LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 195, 7 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Colonel Valintiuo informed tho Defence Expenditure Commission yesterday that tho Defence Department proposed to build a consumptive sanatorium in Hawke's Bay, near Waipukurnu. The cost of the/ institution would be at tho very lease- .£30,000. Tlie building is to provide accommodation for one hundred patients. Tho Minister of Justico (tho Hon. T. M. Wilford) stated yesterday that Cabinet had agreed to the payment'of a Toward of J!200 for information leading to the apprehension of Onslow Mnyhew, tho man for whom tho police aro searching in connection with tho GcnimoH's Crossing mnrdor. Tho medical examination of Class 1! balloted men in Wellington will bo continued next week and probably the week niter. Enough reservists have been notified to occupy the medical boards all this week and part of "next week. The men aro boing lakon in alphabetical order, and those classified under the later letters of the alphabet have not all received their notices to attend for medical examination. Reservists who havo urgent reasons for wishing to get examined early may apply to tho Group Commander by letter.

The chairman of the Defence Expenditure Commission, Sir Robert Anderson, is in somo respects a radical. One of tho institutions that annoy him extremely is tho elaborate and mystifying nomenclature for administrative military officers. Yesterday, when ho was discussing tho matter with tho Adjutant-Gen-eral, he asked what was the meaning of tho name quartermaster-general. Colonel Tato did not venture on exact answer, but he had a theory, which agreed almost with tho chairman's correct account of tho origin of the name. The duties of quartermaster in tho days of bow and quarter stavo aro in nowise like the duties of a quartermaster today.. "What is tho Director -of Equipment and Ordnance Stores?" said tho 'qhatrmail) choosing another name. "What does the public understand by that? As a matter of fact, isn't he simply tho army storekeeper?" Colonel Tate said that Now Zealand had followed tho British War Oflico nomenclature; but ho did admit that it was cumbrous, and that it led to expense in establishment here. Thq chairman said that Now Zealand had a golden opportunity to lead tho world in sensiblo nomo'nclaturo. "And," ho declared, "tho world will follow if you lead in this." Colonel Tato was doubtful about tho world following littlo New Zealand on such a big break away from tradition.

The funeral of the late Private Louis Lucas, lato of tho Main Body, who died at the Hospital last Friday as tho result of a tram acoidont a few weeks ago, took placo yesterday afternoon at tho Karor; Cemetery, the burial being accorded full military honours, a hero was a largo attendance of returned soldiers and members of the. Waterside Workers' Union, of which deceased was a member. Tho coffin was carried on a guncarriage draped with tho Union Jack, and as the body was carried out tho Trcntham Band played the Marseillaise" as a mark of respect to the deceased, who was a Frenchman, and whoso parents icsido in France. Tho Defence Department was officially represented by Lieutenant H. B. Beanchamp, n returned officer attached to the Th.rty-eighth Reinforcements. Tho firing party was furnished bv D Company, Thirty-eighth Reinforcements, and tho officiating priest was Chaplain Guinane, Roman Catholic chaplain from Trentham. Captain Vine, of tho Baso Records Olice, Mr. Bohlson, secretary Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, and Mr. Ullnghan, assistant secretary ot tue wa.trsidors' Union, wore also present. At a meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council last evening, tho DeputyMayor, Councillor J. Brasell, installed tho Mayor-elect, Mt, E. P. Rishworth in tho Mavoral chair, and congratulated him on 'his unopposed return. In reply Mr Rishworth said thai his policy would bo one of caution. The finances of the borougli would ha.vo to be carefully guarded, and no big works undertaken until there was more money available. Councillors Clendon and West, tho newly elected members of the council, wero also duly ewom in. A very successful opening of tho bar between Lako Onoko and Palliser Bay took place - on Saturday morning, under the direction of Mr. Alfred Matthews, chairman of tho South Wuirarapa River Board, says our Featherston correspondent. Within two hours a strong body of water was flowing out into tho sea. Messrs. A. C. Holmea (secretary) and H F Toogood have been appointed to represent the Featherston Second Division League at tho Dominion Conference. In connection with tho origin of the Bowen Falls hydro-electric scheme, Mr.' James Orchiston (the retiring Chief Telegraph Engineer) 6tates that ho brought I he matter under tho notice of Sir James Allen in 1009, and it was discussed iu Parliament during tho session of 1910. -U that timo Mr. G. M. Thomson, M.P., of Dunedin, took an interest in tho project of extracting nitrogen from the air bv means of electrical power, and wrote Homo to Sir William Crookes, who replied that tho proposal (Mr. Orchiston's) was quito feasible, and that-it was at that time being done in Norway. Sinco then tho fixing of nitrogen by electric heat has developed enormously' in Germany, Norway, Italy, and America. In Germany great works were established at Bittorfokl, not far from Berlin, and elsewhere, and wero it not for such works, which gave Germany the supplies of nitric acid essential in the manufacture of high explosives, that country could not continue the war for a month.

