LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 174, 17 April 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

All berths on the Alararoa, leaving Wellington to-night and on Saturday night for Lyttelton have been engaged on both trips. There are still, however, , n. few that have us yet not been booked on (he Maori sailing to-morrow night.

The Zeppelin is declared by Lieuten-ant-Colonel Vert: JMtimjlon, JJ.S.O., Aeronautical Adviser to the New Zealand Government, to have great .possibilities as a peace-time- carrier (says tho ''New Zealand Herald"). There- was every prospect of the airship being employed ks a passenger vawel lor trans-oceanic travel, he said, tho speed with which they can be driven making this mode of transit highly desirable, One of tho great drawbacks experienced by the Germans was the need for constructing hugo h align re for tho accommodation of the Zeppelins, which are approximately 700 feet in length. He believed, however, that in future tho structure of the airship would bo euch that it would be possible to moor them to landing singes and anchor them in much the same way as is now done with sea-going vessels, allowing them to swing in the air currents.

Thirteen Maori soldiers belonging to the Main Body were charged at tho Whaimarei Magistrate's Court yesterday with tho theft of a ton-gallon 'barrel of her from the Kaik-ahc railway station platform (slates a l'ress Association IcloKrani). They \scre w tl;w way to WhaiiKarei to gel their discharge, and look i.lie barrel into their carriage, locked themselves in, and drank from it out of a bucket. All wore more or less intoxicated, and olio locked himself in the luyatorv. and the door had to be taken off to get him out. The Bench took a lenient view of the case, and fined accused the cost of the beer and ss. each, and ss. 10d. railway fare.

The poll held 'by the Johnsonville Town Board on tho question of a loan for a water supply resulted in the proposal being carried, 51 voting for it and 15 against.

A reporter questioned Dr. Pearson, pathologist of tho Christchurch Hospital, as to whether there was any truth in a statement that nurses were'being inocii luted against influenza. The doctor replied that the statement was not correct. "One or two of us have been inocnlated with the vaccine for experimental purposes," he said. ''The- experience bas gone to show that the inoculation is not attended with any inconvenience." Dr. Pearson stated that he had prepared a mixed vaeeino ami had sufficient to deal with any extensive outbreak. He did not anticipate Hint the virulent form of the influenza epidemic would reappear. Tho public should, however, take all precautions, in view espeo-isjly of Ihe congregation of visitors during the Easter period. Two main points to observe in the daily life were ventilation and scrupulous cleanliness, especially eo far as all dwellings, shops and offices, and yards and grounds were concerned. Dr. Pearson remarked that papers prepared by him which had appeared in the newspapers contained information and advice, but the hospital authorities wero preparing further information, in the form of printed, matter for the benefit of the public, and it would be available shortly. Not many statistics were available in regard to epidemic vaccines, Dr. Pearson stated, bu.t there could bo no doubt as to their

value. It was necessary that those who came into close touch with the epidemic should take preventive measures, and it was desirable, therefore, lhat doctors, nurses, and others should be inoculated. "We may look for a return of some form of the influenza epidemic," ho added, "but I do not anticipate a visitation of the explosive type of a feiv months ago." Dr. Pearson reminded the reporter that vaccine was used as a preventive and was not. intended for persons who had contracted influenza.

At the Lvrtclion Police Court yesterday five memui'rs of the crew of the steamer Hororata pleaded guilty lo the theft of six cases of jam valued at J;ls. Kiich was fined .-CIO. in default two months' imprisonment.—Press Assn.

The chairman (Mr. T. Forsyth) reported to yesterday's meeting of the Education Board that it was now possible to proceed with the much-desired work of establishing a proper technical college in Wellington. The Wellington City Council bad decided to contribute £V>Mf) over a period of four years, and the Ministor of Justice had offerer! by way of a gift from his Department .S3MO worth cf bricks made by prison labour. He moved that the board write to the Minister of Justice accepting his kind offer. Tho motion was carried'.

