LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 35, 5 November 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Prime Minister has been advised by His Excellency the Governor-General that immediate steps ave being taken by tho Imperial Government to investigate the condition of Gallipoli graves. The British Army is dispatching a Graves Registration Unit as early as possible to mark graves, to which an Australian officer and a New Zealand officer will bo attached.

Tho second portion of tho Forty-third Reinforcement has reached a port of call all well.

The Telegraph Office advises that owing to the seripus nature of tho influenza epidemic telegraphic 'traffic for Auckland and district is suffering severo ' delay. Telegrams of an urgent nature only should bo lodged.

Fish is now a good deal dearer than meat, and the latter article of human consumption shows no tendency to recedo in price. Yesterday at Townsend and Paul's fish market the sum of 375. was realised for one linpuka,

On several occasions during tho past few weeks a series of small burglaries has taken place in "Wellington, and a further case has been reported. Somo time in the early hours of Sunday morning, the plate-glass window of the shop of Mr. M. Walsh, tobacconist, Molesworth Street, was cut, evidently by means of a diamond, and about J!2 worth of pipes and smoking materials wore stolen from tho shelves.' Tho opening in tho glass was circular in shape, and was made sufficiently largo to permit of a man's hand being thrust through. The operation was rather clumsily performed, for in knocking out the piece of glass the thief severely cracked the surrounding surface of the' window, which was valued at' about JMO. ' The matter has been reported to the police, but so far no clue lias been obtained as to the identity of tho perpetrator. Cable advice dated October 25 has been received from overseas announcing the award of tho Military Medal, for gallantry in the field of action, to Corporal D. llWarth, Duke of Cornwall Light Infaniry. His next-of-kin is Mr. William ITowurth, His Majesty's Custom?, ChrisiV church.

Advice has, been received from tho Defence Department, . Christchurch, that 3/1385 Private Hoy Clemens, M.M., died on Sunday from gas ' poisoning. Decensed was a returned undischarged soldier, 21 years of age, and single. His next-of-kin was his father, Mr. C. H. Clemons, 7> Gray Street, Auckland,

The review of the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Reinforcements by His Excellency the Governor-lleneral, which was to have been held nt Trenthnm on Saturday, was postponed on account of the rain, and will be held at 11 o'clock this morning.

Tho diversion of the liiverina (on tho Sydney-New Zealand trip) to Auckland every other (rip has.deprived Wellington of a continuous cargo service that is being felt by consignees hero. At yesterday's meeting of tho council of the Chamber of Commerce it was stated that tho diversion of the Eiverina every alternate trip from Sydney deprived Wellington of her services once in every six weeks, leaving only the Moeraki and Manuka on the run. Auckland, on the other hand, had tho Niagara and Makura calling regularly en route to Vancouver, tho Atua and the Riverma (every other trip), and so was fairly well served. The council decided to approach the Government to use its. lnfluouco in having one of the steamers which usually carnes coal from Newcastle placed oil tho 'loading berth in Sydney for the carriage of general merchandise, in order to relieve the congestion of New Zealand cargo for Wellington and southern ports lying at Sydney. '

For sonio time past there has existed a shortage of space for cargo on steamers trading hetwon Wellington and Auckland. The Monowai, which is engaged in tho coastal service, invariably arrives pretty well loaded from southern ports, leaving comparatively little space for Wellington cargo and transhipments for northern ports. Tho result' of ■ this shortage means that cargo for northern ports discharged from Home steamers in Wellington frequently piles. up and causes congestion. This week the pressure is being relieved by the Kokiri being placed on the loading, berth here for northern ports. As the trouble is ono that concerns local as well as northern consignees, the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce decided to watch events, with a view to making representations in tho proper quarter should the troublo again become acute.

The Eastern, Cable Company advise the resumption of acceptance of fullrate and deferred traffic. The first includes all deferred and full-rate messages including the Far East, also all Press and Australasian traffic. The Pacific Cable Board are resuming acceptance of soldiers' E.F.M. telegrams. Delay on the Pacific route is normal. .

The matter of securing through bills of Idling' for goods shipped at Eastern ports bv vessels making Sydney or Melbourne their terminal ports was discussed by the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. It seems that the shipping companies concerned are quite able to secure full oargoes at Eastern ports for Australian.' ports, and they do not feel themselves under any. obligation to take the responsibility of issuing through bills of lading for ?vew Zealand goods, as at present, owing to the shortage of shipping, such'goods sometimes about the Sydney wharves for six or eight weeks, subject to pillaging and deterioration,. Were such bills issued the companies concerned would have to employ transportation officers, and make themselves responsible • for claims. The coun-, oil ' was unable to find any solution of the difficulty, realising that the action of the companies concerned was purely a business consideration.

A session of the First Wellington Military Service Board will be opened in Wellington to-day, aud will be continued" on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister of Customs, states that the amount of Customs revenue collected through the Dominion for the month of Ootober was ,£3!)3,69G, and the excise beer duty ■£21,329. The figures for the month of October, 1917, were .£278,05* and .£23,552 respectively.

