LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Epidemic Commission will sit for the hearing of evidence on Monday moriiiii" at 10 o'clock. Persons who have "knowledge of the matters being investigated are invited to come forward nnd °ive evidence, first communicating with the secretary of the commission at Parliament Buildings. There we times when a similarity of names is liable to produce embarrassment lo the parties concerned, more especially when they are active worker? in public" movements. In "Wellington, for instance, tho public frequently see the name of Mr. James Macintosh (of Wright, Stephensou, and Co.) figuring iii connection with affairs related to the Chamber of Commerce, the Returned Soldiers' Clubliouso Society, the Aotea Home, the Trenthnm Scholarship Art Union, etc. Mr. James M'lntosh, accountant, of this city, is also active in public movements such as the Patriotic Society, the Trentham Scholarship Art Union, nnd others, and though the names of the two gentlemen in question are spelt differently their identify is often confused. To take, a ease in point: Mar. James M'lntosh, accountant, formed one of a deputation which asked Mr. Norwood to contest the Mayoralty, and- his namesake, Mr. James Macintosh, of Wright, Stephenson, and Co., is immediately embarrassed by inquiries as to why ho has changed his views regarding the Mayoralty. No doubt the boot is sometimes on tho other .leg, and the other Mir. M'lntosh finds himself sad-, died with Uio responsibility for something he has had no part in. Tho price of glass'has 'been exceedingly high for a long time past, and there does not appear to be any prospect of early relief. Local merchants state that sinco the signing of tho armistice they have found it easier to place orders with a promise of early delivery. But the improvement in the supply has-not been accompanied by any material declino in prices. Recent orders have been placed at the war prices, and this may be taken to mean that during the rest of this year the buyers of glass will be required ; to pay the present high prices or something near them. Some familiar lines of glass are out of 6tock at the present time. The manufacturers have been unable, to meet fully the demand for standard lines, and they have not been prepared to listen to orders for special tints and patterns. Although formal legal proceedings bavo to be taken before tlio agreement recently arrived at in the drivers' dispute is made a Dominion award, the increases of pay to drivers throughout New Zealand dato from March 1. "Wo cannot have people leaving their motor-cars around the streets and irresponsible youths coming along and taking them away for 'joy riding' and doing damage," remarked Mr. P. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court_ yesterday, in a case in which Patriae Bmmetf. O'Shea and Louis Mitchell O'Shea. plead-, cd guilty to having' Wilfully damaged a motor-car belonging to P. A. Vauglian. The youths took tho car from Marion Street to Maltarn, where it was subsequently found lying amongst ttio rocks. His AVorship said that, if civil proceedings were taken the defendants would no doubt have to nay a considerable amou'.it of damage, and lie would take that fact into consideration, in fixing tho penalty. Each of tho defendants was fined .£2, with 10s. Od. costs. My. 11. P. O'Lpary- appeared for the defendants. His AVorship remarked that in future cases of the kind the penalty would ho made very severe.

Tho Eastern Extension Cable Company notifies that cablegrams are showing overthreo days' delay on the Homoward fullrate traffic oh our route. The delay is. likely to increase.' There is still a serious shortage of teachers in Hawke's Bay (states the "Daily Telegraph"). Thero are many vacancies In the lower grades and any young woman with a good education would find it easy to secure an appointment at from -CI2O to jL'l3O per annum. Even in the higher grades tliero is a marked shortage, and the Education Board has four vacancies which are worth from to' -JS3OO" per annum fach. . A carter was arrested, by DetectiveSergeant Scott yesterday on a charge of stealing a quantity of coal. The accused will be brought before tho Magistrate's Court this morning. Referring to industrial unrest, the Rev. T. A. Joughin, in his charge to. newlyordained members-of tho Methodist ministry, said it had been well .said, that "if Labour knew all tho data upon which Capital had to make its calculations, andCapital knew all the desires and grievances which worried the underworld ol Labour, both would have taken a Hng step towards that partnership in sympathy and effort upon which tho future of this country depended.