LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 22, 21 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A cablegram received by the Minister of Defence reports that the Fortieth, Forty-first, Forty-second, and Forty-third' Mounted ftiflc Eehiforconionts have reached a port of call, all veil. Ouo man is sitiferiug from injury to a foot, but will proceed with tho draft. Issues of "hospital blue' 1 uniforms arc being made at present to the various military hospitals throughout the Dominion. In England the use of such uniforms, which are neat and attractive in style, was decided on in order to identify those men undergoing inside hospital treatment from, the ordinary soldier in khaki. A man "in. blue" was, for his own sake, not allowed beyond certain boundaries, and it was made a serious offenco to servo any such man with intoxicating liquor. _ It is understood that the men in hospital at Rotrua are being supplied with the uniforms forthwith. With conscientious consistency the current spring maintained its reputation for meteorological freakisnness during tho week-end. Saturday dawned as fair a sprins day as anyone could desire, but it was.far too bright to last. By 10 a.m. the sky had become overcast, and half an hour later the wind, which had veered round to the south, hustled up with a- keen Antarctic edge, and with it came a twentyminutes heavy hailstorm, which whitened the streets for a brief spell, and deposited a heavy cap of white on the surrounding hills. The weather, continued bitterly cold, with intermittent showers of rain throughout tho day. Amends were made yesterday. A clear sky and bright sunshine tempted most people out of doors to enjoy the warmth once more. The hailstorm and buter wind played havoc with the spring seedlings in the gardens, and blackened the edße of the leaves of many of the tender deciduous shrubs.

Chinese premises in Haming Street were visited by Senior-Sergeant Crean and Sergeant Butler, of the Mount Cook Police, shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday, with the result that a Chinaman was arrested on a charge of having smoked opium. The occupier of tho house was also taken mto custody on an allegation of having permitted opium to be smoked on the premises. Both accused will appear at the Magistrate's Court to-day to explain the matter.

The Anglican Synod, says a Press Association telegram from Auckland,, carried a resolution expressing the opinion 'that the Government should give the people an early opportunity of denidini' by referendum the question ot National Prohibition versus continuance. Some legislation will be required to give effect io 'the recommendations of the Waterside Accidents Commission. The matter has been considered .by 'the Attorney-General, and the necessary clauses are now being drafted under the. direction of the Minister of Marine (Hon. T. M. Wilford) for consideration by Cabinet and Parliament. Councillor A. Veiteh, who returned last week from a four months' visit to Sydney, states that ts.far as he could" see that city was not very greatly affected by' the war. Business generally seemed to bo as.brisk) as ever, mid beyond the spectacle of a number of soldiers in the streets, including a proportion of returned wounded, one would scarcely know there was'a war on. When he left peoole were swarmin?: into Sydney for the spring races, antl a:commodation was at a premium. At a record meeting of the Wellington branch of the N.Z. Locomotive Engineers', Firemen, and Cleaners' Association: ' the following lesolutions were carried:—"That this branch demands that tho Government immediately pive effect to our claims put forward for tho last five years for increased wages and overtime for night duty between tlie hours of .9 p.m. and 6 a.m. This branch' calls ipoii the executive council to immediately take steps to get these requests recognised and agreed to by tho Government, and they pledge themselves to assist the executive council in any act they deem necessary which will obtain these requosts. The brand' also desires _to emphatically protest against working so much overtime, and which they are called -upon to do, in npite cf tho fact that the busy season is not on yet. The long hours of work at irregular hours and nt night are.not conducive to good healtli for tfhc men engaged in ouch work."

After "being closed for three years, the British Museum was reopened to the public on August 1.

Captain W. A. Pryor, of the Voluntary Motor Service Corps, Wellington, has received a letter from Major-Gen-eral Sir Alfred Robin, Commandant of tho New Zealand Forces, thanking him for the assistance which he has rendered to the Defence Department in the past by his activities in connection with tho arrival of troops in Wellington from overseas. Tho letter, which is dated October 12.. goes_onto say: "Tho organisation of the Volunteed Motor Corps was thoroughly tested on Tuesday last, when about 1100 returning soldiers from two troop trains and oils transport were efficiently handled, and within a space of two hours dispatched to their various destinations. The excellent result was evidence of a skilful plan, well executed. The 00-oporation of tho Volunteer Motor Corps with the Defence Department is very much appreciated, and is of the greatest value to the returning soldier. Much credit is due to your secretary and the executive- of your organisation."

