LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 161, 27 March 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Hon. G. W. ltussoll, Minister of Internal AfFairs, advises that persons who proposo travelling to Japan, via Honolulu, must make applications for passports at as early date as possible so that the passport, together with form of declaration obtainable from the Japanese Consular Agent at Wellington, may ho forwarded to His Imperial Japanese Majesty's ConsulateGeneral, at Sydney,' New South Wales, for vise. There are now 135 taxi-cabs licensed in the city, and in view of the number of vehicles of this class being more than adequate for tho public requirements, each additional application will bo granted only when tho committee aro satisfied that the vehicle complies in every respect with the Motor Inspector's requirements. Rats found a place in the deliberations of the City Council last night. The council decided that an employee should be appointed to undertake tho destruction of rats in the city and the preparation of suitable rat poison for free distribution to citizens. There is a proposal afoot among local Civil Servants to establish their own luncheon and tea rooms, somewhere convenient to tho Department Building. Two accidents occurred yesterday on small steamers in port. W. Wilson Fislc, who lives at 8 Bllico Avenue, was assisting to overhaul the Blenheim at the Patent Slip, and_ fell from one of tho masts, injuring his foot to such an extent that ho was removed to tho Hospital. A seaman named Jack Howard, on the N.Z. Refrigerating Co.'s steamer Mana, fell down tho hold of the vessel in the afternoon, and was also admitted to tho Hospitalto receive attention for a wound on his head. It is estimated that an average of 6000 children havo weekly attended To Aro Baths in the hours set apart for them. During February over 8000 children paid for admission, which number was larger than in the previous year. The custodian says that things at tho baths have worked satisfactorily oxcept that tho ladies' bath has been overtaxed. Scathing remarks concerning the man who will not light for his country, but prefers to go to gaol, and also thoso people who say that Now Zealand has done enough in tho war, wero made by the Rev. (Chaplain) H. N. Roberts at a welcome home to him and other returned soldiers at Woolston on Saturday night. "Since I havo returned" to New Zealand," Mr. Roberts said, "I have seen several letters in Tho papers in Otago suggesting that this country has dona enough in connection with tho war. It would be ono of tho most wicked things wo could do to refrain from further effort, and for people who stop at homo to say: 'Let the Americans.' carry on.' The man who wants another to fight for him is no good. I would not imprison a man who would not fight for his home, I would put him outside the palo of the law. If ho possessed a house, I would put it outside tho jurisdiction of the poljce; anyone could take it. I would not let him have a say in the government of the country; I would not give him the advantage of any law court. If he came along tho street I would like to push him off. I would not make a martyr of him. That man is too good for this world. Ho has no right to raalco money _in it. He has not right to the protection of svny law. I leave my mother and sister at home knowing_ that they aro safe because of the police. That is power. The only thing in the world is power, and a man is really living under the power and protection of tho Army. We have not done enough in New Zealand until every singlo ablebodied man is cither fighting in Franco or producing war stuffs, and.every ablebodied women in this country is working on war work. Then we havo not done enough—until we have smashed tho Germans." A deputation of plumbers waited on the City Council last ovening and protested against tho appointment of inspectors without notifications first appearing in the Press. Hie deputation said that tho council had previously given an assurance that such notifications would bo made. At the present time some returned soidiors with good qualifications wero available and should bo given preference. Tho Mayor said that tho matter would bo looked into. "If a family movesfrom ono school to another, in any district, and take with them all their school books, the Hoard of Education or Department will supply or pay for any new set of books required by pupils,'' said Mr. Murray, a member of the Auckland Education Board, when the uniformity or standardisation of books for schools was under consideration by the School Committees' Association, "and probably to many of tho public tho • information given by Mr. Murray will come as a pleasant surprise • Cabinet has decided that tho Government steamer Tutanekai, for so long attached to tho Post and Telegraph Department as a fable-repairing vessel, shall bo now "attached" to, the Marino Department. It is understood that tho time is not far distant when she will supersede tho Hinemoa (built in 1876) as the lighthouse tender.

When the question of strictly limiting the speed of the Wellington Hospital's motor ambulance was under discussion at the City Council last evening it was pointed out that on ono occasion when fast driving was undertaken it was because the doctor said that unless tho patient secured certain treatment sho would die in fivo minutes. Tho woman's lifo was saved, and to-day she was walking about quito well.

Tho following athletic and sports clubs havo been granted a remission of the general rates due on their properties for the year 1918-19, to compliance with tho City Council's conditions: — Association Football Grounds, Ltd., Nowtown Lawn Tennis Club, Lyall Iky Bowling and Tennis Club, Ltd., Wellington Lawn Tennis Club, Hataitai Bowling Club, Victoria Bowling Club, Brougham Hill Tennis Club, Thorndon Lawn Tennis Club, Wellington Bowling Club. Ltd., Thorndon Bowling Club, and Newtown Bowling Club.

Mr. M. W. Welch has been appointed assessor in tho compensation case Mrs. Ocrrio v. Corporation, claim for land taken at Wainui-o-mnta for waterworks purposes.

