LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 185, 1 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

From midnight last night the censorship on all Press messages, cable or inland, ceased.

During the- past month one- petition in bankruptcy was filed in Wellington, us against two in April lust year. For the four months of the current year thero were two bankruptcies as compared with nine during the four mouths of last year.

Replying to a letter from Mr. 11. E. Holland, M.P., with reference to a re. quest for a Stale medical service for the Ngakawau coal miners, tho Minister of Public Health states that no funds are at the disposal of the Department ior tho establishment of a Stale medical service for any special class of the community. There is power under tho Hospitals Act for tho hospital beards of the various districts to appoint doctors, and Section 14 of Uie Public Health Amendment Act, which was parsed last session, made provision for any local authority by special resolution to make application to tho Minister of Public Health, asking him to provide a<resident medical practitioner for tho district. "It vould appear," said the Minister, "that the proper course is for tho coal miners of your district to apply to the Minister of Mines for such subsidy as may be necessary from the Mines Department to assist in the establishment of a medical service. With regard to the general t/uestion of State medical services, this will no doubt come Wore the electors of tho. country at tho forthcoming general election, anil I think my views on tho subject ore well known."

"The present cost, of high living in this country is appalling," was a remark made by a returned soldier, and which caused no little amusement at last night's meeting of tho Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association.

A Press Association message from Dunedin states that a proposal to form si Bank Officers' Association was discussed on Tuesday night by the local staff of the Bank of New Zealand. It was unanimously resolved to record ■tho staff's .appreciation of the satisfactory relations between tho directors and the staff; and also .to express disapproval of any attempt to introduce union principles into that relationship. ;

"I give way to no in my appreciation of tlio work done by women during this war"—(applause)—said Mr. J. D. Harper at last evening's meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. "If it were ever-necessary for women to establish a right then they have done it during this war. In every sphere of commercial life they havo filled the gaps caused by those who have gone to the front. They hnve done yeoman service, and judging by the 'reluctnnco of employers to losq their services, lutvo been satisfactory." • .

Joseph Miller, a nlarried man employed' by the Government as a nightwatchman, ivas last evening admitted to the Hospital suffering from slight injuries to his right eye. He is stated to have hurt himself by falling amongst some timber.

In the course of his address of welcomo to General Hart at Carterton .on Friday, the -Mayor, stated thai; Brigadier-General Hart had, by a strange coincidence, served as,a steward on board the Corinthic oil returning from the Boer War. On this oooasion he had returned on the same vessel .as Brigadier - General, C.M.G., D.S.O. • '.

The exhibits for the New Zealand Town-Planuiiw Conference and Exhibition aro very ireqly arriving. /It is hoped that all the Dominion exhibitors will forward their exhibits at the earliest pos-. siblo date, so that they all may- be in readiness for tho opening day. The lutest dato for receiving competitive designs and exhibits will be May 14, and tho dato of the oponing ceremony of the conference' and exhibition is May 20.

An inquest was held by Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday,' touching the death of Patrick J. Fogarty, 6iugle, ~a waterside -worker, who died at the hospital on Monday from injuries received through falling down the hold of the Kamona at the Clyde Quay Wharf on April 22. Evidence was given that as deceased was passing No. 2 hatch, lie was struck by a beam, which had been shift-, ed out of position by the swinging of a hook. The winchman had stopped the winch in time to prevent the hook from striking him, but the hook caught 'in a beam, which struck Fogarty on the less, causing him to fall oyer into the hold. Deceased fell about eight oy nine feet on to some timber and was rendered delirious. He was taken to the hospital. A verdict of accidental death woe returned.

About 1M 6oldiers have expressed their intention of attending the vocational classes now being organised at King George V. Hospital at Rotorua. A considerable proportion of these men de&ire instruction in subjects connected with fanning; for instance, 23 wisl) for teaching in tho management of animals. 22 in wool-classing, and 12 in dairying. Thirtyfour men have entered the classes for general commercial training, and 12 have joined the class for instruction in motor engineering. Carpentering, basket-mak-ing, and othor occupations aleo have classes devoted to them, and the scope of operations is ibeing enlarged. It is in--tended to start a olass for boot-repairing shortly. One man is, being taught eignwi'iting.by correspondence. There are at present nine instructors at the hospital, and, in addition, officers of the Agricultural Department will Visit Rotorua.

"We should alb remember that we have got to train in the future," said Colonel C. H. Weston, D.5.0., while proposing the toa°.t of "The Navy and Army" at the Anzac tea in New Plymouth on Friday (states the Taranaki "Herald"). Our improvised army had been a good army, but it was not the best army, and there was no doubt, when it was compared wifh the conscripted armies of France and Qermany, the comparison at times was a little obvious. If we had to face wars, in the future—and it was a little optimistip to say there would never bo more wars—we must be trained up to the knocker. The speaker said it was his firm belief that this country and all parts of tho British Empire should have'conscription, but, though\he said this, he did not think we Should ever be a militarist nation. "I am euro the only way to bo ready is to have a conscript army and put boys into camp for 12 or 18 months consecutively. This not only makes soldiers of them, but men, and ha? this advantage, that it provides a boarding school for the poor man's eon." Those who could afford to send their sons to a hoarding-school knew, what advantages it gave, and at such a camp the conditions would be similar.

