LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 130, 19 February 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that in the Supreme Court a youth named Alexander Alderiou, for indecent assault on a child, was sentenced to three years' probation under stringent conditions.

It wiiß mentioned before the Third Wellington Military Service Board yesterday that the cash trade of a butchery establishment "in Wellington had nearly doubled during the war period. Four delivery carts nut of ten had been withdrawn owing to shortage of labour, and last month 19,892 persons wore served with meat in the shop. They paid cash and carried away their own . '-•••'ls.

"I nm in favour of free, secular, and compulsory education," said Mr. Brandon last night in answer to a question. "The question of 'from kindergarten to university' can bo settled after the war." The answer appeared to amuse- a section of the audience.

Tho following resolution was passed yesterday at a meeting of the Wellington Presbytery :—"Tho Public Questions Committee of the Wellington Presbytery desire to express their profound .sympathy witli the Rev. T. Miller and the Bev. A. Stockwell in tho indignity and bodily injury to which tlioy have been subjected at tho hands of a brutal mob; their alarm and indignation at a manifest intention of certain bigots to suppress, if they can, by insensate violence not only freedom of speech, but even attendance at public meetings held to claim for Protestants their full political rights; their satisfaction that the Minister of -Justice has promised to do his utmost to discover and bring to punishment the perpetrators of the Feilding outrage; and their determintaion to uphold in all legitimate ways the right of the Protestant people to assemble in public meetings for the vindication of their political liberties and tbo exposure of tho wiles by which those liberties are endangered."

A soldier who appeared before tho (Third 'Wellington- Military Service Board yesterday stated that he had a farm of 224 acres, and he managed a neighbouring farm for a woman who owned it. He was 43 years of age, and had been declared unfit for active service, but the military authorities have placed him on home service. Captain Baldwin said the rule was that men, did not go on homo service un-' less they volunteered for it, but the reservist insisted that he had not volunteered. The board granted him indefinite leave on condition that he continued his farm work.

Base Records Office states that 44,590 A. P. Dale, Imperial Forces, has been reported as having been wounded on December 12. Tho .usual official advice was sent to Mrs. Dale, 32 Preston Road, Dunedin (the address supplied by the War Office, London), but lias been -undelivered, as the addressee was unknown. Anyone knowing Mrs. Dale's whereabouts is asked to communicate with Base Records Office.

The Y.M.C.A., the Red Cross, and the Salvation Army will share equally a bequest of £900, made under the will of William D. Sutherland, sheepfarmer, of Ngaipu Station, Hinakura, Maryborough, who was killed in tho lighting at Bellvue Spur iii October last. The sum mentioned was bequeathed to such fund or funds, for relief of wounded soldiers as. tho trustees of the will (Messrs. D. Sutherland and Alexander Dunn) deemed fit.

An inquest was held vesterday afternoon by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., into the circumstances attending the. death jf Frederick Keys Hazlett, 40 yetars of ago. a married man, who was employed by the city corporation as a steamroller driver. Hazlett had buclt a home for himself in Coutts Kilbirnie, and moved into the new Jioine on Saturday last. Ho had just earned in the last, package when hd sat down and expired. It was showji in evidence that Hazlett had enlisted, and was placed in Class C 2. Dr. Coua-ms, •vho was called iu to seo tho deceased, expressed the opinion that death 'was due to heart failure, accelerated by a heavy meal and by the strenuous wmrk lie was engaged in that day. lino Coroner's verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence.

In the list of voluntary recruits published on Friday last the name V. S. Lawn should have, been V. S. Lavin.

A Press Association message from Feildmg states:—Neither the Rev. Mr. Stockwull nor tho Rev. Mr. Miller, victims of the assault after the Rev. Howard Elliott's meeting, had sufficiently* recovered to enter the pulpit on Sunday. So far no arrest has been' made. It appears that no onewit-i nested the assault except the friends i of the assailants.

Tht Board of Governors of Wellington College and Girls' High School met yesterday to consider the question of securing additional accommodation for the Girls' High School. The Hon. J. G. \V. Aitkon presided. There were also present, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), Professor Easterneld, and Messrs. A. Warburton and W. H. P.Barber. Tho meeting was in camera, and it is understood that no definite decision was arrived at. The governors are endeavouring to obtain a house at once near tho collego, with large rooms suitable for classes.

Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp, Consular Agent for Italy, acknowledges receipt of £20 from Dannevirko, per the Mayoress I'atriotio Fund (Red Cross and Countess of Liverpool), and £10 from the Lower Hutt Patriotic Guild for tho Italian Red Cross.

At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce tho vice-prosident (Mr. A. Loigli Runt) reported that the effort to establish branches at Petone and the Lower Hutt had heen very successful. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (Mayor rf Petone) had been "appointed chairman of the local committee at Potone. Eighteen members had been elected and there was a prospect of tho number boing increased to thirty in the near future. The Lower Hutt meeting, was also very successful. He could safely say that the secretary should- now take stops to alter the constitution of the Chamber in order that representatives of those places could sit on the council. The executive was congratulated on the success of its effort, and the largo increase of membership resultant therefrom.

Among the appellants who appeared before the Third Wellington Military Servico Board yesterday was a darkskinned man who explained that ho was a native of Barhadoes, in the West Indies. His people woro of African descent, and ho had objections to killing white men or serving with white troops. It has been ruled already as a matter of policy that tho-Defence Department does not need tho services of coloured citizens other than Maoris, and the appeal was allowed. At the meeting of the Industrial Association last evening there was some discussion on tho arrangement ot an "Industries Week" this year on the lines of those held in previous years, when Now Zealand's industries were especially displayed in the shop windows. Several members were of opinion that the proposal should be indefinitely postponed on the grounds that the manufacturers of Wellington were hard put to it, on account of the general shortage of labour. _to cope with current work without thinking of turning out display goods for the shop windows. It was suggested by Mr. Vickerman that an organiser might bo engaged to work up "Industries Week," but tho arguments of the manufacturers appeared to preclude the possibility of the show being made as effective as all would desire. Finally the matter was passed on to a committee to consider and report upon.