LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 18, 16 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Gazette IJxtraordinary contains a number of additions to the list of companies, firms, and persons declared to be enemies, and a number who have been removed, from the list.

The days on which civil cases are heard at the Magistrate's Court are generally long ana wearisome, and as often as not the proceedings are unduly lengthened by the protracted addresses of loquacious counsel. Yesterday was no exception to the 'rule, most of the day being occupiod in the hearing of an involved notion.- When the pase for one of the parties had concluded counsel for the other side commenced an address, which the presiding Magistrate listened to for some time in stoical silence ancT with heroic fortitude. Finally tho spell was broken by opposing counsel raising on objection to a remark which had beoii passed by his learned friend. "Oh, it does not matter what counsel says." remarked the Magistrate. "It will have no effect on the Court. The Court is only guided by evidence." Counsel's address was appreciably shortened. was made by the Mayor at last night's annual meeting of the Wellington Fire Police to the erection of the new fire brigado station at Newtown. Mr. Luke said that the work on tho ijew station was well forward, and he confidently believed that when completed it would be second to none in the Dominion. It would not only meet the needs of that portion of the city, but would be a vast improvement on the other stations in the city.

A telegraph lineman named Edward Skinner, residing at 20 Chatham Street, was blown off his bicycle when riding near the Basin Reserve yesterday morning. He fell to the ground, and severely injured his right shoulder, necessitating his removal to

the Hospital. The courage of the . British soldier was referred to by the Prime Minister at a gathering at the Auckland Orphans' Club on Saturday evening. "The

British soldier is as valiant and courageous as any troops in the field," said Mr. Massey, "and he has shown no deterioration from the spirit shown by his fighting ancestors. While in Britain I heard of an incident not reported in the cabled news. Nine hundred Bri-

tish troops with 70 officers were put in to hold a precarious position for four days, during the retreat in March. They did thoir work, but only r one officer \ and 70 men came back. That illustrates the mettle of the British soldier better than anything I say say."

The proposed sale of TeHoro Dairy Company's factory to the Wellington City Council was discussed at some length at the adjourned annual -meeting of shareholders/in the company (says the Otaki "Mail"). . On behalf of the special committee appointed, Mr. F. J. Ryder reported on the negotia-* tions with the council. He stated that his committee had unanimously agraed to further negotiate for the proposed sale, provided the City Council would pay Id. per pound butter-fat than the average of best three butter or cheese factories in the district, to recompense them for the loss of their by-products. He moved in thai direction. ' The motion was seconded by Mr. A. Judd, but was declared lost by 30 rotes to 11. . telcram hae been received stating that the yacht Morangi, which was recently purchased by Mr. Berkeley Clarke, of Wellington, and which left Auckland last Thursday week for this port, has put into Kaikoura, haying been driven off her course by a northerly gale. The Morangi is being sailed down bv her owner, assisted by Mr. John-Ivl'Lean, of the Chathams, and Mr J Forbes, of Wellington, and an Auckland yachtsman. Mr. Clarke was the former owner of the Rawluti, • now belonging to Sydney. The Morangi will leave Kaikoura for Wellington as soon as a favourable, wind springs up.

An inquest will be held this morning regarding the death of Mr. Thomas James Parker, aged 73 years, who died suddenly on Monday at his residence in Loriie Street. The deceased had recently been discharged from tho Hospital, but took a bad turn on .Monday morning nnd expired before a doctor could bo summoned.

Messrs. S. George Nathan and Co. have purchased the premises adjoining tho Bank of Australasia, at present in tlie occupation of A. Levi (Morison and Gilherd), oculists. Tho frontage to Customhouse Q.uny is 30ft. 4in., mid the dopth-SBft. 9in. There ie a wooden building in the front, and a substantial brick one at the back. It is the intention of the firm to occupy tho brick building as soon as it gains possession. The purchase price was between £7000 and £8000.

A lonely soldier (PrivateF. J. Blake, Third Heinforcoments), writes from his cot in Ward No. 5, Twelfth General Hospital, Bramshot Camp, Hants, England, that he would bo grntoful and would he very pleased to answer any "sisterly or motherly" letters that a lady with time to write him something "cheerful and sensible" might care to send him.

Three of the seaplanes from the New Zealand Flying School, . Kohimarama, went out to meet the Niagara as the vessel arrived in Auckland on Saturday morning. The machines were flown by* New Zealanders acting as instructors at the school , , Messrs. M. Matthews, P. E. Going and G. B. Polt. Having saluted the steamer, the airmen performed a series of evolutions, and flew back and forth over the city. The altitude attained was greater than usual in flights made from the Kohimarama School, one of the machines reaching a height of over 3200 ft.

In a letter to Mr. A. S. Malcolm, M.P., dealing with complaints which have been made in connection with tho returned soldiers' settlement at Clifton, Otago, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, MiniFtor of Lands, says: "As you know, the Government is out to do all it can to make this soldier settlement a success, and will do everything possible to assist the soldiers to success, but I am. not prepared to reduce capital values until I am ■satisfied by several years' trial that it is necessary. To do bo would be to etop .ill settlement, for the lrnd cannot be bought cheaper, and the country' could not stand the unlimited reductions demanded. There is ample power in tho Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act to postpone or remit rentals, and I propose to follow in the order given by trying postponement with remission of interest on the postponed rent first. This will leave the eoldier settler absolutely free of rent during the time he is establishing himself, and if he cannot succeed then he should make way for others, for lie evidently will not succeed at' all. If it is later found that the postponed rent is too great a charge for iiim to repay I will be prepared to capitalise it, or even remit it if necessary."

