion that benzine, or any inflammable material had been applied to the door, though it is pointed out that haa any would-bo incendiarists attempted to firo the church, they could not liav6 selected a better place to start the fire, as there is a considerable amount of woodwork in the vicinity, and the adjoining room leads straight to th 6 pipe organ, and if that had caught fire tho wliolo church could easily have been burned.