LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 178, 17 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

His Excellency the Governor-General will review the Thirty-sixth Reinforcements at Treqtham this morning. In connection with Ihe delay to cable traffic with «nd via the United Kingdom, Sir Joseph Ward makes tho announcement that indefinite delay is occiiring on all traffic, nnd the public is urged to use the cnbles for messages of urgent importance only. In view of this information, which hos just been received from the London office of the Eastern Extension Cable Company, Sir Jospph Ward has advised the New Zealand troops at tho front nnd elsewhere to send their cablegrams at ordinary ratfs, as other messages have been subject to delay varying from four to six weeks. Quito recontly there vns a blockage of 20.000 messages at one of tho coble stations between hero and London. With this fact in 'mind, the public will realise that the cables should rot' be used except for urgent or important purposes. A Wellington resident has received a letter from, his mother, residing in Edinburgh, in tho courso of which she says: "Wβ know now there is a war on, as everyone is on ration. We get cards for all foods. I am only allowed }lb. of tea a fortnight, lib. sugar, Jib. butter or margarine, ham, theepe, or anything by weight, weekly. Prices are more than double now» AVe ire afraid to buy fancy cakes, as very often they are not fit for eating. Wo ore c.nly allowed to buy JIJ). of sweets at a. i.ime, and they, too, cost more than twice what they did before the war. If wo go , into a shop for anything we are asked to produce our cards, and won't be served unless they nro shown. Wo are only allowed to buy goods at one shop of a ki'.ul—one butcher, one grocer, and so on. Peoplo stand in queues for hours waiting their turn to be served. Should Any. more, of your New Zealand friends call to pee imo.'T don't know what T could give them, but no doubt I would try to get fiomothing good. Mr. I!. P. Eishwortli having been waited on by deputations and presented with a largely-signed requisition from ratepayers nnd electors in the borough, has decided to accept nomination for the Hutt Mayoralty. A fireman named K. Londflvqm on board a vessel at present in port was knocked down by a tramcar at about 9'o'clock last night. Ho was removed lo tho Hospital, whero he was found to be injured about the head and face. Dr. J. Eiddell, an enthusiastic worker in support of patriotic funds, is rapidly justifying bis appointment as collector in- Hawke's Bay for the Trentham Scholarship Fund (slates the "Danncvirko Evening News"). Ho desired to rniso £1000 in this province, but ho has bo i'nr succeeded that tho amount has been practically raised in this district nlone. 3)r. lliddoll has an alluring schomo wheroby ho hopes to associato Dannevirko with Urn Trentham scheme. His object is to raise ,£IOOO and oll'or this amount in War Bonds as first prize in a great art union. Tho object of tho Trentham Scholarship Fund is lo provide secondary education for those sons of soldiers who oome within 5 per cent, of the marks required to gain a Junior National Scholarship.

A remarkable case of a returned soldier has been brought under the notice ni u (.lisljorno rciwrler. A labouring man who went lo the war from that: dislrict returned recently, having been dischnrßwl under most unusual circunit.laiiees. I'lio third linger of his left hand, through romo defect of the muscle, was stilt', and would not straighten out moro I ban um inch or two. whilst in cami> in England it was pointed out, to him that the finger was useless, and ho had bettor have It removed. The Gisbojmilc consented to Uio operation, and, imagine his dismay, when his hand was first dressed after the operation, to find tlio second-or middle finger (a perfectly sound "niember)nad boon taken off by mistake. The gentleman who vouches for the absolute accuracy of Iho story added that the man, now back in (iislioriic, and discharged, whs contoinplatiug going into the hospital to have the useless finger removed. A novel ,iiid striking athletic event took place at Trenthain L'amp on .Saturday m connection with the soldiers' spuria meeting held on the racecourse. ye&tcnlay. ■I'ho event was a 'cross-country race, in which five, companies of soldiers started. The men were paraded in running trim at tho bayonet instruction grounds, and the Camp Comma rnkml, Colonel li. If. l'otter, UiM.ll., jriivo tne signal lo start. At tho word tho wholo of ihe 1000 men set off together across tho parado ground and up me spur to the hill crest. i''rom there they. loHo'.v'id a circuitous cour.se and finished on {he parade ground. It was a .slirnng sight to seo them start. The rnco was won by B Company, Thirty- , sixth Koinforc'jmenls. Tho monthly meeting of the S.P.C.A., which was held yesterday, was presided over by Mr. l< , . iloadoweroft. Tho credit balance was reported to bo £,\1 llts. sd. Donations to iuo amount of JilO Bs. lid. were acknowledged, including two donations of XI Is. ..'iich from the Hoar ileal Co. and C. li. Galway and two of 10s. each from Mr. J. J , , i'irth and Munr, Cottrell and Co. Tho society's inspector, Captain Henry, submitted a report in winch much uifectivo work on his part was outlined. In order to remove misunderstanding, wo havo been asked by Mr. A. 1 , . Dryden, Chief Postmaster at Wellington, to stale that tho New Zealand Postal Department is not challenging the? posting of articles of food and tobacco to soldiers on active service, and is endeavouring to assure that they shall not bo challiingod when they reach their destination. Tho prohibition of foodstuffs sent through the Post Office does not apply to New Zealand soldiers provided the parcels are marked with tho regimental numbers and also state the names of the units or the men for whom they are intended. Each parcel must not weigh more than seven pounds, and it