LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 209, 29 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A visit of inspection to Soni&s Island was, made by the Minister of Public Health. On his return Mr. Russell said that good progress was being made with the work of renovation of the miarantine buildings. The buildings sot apart for women .are now well advanced to.wards completion, and' mod will bo ready for furrfishins. , ' He hoped thas in about a fortnight the station would be ready for occupation in case of need. "Thefts from the wharves and ships are regarded as serious matters-in all the courts," said Mr. Frazerji S.M., yesterday, in sentencing a wharf labourer to imprisonment, for theft. "There are a lot of men employed on each ship discharging cargo, and if one water.-ider commits a theft, and is not discovered, all of th. l men working on his hold or ,on the eame vessel come under suspicion. When there are a number of thefts from tha waterfront, people get the idea that the watersiders as a body are dishonest. I don't think that is true, but that is the opinion that the man who commits theft on the wharf rims tho fisk of creating." Tuesday next (King's Birthday) is to be observed' as a holiday by the State schools of the Wellington education district. "My impression ,is that the coming session of'Parliauient will not last more than three or lour weeks, and there will bo no time to amend the game laws," said Mr. W. H. Field, M.l'., at last night's meeting of tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society. The report on coal production and distribution which the Board of Trade was asked to prepare some months ago, has been compiled for some time, and it is now printed. It has to be considered by Cabinet before being released for publication, but Cabinet will probably deal with it this week, and very soon afterwards the report should be available to the public It is not expected that the report will contain anything, to give the people comfort in their present plight of lack of sufficient fuel. But tho report will contain a great deal of information carefully collated, which may be useful to the Government in dealing with problems of coal production in the future.

During' the past, two days thirty-throe divorce cases were heard "in Wellington; and decree nisi granted. There are still fifteen petitions to bo heard.

Tho work of erecting additional accommodation at the Motuihi Island Quarantine Station is proceeding rapidly, and at present SO workmen are engaged. It is proposed to erect 10 buildings, apart from a convalescent ward, and an observation ward. There arc good sup,plios of water on the island, but, in order to provide for all possible contingencies,' buring is being carried out to secure further supplies. ,

Instructions regarding the supply of mjniatu.ro. medals and decorations are published in.general orders. All civilians, officers, and other ranks requiring miniatnro decorations and niudals must apply to 'tho district headquarters of their respective districts. Such applications will be accepted by district headquarters only between May 1 and 31 and November 1 and 30 in each year. The application will subsequently bo dealt with by tho director of organisation and tho director of equipment and ordnance.

Representatives of the Christehurch Chamber of Commerce interviewed Sir James Allen, jsking that tho Gazette regulation dated 2, designed to protect soldiers from exploitation, be niude clear, statos a Press Association telogram. The deputation stated that business people doubted whether tho regulation applied to debts incurred by soldiers after they became civilians; again, if it did apply that way it would operate against returned soldiers,'because business people to protect themselves would insist, on returucilfsoldiers paying cash. The Minister eaid tho Government wished to protect returned soldiers, but not injure' their credit. He did not think the regulation would apply after the men b(-c«me civilians, but he would ask the Attorney-General, and have tho meaning of tho regulation made quite clear.

Speaking to a "Taranaki News" representative recently, Captain Atkins, of the Orissa. stated that' there should bo a splendid market for Now Zealand butter, cheese, and apples in .India. He had paid 2s. -Id. per lb. foe Australian apples in Madras, and considered , himself lucky to get them even ■at that price, while for Australian butter they paid 3s. Gd. per lb., and were glad to get it. The. Indian market would absorb all the dairy produce New Zealand could Bend, and the same applied to apples. It was a market which he was surprised had not been exploited before.

•The Waihi police, says tho "Herald," report that books of tickets for the English Derby have been received from England >by a Waihi business man, who has been asked by (ho senders to act. as their local agent. Tho police advise that the sale of such tickets constitutes an offonce against the New Zealand Gaming Laws, and the recipient has handed tho books over to tho police. - Tlio prico oof each ticket is £1.

