LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 198, 10 May 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An ( Orrißr-iii-Counoil melted last month prohibited the .-sport of hides and wiHskins (o any destination savo with <■•■•<> consent of the Minister of Customs. It is now announced (hat for the ureBPiit application!: to export hides and calfskins to British or Allied destinations will l)o favourably considered., Tiro Minister of Defence (Sir .lames A Hon), in referring to the additional reinforcements required by the Imperial authorities for livo months, as announced recently in Parliament, stated in Auckland on Wednesday that one of the increased reinforcements had already sailed, while if tho medical esniniiialions continued to bn satisfactory he saw no groat difficulties in scciirinir !ho nridi(ion.il number of men required. "The Forty-first draft, which has iust gone into camp, and which included' a few of Iho Second Division men, was a very fine lot of men from what T am told," said Sir .Tames Allen, who, in answer lo a question, said (hat unless circumstances arose lo alter the situation, the Class B men who are now being medicnlh- examined would probably be going into camp nlxmt tho timo when tho reinforcements foil back to their strength prior (o the recent request for nn increase. On this point, however, it was impossible to speak with.any certitude, he said. Dr.- Newman said ;\t the Early Settlers' gathering.last evening that at one timo land in what is now the city of Wellington couldgbo purchased for' 10s.

per foot. A pioneer business man, having bought a sectipn in Cuba Street, remarked at tho time that he had paid a big price, for it. The figure was £i per foot,

An Army Order published in this "" week's Gazette includes unions the usual •• appointments, promotions, and transfers a an announcement that "the undernieni tioned nurses, having married, their name; ', are as stated." "The list iucludes lour sisters, seven staff nurses, and one urns, y souse. Another paragraph provides the s information that seven of these nurses l- have heen "struck off the strength ol 0 the- New Zealand Expeditionary Force ._ and posted to tho Retired List." So far the rates for the current yeai havo not been struck by the City Coun cil. Apart from maintenance and spec ial work, and the value of properties tho one item that varies considerably from year to jear is the amount of th< levy made on tho corporation for hos a pitable and charitable aid expenditure t This year tho levy has been made, bul •- tho City Council is appealing against tin a largely increased amount asked for, aw Q until the result of that appeal is knowi [. the rates fcr tho : ear will • not lx 1 struck. , It is reported that a native crow ir \ Australia is attacking sheep in exactb [ 1 the satno way as'ulie New Zealand kea 0 by a perverted taste, has learnt to at s tack tliera. The report is a noto bj .. Mr. J. A. Hill, of Gorton South, Vic toria, in a copy of the "Emu," the jour nal of tho Koyal Australasian Omitho '■' logiste' Union. "This year," Mr. Hil 1 says, "the crow has been a terribb 8 scourge among our ewes and lambs, am 1 often before the ewe could get u] 0 the crows had the eyes plucked out am the lamb kitled. But another fcatur p has'come under my observation lately , which has not been noticed in this dis t trict before. Tho crows actually pickei t a hole in tho sheep's back right int> u the kidneys, to get tho fat! This shee] i I Ihad. to kill, as tho poor thing wouh £ not have lived much longer. I though that this was an isolated case, but on of my neighbours had three or four, am 3 another neighbour had one, tho crow: c doing exactly tho same thing. Lin: - would almost point to a time in tin 1 near future when the crow will be a; B bad as tho New Zealand kea." f A leading tea merchant of Diinotlii t who was interviewed with regard to ru mours concerning an impending advaiic in tho price of tea is said to havo statei ' that the merchants would not bo in i 3 hurry to rush the price of tea up, bu - if tho shortage becamo moro pronounc 1 cd they might 'be compelled to do sc i Tho future supply of tea would bo large , ly novorned by tho extent of tho Jin , p'erinl Food Controller's demands on th Ceylon Supplies. It would also depcra " to some extent on tho amount of shir " ping available. ■ The polico hunt for Onslow Mayhew 3 who is "wantod" in connection with th t Gemmoll's Crossing murder, has extent. - ed to thcTokomairirodistriot. It is n ported (tho "Otagb Daily Times corn spondent writes) that ft man .auswerm the description of Mayhew was see ; about a week ago in tho Manuka Cree i district by three different men, and tha i two loaves of bread are missing fror j a camp in that locality. The Strang man was also 6aid to havo been seen a North Branch, near Milton, on Rnturdn ' morning, making towards tho hills. I > conser/nenco of these rumours Constable ; Fox (Milton) and Turner (Kaitangatf i spent all Sunday and Monday on horse back scouring tho hills. The myatenon stranger was, it is said, wearing dar. ' clothes, with old boots, and had lon wavy hair, he had no cap or hat. Th ■ general boliof is that the police ore en gaged on a chaso that will bo fruitless. The Wellington Choral Union has dc cided on Thursday, Juno 13, as tho dal of tho. performance of "Tho Bohemia] Girl" at tho Town Hall. This will b tho first time Bftlfe's opera has boei sung in concert form in "Wellington, Certain anomalies with respect to th pay of New Zealanders serving in th British Navy havo been brought befor the Prime Minister by Mr. C. J. Parr M.P. (says tho Auckland "Herald ). I appears there are, many instances o married Now Zealanders who havo join ed tho Navy at Home. These men re ceivo only tho same pay as singlo men and thero nro no separation allowance, for them, because their wives are resi dent in Now Zealand. Wives residing n England receivo a separation allowance Mr. Parr asked tho Prime Minister t< endeavour to get the Homo authorities to allow wives living in New Zealane tho usual separation allowance, or, it tho alternative, (hat the New Zealane Defonco Department should make up tuii amount. The Primo Minister has pro mised his favourable consieleration of the request, nelds the "Herald."' A poignant interest attaches to a duty which an officer of tho Canterbury imlr tary district headquarters had to per form this morning (Says Wednesday; Christchurch "Sun"). When decorations won by soldiers who havo fallen in battle nro received for distribution tc next-of-kin, the latter may, if they dcsire, havo tho decorations handed to them privately. And so 1 the military medal won by tho Into Sapper C. IL. !»■ worthy, Now Zealand Engineers, was handed privately to that soldiers fathei, Mr. Thomas Kaxworihy, of 89 Wainiain Koad. Tho circumstances were partiallarly trying, because of five sous of Mr. Axworthy who havo rone to the fro i, tJirco have fallen, and n fourth is ictuniing, badly wounded. A correspondent makes protest again!)* tho description of certain of tho men found on tho premises raided at kc • burn as "naval officers." the gene u impression conveyed ho complains is thai llio men belonged to tho lioyal Naiy. As a matter of fact, they belonged to the niorcantilo marine. \ milk inspector, named Norman Leslie, residing at Brandon Street, Seatoun, foil off a tramcar at Senloun yesterday. He was cut about the face as a result of tho fall, and was taken to the Hospital. A contribution of XI Ids. 6d. has been received per tho Bank of New Zealand, Taumarunui. for (he New Zealand expeditionary Force Gift Tobacco I'ivnd. Wm. Campbell, lid., for "NO RUBBING" Laundry nelp, "GOLDEN RULE" Soap, "GOLDEN RULE" Candles. Ideal goods for every home.—Advt,

