LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 24, 23 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is understood that the influenza epidemic has not seriously affected th a schools in Wellington. A few children have the complaint, and are absent, but the trouble is not by any means general.

An abnormally high tide was noticed at G o'clock yesterday morning, tho water rising at least two test higher than is usual nt spring high tides. At Clyde Quay tho water almost reached tho top of the Boat Harbour wall,- and flooded well up on to tho concrete "hard" inside. The Government Meteorologist slated that the unusually high tide was due to tho proximity of the moon, together with a falling barometer (which mado for higher tides). Had the southeasterly wind been blowing Wellington would have experienced a title that it would long havo remembered.

Advice has been received from Featherston Camp that 90,400 Private Gordon Robertson Fisher, B Coy., CI Cam)), died at, the Racecourse Hospital at 8 a.m. yesterday, tho cause of death being pneumonia. Deceased was 21 years of age, and single. His next-of-kin is his father, Mr. ,T. S. Fisher, Ohinowai.

Tho term of tho new award mode respecting tho Wellington otorenten is two years. , This point is of some interest to the parties, as tho union applied'to' have the period fixed as one year.

At the annual meeting of the Central Chamber of Commerce, Mr. L. A. Edwards, iii referring to the cost of living problem, condemned tho Government for allowing tho country to be flooded, almost without stint, with paper money. Ho believed that'the circulation of so much paper money had been partly the cause of tho increased cost of living by. bearing down tho value of the sovereign to 133. Had thero been a more rigid restriction of its use, ho did not think that the value of the pound note would have suffered to such an extent.

Tho Church Army lias established a number of soldiers' welcome offices in various positions in London, by means of which inquiring and perplexed service men shall bo put in touch with any organisation best suited to help their particular need, and bo given general information of every sort.'

The St. Patrick's College sports will be held at the Athletic Park to-day. Tho eighteenth annual meeting of the First New Zealand Contingent (South African) took place last night.. Tho colonel of tho regiment, Major-General Sir Alfred Eobin, K.C.M.G., C.8., Commandant of New Zealand, was in the chair. Colonel J. G. Hughes, C.M.G., D.5.0., Major Matthews, N.Z.S.C., Major Wood, M.C., N.Z.S.C., other officers, and about forty members were present. Sir Alfred llobin emphasised the great value of the volunteer spirit as <c;hibited in the days when fighting was' new to New Zealander:!. The loyal toasts were honoured, and the evening was spent in song,, story, and reminiscence.

An unusual complaint was preferred 'against » young woman in the Dunedin i'oiice Court on Saturday, when she was charged with, causing to be delivered to the publisher of tho "Otago Daily Time.!." an untrue notice of the death of another young woman, a relative by marriage. It appears that accused was absent from her employers' hou'ie one night, nnd on being asked the following morning to explain the reason she said she hail been sitting up with a relative, who had died in the Hospital during tho night. Her employer was suspicious, and on making inquiries found that no such person had died in the institution. The next morning, however, tho death notice, the subject of the charge, appeared in the "Times." The young woman then left her employment, nnd a Lumber of articles ibeing missed from tho house the matter was placed in the hands of tho detectives. Accused was remanded for the probation officer's report.

Master Lennox M'Puee, who secured the second gold medal in the senior division ai the recent musical examinations held in Wellington by the Trinity Collego examiner, Mr. Charles Schilsky, has had quitei an unique record. At the 1915 examinations ho won a prize in the preparatory division, with 91 marks; in 1916, in the junior division, ha gained the first medal with 90 marks; and in 1917, in the intermediate division, 1.0 gained 88 marks and tho second medal. The development of aviation in New Zealand is creaiing a need for controlling legislation, and a 13ill dealing with tho subject may bo introduced during the coming session of Parliament. Experience in tho United Kingdom and elsewhere has shown that it is necessary to invest Governments with authority to issuo regulations relating to aviation. The safety of tho public requires that control should be exercised in various iv;.ys, while questions of Customs duty mid so forth are raised as soon as oversea flights are undertaken. Ministers, who have seen tho recent development of aeroplanes in tho United Kingdom, aro confident thai the day when men will flv between Australia and New Zealand is not far distant,