LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 67, 13 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Press Association messago from Sydney states that a bush fire in the lUverina district, New South Wales, destroyed 30,000 head of stock.

The inhalation chamber established by the General Post Office in Nathan's Building, Grey Street, will be finally closed this afternoon. In connection with this matter, although the uunvber of persons passing through the chambeo' has fallen <M considerably during the.last ten days, the average per day since tho chamber was opened was 735.

The benefit of sleeping in fresh air is exemplified in the i.nmial report of tho principal of Solway College. Mnsterton, a. paragraph in which states:—"The openair sleeping veraudalts have proved an unqualified success. For many weeks during the second term, despite a phenomenal winter, no colds were reported, and doctors' visits have been conspicuous by their absence; and during this last- mouth, when the Angel of Death has been through' the land, it is with thankfulness that I report that we have been entirely free from the epidemic. Except for tho indisposition of a few girls for one week during the whole year, we have had a cleau bill of health; and.the experience of the year has justified the hoard's policy of' restricting tlie pupils to boarders. In many individual cases there has been a marked improvement in the health of the girls." Four vessels are now being laden with wool and tinned meat ex the liner Dorset, whiqh is stranded on a sandbank near Ward Island. At tho time she took the ground the Dorset was drawine 20ft. of water, and it is considered nnlikelv that she can be refloated at high tide until she has risen 'to at least 23ft. To make this additional six feet of free-board the transhipment of cargo is woceediug nil day and night, and until then no further attempt will be made to tow her off. As far as examination can be made there is no sign of water on tho inside of the ship. ' . . .

A proposition in the interest, of the health of the community in tho future to the effect that the graves of all influenza victims should be sealed for all time has been plnced before the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W.Russell). Tho point raised concerns those applications in the future which may be made for relatives now living to be buried in the same graves as those who died from the opidemic. Reasons vrhv the graves should be sealed have been advanced. Tho Minister has promised to give the proposal careful consideration.

"Are you in favour of cats being legroped at night?" was a question put to Mr. George Frost in the course of his election meeting in the Newtown Library last night. The ensuing roars of laughter drowned the candidate's reply.

A long' list of trade unions which have cancelled their registration under the Industrial Conciliation <rjid .Arbitration Act appears in the current Gazette. Those in the Wellington district arc the Hawke's Bay Freezing Works' Industrial Union of Workers, the Manawatu Freezing; Works Employees' Industrial Union of Workers, the Waipukuvnu branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners' Industrial Union pi Workers, the Wellington Operative' Sausagecasing Makers' Industrial Union of Workers, the Wellington Slaughtermen's Industrial Unionof Workers,. the WhaVn,tu Sausage-casing Makers' Industrial Union of Workers, and the Ngahauranga and Fetonc Slaughtermen's Industrial Union of Workers.

"Wellington is one of the cleanest and one of the healthiest cilies in N'ow Zealand," remarked Mr. George Frost in reply to a question at l.is election meeting at Newtown Inst night. Tim City Council had drawn up a scheme dealing with the replnnning of To Aro flat, hut was prevented" from carrying oiit the work owing to' (ho war breaking out. A town-planning scheme had been prepared and would he rmt into execution as early as possible. The work could not bo carried out at one stroke—it would have to extend over.a period of years,

According to a Press Association message from Sydney, December 27 and 28 have been .proclaimed bank holidays,

Mr. George Parkin, of Cuba Street, has received a letter from his son. Corporal A. R. Parkin, who is a prisoner of war nt Mescliede, Germany. Corporal Parkin was attached to the Entrenching Battalion, and had the misfortune to hr« captured by the Germans in April Inst, la his letter, which is dated July 21, Corporal Parkin states: "I am pleased to say lam in tho best of health. The life hero is a very; lazy one, as we have no work _to <10, being n.c.o.'s, but, nevertheless, it is very monotonous. During 'this last week I have received four parcels, one containing about 61b. of biscuits. < These biscuits are about 3in. square and an inch thick, and when dipped Ln water and left in the sun for an hour or two become soft, and are just like new bread. They are very wholesome and satisfactory. We receive them during the summer.months, but the other nine months of the year we receive 4lb. of bread each week. The second parcel oontained a safety razor, shaving soan, and brush, toothpaste and brush, towel and toilet soap. Parcel No. 3 was: two shirts, two singlets, and a pair of underpants. No. i was a grocery parcel, containing 1 tin beans, 1 tin bully beef. 1 tin' vegetables, 1 tin milk, 1 tin jam. 1 tin butter, Jib. biscuits, lib. rice, Mb. sugar, Jib. tea, soap, tooth powder, shaving soap, salt, pepper, and mustard. We are to receive three of these grocery oeveelf every fp v *- nightj so, on the. whole, T won't he doing so badly if they turn up O.K. There are -two of us New Zenlnmlers and an Englishman and a Scotsman messing together, so, of course., we share all we get."

