LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 184, 30 April 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Another return has been received by the Minister of Defence regarding the progress of demobilisation of the Division, un April 19 the total number of men evacuated i'rom the United Kingdom since tlie signing oi the armistice was 2-1,823. There were still 281 men in France. 1E?,1n5 in tlie United Kingdom, and 2012 in hospitals in the United Kingdom. Tlie time within which 'tlie Epidemic Commission is to report to tho Government has been extended for fourteen days, until May H. It is expected that the report will be ready by this date. The Commission has already forwarded to 'the Governor-General an interim report dealing with precautions and measures to be taken in preparation against a recrudescence of the sickness. The Admiralty has issued instructions that in British ports and possessions tho pre-war regulations l>oth as regards firing salutes and dressing ships on British national anniversaries, and as regards Royal and'personal salutes, are to come into force again as from March 31 for His Majesty's ships. The hotels will be closed throughout to-day on account of the arrival. of returning troops. At a mass meeting of members of the Wellington branch of the A.S.K.S., held at the Petone Railway Workshops at noon yesterdaj', a resolution was passed expressing "no coufidencc" in,the executive council.

The prompt action of Jlotorman Percy Dixon m applying the brakes of a tramcar in Willis Street yesterday morning was the means of saving the life of a little boy named John ll'Hardv. About 11.10 a.m. two brothers, James M'Hardy, au'ed seven ydars, and John Jl'Hardy, fivo r years old, of Boulcott Street, attempted to cross Willis Street from behind a tramcar. In doing so they evidently failed to notice that another car was coming in the opposite direction. The latter car was being driven by Motorman Dixon, who, tho instant lie saw the boys, applied his brakes, bringing the car to an immediate stop. Tiie smaller boy had got right in front of the car, and the. motorman did nAt observe him until the time lie put on tlie brakes. As the car stopped it struck tho lad, who was knocked down and rolled underneath the car. That tho motormari's action was splendidly prompt was proved by tlie fact that when tho bystanders wcilt to remove the hoy from underneath the car they found that tho wheels had cut some of his clothing, yet liis bodv was not hurt. The boy, who naturally was suffering from shock, was carried into the shop of Mr. Edwin Arnold, where, after being attended to by two ladies, he soon rallied and Mas ablo fe> go home. "Tho boy must have been killed but for tho action of the driver oi tlie tram in pulling up with such promptitude," remarked Acting Sub-In-spector Emerson, who witnessed the nccident. "I think tho man is deserving of tho highest praise in acting as he did. It was the smartest pieco of work I ever saw in my life."

At the Petone Borough Council meeting on Monday the following resolution was passed on tho motion of Councillor Tovey. "That this council desires to place on record its appreciation of the kindly feeling existing between the Mayor and councillors, such feeling being due to the tact/and consideration shown by tho Mayor and staff at all times." Eeplying to the motion,, tho Mayor said that the present council had been ouo of the most'harmonious he had worked with. He felt quite sure that tho town was not going to got a better council than it had at tho present time.

Tho Defence authorities have received information to tho effect that the upper age limit for the British Army entrance examination has been altered to nineteen years in lion of eighteen years and a half.

The Court of Appeal, on the motion of Mr. H. V. von Haast, on behalf of thn New Zealand Law Society, mado an order striking l Herbert Alexander Macdonald off tho, rolls. The application was unopposed. The usual costs =£15 lfls. were allowed.

A poll to fill .the vacancy caused by ■tho .resignation of Mr, A. J. -Taylor for the Porirua Biding of the Makara County Council will bo taken to-day. The candidates are Bobert Bould, Frederick . H. Putter, and Lionel D. Nairn, and the polling hours aro 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. • >

The inquest into the eauso of death of Mrs. Margaret lteid, who was killed as a result of being knocked down by a motor-car near Street on Monday night, will bo held at tho Magistrate's Court at 9 o'clock, this morning.

"I try to be just,'' replied a fomalo, plaintiff in the Magistrate's Court yestordav. during the hearing of a, rent case. "1 try to be just; I can't afford to .bo generous."

The police ,wero informed yesterday that the waterside worker, C. J. Fogorty, who received fracture of the skull while working on the steamer Kaninna at tha Clyde Quay Wharf on- April 22, died at tho Hospital on Monday night. Deceased wa' about forty yfeara of age, and resided at 56 Boulcott 'Street. An inquest will bo held.

"A landlord or landlady who lets a fur. nished house without having an inventory made of the contents, and fails to get tho tenant to sign for them, is taking a risk,' remarked Mr. P. V. Frazer, during the hearing of a case at the Magistrates Court yesterday.

' A request for State assistance -for the extensibn of tlie grounds of The Terrace School in Wellington was made to the Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) yesterday by Mr, T. Forsyte chairman of tlib t Wellington Education Board. Mr. Forsyth mentioned also the need for ft neiv school at Brooklyn, the accommodation in the present building being, inadequate. Mr. Hanan said that lie was pleased to be able to give Mr. PorsjfU a favourable reply in respect of The Terrace School grounds, Cabinet having approved of a grant for tho purpose. As to tho Brooklyn School, ho said that after-the board's application hid been considered by the Department he would give the matter attentive consideration.

