LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 167, 9 April 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ono of the questions brought before Iho Minister of Education nt Masterton «ns the. necessity for having appliances hmuly in. ficliools in case of accident or .sickness. The, provision of nn nmbulanco outfit and clinical thermometers nt each Hchool was urged. The Minister promised to give (ho matter his closo consideration.

A gonoral holiday will bo observed by the State schools of tbo AVellington education district to-morrow, as, in many cases the schools nve being used as poli-ing-placos.

A onp-liorse lorry owned by the New Zealand I'lxpross Company figured in n rather serious accident last evening. \Vhilo it was being driven down Mount Street Hie chain used to fasten the wheel broke. The vehicle at onco gathered speed on the down-grade, and tho unfortunate- horso pulling' it did not stop until it had crashed right through a corrugated iron fence on Wellington Terrace, opposite tho Mount Street intersection. The driver and two boys who were with him on tho lorry escaped without injury. The horso was cut and knocked about, but apparently- not very seriously.

Tho chief, branch, and suburban post and telegraph offices will observe the usual hours of business to-morrow (polling day in connection with tho liquor referendum).

Twelve persons were injured, several seriously, when a steel girder protruding from a flat of a west-bound freight I rain on .February U toro one sido from threo parlour cars of the east-bound Cincin-nati-Pittsburgh express on tlio Pcmisylvania railroad at Oakdalo, near Pittsburg, U.S.A. Both trains were moving slowly when Iho sixty-font girder, believed to have been jolted from its position on the. fiat cor, struck tho express. It tore the roof from one of the steel parwur cars and riuued tho side from all three.

The position in regard io the disposal of this season's wheat is reported to have reached an acute stage, states advice from Ashburton, and at the present tiino it is-estimated that there are 00,00(1 sacks awaiting delivery, with no apparent outlet.

The Wellington Racing Club has voted tho sum of i! 100 to tlte Wellington Returned Soldin-i Clubhouse.

Several of tho stolen and forged National Bank notes have been put into circulation in Cliristchurch, and tho police aro satisfied that a systematic attempt is being made to pass them off. Tho btmdlo stolen from Uio vessel in Wellington in which they were consigned to the bank consisted of a thousand notes, unsigned, numbered consecutively from A s'J!)',S(ll to A. GOO.OOO, and from A (i(J0,!>01 to A 61)1,000, and dated (in print) ,1 amiary 1, ]!)IS. 'J'he thieves filled -in false names and circulated the notes, first in Wellington, and now evidently in Clirisljchurch. The trouble is that it is almost impossible to detect tho forgery, as the notes, aro perfect in everything but tho signature. 'It was stated orginially that tho easiest way in which to detect tho notes was through tho date, as tho bank had issued no genuine notes of •laniiary 1, IJHS. Tho date is printed in fairly small but clear type on the righthand middle of the note. In two of the forged notes detected in Christchurch last week this date had not been ade'red, but in others tho dale had been altered very, cleverly, and tho numbers had also been altered. The old figures have been used whore possible, and others have teen transformed into figures similar in form. Wherever notes have been banked by their possessors the National Bonk has refused to honour them, and they havo been returned to their owners witli. a big endorsement, "Forgery," in red ink across the face. Tho owner havo been advised to retain them and not let them out of their possession.

Tho following nominations havo been received for tiio two vacancies on the Wellington Harbour Board as representatives of tho Wairarapa:—C. E. Daniell (Masterton), nominated by Messrs. 0. Pragnell, J. M. Coradine, and G. M'Hattie; Alec. I).. M'Leod (Marliuborough),' nominated by Messrs. T. 0. Haycock and AV. Igguldcn; Thomas Hodgius (Pahiatua), nominated by Messrs.. J. D. C. Crowe and W. lggulden.

On account of the Easter holidays, which commence at the end of next week, the next meeting of the Wellington City Council will be held on Wednesday, April IG—the night beforo the ordinary meeting night.

The provision of improved facilities for the fitting and repairing of soldiers' artificial limbs, was urged on the Minister of Defence, Sir James Allen, on Saturday afternoon by Mr. George George, on behalf of the Auckland Repatriation Board, which wished to emphasise the delay and inconvenience experienced by Auckland soldiers by having to journey to Wellington to have limbs fitted or repaired. The Minister replied that the factory established in Wellington between two and three.yeai's ago had done good work, but a break, had occurred owing to some of the trained men leaving to take employment, with private firms. Steps were, however, taken to secure another batch of men from Great Britain, and these men, he hoped, were now on their war out. Meanwhile the work was growing and n new building had been erected. The Defence Department was doing its utmost to get this new factorv rapidly equipped, and, under Colonel Acland, who was in chargo of the factorv, it was hoped that soon all the demands of limbless 'men would be promptly and satisfactorily met. Ab though tho more important repairs would have to be dealt with at the Wellington factory, there was no reason why the minor work should not bo carried out in tho various districts, and arrangements were being mado to this end. The men could apply to tho A.D.M.S.'of tho district, who would make all Arrangements for carrying out tho repairs in various districts. Sir James Allen promised to consult Colonel Acland regarding the question of having tho greater class of repairs* carried out in Auckland for tho local men.

In connection with the dispute between tho dustmen or refuse collectors of the City Corporation and the City Council respecting a demand for an increase of wages, certain recommendations will b« made bv the Finance Committee to the noxt meeting of tho council, which will embody a proposal for increased pay to these- workers.