LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 200, 19 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There- is slated to bo a very fair prospect that the Union Company s ferry steamer Maori will sail for Lyttelton tonight in her usual running. In the event of it being impossible to engage the liremen • needed to complete the stokehold complement, tho Union Company will dispatch tho Monoivai for Lyttelton at tho usual hour. Should, however, the M.au=> be able to got away, Hie Monowai wi:l dopart at 5 p.m. for Duncdiu, via Lyttelton.

A Press Association telegram from Dunedin states that the district health ofEcer visited the Otekaike School for Backward, Children, where a numoe? of diphtheria cases had been reported. _ He found'no fresh developments. The situation is well in hand.

In at least one respect Saturday's welcome to General Sir Andrew Russell was unique in the history of Wellington. For the first time in the history of the city there were four Generals on the platform of the Town Hall at Hie same time, three of whom gained the high distinction during tho present war. The four were:—Major-General -Sir Alfred Bobin, C.8., C.M.G., Major-General Sir_ Andrew Rusoell (who commanded tho New Zealand Division in France), BrigadierGeneral G. S. Eichardson (who commanded the New Zealand Forces in England), and Brigadier-General Hart, of Masterton.

The Eoyal Commission which is to in« vestigate tho influenza epidemic at Sammi sailed from Aucklaad for the , island port on' the Talune at 7 p.m. on SaturdayPress Assn.

A complaint submitted to the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerco that the Agricultural Department, refused to make soil analyses for the owner of some land in the North of Auckland was brought under the notice of Dr. G. J. Beakes, Director-General of the Agricultural Department in Christchurch, He said that there must oe some misapprehension, as the Department always was very pleased to analyse soil , for bomi-fide farmers. As a matter of fact, the Department encouraged farmers to send soil to it for analysis, and it gave them the best possible advice ns to their operations.

A by-law malting it compulsory for horse-drawn vehicles to carry a tail-light is being asked for by the Auckland Tramways Union of Workers. Hβ request lor such a regulation came before the City Council last week, when the suggestion was referred to the Finance and Legal Committee.

Tho price of a first-class tailor-made suit in Dunedin to-day is 12 guineas, and even at this fignro tho tailors are experiencing a very busy limo (says tho "Otago Daily Times"). For a suit of clothes cut by a tailor and made up by girls with machines thn cost .is about seven guineas. Tailors, however, are experiencing the greatest difficulty in securing cloth. One tailor stated that last week he had gone to a leading Dunedin clothing business whioh is supplied by its own mills, and was informed that all the cloth ho could obtain was three suit lengths, and ho was not pressed to tnuo these. Tho fact that thu mills arc not called on to supply khaki has not 'relieved the position, as it is authoritatively etated that cloth was never as scarce at any time during the war as it is now. Mr. P. Frasor, M.P. 'for Wellington Central, who is visiting Auckland, has telegraphed to the Minister of Eaihvnys, protesting against his action in vetoing the unanimous decision of the. Railway Appeal Board in tho Longton case. He says it reduces the Appeal Board to n farce, and made raihvaymen foot ,t!iat Micro was no protection or justice for them. "Tour action." ho. says, "which seems both tyrannical and without the ('lightest justification, is bound to increase thn widespread dissatisfaction with railway, workers. You uro simply driving railway workers to tho extremity by your latest exnmplo of industrial Kaisorism."—Press Assn.

The Wellington branch of the Engineers', Firemen and Cleaners' Association has passed a resolution expressing disapproval at tho action of the Minister of Railways in vetoing the unanimous decision of Die Railway Appeal Board ; n the Longton appeal" case.

