LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 11, 8 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho recruits for the Forty-seventh Reinforcements are being mobilised this week. The draft is a big one, well over the strength fixed for the monthly reinforcement, quota. The November draft is a small one, however; the December draft has' been dropped, and the January draft is small, so that the surplus men of the September and October drafts will be absorbed. Th<Group 5 men (Wellington City and Suburbs) have been ordered to parade to-morrow afternoon, and will enter camp on Thursday morning.

The number of Hindus in New Zealand is estimated to be 335. Information on this point was asked recently by the New Zealand Federation of Labour. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) stated, in reply, that at the time of the census of 301G there were 165 full-blooded Hindus and 181 half-castes (including ten born in New Zealand) in this country. Of the men, 122 had been in New Zealand less than five yoare-. Since then, according to the immigration returns, about 224 Hindus have arrived in New Zealand and 22 have departed.

The popular idea concerning tho farmer, as viewed from the city man's pbint of view, is that he was "a clodiopping" individual, with mud-bespat-tered clothes, busjvy whiskers, and little or no intelligence."—Mr. W. Barton, at a meeting, held by the shareholders of the Featherston Co-operativo Dairy Company.

A seafaring man, Ehoderick M'Leod Beard, who contravened the War Regulations by going aboard an overseas barque which was lying at the Wellington wharves, appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Beard admitted that he had gone aboard the vessel,' but said that the captain had promised him a job and that ho had gone to see about it. In stating tho case for tho prosecution the police said that Beard had refused to leave the barque when requested to do so. The Magistrate said that the man's excuso was not altogether a valid one, but was sufficient to absolve him from a suggestion of having gono aboard for any improper purpose. In the circumstances ho would simply fine him for making a nuisance of himself by refusing to go away when told to. The amount of the fino would bo 10s.

"Tho pay and allowances in New Zealand for married soldiers," says the Melbourne "Australasian," on the present scale are more'liberal than those of any other part of tho Empire.. For instance, n private soldier with a wife and two children receives in Great Britain £1 11s. per week, in Australia £3 2s. 5d., and in New Zoaland £3 17s. In Canada the weekly pay is £2 12s. lid., which is not increased, no matter how many children the soldier may have. It is obvious that the wife of a New Zealand soldier with two children, under this scale of pay and allowance, is much bettor off than tho wife of an ordinary working man in civil life."

A case was called in the Magistrate's Court yesterday against John Charles Troy (secretary) and David Griffin (treasurer), of the Maoriland Irish Society, who are charged with having caused the publication of an advertisement which is alleged to contain seditious matter. It is understood that the advertisement was an appeal for funds with which to support) the families of Messrs. O'Ryau and Oummins, who are in prison as a result of the "Green Ray" prosecutions.

It was stated in the Magistrate's Court yesterday that a man who was arrested on a charge of being ten guineas in arrears with an order to maintain his wife had in his possession when arrested a sum of £1465 and £160 in war bonds.

The Council of the English Institute of Journalists (incorporated by Royal Charter), at a meeting held in August, passed the following motion moved by Sir Alfred Robbins, hon. treasurer, on behalf of the president, Mr. J. L. Garvan, and seconded by Mr. Georgo Springfield: "That the council, speaking on its own behalf, iuid on behalf of the Overseas Committee of the institute, offers its special congratulations to tho Hon. William Henry Triggs, editor, of 'The Press.'- Christchurch, New Zealand, fellow and vice-president of tho institute, chairman of the committee of overseas members <it the annual conference, London, 1910, upon the recognition accorded to his services to the Dominion and the Empire by his appointment to membership of the New Zealand Legislative Counoil."