—Christchxirch "Press" The Tramways Military Band, will play selections at-Island'-Bay on Sunday at 3 p.m. The AYellingtoii Choral Union lias arranged an interesting programme of wonts to be. performed during tho coming season. In May next the unioii wili he heard in a concert performance of Verdi's most popular opera, "II Trovatore." which.has neyer vet been presented m this particular form in AVellington. The August performance will consist of Elgar's latest work, a cycle for tenor, soprano, and chorus, entitled "Tile Spirit of England." It consists of three parts, viz., "August, 1014," "Pour AVoiiien," and "To the Fallen." This work, which is new to New Zealand, has lieen commented very favourably upon in England. In conjunction with Elgar's work, Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise" will be sung. In October tho union' will pre : sent Coleridge Taylor's master work, "Hiawatha," all three parts, and in December "The Messiah" will be sung, once more. Advice has been received from Headquarters (Medico!), .Duncdin, that 80,G97 Gilbert Alexander Duncan, an undischarged soldier, died-at the Southland Hospital on March 3 from complications. Deceased was 21 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his father Mr. AVilliam Duncan, AVaikawa. Also, 57,558 Thomas William Jeffs, an undischarged soldier, who died on March 3. Deceased was 23 years of ago and single, his next-of-kin being liis father, Mr. 1.. 11. Jeffs, Linton. Mr A\ : . D. Bavley will 6peak at tho Alexander Hall, AbeUSmith Street, on Sundav evening at 8, the title of his address being "AYill British Labour hollow Russia?" . ■V b'ov named Charles R. Dunce, eight years of ago, whoso parents reside at 273 Taranaki Street, was run over by a tramcar at Lyall Bay about 8 o clock yesterday morning. His left leg was badlv injured, and when he was admitted to the hospital it was found-neces-sary to amputate the limb above the knee. Last night the unfortunate sufferer was reported to he progressing as woil a.s bo expected. While the steamer Kant was off Stephen Island, on the way toi i\ew Plymouth. last week, one of the seamen eau"ht a kingfish, which measured slightly over 4ft. from toil to nose. The fish was caught with a "spoon bait," consisting of a tablespoon with a double fishhook attached to tho bowl by means of a rivet. Tho men state that a second itiii"lisli was caught on another line, but (iio n Uicklo did not hold, on account of the speed of the steamer imposing 100 great a strain.

Some returned soldiers wlio are wearing tho hospital uniform of blue complain that they havo been subjected to insults in Wellington by peoplo who appear to bo under tlio impression that the blue cloth is a sign of disgrace, -■• If this is the ease, the offending citizens must bo ■under a completo misapprehension. Tho blue uniform- isabadgeof honour. It is worn by men who are suffering from wounds or sickness contracted on activo service, and who are receiving treatment in hospitals or'convaloscent homes. Some of tlieso men are at present in tho Victoria Ward at tho -Wellington Hospital anil in tho Lowry Bay hospital, and occasionally they aro able to spend a few hours' leave in the city. A London cablegram to the Sydney papers stated that Joseph who claimed to ixs a Sydneyite, and William Moody, of Melbourne, were sentenced to three years and eighteen months respectively for passing counterfeit notes in London. .The Sydney police assert that no one of the name of Joseph Scully enlisted among tho soldiers of that State, and it is considered by them quite likely that the man ha's adopted an alias. Mondy may be identical 'with an Australian criminal with a long record, who, wanted there for suspected connection with a hie jewellery robbery in Melbourne. mode his way to America, and was deported, serving several sentences in the United States, in August, 1910. On Arrival he was sent on to MelI bourne, and lined up there for identincatiu has one of the jewellery robbers, but was not recognised. 'He was released then, and enlisted in the late days of 1913. He has "done time" in New Zealand. and in all' the States of the Commonwealth. Mr. J. Jackson, formerly Inspector of Awards- at Christchurch, has been transferred to Wellington, and appointed to be Inspector of Shearers' Accoinmoda.ion. This appointment has been created so that the Labour Department may have an officer who will bo able to devote all of his time to the inspection of accommodation. Up to the present this work has been performed by district inspectors of factories, and it has constituted only a part or their dirties. Jackson will now'supplement the inspectors' works', and will visit stations in any part of the Dominion-- particulailv stations that in the past havii had to -be regarded■ by- the Department as very-nearly inaccessible. The Wellington Central Club nre ,j.;'j vacate the premises in Grey Street vt ho Oddfellows' block, now leased to-.the Commercial Union - Assurance Compam) next month, having purchased the premises in Hunter Street originalLv erected by the Commercial Travellers Club. j* n ". of recent vears occupied by-the.felling-ton Meat Export Company,- whien lias already removed its clerical stafi to the Cunaril Company's new block in Customhouse Quay. The Central Club P ren "?