LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 154, 25 March 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A case on a property in the Lower Valley is said to contain a remarkable collection of moa bones, the skeleton of a Maori do?, tuatara lizards, and skeletons of an extinct bird of a different species to the moa (says our Masterton correspondent). The foot of a moa, measuring ovor twelve inches in length, lias been secured, together with a complete leg.

A lady and some children wove leaving tilie water after indulging n\ a swim at Karaka Bay one day last week when an observer from the r-fifi', above the bay, distinctly saw tiio dark forms of two big sharks following them inshore. Ho lost no time in raising the alarm among the bathers, and the result lias been a limitation of (lie bathing area in that locality. The shark scare at Bona Bny has effectively checked any deep-sea swimming in that vicinity.

Writing of the food shortage in Germany, a Jlartinborough soldier says: "The Germans are well and smartly dressed, and appeal' to have plenty of money, but they are undoubtedly short of food. Joints of meat, whito bread, cakes, sweets, butter, or cheese nre never seen. If a Hun sees a eoldier with a packet of biscuits or a box of chocolates ho follows him about liko a puppy dog."

A meeting was i,eld yesterday afternoon of the committee of the City Council set up to go into the matter of acquiring a further area of land adjoinin)!; the Corporation Yards nt Clyde Quay. The council is looking ahead to the timo when moro land in that locality will be necessary for. the purposes of city administration, and the desire is to secure o further strip on the western side of t!he yards (the old dock site), before such lands are disposed of-for other purposes by the Harbour Board. Tho Thorudon Esplanade lms to be given up to the "Railway department in connection with the big expansion scheme at Thorndon, and it hns been suggested that tho Government might pay a cash compensation for the land 60 taken, which would enaHo the City Council to finance with the Harbour Board for the land required on tho Tβ Aro reclamation. The committee will report to the next meeting of the copnoil.

A waterside worker vinieil Alexander Anderson, residing at 149 Willis Street, was knocked down by a motorcar belonging to tlio Harbour Board in Manners Street, at about a quarter to six yesterday evening. The car was being 'driven by Harold Kowntree, of 34 Pirie Street. Anderson was crossing the road at the time, and he was observed by Rowntree, who applied his brakes and slowed the car down very considerably. Hesitating for a few momenta, Anderson etepped back a bit, causing Kowntree to think that he was going to stop until tbo car had roub past. Kowntree • iccelerated the speed of the car somewhat, but as soon as he did so AmlH'-ion moved forward. The brakes were once again put on and the car pulled up very smartly, but tuu late to avert an accident. Anderson was knocked down and the back of his head was severely cut. He was picked up and carried into a .near-by Bliop, where firet-aid treatment was administered by Dr. Henry. The latter ordered his removal to the Hospital, where lie was admitted about 7 o'clock in an unconscious condition. At a late hour last night ho appeared to be improving.

"It is a pity that so many returned soldiers get into trouble through drink, remarked Sir. F. V. Prazer, S.M.. at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The matter has cropped up often enough before the Court here. The troubles seems to be that a- man who lias gone through the experiences of active novice is un■<l>ie to drink the sains quantity of liquor that he was able to drink before he went away without it producing more or. less disastrous effects."

At a meeting of the executive of thn Wellington Veterans' Association held last evening, it was decided to call a general meeting of the members of the association for the purpose of discussing what part they would play in the peace celebrations now drawing near.

Several pieces of land adjoining the City Milk Station in Dixon Street, totalling in area about three-quarters of an acre, have been acquired by the City Council under the provisions of the Public Works Act. The land was the property of three separate owners—Messrs. T. Ballinger and Co., Ltd., the City Milk Supply Co., Ltd., and Mr. J. E. Myers. Kot only will the land be required for the milk station nnd the natural expansion of that undertaking, but it will also greatly facilitate prospective improvements in the locality.

A distressing case in regard to the widow of a discharged soldier has been revealed in Masterton (states an exchange). A youug woman of English birth became engaged to a New Zealand soldier in the Old Country. The soldier suffer from an attack of tuberculosis when on active service. He was returned to the Dominion, and admitted to a sanatorium, where he made a wonderful recovery. The young lady to whom he was betrothed came.out from England, and tin two were married. The soldier by this lime had been granted his discharge, and secured a, position in (he north. He was smitten down by influenza and died. Tho widow is now in the unhappy position of being a charge upon neither.the country nor anybody eke, as .she married the soldier after he had obtained Ins discharge. The Government can do nothing for her. The patriotic associations ca.; do nothing. Sho is frail in health ami unable to earn her own living, and was compelled to sell the whole of her husband's belongings to pay funeral expenses.

