LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 180, 19 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is notified again in General Orders that "drinking by commissioned officers in liotel bars, being detrimental to discipline, is strictly forbidden." A certain well-known ship which was torpedoed in tho English Channel recently hnd a most remarkable adventure. Tho torpedo struck tho fore part of the ship, tearing a yrent rent 30ft. by 25ft. in size. The vessel fyteninwl (10 m'iles to a port stern first, taking fifteen hours for journey, and was safely beached on arrival. Most of the cargo, which was a. very valuable one, was salved. Some of it was damaged. It is notified in the Gazette that St. George's Day will be observed by tho Government this year on April 25. Tho total births in the four metropolitan areas during March amounted to 653, as against G2G in February—an incroaSo of 27. The deaths in March were 262—a decrease of 10 as compared with the previous month. Of tho totalt deaths, males contributed 132, females 130. Fifty of tho deaths were children under live years of age, being 19.08 per cent, of the wholo number. Forty of these were under ono year of ago. An allegation of discrimination against a returned soldier was made by a member of the Wellington Beturned, Soldiers' Association at the annual meeting last night. Tho returned soldier said that he"had mado application for work at two large establishments in Auckland. On tho first occasion ho was told that returned soldiers were not wanted, because they were considered unreliable. On tho second occasion ho answered an advertisement, which read as follows:—"Wanted dispatch clerk, £3 per week. IV o experience neccssary. Preference to returned soldier." Tho employer asked him tho amount of his pension and offered to pav the difference between the pension and the salary offered. This offer was declined. The officers orthe association undertook to investigate these statements. 1 At the meeting of the Wellington Executive of the New Zealand branch of the British Hed Cross Society a letter was rwd from Mr. Alexander Dnnn solicitor for the executors of Mi. A\. D. Sutierland's will, to the eftectthat the late Mr. Sutherland has left .£3OO for the relief of wounded soldiers at the front. With reference to the paragraph appearing in tho local Press regarding the distribution of coal, a well* tended meeting of coal dealers was held last evening, at which the remarks of tho Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies wore discussed. The coal dealers complain bitterly of the'way in which supplies to them for domestic and industrial purposes have been curtailed. A census of supplies now held by the dealers present Tevcalcd that the great majority of their yards are absolutely cleaned up, and that tho total quantity of coal held by the combined dealers does not exceed ten lons. It was decided to request tho Coal Central Committee, established by the Minister, to earnestly, consider the urgent need for more liberal treatment of the dealers when allotting supplies left in their hands for distribution. The near approach of winter indicates the pressing need for a reasonable quantity of coal being made available for domestic ii,se. Dealers, in addition to providing firing for power purposes, supply several essential industries, private hospitals, ami schools. Already the various coal yards have been stormed by would-be customers who have had to be turned away. The present position is that no additional supplies of coal will bo available before next week. The vicar of St. Peter's Church (tho T!ev. H. Watson) announced at the meeting of parishioners last evening that tho subscriptions and promises from tho parish towards the cathedral fund now amounted to over .£llOO, of which cE2GS had been paid. A register of midwives, under tho Midwives Act, 1008, is published in this week's Gazette.

