LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 63, 7 December 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Secretary to the General Poet Office has been, advised that since July 28, 1916, legal timo in Greece has beenthat of Eastern Europe, in advance by 25 minutes on the meridian of Athens, and two hours on that of the meridian of Greenwich.

Tlie Baso Records Office states that 161,351 M. Bergson, of the Imperial Forces, has been officially reported as "killed in action" on October 21. His next-of-kin is recorded as Samuel Bergson, of 1.01 Constablo Street, Wellington South, but advices of the casualty sent to that address were returned,

undelivered. The chief clerk of tho office would bo glad of information concerning Mr. S. Bergson's present whereabouts.

The use of uniformed police to collect money alleged to be due \>y returned soldiers to the Defence Department was mentioned by Mr. J. J. Dougall (Christchurch) at yesteray's meeting of tho Advisory Board of the NW Zealnn Patriotic Societies. Mr. Dougall said that in some pases soldiers had been overpaid after their return to Now Zealand, and the Defence Department had wished to secure refunds. "It is really a civil debt," he utjited, "and a uniformed policeman should i.ot he sen to collect it." The Cliristchnroh Patriotic Sociptv had already made a protest to tho Defence Dornirtmont on the subject, and the hoard decided to endorse the protest.

By tlm grass fire that occurred at Day's Bay on Sunday last a belt of valuable young trees in the big city reserve tliere, planted some four years ago for beautifying and protective purposes, were totally destroyed. This means a serious loss to the city. Active measures are now being taken on tho reserves to clear away the grass in the vicinity in order that other plantations may' not suffer. Summer days have sot in early this year, and grass fires may occur at any time from this out, owing to the warm, dry weather which has been experienced for tho past month. The interest which soldiers in training take in their physical improvement, ono indication of which is their increasing weight, has promoted the authorities at Featherston Camp to consider the idea of setting up a number of weighing machines. Theso will bo located at convenient places, such as the bath-house and gymnasium, and it is expected that they will be freely used. Bank of New Zealand shareholders arc reminded that the half-yearly general meeting will be held in the banking hoiiso this morning at 11 o'clock. Among the building tenders being called for at tbo present time are thoso for a new boys' high school at New Plymouth, a new wool store for Dalgety and Co., at Auckland, additions to Consumptive Sanatorium at Palmorston North, and additions to the Jlastorton Hospital.

Replying to a communication by the Minunar Borough Council regarding exemption of Second Division iireinon, tho Prime Minister stated in a letter received by the council last evening: "This matter bus been placed before the National Efficiency Board for consideration, and I am now advised that tho board after consieration does not dnein it desirable to recommend any general exemption for the brigadesmeli, but is of opinion that each appeal should be doalt with by a Military Service Board, which is the authority set lip by statute for this purpose I would point out that tho National Efficiency Board has no power to giant exemption to any resorvist v.Jio has boen called up for sorvice."

The value of tho beach to Seatoun was stressed by :he Mayor of Miramar nt last evening's meoting of tho Borough Council. Thero would bo a large number of visitors to tho suburb this year, ho said, end: the bench was such an asset that it should be made attractive.

It is a well-kuown fact that no person of military ego is exempt from tlio operations of the ballot, even officers and men on duty in the training camps being included. In the thirteenth ballot, which was drawn last week, an officer was called' up for service, and tlio usual form for the purposes of appeal was sent to him. It happens that lie volunteered for the Expeditionary Force two years ago, was passed as medically fit, and duly attested. Since then ho has been re"tained_ for home service, though ho is still on the strength of the Expeditionary Force. He was more than surprised to seo his tiamo in tho newspapers and to receive notice of having been drawn for service. Whether he will be notified to present himself for medical examination remains to bo seen.

Tho Assistant General Manager of Railways (Mr. M'Villy) yesterday appeared before the Third Wellington Military Sorvice Board in support of an appeal for the exemption of Frederick M. Sherwood, a clerk resident at 28 Hopper Street, Wellington. It transpired that Sherwood, who was ono of the clerks granted sine die exemption on tho ground that ho was an indispensable officer of the Railway Department, had lately been acting as private secretary to tho Minister of Education. The Director of Recruiting having learned of this, the appeal bad boen brought before the board again. Mr. M'Villy yestorday explained that when tho private secretary of the Minister of Railways went into camp, the then private secretary to the Minister of Education went over to Mr. Herries, The position then was that the Railway Department, having taken away tho private secretary of the Minister of Education, was expected to find him another. It therefore gave Mr. Hanan tho man Sherwood, who had been Mr. M'Villy's own secretary in the railway office. The board again adjourned tho case sine die on the condition that Sherwood remained in the employment of the Railway Service as clerk.

