LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 221, 12 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Ngakutn, which arrived at Lyttelton last, night from Newcastle, brought an Australian mail, ' ' . An offer by a returned soldier to undertake'the destruction of shags in methodical fashion was considered by the Council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night. The soldier, it was explained, had been wounded, and was not able to undertake hard vork. He niailii a 'hobby of shag shooting, using a .22 rifle with a silencer. The council decided to offer to pay 2s. per pair of feet- up to 100 birds on condition that all thfl shags were shot in inland waters. Members stated that tho ravages of the ehags among the young-trout were very serious. it was mentioned that only' three varieties of ehags out of eighty wore in the habit of taking fresh-water 'fish. Criticising the list of British Empire Order awards, the Auckland "Star" saysi, "Many of those who have received the-' , decoration will be recognised aa activo war workers .who are deserving of the utmost credit for their zeal and self-sacri-ficing labours. At the same time it is obvious that if those persons who havti been decorated now and previously had' been the only zealous war in Now Zealand wo should not* have got .far with our patriotic funds, our Eed Cross activities, and other war efforts. Why, then, should all the others be left out. aJid who is it who decides that Mr. X. ia to be C.B.E. or 0.8. E. or M.8.E., and Mr. Y. is not, or that Mrs. A., who worked so many thousand articles for the troops,.ie to be decorated, while Mrs. B. who did just as much work for the lleii Cross, is to be passed over? It would bn interesting to know the exact considerations that led to the placing of ono prominent public man in the third class and another in the fourth class. Why is a man who has not been to the war, anil, has not been very conspicuous for war work at home, placed in the samo class as a man with n distinguished war record? Why should one or two Mayors ni provincial boroughs bo singled out, or ie it that all other ..Mayors Imvo been decorated already? If tho authorities have any illusions on the subject, we can as. sure them' that the public, are more amused than impressed by this attempt to■create it sort of iirtistocracy of patriotism'in a community where everybody 'did his bit , in the war.", During tho past week a man in uniform called upon the wifo of a prominent Wellington citizen, and told such a tale of woe that he obtained 355. from her. He represented tha,t he. was a returned soldier suffering from shell shock, and that 'he was an out-patient: of one of tlie military hospitals, that he had been in employment, and, through his lack of mental balance, had been tempted and'had emoezzled some of his employers' money. He then said tint unless he could refund tho money his employer intended to prosecute him, and he piteously asked for help. Tho lady responded as stated, but, much to her indignation, discovered later that the same man, telling the same sorrowful story, had obtained similar assistance from .numbers of other people, and that he had never been out of New Zealand. It is 'reported that this is not-the only case of fraudulent misrepresentation on the returned-soldier plea that has occurred in Wellington recently. The proper course in dealing with each appeals is to refer the applicants to the War l!elief Association, which exists for that purpose, and which, through cxperi ' eneo, knows how to test whether the cases are genuine or not. . Tlie minesweepers coining to New Zealand from Britain aro to sweep areas of the Now Zealand coast where tho German mlne-layet- Wolf sowed mines. These areas have already boon swept repeatedly, but the work will be done again, and so added assurance of safety will bb' given 'to mariners. The new vessels will be more efficient than the trawlers, ■ and the trawlers will be released for fishing. ' , There aro 340 officers from all parts of New Zealand and no fewer than seven brass bands assembled in Wellington in connection witli the Salvation Army's Jubilee Congress. Tho sessions to-day and to-morrow are to be held in the Baptist Church in Vivian Street, and on Soliirday in tho big Town Hall. Five full bands will participate in the demonstration on Saturday evening. During the discussion at fhe annual conference of beekeepers yesterday, the secretary (Mr. F. {.'. Baiu'es) announced that Mr. J. Murdoch, Mayor of Boss, WestUind, desired ( to assist any returned soldier in want of assistance, and who wag willing to go tq Westland to tako up the honey industry. There were opportunities there for developing the beekeeping industry, ami Mr. Murdoch would be pleased to hear from any returned soldier who was interested in the industry.' At a meeting of tho executive of tho New .Zealand Forestry League, held last week, Hie Government policy in connection with forestry outlined by Sir Francis Bell in his address to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, was discussed, and tho following resolution was .'passed :— "That the New Zealand Forestry League views with much satisfaction the policy of Sir Francis Bell, as set forth iii his address to the Commissioner of Crown Lands on April 29 last, and trusts (now Hint the war is over) v that ihe will proceed with the appointment of a trained forester as head of the yew Department, with a competent staff to carry out the work of demarcating our remaining forests." The meeting was presided over by Sir James Wilson, president of the league. ■ The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., C.M.G., and Mr. J. P. Maxwell have been appointed trustees of the Y.W.C.A. fund about to be raised for the easement of certain liabilities, and the extension of the work of helping slrle. While the question of educational reform is so much before the public of New Zealand, it is interesting to note whnt the Germans recently proposed to do in order to bring their educational system into atill greater conformity- with the national "ideals." Papers leceived by a Wellington educationist bhow that iii 1917, when Germany had tome hope of victory, she planned new departures with a motive well worthy of her shameful record. She was to .lake in hand a revisa'l of the school curriculum. Classics were to disappear, and to physical training and to fcieiit-e the principal placer, wero to be given. As nn English writer has aptly phrased it, tho Germans meant to turn out afresh "a nation of noncom.s. with a dash of chemistry." Luckily for humanity, it is .safe to assume that educational reform is not, just at present, i the subject uppermost in Teuton minds.

