LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 103, 24 January 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The court-martial that is to hear the charges against Colonel Harcourt Turner in connection with the escape of German prisoners of war from Motuihi Island, will commence its sittings at Auckland on .lanunrv 29.

A break occurred in the machinery of the harbour ferry steamer Cobar as'she was. about to leave the ilbiia liay wharf shortly before f) o'clock last night, and in consenv.enco a curtailed service to the bays will be maintained by the Duchess to-day, while repairs to the Cobar are being effected. As shu was moving out from the wharf, hound for Day's Bay, the engineer heard ;i click in the engine, and ho found that the guide-bar had snapped. The Duchess took thn Cobar in tow and left the Rona Bay wharf at 10.15 p.m., arriving at tho town wharf an hour later. Repairs were put in hand last night, but as a new guide-rod has to be cast, the steamer will have to lay up to-day, She will resume to-morrow morning as. usual. The passengers by the 10.13 o'clock boat last night did not leave, Wellington until 11.35 p.m., as the result of tho breakdown.

ft wr.s slated at yesterday's meeting of -ilio Wellington Education Board that tlio arrangements for a course of training for uiicertificated teachers bad boon cancelled because only seven wislud to undertake tbo course.

The trouble in connection with the milk-clearing station in Wellington will be considered again by the City Council this evening. It is probable tliafc the Public Health Committee of tlio Council will meet during the day. The report of the committee of experts which was set up will be before tbo council, perhaps with a coyeriug report from the Health Committee.

Tlio Military Sorvico Board granted three months' leave without pay to « married soldier whoso family had suffered severely through Hie war. Tho appellant had had three brothers nt the front. One had died of wounds, snother had died of disease, and the third had been killed in notion. Ho had in New Zealand one brother who was a married man with four children. His sieter's husbnnd had been killed in action, and tho appellant was contributing to her support. In granting leave, the chairman stated that at the end of tbreo months the appellant mipht make a further application to the board.

Councillor John Castle has givon notice that nt the meeting of the council next to the one to be held this evening, he will move: "That in tho opinion of this council the Boiling, letting, building on, or giving any ]x>rtions of tlio Town Belt to privileged citizens, companies, clubs, or cliques, or to Govornments, or any other combination or combinations whatsoever, before a comprehensive plan for the proper permanent utilisation and boautification of tho whole belt be designed and obtained by the council, should be regarded fls an indication of such incompetence for the management of the city's affairs as should require the immediate resignation of the council; and that, to extend facilities for Sunday amusements on the city's reserves, in violation of the rational and the religious convictions of a large number of citizens who are joint owners of tho reserves, before a vote of the citizens be taken on the matter by the council, woukl bo a flagrant abuse of power by councillors who were elected to represent tho citizens."

Some Kclburii residents have a habit of using the Victoria College grounds as a short cut to and from their homes, and complaint has been made that they interfere with games by walking over tho tennis courts. A proposal to erect a "No Thoroughfare" notice, was discussed at last night's meeting of the College Council, and the members decided that the notice should bo erected. If, it does not nrove effective a fence is to be nrovided.

A soldier who applied for leavo at yostorday's sitting of the Military Service Board, Stated that ho was vho owner of a farm. Since ho bad £one into came, no fewer than 52 head of cattle and 200 sheen had been lost. Tlio board granted "the man throo weeks' leava to investigate the matter. The funds of the Scottish Women's Hospitals havo benefited considerably by tho generosity of two of the local banks. Tho Bank of New South Wales has donated £200 to the fund, and the Bank of New Zealand £100.

When appeals for the exemption of two Xatvo teachers eamo before the Military Service Board yesterday the Assistant-Director of Education pointed out that the Department bad not previously appeal/d on behalf of a school teacher, though seven hundred teachers bad gone into "'camp. The Department was not appealing for teachers in general, as such a course had nut yet been found necessary.

It was stated before the Military Ser/ice Board yesterday that two thmmnd employees of tho Post :iud Tekgraph Department had gono to the front.. •■[ln; Department was not iiocessanly appealing for men according to seniority, but was asking exemption for tliosa employees , , whoso retention iii tho service would enable the largest number of men to be released for Uie fron-i,

The ncod of providing accommodation for woodwork and cooiery classes at Lower rlufcl was referred to by Mr. E. V. Rislnvorth ao yesterday's meeting of the Education Board. It was stated that Mr. Riddiford had granted an aero of ground on tho condition that a suitable building was erected. Tho building would cost £850, of which sum the Education Department would find £550, leaving £300 to be contribiiied locally.

