LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 37, 7 November 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 Reinforcements have Teached a port of call, "All well."

A Press Association cablegram from Sydney states that the Masters and Engineers' Association has decided to amalgamate with the Merchant Service Guild, thereby securing an important fusion amongst the various classes of snips officers.

Yesterday Wellington was alive with peace stories. Apparently two dayJs without some of tho enemy caving in was too much for the rumour-mongers who set tho city agog. People actuMly flocked into town to see the celebrations, and lack of confirmation of Oho rumours was little heeded.

"There are Jionest drapere as well. rts honest lawyers," remarked Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central), amidst laughter, in the House of Representatives last night, "but .tho way 6ome of the drapers are fleecing tho public is an ■absolute disgrace to the country. Some articles are being made out of c.repe de chine at a cost of 155., practically without trimmings, and yet they will be sold for three or four guineas in the shops; There never ivas such a time for the drapers to make money, as the present time. , "

The total number of persons arrived in Now Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year ended March 31, 1918, was 2066. Of this number 171 wero assisted to tho Dominion by tho Government. The number of assisted immigrants in 1914 was 50C4. •

A Press Association cablegram from Adelaide 6tates that there were strong earth tremors in the city and various parts of the country at ten o'clook yesterday morning. Houses rocked and articles were displaced. Nb dama'ge was done.

A chimney fire in Bowon Street occurred last evening:. The Fire Brigade was summoned and quickly suppressed the outbreak.

The man Heavy, who was injured in tho Taranaki Street fire on Tuesday night, was last night reported to be progressing very well. ■ . K. conference between representatives of tho New Zealand Drivers Union and representatives of the employers of the New Zealand drivers will bo held at 10 a.m. to-morrow, to discuss terms and conditions for a new' industrial agreement. The men's delegates aro:—Messrs. G. Davies and J. Con-sill (.Auckland), J. Crawford (Napier), J. Rosa (Wanmnui), H. Hunter (Christchurch), and W. Herbert (Dunedin).

The High Commissioner has forwarded tho following information concerning tho death in action on April 16 last of Lance-Corporal Alfrad M'Call, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. MX'all, late of Palmerston North, and now of Hataitai. It was reported some time ago that the deceased soldier was a prisonor of war, but tho report proved incorrect. Tho lato soldier left New Zealand with the Thirty-second lleinforcements, being attached to ihe entrenching battalion. Ho joined the Post and Telegraph Department on leaving school, being in the Vost Office at Fostpn for several years, and was afterwards transferred to tho Eotorua office, from which he entered camp. He was a brother of Mr. M. ,T. M'Cftll, of Terrace End, and Mr! J. P., M.Call, of Eongotea. His brother Eobert lost his life at Gallipoli, whilo another brother is at present in England, having been wounded at tho Sonime offensive in 1917.

Tho Queensland Government expert's experiments disclosed that chalcid wasp plays an important part in tho destruction of pupao of the blowfly pest (states a Press Association cablegram from Brisbane). Stops are being taken,to utilise this knowledge widoly.

At the meeting of the Board of Studies yesterday the much-diecussed question of tho external examination-was once moro considered. While a substantial majority of tho board are agreed that tho present system is unsatisfactory, and that somo chango is desirable, ii has proved difficult to find a new .system which shall moot with general approval. After much discussion the board finally decided to send forward tho following for consideration by tho Senate:—"ln each subject a board of examiners, consisting of tho responsible teachers in tho four colleges, with whom may be oesociated, if ihe Board of Studies on the recommendation of tho teachers of tho subject thinks fit, an assossor who may or may not be a teacher at an affiliated college." Alternative proposals were further adopted, to bo considered by Senato in case this one should bo rejected.

Tho member for Wellington Central (Mr. P. Fi'aser) is asking ihe Minister of Defence under whoso instructions tho Trentham orchestra undertakes engagements to nlny at public entertainments, and what "the terms and conditions of such engagements arc. Further, whether ho considers it in accordance with military oticiuetto for the said orchestra, to enter into competition with tho professional musicians of Wellington who depend upon their profession for their livelihood?"