"British insurance companies may nut be generally awaru," -ays the 'Juonm'l" of tliu Imperial Board (if Trade, "that they arc now at liberty to do business ju Turkey. Tho aiteiition of such companies is , therefore called to the fact that tho recwnt ffoneral permission to trade with Turkey covers insurance business."

The theatrical world of Europe and America received a shock on the publication of the fact tlmt Hie lnlc Mr. Charles Vrohman, tlie international impresssirio, had left an astute less than JBIUO not in value. Mr. Frohman conducted his business on tjuch enormous lines on both sides o! tlic Atlantic that no aurpriso would have beun expressed luul it 'been announced thai ho hnd ■loft a million sterling. 'I'lio Jjondon "World" seems to have Out its finger on the spot when it said' anent Mr. FrohiiKin: "The real explana(ion of the matter seems to be that Charles Froliman was not in- the true .simst! of the word a commercial man. Though he neither looked like it nor wilted like it ho was at heart an artist, and his artistic soul rebelled against the I'ulculating spirit which enables men to amass money' and keep it. Frohman never khackled brains. He never made long contracts with promising actors or octrejjes at a modest figure, unci then turned their increasing popularity to his own profit. He always bought in the open market. Ilia starring of' different artists was to a very great extent unsoliieh." Yet such was the- name and fume of Frohmetn that many an actor and actress would ha.ve accepted lower salaries than they could command to bo u'ldcr his banner. ;

Tn tho Divorce Court yesterday morning,, before His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), Margaret S. Barton, for whom Mr. M. F. Luekie appeared, sought ft dissolution of her marriage with William H. Barton on the ground of mis' conduct. The details were of , an unsavoury character, and publication was prohibited. His Honour granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in threo months, with costs against the respondent.

The "Imperial Board of Trade Jorunal" recently recorded that the first of a series of exhibitions of American industrial films for hade propaganda had been given in Shanghai, under the auspices of tlie American Association of Chinn, last December. "Tt is understood," says the "Jorunal," "that the films are to beVhown in all the principal cities in China.. to the German Press, similar exhibitions are advocated for ihe re-estab-lishment of. German commerce abroad, and China is mentioned as a promising fiold. Tho British War Information Bureau has been .conducting exhibitions of .British war films in China and Japan continuously during the last two, years." Somo amendments to the "Infantry Trailing Manual, 1914," are issued in district orders. The second April number of the "Imperial Board of Trade Journal" contains the information "that the importation (into Britain) of wild animals and live birds is to be allowed to continue," and "that the'importation of works of. art is to be allowed freely, but is to be controlled 'by the issue of special 'licenses." ' Further nominations of Labour candidates to contest the Wellington, seats at the General. Election are announ:wl. Tho Wellington Eiist Branch. has decided to submit the following names to tho selection ballot :-Welliugton East, Mr. C. H, Chapman; Wellington North, Mr. ,T ; Read; Wellington .Suburbs, Mr. A. W. Croskery; Wellington South, Mr.- R. Semple; Wellington Central, Mr. P. Fraser. The nominations from tho Wellington North Branch of the party willbe: Wellington North, Mr. J. Head'; Wellington South,- Mr. R. Semplo; Wellington East, Mr. T. Brindle; Wellington Central, Mr. P. Eraser; Wellington.Suburbs, Mr. A. W. Croskery.