Monday, or as it is termed in Court parlance! "Agoiw Day," is generally a busy time for the Magistrate's Court. Maintenance and separation cases make up the greater part of the "li6t," and yesterday there were some forty such matters set down for hearing. When one case was called in the afternoon it was stated that as a settlement had been arrived at the matter could be struck out "1 should be glad if a few more of these cases were struck out," remarked Mr. Frazer. "I have never seen such a day as this. I don't know what has happened to all the married people." "An, you will have to l)lame St. Patrick for this," interjected Mr. H. F. O'Leary, who was present in. Court at the time, '"we had a holiday last Monday."

In the opinion of Mr. P t V. Frazer, S.M., too many "drunks" frecnie.nt Moleswortli Street, and in tho course, of case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, he made some comments on the matter. "Tin! only thing about Molesworth Street," he said, "and I want to say this because I live near it, is that 1 should like to see a little more attontion naid to it." "We should like to be able to pay a little more attentjon to tho stroet ourselves," remarked Act-ing-Sub-Inspector Emerson. "I know you are short staffed, but 1 did not know whether the facts had been brought under your notice," observed His ■ Worship. '"Of course, there is a brewery in the street, sir," suggested Mr. H. J?. O'Leary, amidst laughter. "I don t blame anyone in particular." smilingly replied Mr. Frazer. "There is a good de'al_pf blame to be divided among eomp peopie, or attachable to some person." The Coast Defence Forces resumed their activities for the year at Forts Ballance and Dorset on Saturday. Big gun practice was engaged in from Fort Ballance during the afternoon, the line of fire being in the direction of Lowry Bay. The men had tea at the forts, and were not released until 9 p.m. During the evening tho Fort Dorset searchlight played picturesquely up and down tho entrance to the harbour, silvering the wavo-tops at one instant and "spotting' the distant hilltops the next. The "shoot". in the afternoon took place in the presence of Lieutenant-Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, Commander of the Coast Defence Forces, Major F. Hume, Officer in Charge of the Harbour Defences, and LieutenantCoionel W. Bettington, K.A.1 , ., and Major A. de B. Brandon, R.A.F. (the aviation exports who are to report on the aerial defence requirements of New Zealand from a defence point of view).

Monday, April 14, has been fixed by the Wellington Education Board as the date for the annual meetings of householders at which the school committees for the ensuing year are to be elected. On this occasion nominations (in the urban area) arc to be in the hands of the chairmen of committees not later than Monday, April 7, and no nomination may be made at the meetings. In the rural areas verbal or written nominations may be made at the meetings.

It is not generally known that the sun shines over Dunedin for one hour and two minutes longer on December 31 than it does in Auckland. The reverse is the case on June 30, when it shines 57 minutes longer in Auckland. On December 31 Wellington has 20 minutes more sunsluuo than Auckland and 24 minutes less on Juno 30. This variation in the sunshine is one of the reasons'why the bouth Island is better adapted for 'grain-grow-ing. Although Dunedin has less sun in winter there are many more fane days and a clearer sky than in the north, while the opposite conditions prevail during the summer months.

The rhinoceros beetle has at last found a footing in American Samoa, a fact which, in view of the prevalence ot tlw pest in Western Samoa, may be regarded as having been inevitable (says an exchange). The Tutuila authorities are alive to the gravity of the situation, end to the need of strong measures bemg taken at the outset for checking tlio spread of a pest that leaves such havoc in its train.

The head office of tho Federated Seamen's Union recently made requests to tho New Zealand steamship owners for tinio off (or its equivalent) for seamen during the peace celebrations, and also for four hours off on April 10, while the poll on tho licensing question is being held. A number of replies from the shipowners have been received. To the request for time iu which to celebrate the coming of peace the Blackball Company replies that time will certainly be granted—on condition, of course, that all seamen and firemen ure nn board at the hour appointed for sailing. Other companies have stated that the matter will lie considered by tho Shipowners' Federation. The Union Company will allow two houre for seamen to voto on the liquor question, and the Blackball Company four hours. Several companies bay that they will give "reasonable time," others that they are leaving tho_ decision iu this case also with the Shipowners' Federation.

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