Tho sport, of lliorac-racing in Wellington was referred to by Dr. A. K. Newman in his address to tho Early Settlors/ gathering lust evening. They started racing in Petone, ho suid, but it was too far away, so they came in to Tc Aro Hal. Then that got peopled and they went to Island Hay, and so on, and eventually to Trenthnm.

Tho shortage of coal supplies in Auckland continues (says the "Herald"). Speaking of tho prospects of an Increased supply, tho secretary of the Coal Trade Committee is reported to have said on Wednesday that the position was not acute, but that as the cold weather had not yet set in then was every possibility of tho shortage being fell more severely in tho near future. What little coal was brought from Newcastle was absorbed by the essential industries, householders being provided with Wailcato coal, the supply of which had greatly relieved llio position. After representations had been made to tho Government, thn facilities for railway carriage, which had "been reported to lio inadequate, had been greatly improved. The present regulations make it necessary to obtain permits cooding one ton in weight (o any pcrfor the delivery of all parcels of coal exson, and for Hie, delivery of parcels exceeding two tons To any one consumer within twenty-eight days. There is a big demand by Christchureh householders also for coal, and on Wednesday a queue was formed outside the Slate office.

A Press Association telegram slates that Hie I,'aglan County Council has decided io urge the Minister to forco exempted First Division reservists to assist in road-making whero suitable owing io (lie shortage of labour in llio country districts.

The, question of costs in (ho appeal case of Tarlratt and others v. Nicholson and another, removed from the Supreme Court: io tho Appeal Court, and decided on Monday lasl. was argued yesterday before His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), Mr. Justice Cooper, and Mr. Justice Chapman. Mr. M. J. Crumble, who applied for costs on behalf of Tarbutt, argued in favour of costs being granted, and I his wax opiiosoil by Sir John Findlnv, K.C., who had associated with him Mr. 11. R. Iloggard. Iho Court reserved decision. Mr. Crombie was granted provisional leave to appeal lo tho Privy Council.

