LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 122, 17 February 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

About 1.15 a.m. yesterday a fire was discovered in an- unoccupied threeroomed cottage at the corner of Eden Street and Dee Street, Island Bay. The blaze was first noticed by a Mr. William Conlin, whose attention was attracted by the reflection in his bedroom. The Fire Brigade arrived) on the scene- as soon as possible, but the place had by that time been entirely destroyed. Particulars as to insurances and the ownership of the house were not available yesterday.

•Our' travelling correspondent, telegraphing from Marton, states that Mr. G. L. Marshall, Morton provincial president of the Farmers' Union, suggested at a meeting of the executive that the name of the Farmers' Union be altered. He considers that the term "union" has been virtually dragged into the mire by the actions of the trade unionist, and the term, to use a. vulgarism, stank in his nostrils.

A Nelson soldier in a letter stated that General Richardson informed his unit that he had to arrange for the passages of two thousand wives out to New Zealand, while another two thousand would be ready to leave England during the next few months.

According to the balance-sheet of the Wellington Choral Union, the receipts of the recent performance of "Elijah" tendered as a valedictory compliment to the retiring conductor, Mr. Robert Parker, amounted to £lli 13s. sd. The expenses amounted to ,£6B 9s. Id., and Mr. Parker was handed a cheque for £iS 4s. id. Apart from that, his fee as conductor was 6s. Bd. A new conductor will be appointed at the annual meeting next week. The appointment will in all prob> ability be given to a gentleman whose ability as a conductor of choral musicis well established in Wellington. The committee has recommended Mr. A. Temple White.

At noon on Friday the historic Awapuni camp was officially closed down. In preparation for this step a detachment of soldiers were employed throughout the past few -weeks in disbanding the camp and the partial demobilisation of the Medical Corps stationed there. Those men who- were not discharged were, together with a number of returned- soldiers, dispatched for duty to various stations and hospitals throughout the Dominion. The Camp Commandant, Colonel Gabites, has left for Dunedin, where he is to take up the position of A.D.M.S., Otago military district. He was farewelled by the Mayor (Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P.), and Mr. J. M. Johnston. Captain G. M. Spenco is remaining behind for a time in order to clear up the camp records.

The "Rangjtikei Advocate" slates that Mr. R. W. Smith, M.P., is still undecided as to whether he will contest the Rangitikei seat or the Waimarino seat at tlie general election. So far, four candidates, not including the sitting member, have been announced for the Rangitikei seat.

At a meeting of the South Wellington branch of the New Zealand Labour Party, it was resolved:—"That the members of the Wellington South branch of the New Zealand Labour Party view with apprehension the efforts of certain parties in their endeavours to politically exploit the Returned Soldiers' Association, at present a non-political organisation. Wo are of the opinion that Should this effort meet with success It will tend to extenuate the class distinction already in existence. The NewZealand Labour Party is pledged to champion the interests of the working class as a whole, returned soldiers naturally included."

Speaking to members of the Rarotougan contingent at the Salvation Army Citadel yesterday morning, the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) referred to rumours that the soldiers from the Pacific Islands hail not given satisfactory service. in the field. He said that he could give the report an emphatic denial. The information that had reached him showed that the Karotongans had dono particularly good work in Palestine where their knowledge of the handling of surf boats had been of particular value. The officers under whom the island troops had served apprecaited the excellent service that had been rendered, and ho felt sure that the people of Rarotonga would be very proud of the way their boys had acquitted themselves in. the. great war. .The Minister mentioned that he looked forward to a period of development in. the islands. The New Zealand Government was anxious to improve the conditions as far as possible in the island dependencies.

A return supplied by the returning officer for Wellington South (Mr. J. E. F. Perry) shows the expenses incurred by the Parliamentary candidates for the Wellington South seat in the recent by-election. They were as follow:—Robert Semple (elected), ,£133 95.; John Castle. .£72 2s. 6(1.; Gwrge Frost, ,£32155. Gd.

Recently the Ashburton Second Division League wrote to the New Zealand executive asking for information as to whether it was the intention to disband the various league blanches throughout the Dominion. The executive, in reply, stated that it had issued a circular to all branches asking theni to hold together, as their services would be required in connection with"the repatriation of married soldiers.

London seems to be thinking a good deal about the 15,000 American sailors who are in town (writes a London correspondent). What are they thinking about London,? "I like your town all right," one of them si>in to me, "but you haven't enough restaurants. Even in a 6iuall American town every street has got them'in bunches of lives; Your transport is not up to standard, but I suppose that's the war. London's more like an American city than Edinburgh, and the people are all right. You are not so modern as we are. I see your girls have got their hair bobbed—why, our girls had that ten years ago! The people are real friendly. We Wee your burg, but your climate is a mutt. The big difference is vour ladies. You can speak to a lady here, high or low, without getting into trouble. . If you. spoke to a lady ftt America you'd be arrested. I don't say that there's not something where you're more democratic than we are."

