LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 191, 2 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The .Minister of Defcnco has received advice ihat tho party of aviation cadets who left, on a transport at tho end of February have arrived safely at their destination.

Up to dale, tho number of men who havo been drafted into reinforcements from CI Camp is 1213. Tho camp was only established Into in thn year 1917, and tho result of Iho special, training given to recruits thero is considered very satisfactory. A party of AYhnkatano residents visited AVhito Jsland on Sunday, and, according to thn Auckland "Herald" correspondent, found the, crater extremely active. At the blowholo a volume of flame was issuing lilco a blow-lamp, terminating in a vast cloud of steam.

A large, number of additions to the list of companies, firms, and persons doctored lo bo enomies, and also a number who havo been removed from the list, are published in a Gazctto Extraordinary.

In November last year Sergeant .1. Kingi, of tho Pioneer Regiment, was reported ns killed in.action, and was duly mourned by his relatives in Tuahiwi district. Last Thursday, says the Auckland "Star," a letter was received from him, dated February 2, and slating ho was in Codford Hospital in a convalescent stage. A rather remarkable motor-car accident occurred at Newmarket, Auckland, on Tuesday, when a vehicle conveying a wedding party to church for tho ceremony to bo performed Tlio motor-car skidded on tho wet rails, nnd was completely overturned, with the ocoupants underneath. They had a remarkablo escape from serious injury, if not worse, and, strangely enough, not one was hurt. Tho oar was righted, and tho wedding party, consisting of a tody and two gentlemen, having been roleased, they proceeded to the church, whero tho marriage was performed as if no such untoward incident, had occurred.

Robert Bates, who resides at 60 Fitzhirbert Street, Potone, got his right arm entangled in the cog wheels of somo machinery at the Wellington AYooilen Mil's, Petone, yesterday afternoon. Ho was admitted "to the Hospital, where he is progressing favourably. It is not thought that it will be necessary to amputate the arm. Walking' over the files on the first floor of the Town Hall a week ago it was apparent lo anyone that something had 'Vone wrong with the works," as for an area of four or fivo square yards tho tiles were "sprung," ami when trodden down at one spot they roso in another. On investigation it was discovered that the concrete flooring beneath the tiles was cracked right through for a considerable distance (it. is thought by earthquake action), nnd the result of Jhe defective foundation had meant the buckling of the tiles. Repairs are at present being effected. Peter Bowling appeared on April 19 before the executive of the Australian Labour party to show cause why he should not bo expelled from the Labour movement for accepting a position advocating tho Government proposals m connection with the eonciliation scheme for the settlement of disputes in the minin"- industry. A motion was submitted at°the end of tho inquiry Ihat the executive should tako no further action, and this was agreed to.

Eight Hours Day was celebrated in Melbourne on April 22 in fino weather. Tho proc6ssion was smaller than last year only about 7500 persons taking part, compared with over 10,000 in 1917. It was explained, says an Australian paper, that the falling off was in some measure duo to tho enlistment of men for war service. Another Teason givoil was that the dispute between the Eight Hours Anniversary C'ommitlee and the Musicians Union had had a prejudicial effect. ProbolJlv the reduction in the number who took part in tho marcU was due more than else lo disaffection in the ranks of the unionists over tho official attitude towards the war. Thousands of working men are out of sympathy with, their leaders, and lliero is little douDt that this was primarily the meaning of the falling away in the strength of the procession yesterday. The concert by massed bands, in aid of tho Jfed Jersey appeal will bo held in tho Town Hall on June 5, not liny S. ns prcvionslv announced. A Very- strong committee is arranging an excellent programme for theioccasion.

