LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 108, 31 January 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Secretary, General Post Office, advises as follows: Wireless messages written in any of the authorised cable code-, except Riverside code, may ,now be accepted. Any such message to Radio Awnma or Radio Wellington must be telegraphed to Wellington, and those to Radio Awanui or Radio Auck-' land to Auckland for censorship. Tho remarks "refer to censor" Auckland or Wellington as the case may be, must be inserted in the instructions and ttleri'.phed. The name of the code must appear in the instructions, and a, translation must be attached. Messages in private code must not be accepted. The Secretary of the General Post Office advises that the Pacific Cable Board announces that the delay on traffic for the United Kingdom is not now excessive. Complimentary reference to the work of Sir James Allen as Minister of J'efence was made at yesterday's conference of the New Zealand Association of Nurserymen by Mr. R. Nairn, of Christchurch, the newly-elected president of the association. Sir James Allen had attended the conference for the nurpose of combating a suggestion that had'been made at the previous day's sitting regarding the stoppage of a soldier's pension. "I think it is a 6plendid tiling that we have a Minister like this, who, when he Jias been charged with an offence, can" come here like a soldier and fight us," remarked Mr. Nairn after Sir James Allen had concluded. "He is a fit man for the position of Minister of Defence, and we may congratulate the people of New Zealand on having ei:ch a man at tho head of the Defence Department. Despite all the things that have been said about him he is the man for the job." Mr.' Nairn's eulogy was warmly applauded by the delegated. The harbour steamer Duchess met with a slight mishap yesterday afternoon, On netiring the wharf at Rona Bay on , her 2.30 p.m. trip from town, a north-westerly gale made it a difficult task to berth her. In berthing the vessel was carried so closft inshore thnt the bow touched tho bottom and held for the best part of an hour. The stern also swung round and struck the wharf, resulting in slight damage being done to the belting on the ship and the deck fittings in that quarter. A new tramcar for Sydney has been designed by the tramway department, and is at present undergoing trial. The car is designed to carry seventy passengers, and is generally lighter in design than tiie cars hitherto in use. One alteration is that of the life-saving gear. Instead of the old cow-catcher device there is a wooden tray, which, the moment the front shield is struck, drops on to the rails, and would pick up anyone who happened to full under, ths front of the tram, preventing him from getting under the wheels. Another new device that is being tried is an excess speed alarm. It is a gong attachment to the nxle, and can be set to register at any speed. When that speed is exceeded tho gong rings, and is a. warning to the driver to reduce. The idea is, iiot as may bu supposed, to run a slow tram service, but rather to even up the speed and conserve electric power. The device has not been in use long enough yet for satisfactory tesis to be made. The Government prohibition of the export of postage stamps has been withdrawn. : Speaking at a meeting at Eltham on Wednesday night, Mr. D. M. Findlay, president of tho New Zealand Moderate League, gave an emphatic denial to the reported suggestion made by the Rev. air, Gray in Wellington that the league was the mouthpiece of the liquor trade, and stated that the only cause advocated by the league was protection of the rights nnd liberties of tho moderate public. The annual report of the Aborigines Department of West Australia shows an estimated increase in the native popular tion within touch of civilisation of 1200. The total is estimated at 15,767, exclusive of 10,000 wild blacks. The • protector points out thai forty-four convictions for cattle stealing iu West Kimberley cost the Government £1500 for the maintenance of tho prisoners. He suggests that a native cattle station, like Moola Bulla in East, Kimberley, would save that cxponse and stop cattle spearing. Pohulukawa (the New Zealand Christmas tree) is probably one of the most picturesque native trees extant, and it is gratifying to sea how it has come into favour in Wellington during recent years. There are several fine pohutuknwns in the Courtenay Place reserve, which have shown a wealth of their feathery crimson blossoms for the past month, giving the little oasis a dash of warm colour. The pohntukawa flourishes readily throughout tho district, and is partial to tho seaside. What promises to be one of the finest exhibits of these trees in Wellington can now be teen on the Miramnr Borough Council's reserve known as the "Zig-Zag," the track over the hill from Miramar North to Karaka Bay. The pohutukawa, in common with otlier flowering trees, was about threo weeks or a month behind the usual time this year, owing to the dull, cold, and altogether unseasonable 'weather ..which has marked the holiday period. A farmer in the King Country, who was visited recently by a water divinor, discovered that right underneath tho iiiglenook, where the big armchair stands, a big stream of water flows (states tho Auckland "Star"). Whenever this farmer sat down after his day's work his rheumatics used to give an extra twinge or two, but this he put down to the exertions of the day. Now ho says hn feels sure it is caused by the stream of water running under where he sits. Ho says that as soon as ever the labour market adjusts itself he -.ill Khift his house to another site, where the water diviner says thei'o are. no underground streams, and where he oxpazts freedom from the pains and aches of his rheumatism. Some JuRO-Slftvs who have been spending their holidays in Auckland, becoming enamoured with tho joys and pleasures of city life, were anxious to find jobs near the city, and offered to reclaim the Stanley Bay Park area at about JilOfl les9 cost than locnl contractors had offered to do tho work, remarks the "Star." They even went the length of depositing a considerable sum of money as a guarantee of good faith that they would carry out tho work. A rudo awakening came when the local authority went over to tho Jugo-Slav ofiice to see how matters stood with the men. Commissioner Cullen found, when the nnmes were referred to him, that the men had not registered as he had requested them to do for many months by advertisement in the leading newspapers. Ho refused them permission to do any work outside Government work, and served them with ft notice to report to the railway engineer thirty miles north of llclensv'illo by 10 o'clock ou January 31, for tunnel work. "I wish I had never come to Auckland," said one of the men, "because now Mr. Cullen has sent me to a job where I can have no fun, and only earn about twelve bob a day; at Stanley Bay I would' have earned n „£!." It is stated that the Jugo-Slnvs iire experts at reclaiming work and buildin;' retainiiiK-walls, but nt the iirrsent time the l>vonport Dorough Council could not dral with the men «s other arnui"Piiu;nts are pending, lint in Hie meantime Commissioner Cullen has scored, nnd "ot an extra, man or two for urgent railway tunnelling work at Maungatul'oto.

