LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A block ill tho tramway service was caused at b o'clock laqt evening by Ho axle ot Brooklvn car No (15 , Whether, the fact that tL broken ft caused tho uir to leavo tho rails, or i ei , v Jiig the rails broke, tho axle, was not quite clear but the guilty oar certainly «tt the rails opposito '.bo Duke of Edinburgh Howl on the "up" or eastern uncle, the distance tho ;ar aveilcd was not great, and it was thought that by wedging an iron plate midor the wheels and giving tha car a push forward with her own power and that of another car it would striko tho rails again, but at tho first attempt tho car at fault went on its own way, and blocked both tracks for a time, let another car was commandeered to push, ind a eecond effort saw tho maimed ear pushed clean off the eastern or near track, but occupying an obliquo position acros.s tho down or western track, which blocked all the northward-bound ears quite effectively for over an hour. At length No. 65 was jacked and pulled back on to tho track, temporarily strengthened liclow, and r e . moved to tho repair shed. Wliilo the "bjoek" was nu tho city ears that as a rule traverse Willis Street ;ind Lambton Quay were diverted to Jervois Quay, so that no great hardship was entailed, thanks to tno prompt action of the Traffic Manager (Mr. M'Gillvray).

The Returner! Soldiers' Association Conference urged the Defence Minister to prevent convalescent soldiers from obtaining liquor. Sir James Allen replied that alcoholism was a menacing evil, and it had been decided to adopt the use of btuo uniforms in all military hospitals, but so far a sufficient supply had not been obtained. He mentioned that regulations had been pnssed making it illegal for anyone to supply liquor to men in hospital. Concerning the closing of hotels when the transports arrive with invalided men, the Minister said he had always been opposed to this, because ho did not want to discriminate between tho soldier and the civilian, but the matter becanio urgent,- and ho had to sacrifice his own personal opinions. Ho would havo liked to have the hotels closed on such occasions for everyone.

A short lilting of the Magistrate's Court was held yesterday morning, II r. W. G. Hiddell, S.M., being on the bench. Henry Taylor, who was found drunk in Willis Street, was convicted and discharged, and for using obscene language he was fined .£3, with (lie ullcrnativo ol fourteen days' imprfconmcnl. William Charles Armstrong, for insobriety, was fined 10s., wilh the option of serving 21 hours'- in gaol, and for committing a breach of hie prohibition order ho was fined •10s., in default seven days' imprisonment.

When speaking on the death-rato of children at a meeting in Auckland Bishop Averilt dwelt upon tho selfishness of mothers. Jl'u had only lo go into any place of amusement that evening, and ho would see dozens of mero babies being kept there by their entirely selfish mothers in an atmosphere Mini was ruinous to a constitution. Tho speaker said a great fight should bo made against the selfishness and i.enoruncc of this class of young mother. The greatest self-sac-rifice in the community was made by mothers, and it was only through ignorance that so many sinned against, tho health of the child and it.s moral welfare. Owing to the war the nation would bo deprived of a. great part of its manhood, and any community that was doing its best for ils children was doing its best for the Empire. Further subscriptions lo St. Mary of the Angels' Church Building Fund include the following:-Mrs. Whelan, „C 100; Messrs. Dwan Bros., .£100; "I'rotestant Sympathiser," .-CSfl; and Mrs. If. G. Smith, ,KO. Tho subscriptions now total £aW. As stated .yesterday, some important changes will bo made in telegraph hours on and after July 1. For the present the cable service, will not lie interfered with, but in other directions hours will be curtailed. Tress messages for morning papers will not be accepted after 0 p.m., with some exceptions as to very important, items, the amount of which will be limited. Weights and acceptances for laces will largely be shut out unless clubs put forward (ho hour of declaration. All offices no'.v closing at 8 p.m. will close at D p.m., which means tiiat no news arising after the latter hour can bo issued till next morning. Special arrangements may be made to enable race reports to bo telegraphed from these places. It is understood that if the Telegraph staff 'is still further depleted further cii.rtailmenl.s will have to bo brought into force. The Defence Minister, according to a Press Association telegram from Rotorua, denies an impression prevailing that the Government intends to withdraw the soldiers from the Rotorua Sanatorium. Sir James Allen states that Mr. T. H. towry's donation of 431000 is to bo used for the erection of ono of two new wards At the King George Hospital, which ward is to bo named the Lowry Ward.

The allegation of Mr. A. A. Creamer, chairman of the Auckland Second Division League, that, tho Returned Soldiers' Association Conference was not representative of the general opinion of the returned men, was replied to on Saturday by Mr. C. W. Batten, vice-president of tho association. Mr. Batten, as a preliminary, asked for a return of tho members of tho conference who had been married before tho war. This showed that of 30 officers and delegates present, 15 had been so married, and that nine others had married sinco their return. Mr. Batten then remarked that plainly married men had a strong voice in the conference, and tho association's affairs were not run by irresponsible boys. In negotiations about a year ago the 'league refused to ask that its proposed higher rates of pay bo mado retrospective because it feared that tho scalo might be reduced if it did so. Tho league wanted the association's support, and yet was unwilling to risk a reduction in its own claims in order to help tho returned soldiers' just demands in the matter of repatriation. Mr. Creamer claimed that the new pension rates applied to tho dependants of all men, but hi omitted to say that, the increase only applied after the passing of the Act. In conclusion Mr. Batten said that- the conference consisted of <10 delegates, all of whom wero instructed how to vote, and it was a thoroughly representative body.

Speaking to tho returned soldiers in Auckland, Sir James Allen said that tho question of repatriation was a hard problem to solve. He was in full sympathy with tho Returned Soldiers' Association in its desiro to do tho best for the soldier and for tho country. The association asked for a Repatriation Department, with a Minister. This work at present was done by the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department, which had been first controlled by Mr. Justica Herdman, later by tho Prime Minister, and at present was controlled by the Hon. D. H. Guthrie. The Departments of Land, Labour, Education, and others wero concerned with repatriation. His officers had just formulated a scheme, but he could not say anything about it until it was placed before Cabinet; The future of the soldier, to his mind, was n far more serious matter than the question of pay and allowances. The matter of a man's future was everything, to him, and it ought to be everything to tho country. Cabinet was in entire sympathy with . the association, and would bo glad to hear suggestions from it.