LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 232, 19 June 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The hold-up of the I'nteeiiH owing to firemen declining to sign on tho articles in consequence of a man having been discharged iol- alleged disobedienco has ended, tho six necessary firemen joining tliG ship yesterday, after a delay of a. fortnight. The steamer will sail forI'icton and Nelson at 1.45 p.m. to-day. Passengers wlio had Ixiokea berths on the Knitoa may transfer to tho Pateena.

The Council of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts has resolved to invite Australian artists to exhibit their works at the next annual exhibition, to be held in the Wellington Art Gallery between September 28 and October 12. It is felt that the appearance of some Australian pictures beside the works of New Zealand artists would ndd very much to tho interest of the exhibition. Members of the academy will have their "private view" on the evening of Friday, September 27. Tho council has decided to consider the expenditure of tho sum of .£•10 on works by New Zealand artists shown at this exhibition. The debt incurred in connection with the recent addition to the Art Gallery is within measureable distance of extinction, and the council resolved at a meeting on Monday night that the expenditure of ;i small sum on picture? would be justified. As a compliment to our American Allies the Government has decided that (lags shall be flown in New Zealand on the Fourth of July, "Independence Day." It will be of interest to persons who have relatives or friends at the front to know tho best moans of sending articles to them through the post. By the parcel post, packages up to Mb. in weight can bo sent for Is., or uip to 71b. for 2s. For packages up to lib. ill weight Ihe sample packet rate of Id. for the first, toz. and id. cacli succeeding 2oz. is available; but (lie Post Office does not recommend (his mode of dispatch for articles of a saleable value, for tho reason that sample packets run a far greater lisk than parcels of going astray. Parcels aro 'recorded and receipts are given for them «t every stage of their journey; and it- is possible to fix tho responsibility in the event of their loss. Packets, mi the other hand, are not reported, and may be misappropriated with less fear of defection. Thoro is no reason to believe that such losses occur while the packages are in course of transit by post; but there is reason to believe that they do-occur after delivery from tlio Base Post Office.

On Thursday morning at 10 o'clock Jlis Honour Sir. Justice Stringer will sentence several prisoners in the Supremo Court.

On June 25 a partial eclipso of the moon, which will be visible throughout New Zealand, will lake place. The inoon 011 that, day will rise a little after i p.m. Tho details of tho eclipse are:— The moon enters tho penumbra at 7.39 p.m. and the shadow at 9.16 p.m.; tho middle of the eclipse is Veached at 9.58 p.m.; the moon leaves tho shadow at 10.J0 p.m. and tho penumbra at 12.17

i 10.40'p-m. and tho penumbra at 12.17 ' An illustration of how casualty lists 1 may bo made to aprear more serious i than they really are, or need be, is given i by a Dunedin soldier in s. letter received i last week bv one of his friends. The I soldier (aii ex-Otago reoresenlativo cricketer) was reported wounded for tho ' fourth time some weeks ugo, and ho aow " explains the nature of his "wound/ 1 "I i had a slight accident with my rifle a , couple of weeks ■ ago,' lie says, "and grazed two of my fingers with a bullet. 1 It was nothing, but 1 went to the dress- ; ing station to get a piece of bandage ' wrapped round them. To my surprise and annoyance the doctor said it would ! have to go through tho casually lists, i Fancv worrying one's peopln with cables, , etc., "over a little thing like that. How- ' ever, 'it's orders,' and liud to be drnc..' [ Tho Arbitration Court resumed its sitting yesterday. His Honour Mr. Justice 1 Stringer presided, with him being Mr. W. Scott (employers' representative) and , Mr. J. A. M'Cullough (workers' representative). The case taken was tho partial recommendation from tho Conciliation Council in the caso of the Wellipgton ■ Electrical Workers' Union dispute. Mr. ' A. Montieth appeared for tho union, and Mr, W. A. \V. Grcnfcll for. tho employers. A number of exemptions were , allowed on tho lines of tho old award. ' A good deal of evidence was taken to tho condition of tho industry. 'lho Court reserved its decision. A Chinaman named Wong Joo Tint, fruit merchant, was yesterday adjudicated bankrupt by His Honour Mr. Jus- ■ tico Uosking, 'on a .petition by creditors. At tho annual meeting of the Rose-ne-ith Ratepayers' Association, Mr. 1?. t W. Mooro drew attention to tho fact that there were houses in certain quarters not yet connected with the city wnteV and sewerage systems, and as a result tho occupants suflbrefl in tho summer. Ho instanced ojib caso where thsro were nine children, and the water far household purposes in mid-summer was obtained by tho .'children carrying it in tins from neighbours' places. This stato of affairs had causcd tho child'ren to break out in running sores, which wero highly infectious and had spread to somo extent among the children attending tho Koseneath School. Some of those present expressed considerable surprise that such ft state of things should esi't. It might bo added that running sores ou children wero generally prevalent all ovor Wellington during tho past summer.