A rather dramatic incident' occurred at tho Patea railway station on the arrival of the mail train (says the

"Patea Press"). Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. -Westell, of New Plymouth, had just received a hearty welcome from some

local friends when Corporal P. 11. Tinuey, of Taranaki representative football fame, warmly greeted the colonel. The latter stared hard for a moment, and then, shaking Corporal Tinney by the hand, exclaimed, "Why, surely you cannot be the corporal who helped me out of action on October 4 last'year?" Corporal Tinnoy solemnly assured him that he was, and tho pair spent the remaining moments before the train left in chatting over the anxious time spent near GravenstafeL exactly twelve months ago. Corporal Tinney, it may bo mentioned, was on that occasion making his way to a dressing station, after heing wounded in the Gravenstafel battle, when ho overtook Colonel We.ston, who was himself severely wounded, and assisted him on his way to tho dressing station, -which both reached safely," although they had to journey through the German barrage on the way. '

A Press Association telegram from Auckland states:—Mr. Harold Beauchamp, chairman of the Bank of Isew Zealand, who is vieitinc Auckland, jemarked that as a result of the <,ood prices received for our produce from the Imperial Government money was very plentiful, and was cheaper to-day in New Zealand than in any other part of the world. Ho instanced the fact that whereas New Zealand had been raising war loans at per centV. ftee of income tax, Canada was now Boating a loan at b\ per cent., also free of taxation. The Imperial Government had been selling short-dated Treasury bills in New York at a price- vnicJt gave investors 6 per cent., but similar bills sold-in London yielded a. return of only 3J- per cent. The low price paid in England probably was accounted for by a desire to induce visitors to take up longer currency war bonds, but tns cause of the higher price paid in America had not been explained. Mr. Beauchamp said that money in Jeevr Zealand was now obtainable on 'nortga«e at 5* to 6 per cent. Tins, however was subject to taxation,- which, in case of persons of large income, meant a reduction of the net return to the extent of 7e. 6d. in tho £1. "Public opinion should be developed in Victoria m favour of the establishment of the Federal capital in Sydney instead of at Canberra, in order to save the expenditure of another five or six million pounds." This view was expressed by Mr. Clarke, Minister of Lands, at a banquet at Horeham (> ictoria), a few nights ago. The suggestion was received quietly by farmers and other residents in attendance. It was after midnight when Mr. Clarke rose to epeak. After referring to t>.e expenditure that has already taken place at Canberra, Mr. Clarke paid that as Victoria could not have the Federal capital, and as the site was to be in .New South Wales, he thought it would be prudent to cut the losses on the Canberra area and let Sydney have the honour. The question might be discussed with advantage, and if it was desired to obtain an exact indication ot the views of the people a referendum could be taken at the next State general election in Victoria. _ The general opinion is that, on reflection, Victoria would be wholly in favour of the proposal, as under-the Constitution it would mean the disfranehisement of all within the area of 100 square miles..

In the course of a communication from the British Board of Trade to the Department of Industries and Commerce, giving a list of firms in ISngland that are now, manufacturing articles on which we used to depend almost entirely, if not wholly, on Germany for, it is stated :-"Before the war Germaiiy Jield the monopoly in the production of duplex and suedefinished cotton fabric gloves. I« one year Germany exported £1i,500,000 worth of such gloves, ■ °«*/ which the United Kingdom imported £/24,000. The circular gives the names of eight British firms which are now turning out such goods. Another reference to. cotton fabric gloves is as follows:"Previous to the war it was estimated tliat 90 per cent, of the fabric cotton gloves produced in the world were manufactured in Germany. The gloves wore made from single and double fabric, the former known to the trade as chamoisette and the latter implex nr reindeer.. At that time the fabrics for making the gloves were only produced (that is, in bulk) in Germany: similar and even better! grade fabrics are now beintt produced, in tho United Kingdom. Although cotton fabric gloves were produced prior to the war oiv, a small scale, several firms have recently extended their works and installed'new machinery, and it is anticipated that at the conclusion of hostilities they will be in a position to retain i a large portion of Germany s trade."

We knowi that a t motorist, in order to tmjoy peace of mind and satisfaction, must ■ own a car which possesses all or the essentials for comfort and convenience. If any essential is missing the loss is felt, for it entails extra labour nnd effort. It is these essentials .that have been fully attended to in the manufacture of the advance 1918 CHEVROLET model, "Four-Ninety," now offered by the DOMINION MOTOR VEHICLES, LTD., G5 Courtenay Plnco. -Advt.

You cannot be sure that your iiivonlion is "yours" for very long unless you protect it with "letters patent." "K is worth your while—many a big fortune has sprung up from seemingly trifling items—but they wero patented before "tho other fellow" got busy. Consult Henry Ilughos, Ltd., Patent Attorneys, 157 Featlierston. Street, Wellington.— Advt.

Wardoll's for "GOLDEN RULE" Soap. Wardell's for "GOLDEN RULE" Candles Warden's for "KEEP SMILING" Sandsoap. Wnrdell's for "NO RUBBING" Laundry Help. Wardell's for everything that's best. —Advt.