LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 184, 24 April 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Information has been received bv the Minister ot Defence that n New Zealand hospital ship has arrived satcly at its destination. Tho GazetTe containing Che result of the ballot for tho first portion of tho Class B men of tho Eeservc-married men with one child—is expected to be available for the publication of tho list in The Dominion to-morrow morning. Ten thousand names were drawn, and it is just -possible that owing to the length of tho list it may not bo ready till the following day. At about 9 o'clock yesterday morning the fire brigade received a call to a house at :U Webb Street owned and occupied by Mrs. Catherine Nesbitt. The brigade were promptly on the scone, but the fire had a good hold, and in consequence the building and contents were badly damaged. The building wns insured in the State Office for .£3OO and the contents wero covered by an insurance of .£175

with the Phoenix Office. Miss Bartlett, who is employed in the Defouce Department, fell down . some stall's ia the Department's offices in Brandon Street yesterday afternoon. She was admitted to the Hospital, where it was found that she had injured her back. Information regarding the religions of members of the Police. Force was given to members of tho Protestant Political Association yesterday by the Minister oi Justice (Hon. T. M. Wilford). Of 823 members of tho Force, 270 are Roinan Catholics. The classification is as follows:—Church of England, 270; lioman Catholics, 270; Presbyterian, 230; Methodist, 18;. Wosleyan, 20; Baptists, 7; various, 10. The Minister mentioned that of two police superintendents ono is a Catholic; of 7 inspectors, three arn Catholics; and of 9 sub-inspectors, two are Catholics.

Some indication of the steady development that has been taking place in Kastbourno during tho past year or so, is reflected in a report presented to a meeting of tho Eastbourne Borough Council held last week. The value of the building permits issued for the twelve mouths ending March 31 last amounted to

,1!1G,'179, which is an increase of over

.£SOOO on the figures for the previous year. A striking feature, states the report, is that, tho majority of the buildings erected are of handsomo design and well and substantially built, and aie altogether superior to tho class of buildings erected in the past. In view of tho. high cost of building materials at tho present time this is consiiloral a very satisfactory condition of affairs.

During the proceedings of a meeting of Wangauui householders,on Monday night Mr. \V. Bruce, chairman of the school committee, took strong exception to racing in general, and more particularly to the fact that at Awapuni tho soldiers had been turned out to make room for tho' Palmerslon raco meeting, and the whole town went mad becauso a horse was scratched; Tho sum of JJOI.OOO was put through tho totalisator, yet the country was calling for money to provido funds for our soldiers. It ivas enough, ho said, to make one ashamed of his country. Tho Mayor (Mr. C. E. Mackay) defondod the Manawatu Racing Club against the attack of Mr. Bruce, and he pointed out Hint for three years the club had given their grounds froo as a camp, with the stipulation that they could resume it for tho races. Proper provision was made to houso the men at tho Showgrounds, and ho had been informed by several men that they were more comfortable there than, at Awapii.ni. A.. householder said if the club had done its duty-like the men in tho trenches k would not havo had tho races, and anotner said if the Government did its duty it would put down racing straight away.

Tho new branch of the Defence Department, entitled the New Zealand Defence Returned Effects Department, 1,-is lbeen given sanctuary in the old Te aio Kailway Station in Wakefield Streot. These premises are now being prepared for liheir n&w purpose. The central railway lines Mβ being removed, and the space between the two platforms is to bo ftWed and roofed over ini order ;o Tirovido a big store as a repository for soldiers' returned effects. This Dopartnunt is likely to havo plenty of work to do when the happy days of demobilisation come along.