A matter concerning the sizes of school grounds was discussed at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board. Mr. R. A. Wright raised the question by suggesting that tho Department should be written a letter drawing attention to tho fact that with regard to tho Tiraumea and Waterfalls site, tho Lands Department was quito willing to grant twelve acres, but that tho Education Department would allow only three acres. It was clear that children would not briug horses unless there was a larger area to run them on. Notwithstanding all that wan being said about tho need for playgrounds the Department was limiting tho size of this site. Mr. R. M'Callum said that, while the Minister of Education was going about tho country saying that he was trying to do all he could for education ho was actually refusing such offers as tho Lands Department had made in this case. Tho Education Board should place tlio blame on tho proper shoulders and expose who ever was blamable. Mr. W. H. Field said that children could not bo expected to go long distances to school which had no accommodation for their horses. Also there should be land for gardening—for agricultural work. Mr. J. Kebbell: "And an inducement to teachers to go to the country is the land to r run a horse and sraze a cow." Mr. T. Forsyth said that the Minister should be asked to stand by bis statement that' an area, of five acres was littlo. enough land for a country school. Mr. Wright's suggestion was then adopted.

An inquest will be held this afternoon into the circumstances attending the death of a child 'whoso dead body was found on Tuesday morning at Lyall Riy just above high-water mark by a fisherman named James Jones. Tlio boilv is that of a fully-developed main 'cliiH, and apparently it had not l;?cn in tl;e water for any length of

A special notification of school exromons to be nin by the Eastbourne Ferry Service is advertised in this ij's.ue. 'ITiese excursions will continue until January 30 at special reduced farws for school children.

Tn a letter announcing the revocation of the order excluding Messrs. Y.m:i-,|;- and Ilowell, of the Seamen':; Union, from ships and wharves, tli--'•liiUinr r.f Defence writes:—"l have been impressed by the statement that tJ-.e ■lncoiiditionnl exclusion of Messrs. v<,-;:i:v: ruci Howell from the wharves and ships may not affect them alone, ■by t u may penalise members of thSeamen's Union wishing to transact business with these union officials. The Government has no wish to interfere with the legitimate business of members of the union, and it remembers with satisfaction the valuable and honourable services rendered by British seamen during the war throughout the world. In the interests of the Seamen's Union, and not in the interests of Messrs. Young and Howell as individuals, I have decided to arrange for tha revocation of tho orders in the meantime."

Yesterday the Wellington Education Board authorised tho payment of £1 ss. per week for the hire of Miramar Hall tor school purposes.

At the. nieetug of tho University Senate yesterday, says a Press Association telc!;rnm, Mr. H. V. von llaast ni37f:l: "That for tho purpose of encouraging the study of forestry the Ne.v Zcrilnrti University allocate £150 yearly f<ir throe years for a travelling scholarship in forestry, provided that the Government contribute a liko sum towards t.bo scholarship and make some arrenpremer.t for tho employment in tha Forestry Department of the scholar ,in the expiration of his scholarship." The motion was adopted and refijim! to tho recess committee for a repcrt at the April meeting.

A telugram from Christchurch states thst sentence passed by court-martial on two military prisoners cannot be confirmed heoaine the men refuse to undergo medical examination, and so tho responsible officer cannot satisfy himself th-.t the.v aro fit to undergo punishment- The case appears to he covered by a rule that has been observed generally in the administration of the Military Service Act. If ii reservist refuses to undergo medical examination he is presumed officially to bo lit. Similarij., if a man omits to nuke his status clear, he is presumed to bcbnjT to the class tlint will be first mobilised. The onus of proving hi 3 stat.us is thrown always upon tho reservist;, and this seems to have noen the cle.ir intention of tho Act.

"I'rio Tobacco and Matches Control Boafi," runs a notice that appeared in the British "Board of Trade Journal" before Christmas, "desire to call tho attention of the public to the fact that tho supplies of manufactured tobacoo fur civiliai: use arc based on the maxun'im amount available month by month. Tho retail trade are being instructed by tho board to restrict their sales during tho Christinas season to tho ordinary personal requiremeats of their customers, in order to ensure th.it the supplies which arc available should bo sufficient for the ordinary consumption of all, and should not be depleted by extensive Christmas purchases. , ' It appears that the British smoker who mado a gift of tobicco at Christmas had to take tho quantity from his own allowance.

It would seem that, from one viewpoint at any rate, neutrality is, liko honesty, a very good policy. Mr. John Macdonald told Saturday's meeting of the Invercargill Fanners' Union that in Uruguay and the Argentine, where cattle were once raised for their hides, growers are to-day getting, through tho American Meat Trust, prices right up equal to those paid in U.S.A. Thoso prices are just double those at present ruling in New Zealand.

A South Canterbury farmer who has fourteen children was called in tho ballot for married men without children, and though ho got tho member for Timaru to vouch for the fact that he had fourteen children, the Lefenco authorities would i.ofc accept tho evidence. Tho reservist had io appear before tho board in Timaru on Monday, when he was required to produco the birth certificate of each child.