°, s was originally the site of the old Oddfellows' Hall, which in its day served Wellington not only as a concert and social hall, but as a public theatre and was only supplanted in favour _ when the Theatro Royal was built .in /J" 1 " 13 , 1 ® * Street, nearly fifty years ago. lho club has for a long time past felt the need ot newer and more modern premises, end these are at present being fashioned m the extensive alterations that- aro liein, made to the interior of the Hunter Sueet premises. A somewhat sensational escape fro'} 1 custody was made at I'almerston North by a youthful prisoner a few days ago. The lad, who had been sentenced at Auckland to serve a term in tho eraroa Training Farm, was being escorted by a constable from the railway- 'station,lo the local police station, and just, as the constablo was leading him into the station gates, the lad, who had evideiitly been watching his chance, suddenly bolted. Ho ran- along -Church Street at full speed, and, sighting a bicycle standin" against a- fence, mounted it and rotlo olf towards the-outskirts'of the borough. In Boundary Itoad he discarded the cyclefor a horse,- and .when last seen was riding in the direction of 1 eliding. The 'Ji'risco mail boat Navua is expected -to reach Wellington on Honda} night. In August, 1918, the Southland and Otago Co-operative Timber Company forwarded to the State Forests Branch of the Department of Lands and Survey a samplo of Southland beech (Lagus Men7,iesii) to bo. tested as to its suitability as a butler-box Ulnbcr. Tho . Department handed -over the, timber to the -Dairy Division of, the Department of- Agriculture to be thoroughly- tested, find, the following lei lor conveying the result has now been received:—'M have the honour to inform you that the tfsts ot the timr ber you supplied have been completed by .the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture villi quite satisfactory results. Tlfa report recommends thai, in order to ensure satisfactory muhrifr, the bceeh boards should not bo less than ha if an inch in thickness. Some or the boxes made from the timber supplied were coated with* paraffin wax \ind spin? were untreated. .In hot' l cases the test was satisfactory, but I would advise that in-order that.the timber should not lose the-reputation now obtained, it. wj 1 be wisest to have it always treated' with, the wax.—E. Phillips Turner, Chief Othcer." The importance of this matter (states a contemporary) lies in the fact that hundreds of millions of feel; of beech are available in the Southland district. Some of'the city councillors had a little fun with tlie chairman of the lieserves Committee (Councillor Irost) yestenia v.' The report of the committee referred to-the gift'of a "marque" monkey. Councillor Castle asked Councillor Frost what sort of. a:uionkty this was. lie had searched authorities'but could (hid no record of any such beast. It turned out that the word should have been "macque." Then Councillor Castle said lie wished to know from the chairman of the Reserves Committee and tho •chairman of tho Education 'technical Board something, about a "tigeress. There was a mis-spelling in the renort. Councillor Vroft ignored this part ot tlie joke, and said that he .believed the ammal was "a female tiger."'Vcxt came a proposal by the committee that .£IOO should bo'paid for a number or animals, among them a "Bintoronga. • Councillor Castle-and several others wanted lo '■ know from Councillor Irost what sort of a beast this was.' A\as it- an animal or a bird?"' At lengtn Councillor 'I'Vost said he believed it was thing in Hie nature of a panther. Tlie catering "arrangements'iii -connection' with the forthcoming. liUi ilt tns- • borne, when the draft of Maori troops arrives, will be on a large scale, is estimated that,'oil military allowance, 37501b. of meat will be required daily, ogetjicr with 2000 loaves of'bread, IMb. tea, 9001b. sugar, 1001b.' salt, and 30001b; vogefables. Seating will be provide; - under cover for .five hundred at one sitting -jfor the-troops and -Maori visitors— whilst it. is also intended to erect a- .Inncheon and ten room for European- visltors. ' The possibility of the development of a very large export trade in fish was men--tioned by the Hon. G. M. Thomson, M.L.C., of Duuedin, in some remarks which were read at the Fisheries' Commission at Auckland. Taking the cost here of (leliverotl clean fish at 13d. per 1b.,, and the cost of transport at 13d., tho iisli could be landed in London at 3}d. per lb. liven filleted, it could be landed in London at.