LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 3, 28 September 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The right wing of the Forty-third H'einforceinents has arrived at..a. port of call. Tho Minister of Defence lias been advised ..that., tho. general. health of the troops is excellent, but that there are a few mild eases of influenza on' tho -ship.

Sir James Allen,- Acting-Prime 'Minister, has sent the following message to Harotonga by tho newly-established wireloss: "The Government and the people of New Zealand rejoice in closer fionnection with the European community and tho.Arikjs of Harotonga, and gratefully acknowledge the loyalty and patriotism which' prompted Harotonga; to send its sons and unite with the Empire in its determination lo secure freedom. New Zealand is bound to stand by Harotonga and tho neighbouring islands, and : will not fail to do. so."

Friends' and relatives of men returning to New Zealand shortly will be interested to know that lists will appear in.- 'The Dominion on Monday and Wednesday next;

The ■postal authorities notify that in future any permitted wireless messages for transmission to destinations either within or beyond New Zealand will to censored in Wellington. They should be lodged at the office of, origin -not later than 4 p.m, on the day.on which it is desired that they -be dispatched.

First' Division men called for service this month are being posted to the February draft. . This draft is. closed as far as Second'Division'men are concerned, but it is open still to First Division reservists. Class C, men drawn in the,last ballot;.are being.posted to the-March draft. - ;

The medical officers at the military camps report that the epidemic of influenza is abating. . Tho 'trouble has: not assumed a severe form; and it-ap-peal's that the. prompt measures taken to check infectio.i have been effective. Tho number of men in . hospital- at Trentham yesterday was 350, as against '400 on Thursday, the great- majority being influenza'cases.' Not more than SO fresh cases were admitted during the day'. The number of men in hospital'at' Fe'atherstbn yesterday r war 163; of.whom 122 wero suffering'from influenza .'-'No serious cases... were' reported. ' ■;

"If a man has boon classed unfit for military service do the Defence, authorities treat him'as exempt from the Territorial drills?" Mr. Frazer, S.M., asked in the Court yesterday. The answer of a representative erf the Defence Department waste tho effect that that course -was being followed pending tho decision, of the Supreme Court in-a case to be heard: - -

■ - A growing practice of converting intfl tenement houses dwellings "that' we're originally designed for single' families ■ has been noted in Auckland, and is'now under consideration by the Works Committee of the City Council (says the "Herald").. 'Bio city .-.engineer brought the matter under the'notice of the authorities as being contrary to. the-in-terests of the community. As a check upon the.-system he.-suggested that preventive - by-laws already in. force- in -relation to ■ Grey-,.Lynn' and--Archhill-should- bo amplified and extended to other parts of,tho .cityi and;,a. further,' byrlaw framed dealing with, the-class, of-buildings indicated, and. debarring the conversion of wooden or other unsuitable buildings. • ;.'..':,■. ":\ ~ ' ■

The following- resolution was 'carried at'a meeting of. the Masterton Cham-/, her of Commerce yesterday:—"That this charhber views with alarm the proposal by Mr. Hoover .to . withdraw Allied ships from the Australasian trade, and therefore learns with satisfaction that the Government is taking prompt action with tho-object, of-seeing that the proposal will not be given effect to.unless .it is. found that the proposed diversion .will have a greater.war. .benefit .'than_ leaving .vessel's on their present running." ..'•.:• .• ■. -'• •.'

- An'extract from the address delivered, by. the Hon.:. Sir Thomas Hughesj chairman of '•'directors'', of the .-Amalgamated.- ■ Wireless Company of Australasia, in Sydney a lew days ago" states:—"l have to, record with deepest regret the death of the company's operator, Mr. Arthur 13omon,t, who sacrificed his life through:'sticking to his post when the s.s. AVimmera was mined off the north coast of New Zealand on June. % last. Other members of our operating staff who have shown conspicuous devotion to duty _ at the sinking of the vessels upon which they were, employed are-Mr. A;\B.Mancer, of tho s.s. Kyarra; Mr. L. S: Lane, of -the s.s. Wailemata, and Mr. John Durraiit, of the hospital .ship -Warilda,. all-of whom were saved," ..-.••'•