Dr. Florence Keller, speaking at the Civic, Lcaguo meeting in Auckland on the Health Committee's report, paid that when visiiin» the soldiers' quarters.in the Annexe she found sick men lying with newspapers jver their faces to keep away flics. liecause the windows were not provided with fly-screens. At the Costley Jlomo, said the speaker, it was hardly jiossiblo to see (-01119 of the old men for flies. When they knew that 10-. per cent, of sickness would ho cut right out if they oouUl get institutions and homes free" of flies, sho thought it was time the public was awakened to this matter. When she was in Vancouver six months since sho saw a hospital Hint was absolutely free of flies. Yet 111 Auckland sho had been told by medical men that it was impossible. Tho suppression of flics touched a terrible nore in the community. When in the Panama Canal for ten days, Dr. Keller saw two flies and one mosquito, in a place Hint had been formerly the white man'sj grave. This showed what could be done. The fact that Feathcrston Camp was qui to freo from flies whilo Palmerston North was swarming with them -showed, that the fault lay with the city councils in charge of the health of the cities iM the medical men in cburjja tf the heuitn of our institutions.

The Wellington Headmasters' Association has agreed tu arrange tor between 400 and 501) children irom the fifth and sixth standards of the city State schools io sing appropriate choruses at the town Hall on the evening of May 21, when tho Hon. T. M. Wilford will deliver a. war lecture in.' aid of the Press Baby Fund (lor the Tied Jersey ami Red Cross appeal). Mr. Robert Parker will conductTno Wellington quota of the eigWhU draft assembled at the Drill Hall. Buckle Street, on Wednesday. The drait consisted of 118 men, and'was the largest sent from Wellington to the Cl Camp. Alter roll call the Group' Commander (Major Corrigan) explained to tho recruits that the procedure laid down was that mod should reassemble* at night in the Dn Hall, spend the night there and march out in the morning to Lambton. StationOwing to the largo percentage of married men, a departuro wmuct bo made on tins occasion by giving all general leave, until tha morning, thus enabling Jve men to spend the night in their. homes. Accommodation would be provided in the hall for those men who found it convenient to stav there. Tho departure was justiiicd by*tho satisfactory response at. roll call at tho station yesterday morning at / o'clock, there being) only two absentees. The latter will be afforded an opportunity of explaining their absence the men left for Tauherenikaiv by an call) tiain. An article published by on Australian newspapor and reprinted in. Ira Doiumox on Wednesday cutiiamed a statement that "tho Koniaii Catholic Marist Irench mission is tho onto one in the Solomons." This senteuoe «eferred only to tho most northerly of the Solomon Islands belonging formerly to pcrnianj'. There is a Church of England Mission known as tho Melaucaian Mission, m tho British Solomons. The Queens ana Evangelical Mission works in tho island of Mala, and a Methodist Mission has stations iu Cloisselle.

Alleging that l.e had killed several i hundreds of Germans, George Hunter, who did not iook a weakling, asked a lady on Wednesday for a "shilling for a ieed." Upon his request bomg refused ho became abusive. This led to his/appearance in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday on a charge of soliciting alms. In Court he told tho Magistrate that he was a returned soldier duo shortly to return to the front. According to the police, however, Hunter was wanted under tho namo of Monscliikoff by the military poliue. Ho had a long list of convictions against Mm. Hunter was sent to gaol for a month and ordered to bo handed over to tho military authorities at the expiration of his sentence.

Speaking at tho Early Settlers gathering last evening Dr. Newman referred to tho complaints which wero often niado to tho effect that the young men, of today wore too fond of sport, and this outlook on life was often contrasted witlh the lives led by tho heroic pioneers. However, tho fact was. that the young men of to-day had recently been displaying great heroism in fighting tho battles of tho Empire. Sometimes there was a good deal of grousing hero, but any inconvenience experienced hero was nothing compared with tho hardships the boys at the front were enduring. We hero should not complain, and wo must givo and give Mid keep on giving, for it would bo monstrous if any of tho soldiers wero to go short. Our forefathers had had their troubles with tho Maoris and they had faced them alul overcome them. Our sons wei'o heroically facing tho troubles of to-day, and it was our duty to back up our sons and do our utmost in tho cause. When wo had made our sacrifices, and had dono all that we could, and victory had come, then wo sliould have achieved that righteousness which alone exaltcth a nation. Mr. J. E. Jenkinson also said a few words about grousing. Wo had our backs to tho door, ho remarked, and wo woro going to keep tlieni there and see tho war through. He hoped that that would ho taken to heart. Errors were made, but wo must ceaso grousing; (hen wo would sec tho Germans 20 down.