Tho Wellington Harbour Board is in favour of a conference of harbour boards being held this year.

A deputation of tho Watersides Workers' Union waited on the Minister of Marino (tho Hon. T. M. Wilford) yesterday with regard to the question of the prevention of accidents on tho waterfront. Mr. Wilford has been interesting himself in this matter, and some weeks ago ho called a conference of the parties interested. The watcrsiders were not present at that conference, although they were invited to be there. Tho deputation yesterday drew attention to tho different points which they wished to have considered, and those will bo considered sit the next conference, which Mr. Wilford hopes to call about the middle of February.

Tho now demands of the Grocers' Union were considered at a sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday. Mr. W. H. Hagger, Conciliation Commissioner, The assessors for tho employers wero Messrs. H. Wardell, J. M'llwrnith, and H. D. Bennett; and for the union, Messrs. J. K. Bruiley, H. J. Mortenson, and It. M'Keen. Mr. M. J. Itaardon appeared as agent for the union. The principal concessions asked for by the union aro an increase in the minimum wage and a reduction in the honrs of workj. The blanses covering theso matters follow, with the existing arrangement in parentheses :—Wnges: 15-1(3 years of age. 15s. per weiO<: 16-17, 205.; 17-18, £1 10s.: 18-19, £2; 19-20, £2 10s.; 20-21, £3; over 21 £3 15s. (Commencing at 10s. and rising to £2 17s. 6d. for assistants over 22 years of age.) Hours: 48 pi" week, 8 to 5.30 p.m. o\ four days, 8 tcr 13 p.m. Friday, and 8 to 1 on' Saturday. (Fifty-two as ji Shops and Offices Act.) Tho countor-pvoposal filed hy the employers reads as follows: "The master grocers of Wellington <lo not admit any of the new proposals, and as a counter-proposal they claim the continuance of tho present award, with tho addition of a new clause providing for the employment of female. Inborn , , with wages as follows:—16 to 17 yenvr, of age, 10s.; 17 to 18, 12s. 6d. ;18 to 1!), ]55.; 19 to 20, 17a. 6d.; 20 to 21, 205.; 21 to 22, 255.; over 22, 305." No agreement had been reached when tho council rose for the day.

"Large quantities of local fruit arc now coming on tho market (says the Auckland "Herald"). There is a good crop of peaches this year, and the seacon for this fruit is now in full swing. Tho disease generally known as brown rot, which seriously reduced the crop of poaches last year, is not nearly so prevalent this season. A good crop is reported of the largo yellow peach with red flesh, known as the Paragon, and this variety is now being marketed. Peaches arc now selling 'at from 4s. to 4s. 6d. a 201b. case. Nectarines aro plentiful this year, and generally aro not affected by tho brown rot. The present market price is from 3s. Cd. to 4s. Plums are coming forward veryfreel.v, especially the Burbank varieties, prices ranging from Is. 3d. to 2s. a rase. The recent rain will have the effect of increasing the quantity of temntoes, and a good supply is assured. The present wholesale prices arc from 2d. to 3d. a nound."

The British Government recognises the vnliio of advertising in all thi>ir activities. They spent £000.000 on advertising space in the interests of their first recruiting campaign. Largo funis wore paid for advertising a "Thrift Campaign" and in connection with floating their loans. A London paper just to hand says: The following sums were paid to the principal newspapers in connection with the Government loan publicity campaign:— "Daily Mail." £2680 15s. 9n\; "Dailv News,'" £1434 7s. fid.: "Daily Chronicle," £1082 Is.; "The Times." £1050 10s. 8(1.; "Daily Telegraph," £1007 Is. IOd.; "Morning Post." £737 Bs. lid.; "Yorkshire Post," £655 10s. lid.; "Glasgow Herald." .£636 4s. lid.; "Scotsman," £536 18s. fid.: "Manchester Guardian," £410 Bs. Of course many more .thousands were expended in advertising the loan in the other London and provincial papers. J

Since the British occupation large wheat crops have been planted in Mesopotamia under tho direction of the Indian Government, .and the harvesting of this will commence in April. Labour conditions arc not too settled in that country at the present time, and in any case" the native harvesting implements are, for the most part, of a primitive kind. Australia has been asked to help in this matter, therefore, and the "Argus" states that Mr. Hugh V. M'Kay has arranged for the dispatch to Bagdad of a number of harvesters of the latest typo, with petrol motor-driven mechanism, and of twenty-eight skilled Australian workers to look after the machines. The men and machines will be diepatched shortly, and at the end of harvesting operations the inoii will return to Australia. In order to provide for repairs a email plant, specially constructed at Sunshine, will ho carried also.

