LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 212, 2 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Canadian strikes may possibly affect the departure of mail steamer's from Vancouver (states a Press Association messnge from Duncdin). • No definite time-table has been announced for the Makura's departure from Vancouver for Auckland, but she may possibly lenvo there at the end of this week.

By the express from Auckland, which arrived on Saturday afternoon, 435 bags of mails arrived for Wellington and the eolith. The southern bags wero dispatched on Saturday night.

Speaking to a Dominion' reporter on Saturday morning, Mr. Donald Robertson, Public Service Commissioner, stated that there was at present every prospect of the classification of (lie Public Service being completed by the end of the present month. A? could well be allowed, lie could not make aiiy definite promise as to the exnet date, as there now and again cropped up cases which, in their peculiarities, forced them to go back over the ground which had been covered. Still he thought ffi that the end of Juno would see the work pretty well through. The classification of the Post and Telegraph Department's staff had been completed, and was published in a Gazette Extraordinary dated Friday last. Copies will not bo available for distribution until Wednesday of this week on account of tho 'number to be urinted.

As showing the improbability of a return to anything liko pre-war prices in manufactured hardware sundries we are permitted to refer, says tho Dunedin Star," to letters from one of the leading gnu-makers in England to the London buying house of a firm doing business in New Zealand. Writing in January of this year, these English makers state that they could only accept orders for sporting. guns upon the conditions that thero bo no definite date for delivery, and that the price bo 100 per cent, advance on pre-war rates; and the writers add that they think such prices will rulo for at leastUwelve months. An advance to that extent in England is equal to an increase of 135 per cent, landed in New Zealand.

One of the minor labour troubles of the day is tho shortage of telegraph messengers, and it is a sign of the times that the wages have been increased from .£4O to ,£52 per annum.—'"Lyttsjlton Times."

At the request of the Administration of the Cook Group, tho Post and Telepaph Department have undertaken to train four young Earotongans as me-chanic-carpenters and engineers. The young men, who are 'betweon IS and 20 years of age, have already arrived and are taking tho liveliest interest in (heir work. Only one of tho quartet speaks good English, but the others are rapidly picking up esseutial words. Ono of Ihe four is being trained as a telegraph engineer. The idea of training these lads is that they may in a year or two go back to their island home and instruct others, in order to be of some practical use to Hie community to which they belong. Tho Earotongans aro residing at the Y.M.C.A., in Willis Street. Mr. Platts (brother of Dr. Platls-Mills, oj Wellington) is at present Administrator of tho Cook Group,

Tho Wellington Patriotic Socioty's Band played a number of seleotions to a largo crowd at Newtown Park yesterday afternoon. Tho band, which was under (lie Imton of Mr. W. Jiipp, opened with tifc march, "Washington Greys," which was very favourably received. A tronibono novelty was also given by Mr. 11. Lai'sen.

Andrew Popps, a seaman employed on tho s.s. Patecna.'on Saturday evening dislocated his shoulder through a fall. Ho was attended to by Dr. Young, and then removgd to the Hospital.

Tho Mayor (Mr. J. I'. Luke) and Mrs. Luke were among those on the wharf to welcome the .returned troops by the I'akeha on Friday evening last, The Mnvor, on behalf of tho city, extended a very hearty welcome home to tho men, and Mrs. Luke and those assisting her distributed fruit and cigarettes among the men.

A whale, of the fin-back variety and about 50 feet, in length, made its appearance in the harbour on Saturday. The whale broke water close alongside the training ship Amokura on the landward side. It roamed quietly along through the hulk moorings, breaking water several times, and occasionally showing its flukes, and finally disappeared near the Takapuna. It is seldom that any whale;, visit the inner harbour, the last occasion being about eighteen months ago, when one was observed to spout about half a mile off Kaiwarra. The whale observed on Saturday, however, did not spout,

The DiMiedin correspondent of a Christchurch panel' recently telegraphed:—The cost of living has. a directly prejudicial effect oil horticultural shows in thinning the exhibits of vegetables. Cottage gardeners. hard put to it to maintain a daily supply of kitchen stuff, have become chary about entering, because to make anything like a. worthy display, means digging wholo rows to secure tho exhibitivo samples. This drawback was in operation at the show hore. If tilings go on as they are in Dunedin the Horticultural Society may be forced to cater simply for tho market gardeners, who, by the way, do not seem- to bo keen on shows.

In tiuoting a case which he considered was one for a permanent pension, Air. E. F. Andrews, secretary of flic Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, at the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association Conference, told of a man of .whom he knew who had gone to the front with a crippled linger. "Ho was put on bombtlirowing at Sling," said Mr. Andrews, "and was advised to havo the finger taken olf. Ho agreed, the operation was performed, and a finger removed, but the wrong finger. (Laughter.) He is getting a pennon now with which ho is quite satisfied, but ho can't grow a new finger, and I think his pension should be a permanent one."—Christchurch "Press."

Private Thomas Bently Brown. whose name appeared in the defaulters' list, has been on active service for somo years (states the Christchurch "Press"). Private Brown enlisted when about 17 years of age.. Although not actually preventing their son from going to the front, his parents notified the authorities of his age, but he was allowed to leave with his reinforcement. Owing to his youth he was kept in England -until lie became '20 years of age, and was then sent over to Franco, where he, remained until the close of the war. It is probably owing to enlisting at such a youthful age, and being absent from New Zealand when called up, that his name has appeared in the list. Privato Brown's eldest 'brother was killed in" action last October, and his mother died about IS .months ago.

