LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 121, 8 February 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The mobilisation of the Thirtyeighth Roinforcementß is going on steadily at Trentham Camp this week. The Wellington quota entered camp yesterday, and the draft from Aucklnnd will go into camp to-day. Tho general appearance of the new troops would appear- to indicate that they aie a line lot of men.

The Railway Department Ims made a concession to fruitgrowers. It is notified in this week's Gazette that New Zealand-grown fresh fruit carried by rail under all headings is included in the exceptions from the second ten per cent, addition to the rates made in November last. Somo iuteretting trophies were captured with the Germans who got away from Metuihi Island in December. Among them was a sextant, made by one of tho prisoners while he was in camp 011 the island. This instrument, which is said to be a wonder of ingenuity and skill in construction, is to be sent by the Defence authorities to the Dominion Museum. The Minister (the Hon. G. W. Russell) has been advised to this effect, but the sextant bas not yet come to li>\nd. A notice in l this week's Gazette sets out tho conditions oil which telephones connected with an exchange that is not open continuously may be switched through to another exchange that, is still open during the closed hours of their own exchange. Brigadier-General Sir Robert Anderson, who was Q.M.G. to the Australian Forces in Egypt and afterwards in France, is blessed with a valuable sense of humour. Speaking at tho Y.M.C.Ameeting in the Concert Chamber yesterday afternoon, he said that the average British officer was the best fellow on earth, but red tape made him a martinet, and he never seemed to understand the New Zealand or Australian soldier. There were gulfs between the English officer and his men, the result of tradition encouraged by red tape, but he had no idea of coming down to a level There were oxceptions. Geuoral Birdwood understood them. He used to knock about among them, with n cap tho same as the troops wore, and no scarlet or gold braid. And so lie strolled through the trenches of Gallipoli. On one occasion he encountered a man on duty from the latest draft to t arrive. "And what may you be?." said general Birdwood. "I'm what they call a blinkv sentry!" said the Australian soldier. "Wot are you?" "Oh, said the "Soul of'Anzac," smiling, 'I in what they call a blinky general! Oh, cripes!' said tho sentry, 'I v© got to give you a blinky salute!" (Laughter.) "Rats" formed tho subject of a question asked by Councillor AV. Hildretli at the City Council meeting last evening. Ho 'wished to know if the council had' any power to compel owners of premises t-o get rid of their rats, and if thev had power to pay for the rats as was done at Napier. The Mayor said it was a matter of some importance, for if tho rats were not being killed they must bo increasing. At Home there were professional rat-', catchers, showing the importance or keeping down the nuisance. The matter would be looked into. The Hon. T. M. AVilt'ord, who hap taken the Department of Justice under his care, is also to be Minister in Charge of the Police. By Act it is provided that the police must be under the Minister of Justice, but Mr. Herdman held control of the administration of the Department of Police after he had given up the Department of Justice.

