LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 14 November 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The House of Representatives met yesterday, and after discussing (he influenza epidemic and passing a re.-o!iitioi) relating io the. death of the late Mr. A. 11. llindmarsh, it adjourned until Tuesday aftornoon next. The adjournment was due partly to the armistice celebrations and partly to the influenza epidemic, irliich has incapacitated about a dozen members of the House. The Prime Minister indicated that next week an.effort would be made to push ahead with the business. It is understood in the lobbies that tile-Government wishes to complete the work of the session in about a fortnight in order that Mir. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward msy leave for the I'ene.e Conference.

"Do not let us forget those who are not able to be present here to-day to celebrate the signing of the armistice, said the Prime. Minister at the/lown Hall on Tuesday. "I refer to the men and women throughout New Zealand who are doing their duty as citizens and sticking to. their work for our Bakes. We must express our appreciation ol their efforts. Postal oflicers, owl many officers, tramway officers, and many others are working to-day." The Postmaster-General (Sir Joseph Ward) asks The Dominion to remind the .public that the present epidemic is seriously interfering with the efficiency of the ' telephone exchange staff. He trusts that the p.ublic will bear tins fact in mind, and, for « flhort time to come, will make as little use of the telephone exchange os circumstances will permit. Not only are the attendants far fewer in number than ordinarily they would hi, but' tho energies of those who are ou (lutv -ire frequently overtaxed by the cxtr.i'iT'linary demands of the public on iheir Mni-zes. News of the signing of the armistice was waited for ansiously in Napier all Monday night, and the Government has been criticised for apparently withholdinp the new?, says a Press Association message. Tuesday and Wednesday were observed as public holidays. There were processions during the day, end in the evening a thanksgiving service was held on the Parade.

A sensational shooting affair is reported from Timaa'ii (says the 'Lyttelton Times"). An escaped prisoner, William Clausen, was seen 'by Constables Thompson and Fraser at midnight leaving his home. They told him to stop, and threatened to fire if he did not obey the

command. As there was no response, Constable Thompson fired, and Clausen ivas hit in the body. He was then taken into custody and was .sent to the hospital, where his wound is being attended to. It is believed 'that the wou.nd is not severe. He was arrested on Sunday week on a' charge of breaking into a dwelling, and escaped from custody on Wednesday night.

The practice of some employees J ceasing work at once on the occasion of good news from the front for the purpose of taking part in the celebrations is some•times fraught with distinct, hardship, to the employers. It is stated that a man employed in a bakery not many milee from Dunedin became so rxcited when the « Jiews in regard to Germany came through that he at .'lice left the shop and participated in the rejoicings, quite ignoring the fact that there was a batch of bread in the oven. The bread was badly burned and rendered quite useless for consumption.

The armistice celebrations at Nelson were continued , yesterday, which ivas devoted to children. Over 2000 wero entertained at a sports gathering, and a treat at Trafalgar Park-Press Assn. 'V man named Greenwood, of Upper Hurt, was admitted ■ to the Wellington Hospital last night suffering from injuries to his iegs. The cause of the injuries was a fall from a motor-cycle on the Tlutt Road. At tho Victoria bowling green on Tuesday afternoon a number of members forgathered to celebrate the armistice. Mr. Marcus Marks, in giving the first toast, "The King and British Arms," pnid tho highest tribute to the dogged persistence of the Navy and Army in the long raid exiiausting war whioh had just been brought to such a happy conclusion. Hft felt suro our deepest obligation was duo lo the Navy, which had saved not only tho British "Empire, but the whole world, from ths catastrophe of domination by Germany. He wished to say how proud all wore of the great and self-sacrificing part onr women had played in the war, giving freely of their nearest and dearest and bv their efforts keeping the wheels of industry and supply going at home whilst their men were holding back the enemy in his ruthless effort to attain tho Kaiser's ambition. In concluding Mr. Marks said he desired to voico a feeling lie was sure all present shared—that our reverent thanks be 'given to the Great God of Right for the ending of the war by tho success of our arms. "God Save tho Kins" was feelingly filing by all present. Mr. J. P. Firth gave the toast of "Our Allies," and referred to the splendid work done by each and every one of them in the interests of tho future good government and peace of tho world. He would not discriminate where all had done such noble work, but expressed tho hope that the good tcruisij existing amongst tho Allies would count for the peace of the world for many generations. Those present joined in tho singing of the "Marseillaise." Tho toast of the "New Zealand Boys" was proposal by Mr. W. H. Worboys, and feeling reference ivns made to the fortitude shown j by those who had suffered losses that j wero so hard to bear. Tho gathering terminated with cheers for King and Empire.

