LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 289, 26 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Latest advices received by the Director-General of Medical Services (Surgeon-G-eneral 11. S. F. Henderson) are to tho offeot that fivo of the cerebrospinal meningitis patients in hospital at Featlierston Gamp aro convalescent, and tho other two are dome well. b

Curiosity fed by -wild rumours caused some excitement in Lyttelton on Saturday night, when it was reported that the steamer Maori was returning to port after having passed tho Heads. News soon spread, and the wharves wero in half an hour's timo thronged with people from all quarters. Tho passengers also sensed something unusual, and ealico-bunks wore quickly vacated. The reason of tho vessel putting back was for tho ship's papers, which had been overlooked. Pew of the crowd believed so simple a statement, and thinking there was trouble afoot waited till ttie ship sailed after a few minutes , delay. A man named Thomas Waters, a carrier, who resides on Main Road, Karori, was found dead in- his liouso at 3.45 p.m. on Saturday. The cause 'of death was apparently the bursting of a varicose vein in the leg. Deceased had linen seen alive and well by his partner in the carrying business at 1.30. and the same man, Mr. Edward Brad nock, found him dead a little more than two hours later. Waters had been a sufferer from varicosp veins for a number of years. An inquest is to bo hold this afternoon at 4 o'clock. . 1

Tho Government steamer Tufcinokai, i ,, 'dor charter to the Chatham Islands lushing Company, Ltd., arrived at Wellington early yesterday afternoon from tho Islands, bringing Captain Thompson, his four ollicers, and the crew of lon of the wrecked steamer i-Jim.il.angi. Pending tho Magisterial inquiry imo I the wreck those concerned have nothing to say regarding Ihe disaster. Tho only fresh fact about it is that there was time to save the ship's papm-e and a few things from the cabin. Tho crew wore also able to secure some of their effect?,. It was reported in Waitangi that the lliinitangi had broken up. The Tutanekai brought fifteen passengers and her cargo consisted of 600 cases of frozen iish and some pelta. Tho trip was fine both ways, tho only unpleasantness being met wftii at the Islands. A preliminary inquiry concerning the wreck was held at Waitangi, the evidence being taken beforo tho Collector of Customs there. It is expected that tho Magisterial inquiry will bo hold in Wellington about tho end of tho week. Forty-four Maori reservists were arrested "by Sergeant Cowan and four constables at Mercer on Saturday for alleged disobedience of the Military Service Act. No resistance was shown by the party, which includes Tong.i Mahuta.' brother of the "King." The men were taken to Narrow Neck Camp. —Press Assn. Tho salving of tho burned steamer Defender was almost finished on Saturday, there now being only the propeller to get. On Friday tho engine was ready for lifting, and on Saturday it was safely landed on the Wellington wharves. Some difficulty was, however, experienced in getting it. Other gear saved included a pump, brass piping, and chain, etc. The operations are considered to have been most successful. The engine appears to be in good order, p,nd it. along with the remainder of the; Defender's gear, is to be sold by auction. I

In tho Magistrate's Court- on Saturday morning, Mr. F. V. Frazer. S.M., dealt with lour first offenders for in-

sobriety, each of whom was fined 10s. None or tho offenders put in an appearance.

Urging that the control of the Public Service should bo vested in a nonpolitical board rather than a Publio Service Commissioner, tho "Public Service Journal" for August proposal is that the suggested board shall consist of four members, two of whom shall be non-political nominees of tho Government, one to bo elected by members of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association, and one by_ members of the Public Service Association, tho chairman of the board to be a nominated member. We would, of course, prefer to have the chairman elected by the board, but this would not be practicable, unless the number of members were reduced or increased. The idea, as already explained, is that each.member of tho board shall have equal voting power'on all questions dealt with, except the ohairman, who would have a easting as well as a deliberative vote. It will bo noticed that tho principle of preference to unionists has boon introduced into the resolution, a principle recently recognised by the Govortmient of South Australia. There it is the law that cmo member of the board set up for the purpose of classifying tho Public Service shall bu elected by members of the Public Sorvico Association. Tho principle has been carried oven further by the Commonwealth Arbitration Court in a recent award raising the salaries of professional officers of tlie Commonwealth service who are members of the Professional Officers' Association, non-members being excluded from tlw benefits of the award."

Mr. A. Hednatli, company manager, Wanganui, writes: "In' your issue of August 21. you published the ballot of tho Wanganui recruiting district (Group 20), and amongst the names I saw , mine. The- name was imstarred, and as I have previously volunteered I shall bo pleased if you mention this fact in your column!)."

