LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 11 February 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

By international agreement, letters, postcards, parcels (up to 111b.), and money orders may be sent free of all postal charges to prisoners of war interned in enemy countries. Sir Joseph Ward, Postmaster-General, announces that this privilege has been extended to include 16,000 British and .German prisoners who, the Colonial Office notifies, have been transferred to Holland:

In reply to a letter which appeared in The Dominion on Friday, complaining that free passes were refused, the returned soldiers on city trnmcars, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) states:—"Some time ago the City Council received application from returned soldiers that they should be granted free tram rides at all times on city trams. The application was carefully considered, and tho council regretted they could not accede to the request. The council gave immediate instructions that all returned soldiers producing a certificate that tlioy wore receiving medical treatment should be granted Tree- passes on the cars. This instruction applies to men who may bo staying adjacent to as well a3 in the city."

It is stated, says the ''(Hugo Daily Times" that some of the taeal hotels are experiencing a difficulty in making onds meet as a result of the introduce tion of six o'clock closing, and that there is a likelihood of two, if not three, throwing up their leases. It would not appear, however, that this ■state of affairs goes to prove that there has been any great decrease in the consumption of liquor, but rather that the demand lias been diverted to other channels. The demand, in fact, for two and five-gallon jars of beer is said to have largely increased, and. the Otago breweries are consequently paying greater attention to this feature of their businesses.

The rain which fell on Saturday was very welcome. Ais announced in The Dominion on Saturday morning the level of the water in the Morton Dam had fallen below the by-wash. Aβ a matter of faot, it was nearly a foot 'below'the outlet, and each consecutive dry day would have seen a quicker drop. The rain, which was- of a soft misty character, was badly needed by the gardens, and tha brown, parched hillsides will feel the henelit of the gentle but insistent rain that fell throughout the district.

The collection taken up at Newtown Park yesterday by members' of the Wellington Zoological Society towards the fund for tho purchase of a tiger for the Zoo realised £12 10s. OJd. An attractive programme of music was'played by the Tramways Band. The 'report of the military inquiry into Dr. Thacker's charges is yet available. Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, was questioned on the subject in Christchurch on Saturday. He said that it had been submitted to him, but lie wished to consider some items again. He thought it might be published in a few days. At tho meeting of the Featherston County Council, held on Friday, the resignation of Qouncillor S. bent was accepted with regret. Mr. Broadbent is leaving tbe district to settle in the Auckland -Province. The tender of Mr. A.- A. llenner, at £U431, has been accepted by tho li'oatherston County Council for the erection uf a new bridge over the Tauberenikau River, on tho Featherston-Martin-horough road. In reference to the mails lost on the Andania, the Post Ofiice advise that their information is that "181 registered parcels were lost," and not "181 bags of registered parcels for 'Wellington," as was staled iu these columns.

Mr. T. Saniford, of Carterton, while proceeding to Wellington in his Argyll car a few days ago, met with an accident through the steering-rods suddenly coming adrift, when passing over the Taiiherenikaii Bridge, says our special correspondent. Tlie car turned on tho bridge at right angles, and dashed thiouirli the r-ido rails, shattering the windscreen, and dm'itc; other minor damage., and finally landing up on tbe ground on its four wheols. There were four passengers in thenar in addition to the driver, and fortunately'none were hurt. The car was brought to Carterton for repairs. You cannot bo sure that your inven. tion is "yours" for very long unless you protect it with "letters piitont." It j 8 worth your while—many a big forliino lias sprunj; up from eecmingly . trifling items—but they were patented beforo "the other follow" got, busy. Consult Henry Hughee, Ltd., Patent Attorneys, 157 Featherston Street, Wellington.Advt.

( The Military Affairs Committee of Wellington (Church of England) cabled Homo on Saturday *1(WO—i'oOO for liasting-Havelock-Clive Hut, and £500 for Knox Naval Hut—waking ten Church Army huts subscribed for during tho last seven months.

Tho lot of the "strnp-hangor" in our tramcars is (writes a correspondent) not a very happy one. A passenger may succeed in getting a comfortable seat at one of the Lambtor, Quay stopping-places, but bnt'oro )io has reached Courtenay Place '.his chivalry has got the best of him, wlich me&ris strap-hanging to Seatoun, Lyall Bay, or whatever destination is his. Recently tho tramway authorities fitted some cars with nice enamelled viotal strap handles, but those and the ordinary leather ones are only suspended in the box compartments of combination cars, not the open section, where people have to stand just as often as they do in the closcd-in parts. Tho result is that when a car swerves round a corner, pulls or starts a little sitdenlj, those standing havo to clutch at anything, usually the Fhoulders of a seated ■passenger, to preserve lequilib'riumf. Why onn part of a car lias straps .ind tho other none is difficult to understand.