Tho City Council decided Inst evening to closo down tho electrical departmonies, showroom in Harris Stree?. Explaining this action tho Mayor said that tho earning power of tho showroom had vanished. It was started with tho object of inducing people to use electrical energy for their requirements. Furthermore, they could not now get any material or fittings, and it was not likely that they would 1)0 ablo to do so until' tho termination of tho war. In answer to a question, the Mayor said that tho closing of tlio showroom would- mean a saving of .£2OO a year. Tho latest complete list of articles prohibited to be imported into tho United Kingdom is published in this week's Gazette. Tho protest of tho Miramar Borough Council against sending the Seatoun cars over tho Constablo Street hill cropped vp at the meeting of the City Council last evening. Councillor W. H. P. Barber thought the time occupied by the Seatoun cars over tho proposed route might bo accelerated by reducing the number of etops l>etween Courtcnay Place and the Seatoun' terminus. Councillor Jl'Kenzie said that tho arrangement of tho services was purely a matter of management, and ho. thought that time was being wasted in discussing the point. Councillor Fitzgerald pointed out that it seemed that tho ICarori Council were doing well in getting power for Is. lid. per car mile, when tho financial statement showed that it cost the city Is. 3d. Councillor M'Kenzie said mat was accounted for by taking fne capital cost of tho tramways into consideration, whilst tho City Council had no jurisdiction over tho Karori lino. Ilie Mayor said that it might be that ..he Karori Council wore being treated generously, but when tho charge was increased by Id. per car mile it was said that tho City Council was making a slight profit. Regulations under the Scaffolding. Act nro published in this week s Gazette. They deal with swinging stages, tripod gantries, external and internal scaffold, ladders, and other matters. The regulations have been framed to provido improved safeguards for workers. ■Councillor A. Veitch asked the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) l" st evening when tho widening of Willis Street was to be completed. His Worship said that thej were only waiting to get the' Compensation Court together. Tho council was ready to go on with the casq at any time. The By-laws Committee reported to the City Council lust evening that inquiries iiad been made regarding tlie statement made by Councillor I'itzgerald at the last mooting of the council that a certificate of competency and toxical) driver's license had been issued to an incompetent driver. The committee learned that the issue was made inadvertently bv tho acting-motor inspector during the 'absence of the inspector on leave, under the erroneous impression that tin. applicant had already satisfied the l - spector as to his ability to drive, ctc„ before appearing before lulu. At the meeting of the City Council last evening it was agreed that the Mayor should invite citizens to observe Anzac Day (April 25) as a holiday. The Major intimated that there was no harm in acceding to the Prime Minister s request in this matter, as citizens could observe tho day as a holiday or not, as they ieit disposed. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton), and Councillor J. B. Fitzgerald were.last evtfinng appointed the City Council s delegates to visit tho head waters of the Mangahao Bivor on April 23, in connection with tho visit that is being arranged by the ialmerston North Chamber of Commerce in connection with the provincial hjdioelectric power scheme. At last evening's meeting of the City Council a subsidy of .6100 was granted to the Workers' Educational Association. At the annual meeting of parishioners of St. Peter's last evening, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. T. Ballinger for his very great services in connection with the Taranaki Street Mission. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that at a largely attended meeting last night in connection with the Dominion campaign of the JNew Zealand Educational Institute for tho introduction of an improved national system of education, a motion was carried urging on the National Government the necessity of making provision without delay for the improvement and extension of tho education system ol tne Dominion. Two reports received by the Dunedin Education Board yesterday from the truancy officer caused grave concern, states a Press Association telegram. In one ca«o a boy of thirteen at a city schom v. as said 'to be working eighteen hours daily. In the other' case a boy of thirteen was reported to bo working sixteen hours. Tho officer remarked that _ these, were not isolated cases. Tho chairman said it was a disgraceful stato of things and it was regrettable that the board had no legal powers in tho matter, lho board resolved to write to thb Department asking if anything could bo Cfine. Tho City Council lias agired to remit the rates for the current year on Athletic Park, subject to tho usual conditions. The City Council decided last evening that the owners of properly on tho western sido of Drake Street, horth Julbirnie, bo informed that in consequence of improvements being effectod to tho streot under tho Wellington C-ity Streets Act, 1909, tliey will requiro to sot back their encroaching fcnces to the correct street line in order to allow the full width of roadway to be formed l'tio committee have also ro recommcnd that notices be served on all owners of property in such street requiring them to pay itheir contributions towards the total cost of forming such street in accordance with the above-mentioned Act, as recommended. The City Engineer anticipates undertaking the v;ork this financial year The estimated cost of tho whole work is ,£IBO, and the total contributions to be paid by owners is .