''Tho usher in a -picturo show must bo a girl possessing certain qualifications that many people have not got," said Mr. C. lienn, speaking for the Picturo Theatre Employees' llnion in Conciliation Council proceedings in Christchurch (states the "Sun"). Mr. Kenn added that she must be prepossessing in appearance, <='ie must not bo a. "frump," she nicely, and must be capablo of handling people tactfully. She was well worth £" per week. Mr. 0. W. B. Anderson, for tho employers, said that "all ladies possessed those qualifications." Mr. Kenn replied that the usher was compelled to display them more effectively. They had many nico girls in Christ-, church, but they had not these qualifications.

Tho Customs revenue collected at the port of Now Plymouth during Jlaj amounted to itiSOO, as compared with .£SIBO in May of 1918.—Press Assu.

In the Auckland Supreme Court Beau champ Walesby was convicted on a second trial for indecent assault on _ a boy, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment—Press Assn.

Harry Rosa, whoso name appears on the military defaulters' list, was killed in, action last July a 'Press Association message from Wairon). He was formerly employed at. Marumaru. Ho left with the Thirty-first Eeinforcemc-nt.

Capping ceremonies at Canterbury College will lie resumed this year, arid tho students have been given permission to havo their procession through tho 'streets of the city on June 20.

A public meeting will bo hold at Chriatchurch to-day to consider the question of holding & town-planning eonferunce and exhibition in Christehurcli at 1111 early date, with the object of paving the way for the introduction of a town-plan-ning schemo for Christehurcli. 'i'ho meeting has been called by the Progress L«a«ue.

Statements made by returned soldiers that they had 6ecn nothing of the lied Cross comforts placed on transports ami hospital ships for distribution on the return'journey from England, were recent« ly referred to tho Minister of Defence by tho Joint Committee (states an Auckland paper). 'A reply was received at last meeting, stating that inquiry into the matter would bo made, and that materia! assistance would bo given if tho names of any particular transports on which distribution was alleged not to havo taken place, could be supplied. Mr. P. W. Hutchinson mentioned the case of one soldier, wlioso name was given, who had received a pair of socks as issue, and had then found inside them a ticket, proving them to be Eed Cross gifts. Tina was clear proof of wrongful distribution; tho gifts wero intended as extra comforts, and certainly should not liavc been _ included iu the ordinary issue of clothing. Members were of opinion that other sucli cases might also bo traced, and decided to confer with tho Eeturned.Soldiers' Association, with a view to gaining further specific information.

From noon on Monday last till noon on Friday five oases of influenza were reported to the Health Department at Auckland. There was one mild case at Takanini, another at Ivimihia, and three at Waihi. This total was against seven for the' corresponding period last week. There was only one case of lethargic encephalitis reported in Auckland city.

Tho regulation forbidding the sale ot work done by undischarged soldiers in hospital in tlieir leisure hours has lately been tho subject of correspondence between tho Eed Ctoss Joint Committee and the Minister of Defcnco, Sir James Allon (state the "New Zealand Herald"). The matter was again introduced at last meeting of the Joint Committee, when a copy of a letter forwarded to the Gov-ernor-General was received, stating that goods made by the men have accumulated, and tli© latter are complaining that no use is made of their work. Each ccntre was therefore asked to arrange for the sale of the articles, by means ot a shop or monthly bazaar, and to see that tho proceeds were paid over to the recreation fund of the hospital from which the articles came. Tho suggestion did not meet with the approval of the committee. The chairman said that tlio Patriotic Society was already attending to the matter of tho recreation of soldiers in hospital, and to create another fund would only be to causo overlapping. The secretary was instructed to explain that the Joint Committee had an _arrangement with the Patriotic Society whereby tho latter was responsible for all recreational interests of the soldiers.

The manner in which the new regulations for tho protection of soldiers may embarrass more soldiers than they assist is described by the chairman of the Auckland District Repatriation Board, Mr. A. W. Gillies, in a letter to the Department, "Under these new regulations," states tho letter, "soldiers or discharged soldiers who receive financial assistance from the Government Arc placed in tho position that the Government claims a privileged positioA as a secured creditor without conceding anything lo any other creditor. The eftect of the for. mer regulation with regard to the tenancy of houses resulted in landlords refusing to leaso to soldiers. Now, with these financial regulations, I am assured by tho managers of three huge financial institutions advancing largo sums of money to soldiers in t.his district in connection with land and stock transactions, that from now on their instructions arh definite that no financial assistance ol any sort will bo given to the soldiers while these regulations aro in existence, and that the returned soldier who buys cattle or stock,at any salo must pay spot cash. It is not necessary for mo to say anv moro to you on this subject. It is quite possible the Government foresaw thK and intended tho result to be to deny credit and to finance returned soldier.--. tint: it is just as well for them to clearly understand in any case the cffect of this regulation. I would be much obliged, as tho matter is creating a great stir here, if you will adviso tho board as to the position.—"Naw Zealand Herald."