A deputation representing Labour organisations waited upon i\Jr. Maswy as Minister of Labour to ask that the law relating to the employment of apprentices be amended. The members of the deputation pointed out that the present laws, relating to apprenticeship were antiquated and out of date. The unions in the city had been considering the matter, and they hatl agreed to ask ths Government to accept a. Bill which they had prepared in conference. The main feature of the proposals was that a boy being apprenticed to a trade could be assured that he would be trained in his craft. To this end it was suggested that one-third of the working time of ths boy should be Epent in a technical school. One member of the deputation', Mr. M. J. Reardon, expressed bis personal opinion that he did not think that the restrictions on-the numbers ot apprentices to lie employed should be so rigorously insisted upon by unions. In reply, Mr. Massey said that it was apparent to to him that the present law was defective. He would not , commit himself to every one of the clauses in the Bill suggested, but he was prepared to take charge of the Bill, and to submit it to the Labour Bills Committee, and also to a committee representative of employers and employees. He was of opinion that the result would be a Bill which would provide for a longfelt want. He thought the deputation was on right lines, Hid he would be glad to assist them in what they had in mind.

A mother called at tho Dunediu Police Station to meet her sou, who she expected home from one of the State institutions m tht> north. The police authorities had prepared all the necessary formalities lor the handing over of the boy to his parents, when, much to their astonishment, the mother informed them that lie was not her sou, although cf the- same namuV The in tho north ■ Iliad blundered : they had sent tho wrong boy— !i little chap of eleven years, whose home is in Onehunga. Ho is to Lβ sent back; and the homecoming of the Bunedin boy is delayed in the meantime.

Following a meeting of the organisation committee of the Victorian branch of the British Medical Association in Molbournp on January 31, it was announced that details would shortly be made public of a direct form <if contract practice between lodge surgeons and eligible patients—people within tho £208 income limit. Tho committee felt that it would be able, by means of this scheme, to meet the requirements of those who are not in a position to pay the full ordinary fees. It was pointed out that lodge members have to contribute up to £4 per annum before the lodges can pay 14s. for a doctor. The scheme proposed would make the services of medical men available at n much lower rate than the total contribution to the societies. The committee does not think that the position of lodgo surgeons in regard to members of societies who joined the A.I.F. is fully understood. These men, and any members belonging to the naval or otlmr expeditionary forces, and their dependants, it was explained, will be treated free of charge by their former lodge surgeons. ' This decision was arrived at in October, 1917, and was communicated to the societies in November, when the resignations were sent in. The dispute with tho lodges has ma6V no alteration in this decision.

A member of the latest draft to arrive back bears eloquent testimony to tho great work that is being done in France and England fey both the 01.C.A. and the Salvation Army, and Bays no one need have any hesitation in subscribing to the war work of either institution. The testimony (which conies from a Homan Catholic Boldier) states that many a man would go hungry when he is in the most pitiable plight were it nqo for the good offices of these institutions. In England, where food was in short supply even to those who had the money to pay, one could always depend on getting some sort of meal at the huts of the Y.M.C.A. or the Salvation Army. Theirs were the ever-open doors to the men in khaki—they never turned anyone down. Speaking of the merits of the institutions, the speaker was inclined to think that the Salvation Army did not get sufficient credit' in New Zealand for what it was doing, both at tho front and in the big cities of, England. Their places were well run on tho "ask-nn-question" principle. The speaker also paid a fine compliment to tho Nefr Zealand War Contingent's buffets at'Uodford and Brockenhurst, which were easily the best of the lot. These were practically well-run clubs, to which all tho soldiers were welcome. The rooms were well .furnished, there U'cro files of New Zealand papers, and stationery for anyone who wished to write letters.

Drunkenness was described as "n progressive condition" by Mr. ¥. V. Ifrazer, S.M., when hearing charges against a man at the Auckland Police Court. Defendant was charged with being drunk in a public okce and with being Jound on certain hotel premises at a time when the premises were required by law to be closed. The police stated that defendant had a motor-car (standing in front of the hotel, and as, in their opinion, he was not in s a lit state to drive it he was told ttiat he must not take charge of it. Defendant indignantly denied that ho was drunk, and, according to his own story, first tried to communicate with police headquarters in Auckland from a publio telophone, and .meeting with no success went into the hotel after the closing hour to use the telephone there. Both police witnesses admitted that defendant was not drunk in the ordinary sense, but, though not in a staggering condition, was certainly, under tho influence of drink. They considered that, whilo he was in no condition to drive a car, bearing in mind the possible danger to himself and tho public, ae a pedestrian his condition would not have been noticed. The Magistrate said tho police did tho right t'ling in preventing defendant from 'hiving his car, but it was clpar that defendant as a pedestrian, was not a source of danger «r annoyance to other people, and had therefore nothing to answer on the drunkenness charge. Ho was merely in a state of intoxication. The Magistrate also said ho thought defendant had given a reasonable excuse for bis presence in the hotel, and dismissed both charges.

A light, firm boot for the hard wear of summer—see our box calf at 2!)s. fid. Geo. Fowlde, Ltd., Manners Street.— Advt.

Shortly after .11 o'clock on Saturday night a seaman named .1. Carroll was knocked down 'by a tramcar opposite tho Occidental Hotel in Lambton Quay. The man was at once taken to tho Hospital, and it was learned from inquiries mado yesterday that his injuries arc not serious. He. was bruised and shaken merely.

Dr. deary, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, had rather an exciting trip in the north of Auckland last week. On Monday last he encountered bad weather about one mile to the south of Hukeremii. His ear ran into flood water, and became hopelessly bogged, and there was nothing for it but abandonment there. The Bishop and Father Kreijnborg, who accompanied him, waded back to the township, where they wore compelled to remain two nights. The car was rescued and taken to Whangarei for overhaul.