'I'll' , City Cnrnovation oflu-ps will bn closed from Good Friday lo Tuesday next (both d-ivs inclusive) for the Enstev holidays. Tho Free Public Librnrips will bo closed, on Good Friday and Easier Monday.

The fees collected at tho City Council's nbulloir for the year ending March lust totalled .£0173 25., aft increase of JJS23 15s. 5(1. over last year's figures. The stock slaughtered was us follow:—51.(1110 shrep, 17.376 lambs, 6170 bullocks, 11, ft calves, 1020 cows, 457 pigs, and 10fl bulls. The animals condemned wore:—l7l shcop, •15 bullocks, 30 «iwg, l> pigs, 4 calves, 3 lambs, and 1 bull. At Export Company's works, 48,33!) sheen were slaughtered, 15,366 lambs, MOO cattle, 887 pigs, and 93 calve*

The bakers of Wellington hove decided to bake broad on Saturday uext and on the following- Tuesday. A conference of the New Zealand Painters' Federation will be held in Christchurch next week. Tim Petone Electors' Association derided at its meeting on Tuesday night to support the nominations of I'lr. Ci. T. London for the Mayoralty, and Messrs. (look. BedinsneM, ljirnberi, Aahby, and .lensen for the council. Air. Samuel Turner, the veil-known alpinist, him returned to Dunedin after an exploring trip to Milford Sound, elates a Press Association telegram. He climbed the Tntuko Mountains and got within o short distance of tho Summit. Hβ explored tho Tutako Valley, and bones lo make a now pass next year to cross the saddle down to Lake 'Wakntipu, which he considers will bo the best route lor tourists returning to Queeustown ftfter visitiiiK Milford. He will recommend the Tourist Department to cut a truck nud erect ;i small mountain'hut at t.hti forks of the two valleys) at the bead of Tutako VaiWy.

At Aiasterton yesterday Sir. I'ree, S.H., Jiavo judenieiit' in the case in which Harold Brown, merchant, of Wellington, was chin-Kcd wiih having sold liquor from his Carterton depot without a license. The defence was that Brown hold a whole-

'••ale license which entitled him to carry on business in any district. The Magistrate hold that the licence did not entitle Urown lo sell liquor in tho Carterton district, and imposed a fine of JSS in each of two charges.—Prose Assn.

A feature of the meeting of the Hawera Returned Soldiers' Association on Tuesday niprht was ;i inolion that the annual Dominion Conference be asked to request the Government lo make Ansmc Duy a statutory holiday, states a Press Association metfane. Members stated that'the local association views with alarm tho number of sports meetings and other attractions beins lieM on Anzac Day, wliii:h it considers should bo kept sacred. A motion was passed that the conference should discus the advisability of sccurinjr a more solemn recognition of the, (lav.

Tho inquest into the circumstances of the death of Hezekiah Walter James Turner, who- was found shot dead in the Midland Billiard Saloon, in Manners Street, on the evening of April 10, which was sot down for hearing yesterday, will be resumed to-day at 4 p.m. Mr. W. Foster, in reply to a question at the annual meeting of householders at Clyde Quay, said that the medical inspection of scholars was satisfactory—as far as it went. Dr. Bennett was ideally constituted for the work, and was doing a great deal of valuable work, and so were the nurses, but when she said that ebo could only visit the school once a year ho was afraid that much of the s-'ood done was wasted. She was only able to take the second class. A corrective class of pupils she hud selected had done splendidly under the instructions Riven. As he had said, the work lias satisfactory as far as it went, but Dr. Bennett was given about ten times more work than she or anyone else could do Ono speaker, in referring to the headmaster's remarks, said it was a scandal that the health of the children chould be neglected by shortcomings on the part of the Government in administering a fine, system of medical inspection.