Ecserved judgment was delivered in the Supreme Court yesterday morning by His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman in the matter of tho petition of Hughena Jessie Donnelly for permanent alimony against Marshall John Donnelly. His Honour said that he had v had a great deal of difficulty in determining what sum should be taken to represent respondent's. ■ income. His actual income was small, but he had a number of properties and other financial interests, some of a. fortunate and some of an unfortunate, nature. As these were liable to variations he would make an order for tho payment of .£156 per annum to the-wife of life, and £62 10s. per annum for the maintenance of the'• daughter. The order would.be subject to variation on the application of either party if the Court should think fit. Costs amounting to ,£23 is. were allowed the petitioner. Mr. Blair appeared for the petitioner and Mr., M'Grath for the respondent.

On Saturday evening a large and representative deputation of business men waited upon Mr. J. H. Watt at his residence in Karori. The spokesman of the deputation expressed tho general regret of the people of the district at the early departure of Mr. Watt, but as one nieniber of the deputation said, "ICarori's loss is Waikato's gain." Mr.- Watt left by yesterday's express for Hamilton to ( take over his duties there in connection with the Protestant Political Association.

The grand jury at the Supreme Court yesterday returned true bills against Arthur AVatson Green, charged with attempted rape; William Henry Cardew, alleged indecent assault; Stanley Carter, alleged false pretences; James Pridmore, alleged carnal knowledge; James Luke Raglan, • alleged personation; George Edward >Blake, alleged failure to account for moneys received; Joseph Keys and William Prince, alleged theft; James M'Clatchie, alleged carnal knowledge; Fanny Mary Allison M'Kenzie and Hilda Martin, alleged abandoning of an infant; Dugald M'Callum, alleged ■ carnal knowledge; and George Sullivan, alleged attempted theft from a vessel.

The annual meeting of the University Board of Studies will open to-day. There will be present five representatives from each of the five university colleges, viz., Otago University—Professors Benhani Gilray, Ingles, Jack, and Thompson; Canterbury College—Professors Chilton, Gabbatt, Hight, Salmond, and.Walls; Auckland University—Professors Dettmann, Eggerton, Johnson, Segar, and, Walker; Victoria University College-irofessors Adamson, Mackenzie, Sommerville, Dr. Cotton, Mr. C. Wilson.

A rather unfamiliar portrait of the German Crown Prince is given in tho "Forum" by Captain Edward\Lyell Fox, an American who lived in Berlin for many years before the war. Before his father unloosed the plague of war on tho world the Crown Prince was spoken of at homo as an unbeschriebenes Blatt, meaning the unwritten page. We have generally regarded him as a fatuous philanderer. Captain Fox's verdict is very different. "The Crown Prince," ho writes, "is clever—amazingly so. His face does not show it. He has been caricatured to represent a rabbit. There is no denying that his features look weak. He has often been photographed grinning in a silly way; but tho grin can be sinister, too. For Fricdrich Wilheliu is one of tho most dangerous and sinister men in the world. . ■ • Because of his skill as an' actor, because of his ruthless ideas on Divine right, because of his recklessness, of his lack of religious fear—which fear his father has— the Crown'Princo is a much more dangerous man than the 1 Kai6er.

Tho tea and public meeting in connection with tho seventy-fourth anniversary of the Sunday School of the Terrace Congregational Church and tho seini-jubileo of thes uperintendent (Mr. V. Meadowcroft) was held last night, and was attended with great succes. There was a full attendance) at the tea, winch was held in the schoolroom. The tables were artistically decorated by the lady teachers and the young women of the Bible Class/ ■ The pastor (Rev. J. H. Glasson) presided over the public meeting held in the church, and the anniversary hymns were repeated, Mr. A. M. Lewis leading and Mr. C. Howe playing tho organ. The Rev. A. K. Hunt read tho opening prayor, and tho Eev. W. Evans gave a short but spirited address. A strong feature of tho meeting was the singing of the choir, the duets, and the quartets. Congratulatory speeches were made concerning the superintendent's semi-jubilee. Tho event of the evening was th presentation of "Christ's Jewelled Crown" by twentyfoul's cholars. It was arranged by tho Mi6ses Mackie, and really was a beautiful pioco of workmanship, most capably demonstrated. Tho ' total collections ■ amounted to cs33.

In the Supreme Court yesterday after the grand jury had retired and the common jury had been sworn His Honour Sir. Justico Chapman announced the armistice with Austria and forthwith adjourned the sitting until 2.30 p.m. The foreman of the grand jury, was called and informed of what had happened, and was asked to bring in at least two true bills so that the Court' might proceed with business and the grand jury could then adjourn or finish consideration ot the- cases.

Tho man Albert V. Morine, who was arrested at Ngaike on October 23, on a charge of having caused actual bodily harm to his daughter by gouging out her eyes, is at present in Mt. Eden Gaol, in a padded cell. When the charge against him was mentioned at the Auckland Magistrate's Court on Friday, it was stated that the gaol surgeon had certified the'man to be mentally unsound, and had reported that it would be unsafe to remove him meantime from the padded cell. Tho charge against the accused was formally adjourned for a week; pending arrangements to have him removed for mental treatment under iprop.er restraint.