+d. ner lb. The average price of fried fish in the manufacturing districts of England was about 7d. per lb., and it was not equal to the quality of such meaty fish as hapuka or schnapper. There was clearly a good margin of profit. It might happen, ho said, that fish would land at Home, under an export scheme, when the market was congested, anil the New Zealand fish would be at a disadvantage a? to tho prices obtained. Ife had-seen the I'lnglisli markets glutted, but. this was like any other commercial risk. A strong appeal was made to Hie Hon. W. D. S. MncDonald, whilst at Tokomaru Bay, for his support to a claim that a now teacher's residence should be erected in the township, jtfr. JlacDonold said lie realised that in isolated districts provision of the kind would require lo be made, and ho expressed sympathy with the application. In reply lo his query as to where a sito rruld be obtained. ,llr. IV. Gates, sen., said that I here would be nn trouble under li at heading, for the Natives intended to sell tho freehold of a number of sections along tho frontage fo the bay. The Minister went on to say that the Department was not very keen oil erecting teach,n-s' residences, but such a good case'could be made nut. in tho caso of Tokomaru Vay lliat. he would hare, no hesitation in recommending the Hon. .T. A. Hanan to accede to the rcauest.

No further news lias been received in Auckland of the schooner Awanui, which id expected from Niuo Island, it » understood that a prolonged voyage was anticipated before the vessel left Anpkr land, as the master, Captain Anderson, informed his wife, prior to leaving, tuat ha liad received orders to wait lor a full load of copra, and this may have dc ajed tho vessel longer than was expected. ■Shipping people with South Sea Island experience bolieve $at tue Awanui s piolonged voyage may be due to the cyclonic weather recently reported. Vcs " se's loading at Niue Island are without shelter, and have to anchor oft a reel in twenyt-fivc fathoms of water, inis ar.chorane is open to the west, and a swell from that direction would necessitate a vessel putting to sea until tho sen moderated. The W hangape expenencod a very heavy westerly swell at Makatea Island, and while en route from there lo Auckland. As those cyclonic swells travel long distances it is thought that Niue Island has been visited by the effects of the cyclone, and that this prevented the Awanui working the island as quickly as was anticipated. A narrow escape from drowning took place at the mouth of the Waipaoa luver a few days ago, when Mr. Stuart MacDonald, elder (-on of the 11011. W. D. a. Mac Donald, would certainly have lost his life but for the plucky action of his brother, Mr. William Mac Donald, of Palm. Accompanied by several others, including the members of the family, they were engaged fishing, and Mi'. Stuart .Mac Donald ventured to swim across the river for a beat. When about three-parts of the way across he was seized with cramp, placing him in a serious predicament. Throwing off his boots and coat, his brother, who had not swum for some yews, hurried out to his assistance and "tuiceeecied in getting him ashore,- greatly to the relief of all concerned (slates the "Poverty I!ay Herald") At the monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Canterbury Employers' Association hold 011 Tuesday, the president, in alluding to the transference of the secretary (Mr. I''. Cooper) to the National Efficiency Board during tho war period, took occasion lo refer to the work performed by Mr. 11. Broadhead during Mr. Cooper's absence, and moved a resolution expressing the executive's appreciation of the thorough and pa instating manner in which Mr. ISroadhead had carried out his secretarial duties during the past two years, his services having boon of great value to tho association, and stating that his advice on all matters affecting (lie relationship of labour had been nf considerable assistance to em'plovers. The resolution was seconded by Mr! A. I'. Drayton, vice-prcsidcnt, and carried unanimously. It is not as widely known as it should be that wireies.*. messages may be transmitted to and 11'opi all vessels (including transports) wlien within a certain radius of New Zealand, roughly, 43 hours' steam away. Many will doubtless rejoice at the opportunity offered fliends and relatives of communicating with the men returning from lhc Front, and 60 'facilitating shore arrangements ahead. These wireless messages will be received over tho counter in the general post offices in .the same manner ns are 01 dinary telegrams, l'or vessels within wireless call of Now Zealand the public is relerred to the daily register published in the newspapers.