Since the Soldiers' Settlements Act run? Mito operation the Wt'liinstoiWiand HuW; has hiiil ii grrat ilenl of work to .•itleiid to in LJj re.->]>eut, mid this work is expanding us the number of returning men' increnses. Yesterday the board was engaged oil day in dealing with applications tvnd interviewing prospective soldiersettlers The ordinary business of the bowrd will be J»*lt ymh to-dt^

According to information received from Nelson, raspberries nnd hops are late this year, and the raspberry yield will voinnare very unfavourably with that of last year. Although hops were in bloom at this time last yeur, this year, they are not fully grown. Stone fruit is reported to bo very scarce, while, on the other hand, the apple orchards, especially round Upper Moutcre district, are flourishing, and a plentiful yield is promised. All the municipal offices nnd libraries will be closed to-day, the ocension being the annual picnic of the City Corporation staff, The following amended regulation is gazetted affecting the time for the compulsory registration of senior cadets:— "Senior cadets become liable for registration unci training in June of the year in jwhich they attain the age of iourtcen years, or on uny later date on which they cense to attend school. Those who attain thn age of fourteen years between June 1 and December 31 will, providing they are not attending school, be posted at' the posting in June that year, and those who are attending school will be posted to companies of senior j cadets by officers in charge of groups I directly they leave school." ; The Invercargill Chamber of Commerce ; has sent the following, to all shifting ! companies in the Dominion:—"! am • directed by the lnv.'i'cargill Chamber of i Commerce to remind you that Bluff as j a port of call has suffered rather, more I than its share during the war. Mer- | chants and shippers of produce and other j goods have frequently been forced to pay ! transhipping rates when other centres Mvere enjoying.comparatively good faciliI ties. Normal conditions are now well ! on. the way, and the chamber trusts that Bluff as a mnin port will be reinstated !jv your company at an early date."— Press Assn. Scots College new building at Miramar, immediately to the c-aat of the Miramar golf links, is making slow progress. The I Tate of building has been seriously dei layed on account of the non-arrival of I consignments of fibrous plaster for the interior walls, and the delay in the de--1 ivory of New Zeaknd-made roof tiles (of the Marseilles pattern). As the new college is to open on February 18, the work had to be pushed on with somehow *o\ other, and the "quad" building (not ! the main front structure) has had to be j temporarily roofed with asbestos slates. ! The first section of the main building is ; now up to the third story, but will take ! some time to finish off owing to the luck ' of essential materials. i By amendment of the regulations gai zetted it is provided that the- holder i' of a trout license may fish for salmon iu i any river up to and including February j 28 next, provided that no person may i lake more than six salmon in any on« J day. • Deer shooting regulations for the corn : j ing season are "gazetted. The season for i Marlborough will he from February 23 to April 30, and no licensee is to kill more than eix red deer slags or fallow dew bucks. No hinds, does, or fawns are to be taken or killed, and no stag may be killed with antlers of less than eigut points. In the Wairarapa the season Kill ]>e from April 1 to May 31, Stalkers may kill four stage and six hinds, but no stag may be killed with j less than ten points. In other parts of i the Wellington district the limit is f wo stags, and the smallest head to l>e taken ten points. The season will be as for Wairarnpa. The fumigation ami cle msiiig of public schools was. mentioned at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board by Mrs. Baume, who asked whether til cupboards had been opened and their contents disinfected when the echbols were fumigated after the epidemic. The schools had been closed hurriedly, and books, sewing, and other articles in use by the pupile. had been put away in cupboards. In one school the girls had just finished 30 sets of pyjamas for the Bed Cross Society. Having been shut up in these cupboards for three months, would it be safe to send them to the military, hospitals as intended? This question was one which was causing a good deal of uneasiness to parents nnd teachers. The board's architect gave assurance tlint orders had 'been issued for complete and thorough fumigation, and another disinfection and cleansing wonld be given the schools before they reopened ne.xt week. Dr. lleckin stated that there would be i.o danger of infection whatever, as the influenza germ was very short lived. No new cases of influenza were reported on Tuesday from the quarantine station at Motuihi, where the toiifflt and 'two "contacts" were pmeefl upon arrival of the Niagara from Sydney on Saturday, (says, the "Herald"). The original patient and the two "contacts" who have since been attacked by the disease are ail improving steadily. It is not expected that the ether contacts will be released before the end of the iiresent week. Indignation at tho laxity t 'own by the New Zealand an.fliorities in dealing with the disease was expressed by Dame Nellie