LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 93, 14 January 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The office of the Naval Adviser has beon informed that 44 New Zealand naval ratings, lately of H.M.S. Doris, left Colombo on January 10 for Melbonrne, from: which port. • they will be returned to New Zealand at the first opportunity. : The Acting-Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) announces that owing to the illness of General Pau the Government has postponed the reception which was arranged for to-morrow. - . A petition in"' bankruptcy has been filed by Franois Charles James Olsen, photographer, of Ngaio. The first meeting of creditors will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. Official information has been received in. AVellington that all wireless restrictions imposed owing to the war, have now been removed. This means that messages may bo sent between shore stations and hospital ships and troopships. The draft of German prisoners who are to be repatriated from the New Zealand internment camps is now practically complete. The original arrangement was to send one hundred men, comprising officers and crew of the See Adler, some prisoners of war brought from Samoa, and interned German civilians. The Defence authorities had some difficulty in completing the draft, however, owing to the unwillingness of most of the interned enemy subjects to return to their natiyo land There has been no compulsion in the case_ of non-military internees, .the Imperial Government considorinc that the disposition of inters ed civilians is a matter to be settled at the Peace Conference. Cabinet yesterday approved of another vote of £3500 for the New Zealand hostel in London conducted by Mr. Nolan. This hostel has been an especially woll-conducted institution, and it hns been much appreciated by the, troops. It has been the custom of the Government to make this grant of £3500 to the hostel every year, and now, although the war is over, there are still men in England who will use the hostel. Forthis reason it has beon considered proper that tho subsidy should ho continued.

Striking proof of the almost general immunity of the old from the scourge of influonza is given in tho fact that not a singlo cajs occurred at cither tire Auckland Veterans' Home or the Costley Home. At the former 30 old soldiers, mostly between 80' and 90 years of ago, passed untroubled through all the long period of sorrow and suffering, immune from the deadly attack of tho onomy which laid low 'so many thousands of the young and vigorous. The same fortunato immunity was experiencod by 270 aged men and woihimi ut the Costl'oy Homo. The place was closed to visitors, and the only cases which occurred were ono or two among the staff.

A special general order issued by Defence Headquarters gives instructions regardinp: accounting, caro and custody of Territorial and Cadot clothing, arms, equipment, furniture, and other public stores on issue to units.

The price of second-hand corrugated galvanised iron roofing has declined somewhat since tho armistice was signed. A lot of 200 sheets marked with nail holes was submitted to auction by an Auckland firm of auctioneers last week, and the prices realised were from os. to-7s. 6d. a length, as compared with 9s. 6d. a length upwards about two months ago. Before the war second-hand roofing iron sold at about 3s. 6d. a length.

"Thcro is a feeling abroad that the war just concluded will spell the end of wifr and everlasting peace will be ushered into the world," said Sir "William Fraser at a welcome homo social at Gore on Wednesday night to distiiut soldiers who have returned from the front. "Do not be too optimistic. For my own part I do not think it will. Prompt justice in its fnlJt-st sense should, however, be ■ n'cted cut to those most grievous wrongdoers vho waged a barbarous fight. Lot theleaders understand that. Tf wo let them go unpunished it will only Oe sn incentive for them to do such tilings again. They are absolute murderers, and should be treated as such."

At the afternoon session of tho Now Zealand Educational Institute yesterday, Mr. Frank Armstrong, of Dunedin, read by invitation a paper on "Dental Examination and Treatment of School Children." Mr. Armstrong said that there wera 200,000 school children in the Dominion. The Government roust insist on every school being dentally clean, and it must provide the school children with tho same treatment as had been givero the soldiers —. treatment that was freo and compulsory. The commandant of the Dental Corps had laid 1 it down that as a considerable percentage of the fit male population sent away would ; never return, it was of tlie utmost importance that every offort should be made, to assist any. scheme which would tend to the' improvement of the general health ard virility of the people of tho Dominion, and if the Government neglected its opportunity with the school children it assumed responsibility ior something amounting to criminal negligence. The Government had done-' something. It had lasrt down a really grand foundation, in starting State-trained dentists. "Moreover, the Minister of Education was going to establish a travelling dental clinic. Teachers should do their host to put before the Government the general needs of the children) and suggested means of meeting those needs, Hfc Armstrong was accorded a rote of thanks, and was- informed that the institute intended to discuss the whole question, late).

Even though ho may still be able to obtain his favourite stimulant'.during the next three or four years, . the whisky drinker need not hope for any reduotion in its cost, says a southern paper. Laest advices are to the effect that there is only a two-years' supply in Britain, and' as permission to resume manuf aoture ■is not likely to be given for another twelve months, and bearing in mind the fact that the spirit takes at least three years to mature-, the prospects would appear to bo rather in favour of a rise than a decline- in price.