Asked to state his views on the proportional representation system, Mr. George Frost stated at his election meeting in the Newtown Library last night that he believed in the application of such a principle at Parliamentary elections where parties existed. "But," he added, "I am not in favour of proportional representation at municipal elections, where parties should not exist." An Auckland lady accidentally found herself in an embarrassing, if amusing, situation on Tuesday, the "Star" states. She had commenced to bako some dainties, and, requiring some additional eggs, she rushed down the garden to a fowlhouse, the door of which locked behind her. She tried every limited means in her power to reopen tho door, but it was of no avail, and she was a prisoner with her only outlook through glass, of which the front of the fowlhouse was built. Her two daughters were away from home, and so her calls brought no relief. Her anxiety was intensified by the knowledge that a big fire was in the kitchen stove and tho was full. She gave up hope of getting free. At last her little girl came home, and, after searching the house, found her distressed mother. By this time the contents of the oven wcro utterly destroyed.. The angling season in mid-Canterbury is reported to be cne of the poorest experienced for a' number of years, due principally, to the'almost continual dirty state of the rivers, which have been carrying an unusually large volume of snowwater. However, as the snow on tho hills is now rapidly disappearing, the condi. (ion of the water is quickly improving, and is now in better fishing order than at any previous time during the present season. Some fair baskets have been secured, but the condition'of the trout is not good.

An Auckland citizen, writing to a friend in Christchurch about the infhv enza epidemic, criticises the Hon. G. W. Russell very severely, but adds: "Imust; however, admit he is right in fastening tho blame on the Auckland City Council, as no doubt their negligence in not keeping the city clean offored ft prepared field for tho opidemic. Consideration of the owners' interest has allowed tho existence of hovels which would not be tolerated in any up-to-date city. I believe -he Dutch have had some experience in the past, that it is not good to leave city councils without supervision. The mayors of cities are appointed by (he Government. They are always choson from other districts, and must be trained administrators and lawyers. They stand entirely above'the parties, and prevent any hanky-panky business withinihecouncii. Though this may not bequite democratic, I consider it an excellent measure, and it certainly has caused clean administration in Dutch towns. We are promised now nil sorts of improvements, but I am afraid if the citizens don't insist, the oid slipshop course will he taken again."

A programme of the peace celebrations in the town of Nottingham at the conclusion of tho Crimean War in 185G is still in the possession of one of Auckland's old colonists, Mrs. M. Newton, of Bucklaud, who arrived at Auckland in 1862 in the ship Matilda Wattcnbach, after an eventful voyage of 100 days. Mr. and Mrs. Newton, who are both hale and hearty, have attained the age of 81. 'iho programme still? treasured by Mrs. Newton is ono of those that wero printed and distributed in Nottingham when she and her husband were there as young people 62 years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Newton have in their possession also one of the medals distributed on the same occasion to the school children by the corporation of Nottingham. They are now. looking forward to again seeing a suitable celebration of peace next year.

The Industries Committee of the House of Representatives, which is continuing during the Parliamentary recess its investigations into matters pertainiug to the industries of the Dominion, will commence its sittings in Wellington early in. February. . By advertisement in another column it is requested that persons who desire to give information to the committee will communicate with the secretary at an early date.