An illustration of how casualty lists may bo made to appear more serious than they really are, or need be, is Riven by a Dunedin soldier in s. letter received last week bv one of his frnnds. The soldier (an ex-Otago reoresenlativo cricketer) was reported wounded for tho fourth time some weeks ago, and ho aow explains the nature of his "wound/ 1 "I had a slight accident with my rifle a couple of weeks' ago,' lie says, "and grazed two of my fingers with a bullet. It was nothing, but 1 went to the dressing station to get a piece of bandage wrapped round tliein. To my surprise and annoyance the doctor said it would have to go through tho casually lists. Fancv worrying one's people with cables, etc., "over a little thing like that. However, 'it's orders,' and liud to be dene..'

Amongst tho New Zealauders who participated in the recent naval action at Zeebruggo wds M.r. Sydney Fox, son of Mr. Louis 11. Fox, , house, steward at tho Wellington Hospital. Writing to his parents, Mr. Fox, who loft JS T ew Zealand as a meinbi-'r of tho first Motor Boat Patrol, gives somo particulars of the fight. "We went up into tho canal,'" he writes, "to rescue tho crews of two ships thall we sank there. Well, lliero were only four of us on our ship who came out alive, and I was one of them. It was a very desperate job." Tho writer refers to ono of his pnls, Mr. Jack Batey, who was killed in the engagement. Mr. Batey, who formerly lived in Now Plymouth, leaves a widow. At latest advice Mr. Fox was chief engineer of the vessel on which ho was at tho time of the Zeobrugge engagement.

Mr. Thomas W. Ward, who for the past seven years lias taken an active interest in tho' affairs of Roseiieath _as president of tho Ratepayers' Association of that district, retired from the position on Monday night, and Mr. F. \\. Mooro was appointed in his stead. Other officers elected for the ensuing year wore: -Vice-presidents. Messrs. E. H. Waterhouse and J. M. Turnbiill; secretary, Mr. 11 A Lines; committee, Messrs. F. Cannon F. Stott, JI. ft- van Borssum, T. W. Ward, and R. W. Burbidge; delegate to the Greater AVellington Association, Mr. 11. A. Lines.

The hon. treasurers of tho AVellington Navy League King George's Fund (Airs. Hall-Thompson and Mr. R. Darroch) acknowledge with thanks the-sum of .£37 lis. Sd. from Mr. J. Lewis, being the collection at the service in the Town Hall on Sunday, June 2, in aid of *he dependants of those who fell in t.'-e Zeebrugge and Ostend raids.

In his opening address to the conference of the Public Sorvioe Association yesterday the president (Mr. G. Allport) .said that they knew that some time ago the Government announced that members of tlio police foroe could join the association. A great many of them had joined, but there had been some little difficulties in connection with the police regulations that requited to be settled, and arrangements lmd been made for (lie executive to see the Minister in Charge of tho Police to 'endeavour to got those difficulties removed and to get the conditions under which members of the forco are members of tho association made clear, io that levcryono could understand tliem. Arrangements had boon made on three occasions for the executive to sec the Minister. The Minister expressed his full and entire consent to meet the deputation and fully discuss tho subject, but unfortunately, through the illness of the Commissioner of Police, the meetings had been put oil'. They hoped, however, to be able to meet the .Minister soon. lie :thn chairman) discussed the matter with the. Minister only a few days- ago, and he expressed his desire to sen them as soon as tho Commis«inupr could be present. He. hoped thai (lie interview would soon tako plane, and that malteix would bo placed on a satisfactory footing. (Hear, hear.)

Tlio Wangauui Borough Council last night resolved: "That this council wishes to place on Vccord its strong disapproval of tlio action of the 'Government in permitting such largo quantities of alcoholic liquor and oilier unnecessary goods to ho imported into (lie Dominion, resulting in the crowding out oi essential ccmnioditics."--Press Assn.

Three accidents were reported by tlio Hospital authorities yesterday. Lieutenant Ca'rswcll was running to catch a train when he was knocked down by an ambulance car. Hu was admitted to the Hospital suffering from injury to his left shoulder. Conductor Moiris fell off a tram at tlio corner of Willeston Street, and suffered concussion of tlio brain. James Turner was chopping wood on (lie ste-mie'r JCuroiv when the axe slipped, cutting his left foot.

The Church of England Military Affairs Committee have cabled 4:3000 to the headquarters of the Church Army, .£2OOO to the Hut Fund, and X'looo, the gift of an anonymous donor, to provide n kit-chen-car. for use in supplying hot drinks and food to the men in tlio trenches. Hinee (lie beginning of the year the Military Alfairs Committee have remitted Hoino tlio sum of .£5461 for tlio building of Church Army huts r.nd for comforts for the men at the front.