A firm in the north-west of England is solving tho problem of tho need of houses for workers by the erection of a garden village. Tim scheme embraces four to five thousand houses for tho accommodation of 15,000 people At present 300 are in the course of construction. There aro enclosed grass spaces for recreation purposes along the front of each block. A churoh, school, playground, and refreshment house are included in the plans. The village has already its own farm for supplying railk.

The Superintendent of Mercantile Marine sit Wellington yesterday held a preliminary inquiry into the cause of tho destruction of the American barque Aryan at sea on Christmas Day. The evidence taken has yet to come before the Marine Department, but it is unlikely that further investigation will be made owing to the foreign nationality .of 'tho owner of the Aryan.

In a post-card dated November 1, from Switzerland,' addressed t« the Hon. C. A. C. Hardy, M.L.C., of Cliristchurch, Colonel R. 11. Rhodes, M.P., says:—"l havo just finished a visit to fifteen New Zealanders interned in Switzerland. I found them in InterlakenlMurren, Chateau dOen, Vevey, and Geneva. All doing well, but, of course, anxious to got back or get another smaok at the Uoche. Some are attending educational classes and others are in mechanical workshops, but the instruction , given is not equal to the standard in New Zealand hospitals and camps in England. There are too many difficulties in the w«>\" •. " •

Apparently with a view to tho protection of gnards and porters, the Railway Department has decided to supply muzzles for dogs when in transit by rail, and make their use compulsory wbfen the Department deems 'it desirable. The general manager state* that the arrangement cannot, howover, be brought into force until a supply of muzzles can be obtained, i.nd supplied to stations, and until a regulation has been brought .in giving Hie Department; the necessary powers t" enforce the uso of muzzles.

At yesterday's meeting of the New Zealand Fxlucational Instiute the chairman introduced Mr. J. Cowles, a formpl president. Mr. Cowles, who was not a young man, acknowledged theapplause with which he* was greeted by observing that the institute, having a few moments before condemned the principle of veneration for antiquity, had been so kind as to make an exception in his favour. : A company with a capital of £100,000.. .under the name of Wairakei, Ltd., has been formed and registered in Auckland for the purpose of purchasing tho well-known AVavraKei Estate This property, which is situated on the ttotorua-Taupo-Napier Itoad 1 , has been in the possession of the Graham family for nearly Torty years . It is about 50 miles from Rotorua and six miles from Taupo. The estate contains in tho Wairakei and Wniroa Valleys one of tho most rem/irUable collections of thermal wonders, in tho world, including the Wairakei geyser, the champagne cauldron, tho Karapiti blowhole, I and the Huka Falls, and in addition to the Goyster Vallcv Hotel, the property embraces over 4000 acres of land. The Waikato River is one of the boundaries, and at this point it affords some of the best fishing obtainable It is proposed by the company to devote £50,000 to the development of tho property. Tho company's schemo provides for tho ercotion of au up-to-date hotel capable of accommodating over 200 guests, the formation of golf links, tennis courts, bowling greens,-■ the building of modern bath-housos, and generally every provision for the pleasure of tho tourist, sportsman, and hcnlth-soekor. Tho company will take possession of tho property at the end of May next, wheni the estensivo .improvement works will be commenced. A large labour conference called by tlio New Zealand Federation of iJabour will meet in Wellington on January '25. It is stated that senmen, miners, waterside workers, and railway workers are among the brunches of labour to ho represented.

"During the last sovoral years I linvo consistently recommended tho ninnlKcinatiou of tlic dairying interests in South Auckland," is the statement of Mr. H. E. Pacey in his -resignation lo tho New Zealand Dairy Association. "My withdrawal from tho Inisiness," ho suggests, "may facilitate such oninlgarosvtion, and I venture to recommend, in the interests of the producer, that this end be eought," '

Mr. F. L. Combs, M.A., claimed at yesterday , * meeting of tho New Zealand Educational Institute that he knew a, gaol, which, in point of architecture and general appearance, tended mors to the uplift of the human mind than did tho building doing duty as Nowtown School.

"I have not yet read of any prisoners of war being worse fed than I was as an apprentice in a British sailing ship." Tiiis remark was- made to a Dunedin "Star" reporter last week by a. sea captain, who explained that he had 110 wish to minimise the sufferings of prisoners of war. But it was cn\v since he had heard people expressing dismay at the short rations accorded some prisoners of war that ho realised how shore people never understood the semi-starvation experienced by seamen on deep-water sailing ships almost up to the beginning of the present war. This captain's experience as an apprentice was not different; he said, from the experience of thousands of other sea apprentices. The "pound and pint" scale of rations, as it was called, was really a carefully-compiled minimum of existence. Ho coum recall how, at the end of a three-month passage, he and his fellow-apprentioes, as soon as they got ashore, would buy a loaf of bread, and on coming out of the shop where it was purchased, bie.ak it in pieces and cat it in the street. Nowadays, when he hears or reo.ds of the departed glory of the old wiling ship days, his memory mostly serves Up to him a wearisome lousing for a good 'square meal.