cannot lie sent through the Post Office if it is addressed to a civilian to be given to a soldier or is addressed to a soldier caro of a civilian. To-morrow evening's meeting of the Wellington City Council will commence at 7.30 p.m. instead of 8 o'clock. An instance of remarkable pluck and presence of mind on the part of some, small Maori children occurred recently at Ohinemiitu, Eolorua. Five children, of aees ranging from three to a little under seven years, were playing on tho banks of the Utuhina Stream, whero they had a swing. A little boy of three was accidentally bumped by a , child who was swinging, and knocked into the water, which is there about sft. deep, whila the banks are eteep. The oldest, child, a son of Lieutenant Kepa Ehau, promptly called out, "Form chain! Form chain!" His sister Heni, about fivo years old. throw herself down on the bank, and extended her arms. He caught one of her hands, and lowered himself down to the water, while tho other two children held on to tho other hand. He was just able to grasp tho drowning child's hair, and called out. "Pull away! Pull away!" Exerting all their strength, the children on the bank managed to drns .him and the child ho was grasping to safety. At Monday's meeting of the council of the Central Chamber of Commerce correspondence was received from the Auckland Chamber bearing upon the advocacy of a Ministry of Commerce, and dealing at somo length with the question of tho non-essential goods, and in r/articular a recent shipment of motor-care. The executive, it was reported, had replied to the communication drawing the attention of the Auckland Chamber to a resolution passed at the recent conference of Chambers of Commerce in connection witli tho proposed now portfolio, and advising the Auckland Chamber that of tho 900 to 1000 motor-wire brought out by the. steamer mentioned only 250 were landed in Now Zealand, and in support | of that statement the cxeoutivo had iorwardod to tho Auckland Chamber a copy of tho vessel's manifest. Tho executive v approved of tho principle that essential I goods should bo given preference over! proved non-essential goods, but boyonel j that it could not go. The president (Mr. C. M. Luke) was authorised to act in connection with this question as he thought necessary at the next meeting of tho executive of the Associated Chambers. Tho closing of tho banks for long periods nt Christmas and Easter, and the inconvenience it caused tradespeople, was referred to by ilr. ft.. It. Miller at the meeting of the council of tho Central Chamber of Commerce. Ho gave notice of his intention to move at the next council meeting lhat tho action of the banks in bo closing at Christmas, and Easter be considered. Ho was of opinion that the banks might meet . business people by accepting deposits in. sealed bags on certain days during the currency of the holidays-such as the Saturday and Tuesday at Easter-as was done in Auoßand, and, ho-believed, in Australia. The Postmaster-General, Sir Joseph Ward has authorised the display m every post office in New Zealand of rasters concerning "Historic Trentham and the fund for educating children of fallen soldiers to which the proceeds of the eale of the book .re to be Devoted. In conveving this intimation to Colonel Potter, Camp Commandant at Itenwim,' the Postmaster-General asked for 2000 of tho posters to be sent, that being 'lie number of post offices in New Zealand. The General Manager of Haihwye, Mr. E H Hiley. has already had similar posters put 'in in every railway station [n New Zealand. The Auckland Iramwav Company and the Clmstchurch Tramway Trust are exhibiting tho post : ers in 'their cars, and tho Wangamu ears and Timaru motor-buses are Men showing them. The second edition of the book issued recently is finding a ready sale. During the year ended March 31 the number of connections with tho Wellington City Corporation's electric lighting system increased from 9151 to 10,384, fl gain of 930 connections; the power connections (restricted owing to linu ations in tho output) increased lrom 362 to AIX\ ard the heating connections increased from 4003 t0'4787 Whilst the. current sold during the year for lighting purposes has increased by 239,188.unit5, making a consumption of 2.943,314 units for tho year, it has been deemed advisable to ' economise in other directions. For instance the public lighting record shows a decreaso in consumption ot tse/units. and tho wwer supply a (Increase oF DG37 units. The hcatin? supply increased, however, by 230,015 units. The lotal amount of electrical energy produced and accounted for amounted to 4.950,388, ns compared with 1,505,b5i unifr for the 1016-17 year. What appears to bo an extraordinary case of pillaging has been experienced by tlvo Christchurch firm which has in nana the construction of trailers for the .Iraniway Board, states the "Press/ , . The firm ordered (M sheets of aluminium lrom New York, nnd the case containing then duly arrived, and, as for as outward appearances went, it was intact and showed no signs of having been tampered with It was opened, but not emptied, on arrival at tho firm's factory, and two or threo sheets wero lifted vp. \\nen. later, tho case was emptied, it y.ns found to contain only six shoots al there was to roprosfint a value or about JilOO. tho cost of the (ii sheets, Urtw.:en the sheets -some were on top and some on the bottom of the case-there was found very carefully packed several lire bncks. These bore two different brands. Ihe bricks were packed with straw and so nearly approximated Ik- weight of the missing sheets of aluminium that their presence could not h< detected. Kxiu-tly where the pillagine occurred ii there was pillflsiiiß, is dillicult to del ermine; the indications rather point lo the shcp.s never having lwn pncltfri. I is estimated Hint tliirloen ml. "f Mi" sixteen trnikrs under construction will be delayed owing to Ihe short t-liipnient of aluminium.