Tho rearing of pheasants on Quail Island was attempted last season. There are no natural oneniies of the birds , on tho island, and food and cover are plentiful. T«n pheasants wer? hatched out, but all except one cock were poisoned. Tho blame, it was stated at tlie meeting of the Acclimatisation Society, rested upon the German prisoners. The society is taking steps to obtain five hen pheasants, and will support auoflier effort to raiso pheasants on Quail Island.

The following nominations have been received for the position of commissioner to the Johnsonvillo Town Board:—Albert August Eenner and Dunbar Sloane. An election will be held at the board's- offices un .Tune i.

The railway staff of tho head and departmental offices arc to hold a. send-off smoke concert to Mr. E. 11. Hiley, Into general manager, on Friday evening, at the head ofHco buildings. The ActiiigPrinie Minister has signified his intention of being present, as also will the Min'islcr of Railways. The other members of the Cabinet have alfo been invited to attend. Mr. K. W. M'Villy, recently appointed to succeed Mr. Hiley, will pieside.

o It was reported to yesterday's meeting of the executive of the Wellington War Relief Association that a small minority of the returned men still exhibited inability to settle down to civilian life. That (eaid a report) was only to bo expected when, one considered the'physical and mental strain through lyhich they had passed, but nevertheless the problem of how best, to help them was-most difficult of solution.

The influence of the starling on tiio fishing in New Zealand streams was suggested by a member of the Acclimatisation Society last night, liefore the slariing became plentiful a few large trout would bo found in the head waters of each small stream. These trout fed on grasshoppers and other large insects. But the birds greatly .reduced the numbers of largo insects, and the big trout lacked the food thai had attracted them. The same member urged the lined of a campaign against shags. These birds did more to fipoil the fishing than any other factor. They hunted the trout unceasingly, and drove the fish out o£ tho shallow waters. Tho systematic destruction of shags and disturbance of shuggerios would greatly improve tho fishing.

An elderly man, Nril.' M'Xoill, who was convicted of common assault by a jury at Hawera, was tenteneed to twelve months' imprisonment at the Supreme Court yesterday.—Press Association.

"Don't trust the Germans!" is now an American ?notto. It might have taken Uncle Jonathan a long time to frame the motto, but he has now learnt it oif by heart. Whilst tho Rimutaka was at Newport News, a good number of her returned soldiers whilst on shore leave visited a big military camp near that port, and there 6aw men still undergoing training as though the war were still on. The eight, which was interesting to the New Zealand soldiers, who hud lieen through tho roHjrli and tumble of actual war, was a symbol that America was 'prepared for any eventuality in Europe.

A conference took place in Wellington yesterday between representatives of the marine "engineers and the coastal shipowners with reference to certain demands iiiiide by (lie engineers. The cunferencp was adjourn! to a date yet W be fixed, in order that some additional information be gathered. The Council of Education will meet ir Wellington on June 24. Speaking at r a boxing tournament in Christchuwh on Saturday . night the Mayor, Dr. H. T. J. Thacker, M.P., said he was ambitious to get. a' stadium for Chrislchnrch in connection with the tepid baths. If a deputation of men representing the sports bodies of the citv came before him as Mayor he would put the question of a stadium, as a lighting proposition, before tho City Council. Boxing competitions should be held during the visit of Lord Jellicoe and the Prince of Wales, and it should be possible to offer sonde fine prizes as an inducement for boxers to come over from Australia. Tho ■ Wellington Land Board was engaged yesterday dealing with the applications of soldiers and in interviewing the applicants. Dr. J. E. Kiddell, who has launched a big scheme for the education of the children of soldiers killed in the war, waited on tho Wanganui-Waitotara Patriotic Association yesterday. It was resolved to vote <£2000 to the fund, the sum to , l)e paid in war bonds.—Press Assn. .

A meeting of creditors in the, estate of the late Emma Eleanor Walker was to have been held yesterday afternoon, but lapsed for want of a quorum.- The late Miss Walker left a small amount in casji and furniture, certain properlies in the town of Waihi held on occupation license, a life insurance policy, sundry mining shares, and an eouitable interest in a certain fruit lands company in the neighbourhood of Auckland. Certain of the securities were realised by the executor, and there remains a number of shares and other securities estimated to be worth about .£215, and when these were realised there would bo a deficiency of £59 ss. 10d.