Mr. P. V. Frazer, S.M.. held n short sitting of the Magistrate's Court yestiu : day morning, For insobriety four first offenders were convicted and discharged, and one who failed to appear had his bail of ss. forfeited. Joseph Johnston was Convicted and discharged for drunkenness, mid fllso for committing a breach of his prohibition ordei, and at Vis own request was sent to Koto I?oa for twelve months. Wnrid M'Arthur Todd was further remanded until to-day on a charge of stealing luggage valued at £U9, the property of Grace Richardson.

Tho unnecessary panic occasioned in some people- by the influenza epidemic was illustrated in a degree amounting to unnatural lieiirtleasnes* in a ense which came under police notice on Monday night, stales the Auckland "Star." A mnn his wife, and two children wont down with th» malady, and the husband's mother-in-law took tho whole family into her house to >ook after them." The man became delirious, and, managing (o escape his mother-in-law's watel). got into the street and ran away. The Ponsojiby police were notified and eventually located the man at his father's house. His father and mother, both hale and hearty, were outside, as also were a. number of neighbours, and they declined to go inside to assist in attending to their sick son, for fear of infection, or to permit his being kept there. The policeman went to a telephone to summon an ambulance in which (he patient might bo taken backto his rnolher-i flf.liiw's house. Meantime the patient came out of the house, but liohodv amon.e the onlookers would i»o near him, or detain him, with the result Ihit ihe pn':iee.man. on cominsr from the telephone, had to set in chase down Ihn street and catch his patient, and hold "him till the ambulance arrived.! Only one man nmonp; the many spectators volunteered nwistnncn.

At Hie Secondary School Conference, recently held at Cliristclnircli, the following resolutions were passed with regard to tho "splendid work performed in the secondary schools of the Dominion by the Director of Military Training, Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Sleoman. T.G.S." Mr. Milner. the headmaster of Waitalri High School, spoke in most appreciative )o: ins of this officer's invaluable ser\ieis, and his tribute was .warmly endorsed bv other members of the conference. The following resolutions were accordingly passed unanimously, and wilh Ihe sTontcst enthusiasm by those present:—"(l) Thai the Minister of J)eI'piiee be I hanked for allowing LieulcnniitColniiPl Sleemiin to hold 'barracks' in various secondary schools of /enland. (2) That 111" conference express jls warm approval of the benefits conferred by such 'barracks,' and the hope that this lirahch of cadet work may bo '.fiiHlicr developed in the future."

Featherston Camp orders announce the deaths of the following soldiers:—Q.M.S. B. Boock, Private It. D. Benge, Gunner !•'. P. S. Webb, Private P, L. Davis, Private J. Lawn, Sergeant V. S. A. Winter, Private B. Bray. _

Tho services of the fire brigade were summoned a' ii.iS last evening to suppress a s'lght outbreak at No. 0 Onsiow 'iVr-

The vacancy caused on the General Council of Education through the (loath of Mr. T. S. Foster, representative of tile uerlificnted male Icacliers of the public schools of the South Island, has been filled by (lie election of Mr. Walter Kiuk , )". There were- three candidates for Ih? vacancy, and the voting was as follows :•—Walter Jvmley 13-1, Jnmes Bennie 75, I'Yederick Giles Oibbs 53. It may he added that tho teachers did not all vote correctly:, there were 11 informal votes.

A- man named Lukins, of Bourko Street, Kilbirnie, was admitted (o the Hospital yesterday suffering from severe injuries to tho head, caused by a fall from a tram-car. ( • . At a very large meeting of members of Hie Tokaanu section of (he NgatiTinvhnrotoa tribe, held at Tokaann last week, a resolution wns passed amid great enthusiasm expressing joy nt the recent victories over Turkey and Austria, and expressing also the. continued loyalty of Hie Mncri people, to King and country. Several hundred natives were present, and addresses were given by Waaka Tnmaira. Hnko Pnicna, and othfiv prominent Manri.=. Thn proceedings ended with a stirrinj? "»ka of defiance to the enemies of the Kin/,.