LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 125, 13 February 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

■Ynotlier batch of reservists who hud been placed in Class B of the Second Division mid who claimed to belong to ktor classes appeared before the Third Wellington Military Service Board. The men in most cases did not attempt to areue that they had complied with the requirements of the Military Service Act, by acquainting tho Government Statistician with the number of their children. They were content to produce proof that they ought now to he transferred to classes that have not yet been called upon for service. Drafts of men, totalling over 600 in all will arrive at Feathoraton this week for the CI camp at Tauhereuikau. The creator number of theso recrmte aro men from North Ishmd districts. Information is sought rcgardmp; the whereabouts of the next-of-km of 2nd Lieutenant H. S. Mottershall, who was attached to tho Manchester Regiment, Imperial Forces. Second Lieutenant Mottorshall is said to be the.soni of Air. Frank Mottershall, of Wellington. Anyone knowing the address of the hther or any other relative is asked to communicate with the Director of Base Records, Wellington. The Council of Education met yestordav Dγ Anderson, Director of Muca£on presiding. Tho council was occupied all day in committee work dea ing the questions of scumtmo industrial research, examinations, and the appointment of teachers. Tho disadvantage, as regards musketry training, which Feathorston Camp has suffered through tho lack of a rillo range, will bo removed tea great extent shortly, when a rifle range, now Hearing completion, w opened. The now range is of the 25 yards type, and of the sealed Hytho pattern-tho latest thing in riflo ranges. It w situated at tho northeast end of the camp, and in place of j, hillside a solid, thick earth wall, 18 feet hi-'h. has boon constructed behind the targets. Whilo tho .greater part of the infantry riflo practice, including the whole of tho advanced work, wll continue to ho carried out at Trentham, the range at Featherston together with thoso at Papawai, will allow of a good deal of rifle practice by troops located at Featherston. All the debentures issued liy tlio Napier llarbour Board for its £50,000 lmii have (savs our special corresponS,t) been tnlc., up, the applications exceeding the issKO.

The DOMINION MOTOR VEHICLES, TTT) tit now prepared to nccopt orders for the famous CHEVROLET model, "Four-Ninety," with details that make this car most complete,- embodying features of hist'ier-priced cars. The finishing touches given this .•xlvniice 1018 model leave nothing, mote to wish for It is complete in every way. Call or write lor catalogues or demonstrations.—Advt,

They have n way of putting things on the other siiln of tho Atlantic (says ■i writer in tho "Westminster Gazette") that is sometimes inelegant hut always vory much to the point. A. maxim that, 1 am told, is popular just now in America runs: "Don't stuff your husband—husband your stuff."

Judgment was delivered in tho Magisiratu's Court yesterday morning by Mr. S. K M'Carthy, S.'jM., in a case concerning leases and sub-leases. Mary Cecilia liea proceeded against George \V. Jiogers, a claim for £39 lite. "id. in respect lo an instalment of principal and interest and insurance premium alleged to .be due under )au agreement between tho parties. Mr. K. M. Becchey, who appeared for the defendant, questioned tho Court's jurisdiction, holding that a question of title was involved, but the point was not upheld by the Magistrate., nnd judgment was given for plaintiff for the full amount claimed, together with costs. Jlr. P. W. Jackson appeared for tho plaintiff. A familiar landmark at Featherston Camp, in tho shape of f.ho huge 300gallon tank on a high stand for tho storage of water, has been removed. Tho water for the camp now comes from a, filtration plant, and the tank became unnecessary. An engineer-fitter employed by J. J. Niven and Co., Ltd., was granted suspension sine die by the Third Wellington Military Service Board yesterday. It was stated in evidence that at the outbreak of war the firm had employed eight fitters and five fifth-year apprentices. The firm had made no appeals for fitters since July, and no appeals for apprentices t-t any time. It had now only three fitters left, one of them being under orders to proceed to cam)), and no fifth-year apprentices. _ Over 140 of the firm's employees had joined the Forces, and some of them had since been withdrawn from the field to service in munition works in tho United Kingdom. There was now a severe shortage of skilled labour in the engineering trade throughout the Dominion.

