LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 147, 11 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Sir Joseph Ward rtated definitely in Christchurch yesterday that Parliament will meet on April 9.

'The next Gazette Extraordinary, calling up accretions to the First Division and to Class A, Second Division, of the Expeditionary Force ReServe, will be published on March 2ti.

For the ten months of the financial year, according to the Government Statistician's abstract, the amusement tax has yielded only £2576.

The secretary, General Post Office, has been advised that legal time will bo advanced by one hour in Portugal and Azores Irom March 1 to September 30.

The Thirty-sixth Infantry Reinforcements will commence their march from Featherston to ,ffrentham Camp tomorrow, crossing the Rimutakas en route. To-morrow night the troops w : H bivouac at Kaitoke.

The finding of a district court-mar-tial held at Trentham Camp on March 4 having been confirmed by the Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, is hervbv promulgated:—s3342 Private S. Fugill, Details (late Thirtythird Reinforcements), found guilty of—(11 When on active service, deserting His Majesty's service; (2) losing by neglect his equipment, clothing, and regimental necesiaries. Sentenced to one hundred and twelve days' detention. Stoppages to pay for deficiencies in kit amounting to £2 6s. Bd. The sentence is mitigated so that if the accused embarks for active service outside of New Zealand, then upon arrival at the final port of disembarkation, tbo unexpired portion of his sentence (if any) shall bo remitted, and his New Zealand records shall be endorsed accordingly.

Tho following temporary appointments have boeu approved by the Camp Commandant at Trentham:-— N.Z, Engineers Reinforcements:— Lce.-Corpls. G. B. Hooker, J. H. B. Warner, G. T. Collier, C. R. Lloyd, to bo corporals. Headquarters Staff (Works Department):—Pte. W. J. Parks, to be corporal.

Tho Press Association advise that Mr. Frederick James Dawson states that though his name was mentioned in the original writ as one of the defendants in the libel action by Beath and Co. against Maurice Goldbborough and "John Bull' Proprietary, the writ was amended, and his name withdrawn before the case came to hearing, so that the Christchurch telegram representing him as still one of the defendants was incorrect.

A Tress Association telegram from Waimato states that Charles Boyes, arrested on Friday, in connection with the wounding of Mason Cook, a young Morven Maori, was charged on Saturday morning with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Ho was remanded for one week, bail being refused. Tho wounded man Las again been operated on, and a revolver bullet extracted. It will be a few days before the doctors can state what liis chances of recovery are.

A crowd of people woro gathered outside the window of ;the Red Triangle Day headquarters, in Willis Street. They were watching tho line of marionette soldiers marcliinq despondently into the Y.M.C.A. hut on the Western front, and stepping out cheerfully by the opposite door. Their call had evidently refreshed them. But a doubting Thomas in the throng spoke up. "Hey," ho said, "them blokes comin' out ain't the saino as went in. Look." "Look be blowed," a man replied. "D'ye expect a man to get a cup o' coffee and some biscuits and fags, all in two ticks? Give 'em ton minutes inside, cobber. Then watch and ve'll sec its the same fellers all right.'"

Tho following temporary appointments have been approved by the Camp Commandant at Featherston: Corpl. I. P. Cleary, A Coy., 38th, to be sergoant; Prob.-Corpl. J. Dempsey, Headquarters, Instructional Staff CI Camp, to bo temporary corporal.

Complaints about the shortngo of carbido supplies nnd tho price which has to bo paid for it when obtainable are continuously boing beard from all parts of tho country, particularly tho rural districts, where carbido is so generally used for illuminating purposes. The price at tho present timo fluctuates between £70 and £100 per ton, as against about £17 per ton or thereabouts in normal times. Mr. J. Orehiston, Chief Telegraph Engineer, states that by tho use of electric power derivable from tho Bowen Falls, and applied to the extraction of nitrates from the air, the highest grade nitrates could he supplied in Wellington for about £14. per ton.

Some of the Oamaru stouo forming part of the buttresses on tho northern walls of tho Christchurcb Cathedral has shown signs of decay, and in some cases fairly largo pieces have dropped olf (states'a Christehnrch paper). Last week a, start was made with the work of replacing the portions affected with now stone, the preparations consistinft of the erection of a considerable amount of scaffolding.

llio Dunedin price of flour has been advanced from £15 to £15 10s. a ton Millers .say that they have to secura most of their wheat in Canterbury, and that as a result of the railage charges etc., they are not now able to sell flour at less than £15 10s. a ton, un less they are prepared to lose money. Moreover, they have to pay 6s. Id. a bushel at tho wharf for tho Australian shipments of wheat. Dunedin millers are entitled, under the Government re gulaticns, to charge £16 a ton for thoit Hour, but as a result of keen competition all last year and up to tho prosent the price has been £15 (less 2J per cent, discount). Now, however, as a result of the increasing cost in laying in supplies of wheat an advance of 10s. a ton has been decided on.

Supplies of tea are likely to he seara-. in the near future, according to statements made by leading .importers in Auckland. The manager of one firm said ho had just received the following cablegram:—"Leaf tea much dearer, brokeiis Vd- dearer. Expect short, supplies during April, owing to exceedingly dry weather." Commenting on this, lie said tho fact of leaf tea being much dearer indicated American buying. Since September the market price of tea,had increased by 3d. per lb., and he anticipated a continuance of, or an advance on, the present high rates. It was stated that fair stocks were being bold at present, but owing to the shortage of shipping from Australia, wlience Ceylon tea is transhipped,, a scarcity is expected in the future. Another firm was advised that supplies are scarce, owing- to the Food Controller's operations, and was advised to conserve its stocks. It is also stated that there have been heavy losses of tea owing to vessels, having been sunk by submarines. As from February 4, Mr. J. Louchars, until recently general manager for the well-known firm of YVtch and Allan, has been admitted into partnership with that firm. No change in the trading title of the concern will be mads.

The Auckland City Council has declined a request from the proprietors of five picture theatres foi permission to open on Good Friday, the Mayor explaining tfiat when a' similar request in regard to Christmas Day was recently granted tho council agreed that of tho two days Good Friday should bo kept as a closo holiday in regard to amusements. It was resolved to offer no objection, to the Tramway Company's proposal to suspend tbe tram services on the same day for the purposes of the employees' annual pienio.

According to the "Otago Daily Times" an interesting legal point ciopped up in a case which came before the Military Service Board at Lawrence on Thursday. In the case of a reservist who was appealing to be placed in Class B of the Second Division, it was stated that he was separated from his wife under a private agreement between the perties, and that tbo wife had tho custody of the child, and had agreed to provide for its maintenance out of her salary. The reservist lad contributed nothing to its support for two years, and the question was whether there was just cause for urging failure to support tbe child, and whether the circumstance of a separation agreement could be urged to be a iust cause. The ebainr.au (Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.), said _ that without giving a onnsidered opinion, he was inclined to think that the child was technically "deserted." The case was adjourned.

The quinnat .salmon season opened on January 15, but so far none nave been caught in the two declared salmon rivers—the Rangitata and the Waitaki—said the Timaru "Herald" on Saturday. Many anglers have waited some time at likely spots waiting for the salmon to put in an appearance, but as there had been no run of the fish, they were beginning to despair of their looked-for sport. Information has just been received from Oamaru to the effect that on Wednesday a large number of salmon were seen in the Waitaki, and providmg that tho weather holds there Is every likelihood of good iisbing in a few days, as the liver is rapidly getting lowor.