At the Supremo Court, before Mr. Justice Cooi>or application was made by tho cruiv of tho Canadian Jive-masted auxiliary schooner Laura Wlialcn that discharges be granted in Auckland. The Laura Wlialen left Vnncourer on April 25 last year for Adelaide, mid after experiencing frequent engine .troubles put liitu Auckland on her return voyage on January 2 with both crankshafts broken. The cruw's articles expired on April 3 last, the vessel being still in port waiting completion of repairs. It was urged on behalf of the crew that when the second of (he vessels two engines broke down she was much nearer to either Suva or Honolulu than to Auckland, and the master's proper course was to have gono to one or other of those ports under sail, unshipped the propellers with tho help of divers, and proceeded to Vancouver. It was olso submitted that the crow were suffering loss by being detained under the old articles, because seamen's wages in Canada had risen considerably eince they signed on last year. If -discharged! in New Zealand the men are entitled to be sent back to Vancouver. Tho question for the Court was whether they were entitled to discharge on April 3 last or whether they were bound to work the ship buck to Vancouver after repairs have been effected.—Press Assn. v

The ordinary general meeting of the proprietors of the Bank of New Zealand will bo held in Wellington on Juno 13.

The military inquiry regarding-the disappearance of Rifleman John Russell from (lie ferry steamer.Mararon on the night cf October 21-25 last, was continued at the Wellington Barracks on Saturday. Additional evidence was taken hearing upon the mental condition of Russell and hie conduct prior to his disappearance. The inquiry was adjourned until to-morrov.-.

A Press Association message from Auckland states that the Tutanekai arrived at the northern port at 1.10 p.m. yesterday from' tho Thames, with the GovernorGeneral and party on board.

The stray dog cart and the man lvith tho "reta" net will bo seen in Christchurch this week. The Mayor (Dr. H, T. J. Thackcr, 11.P.) declared last week that it was intended to rid the city of stray dogs. "They are tho cause of more disease- being spread than anything else," he said. "1 want to give timely warning to citizens to tie their dogs up, for the raid will be repeated, and if the eaine dog is caught twice, no matter who is the owner or what the type of dog is, it will be destroyed."

During a recent visit to the south, Dr. C. J. lieakes made special inquiries and observations as to tho extent of the rabbit pest and steps taken to check it in the district from South Canterbury to the bottom of tho South Island, says an exchange. Ho stated that he was pleased to note a general movement amongst farmers and other occupiers of land to start a vicorous campaign against the rabbits. Ho found them alive to the necessity '""' tin's. A rabbit board has boon appointed at Pnlmerston South, and the same step is being discussed in other centres. By setting up rabbit boards and by the extensive use of rabbit netting, if it can be obtained nt a reasonable" price, it is believed that valnnble work will be done. The Government has communicated'with the High Commissioner, asking- him to inform it_ as to the market values of rabbit If values decrease to a reasonable rate the Government will do what it can to enable formers to obtain the netting. In the meantime, Dr. fleakes expresses satisfaction at tho tendency to take concerted action, and ho expresses a hone that farmors and tho officers of Hie Department will act in close co-operation jn order to secure the,greatest benefit.

.\n area' of 11.200 acres of Crown land; which is situated about thirty miles from Rntorua, beyond Lake Hotomn,, on the road to Whakatane, will'soon be opened for settlement by returned soldiers, .he survey will shortly be completed. Do only areas reserved by the Crown will be those com-ing timber. Practically the whole of the block is described as good average bush country."

■ "There is nothing, better than the eld station life in New'Zealand-for training men for the world," Colonel R. A. Cnatfev Officer TTomnmnding the Canterbury District, said at the officers' reception to Sir Andrew Russell in Christchurch Ho took Sir Andrew Russell as an illustration to snpnort the statement, hir Andrew, he said, wns manager of a large New Zealand sheep station. In. that capacity 'it was necessary ior him to know the men under him and to stud) them and their ways. A station manager s knowledge of his men, and his method* of treating them, might add 10 per cent. to Jhe value of their labour. Training in that direction had served Sir Andrew in (food stead when he led the New Zealand Division into the war urea. Utteit other men were working he was speaking. Ho never- asked any other man to do what he could not do himself, and. ho could take tho place of any,other,nini. and do that man's work "a jolly sigh, better than that man himself could do it.