Melba, a passenger by the Niagara, in (he course of an interview with a "Herald" representative. "It is about time some American thoroughness and bustle were introduced into New Zealand, and Australia as well," she said, "to ropiace the present sleepy attitude to these matters:. One is amazed at the lightness with which the disease is treated." The following nominations have- been received in connection with the election of a member of the Post and Telegraph Promotion Board constituted under the Post and Telegraph Depigment Act, 1918: Messrs. James Aitken, clerk, Chief Post Office, Wanganui, and James Joseph Mulvey, chief clerk, Telegraph Office, Wellington. The election will take place on Wednesday, February 12, 1919. At a special meeting of'the Masterton brunch ot" the Farmers' Unkn on Wednesdiiv, the question of AVnira.'apa railway facilities was discussed. Mr. Hugh Morrison urged that it was imperative that an improved railway service lie instituted, and unless the Wairarnpa. set up a determined agitation it would probHbiv get left. Mr. G. B. Sykea, M.P., maintained that there could be no adequate service while tho Rinmtaka Incline remained in the way. Hβ maintained tlint stops should not be made at flag stations on the Wellington side of the Kimutaka. The Kimutaka. deviation would, he said, prove an economical boon not only to the Wairarajw, but to the whole of the Dominion. After some further discussion it was decided that the executive of the union form a deputation to the Minister of Railways -upon the subject. A series of regulations are gazetted ro gnrding the control of tho Dominion iUfln Association end the annual prize meeting. The regulations provide that the association shall be under the jurisdiction of tho Department of Defence, nnd that the camp at Trentham at the time of the big shoot every year shall bo for all purposes be doomed to bo a camp. Tho Director of Military Training is to be. the rifle club representative iK Headquarters. "Neither an employer nor a worker can contract himself out of tho provisions of an award governing an industry uindo under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts," said Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., in giving a. reserved judgment, in the Christchurcli Magistrate's Court. "A provision in such an award providing that, no youth under a given ago shall be employed in the industry governed by the award is absolute, and it is no defence that a youth under looks over tlint age. If a minimum wage is fixed by an awardi the employer is nt liberty to give fis much over as he pleases, but he cannot rely on hie so doing as a consideration for a modification in his favour of another provision of the award. Where penalties are proceeded for In the Magistrate's Court for breach of an award, it is not competent for the Magistrate to overrule any provision of the award by deciding in equity and good conscience." Numbers of Jngo-Slavs who have failed to respond to tho notices calling upon | them to undertake Government work, or who have left the work in different v-nrts of the country, are now being,interned at I'eatlicTsto'n (says an exchange). Others will be similarly dealt with wnen located. The Silverstream scenic reserve, an area of some KiO acres, has been vested in the Scenic Board. The members of the board are Messrs. Joshua Charle,worth, Wallaceville; William Burtt Lees, Herctaunga; Peter Robertson, Upper Hutt; Oswald Stephen Watkins, Lower Huttj and the Commissioner of Crown Lfliida for the Wellington land district (ex pfficio)i • '

Amongst the passengers who arrived by the Niagara this week was Miss Helen Carson, who ban - cume to Auckland to make preparatory arrangements for Chaiitaiiqua gatherings in sixteen towns of New Zealand (snys the "Star"). The sessions are expected to opnn in Auckland about the end ot March. Miss Jeannettu Young, who visited New Zealand somo time ago, dirt tin prelimiuiirr work for Auckland by securing the co-operation ol a number of leading citizens, who guaranteed the sum of ,£6OO in 10s. tickets, which admit to the course of lectures. That is estimated to cover half the cost of the visit. 1 lie lecturers are Dr. Bradford (Chancellor of the Oklahoma University), Mr. J. C. Hfirdman, and Dr. Andrew Johnson, and Miss Mildred Leo Clements, a cousin of Mark Twain. Among those who returned by the Niagara from Sydney on Saturday, was Mr. Frederick" Stubbs, F.K.G.S., While in Australia, Mr. Stubbs observed that six o'clock closing of hotels was generally considered to be a success, although there was no doubt that liquor could be obtained by decently-behaved persons after lioure. ■ The success of the measure, was largely its influence in excluding the rowdier'element, and in reducing the temptation to excess. Throughout the war period money had been more plentiful than ho hf>d known it to be previously. There was also much activity in what, had come to be called tho "luxury" businesses. There wa« very strong popular opinion ngainst the propused visit, of Senator Pearce to Europe i/i connection with tho repatriation work, t*i>eeifJ!y as he proposed to take his family and forty clerk's. Many of the Australians considered that they were already well represented on the other side of the world. If the trip eventuated, Mr. Stubbs said, it would tend to weaken- the position of the present Government