The jury case of Chipman (Australasia), Ltd., v. John Edward Fitzgerald, motor importer, was to hnvo been further heard in the Supreme Court yesterday. It was considered desirable, however, to have tho evidonco of a witness who was not immediately available, and the Court therefore adjourned the matter till Tuesday. The case is one that arises out of a transaction in motors. Chipman, Ltd., claim £2394 odd as duo upon Cole cars and Burford wagons supplied, and Fitzgerald counter-claims £5750 damages from the company for their alleged failure to carry out an agreement with him. There are in cold stores in Dunedin, and elsewhere in the south, where it has been usual to export frozen rabbits, some 120,000 cases of rabbits which have been waiting some time for shipment Home. Owing to tho shortago of shipping, and the fact that other kinds of frozen cargo have up till the present been considered more essential than rabbits, it has not been possible to arrange for tho dispatch of these rabbits. A .number of gentlemen from Dunedin, who are interested in tho stocks held, came to soe the Prime Minister yesterday as to the possibility of his making an offer of this freight to tho Imperial authorities. They pointed out to liim that it appeared that the Imperial authorities were negotiating to take frozen rabbits from Australia, and they asked that Mr. Massey should open up negotiations on their behalf for the salo of the stocks held in store in this country. Mr. Massey promised to do this. He told thorn, however, that ho had no authority to act in matters of this kind. All that he could do would be to submit their representations in the proper quarter, and this he would do without delay. So old-fashioned a detention space for wandering quadrupeds as a pound is still found necessary in Wellington South. Until a year ago the Ctiy Council possessed a pound in Buckle Street, adjoining tho Police Station, but on the Crown allowing the city to resume possession of the Kind in Manners Street until recently convered by the Manners Street Police Station, tho old pound sito reverted to the Government. The council has now ! provided a new pound on the Town Belt within a stone' 3 throw of "Jam Tin Gully," at the head of John Street, Newtown. A meeting called by the Labour Representation Committee was held in the New Century Hall, Kent Terrace, last night, for tho purpose of forming a branch of the New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington East. Mr. W. Mndtlison presided, and there was _ a moderate attonnnce. After brief speeches had been mae the meeting carried a motion in favour of the formation of a branch of tho Labour Party. It was stated that tickets of membership would .no made available to electors within a few days!

Mr. A. W. Blair, president of the ■Wellington District Law Society, has written as follows to tbo Hon. 'J.'. M. AVilford: —"Dear Sir,—At tho meeting of the council of tho Wellington District Law Society, held on Monday last, the society passed a resolution desiring me to forward to youj on its behalf, a letter of congratulation on your elevation to Cabinet rank. It is with great pleasure that I have to convoy to you the society's congratulations on tie honour conferred upon you."

Children have'bean known to swallow many curious things . (says the Timaru "Post"), but a little hoy at Tool Forest has surely broken the record, for the managed to successfully swallow a steel claw hammer. The fiainmcr was an inch and a half kniK, mill - tlm four-year-old boy nearly suffoeatcd before he got it down, which bo managed to do on tho way to fieraldine, to which place bis anxious parcuts were hastening to obtain medical assistance as quickly as a motor-car could take thorn. It. was evident that in order to save the boy's lifo an operntfou must quickly bo performed, and this was carried out successfully.

Our Peathorston correspondent states that at the monthly meeting of Loyai Unity Lodge, held on Tuesday night, Bro. F 15. Mcrlet, V.G., was nominated as N.G.. Bro. If. R. O'Nealo as, V.0., and Bro. JI. B. Tait, P.G., as E.S. Bro.. W. I. Clark (Antipodean Lodge) was nominated as Provincial Grand Master, Bro. 0. J. Do Lacej (Heart of Oak) ns Deputy and a member of tbo Management Committee, Bros. T. S. Powell", P.P.G.M., as treasurer, A. Perrin, P.P.G.M., book examiner, aml Bros. D. P. Loasby, P.G.JI., A. C.Holms, P.G.M., and G. K. Godber, P.C.S., as delegates to the B.M.C. The district will moot in conference on Fobruary 26.