LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 7, 3 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

- Sir James Allen, Acting-Prime Ministor, makes the request to the Churches that they shall make recognition in some fitting manner on Sunday next of t'he mercies that have been vouchsafed t& the nation in the great successes that liave been achieved by our arms on the fighting fronts, and especially in the unconditional surrender of Bulgaria to tho Allies.

The Lyttelton night ferry steamer Maori could not leave Wellington at 4 p.m. yesterday—her customary hour of sailing—as her stokehold complement was short by two firemen. Strong efforts to find two men before that hour were unsuccessful, so at 4.40 p.m. the • ship withdrew to an anchorage in the stream. Late last night Union Company officials had managed to engage the requisito'firemen, nnd the Maori is to sail at 4 o'clock this morning. Tho Minister of Education lias 'requested education boards throughout the Dominion to de'ehre Monday next a_ school holiday to celebrate the great victory in tho Balkans. The chairman of tho Wellington Board has decided to accede to the request.

The fact that the sectarian issue had been raised in the Central election campaign was deplored by Mr. R, Semplo in a speech delivered in Alexandra Hall last evening. "I am confident," he said "that Government backing is behind this movement. When this war is' over the Government will try to win buck tho confidence of the people, and they know that they have not a hundred to ono chance. Therefore, they will seek to divido tho people as much as possible so that they may slip in while this horrible sectarian squabble is on."

At Lyttelton yesterday a youth engaged in tho boatbuilding industry, who had photographed an oversea vessel, was convicted and ordered to come up for spntence when called upon, states a Press Association telegram.

Statements have from time to tinio been made to military sorvico boards sitting in Wellington that there is a s'hortage of plumbers. The chairman of tho Second Wellington Hoard said yesterday that he. had had a. letter from the secretary of the Auckland Plumbers' Union stilting that in Auckland there were twenty plumbers out of work. ft seemed that plum hers could be got in Wellington if sufiifiieut nduceinent were offered the Aucklau men. Tho hoard intended to invosligato the position and see if there really was a scarcity of plumbers.' Tn connection with the influenza epidemic in tho training camps, Jlr. (!. Witty, M.P., has telegraphed to the Minister of Defence as follows:— "Owing to the unusual amount of sickness in the Wellington camps, I trust yon will consider the advisability of not calling fresh men into camp until tho epidemic"is past, and the camp properly fumigated."—Press Assn.

At the close-bf the meeting of the Executive Committee of tho Wellington branch of the Navy League held yesterday afternoon, Mr. J. 13. liarcourt, chairman, made some remarks upon the, present war situation, and Mm following resolution V'as, upon his motion, carried with applause:—"That this meeting of the Executive Committeo of the Wellington- branch of the Navy League expresses its utmost appreciation of the success which is attending our armies and those of our Allies on all the fighting fronts, backed, up as they are by- the great work of the naval find mercantile marine."

"He is not even patriotic or loyal in his remarks. It is his common boast that none of- his relations arc in the forces, though they have been drawn in the ballot. These remarks are made by an angry correspondent who has complained to the officer commanding Group 5 (Wellington City and Suburbs) that a certain reservist, drawn in the lirst bnllot, is not yet in camp. Inquiry shows that the niiui named by the correspondent was classed C 2 (unfit for active service) when first examined by tho medical officers. Hβ lias sinoc been examined by the C 2 He-Ex-amination Board, and has been again classed C 2. Physical unlit-ness is the reason why he has not entered camp.

The following awards were made by the Hoyal Life-Saving Society during the year ended' July 31:—lioys , Institute, 102; Wellington College, 55; Blenheim Sub-Centre, 44; Nelson College, 3i); Banks' College, 3G-; Evans Hiiy Amateur Surf and Life-Saving Club, 31; Island Bay Amateur Surf ami Lifei-Saving Club, 15; Ladies' Amateur Surf and Lifts-Saying Club, 14; Kelbiirn Boys' Scouts, 3.3; combined schoolgirls, 12; Palmercton North Amateur Swmming Club, 7; Scots College, 4; Kilbirnio Public School, 4; Maranui Surf and Life-Saving Club, 4; Police, 3; Y.M.C.A., 1; total awards, 387. Of those 74 were elementary certificates, 15" proficiency certificates, 4 teachers' certificates, 9 instructors' certifiates, 105 bronze medallions, and 38 awards of merit.

It is understood that during this week the Second Wellington Military Service Board will deal publicly with the question of whether men engaged in primary industries—shearers, freezing works hands, etc.—shbud bo retained in New Zealand or be sent to the war. The question will be raised through a large number of sine dio cases coming up for review.

On September 24 the Minister of Marine (the Hon. T. M. Wilford) cabled to the High Commissioner, asking whether the British compensation scheme applied to'vessels in tho Now Zealand coastal trade. Yesterday the Minister received the following cablegram from the High Commis> sinner:—"With reference to your telegram of 'September 24, tho compensation scheme applies to all British -ships, wherever registered, and accordingly applies to vessels engaged in the. New Zealand coastal trade. In case of vessels not entered in any war risks association, a .shipowner in this country is liable for payment under tho Workers' Compensation Acts, and lie would be liable in New Zealand for payment under any corresponding Act in force in the Dominion. The Board-of Trade is responsible for all paynients made under the scheme, n addition. to tlio statutory liability on tho owners."

A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Andrew Hell Pbilp, Post Office employee, should have been held in the office of the Official Assignee yesterday, but the meeting lapsed from want of a quorum. Mr. J. A. Scott appeared for the bankrupt. The meeting was adojurned sine dio.