Tho Wellington Timber 'Workers' Union haa nominated tho following candidates for the selection ballot of the Labour Representation • Committee:—Mr. P. Eraser (sitting member), for Wellington Central; Mr. R. Semple (sitting member), for Wellington South; Mr. A. W. Croskory, for Wellington .Suburbs: Mr. C. H. Chapman, for Wellington East; Mr. J. Read, for Wellington North. The union at its last meeting decided to affiliate to the Building Trades Federation, and appointed Mr. A. Q.'AVilkinson 'president) as its delegate. A conference of the Timber Workers' Federation will open iii the Trades Hall on June 2G. IM'r. J. Head will represent the local union. ■ "German trading interests f.re already making arrangements for the importation into the United Shitos of German and Austrian \china and earthenware. According to information from nn authoritative source, interviews have taken place in New York to arrange for the handling of these goods. Their view is that there will bo a considerable market for them, if they can bo bought at a cheaper price than English, Japanese, or domestic goods. It is reported that one German agent has already made plans to obtain n large quantity of china, and that the goods will bo marked 'made in Bohemia' or 'made in Bavaria,' as it is believed that, the buying public can easily bo- persuaded that neither of those countries was responsible for German aggression." —"Journal of tho Imperial Board of Trade" (April 3J. The "Olago Times" is informed, in connection with tho forthcoming peace celebrations, that railway passes will be issued to returned soldiers when their own town is not holding any celebrations, but the passes will in these oases be available only to the nearest town in which rejoicings are being organised. For instance (says the "Times") if Port Chalmers were to carry out celebrations, the soldiers who live nearer to Port Chalmers than to Ihthedin would liavo to pay their own fares if they desired to como to Dunedin. No definite instructions have beeii received by tho Defence Department upon the point whether the. soldiers receiving passes will have to wear uniform or not,' but it is presumed that no objection will be taken to the men wearing mufti.. As the Tesults of. representations which were inade to (ho Hon. D. H. Guthrio (Minister of Lands) when lie was on a visit to Otago in January last, a Royal Commission, consisting of Messrs. F. W. Furkert (chairman), Ashley, John Hunter, and Francis Charles Hay, was set up to inquire into conditions affecting certain rivers in the South Island which overflowed their banks, and did damage to adjacent land. Tho two rivers in Otago which'are specifically mentioned in ihc order of reference aro the Clutha River, in tho vicinity of Balclutha. and tho Maerewhenua, parHcuterlv about Diintroon. It is expected that the commission will hold its first, sitting at. Balclutha on Monday next. The sitting will occupy several days, after which the commission will proceed to Duntroon and take evidence. It is probable that evidenco will also be taken in Dunedin. Tho chairman of tho Commission (Mr. Furkorß has arrived in Dunediu to make tho preliminary arrangements. —"Otago Times." It is estimated in shipping circles that the delay caused by tho mishap at Bluff to tho Westmoreland, tho cost of repairing tho damaged plates, and the expouso of transferring her cargo to tho Remuera, will represent an outlay iu.tho .aggregate of several thousand pounds (says a southern paper). One shipping man gave it as his opinion that i!10,flfl0 will not cover tho total expense. The men wty> were engaged at Port Chalmers on Sunday in transferring the frozen meat from the damaged vessel to the Remuora aro said to have been paid 7s. per hour. Until the Westmoreland is placed in the Otago dock it will not bo possiblo to discover the actual damage she received when shetook the ground in Bluff Harbour. The' estate of the late Sir James Reading Fairfax, one of the proprietors of (he "Sydney Morning Herald" and "Sydney Mail," has been valued for probate purposes at jC558,381, represented in shares in public companies, .£<U,2SO realty, J212,751 voluntary dispositions, and i!10i,521 debentures. Tho testator, who died on March 28 last, appointed his sons Geoffrey Evan and James Oswnld Fairfax, journalists, of Sydney, and John Hubert Fairfax, grazier, of Cam'booya, Queensland, executors and trustees of his cslute. He bequeathed bOGfIOO a year, free of ali duties, to his widow. Lady Lucj Fairfax, /during her life, and the residue of tho e?tato to his tuistees upon trust, lie left legacies of JJSOO each to the President and Fellows of Camden College. Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Boys' Brigade and Sydney Young Women's Christian Association...-£250 to tho Sydney Ragged Schools, .£SO each to .lames Wilson Clay, his wife (Marion Clay), and Lucy Murray, and to each person who had been employed in the domestic service of Lady Fairfax for five-years preceding his death. Testator directed that 12.GG1 shares in John Fairfax and Sons, Ltd., should be divided ah follows:—To his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Fairfax, 2090: his sons Geoffrey Evan and James Oswald Fairfax, 3040 each; and his song John Hubert and Edyard Wilfred Fairfax, 2001. caoh.

Tho Hon. G. W. Russoll, after a conference with the Mayor of Auckland, said ho hoped that a scheme would be evolved by which tho funds of tho Women's Patriotic League might bo legally used for erecting a soldiers' club and hostel (states a Press Association message). The money might Iμ transferred to tho Auckland Patriotic Association, which, being an incorporated society, possesiing all the powers of trustees in re. gard to tlie investment of moneys, could advance tho sum to the Soldiers' Club Committee, accepting tho building as security. If necessary any legal difficulty could be removed by a validating clause in a Local Bill. He was greatly impressed with the excellent work done by the present Soldiers' Club and Annexe in Auckland.