"Worm-fishing is sheer butchery," said a member of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night. "No more unsportsmanlike method of taking trout could bo devised. , " It was the habit of some fishermen to put lines with worm bait into tho Hutt River, rest comfortably on the bank until the float sank, and then pull the fish in. This practice, said the member, ought to be stopped.

At the meeting of the Wellington War Belief Association yesterday afternoon tho following letter was received from Brigadier-General G. S. Richardson, who has just returned from England:—"l shall be glad if you convey to your committee my deep appreciation of tho thoughtfulness which prompted their kind' letter of welcome. I have perused the annual report which you forwarded, ond am of opjnion that tho War Belief Association has done, and is doing, very valuable work for tho assistance of New Zealand troops, and for the benefit of tho Dominion."

It was stated at a meeting of the Education Board in Otago recently that there were in the district some forty residences of teachers which were unoccupied. It appears that this stato of things is not confined to the Otago district. The Minister of Education has recently not been regularly approving applications for grants for teachers' res'donees unless special rclfsons were advanced for the building of a house. Careful inquiry is being made in every casiv It is provided in the salary clauses and schedules of the Act that a teacher in charjfo of a school must receive a hous'j allowaneo if no house is provided foi him.

"Perhaps one of the, most important' functions of your cominitteo hat,. (says tho monthly report of the exewitivo to the War Relief Association) been to grant 'assistance (o tho relatives of soldiers who, resuming civilian life from one to three years ago, have suffered a partial or complete loss of civil earnings resultant upon illness directly attributable to their military service. In other cases the reports of your lion, medical advisers disclose a less remote connection with war services rendered, but the particulars attached to some of the cases—which unfortunately arc largely on the increase—havo hem most distressing; tho maximum amount of direct and indirect assistance has been and will iie gladly given to such claims; in these particular cases tho special thanks of your committee are due to the lion, lady visiting staff, whose intuition and delicacy have proved invaluable when calling upon tho soldiers' womenfolk."

Many visitors iio tho recent Town-plan-ning Conference and Exhibition were struck with tho exhibit of toll well-grown trees which can bfi purchased for streetplanting, thus obviating tlie necessity of having to wait ten or twelve years before there is growth enough to make any kind of show, with tho attendant iibk of them not striking at all or perishing in their youth. Tlieso trees have been secured by the City Corporation, and were removed from: the Town Hall yesterday , to be replanted at Nevrtown Park. Curiously enough, Wellington is one of the few towns in New Zealand that has never gone in for individual trre-planting in tlie streets, firstly because the majority of tlie streets p.r'e too narrow to allow space for such decoration, 'and, secondly, owing to the prevalence of those high winds so detrimental to tlie gorwth of imported trees in their earlier years. Tlio luxuriant growth in the street reserves shows, however, that tree-planting in the | streets of Wellington need not necessarily be a failure, and might be fried in those thoroughfares which lend themselves to arboreal decoration. The body of Mr. James Joseph Walsh, «. reporter oriiployed on tho "Otago Daily* Times" stall',, was found in tho harbour yesterday morning! close to tho Victoria. Wharf, a Press Association message from Dunedin states. Tlie deceased attended a meeting the previous night, and it is concluded that he went for a walk on tho wharf after the meeting, and by some means I'ell into the water. There was evidence of his having endeavoured to climb out by mean 3 of a ropo which was attached to the wharf and a piledriver. Evidence at Hie inquest showed that deceased was present at a meeting of tne returned soldiers on Tuesday night, and was last seen about 9.30 p.m. When found the body was fully clothed, including a hat and an overcoat. Deceased lelt New Zealand with l!einforcements, retunmig in January. Hβ had been wounded in tho knee aud ga6scd. iSinoe returning home ho had shown signs of nervous affection, but was naturally of a bright disposition. A verdict of found drowned was returned. Deceased's, ■ relatives resido at Opawa, Christchurch. Mr. Walsh was formerly on the literary staff of tho "Lyttelton Times," and beforo that was in tho teaching profession. His 'age was 27 vears.