LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'Commencing to-day, any permitted wireless , messages for transmission cither within or beyond New Zealand will be censored in Wellington. They should be lodged at the office of origin -to reach Wellington not later than I p.m. on the day to he dispatched.

Tho Oninaru Borough' Council electricity scheme, involving tho expenditure approximately of £37,000 when complete, was set in motion hy Mrs. James Mitchell at a special function iu the.p'ower-house last night, states a Press Association message. IDelay has been occasioned by war condition's, but street lighting, private lighting, and power requirements will be met by tho present plant, which will bo augmented by another generating set when the plant is availablo and tho water powor from the borough supply will bo utilised.

Last evening Mr. M. J. Mack ivas questioned about his alleged connection with the P.P.A. The first question was: "If you deny the sectarian issue, wiiy have you as chairman a prominent member of the P.P.A. ?" The chairman (the Rev. G. Knowles Smith) rose to speak in reply, but there were cries of "Sit down!" "Let Mack answer!" nnd "Cornered!" Another question: "Why did ho (Mr. Mack) deny having anything to do with the P.P.A.?" Mr. Mack: "I never said anything of tho kind. The P.P.A. have endorsed my candidature, and that is their business." The candidate was asked if ho would repudiate the P.P.A., and Ms answer was that he would repudiate nothing." Question: "Have you come into the enmpaign at the dictate of tho Rev. Elliott?" Answer: "Rev. Howard Elliott had nothing'to do_ with my coming into the campaign." Question: "Are you ashamed that the P.P.?. are pushing you along?" Answer: "I am not ashamed of it. If anybody gets behind mo and nushes me along I am not ashamed to let them do so, and I am not ashamed to own the PIP.A."

A collision occurred on Lam l>ton Quay yesterday afternoon between a motor-car mid a tram. Tho motor-car attempted to cross the tram lino in front of a tram, which struck tlio front mudguard. No serious damage was done to the motor-car, only tho front axle and mudguard being elightly damaged.

The total of «tloablo fish taken from Lakes Rotoiti and Tarawera in last year's trout-markoting operations of the Department of Internal Affairs was 20,270 (weighing 22 tons 15cwt.), and valued at £851. The yield of Lake Taupo was 17,947 trout, tho weight being 24 tons 2cwt., and the vJuo £876.

Some time ago the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. J. H. Gunson, endeavoured to secure for the city tho ex-Sapuw Moore-Jones's skotohes made at Gollipoli, hut was unablo to como to terms in tho matter. In view of tho discussion in Wellington upon tho question of their purchaso fay the Government, Mr. Gunson communicated with Miss Melville, chairwoman of tho Library Committco, in order that, if tho pictures were not acquired by tho Stale, tho matter of their purchaso s'R&uld still not bo lost sight of. Ho was distinctly of opinion that, on account of their New Zealand interest, they should bo acquired for tho Dominion if any reasonable an-iuigoment could be arrived at.

"Labour think they could run this country," said Mr. M. J. Mack at his mooting last evening, "but there arc not twenty men in the Labour movement who are fit to run a peanut stall."

Tho Wellington Copper Trail made an advance of 41 miles last week, and has now reached Ohakune. Another big advance is expected to be mado shortly.

A unique contribution to tho "entente, cordinlo" is about to bo made in Aknroii, the colonial home of British and French colonisation, by the erection of a monument to the memory of Peninsula troops who havo served pud fallen in the Great War. These :nen havo included the children and grandchildren of tho early French settlers, and the Aknroa monument, very appropriately, will bear, side by side, many names of old French and British stock. By a. very happy chance the site of fcho old school has been secured for tho monument. It was here that the, French children, in perfect amity with their British schoolfellows, learned the tongue of their adopted country, and it is possible that thorn were as many French children as English at the old school in tho early days. Thus, over half a century ago, the entente cordialc, which had its origin in tho land of Bonnie Prince Charlie, was being cemented in fraternal bonds and intermarriage between the French and British colonists.

Tho salt lakes in the Malice district, Victoria, are likely to become a eourco of re\enue to tho State. These lakes are to bo leased in four-acro blocks, 50 tenders having been accepted for seven leases, the rents amounting to £1000. Other salt lakes in the, same district are now being surveyed. It is estimated that tho two pink lakes are α-p----able of yielding 100 tons of salt per acre. Tlio area of these lakes is COO acres. In the past residents in this vicinity have beon in the habit of collecting, during the summer, the coarse salt coatings on the surface of the water.