It was stated by Mr. B. J. Cooke at tho meeting of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce held last week that a party of residents proposed to journey by motor-car to the higher areas of tho watershed, in the direction of Tophouse, next week to explore tiheir possibilities for a hydro-electric installation for Blenheim and its districts. .In the course of a paper entitled "Increased Production" which lie. read at the meeting Mr. H. ~T. Mitchell said it appeared to him that a cheap and sufficient supply of electricity was availablo from tho outflow at Lake Eotoiti for all the light, heat and power needed hv , the towns of Blenheim, Nelson, Murchison, and YVostport and their immediate districts. , j

The following officers for the year now in progress have been elected to the Victoria University College Students' Association :—Patron, Professor Garrow; president, Mr. J. 11. Sheat; vice-presi-dents,.! Miss A. C. Mackenzie, and Mr. S. A. Wirenj secretary, Mr. H. D. C. Adams; treasurers, Miss L. Crabb and Mr. S. M. Mansfield; eccvetary (financial) to "The Spike," Mr. N. A. J. Barker; committee, Misses T. Woodhouse, E. \Y. J. Fenton, S. Salmon, Messrs. B. K. Eishworth, G. S. Aitkon, 11. S. Miller; auditor, Mr. G. W. ]?. Kousej tournament delegates, Messrs. G. G. G. Watson and A. E. Oaddick.

A Press Association incssngo from Thames states:-—At K meeting of householders on Monday night a number of motions wore carried with a view to improving the present rducntionnl methods, tho.<o being submitted by tho ''Poachers' Institute mid ulso by tho Auckland Primary Schools Committee. It was decided to forwiMvl copies of the resolutions to tho Minister of Education, the Right Hon. W. P. Massey, and Sir Joseph Ward.

A schoolboy named Edward John O'Connor, residing at 14!) Grant Koad, fell in tho playground of one of the city 6choole yesterday afternoon and fractured his left leg. .Ho was admitted to tho Hospital.

■The accommodation problem at Woreer Bay School is a vexed question amongst liho householders. At Monday nights election meeting it was stated that. Ihe Education Board was making arrangements for the erection of a throevoomed school at Seatoun, and in the meantime temporary accommodation was provided ln the Presbyterian churchroom at Seatoun, the Town Hall, Mirawar, and the Post and Telegraph Department's store at AVorser Bay. The accommodation problem in connection with the main school bristled with difficulties which the committee had spared n<: pains to overcome. Representations made to the Education Board had been of tihe strongest nature. Assurance had been given that the whole matter was being gone- into, and it would be one of the most important duties of the incoming committee to seo that the. assurance given was eupported by something of a tangible nature within reasonable time. Ivaraka Bay . residents urged that the motor-bus should make a later trip than 8.5 a.m., in order •to convey the children to school. This request is to be placed before the Miramar 'Borough Council.

In reply to Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) states: "(1) It is a fact that when soldiers return to Australia, the hotels are closed, and also that hotels nro plnced out of bounds at ports of call. Hotels at certain ports of' call on route are closed. (2) No request has been made at nny timo by the New Zealand Govornment to authorities in other countries for this purpose. (3) The question of putting hotels in New Zealand out of bounds and the closing of hotels whilst troops ore passing throughi towns en route to their homes or abroad is being given consideration."

Two meetings of householders wero held for the election of the Auckland City School Committee—ollo in tho Drill Hall and tho other in St. James's Hall— tho former being the place first appointed by the Education Board and the latter named by the board in nn amended notice.. At such poll spooi.il "tickets" were put forward, and each meeting elected its own "ticket." It was apparently a sectarian issue, but it. is impossible to indicate how this was affected by the voting until it is determined' vihioii meeting is hold to bo legal.—Press Assis.

Piiliautanui'e fifty-year-old school was the subject of a protest at the annual meeting of householders in that district on Monday, when the following resolution was passed :—"That this meeting of Paluuitanui householders wishes to enter an cjuvnhatic protest against the neglect of the Wellington Education Board in delaying the building of their new school, as the building (which has been in use over fifty years) luus Ion? exceeded its usefulness; the dilapidated slate of the school and outbuildings is a disgrace to the Wellington Education Board."

Some timo ago a New Plymouth resident received u cablegram from his son asking for .220. He thought it rather strange that the boy should send for the money, as he had never cabled before, but concluded that he must be going on furlough, as tho cablegram was 6ent from tho Field Post Office, France. Tho money was accordingly dispatched, and by tho last mail ho got a letter from 'his son saying "no.had received the sum, but that he had never sent for it.