AI: the annual meeting of householders of fho Clyde Quay School .district on Monday II r. '!'. Forsyth (who is chairman of the Kdiication Board) sitid that it had been the intention of the Minister of Education to take up Iho mutter of jiving instruction in sick-nursiiiß to women, but it liad boon taken out of bis hiiiids by tlie Minister of Public Health, who was acting through tlie hospital board?. ■ They were, however, going on with the work by Riving instruction in first :iid and sick nursing in the secondary schools. Mrs. Jessie Aitken thought Mill 1. with tlie lesson of the epidemic before them, they should start such instruction with the girls of the higher standards in the Stjto schools.

"Thirty-one years ago the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce stated in an annual report that it was glad that the Government had decided to proceed forthwith with Iho construction of the Midland Railway,".said Mr. A.■ Ivaye in a valedictory address to members of the chamber. The Government, he added, was still "proceeding" with Iho work. The chamber had- always been "tip against" the disabilities which had resuited from tlie Government monopoly of the railways, and one consequence was that in recent years it had turned its attention to the canal question. Whatever arrangements were eventually come to in respect of shipping facilities, it would never get satisfaction until access by road, whether to Heatheole or Lyttelton, could be obtained direct to the place of the unloading of imports,—Chriatchurch "Sun."

The Canterbury Trades and Labour Council has declined to accede to a request that it should help to sell tickets for the Trentham art union to help to educate soldiers' children, and passed the following motion:—"That it is (he boun. den duty of the State to see that i>ll children of the State are given an equal opportunity to receive higher education."

The medal riband which will shortly be tho most common in the kingdom is that of the "Great War" medal, which will cover the whole of the war for all fighting men. The riband (says the "Mail") has a broad centre of orange, and on each $ide from the centre outwards are narrow stripes of white, blwk, and Itoyal blue.

There is every indication , that pre-war trade conditions between New Zealand ami Canada will 'be restored as soon as shipping difficulties are reduced by the release of vessels (says i>n exchange). Prior to tho war, the Canadian Government subsidised the New Zealand Shipping Company in the provision of n monthly service from St. John's New Brunswick, Montreal, and the Dominion, bu.t this was necessarily suspended during the war. Tho contract has now been renewed and several steamers, with large cargoes of hardware, agricultural implements, paper, and other commodities have arrived during recent moiitli9. Others are due to arrive, and it is hoped that the regular service will permanently he restored as soon as skipping conditions improve.

Although a fairly largo number of forged National Bank notes were put into circulation in Christehurch, it is believed that the risk of detection has caused the thieves to suspend operations, for the time being at all events. Alost of the notes have been located and returned to those who accepted them. A correspondent has written to the "Lytielton Times" nskyg whother anybody hns a right to refine to accept any National Bank notes. Ho states that the Railway Department, some two years wjo, when J6lO forgeries were common, declined to accent; .£lO notes from a cer. fain bank, liiciuiries made from bankers (says the "Times") elicited the fact that' t'ho notes could not be refused, <[i they wore legal tender. One official noinlccl out that a tradesman might possibly refuse to hand over goods in return for such a note, but anybody tendering notes in payment of an account would be entitled to demand a receipt. Both of the officials emphasised the point that it was the simplest thine in the world to detect the forgery by examining Hie dnte to see if it had been tampered with.

Since the Christchurch Hepatization Board commenced operations over GOO applications lor financial assistance of one kind and another have been dealt with (says the "Press"). A largo proportion of the applications were from men who ii'ero ile.-iirmis oi starting in business on (heir own account, and a i'nii - proportion of the ret|iieste have been granted. Many men wished to lake up taxi-driving, but (lie buiiiil hud Jonnd it necessary to &o very carefully with this type of business, ns it was being greatly overdone, bo far, (he board found- that most Chi'Mtchurch employers were very willing to lake biidi returned soldiers into their employ if the soldiers evinced any inclination lo roliiru to their old jobs. Mr. T. M. Charters, the repatriation uf(icer, states that he docs not think there is likely to be any difficulty this winter in placing returned men in work. The Baster arrangements for the Eastbourne Ferry Service are advertised. The Aorero will rua a 'harbour fishing excursion on Easter Monday, tenving Wellington at 8 a,m, and returning at 5 p.m.