One of the concert parties formed by the New Zealand soldiers to amuse tho men between stunts at the front has been winning praise from the critics and the public of Glasgow and Edinburgh by performances in those cities in April of thi* year. The title is "The New Zealand Pierrots." Lieutentint G. B. Htuuia was in charge, and Sergeant Fama acted as director.

Regarding'the development of the depleted gum lands, the commissioner of the North Auckland Land Board, Air. R. P. Grpville, discussing the old Kapiro kauri gum 'reserve, stated that it had been suggested that it was the intention to locate soldiers on this area (reports an Auckland paper). There was no such intention. He knew the land well, and it was quite unsuitable for settlement. The old Kapiro kauri gum reserve contained 11,000 acres, and Mr. Greville thought the best use it could be puii to was to utilise it for the purpose of afforestation. The Puma block was one of the best areas in 'the north, and would lie well adapted for settlement purposes when properly treated.

A motor-car in an auction room is perhaps hardly comparable ;to a ■ bull in a china shop, but there were points of resemblance in an incident which occurred in one of the auction rooms in the city the other day (says the Auckland "Star"). A little two-seater car was being driven from the street into the room. Apparently the brakes refused to act. or else the drive:, pressed tho wrong lever, and the car, instead of coming to a stop, continued straight ahead. There were a number of articles in its way, such as washstands, chairs, small tables, fenders, and other things These it commenced to tako in its stride, as it were, and a casual visitor to the room was compelled to take a flying leap over several tables to avoid being mixed in the debris. The weight of accumulated articles in'front of the car and the.fact Hint tho driver threw it out. of gear finally brought it to a standstill m the midst of a pile of welUesortcd arjycles, while a laundry iron .was dangling gracefully from 'the under-earriage.

It will interest supporters of the Mangahao hydro-electric scheme to learn what is being done in IKb Tauranga district, Bays the "Bay of Plenty 'limes. Electricity was installed in tho borough two years' ago, but already a project line neen devised to supply the outer districts with tho power. A line has been laid out to To Puke, and the poles have been erected for soma distance. When the power is turned on farmers in a and prosperous district will nin Iheir milking machines by electricity, and have their homes lighted by the.same power. :• -, .

The Council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society decided last night to secure, if possible, 100,000 brown trout ova from the Government hatchery, in addition to the 250,000 ova already ordermi from the Otago Society, Tho council is also trying to got 200,000 rainbow trout from the Government for the coming seuson.

Brigadier-General G. S. Richardson, C.M.G., D.5.0., lias signified ; !iis intention of being present at the monthly meeting of the returned soldiers who have lost limbs during the war, which is to be held at the Returned Soldiers' Clubrooui to-night at 7.30 o'clock. The General has particularly interested liimsolf in England in the affairs of disabled men, and- it is anticipated that a full attendance of limbless men will bo present to grout him at the clubrooin idnight." '

The dependants of soldiers undergoing detention aro now entitled to receive tlic ■dependants' allowances nominally payable to them. This rule- comes .into' effect from January 1, 1919.

. An inquest was held yesterday by the Coroner, Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., touching the death of Harry Taylor, 73 years of age, who died at his home, 9 Frederick Street, on Tuesday morning. Evidence was given that deceased, who was n carpenter, met "with an accident about seven months ago, since when his health had been indifferent. A verdict was returned that death was due to heart failure.

A two-year-old stag, a cross between the Warnham. Park and Scottish deer, is being obtained from the Dunedin Acclimatisation Society by tho Wellington Society. The stag will bo placed on the gamo farm at Paraparauniu.

Mr. Mnxton, of Greytown, has been advised that his son, Private C. W. Aliixton, is returning on the Prinzcssin, duo about June 25. Private Maxton went with tlio Sixteenth Reinforcements, arid when at Sling transferred from the A.S.C. to the Cyclist Eatlalion.

The statistics for May show that in Wellington tho- total number of deaths registered for tho morAn of April was GO, being 0.63 per.thousand of the population of Wellington. The births registered totalled 155, being 1.C3 per thousand.

It is probable that a conference of representatives of the farming interests will be convened bv the Minister of Agriculture shortly, to deal with certain matters connected with the campaign to be waged against the Meat Trust in this country and in Britain. It appears that most of the work to bo done in the fight with the big combine will liavo to be done at the marketing end, in England, but some inquiries are to be made by the Now Zealand Government, at the request of the British Government.

A Press Association message.from Timaru states that a fisherman, J. Shears, left in a motor-boat early on Tuesday morning alone for the fishing grounds.-A northerly fnle sprang up and he was blown out to sea. Anxiety is felt that he had not made Oamaru. The gale and sea. prevented other boats going in search, but at 1.30 yesterday afternoon Shears was seen on the horizon under sail, and another boat wont out and towed him in.