LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 177, 22 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"I wish to express the gratitude of the Defence Department to tho Y.H.C.A.," said Sir James Allen at Eo-' torua on Thursday. "Every soldier appreciates the work of this institute, not only in New Zealand, but in France nnd in England. The 1 soldier who went to tho Y.M.C.A. went, not only because it was somewhere to go, but because he knew that in the officer of the Y.M.C.A. ■he would find a sympathetic friend. In my capacity as Minister of Defence I am happy to think that down at tho bottom this and all kindred institutions aro based on tho sound principles learned from the life of Christ. I might say that I have never once approached the Y.M.C.A. for help but that help was immediately forthcoming, and I know that in the future anything thai can be done by them will be done." (Applause.)

While touring the north, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie inspected tho Omapere Lake and adjacent Crown lands. A preliminary survey is to be made as soon as possible with a view to lowering the level of the lake considerably, and thus unwatering the surrounding Crown lands at present inundated. Referring to the project ,tlie Minister said the resnJJt would be to bring into profitable iccipntjoii a considerable area of good land wliich could then be cut up for ment in comparatively small areas.

The secretary of the Mangahao HydroElectrio Power League has received a letter from the Minister of Public Works stating that the Eujjineer-in-Chief has been instructed to engage men to procecd with the formation of the road to the site of>the works (reports an exchange). So far he had not succeeded in getting many, but he had no doubt that in a short time more men would be available.

While stacking cargo on the .King's Wharf at 7.45 p.m. yesterday a man named John Middleton, aged 47 years, who resides at Hanson Street, Newtown, sustained a fractured right ankle through a roll of paper falling on his foot. He was removed to the Hospital at 8.20 p.m., where his injury was attended to.

A short sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held yesterday morning, Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., beiii" on the bench: H. L. Walker, an old olfendor, who was ar,rested for drunkenness on Sunday, was ordered .to forfeit the omount of his hail, 30s. William' Dennehy was ordered to pay for the maintenance of his wife and three children tho sum cf ,£2 per week. ' A good deal of discontent prevails among the residents of Worser Bay and Itaraka. Bay at the present time at the way in which the Miramar Borough Council's motor-bus is used, says i> correspondent. This vehicle runs morning, noon, and evening throughout the week, but on Saturday afternoon, Sundays, anil' holidays there is no bus connection between tho tramway terminus and the populous bays referred tu. The result is tlmt just on those occasions when people have leisure to visit their friends in the bays or .enjoy little picnics' round the foreshore'of the entrance—which presents ideal spots for the purpose—there are uo means of communication, and if residents from the bays wish to come io town , they have to walk into Seatonn or over the hill to Miramar. ]f only a restricted service were rnu on the days mentioned it would bo a great, convenience to those who arc popularising the most picturesque part of the borough,

The coal shortage is acute in Marlon. There wero only three tons of coal in the gasworks yards tho oilier duy.' A lottor received by th? Morton Borough Council from the Munitions end Supplies Department states-.—"Should you, on any future occasion, experience difficulty in obtaining your roasonnbl? needs, we will, upon receipt of advico as to the name of the suppliers, be pleased to render any assistance possible to exuedite delivery. In this connection we v ould liko to mako it clear to yon that it is necessary at all' times for you to complete arrangements with your suppliers, tho Department being mainly concerned with facilitating delivery after the (Tdors have been placed.

Mr. Henry E, Bunny, a well-known Wairarapa settler, died. at. his home at Ahinruhc yesterday morning, aired 71. lie was a son of the late Mr, Henry Biinuy, and a brother of Mr. E. P. Bunny, of Lower Hutt.

A paragraph in the pnnual report of the Anglican Boys' Homes' Society lends as follows:—"Our lisxt great effort must be to build a home worthy of the work being done by the society. No more suitable monument could possibly be raised to the gallant soldiers who have fallen in tiie great war than a homo where boys may be trained as useful citizens worthy to iill their pjaces."

Tho March number of the "Journal of •Science and Technology" contains a report of the discovery of a figurine at Mauku, Auckland. Mr. li'.sdon Best deals with the subject, around which a romancc could bo written. The little figure is made of steatite. It was picked up in unploughed land, i ninhabited until twenty years ago; but Maoris occupied the lauds in lire-European days. Here, embedded in the clay, the little figure was found. It looks like a portrait of an ancient Chinese personage of distinction. Steatite and soapstone are identical. How did it get where it was fcund, and how long had it lain in the clay? It is placed bv Mr. Best with the mysterious Tamil bell found on the West .Coast. The dress of tho figure is that of ft preMancbu Chinese, which, in some respects, survives in the Korean national costume of to-day. Possibly some great junk out. of the China Seas wandered down into these waters; and was nevnr able to return, finally going to pieces on the coast in a westerly blow. The wrecked vessel would fall into tho hands of the Maoris had they survived the sens and of the wreckage that came pshorc they would divide it among them. The figure is not like the soapstone images now made by Chinese, mostly for; the tourist and sailor trade.

An. account for ,£6 35., for champagne, whisky, wine, stout, and soda water supplied to an epidemic patient at Cambridge "was received by the Waikato Hospital Board from the Cambridge branch of tho Patriotic Association. When the account was read, Mr. G: Dickenson said the patient, was a soldier from the Te Miro settlement, who had influenza and removed to the temporary hospital. t When the hospital was closed a private' individual took charge of him without receiving any payment, and the liquor was supplied on the doctor's orders. Members thought that if the 'board paid the account -it would be equivalent to granting charitable aid, ana' it was decided to .forward the account to the Returned Soldiers' Association.

Giving evidence before the Industries Committee in Auckanu, Mr. Thomas D. Smith, representing the Wine Growers' Association, asked that the Government facilitate the manufacture and sale of New Zealand wines, and that the industry bo removed from (lie sphero of prohibition. The industry had been estabished and fostered by the Government 20 years ago, ana it was then the intention to mako it a national industry irrespective of the prohibition, question. At present the demand exceeded supply. Tho industry would offer ideal light employment for returned soldiers; and could readily be established on tho Birdwood Estate recently purchased: by the Government for the soldiers. The industry required less capital than any other, said Mr. Smith, and returns were quick. Land that was no use for other -purposes could lie made valuable as vineyards after the gum had been taken out. Witness suggested that the Government should impose legislation requiring that wine should be kept three years before being sold. Under present conditions tho demand was such that it was frequently sold after nine months.

All arrangements in connection with the Hutt Valley Horticultural Society's Autumn Show, to be held to-morrow and Thursday in tho Drill Hall, Lower Hutt. are in a forward state. Tho committee states that the hall will present an attractive appearance due to the display of greenery, bunting, nnd the exhibition blooms and other exhibits. The show will be opened by Sir James Ailen to-morrow at 3 o'clock.