Before Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Albert Durrant, licensee of the New Commercial Hotel, was charged with assaulting a soldier named . Herbert Outts on Saturday, February 2. The complainant, Herbert Cutts, in lus evidence stated that he came to town from camp on Saturday, reaching tne city about 5 p.m. There were three or four of his mates with him, and they had a drink at the Hotel Cecil. They walked along the Quay and reached the New Commercial Hotel about 5.45 p.m. They had two drinss there and intimated to the barmaid that they intended having dinner at the "hotel. When the bar closed at 0 p.m. he and his mates wont into the back premises, and on returning witness met Durrant and told liim they were all going to have dinner. Durrant accused witness of breaking a bottle, which witness denied, there | was some altercation over this, and Durrant pointed his thumb towards the street, when witness remarked to "is mates, "They take our money and then turn us out into the street. \\itn that Durrant struck him on tlio mouth mid knocked him down. "Witness closed with Durrant and held him. A man dressed in a grey suit then came to the assistance Durrant and struck \si ness a blow in the left eye, and a man dressed in white hold him by tlio right arm. While held by the two men Pur- ! rant struck him a blow in the eye. Ho was knocked down and Durrant and the other two men walked away, Jho police were sent for and witness and his mates waited until Sergeant ado came in. In cross-examination witness said that none of his mates struck Durrant. When witness said to his mates "They take our money and then turn us out" Durrant did not, ofter to return their money. He did heai a bottle broken, but lie did not break^ it., nor did any of his mates. He did not see a Sergeant Craig m tho hotel. A sergeant did come to sec mm nt ! hut in camp. Evidence in corroboration was given by several other soldiers in the party, and the caso was then adjourned to Tuesday next. A meeting of the executive of the Now Zealand Returned Soldier* Association will open to-nigh- m Wellington. Among tlio members piesent will be: —Messrs. Li W uinghain, and J. Moiling (Aiickland), Major G. J. Hastnok , Mr. Haveock (Palmcrston North) Mr. U. P. Aldridge (Napier), Dr. L. Boxer (Hastings), Messrs. 3. D. T r P®F' , W. Batten, J. I. Fox, and N. Broad (Wellington). The Board of Governors of Scots College has accepted the tender of Messrs. ITowie and Matthews at about £20,000 for the erection of the first portion of* the new college at Miramar. The City Council has granted the use of the Concert Chamber to the Navy League for a lecture _by Professor Macmiilai'i Brown in aid of tho league funds.

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At tho monthly meeting of the Manawaui County Council comment waE made on tlio action of the General .Manager ul .Railways in refusing to allow a special train service to the Ponton races. It was pointed out that tho people got to the- races in spite of the, loss of the facilities, going by ruud when they could not get by rail, with tlie lesult. that tliero was a loss of revenue Ix> the country and tho roads were injured (tho l'oxton line chielly) to the axtont that it would cost about £200 to make repairs. Tho following motion was carried: —That the Minister's attention bo drawn to the fact that through the Railways Department refusing to' run special trains in connection with race meetings a largo amount of extra motor traffic is thrown upon tho road and that the cost of repairing tho extra, damage done by this motor traffic is much greater to tho county than the cost of running special trains to raco meotings. I l 'urthcr, it is _ estimsf.ed that the extra cost of repairing damage done to the roads in this county by race traffic amounts to at least £1000 per annum. That tlie member !)f tho district be written to asking him_ to support the resumption of race specials so that local bodies will not be penalised by tho policy of the Railways Department, ft was decided to send a copy of tho resolution to the local bodies of the Dominion. ■

liy consent of the movers, tho no- ' tices of motion standing in the names ' ol' Councillors i\l. Jj\ Lucine (schools on Town Belt;, L. M'Keuzie (conference of local bodies to discuss extended water supply scheme), J. Castle (use of Town Belt), and It. A. Wright (internment of enemy aliens) were -postponed until the next ineetiug of the City Council at last night's meeting. Tho City Council has granted ttk use to the Hibernian Society of Newtown Park for St. Patrick's- Day (March 10) for its annual picnic and sports meeting, subject to the usual conditions. The special commilteo set up to consider the causes of the failure of the temporary clearing house for milk was at last evening's meeting or the City Council given an extensiou of time in which to report. In view of the fact that the City Council is calling for tenders for a new supply of water meters, Councillor W. H. Bennett urged at last night's meeting of tho council that the price to tho public should bo reviewed. The old price charged was £3 (£2 lis. Gd. for the meter, and Bs. 6d. for interest and cost of fitting), payable in ten years at a charge of os. per annum. From figures o_uotcd, Councillor Bennett showed that the cost of fitting (with interest) had advanced, so that the council was making a considerable loss on its meters. He knew that it was not intended to mako any money out of them, but tho council should not sell them at a loss. The institution of the meters had, however, had the effect desired, as only one per cent, of those who had meters had exceeded the amount of water allowable without any extra payment. The Mayor thanked Councillor Bennett for the valuable information ho had given the council, and promised that tho matter would receive consideration. "Tadpoles, are tlie most interesting animals we have in the Zoo," said Councillor J. Castlo at last- evening's meeting of the City Council. He went as far as to say that t&dpoles were more interesting exhibits than the lions or the tiger they were trying to secure. In the Stratford Police Court yesterday morning John Benjamin Clark, a travelling auctioneer, was charged with setting fire to premises in the Broadway on January 12. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court at Wanganui for trial. Bail was allowed, accused in £200 and one surety in the same amount.—Press Assn. Representatives of the Auckland sawmilling companies state that the building trade in Auckland,_ as far as the erection of private residences is concerned, is practically at a standstill, and, as the cost of house-building had increased by nearly 100 per cent, since the outbreak of tho war there was little likelihood of any improvement until after the war. Meanwhile the trade was being kept going by the erection of public buildings, business premises, and freezing works. The timber industry of the Dominion, it was stated, had received a severo check as a Tesult of the war, both in respect t.o the sale of building timber and also in the output of milling timber from the bush districts. The majority of bush workers had either volunteered or been called up in the ballot, and there was a great scarcity of suitable labour for timbergetting. Hopes aro entertained that at tho conclusion of the war there will bo a great demand for New Zealand timber, both locally and from overseas, and if suitable shipping is then available the mills and -bushes _ throughout the country should experience a, very busy time.