Mr. B. W. Dalton, British Trade Commissioner for New Zealand, in the course of an interview at Wolverhampton, said that a feature of the New Zealand market was that Americans supplied attractive showcards with their goods, thus constituting a factor worthy of being taken into serious consideration. By far the greater proportion of the hardware trade in New Zealand was British, yet the goods shown in shop windows were largely American, simply because the articles were more attractive in appearance. The New Zealand market generally had grown very prosperous since the war, and a great increase in tho buying power of the country might be expected during the. next couple of years. Tho North Canterbury >Ilospital and Charitable Aid Board, at yesterday's meeting, made a general increase in the wages and salaries of the members of its staff. The board decided to protest to the Government and the local members of Parliament against the inadequacy of the Government subsidy, and to 6end a deputation on the subiect to Parliament during nest session—Press , Assn. ■

A Press Association message • from Auckland states that a feature of the school committee elections was the return of a complete Labour ticket in Auckland city, ousting all but one of the old committee. There was a general demand at householders' meetings for extended and better school accommodation.

Next-of-kin meeting .returning drafts at the wharves will greatly appreciate the new arrangement introduced by the military landing authorities to facilitate the meeting of returning soldiers. In the past it .has heen tho practice for all men to come off by way of one gangway, but in the case of the Ba.ranga's draft yesterday two gangways were used, the North island men using one and the South Island men the other. Notices stating that "North Island men will disembark here" and "South Island men will disembark here" were posted un in conspicuous places near the gangways, and this greatlv assisted next-of-kin in discovering their kinsmen.

j[r. Aubrey L. Williams (Cliristchnrch), who served "with the New Zealand Engineers in Gallipoli and France, recently went from London to Italy, to lecture to the British Forces there on conditions in Russia. Mr. Williams was for some timo in St. Petersburg with his brother, Dr. Harold Williams, who was correspondent tlioro of the "Daily Chronicle." Dr. Williams is one of tho best authorities on Russian affairs in Europe.

A mission is being preached at St. Joseph's Church, Buckle Street, by the Hev, Fathers T. J. M'Carthy and J. E. Ainsworth S.M., and will continue till May 11. Special services are being held daily.

Speaking in Christchnrchi Dr. Ches£on, District Health Officer, said he would like to warn people against the .tendency they had to box themselves up as soon as cold weather approaches. "\Yith the slightest breath of cold air," said the doctor, "up go all windows and f.ec ventilation is shut out." By doing this people rendered themselves more liable to catch diseases, which would be the more readily disseminated.

A fine record of war services attaches to the New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, the remaining members of which arrived in Auckland by the lonic last week. The corps left Auckland on December !!0, 1915, unaer the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. E. Duigau. It was fitted out at Falmouth, and was the first New Zealand unit iii France. It relieved the French on the Yimy ltidge, and was engaged iu active mining operations there for two years. With the approach of the Cambrai offensive a party was detailed for special duty. The corps was responsible lor the underground system at Arras, which involved the formation of communication trenches leading to the German front line. Special mention of this work was made iu a dispatch by Sir Douglas Haig. The fact that over 30,000 men were accommodated underground in canvas and dugouts, before tlie battle started, gives some idea of the magnitude of the work. The .underground touches to the German lines carried a -1-inch watermain and a 2ft. tramway. Tho operations were the means of preventing heavy casualties when the enemy barrage came down on the opening of the attack on April 7; 1917. The commander of the corps; Colonel Duigan, was admitted to the D.5.0., in recognition of the valuable services rendered. _ The D.S.O. was also conferred on Captain H. Vickerman, who t.gok command when Colonel Duigan left. The same distinction was conferred on Captain .T. F. G. Kichards. the medical officer of tho unit, who did excellent work during offeusive. Military Crosses were awarded to Captain 'E. It. Daldy, and Captain CJ. Campbell. In addition, a large number of non-commis-sioned officers and men of the unit were recipients of tho Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal. After tho llessines offensivo active mining operations on tho Western front ceased owing to the continual fluctuation of the line, and the funnelling Corps was engaged in constructing dugouts, roads, and bridges. In the British offensive of 1918, the unit completed a bridge over tlie Mons Canal, which received the high appreciation of tlie Coiiiroiinder-in-Cliief. For good work hero the Tunnelling Corps was specially mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's dispatch, and the D.S.O. was conferred on Captain Dudley Holmes. The unit did not work with ; the New Zealand Division, but operated all the time it was in France with the Third Army. It has iv unique record, for itsrate o." work, was never beaten by a British Tunnelling Company, and a remarkable fact was that although the unit was continually at work from the time it landed in France until tho armistice was signed, the casualties were extraordinarily few.