The Marine Department appealed for a lighthouse-keeper before the Third Wellington Military Service Board yesterday. It was mentioned in evidence that the Department had great difficulty in finding men to tend the lights at the present time, and could not iiiduco qualified men ivho wore over military age to undertake the work. A returned soldier had taken cliarftj of one lighthouse, but had resigned after eight weeks' work, tlie life being too lonely for him. Tito maintenance of the lights was essential, and a fairly high standard of physical fitness was required of the lighthouse men. The board allowed tho appeal. In the Juvenilo Court yesterday, before Mr. S. R. M'Carthy, S.M., Arthur Smith was charged with keeping his child from attending school at Christchurch West. According to tho evidence the lad was brought to Wellington, and, dressed like Charlie Chaplin, he was parading in front of tho Empress Theatre. Later on, clad in khaki, ho was employed at tho same theatre to advertise "The Kid From Timaru." Smith said he had broughthis son to Wellington for a holiday. He was convicted and fined 10s. and costs. At the meeting of the Karori Borough Council last evening there was considerable discussion on the running of special oars over the Karori line. It was stated that the city authorities charged 455. for a special ear tho cemetery, and tho amount , received by the Karori Council for this was ss. The tramway authorities had submitted a new scalo of payments for running special car.-,, and the matter was refeircd u> the Tramways Committee for a report.

Tho lot of tho military guard at the King's Wharf is not all joy. There are occasions when tho seamen and firemen of the hig steamers, returning to their quarters, imagine that tho guard is placed there for their special annoyance. On a recent evening some fiery spirits became insulting in speech and manner, and were warned to conduct themselves decently. Once they gained tho shelter of the fore deck, they began throwing potatoes and pieces of coal at tho guard, and were again warned to desist or the consequences might be serious. Then one of tho guard was struck with a lump of coal, and soon afterwards a- rifle shot rang out. The bullet struck the hull of the ship, as was doubtless intended, but it is hardly necessary to state that no more was seen that night of the recalcitrants. An inquiry was held, and it was found that thci guard was acting within tho confines of his duty. Tho incident should be a warning to those on shipboard who liavo conceived tho idea that tho guard carry arms for show purposes only. Proceedings were taken in the Magistrate's Court yesterday by tho Inspector of Awards (Mr. 11. T. Bailey) against J. Sykes, trading as the Kosher Meat Company, for having committed a breach of tho butchers' award by employing casual boy labour. Mr. H. 1 ,, . O'Leary, who appeared for the defendant, admitted the offence, but said that the boy was employed to givo a family who were iu poor circumstances a helping hand. Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., who heard the case, gave judgment for plaintiff and imposed a fino of £1. A youth, Boy Greon, resident in Arotonga Avenue, One-tree Hill, was admitted to the, Auckland Hospital on Saturday evening sufforing from shattered hands, the result at an explosion of chemicals. Green, who is a wireless student, 19 years of age, was carrying out an electrical experiment in his home when si spark ignited some gas. Two fingers and tho tip of the thumb were blown off the left/hand, but hopo is entertained regarding the saving of the right hand, which was badly injured. During a waterside workers' picnic on Mototapu, says tho Auckland "Star," a young man, about twentylive years of age,- went to jump across tho creek there. The shock of landing must have dislodged his artificial teeth, for the plate jerked backwards and lodged 'in his throat. Tho man was lowly stifling, when, by good fortune, Dr. F. King, who happened to be at the picnic, was brought along. Just in time he succeeded in shifting tho plate, othorwise tho victim would surely have been suffocated, as nono of the other persons present knew what steps to take in sudh an emergency.

Aii absentee from frentham Camp. Georgo Cattery, who was arrested by tho police in a liouso in Hobson Street, Auckland, on February 2, and who escaped from one of tho forts on tho following day after being handed ovor to tho military authorities, was, says an Auckland exchange, rearrested by Plain-clothes Constable Trotter last Saturday morning in the bar of an hotel. Oh tho occasion of tho first arrest tho polico found tho man hiding in a chimney. _ Ho escaped from the fort by bending tho stout iron bars outsido tho cell window, a feat of strength which is considered remarkablo.