.. Tho 'following further donations iia.-e been .received, towards the Italian -BedCross 'Society-Abbott. Oram and Co., £25; Mrs. C. A.. Johnston, ..C25;. "Anon," £5; 11. Hume, .£o; Bryant and May, Bell and Co., £5 os.; J. M'Lcan,'£3 35.;. P. Ikddeley, £2.25.; Leo Buckeridge, 10s. ;• previously ;ick : - nowledged, £1887 las. ...

The Marton Jockey Club on Thursday night (states a Press telegram) .voted the .totalisator fractions at' the -recent, spring, meeting to. the. copper trail 'at" JlaftoU,'.' . '....; '. :

Lieutenant Clilmour, who recently returned' froiii''the We'ir'ffofft7"*g'A'vb'''.T very interesting lecture at the Garrison Hall hist evening, bis .subject being "Through the Panama CaiPal in a Troopship."

'■ A" charge of' assault" by -a'warder at i'bnrua Menial -Hospital on ;V-patient was made in the Magistrate's 'Court yesterday. The accused is Hugh Anderson. ..On . ,t]ie application of the chief-detective the ease- was not proceeded with yesterday, but a remand till Wednesday was made. '■ A "middle-aged maiy appeared-in the Magistrate's Court yesterday- on a charge of having used indecent language, tp a tramway, employee. He .explained that .-.the, eircum.stances : -were such that.he...had-.used.the .■laiiguage to the motoinian in the heat of a rather unwelcome moment. He and his wife .!vad. been travelling, on a tram. He -had got- off -the -car, but before his wife alighted the car went on again, Vith the result'that his, wife fell on the" roadway l and' ■■hurt'-'herself. _ He was ahnoyecl,- and apparently ''did'; not call'.the m'oto'rman.ii 'gentleman'.' -The •Magistrate ■ accepted ■ the explanation, and did not impose a fine, but ordered defendant to pay costs. His Worship remarked that if defendant had told tire police- the reason for the language it was unlikely they would have prosecuted him.

In connection- with the- recent news that: direct wireless messages,, had been .received in Australia from ./England, mention.'.was made.of..the use.-of the Marconi-Fleming valve receiver,' which is extraordinarily sensitive, and is practically annihilating distance' so far -ns- the receipt of'• messages is concerned. In his .address at the- annual meeting 'of "the Amalgamated Wireless Company, Ltd., of Australia, the chairman, the Hon. Sir.-Thomas Hugbes.said.; "Sharehqldor.s will.'hjrinterestad .to-learn-that our managing'-director;-Mr. E: T.vFisk, in conjunction with .his: staff, has produced a-liew-.type-of wireless telegraph receiver, based on the "Marconi Company's patents, the sole rights of which arc held by this "company sin Australasia. This receiver is producing results'', hitherto -'"unequalled iirthis- part-of the'-world. 'and, using it in conjunction with a very small aerial, messages have been successfully received" over, a distance of 12,000 miles. A '•number- of—these--receivers has been manufactured, and the instruments have been' installed in certain Australian, vessels trading, overseas. The apparatus in one ive's'n'nli'.WJis inspected by the United States Government iii■snector, who commented most favourably .upon the design and workmanship oi 'tlid' receiver; and' 1 -upon the results which'-are.being'-obtained. - A-further quantity of these is'now .'being -manufactured- to'-'b'e' installed' in Australian vessels." . ' j

• Sir' James Allen ; and the'Hons. D. H, Guthrie and A. Myers will bo present 'lit the annual meeting of the''Returned Soldiers' Clubhouse Society on Monday.