On December ; 3 next Archbishop O'Shea will celebrate tho silver jubilee of his priesthood. On Sunday afternoon a meeting of parishioners of the oity Catholic parishes was held at the Buckle Street Hall to consider the manner in which the event should be celebrated. The Rev. Father Hurley, S.lt., presided, and several of tho Catholic clergy were among those present. Reference was made to tho fact that his Grace is tie first Archbishop who hns been born, educated, trained, and ordained in New Zealand; and tho Fen. Archdeacon Devoy mentioned that young O'Shea was one of the first students whom he taught at St. Patrick's College in the earliest days of that institution. Another speaker said he had had the honour of being "coach" to the college Rugby football tcaai of which the future Archbishop was a member. "He was," he said, "a real good player, a thorough sport, keen, and a thorough grafter, and ho has borne and deserved tho same reputation ever sinco he entered the Church." Highly appreciative reference was also made to the valuable services rendered to the Catholics of New Zealand generally, and of tho Wellington archdiocese in particular, by Dr. O'Shea dnrine tho last few years, and it was decided to hold a celebration at the Town Hall on the night of December 4, ■ and to present the Archbishop with a purse of sovereigns as a mark of esteem. Committees wero appointed from each of the city wirishoß to work together m mnkino- tho necesasry arrangements/ and it" was stated that the various parishes in the other parts of the archdiocese wore also beins asked to assist in the movement andt.o send representatives to tho gathering.

Subscribers to the telephone exchango whoso subscriptions are unpaid at noon ojji October 15, are advised by advertisement in this issue that they will be discoonected.

A Press Association message from Auckland'states that George Jennings, alleged to lie a deserter from camp, was arrested on Saturday morning m a Maori dwelling in tho bush on a rough part of the coast, on the Auckland side of tho Firth-of-Thames, and handed over to the military authorities.

According to Lieutenant AY. J. M'Keown, of the Now Zealand Wireless Corps, who has been on duty in Mesopotamia and Persia, there are still surprising evidences of a former advanced culture .in the latter country. Though the present race was allowing the country to decay without making an effort to stop the rot, there were evidences of artistic effort that commanded ormued attention and admiration. Lieutenant M'Keown refers to the rock carvings at Talsi-Bustan and Bisitnm as wonderful evidence of a knowledge and skill in sculpture. These carvings were of great size, and were cut out of the solid rock high up on the fiico of a perpendicular wall. How the sculptors ever got up tn do their work is the first question that arises in the mind of a stranger, .and ■ then follows admiration for the rude strength and beauty in the figures of men, women, and animals, which stand cut in high relief. On the inarch through Persia the old caravanserai—squares of high walls of dried mud or clay two am three feet thick—still provide accommodation for the traveller. These places providn the necessary shelter from the cold night winds, and also give protection to thnso within from the robbers who infest the roacK Animals, goods, and people ore all bundled into the square promiscuously. At a. meeting of the Wellington Section Committee of the Public Service Association, held on Friday night, a resolution , was passed expressing gratification that tho efforts of the Executive Committee had been successful in securing an increase in salary of Is. 6d. per day (for non-commissioned officers of the Police Force. It vas also decided, in view of the statement recently made by the Government Statistician regarding the decreasing purchasing power of tho sovereign and' the admission of the Acting-Prime Minister in connection with the tramways dispute, that within the last twelve months "the cost of living had still further increased," to request the executive to approach the Government and ask 'for further relief in the form of increased salaries for Public Servants throughout the Dominion.

Tho influenw of picture shows on the young people was discussed on Friday at the annual meeting of the DischaVgod Prisoners' Aid Society, reports the Auckland "Herald." Mr. E. C. Budd, secretary of the society, drew attention in the annual report to the steady influx of young offenders into the prisons. This, ho considered, was duo to lack of parental control and supervision. The Rev. F. R. Jeffreys, probation officer, said that from his experience of work in tho courts, he considered picture shows were largely responsible for the increase in the number of young offenders. He was strongly of the opinion that the work of censoring films was too much for one man, and that a board of five, comprising three men and two women, should be appointed. Dr. A. W. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, said the advertisements of picture films on boardings were often worse than the pictures themselves. A motion was \inanimously passed urging the Government to appoint a Censor Boxrd, with a personnel as suggested by Mr. Jeffreys.