Golden Rnlo candles lighting and delighting New Zealand. Study the splendid world lifting design oa oyery packet. Ask grflocis.-Aavt.

Tho Wollington College sports, winch wero postponed liwt .Friday, will take pliicu next I'Vidny. If llio day is lino they will bo of an interesting nature, iisilio entries ni'o large and Ilic (spirit of tho boyn lnnsl; witliiifciaslic. Many friends nro expected io attend, and old boys of tho Bolmol, especially ooldicr old boys, will bo heartily welcomed.

Complaint was inadn by Mr. W. T. Jennings (Taiiiiiariinni) in tho House of Jicprcsenlatives yesterday Unit people in tho outlying districts 'had not been advised by telegraph , of the downfall of Austria'and Turkey. .He desired to know .whether tho Puetniastor-Gonoral 'would issue instructions that when further important news comes to hand the fact would bo communicated to every part of the Dominion. Sir Joseph Ward replied that ho would bo very glad to look into t'hn matter. Homo little time ago, owing to tho cost of cables in connection with defenoo matters, tho distribution of a number of unimportant messages was stopped, and it was possible that tho -instructions on the point wore misconstrued by the officials thinking that information of tho naturo of that lately received whs not to be .convoyed by telegraph. He wanted to make it quito clear that on nil developments in connection with the present situation ho would iesuo definite instructions Shut particulars bo telegraphed to all stations.

Mr. .T; G. Bruce, who usually conducts watcrsido workors' appeals before the military service boards was unable, through illness, to be present at tho sitting of tho First Wellington Board yesterday, unci tho appeals worn made by Mr. J. Glover, president of tho Watersiilo Workers' Union.

Tho mooting of tho Onslow Borough Council which, was to havo been hold last ovening lapsed for want of a quorum. Among thoso who wero unable to lie present was Councillor Appleton, who was taken ill yesterday.

Tho proposals of tho Moderate League with referenco to tho liquor question wero to have been propounded to the l'rime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward yostorday. A deputation assembled and waited on tho Minieter, but owing to tho absence of Mr. D.'M. Findlay, president of tho league who was prevented from being present owing to the difficulty experienced in berthing tho Maori, the submission of the league's representations was postponed until 10 a.m. on Saturday. This is tho second occasion upon which a postponement has been made. A fixture had been made for the reception of the deputation last Saturday, but owing to the time of tho Dominion's leaders having boon' taken up for a longer period'than was anticipated by another deputation au arrangement was made for the representatives of the Moderate league to be heard yesterday. Tho annual reports of the Resident Commissioners at tho Cook Islande for last year were presented to Parliament yesterday. The Itarotongan imports for the year were valued at .£BO,OOO, an increase of .£21,000 over the previous year. New Zealand supplied ..ttW.OflO worth of Roods and the United States came next with .£14,000. Owing to the curtailment of shipping, exports, consisting chiefly of copra, oranges, bananas, and tomatoes, fell from .£68,000 to .£60,000. The fruit and copra crop this year, the xtiport states, lias been one of the best on record, and during this season it was anticipated that 150,000 to 200,000 cases of fruit would be exported to New Zealand. With adequate shipping space half a million cases could be sent. A report from Niue Island showed that tie exports had increased from .£3379 in the previous year to .£9400 in 1917.

The second annual conference of the New Zealand Retail Watchmakers and Jewellers' Association was held in Chnstchurck. Representatives were present from Auckland, Feilding, Napier, Qisborne, Wellington, Chnstchur,ch,_ Dunedin, and Invercargill. The following officers were elected:—President, Mr. F. P. Osmond Smith (Canterbury); presidentelect, Mr. W. Coltman (Auckland); hem. treasurer, Mr. M. M. Hoinemann (Wellington); delegates to the executive council, Messrs. P. N. Denton (Auckland) L. W Ludwig' (Canterbury), H. b. Hislop (Hawke's Bay), W. Crawford lington), H. W. Lloyd (Otago), D. Gillies (Nelson and Marlborough). During the conference the visitors were entertained by the members of the looal association. The next conference is to be held in Auckland during October of next year.