LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 159, 25 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Owing to the frequent stoppages of work at different West Coast mines upon one pretext or anotiier, the coal supplies for household purposes have dwindled perceptibly, and it is now a. matter of difficulty to get coal in any quantity.

Writing from Ohakune on Friday, a correspondent says that one man, Mr. J. G.. Hervey, has bad an unenviable experience of bush fires. This is the third time in twenty years that he has lost everything. In January, 1898, bo was burned out of house and home in Kiniuc-lton. During February, 1908, ho experienced a. similar misfortune at Raetihi, and in March, 1918, a similar fate overtook him.

When Sir Joseph Ward was in Auckland, says tbc "Star," bis attention was drawn to the fact that, whereas it was customary to withhold from the Press tho lists of invalid soldiers returning to New Zealand, in Australia such lists were published somo considerable time ahead. Sir Joseph Ward in due course brought the matter under tho notice of the Minister of Defence, with the result that in future the names of returning soldier. , ! will be available for publication as scon as they are received by tho Department, which is usually some three weeks before the soldiers' arrival. The names of tho transports and dates and places of arrival will not be published. Every precaution is being taknn to notify tho public of the exact time when a ship will bo disembarking returned soldiers at the wharf, and definite instructions have been given that the ship must be berthed, whenever possible, exactly at the time advertised.

Property-holders at Tlimmerton with beach frontages suffered severely by the combined effect of the heavy gale and high tides 'last week. In sevoral instances those who boasted pretty little flower gardens, enclosed in fences, found their fences floating round on the broad boaom of tho perturbed deep and part of their gardens merged into a part of the beach. In some cases the work of several summer seasons has disappeared "without a trace." The fishermen of the locality say that it was the highest tide they have ever known, and shudder to think what would have happened had the tides been at the spring instead of neap. Mrs. Kolleher, living at No. 10 Cororaandel Street, accidentally fell and broke her leg in John Street at 9 o'clock on Saturday night. She was taken to the Hospital, where her injury was attended to. x

In the Supreme Court on Saturday,, says our Mastorton correspondent, Mr. Justice Edwards granted discharges in bankruptcy to Thomas William Steel, of Greytown, and Leslie Edwin Gaskin, of Maryborough. The application of Thomas Jones, of Masterton, for discharge was adjourned till next sitting.

At a meeting of the Wairarapn branch of tho Teachers' Institute on Saturday the following resolutions were carried:'—(l) That immediate, practical steps be taken to secure far better educated, trained, and capablo teachers. (2) That' as soon as the number of incoming teachers permits, the size of classes be reduced to thirty.

Councillor M'Kcnzie has given notico of his intention to move at the next meeting of the Petone Borough Council:—"That the Government place on the Statute Book legislation empowering municipalities to have the right to control speeds of vehicular and motor traffic in the streets of their respective districts without interference from law courts. The law needs amending which allows a Magistrate or Judge to declare null and void the by-laws of :>. town which the citizens, through their councillors, consider fair and reasonnblo for the safety of its inhabitants. We ask tho Government to immediately give power to control this very_ important traffic in the direction indicated, owing to the increasing number of fatalities, particularly of little children."

Replying to the congratulations of hydro-electric delegates under his natal cabbage tree at Wairoa tho other day, Sir James Carroll said he was somewhat overwhelmed with their kindness. Going back into tho past, he pointed out the site of his father's house, only a few yards distant. . lie was born at the foot of the tree, which is now decaying, but kind friends had restored it. ' Before ho was born ho was claimed by tho chief, and one rif his nurses is still alivo at the age of 110 years. Hfi was educated at the Priest College till lie was seven yoars of age, and then he was claimed by ly's father on tlic death of the chief. Shortly afterwards lie was sent to Napier to JFr. fi. nichnrdaon, and his career began. Ho would be 61 years of age noxt .August, and the treo was much older then bo was. He thanked them very heartilv for their tribute

Tho destinations of tho three captured German field guns that have arrived in Wellington are not quite certain. One of the guns is claimed (Hugo Infantry Regiment and anotlur by the Auckland Infantry Regiment, liiit the understanding arrived at by tho Government has been that tlio allocation of war trophies is to be delayed until the conclusion of the war. Ims, of course, will not precludo special consideration to the claims of individual regiments. The Dominion Museum, which will hold the national war collection, ie to have tho first claim on war trophies generally, and a reasonable distribution is to be made among tho other museums.