The motion by Professor Kirk proposing to the University Senate that the degree examinations in arts, law, science, and commerce be conducted in future by teachers in the New Zealand colleges with certain assistance from outsido experts, was withdrawn from tho order paper. Professor Kirk explained that he wished to withdraw the motion, as ho expected that the matter would be brought before the Senate nest year by the Board of Studies.

Those who were fortunate enough to form part of the gathering that listened to a brief address from Dr. Gγ. E. Morrison, of China, says the ''Otago Daily Times," had au experience they are likely to treasure for many a day. Dr. Morrison syulce for less than 20 minutes, hut he gave more authentic information on tho war as it affects problems of the Far East than many of his hearers had been able to gather from other sources during the last three years wid a half. The speech itself was a masterpiece of choice effective expression, without the waste of a single word. Dr. Morrison spoke with tho unmistakable authority that cornea with wide and sure knowledge, and while everything he had to gay was of keen interest, one could not escapo the feeling that much more infercsliiie stili were the stores of information whicli for obvious reasons he could not (Iran upon at a semi-public gathering. With perfect grace and courtesy, yet without leaving any room for misunderstanding, he touched on the grave ignorance in this country of Chinese affairs. A great part of his address was deroted to disposing of the current, thoughtless notion that the entry of China into the war meant little or nothing, and in closing ho pointed out that if tho wonderful opportunities for trade with China and Siam after the war are to be used by Us we must have more knowledge of what is required. Ho suggested that commissioners should be sent out to study the conditions in the Far East, and so prepare the way for that development of trade with China- which may reasonably he expected after this war now that the competition of Germany lias been eliminated. Much indeed was expected from a man who lias won such world-wide fame ns Dr. Morrison, but it may safely be said that ha disappointed no one.

"This is another illustration, of the absolute necessity of obfcnining proper authority before holding loteriee," said Mr. Wilson, S.M., at the Auckland Police Cnui'b, when convicting two men who conductpd a lottery at the Epsoin Show Grounds on Dceomo'er 1 ksfj. The magistrate said no donbt a number, of these games of chance had been held in the past, and had been well conducted without hostile dienlny on the part of tho bystanders. Tn this caso there had been some hostility, hut whether warranted or not he wne not prepared to say. Accordinc; to the figure* submitted hj tho defenco the proportion of the money paid out in prizes seemed to ho reasonable, hut in unauthorised of this thero as not sufficient check on the onerators tn prevent abuses creeping in. No matter how worthy tho object, lotteries should never he held without proper authority having first been obtained.

A well-built young man named George B. Murphy was (says the "Herald") charged in tho Auckland (Police Court before Mr. I<\ V. Frazer, S.M., with failing to enrol in tho Expeditionary Forco Reserve. Sub-Inspector Broberg said defendant, who was a single man, was a. pugilist, better known as "Bert Murphy." Counsel for the defence said that Murphy v*s conducting a boxing school. He had stated that ho had sent in his national registration papers, but this was not correct. Ho suffered from hpses of memory, owing to injuries received while prize fighting. Ho had an injured foot, which would debar him from service. Counsel asked that defendant bo not sent to gaol. Tho Magistrate said if he accepted all that counsel had said it might be thought that ho, the "Magistrate, wa.s also suffering from a lapse. If the defendant was capaulo of conducting a business he should have been capable of remembering whether he had enrolled. Ho would be sentenced to ono month's imprisonment with hard labour, and the military authorities would be notified when he was released.

At tho sittiug of the New Zealand University Senate at Dunedin on Saturday, a deputation, consisting of Messrs. J. S. Barton (Wellington), 1 , . Barr, J. Brown, and W. Green (Dun edin), from the New Zealand Society of Accountants, was received by the Senate. Mr. Barton, who acted as spokesman, said they wished to speak in favour of some alterations in the accountants' examinations. Ho briefly referred to the history of the present scheme. The majority of members of tho New Zealand Society were not public accountants, and never intended to be. He felt that the pro. sent syllabus—made on the English model, where the majority of members were practising accountants—was not well suited to the conditions in New Zealand. It was certain that after the war our somewhat haphazard business methods would bo relegated to the past. They wished to secure that the commercial accountant of the future should be a better educated man, ablu to play his part in the reorganisation of our business methods. The changes they asked for involved certain alterations in the syllabus. For one thing Uibv wished economics and civics to be made .compulsory for the preliminary accountancy examination held in conjunction with the matriculation examination. They further wished to see algebra and geometry dropped from the requirements for accountancy students. They did not wish the proposed alteration's to come into force without notice of one or two years. The Chancellor said that the recommendation's made and syllabus suggested would receive tho careful consideration of the Senate and the Committee of Degrees and Commerce.

Mr. C. \V. Hervoy, secretary to the Canterbury Aviatioii Company, Ltd., will be at the Grand Hotel, Wellington, to-morrow, and will bo glad to see prospective shareholders and intending pupils between the- home of '2.30 and 5 p.m.