LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 237, 25 June 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

• A Gazette Extraordinary issued last night contained the names of 225 Maori reservists who have been callcd for service. They aro First Division men residing in the Waikato-Maniatoto district. For tho past fourteen days the number of inmates in the Wellington Hospital has been over 400, and on one day it readied tho maximum of -MO. There aro a great many cases of diphtheria, but many of thes'e are what is known as "carrier"— pal icnts, who, though free from tho disease, arc capable of carrying infection lo other people. They- aro .detained in the hospital until two successive swabs taken from their throats are found lo be freo from infection. A break in tho overhead cable caused a temporary dislocation of tiio tramway service in Molesworth Street at about 8.30 yesterday morning. Repairs were carried out expeditiously.

Tho Appeal Court (First Division) waa yesterday formally adjourned for a fortnight.

Tho Minister of Defence Went south last; night, and he stated before ho left that ho did not anticipate that tho Defence Expenditure Commission report, would lie available until after his return to Wellington. He will not be back here until Sunday next.

Tho theft of two tins of benzine, valued at 225. Gd., the property ot' the Chathaw Islands Fishing Co., was admitted at the Magistrate's Court yesterday by Frederick Edward Woods, mate of tho steamer Himitangi. Inspector Marsack, wlio .prosecuted, said, the accused got one of the sailors to remove two tins of benzine from tho vessel. He was attempting to have tho spirit taken away in a. motor-car. Tho value of the stolen benzine was comparatively small, but the offcnco was great, as Woods was in a position of trust. Mr. J. Scott, who appeared for Woods, stated that the man was under tho influence of liquor at tho time, his action being really tho result of a drunken spree. Messrs. I. Salek and If. D. Hanlon, J.P.'s heard the case, and they decided to inflict a fine of ,£5, in default one' month's imprisonment.

Tho seventh conference of the Harbours' Association of Now Zealand will bo held in Wellington, commencing on Wednesday, July 31.

Tho Wellington City Council is to hold a special meeting this afternoon to con-, sidcr tho question of pay for members of any of its staffs who go into camp.

Arrangements have been made, says our Napier correspondent, for the Trentham Camp Band and a squad of bayonet fighters to visit Napier in July.

The finding of a district court-martial held at Featherston Military Camp on Juno 10 having been confirmed by the Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces is promulgated:—No. 77,071 l'te. Stanley Robert Downing of Cl Details, found guilty of disobeying a lawful command given by his superior office)', was sentenced to undergo ono year and eleven months' imprisonment with hard labour. The court recommended that should the accused express his desire to go on active service overseas at any time during the duration of his sentence, then tho balance of his sentence bo remitted, and his papers endorsed accordingly. ~ •

Tho membership of tho Hawke's 13ay A. and P. Society now totals 1105-a record for tho society.

The following temporary appointments have been approved by tho Camp Commandant at Fcallierßton:—Dvr. G. Graves, P.E.A.S.C., to ho lance-corporal; oergt. 11. Lock, &.Z.A.0.D., to ho staff sergeant; Cpl. I). M'Donald, N.Z.A.0.D., to,to sergeant; Lco.-Cpl. T. Pearce, N.Si.A.O.D., to l)e corporal.

The hitherto unexplained reason why tho Matunga did not dispatch a wireless call for help when she was captured and sunk by the German raider Wolf on tho voyage'from Australia to Rabaul, last August, has been given by the former stewardess of the lost vessel, Mrs. Agnes Mackenzie,' of Onehunga. According to a statement mado by Mrs. Mackenzie on her arrival in Melbourne last week, the wireless operator of the Matunga wis asleep in bed at the time the Wolf showed her teeth. The ox-stewardess subsequently ascertained from the German officers of tho Wolf that they had been lying in wait for the Matunga for some dam The -wireless operator on tho Wolf, who could speak English, told her that they had known of the vessol s nwements from the time sho left Sydney. One of tho first questions which tho officers of the Wolf asked tho Matunga passengers concerned the fate of the steamer Cumberland,- which foundered oft Gabo Island early last July as a result of an explosion; From what Mrs. Mackenzie learned while a prisoner on the Matunga, slie is confident that tho Cumberland fell a victim to a mine which was laid by tho Wolf. She was told this in so many words by an officer of the Wolf. The Germans who boarded the Matunga brought with them a box, upon which appeared the name of the steamer Wairuna. Mrs. Mackenzie, knowing that the Wairuna was missing, asked one of tho Germans where tho box had come from.. With a mule he remarked: "Oh, yes, we have got the Wairuna, and she is- down there, pointing with his finger to tho bottom of tho sea.

Tho following temporary appointments havo been approved by tho Camp Commandant at Trontham:—Headquarters ■Staff (Camp Commandant's office):—Cpl. W Evans to bo sergeant.. Special Physical and Bayonet-training Class:-L.-Cpl. ,T. B. Fitzgerald to be corporal. N.7j. Engineers' ■Reinforcements-.—Sap-pers' G. A. Sunderland and W. P. Mtrtiu to be lance-corporals. Itc. A. 0. Forbes bus been appointed a probationary

corporal. Messrs. Kirkcaldie and Stains, _ Ltd., will make a special oft'erine nf blouses on Wednesday.' Five lots will bo cleared at 3s. lid., 6s. lid., .and Bs. lid., (three lots) respectively. ■-By a typographical error in yesterday's issue it was made to appear that one lot would bo sold at Is. lid. The correct figure is 3s. lid.