In connection with the work of the Church Array, the Eight Hon. U. Lloyd George- writes:—"l take this opportunity of bearing my testimony to the- extreme usefulness of the Church Army, recreation huts, at' Homo and in all the. theatres of war, to H.M. Forces for comfort and cheer. The combination of refreshment bar and games with the quiet corner shut off for devotion, is a happy blend, directed by superintendents ineligible for the Army, men of high tone, many voluntarily helping from the highest motives; In the shell zone these huts are invaluable. I hoartily wish success to the effort to respond before Christmas to tho request for more lints, man. , : to be erected in the devastated region recently taken from the enemy." Donations are urgently required for extending the work of this excellent institution. . ■

A school of 37 blackish ljccamo stranded at Hatfield's Bay, Orewa..during Thursday night, says an Auckland paper. Three others went ashore at Waiwcra. It is stated that some of the fish' measured from 16ft. to 18ft. in length. They ■were' discovered early on Friday -morning by the residents of the locality, who marked them with a view to boiling down- the carcasses ami extracting tho oil. It is estimated that oil to the value of approximately £600 should bo obtained from - the stranded fish. . '

A wonderfully effective shell has been invented by :v watchmaker in a village in Buckinghamshire (England). It is so well thought of that it was used extensively by the French . in Marshal Foch's recent offensive, states a cable message to the Australian papers.

The secretary of tho Catholic Federation Field Service Fund, Wellington, lias received the following lotter from Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Charters, commanding First -Ot-ago Battalion :— "Some weeks ago Padre O'Flynn handed me a sum of money which hohas since told me came from your society. Each company of tho battalion received 65' francs, .and the money was expended in the purchase of oatmeal, this battalion (First Otago) having a large strain of Scoteh in it. I.wish to thank your society very sincerely for your efforts on behalf of my men. which efforts are appreciated to a much greater extent than I cau express in words. The men throughout are 'sterling,' and we cannot do too much in order to keep them fit, for they are bonny fighters. I hops at some future time- to be able to thank in person tho'sc who have been so thoughtful towards us on active service."

Replying to . a-. question by Mr. T. Forsyth (chairman of the Wellington Education Board) on the subject of the urgent need for additional ropme at the Island Bay School, the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister of Education) said that Cabinet had approved of grants for school buildings amounting to nearly £6000, including a vote of £1382 for additions to the Island Bay School.

At the mooting of the Wellington Presbytery on.Tuesday.afternoon. Dr. Gibb moved the following motion:— "The Presbytery gives humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God for ih signal morcies vouchsafed' in the vi; tories in Palestine and Bulgaria, wi v the consequent elimination of tho lnttfroni- tho enemies confronting th Allies, and prays that the rcasomihh hopes now , entertained of a final victory iiml an enrlurina peace may he speedily fulfilled." The motion was unanimously adopted, the Prcsbtyery rising and singing certain well-known verses of the 72nd Psalm. "Now Blessed bo the Lord Our Clod."

A lad 17 years of »go, who is earning £\ per day as wages in tiniborgetting nt Catlinx, appeared before the Magistrate's Court at Clinton mi Saturday, on a charge that, being a In , failed to attend drill, on u: certain occasion. It was not only as an amazing wage-earner that this lad attracted notice. Evidence showed that hi> was ma intituling his father, his mother and ten brothers ami sisters, tho youngest nine, months old. The Court entered a conviction and discharged the lad.

The'result of the. voting nt yesterday's poll in connection with the Johnsonvillc Town Board was :-r-Stepheu Bryant, 53 votes; Alfred Hasting, 53; William King, 45; A. AV. ilobertson, 34.

That the dairy farmers of the Tara■naki district appreciate the value of tln> naval and mercantile marine, and tho work being done by the Navy League to promote popular opinion in support af these two great branches of the service, is shown by the very generous contributions v/hich have been made to tho funds of the Navy League. Mr. Robert Darroch, tho hon. treasurer, reported afc tbe meeting of the committee yesterday that contributions of £70 from the Ngairo Co-opera-;, tive Dairy Factory, Ltd., Stratford,' and £33 10s. from the Kaimata Cooperative Dairy. Company, Ltd., Inglowoort, had been received, '{'he meeting expressed groat appreciation of the spirit which had prompted those making tho donations.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., Annie Mary Allison M'Konnie and Hilda Martin were jointly charged with unlawfully Abandoning, an infant child under two years of age, at Wellington, on September 11. Tho accused were, lemanded to October 0, and were ordered to remain in tho charge (if tho Salvation Army in the meanwhile.

The. Hon. secretary of the Wellington Provincial Tennis Association, Ml'.' D. Murray Koan, has announced that, for reason's of health and tho claims <jf business, lie will be nimble to offer himself for re-election at tho annual meeting. Tlie less to tho association, and to tennis generally, says the annual report of the association, will be almost irreparable, but it is hoped that Mr. Keau may be able to retain a seat on the management committee, where his wide experience will bo. .most valuable. His services to the association, during the nine years in which he has so ably tilled the office of hon. secretary, liavc been monumnital, and the very best {banks of all tennis players are due'to him for his untiring exertions on their behalf, and for the good of the game during his term of ofiice.

Mr. D. M. Findlay, president of the New Zealand Moderato League, will, deliver an address to business men on the subject of tho "National Ownership of the L'iquor Trade," at the Chamber of Commerce on Friday at 4 p.m. .