"Padre" Walls, for some two years with tho 2nd Wellington Infantry Battalion in Franco, and who escaped injury while in tho midst of' the hottest fighting for that period, eventually received a shrapnel wound in the leg. He did not leave his battalion on this occasion because of tho-need of that particularly trying period, but shortly afterwards suffered an accidental fracture of both legs, anil is now in hospital at Hornchurch. The "padre," who' is known in civil life as Staff-Captain Walls, of the Salvation Army, has won a- magnificent reputation, for himself among the officers' and men of the N.Z.E.F. Before entering the firingline he did a magnificent work at the New Zealand Base at Etaples, establishing and managing a line large institute there. His wife has been indefatigable in her services ' among the sick aiid wounded in tho Wellington and Trentham military hospitals, as official Salvation Army visitor. For two and a half years the former hospitals have been regularly visited, not one week being missed, while the same may be said of iTrentham for the last two years. To giva an idea of the work accomplished, apart from the personal touch, some ,£l2 was expended weekly by Mrs. Walls for the sick and wounded, for comforts of various kinds personally distributed.

The tone of some of the interjections at Mr. George Frost's election meeting at Newtown last night indicated that a portion of tho audience was composed of individuals whose loyalty to tho Empire was open to question. For instance, when the candidate was emphasising his loyalty to the King ho was 'met with the statement that "that gag's finished now." This remark so irritated one of Mr. Frost's supporters that ho instantly rose to his feet and asked that throe cheers bo given for tho Empire as a mark of joy for the great victory which had been accomplished over Germany. Bursts of ribald laughter and jeers 'were the response to the proposal, but cheers were given for the Labour candidate.

The prevalence of sickness in Auckland, and the restrictions upon overseas travelling have had the result of greatly reducing business at the Permits and Passports Office lately, states the "Herald." Although at this timo of the year the rush of holiday travelling, has" usually set in, the uncertainty of present conditions has resulted in a groat falliug-off in the number of applications for permits and passports. The restrictions upon travel in regard to the epidemic have not yot been lifted, and only on most urgent grounds aro permits for Australia being granted. The lifting of war restrictions upon women travellers to England has not yet affected the position' formerly obtaining. Over 300 applications have been held in the Auckland office for the last two years, and circulars were sent recently to intending passengers asking if they' still wish to make the trip. So far very few affirmative replies have been received, overseas travel .still bcjmt .under close restriction.

Owing to the continued shortage of shipping, stocks of coal in Auckland avo still very much depleted, and supplies are far short of demand, the "Herald" states. The greatest care in distribution is being exercised, and strict economy will have to be observed for some time to come. Only one small shipment of coal from the west coast has besn received during the last month, and there is no immediate prospect of any further supply from Australia.

Compliments were passing casually at the meeting of group officials held'yesterday, when flattering references were incidentally made to the valuable work clone by Mr P. Eraser, M.P., in Wellington Central. "I'm bound to say," said the chairman (Mr. H. A. Parkinson), "that I have heard more good things about Mr. Eraser since the epidemic than I heard before." (Laughter.)

"I am distinctly loyal In my King and country, and don't, want to represent anyone who is not," remarked Mr. George Frost in the course of his election address at Newtown last night. "When are you going away?" asked a member of the audience amidst laughter. "That gag's finished now," interjected another. "We have people in New Zealand who would not euro if the country was sold to the Germans to-morrow," continued Mr. Frost. "I am not one of those." "What about Wanganui?" asked another questioner at this stage. "Well, it is about time you went there," was Mr. Frost's retort. He added that he regretted the scandal which had been revealed, as it was ve-- regrettable.

"It is with much pleasure that the King has received the loyal message which you hate addressed to His Majesty on behalf of the Salvation Army. The King gratefully recognises the splendid services of your devoted workers both at home and abroad in promoting the social and moral well-being of the community, and His Majesty prays that under God's guidance their efforts in many lands may continue to benefit those who are in need of a helping hand." The foregoing is the appreciative reply to a message addressed to the King oil behalf of the Salvation Army by General Bramwell Booth on the occasion of the signing of the armistice.

A man named .Tames Raniner, 33 years of age, forawrly employed as.a porter at Pelling's boardinghouse, Eke.tahuna, was brought up for sentence before the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout),at the Supreme Court yesterday for breaking and entering, and stealing n sum of ,£5 6s. The offence, to which Ramnor pleaded guilty, was committed on November 12. During the absence of Mrs. Pelling at Masterton, he broke into her room, and stole the contents of a cashbox. Prisoner was sentenced to two years' reformative treatment.