In the Magistrate's Court on Saturday, Mr. W. G. lliddell, S.M., being on the bench, Edward Patrick Lee, who was 'found helplessly drunk, was fined 205., and qrdored to pay 17s. 6d. medical expenses, in default seven days imprisonment, a prohibition order was also issued against him, to be in force for a period of twelve months. One first offender for insobriety was convicted and ordered to bo handed over to the military authorities,' and another was fined 10s., in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment.

The poll for the election of two representatives of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Railway Officers Institute to the Dominion Executive Council of that bqdy resulted as follows :-F. G. Craig, 225; P. E. Hunt, US; L. W. Hanlon, 100; W. Scheming, 99; W. A. Godber, 62; J. E. Robertson, GO; D. S. Neilson, 56. Messrs. Craig and Hunt wore therefore declared duly elected. Considerable damage was done in the town and district of Patea by last week's cyclone. A motorist between Hawera and Patea counted 44 telegraph posts down and otherwise damaged through being bent double m many cases Hay and straw stacks were scattered in all directions, and many cowsheds and outbuildings collapsed. The full force of the gale was felt at Mamitahi, whore trees, fences, telegrapn poles, and haystacks were levelled to the ground. In addition Mr. G. Geary and family bad a most trying experience, the roof of their house being taken off and deposited some 200 yards nway. Tho wool died was also levelled to tbo ground. The forces of the wind may be gauged by the facfc that too house is a, brand new one, having only Leen completed some three months ago. Patrick Ryan, alias Blanks,, alias Banks, alias Walsh, appeared in the Magistrate's Court on Saturday, before M> W. 6. -Riddell, S.M., charged with being an idle and disorderly person, m that be was found begging alms in Willis Street. Plain-clothes Constable Black stated that the. man had been knocking about the town during the past mouth or so drinking m company with reputed thieves. He had recently been convicted of theft. Accused made- a number of excuses, and asked for a chance to go into the county, but the Magistrate decided to send him to gaol for three months. During the hearing of charges against Waihi chemists for alleged breaches of the Licensing Act, 1908. in keeping and selling liquor in a- no-license area, it was stated that in one year smee Ohinemuri carried ro-lieense the quantity of alcoholic liquor passed through the Court books included 2000 gallons of whisky and 20,000 gallons of beer. A conference between members of tho National Efficiency Board, the associated sawmillers of Now Zealand, and refrigerating and dairy companies will be held in Wellington on April 4 to discuss tho difficulties that have arisen in connection with the utilisation and conservation of white pine. The question of restricting the use of tho timber will also bo discussed. Privilege-holders in connection with the General Assembly Library are requested to return all books on or before Tposday, April 2. . Borrowers not complying with this nohco will not have their privileges renewed after the session. Tho collections taken up in aid <# the Zoological Society's tiger fund realised £12 ss. 3d. A programme ot music was played by the Waterside Workers' Band. The society is also talciw up a collection •in the local Behoofs, and it is expected that with the combined sums collected the required money for the purchase of the tiger will be reached. In conversation with Dr. Coleridge Farr, Professor of Physics at Canterbury College, a representative of the Christchurch "Sun" found that Dr. Farr, in conjunction with Mr. H. JJ. Skey, officer, in charge of the Magnetic Observatory, was engaged in working out the results of the magnetic observations taken at the Antarctic by the Mawson Expedition some years ago. Dr. Farr showed the reporter the records which were taken by Mr. E. R. Webb, of the expedition, and who is now at the front. He said that the records wcro undoubtedly the most complete ever taken and practically covered every hour of the period that the expedition was in the Antarctic. It would consequently be understood that an immense amount of labour was involved in working out the records, and to this end he had engaged a number of lady students of Canterbury College to assist with the arithmetical and mathematical part of the_ work. They were doing this in their spare time, and ho would be willing to engage more, were they available, m order to expedite the work. Blue prmts were taken, and the results, as they are worked out, aro sent to Dr. L. Chree superintendent of Kew Observatory, England. Dr. Farr paid a warm tribute to tbo assistance given by Mr. Sftey in connection with the work.