In connection with the proposal of a number of Thorndon ladies to havo set aside for them a portion of Anderson Park as a croquet lawn, tho Wellington North branch of tho New Zealand ■Labour Party passed tho following motion:— "That this branch of tho Now 1 Zealand Labour Party desires to enter a strong protest against the proposal put forward by a recent deputation to the Reserves Committeo of the City Council, having for its object the alienation of a pur. Hon of Anderson Park for use as a croquet lawn, and urges the council, in the interests of the-children of this city, to decline to further limit tho public phying area."

At yesterday's meeting of tbo council of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. I'. J. lOvans presented a report on tho recent visit of a delegation of local bodies to the heart waters of the Mangahao River, from which source it is proposed to derive siiflieient hydro-electric powvr to meet the needs of the Wellington dis. trict. Mr. F.vans was thanked for ma interesting and informative paper. Tho Villi Court will sit at 10.30 a.m. to-day and the Appeal Court at the same hour to-morrow.

A point of samo interest was wen-, tioncd by counsel in tho course of proceedings at tho Magistrate's Court in | Ciisborno on Thursday last with inference to tho Money-lenders Act. Ho said that the Now Zealand Act is extremely wide, ami among its provisions is ore that even when a transaction has been closed and tho money-lender paid in full, the borrower has a right to coino to Court and have tho transaction rncponed. "If tho Magistrate sees fit," Jio added, "ho may order tho money-lender to repay to tho borrower nil interest c-r premium chargos in excess of tho ruto of 10 per cout." On Saturday last the Harriers held their usual weekly run from Bellevuo Gardens. Lower Hutt. The outing proved very successful, there being sixty numbers and supporters present, who were conveyed by motor buses to their destination. A little inconvenience was experienced coming home, owing to tho breakdown of ono of tho buses. Tho remaining bus was very overcrowded, but this was taken in good spirits "by nil concerned. Tho trail laid by Messrs. Harbison and Wilson was good, though a little exciting, as, when crossing a largo paddock, tho trail layers were chased by a. mob of Htcers; also tho pack following cniue in for tlieir share of the excitement, but (ill matwged to reacli tho fenco in good timo minus several singlets and plus numerous barbed-wire scratches. About 200 yards from homo tho usual run y;as held, resulting in a win for S. Weine, with 1\ Harlen eecond and N. Hudson third. Tho Christchurch City ' Council last night decided to increase by 7J per cent, tho pay of all its employees receiving under £3 IDs. per week—Press Assn. According to tho "Maasbode." tho artist who designed the M pfennig paper money for tho town of jv'ieder Lahtistein, in Prussia, has been arrested, as it was found on close examination that above a horn which was included in tho design ho had inscribed in very small letters, "Zarte Sehnsucht: Suesses Hoffon" (Tender longing: Sweet hope), and above a design of three turnips, tho words "So lebon wir" (this is how no live). The paper money had boon in circulation for a long timo before the discovery was made.

Five years ago tho penny branch of tho Auckland Savings Bank had 20,000 depositors, hut now the number is only 12,000. Last year there was a decrease of 1800 depositors and a drop of .£773 in the amount deposited. The idea prevails, 6ays the "Star," that pennies are going to picture shows which formerly were banked bv tho children. With the increased cost of living it is possible also that children-do not get so many pennies as they did in pre-war days, but still that does not explain tho faet that the decline started at least six years ago. Tho quantity of stock coming forward for slaughter at present is stated by Dr. C. J. Reakcs, director of live stock, to be quite up to what was expected under the special circumstances of the season. Them was at its commencement some uncertainty as to tho quantity of shipping that would bo available The summer, also, had been unusually wet. Generally speaking, however, tho live-stock position was very good. As to maintaining supplies, Dr. Reakes said ho thought tho farmers were fully alive to tho position. Tho live stock division of tho Department of Agriculture has heard very little of the tick trouble lately. Dr. C. J. lieakes, director of the division, in mentioning tho fact in Auckland, said that on his visit to Whangarei ho intended discussing the matter with his Departmental officers and those concerned. All experience had fully confirmed the fact that tho ticks complained of in tho north wero quite common and well-known varieties, distinct from tho Queensland tick.