£45. At a mooting of the Education Board last night the chairman (the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken) reported that he had instructed tho officers of tho board to advise teachers that Anwc Day should be observed on the samo 1 nes as last vear that is. that addresses should bo delivered at the schools in tho morning, and that tho children bo given a haltholiday. Tho chairman's tction was endorsed by tho board. An inquiry as to the Edncatnn Board s method of filling temporary headmasterships was received at a. meeting of that hotly la.sfc night from the "Wellington Public Schools Assistant Misters ' Association. On the motion of tho chairman (the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken) it was decided to reply that each individual case was taken on its merits. A series of rasolutions was also received from the Masterton Branch of tho N.Z. Educational Institute relativo to suggested improvements in schools, and it «-nsdecided to reply in effect that as a whole the resolutions had the sympathy of the board. It lhas been decided by the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters to transfer the head office for Now Zealand from Christchurch to Wellington. The head office was formerly in Wellington, but two years ago it was removed to the southern city. Following is tho result of the election of members of t!ho National Council of the society Auckland district, Mr. J. W. Mitchell; Hawke's Bay, Mr. J. H. Come; Wanganui, Mr. J. Ross; I'almerston North, Mr. J. Hodgins; Wellington, Mr. W. Beveridge; West Coast and Nelson, Mr. A. Sievwright; Canterbury, Mr. A. Jeans; Otago, Mr. E. Kellelt; Southland, Mr. .L. E. Burrell; national executive (third member), Mr. P. Singleton; secretary, Mr. Walter Maddison. Speaking at the general meeting of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce on the subject of local industry, Mr. C. J. Ward said, auent tho attitude of banks towards local industrial enterprise, that there was a good deal of loosecash floating round at tho present time, and it would bo an easy matter to found an industrial bank with a manager who would take an intelligent interest in our industries. Mr. Bert Boyle, New Zealand representative of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., has received a cablegram to the effect that in His Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, tho sum of X 1,39-1,130 was raised for the Australian War Loan, and in His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, X 1,268,000. The Lord Mayor of Sydney announced that in tho two"Williamson theatres over onetwentieth of tho wholo loan was subscribed. DOCTOBS' CREAM 0' GBOATS are always fresh and pure. Get a packet from your grocer to-day.—Advt. - i

Under the auspices of ffiie Wellington Returned Soldiers' Clubhouse Society, a big function is to. tako place at the Opera House on Anzac Eve, April 24. Their Excellencies the Governor-General and the Countess of Liverpool will be present, and the Prime Minister will preside. The story of Anzac and the Western front will be described by Major Lampen, D.5.0., Major Waite, D.5.0., and Colonel Hughes, Musical items will be rendered by men in khaki, the sth Regiment and Trcntham Bands. Tho box plan is now open at the Bristol. A special meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid BoaTd is to be held this afternoon to discuss tho advisability of building office accommodation for tho board oil the Revans Street frontage of tho board's property— tho main entrance to the Hospital grounds. The offices at present are at the rear (southern end) of tho bacteriological block, where thero is need of further room for scientific purposes. The site of tho proposed new administrative block is a strip of land which lias for many years been unoccupied by a building of any kind, and has been an eyesore which has been commented upon on many occasions. The Hon. T. M. Wilford will open the Hutt Valley Horticultural Show, which is to be held next week. Chrysanthemums will bo an outstanding feature of the 6how, which is expected to be well up to the high standard set in the past by the Valley Society. Dealing with the questions of medical inspection and physical instruction in schools, the Wellington district inspectors report as follow to tilie Director of Education:—"The medical officer reports that upwards of 3000 children in the Wellington district were medically examined. Lectures and demonstrations wore also given to Training College students, and, wherever practicable, meetings with parents were arranged and addresses given. The establishment of the scliwjl nurse system has provided a most desirable and effective link between the schdol and tho homo in regard to cases reported by the medical inspector as defective, and has resulted in nearly 70 per cent, of these cases receiving the' necessary treatment—a result which, in the circumstances, the medical inspector considers satisfactory. Excellent results are being recorded with regard to the corrective classes which have been established in connection with schools of Grade IV and upwards. Satisfactory reports have also been received from the physical instructors, some 195 schools, representing upwards of 20,000 children, having been visited and inspected. Swimming is receiving attention wherever the necessary facilities exist, and we have to express appreciation of the action of t!hn City Council in placing the Municipal Baths at tho disposal of Ihe schools."