In his charge to tho Anglican Synod Bishop Averill reported as follows oa the question of a centralised Primacy: "If the Synod desires to express any opinions on questions—(l) Centralisation of Primacy at 'Wellington; (2) and mode of election of the Primate, it is most important that it should he done at the present session, as fome changes will inevitably be made by General Synod." The Bishop said that from tho geographical point of view there was much to be said in favour of tho centralisation of the Primacy in Wellington ; but he was strongly of opinion that the election of a Primato could not be taken out of tho hands of tho General Synod, even- if it, should bo decided to' centralise the Primacy m Wellington. The simplest way would be for the Bench of Bishona to elect tho Primate, but that would hardly be consistent with their democratic constitution.

The danger of allowing boys, especially quick-tempered lads, to carry knives was exemplified in a case heard before Mr. F. V. Frnzer, S.M., in the Juvenile Court on Saturday, when a boy, twelve years of age, was charged with having assaulted another boy, (ifteen years old, so as to causo him actual bodily harm. The two hoys were passengers on the ferry steamer Cobar on Wednesday afternoon,. September 26, and when between Bona Bay and Day's Bay one of the lads went into the smoking-room and squirted tlie accused with water from n, waterpistol. On turnintt to go out of the cabin the elder lad felt a prick in the back near the spine. A wound about an inch long had been inflicted, and it bleed freely, being bound up _ i>s , (mother passenger, Captain G. Smith. The accused stated that when the water was squirted upon him be forgot that he had a knife in his hand, and lie turned about and punched tho other boy. His "Worship was informed thnt the licensed was a boy of a very hotheaded nature. Mr. Frazor adjourned the case for two years, making it a condition that for twelve months of that period the accused should not he allowed to be in possession of a knife, and that for the two years he.should bo under the supervision of the juvenile probation officer.

The Preshyterian General Assembly is to meet in Christchnrch on November 19.

Two men were arrested ty Constable Clcvorley, of the Waterfront Police, on Saturday night, on a charge of having committed a breach of the War Regulations, by boarding an overseas vessel without a permit. Tho necused will lie brought before the Magistrate's Court to-day.

M. Bader, of tho French Mission', now in Melbourne, stated that after the war it was his intention to return to Australia and settle there for good.

The Canterbury Society of Fine Arts has decided to purchase fhe "knitting statue" from tho French Mission. The statue is' that of an Italian peasant girl, knitting for the soldiers who have to face the rigours of war in tho Alps. The statuo is the work of Professor L. Bortone, a Florentine sculptor of tho old school. The price being paid is £'350.

On Sunday week a party of alpine enthusiasts, who had motored from Oamaru, climbod Mount Domett, in the teeth of a wind which at times robbed them of breath (reports tho "Mail"). They were surprised st tho extent and depth of the snow still lying at levels which at this time of year aro usually clear and feed-produc-ing, and they saw a vast expanse of snow on all the higher levels stretching luvav to the Lindis. • The cold is w intense that the snow is frozen solid underneath to a form of ice-pack, and they found spots whore the boot lett no impression at midday, and where it was necessary to cut steps. In tho gullies the drifts are many feet deep, frozen solid, and they predict that snow will 1)0 still on tho higher- levels in December, if it is not there nil tho summer. The sun scarcely affects it, and only a warm rain would remove .it.

The actuaries have got, says an exchange, the soldier's war risks figured out to the decimal point. Based en tile mortality statistics of the Allied armies, the fighting-man's chances are as follow:—Twenty-nine cliauoes of coming homo to one of being killed; 49 chances of recovering from wounds to one chance of dying from them; one ehanco in 500 of losing a limb. And the soldier's life even makes for longevity. It is estimated that the average Tommy who survives the risk <.f battle adds five years to his life because of his physical training, and is freer from disease than he would have been in civil life.

The Wellington branch of the Navy League, in order to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, now known as Nelson Day, have arrangsd tor the presentation of suitable patriotic picture programmes at "Our" Theatre, Newtown, the King's Theatre, Courtenay Place, and the Empress Theatre, 'Willis Street, for school children during this afternoon. Arrangements have been made for appropriate addresses to bo delivered to the children at each theatre. The Trentham Band will parade the streets during the day, and business people are being asked to make a good display of bunting.