The Salvation Army Silver Band played (selections in the Hospital grounds yesterday afternoon. A collection was taken up and realised £1 10s.

The Chatham Islands Maoris implicated in ill? alleged once of Tolnnigaism resulting in the. death of a Maori woman, were- not brought to Wellington by the relief steamer Tutahekai, which arrived yesterday, on account of the uncertainty of a steamer to take tho witnesses back to their homes.

When Second Engineer Arthur Steers and First Offer. Clehind had been aidod by their follow prisoners on board the German raider Wolf to pass down tlio vessel's aide to enable them to hide under the counter till darkness set in and they could start their perilous swim to shore, they completely passed ■out of the ken of their fellow-men. How tho two gallant seamen spent tho tedious hours waitin'g for the time when thoy could slip into the water will apparently never ha known. It was early in June, 1917, that tlio escapo took place; but it is only now that it is definitely known that tho search of Sundsy Island and other islands in the Kermadec group by a Government steamer proved resultless. No trace that the men had oven lauded could be found. Both the officers were on tlio Tarritella, an oil cargo boat, which was acting as a supply ship for thq British Navy, and which had been captured by the Wolf some time before the Wairuna fell into the raider's clutches ' early in June, 1917, when she was steaming past the Kermadecs. Mr. Steers was tho second sou of Mr. and Mrs. Steers, of Antrim Street, North-East Valley, Dunedin. Another son is lighting in France. Tlio former was born at Green Island 29 years ago, was educated at Leith Valley School, served three years at Messrs. A. and T. Hurt's, and completed his trade nt Messrs. Gardner's, Port Chalmers. Ho then went Home, and quickly gained distinction by obtaining his extra, chief engineer's certificate Mr. Cleland was the only support of his widowed mother, who lives at Limerick, Ireland. Both men willingly gave their lives in a gallant venture. It was said that the place was infested with sharks, and yet their courage never faltered. Their first intention was to endeavour to send a warning that a raider was at largo and that slio had laid many mines.

A Military Service Board at Auckland last week in its proceedings literally had a smack of tho briny (says tho "Star")- An able seaman, with full sails set, gave his evidence very candidly. Ho explained that he was the ■sole support of two invalids, a' brother nml a son. The chairman then ascertained thnt appellant belonged to a. sew. "When 'asked how long ]it» was on tho vessel, freighting about tho coast, the seaman answered. "Twelve months," hut added that he would not liavo appealed if ho was not genuine "I don't know this here secretary of tilio Seamen's Union who comes bei'oro the board and appeals and gets young single men of 2o years exempted. I haven't seen him, and I'm hero to look after myself. I was a seaman before many of these young fellows were born. I have not seen my employers cither, so don't, know whether I can bo replaced or not. All I know is that the boat is often hold up for the want of a hand. 1» fact," he added, beaming, "slio's tied ur> to-day, and the skipper and mate arc" hnving a holiday on the strength of me being here. 1 suppose the skipper will bo tight by now." The oratory was cut short by the chairman's'inquiry: "What does the scow carry?" "Well," said the sailor, "any sort'of freight at all that wo can get. One time we took a loud of (a firm's nnino mentioned) dead horses round hetweou Kaagitoto and Tiri unci dropped thorn." (Laughter.) "What did you bring hack?" "Shingle for a freezing works," came, the reply. Tho board considered the man was a seaman from to]) to bottom after this breezy interlude.

An Olautau soldier, writing from France to a friontl in a recent letter, ineiiLinns (says the Olautau "Standard") that tlie New Zealand Division inaugurated a sports day about Mir middle of June, at which wore present the largest number of New Zealand soldiers lie had ever seen together at one time during nearly three yenre' active, service. The) outstanding event of the competitions was a phenomenal hammer-throw by (he fourth Now Zealand amateur champion (Martin Kean), who was in K>vat form, and fairly excelled himself; his throw went clean out of the field, and landed in an adjacent ring set aside, lor horseback wrestling. He won the competition easily.

OF lato shooting at, the Soldiers' Settlement, Beumore, has become a very tamo amusement (says the "North Otago Times"), owing to the snow forcing rabbits and hares into the open field. Tho latoet yarn is our sofctler, sitting at a dining-room window, hagged thirteen hares. H is stated that the heavy snowstorms and severe frosts have caused the rabbits and hares tn hecomo very venturesome. Gardens and fields of _ mangolds and turnips have suffered in consequence—but at a prici to the unwelcome visitor.