Last evening tho City Council _ decided that a license of a taxi-cab driver, who had been convicted for being drunk whilst in charge of a vehicle r.nd for colliding with a woman and child in Featherston Street, should bo suspended. Respecting another taxicab driver,, convicted for drunkenness, it was resolved that he should be given a warning that only because of his past long and satisfactory service in a branch of the corporation- employ would ho bo granted a monthly permit during the next licensing year, and also informed that such nermit will be immediatelv terminated if a repetition of his offence is reported. A certificafo of ability to drive a .motor-car was issued to a returned soldier whose eyesight is temporarily affected through an_injury received whilst on active sen-ice, in view of medical opinion that his eyesight will soon be normal.

Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald informed the City Council last evening that ho knew of tho case of a man who_ on applying for work as a motor-car driver produced a corporation license, but who, it was almost immediately discovered, could not drive at all.

At present there is no Judge of tho Supremo Court in Wellington and sittings of the Court are likely to be few (if any) before the end of the Easter vacation. The Court of Appeal is to open its Y/ellington session on April 8.

Recent fires in Otaki have induced the residents to consider the formation of a volunteer fire brigade, but as a brigade would be of little practical service without an adequate high-pres-sure wntor supply, that matter fs tobe considered shortly by the Town Board. Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp, Consular Agent for Italy, acknowledges from Mr. F. J. Stopford, secretary of the Napier Red Cross Shop, the sum of £449 18s. 9d., being the proceeds of the "Men's Day" for the Italian Red Cross, also the sum of £50 from tho Waipukurau Red Cross Socioty.

The Consul-General of Japan in Australia has received from i his Government new regulations concerning tho entry of aliens into his country. All aliens, excepting members and families of diplomatic and consular bodies and other Government representatives, and masters and crews of foreign vessels must produce passports before they will be permitted to land. Consuls are instructed to satisfy themselves that intending visitors to Japan havo no sinister intentions towards that country, and no dealings or interests with enemy countries; that they are not likely to become a charge upon the public of Japan and that they are free from any contagions disease, and are not of unsound mind.

The petitions signed by the occupiers of booksellers', stationers', and newsagents' shops, and hairdressers' and tobacconists' shops, requesting the fixing of hours of closing of such shops in accordance with the petitions, are to be certified to by tho council authorities as being signed by a majority of tho occupiers of such shops in the city.

Tho City Solicitor has been instructed to draft an amendment to tho motor-car by-law iny order to place upon tho taxi-cab driver the onus of notifying tho hirer of bis option to be charged for the jouruey either by time or by distance, and in the event of tho driver not giving such notice, then tho hirer is to havo tho privilege of paying on the basis of time or distance, whichever ho prefers.

So great are tho resources of Lake Waikareinoana that, according to the Mayor, Mr. E. Parry, the Government Engineer, estimates that even if thero wero no ram in that district for eight years it would not affect any projected scheme that might depend on tho lako for its supply.

Two milk vendors recently appeared before the Public Health Committee of tho City Council to show cnu6e why their licenses should not bo dealt with for breaches of the law, one for selling milk containing 6 per cent, added water, and the other for selling milk low ir. fat. Tho committee took no action except to warn the offenders to ho Koro careful in future.

' Donations of books to be sent to the Aotea (13. Z.) Convalescent Home, Heliopolis, Egypt, will be thankfully received by Mr. James, Macintosh, at his oflice, Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., 20-34 Customhouse Quay.

"You know a little Maori?" asked Mr. H. W. Bishop of counsel at the Rangi Kerehoma inquiry yesterday. '•1 know enough to make myself misunderstood I" replied Mr. Morison.

Mr. W. T. Young, secretary of tho Feuer'atSl Seamen's Union, has received a reply from the Minister of Marine (Hon." T. M. Wilford) in answer to his communication to tho Minister on me subject of the payment of an allowance to tho dependants of seamen imprisoned in enemy countries. He asked tho Minister whether'it was. intended to pay dependants the full wages of tho men imprisoned in enemy countries. The following is ithe reply: your tolegram of I telegraphed general manager Union Company, and following is reply I have just received:—'Allowances are not equivalent, but. are versed on scale by Imperial authorities, and are practically as schedule of compensation in cases' where loss of life ends.' "

The animal movable conference of the Now Zealand branch of the Oddfellows' Order is to commence in Wellington on Monday, and delegatos from all parts of New Zealand are to assemble in tho city on Saturday night.

The feeling of resentment against exompfed men who lose no opportunity of giving expression to strong anticonscription sentiments, or whoso actions would point_ to disloyalty to the Crown, is becoming intenso in Kaitangata, says the correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times." It has been hinted severe measures for reprisals are likoly to be adopted with a view'to bringing some steadying power to bear upon the men referred to. At a recent welcome homo social given by the public to returned soldiers the Mayor, in his address, stated:_ "I regrot to say that oven in Kaitangata we have some citizens who, as a class, are the most disloyal and disreputable citizens who could possibly be found in any place in this Dominion." Continuing, Mr. Cairns said that, although lie agreed" there was very good singing talent in tlie class he referred to, the committee decided against tho inolusion of that talent i nthe programme. The j speaker's remarks appeared to coincide Willi the opinions of the large audience, who heartily, applauded the Mayor. '