LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 137, 27 February 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

For the first time in six years the police presented n clenn sheet at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning.

The Management Committee of the Manchester Unity of.Oddfellows OYelliiigton district), in presenting its report for the year to yesterday's conference, said:—"We greatly regret that the war is still racing, and the hopes of a speedy victory liave not been realised, but, as loyal subjects, Oddfellows are as determined as ever that victory shall bo ours. . That the world will bo a better ono for all the suffering the people have been called upon to bear is our belief, providing some measure of consolation. This district has had 350 of its members helping in the winning of the war, and we mourn the loss of thirty-nine members. Wo arc indeed paying dearly for our coming victory—as come it must." ,

At about half-past two yesterday afternoon the Fire Brigade was called to 48 Thompson Street, a four-roomed dwelling owned by Mr. Robert Birch and occupied by. Mr. Thomas Baldwin. The fire was caused by a spark.from a. chimney nearby.' ' The extent of the damage was injury to a t'ow weather l boards. ' The contents of the housewere • insured in the Phoenix office-for £90. ''."''•• - ■

The'., wreckage which was washed up on the beach north of Te Araroa. still remains unidentified. The "New Zealand Herald" states that as far as can be gathered, the wreckage, appears to be part of an oil vessel, which has been blown up by an explosion. It is reported that parts of human remains in tho shape of chaired bones have been found in the wreckage. The American- gold coins-and the newspaper found'give-rise to the''opinion that the vessel belonged- to America. A ship of that nationality is stated to be overdue from San Francisco, hut no particulars are yet available.

Among the appeals set down on the list to be dealt with at yesterday's meeting of the, Wellington Military Service Board'was that of Edward .George Tierney, a bootmaker, of Hopper Street. The appeal was, however, withdrawn, Tierney stating that he had a son at the war, and would be g'ad to join him.

Mr. K- Sievers writes:—"l see by Hie latest gazetted list my brothei's name, Arthur Siovc-rs, 27 Glnuueivie Terrace, is posted, along- with others, as being one whom the military authorities have been -unahle _to find. For the benefit of the authorities in charge of the Wellington city area, who apparently have allowed sumeuue to bungle, and for the purpose of clearing mv brother (a married man with a wife- and two children) from any suspicion of neglecting or wishing to shirk his military duties, might 1 mention that he enlisted last June, -went into camp in September, and is in the Thirtv-seventli N.Z.h\A. at Featherston? Me was called in the ballot iasl year by error, and the Government Statistician caused a correction to be published at that time."

A. J. Bevan, tram conductor, Kilbirnie, was among the appellants at .yesterday's sitting of the Military Service Board, but ho produced papers to siiow that ho had already served in Egypt, and bad been discharged. His appeal was allowed.

At tho Military Service Board yesterday Ernest G." Kinvig, builder, appealed ou tho ground tluit he was the ohiy surviving son of-his parents. It will be remembered that appellant's brother, Gordon Kinvig, the wellknown representative footballer and cricketer, was killed at the-front 'astyear. The appeal,.which was lodged on account of .appellant's mother, was allowed. {

Sixty-nine solicitors in the Wellington district have been accepted for active service since the war. This number includes twenty-six 'members of the Wellington District Law Society. Five have been killed in action—S. A Atkinson, W. H. D. Bell, G. H. Fell, A. AI.. Thompson, and G. G. Vial, one (L. M. Liardet) has died of wounds, and another (Stuart Baddeley) has be(-n reported missing, believed killed.

Tho Tramways Military Band will play selections at Newtown. Park, tonight at 8 o'clock.

In connection with the proposal to ask Mr. A. Caniegie for a further grant .of £2000 towards the Hamilton and proposed jjrankton libraries, lesolulions wore passed by the Borough Council ar its last mootinu; agreeing to Vullil the- conditions of tin; and pledging itself to provide at least. £100 a year "towards the upkeep'of" the institutions, li, was stated that the sum of £1500 had been promised hv Mr. Carnegio some time ago towards the Frankton library, and it was decided to ask for the sum to be increased to £2000 owing to" the increased price of building material.

If the British papers can be taken as a guide, von Luekner's countrymen have not got as graphic an account of his recent adventure as he would desire (writes "Mercutio" in the Auckland ''Herald"). The cable duly recorded his ultimate recapture in the .scow at "Fernadech." This, sounds like somewhere in Scotland, but it is only a cabin mutilation for Kermadecs. The cable agency makes an effort to enlighten British readers by suggesting that it might be Fernside, which is near Featherston or near Rangiora, in Canterbury, just as you please. It is an equal choice, for it is rather difficult to see how von Lmckner oould iiave reached either in a scow. As to Motuihi, no risks were taken. VonLuckner escaped "from the place in New Zealand whore lie was interned." When an ITnglislwnm tries to grapple with Maori names' the results are sometimes appalling.. King George was once quoted as having referred to the North Island of New Zealand as' "The Ink Man." Eia Majesty had said in the Choral Hall at Auckland, "Te-Ika-a-Maui," and the cable did the rest.

A Christchurch resident has received from n friend in.England a copy of the following amusing letter, written by an engineering firm, at Rugby to another firm at Coventry. "Yours of yesterday's date re Module Gutters for Fellows Gear Sharper reference W.D.-H.-Q.A. During this great war wo have done many things that aforetime wo had considered almost impossible. We have turned out ploughshares into swords, made night as day, made bricks without straw, turned water into wine, and ale into cutting compound for the refreshening of labour. We have resurrected Lazaruslike machine tools, and taught them to rise up and sing; we have imported proud Americans; we have salvaged destitute Belgians; ,wo have gathered in and utilised barbers, circus-proprietors, evangelists, aboriginals from the Antinodes, and some of the 'Best People.' We have made women into mechanics, and mechanics into supermen, such as insv be found at the Ministry of Munitions. We have diluted out labour, both male and female, until we have workers of the combined sex and of neither sex. AVc have praised find, honoured the Kim;, and strafed their common enemies, but we stand to-day ho'polreslv cast down hnfore your suggestion that we should cut 2-Module pitch aeroplane engine gears with a 2\-Module cutter. Yours in a chastened spirit."

"The true basis of life, the very essence'of life, is struggle," said Professor Macinillan Brown at Cnristchurch on Saturday night, "and if you cease to struggle you may as well die. 1 have, voyaged .much .among primi.tive -peoples-,- and. have seen this -point emphasised-time -and ragain.-v-.-Whon,-iiik war, the only occupation of the men, ceases, they die off. I have seen this last winter in the Marquesas, where a' population of half a million tit, the beginning of last century has dwindled down to 2500, chiefly because they have ceased their usual occupation. The men loafed, there was no more struggle; they were dying rapidly."

The opening ceremony in connection with tho new diving pier at Island Bay will be on March 9, not on March 2, as was stated yesterday.