An officer in command of an American detachment of engineers reports that at St. Martin-Riviere a powerful charge of explosives was found in the bell of.the village church. The explosives wero connected-by a wire to the altar, tho end.of the.wire being fastened to the monstrance, which, if'moved, would havo caused an explosion which would have wrecked the church. Tho Germans were well aware that the infernal machine might cause victims amongst tho civilians, as a number of tho inhabitants, including the priest, wero still in the village. . v

The difficulty, of securing vented homes lias been acute in Auckland during the past year, and there seems at present little prospect that conditions will be lightened for many.months tp come, remarks the "New Zealand Herald." The far-off easy days when one might take a stroll through any of the city's residential streets in leisurely search of the familiar sign "To Let—Apply within." now seem liko some happy dream to the weary householder who haunts the office of one after another 'of the land estate oiScee, seeking a.home for his family. "We have not a single liouse to let- on sur hooks," said two of Auckland's leading house agents, whilo a third, who said ho had quite a lot, immediately dampened the swift,hope of the inquirer by adding that they were the poorer type o""i house'in. localities not.usuaijy described .as "residential." Tho consensw» of opinion was that the position in Auckland was likely to grow worse rather than better in' the near future, for the reason that largo numbers of men will be returning from service, anxious to settle down and liiake homes of their own. Judging by immediate prospects, this happy state of affairs is likely, in many instances, to bo 1 considerably delayed..

Little stories of Cieneral Pau are becoming puhlio property that oil go to show the wonderful way he has oE doing gracious, graceful things, the kind of nets that come only from a kindly heart, says an _ Australian writer. At a function durine his stay in Melbourne he was seated next a olergyman, who made excuses to the guest of honour for having to leave early, on. the plea that he had to perform a wedding ceremony. On hearing, this interesting piece: of news tho great soldier took from beside his plate an exquisite bunch of lily of the valley that had been placed there, gave it to the clergyman, and asked'him to present it to tho bride with his best wishes for her future happiness.

' Very ljttle is heard of the lino hospital at Etambrires, in.France, maintained by the. New Zealand Government for French women and'children who havo been driven out of their homes by the invasion of France. The institution, which has been maintained for the last two years, was mentioned last week at Tai Tapu by Sir Jaraea Allen, who said that he had asked Colonel Rhodes, M.P., to report on it while in France. The hospital was. an earnest of what New Zealand desired to do for France. It was right that those who had euffered so little should help those who had suffered. foi France. New Zealand hoped that the industries and commerce of France would flourish and prosper, and what the Dominion could do for the men and women of France who had fought so gallantly would bo done willingly. Sir James Allen's words were received with the heartiest applause. During war'e turmoil one of the many industries that suffered was that pf gold production (says the Auckland "Star"). The cost of materials, for one thing, seriously hampered , opera-, tions, added to which many good miners went away with tho tunnelling corps, and with labour scarce, living high, work plentiful at good wages,, it was not to be expected that anything in the way of looking for new finds would be undertaken. As a matter of fact, outside of .the Ohinemuri County comparatively little gold production has taken place. Even with well-establish-ed mines like tho Waihi Grand Junction and Talisnian, it was not an inducement to increase tho output of bullion when it .wa6 known that a heavy income tax had to be faced. During 1918. several companies ceased operations, some of them temporarily, whilst others closed down permanently. Amongst the latter was the WailuPaeroa. Gold Extraction Company,, which had been recovering , bullion from tailings in the Ohinemuri River. Since 1912 this company recovered bullion to the value of £277,961, out of which £18,700 wae distributed in dividends, As already, stated, ' mining outsideOhinemuri County has been a negligible quantity during tho year 1918. The total output of bullion from mines in Ohinemuri County was £506,188 18s. 6d. for tho past year. From other parts" of the Hauraki fields the yield was only £6081. . France's recognition of Britain's part in tho war was very gratefully expressed by Dr. Andre- Siegfried at the banquet at Akaroa on Thursday. The toast of "The Allied Forces" had been proposed by tho Rev. "J. R. Hay ward, and when Dr. Siegfried rose to respond the combination of clergyman as proposer and doctor of literature as responder seomed at first out of tho ordinary. But tho chairman announced that Dr. Siegfried was a lieutenant in the French Army, and the announcement was received with applause. Dr. , Siegfried, pursuing the subject, said that all tho members, of tho mission had eeen active service, and therefore they could speak as soldiers as well as citizens. He_ said that the victory had been a victory for humanity, and while France was grateful to all who had joined forces with hor they could not forget that Britain had been friends, in the firet hour and had beon frionds at the eleventh hour. Coming in on the first day, they had loughi to tho last day— lint only Britain, but her Dominions. ■<1 raise my glass to Britain," he said, "for the British forces were, in our minds, foremost in the winning of this victory." Dr. Siegfried's speech was most feelingly applauded.