The Fire Brigade has received from Messrs. 'Brownlees, Ltd.,' a cheque for £5 ss. towards the brigade's funds, in recognition of the work done by the brigade at the tire at the firm's premises, Ebor Street, on September 21. • ' A meeting of the.'.N.Z.'. Educational Institute' was/ held. last/evening;.,; Mr. M'Kerizie,' president,- _ occupying 'tho chair. Resolutions dealing with' salaries of teachers -.and'.! payment'on.-average attendance were carried.' A report from tho management committee .with regard to the establishment of a hostel for teachers was received,:and:the committee was instructed "to go'ahead with the scheme.;

' The secretary of tho Dunedih Manufacturers' Association has, says a Press Association message,- Sent a telegram to the Minister of Munitions and Sup'plies', stating that, manufacturers- are much - concerned' at • "the 'reported appointment of an" official''controller of :in» tercolonial cargo in Sydney, and asking for fullest particulars his. powers, as any prohibition on many fines oFi , aw : niaterial"\vill seriously prejudice local manufacturers.

In. a lengthy judgment in the Magistrate's Court at Masterton yesterday Mr.' S. L. IV Free, S.M., held that reservists who had been classed as C 2 -,by a military..medical .board were still liable for'service as-Territorials, and lie' -fined .a ../Territorial, so. ,classc(l,: ; for having failed -to attend .drill..- ,- -. --« ;

White Island has shown of spasmodic activity lately. The-sounds heard one. evening resembled' distant heavy explosions/ and produced a'jarring effect'oiy many' buildings -iike heavy ' thunder. Investigation,-.- however, pliowcd the' night to be absolutely "clear and-'cloudless, neither was-there any oscillatory 'movement of hanging a'rticles;'sucli accompanies earth'- tremors. One afternoon, ja, fewdays ago, however' (according to tl e "Bay of Plenty Times'.'),' aftei-'/a'sud-' don' arid' rapfcl '■ rise-- of', steam' '■ from White Island, there Wse more-slowly a fine pale grey veil from the same spot, which spread to a much greater width than the steam-clouds and gradually roso till it almost blocked it from view, to.-. a- :height approximately of five or six thousand feet. From its appearance it must undoubtedly have been fine volcanic dust'' or-..ash., '.such as the island tlnew out in :the-.disturbance of September, ■ -1914,-"-after /the mud:. -;-

. "A'metef is a sillyv-illogica'l;.appara-tfls that clbes-no good to- ; aii'ybii'e ) '' , 'said Mr. L'. Birks:" in the' course of- an"-;ad-dresson electricity'delivered at a.meeting of the Workers' Educational Association at Christclmrch. "However, as Far-as electrical-supply is.concerned at the present time, it is a ■painful necessity." The speaker said that he looked forward to a happier time when electricity would he "so cheap that meters would not be .necessary.. ,Tben people would begin.to.live. as.far,as. electricity was concerned.-''. '•■ '.. ..... '....'

-.'"I might inform you,"'-writes-_a-cor-respondent to-an■-. Auckland ...paper, '."that ns late as Tuesday last.l noticed, while in the Northern-Wairoa,,, quite « young girl acting, as captain of,a. steam launch-plying-up-and dbwii.'ilie.'rivef. She- was as nimble ..as. any youth;,.' j>.nd the picture of health.'.' There were'two sailors aboard to do the heavy work."

.An elderly woman,.the mother of two soldiers who. have. - paid [ the supreme sacrifice, -created a mqving scene at a sitting of tho Auckland Military Service : Board; When an appeal was in progress she came forward to the secretary and presented him with a Goro.mandel newspaper stating.that she objected to exemption given certain people in. her district. .'TheDpard endeavoured to make an : explanation', but the -indignant mother became very excited and emotional .as slur, spoke in loud, and distraught tones 'of the '■'shirkers and rebels" who" were; cheating- the Government by securing '.indue concessions. The board secretary gradual)}- ushered the woman (jut .of the room, explaining ,t6.'.her that, the matter would receive attention. "Here." she cried out, pointing to the paper, "a man f-upposed to be milking sixty coVs'when ho has only got six. I am a Britisher iiud no pretender, and it is a. shame." Her vigorous protests for some minutes could be heard in the corridor. '■■"■''.■".■