On Che voyage out from the United Kingdom the troopship Haranga, which arrived 1 on Tuesday, called,at Newport News, U.S.A., where she stayed for five days loading 7000 tons of coal for the New Zealand Government. Advantage was taken of the opportunity to eend tho troops ashore. They were accommodated in a remarkably line camp, and were extended a hearty welcome by. the townspeople, who treated them right royally throughout their stay. Many of the men, taking advantage of the reduced fares offered, travelled' considerable distances on the trains, and most of them patronised the theatres, which were thrown open to them freo of charge. Needless to eay the men speak highly ■of tho people of Newport News. Whilo n#horo tho troops bought a piano at a cost cf ,C7O for use on the voyage. This was raffled for subsequently at Is. a, ticket. The winner naturally was. delighted, but he found, somewhat to his amazement, on arival, that to land it would cost him .£l2 duty. Tho joke was appreciated by the rest on board. During ihe passage Ihroiigh the Panama Canal the America? residents threw an abundance- of fruit on board.for the use of the soldiers

A Press Association telegram states that at the annual meeting of hmisoholdors held at Voxton on Tuesday night, there was a record attendance. A few minutes prior to 8 o'clock, .Air. I'mscr (board member) proposed that Mr. Pirani (a Fuilding resident) should occupy tho .chair. The old committee on entering tho room found tho meeting in progress. Objection was taken (o Mr. Pirani acting as chairman, he not being a. resident. Mr. Pirani ruled that the Act did not specify that a non-house-holder could not preside. Twenty-two wituliditta wore nominated, and tho following worn elected:—-Messrs. . Perrean. Honiblow, Coloy, Claris, Parkin, Alexander, Ilobiuson, Kellow, and M'Murrny. You'll find a Warm li'ult Slipper a great boon these winter nights. See our stocks, from 6s, lid. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street!—Advfc,

"Wo stand for retrospection in full for wives and children, and we-aro going to got it," said Mr. D. Seymour at l«3t; nigiit's meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. "Tho attitude of the Government on this matter is fully indefensible," said the speaker.

The Auckland polico are making inquiries which they believe will unearth a conspiracy to smuggle Chinese labourers into New Zealand from Fiji, and ravetaken into custody two Chinese whom they allego have been already smuggled into Auckland from the s.s. Atuii on theoccasion Uf that ship's visit on, March 15.

The extent to which pilfering of cargo is practised is illustrated by the recent experience of a Du.ncdin shoe score .proprietor. A case containing oa pairs of boots was shipped to him by a Wellington firm. Wlien the caso, which presented no external evidence of having boon tampered with, was opened, no fewer titan 11 pairs of boots were missing. The thieves had considerably left in the case the empty cardboard boxes.

The Union Jack which was' draped around tho pulpit of St. Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin, (luring the Anzac memorial service on Friday was used by CI upluin-Bush-luug while on active service. It had been used in the camp at Aivnpitni during the mobilisation of tho Main Body, it had been used in Egypt, Uallipoli, England, and France. It was used during the Atizac Day <rlebrutions in 1916 at Tel el Kebir, on 1017 anniversary in France, and on 1918 anniversary at 'Sues. It had also been used on tlie following transports as an altar cloth:— H.M.S.S. Limerick, Willochra, Maungnnui, Nile, Ruahine, Tofua, and liliiua-a-oa. On Hie Majesty's birthday, 1915, it was flown, by permission, on Walker's Ridge, Anzac, the flagpole on that'occasion consisting of a boat, hook secured from one of the boats wrecked at tlic original landing.

A well-known New Zealand pressman, who' was for a long timo connected with tho N.Z.E.F. publicity section, in London, writing to a friend in Christchurch under date of February 26, says:—lt must be obvious to anyone who thinks about £ho problem of emigration from this country in future years that now is the time to prepare a bold scheme of advertising which will appeal to the men who will go abroad in thousands when normal conditions return. These men cannot go now, and until the labour markets in the colonies righj; themselves, immigrants will not be wanted; but there is no doubt tho-men—and desirable men, too—are going when their chance conies, and why shouldn't New Zealand bo ready with a welcome right from the word "go," so that she will bo able to compete with Canada; and Australia in selecting the best material? The position in (ho Strand here in London any night will show you how we stand. Outside Australia Houso yon will find a crowd watching splendidly attractive films, which provide pictures "of life in Australia, and which provide one of the best advertising ''stunts" I have seen. In other parts of the Strand, and other busy streets, brilliantly lit windows blaze out all the attractions of the different States of Canada. And then .right in the heart of London you will find the New Zealand offices dark andisilent, the blinds completely drawn over the windows, ■ and effectively hiding anything they may contain from view. New Zealand's, soldiers, and nothing else, have advertised New Zealand in a remarkable way; in a fijw months tho soldiers 'will have gone, and with their departure New Zealand will silently drop off the map a,? far as "the man in the sireet" over hero is concerned.