During the hearing at the Auckland Supreme Court on Monday of a case in which a man was charged with obtaining goods valued at about £28 by means of false pretences, a pawnbroker gave evidence that he accepted a number of articles in pawn, and that he subsequently purchased some of the pawntickets from the person who pledged tlie goods. As the witness was about to leave the witness-box Mr- Justice Stringer asked him how long he had been in business in Auckland, and received the reply: "About 17 years; one year as a pawnbroker." His Honour thereupon remarked very severely: "Your course of business is a very dishonest one, and if it continues that way it will be a very short one. Accepting goods in pawn at a very small advance and afterwards buying _ the tickets means that you are obtaining tliem at less than half their value. I think you might very well be charged with obtaining goods well knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained."

Two sums of "conscience money" have reached the Treasury recently. One person lias forwarded a postal note for 15s. and anovher person has sent along stamps to the value of 10s. 2d. Regulations for deer shooting in tha Auckland and Nelson districts are published in the Gazette. At a meeting of the Wellington Plasterers' Industrial Union, held last evening, the following- resolution was carried"That we emphatically protest against the term of the present Parliament being further extended, as it is unconstitutional and not being according to the Act, which limits P ar_ liamont to a term of three years.' It was decided by the City Council last evening that instructions bo given to the city solicitor to prepare a bylaw to give the council full power to grant or iefuse consent to the erection of stables in any portion of the city, and imposing such conditions as they think fit on the erection of any stable to which their consent is given. Science is much in evidence nowadays. But it hasn't succceded in reducing bagcaoo to tabloid form vet. Meanwhile save trouble handling by getting the New Zealand Express '_o. to check it. They collect, check on (rail, sea, or both), deliver on arrival. Reliable. Reasonable. 87-91 Customhouse Quay.Advt.

In ifio course of his remarks at yesterday's Y.M.C.A. meeting at the City Council Chamber, BrigadierGeneral Sir Robert Anderson express* ed surprise at tho criticism which had been levelled against General Sir Alex. Godley in New Zealand. Ip his judgment General Godley had been a tower of strength to the New Zealanders in Egypt. Ho was a blunt man, who had helped New Zealand enormously. Ho had formed a very high opinion of General Godley's capacity in Egypt, and had formed a friendship with him that lie hoped would endure. He had seen a lot of him, too, in Franco, and knew that many a time ho had fought for the New Zealanders. The brigadiel-general's remarks wore received with applause.

Tha City Counc.il decided last evening to grant the uso of the Te Aro Baths to tho Wellington Centre of tlio jV.Z. Swimming 'Association for the purposo of holding a swimming carnival. The surplus receipts are to be piven to tho Returned)' Soldiers' Association.

According to information received by the United States Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Commerce, a whaling company on the Pacific Coast is. planning to erect two canneries to be operated next season, each with a capacity of 30,000 cases. The same company will also operate a cold-storage plant for supplying fresh and frozen wlialo meat.