"When tho board throe years since appointed a country member to the chair there was some surpriso expressed, and lawyers were consulted as to how bestupset the error, whilst no less an authority than the chairman of the Bank of New Zealand wroto to the Press regretting tho" collapse of olficicnt harbour administration he saw to bo imminent, said Mr. C. E. Darnell at the meeting of tho Wellington Harbour Board yesterday. Members have twice since made their choice, and thus for three years have honoured mo with their confidence. % I would to-day express my appreciation of tho honour, and of tho cordial good will at all times shown me. As a commercial concern, though publicly owned, we have as a board happily escaped undue praise or censure from the public Press, iiy the keen interest of individual members in our work, wo may fairly claim to have done our duty to our constituents." Mr. Daniell was re-elected to tho chairmanship.

While cutting rushes nt Petone yesterday' afternoon Leo Sharp, a local resident, cut the big too on his left foot. It was found necessary to take him to tho Hospital, where his injuries received attention. B Officers commanding districts wero ordered a fortnight ago to take steps to secure voluntary recruits for tho May reinforcement draft, in view of tho call for additional men. Lieutenant-Colonel Porritt, commanding the 6th (Hauraki) Regiment, lias forwarded tho following letter to all members of the regiment:— "In tho present national emergency mote men are urgently wanted, and it has become necessary to get into camp with the' least possiblo delay all men who are likely to becomo fit lor servico in tho near future. Men are urgently wanted, and voluntary enlistments will be accepted from men who will shortly becomo of military ago, and from youths of nineteen years of nge. ... It must be clearly understood that thero is no compulsion in regard to tho abovo matter, but owing to the- urgency of the call, I suggest that if you aro within tho abovo classes, you j discuss the matter with your parents, and with thorn deride whether, as a patriotic duty, you can see your way to respond to the call." At a mooting of tho executive of the Land Agents' and Auctioneers' Association of Wellington (Incorporated), held last evening, it was decided (o invest 41100 in the War Pund Loan.

i- Tho Wellington Harbour Board decided I yesterday, on the recommendation of a I committee, that Captain P. S. Potersen, lat present master of the, steamer 'la I Anau, should be appointed junior pilot | for the port on probation. Captain Pct- ! ersen is a young man, and has been in the service, of tho Union Steam Ship Company for seven years. Ho is a-na-tive of Victoria, his father' having been I born in England and Ms grandfather in I Copenhagen. A Dutch correspondent has received from a Gorman sailor interned in Holland a lively account of his adventures In a German TJ-hoat (says the London "Daily Mail" representative at Amsterdam). Aftc being a.prisoner in England for a short while he. escaped, lie savs, with a fellow-prisoner in a. small boat, and was pinked ur> by a Gorman submarine near tho English coast. Soon afterwards the submarine sighted somo fishing vessels, bul. their curious movements caused Ih" Germans !o suspect a Irap, nnd to dive. They proceeded slowly, but presently the screw begun to boar. 'irregularly, nnd the commander could not make out what had Impelled. ,\f(or about two hours the water seemed curiously still, nnd as it felt as if they were making no headway, the commander decided to comn lo the surface. When (1,,-v omenrod Ihev saw alongside a (|iiay llio landing faces of Iho British naval officers and. bluejackets. They woro S nfelv in a Hritish |n<r|. "iusl. lowed iu lifce'a fish." said I lie Gorman.

The Manguloiiarii l-slnte. I ho property nf Mr. A. Hell, has been acquired by I he Government for Ihe purpose of a returned soldiers' settlement. Tho property, which is 4100 acres in extent, and is about five miles from Morrinsville. is all oleaxed nnd is in good grass. Tho opinion of farmers is that it will make a, first-class settlement. Tho price has not yet been divulged. The Government takes possession at the end of June.