Mr. John Lowis, M.L.C., a grazier and squatter in South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales, in giving evidenco before the Inter-State Commission, recommended that the public should substitute horseflesh for ordinary meat. Mr. Lewis said that as the price of meat was so high he would suggest the slaughtering in Australia of a great many horses that were useless, and might well be got rid of. ,In Franco and Germany, he explained, horseflesh had been eaten for ninny years. "Do you think there, is any reason for it in Australia?" inquired Mr. Piddington (tho Commissioner). "There is no reason why wo should not," Mr. Lewis said. • "They are eating it in America. I know there is a great deal of sentiment about the matter in Aits tnilia, but it is like the eating of frogs' legs, which, once lasted, arc n'ways wanted. Horseflesh would be in many respects superior to a lot of the bovine meat obtainable. I do not like to see good nirat wasted."

Oil-flaw John William Mayliew. who is "wanted" in connection with tlie North Otago murder, was in his boyhood a pupil of the Olago High -School. He was a sergeant in (lie Cadets, and winner of the Ch-illengo' Cap. for shooting, iiikl was also a rectory prefect. After lea villi; school Mayhew was cmployed in the Nntionnl Sank, Oainani. Hβ went to the front, and returned invalided eoiuo months ago.

At the sale of Mr. W. J. Wadham'. collection of oil puintings and watei colours lit'ld by Messrs. Hareoiirt am Co., 79 pictures were offered and •"!(

sold, nt prices ranging from 3J to 33$ guineas. The- paintings, which were the work of British artiste, included efforts of a class not often seen in tho Dominion.

A Gorman settler of Waikawau, in the Awakino district, has been interned at Somes Island. As tho result of inquiry by Air. J. W. Poynton, S.M., alien enemies commissioner (says an exchange), a military warrant, was issued for the German's arrest by the Chief of the General Staff. Plain-clothes Constiible Fitzgibbon and Constables Blaikie and M'Gregor left New Plymouth to cxecuto the warrant. They anticipated trouble, as the German, it was reported, hnd threatened to shoot at least one man in the district. However, there was no. ono in the house, and on searching the premises the police discovered n Winchester tifie, a pea rifle, and two fowling-pieces, together with several rounds of ammunition. They also found a quantity of German literature. After some time the man who was wanted oamo back to the- bouse with another German who had been interned but was released on probation. Tho former, who wns immediately arrested by Constable Fitzgibbon, asked for time in which (o move some stock, but the polios took no chances, ami .instructed tho neighbours to attend to them. The prisoner is now interned at .Somes Island.

Following on the rise in the price of tobacco, caused by operations outside New Zealand, comes information from one of the best-known English manufacturers—that briar pipes cannot now.be supplied under a 40 to 50 per cent, increase on their 1917 list, and that these enhanced prices are not likely to be reduced until Eome considerable time after the- end of the war. It is stated that Japanese ftnd American makers have tried to get in on the briar-pipe market, but so far without much success. The Germans are evidently afraid of international journalists assembling at Sydney at Eastertide next year and discussing the military situation, to say nothing of the German propaganda _of wholesale lying in neutral territories. So they have been doing their utmost to prevent foreign journalists from attending the gathering. AVriting on this point, Dr. Walter Williame, president of the World's Press Union, says:—"Some German journalists in Switzerland have made unofficial representations to the Swiss Press Associntion objecting to the representation of that association in the Press Congress, upon the grounds that the sessions of the congress are to be held in a belligerent country, Australia, and that the president of tho congress is a citizen of a belligerent country, tho United States of America. It is pleasing and significant to learn that these representations havo failed of their purpose, and that the Swiss Press Association will carry out their expressed desiro of being represented at Sydney by official delegates. Another effort with the same end in view by German propagandists in Holland met with no encouragement from tho journalists of Ifo'lnnd, nnd has apparently been abandoned." On the authority' of "La Presna," one of Ilic lending journals in Buenos , Aires, there will bo a strong and thoroughly representivo gathering of Argentina delegates at Sydney next year.