Though peace may be signed within the next two or three months, it is certain (says the Melbourne "Age") that Australia will have to raise yet another "war" or "repatriation" loan at least, in order to meet the expense of settling soldiers and restoring them to civil life. War expenditure out of loan, has, of course, been reduced and with the gradual demobilisation of men and the cessation in the use of certain sorts of munitions the reduction is progressive. But the exoense on medical services and on the maintenance and pay of meit abroad, is still heavy, and will be succeeded by expenditure on repatriation. The last year loan was a brilliant success, producing more than .£40,000,000 for the Exchequer. Nothing has yet been decided in regard to a further loan, but it seems probable that this will be needed by June, or thereabouts.

Two New Zealanders who were in Sydney during the shipping. hold-.up, thinking that they had more chance of getting a ship in Melbourne to take them home, left for that city only to find conditions more serious there. They took train to return to Sydney, but were put off 30 miles from the borders of New South Wales. They had only a hazy idea of the direction in which Sydney lay, but they managed to get to the River Murray and to cross it by means, of a wire strotched over the stream. They were afraid'of being seen and sent back, and were without food for 2-t hours while on the road. When they got 30 miles beyond Albury, in New South Wales, they came to a vstntion and got on to a Sydney-bound train very much exhausted, the travellers managed to got the boat for New Zealand, and arrived back without further mishap.

The cost of firing at the Waingawa Meat Works is ,£17,000 per annum, plus the cost of handling and storing 8000 tons of coal. Of this amount 5000 tons, were used for the purposes, of supplying electric power. The cost of power at the meat works, therefore, with coal at £2 2s. Gd. per ton, is JE10.G25 per annum. It is considered by the directorate that by harnessing the water power of the district the cost eventually would be out in half, though for the first year or two, till the whole of the Wairarapa was connected up and was utilising electric power, the cost might be increased.

An extraordinary burglary incident has been reported to the Palmerston North police. The story goes that a turf enthusiast had had the odds laid to him by a local bookmaker and got the worst of the deal in a way that made him He decided to get his own back in quite an original manner. He invaded what he thought was the "bookie's" house in the week sma' hours, and came away with a substantial haul of jewellery and a small amount of money. Later he made the discovery that he had entered the wrong house. Nothing daunted, ho returned to the domicile on the following night, replaced the jewellery, and expressed his remorse in a polite letter in which he expressed his intention of using the money to redeem his fortunes on the turf. The police are now trying to link up the threads of this moving incident.

"I think the New Zealand boot manufacturer will be able to' do without, a groat deal of protection," declared Mr. 0. M. Ollivier, chairman of directors of the Woolston Tanneries, Ltd., when giving evidence before the Parliamentary Industries Committee in Christchurch,

"because," he added, "wages are going up at Home. The trouble is the public want educating as to the excellence of the New Zealand article. There are some flue boot manufacturers in New Zealand, as good as any in the world."

The Canterbury Automobile Association is to contribute ,£BOO towards the, cost of the ferro-concrete bridge at Selwyn. If the half cost of the bridge amounts to less than ,£9OOO, the association's contribution will be reduced in proportion.

The Auckland cricket team which is to meet Canterbury in a match, starting next Friday, for the Plunket Shield, is to' arrive in Christchurch on Thursday morning. Messrs. A. Dey and R. W. Barry have been apopinted umpires for the match.

An officer back from the fleet gives a description of 'how the German battle fleet was taken in t.ustody and conveyed to Scapa Flow. The u.ost striking thing, he Said, was that at the mouth of the Forth the weather got a bit thicker, and although he had a pretty good view of them against the light and abreast of them the mist was very annoying just when he was so keen to see everything. Then came a curious passage: "A gunneryman who was on the foretop with me and was also peering hard across at the Huns said as the fog bank thickened as we ran into it: 'It was just like this at Jutland. Now and then you could see them.' I said: 'Surely not so close?' And he answered: 'No,' of course, not so close sir. I never thought to see them so close like.' He pointed them out by name, said he thought them fine ships, and wound up, as every sailorman does: 'It fair beats me to think how they could hand them all' over like this, like lambs.' " He says that when the Cardiff cahie in sight leading' them in that Thursday morning some of the men said to him-. "You know the saying, sir—'A little ship shall lead them.'" The epitaph on the event was said by a midshipman afterwards when the German fleet was shepherded into b'capa Flow—''Some Tag for the Huns."