I ho Defonco Department Ims issued an index to General Orders for tho year 1911. It is a. book of 128 pages. A hill from tho General Anglican Synod, proposing to both govern and limit tho power of tho laity by removing from the churchwardens' roll tho names , ol males of 21 years and upwards who , are not communicants, was considered | at the. general meeting of parishioners , of St. Sepulchre's Church, Auckland. In ; introducing tho subject io (lie meeting j Hi? chairman (tho Rev. Dr. O'Callaghaii) < said that ho was astonished to find that i at this stago of tho world the Synod ] should grow narrower. It was contrary i to tho teaching of God. Ho had care- i fully considered tho reports of other 1 similar meetings, and found that they had all rejected tho bill, and expressed i tho view that their representatives at tho Diocesan Synod should see that tho ' franchise be given to women. Mr. How- . ard said that it would bo a retrogrado ; 6tep to restrict the franchiso to males. Two proposals on tho subject (by Mr. Howard) wcro carried as follows: .-(I) ' "That this meeting records its emphatic disapproval of thn suggestion to restrict church franchise." (2) "That no legislation can bo satisfactory that does not recognise the full right of women io the franchise'." : At the deputation of swimming delegates to the Beaches nud Baths Committee of the Citv Council yesterday, Councillor M. 1?. Lnckie (chairman) sounded tho warning note about expenditure in new worfil by informing the deputation that such expenditure had now (under War Regulations) to receive the consent of the Government, as Tvell as the council. It is for the same reason that the acceptance of a tender for the new Fire ■ Brigade Station at the top of Constable ; Street has been delayed, n work of much ■ greater importance to the community •■ limn other works that are being urged : upon the council nt the present critical ; juncture in the history of the ration. : Sneaking at Matamata, in connection : with a proposed electricity scheme fr-r ; the town and farms in the district. Mr. i AY. P. Gauvain. chief engineer of the \ Waihi Gold Mining Company, ine'dent- ; ally laid stress on the value of. water I power and electricity to New Zea!a"d ! for tho manufacture of nitrates. F.r- '. said there was no reason at all. with the ■ enormous . water nower that New Zen-j hnd had. Ihat she should not soon lis | in a position to cease importing the I common manures and manufacture , enough for herself and_ export. Nitrates could and would be made by electricity at a. considerably less cost than it could i be purchased. Mr. Gauvain stated that i a few years before the war the Germans, j 8" per cent, of whom wrtre said to be fol- j lowing agricultural pursuits, and who 'were importing nitrates from Chile, adonted an extensive scheme of manufnrWing nitrates bv the means spoken of. Thus, when war broke out Germany was in a position of manufacturing nitrates ?»r fertilising and for hiah explosives. Th ; « scheme is what.lias stood lo her so well. An additional form of religion came under the notice of the First, Auckland Military Service Board this week, when Robert'J. Strong, a single man, classed (it, appealed, as he was the only minister and Sunday school teacher of the Swedenborginn Church in New Zealand. Appellant said he was minister of the New Church since Christmas time, when he returned from America. All his tune was devoted lo the church, for which he had set his life apart. To Major Conlan appellant said ho wont to America at the end of 19)5, and was ordained m Philadelphia in 1917. The appeal was adjourned sine die.

Referring to his resignation from tho chargo of St. Mary's Cathedral, Auckland, <it the animal meeting of parishioners, Archdeacon Mac Murray said that ho was convinced that the needs of the church to-day required ti. greater effort than was demanded in days gone by. He believed that church work required

not tired old men, but vigorous yonn? men. It would-be an osenvhelming humiliation to him to remain in the charge when he was unable to carry out his duties thoroughly, and ho had always <!e- - ho felt that time approaching he would tender his resignation. Ho might be able to carry out his duties lor some years, but ho preferred to givo ample notice of his intention to resign so that the chargo could bo efficiently filled within it given period. He, prayed God would give the parish a vicar who would do a thousand times more than he had done. The Church Army must have suffered severely by the late German offensive, as it had 220 huts very near or in the firing lino, all under shell-fire. Of the New Zealand huts those named "Wel-

Huston" and "Waipukurair' wen< particularly prominent. Tho local appeal of the Church of \ England Military Affairs Committee for funds, therefore, receives further urgency by recent events. Tho .£50,000 sought in New Zealand will be used for. the support of work dono in tho Anglican Institutes in tho Do-, minion, for the new institute for convalescent); at Rotorua, for Church Army huts among New Zealanders in England and at the front, or for any branch of tho work which donors indicate.