A horse harnessed to a delivery cart belonging to the Karori Milk Supply Company bolted down The Terrace early yesterday morning and collided with n telegraph pole nt the corner of M'Doniald Crescent. The, frightened animal struck the pole with great forco, tnit while it was stunned it suffered severely through being strangled by the collar before tiro driver could relieve it. Eventually tho horso had to be shot. The cart was not damaged.

Thursday evening will mark the <joginning of tlio summer ns far as skisonal influences affect the time at which meetings of tho City Council shall start. During the winter the commence at 7.30 p.m. From Thiirs-' day next.-tho starting timo will bo 8 p.m.

"They make it difficult for people to pay their rates," said a citizen who called at the Town Hall vesterdny to meet his monetary obligations, only to find tho Bates , Office closed. The Rates Office formerly closed at 4 p.m., but since the staff havo commenced at 8.30 a.m. ( tbe office doors are now locked at 3.30 ]).u\. Aβ women with home responsibilities can rarely get down town until the afternoon, the early hour at which tho public office closes docs not give them much chance of paying their municipal dues conveniently.

The council of the Associated Chambers of Commerce is convening a conference to be held at the end of the present month. The chambers throughout New Zealand who are affiliated havo already been notified by the secretary (Mr. H. D. Vickery), and there is every reason to believe that the attendance of delegates will bo thoroughly representative. Chambers are at liberty to (forward remits to the secretary, caro of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce up to the middle of October. t Humours regarding the happenings at tho Wanganui detention barracks for coußoientious objectors are In free circulation, and statements on the subject a.To being made by Labour speakers in tho election campaign. An inquiry into the allegations made about the treatment of objectoiOf in these- barracks was made sonto time ago, but the Minister of Defence is not ready yet to releaso the report for publication. He received it a day or two ago, but it is at present at Headquarters, awaiting perusal by the Commandant, who is unfortunately indisposed.

The simplification of long-distance wireless by the use of super-sensitive receivers roveals how vory oasy it is for German U-boats operating off the American coast to keep in touch -with Kiel. For close work all modern submarines have collapsible aerials on telescopic masts, which are lowered and stowed when tho vessel submerges, and may be rigged in a fow minutes when all if. clear. For long-distance messages, however, tho stump aerials of a submarine would not be effective. Tho difficulty is_ <£ot over by liberating a, balloon aerial into the air, tho (me. \vire of which acts as an aerial, whilst the balloon—so high up that it is bo,yowl the ordinary range of vision— .anchors it in inid-air. By that mea.is any German U-boat off tho United States coast is enabled to pick lip messages from the big German station at Neuen.

A general meeting of the committee interested in the preservation olf the bush on the Onslow catchment area was held at Ngaio last week. A most satisfactory balance-sheet was presented and adopted. It showed that the costs and expenses of the recent action with the Borough Council to prevent it destroying the bush had been more than subscribed. Votes of thanks were accorded to Dr. L. Cockayne. F.R.S., and other experts who had given such valuable assistance to tho committee, and also to the lion, secretary and the executive. It was mentioned that the Borough Council was now planting native and other trees on tho area, nnd these it was hoped would succeed, and in some degree assist in re-establishing the native bush. It was proposed and carried unanimous!? that tho committee now dissolve, and that the funds in hand he divided botween tho Khandaflah and Ngaio .Bed Cross Socioties.

Now that tho Second Division are going to the war and into cnmp in large numbers, the work of tho Advisory Boards, who in many cases undertake to loqk after tho businesses of military absentees, is getting brisk. The recently-gazetted regulations givp (fairly wido powers to tho advisory boards, who may exercise certain prerogatives in respect to decltring a. district a "protected" one for tho purpose of preserving ae far us j.ohsii'lp' tho goodwill of soldiers' businesses by not allowing others in tho same line to enter into competition. How frr the law can operate in "restr'.cM districts" against men who dosim to commence in busine6s, has yet to bo tieturminetl. Mr. T. Moss, the luemW of tho National Efficiency Board who periodically visits the provincial advisory boards, was asked yesterday as to tho position of a discharged returned soldier who wished to commence business in a "protected" district. Could the board prevent the returned man doing so? Mr. Moss said the hoard had wide- powers, but tho regulations would have to bo relaxed hero and there to meet certain cases. Such cases as mentioned would lmvo to he inquired into and dealt with on their merits. Hard and fast rules could not bo applied where a returned soldier was concerned, indeed, they wished to do all in their power to re-establish him in tho community.