LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 225, 17 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Medals and ■ decorations won by 53 soldiers in the field were presented by Sir James Allen in the Town Hall, Auckland, last night, says a Press Association telegram. The hall was crowded. A section of Territorials in tho body of tho hall behaved in a .disorderly manner, counting out the speakers and otherwise interfering with the proceedings. Thero were two cases in which double awards were made, and twenty of the decorations were received by next-of-kin.

A rather novel complaint was received from a' patient in a military hospital not very far from Auckland, recently. He complained that he was unablo to sleep at nights on account of the snore 3 of the night orderly on duty.

Mr. G. V. Hudson, of Hillview, Ivarori, writes, under date June 13:—"Two large sunspots are now visible on the sun; one, a triple spot, entered the disc on the 10th; the other, a larger single spot, but at present, much fore-shortened, entered yesterday. These spots will be well placed for observation during the next week."

Speaking about America's big pending "dry-up," Mr. Albert Goldie. an emissary from the Los- Aneeles Chamber of Commerce, now in Wellington, -relaW an amusing incident concerning tho delicate differentiation between a "wet" an-1 a "dry" district in California, Longbeach, a suburb of Los Angeles, is "wet," and San Monica, which adjoins Longlwieh, is "dry." A resident was found to have stored a quantity.of "joy juice" in bin house, and when apprehended declared that lie lived in Longbeach and not in San Monica. A survey of the premises' was made, when it was discovered that the border line between the two places ran through tho offender's house. As it was admitted in evidence that the liquor had been taken in through the back door," and the door was ju. c t on the San Monica (the "dry") side of the line, he was fined. Since then he has had a new doorway constructed on the Longbeach side of his house. Mr. Goldie states that in view of the coming "drought" many people in California spent thousands of dollars in laying in stocks of wines and spirits, and. there was consternation everywhere when a few months ago an edict was is sued to. tho effect that the authorities wore given the right to search private residences in such cases where it was suspected that stocks of-liquor were held in contravention of the pending law. '

An Aucklaluler who thought of building a house in Auckland purchased a section of land, and than called for tenders for the dwelling. Thorn have duly conin to hand, with Iho result that ho Iks put tlio section back in the agents' hands to sell, considering it cheaper to buy a house someone else had erected. OiHhe other hand, a well-known builder assured a reporter that the cost of house building had been very much exaggerated. He was prepared, he said, to put up a verygood house at .BUO a loom.—"Star."

The SJneraki left Auckland on .Saturday night for Sydnev for the purpose of bringing back If) New Zealand a number of stranded New Zealanders now in Australia. The crew of the ship were all Australians, and as there is a strike of seamen on the Australian coast, and as there was u fear I hat these men might walk ashore in Sydney to join their striking comrades, an effort was made to tret, a New Zealand crew for the ship. The attemnt was unsuccessful, and the ship, sailed manned, as before, chiefly by Australians. The Australian Seamen's Union is rctinrtod to have advised the New Zealand D'nion that it has no desire that the intercolonial services shall be interrupted.

A. leading builder gave the Arbitration Court at Auckland some interesting evidence about the high cost of building. Five five-roomed brick cottages lately erected at the M'otangi dried milk factory, he said, cost nearly .£llOO each, on account of the very high prices of materials and labour. Mr. Julian went on io say that concrete cottages would be very much cheaper than these built. He had lotrfv been asked to consider a contract for' fifty concrete collates at New Plymouth, and was now investigating the oll'er. One form of concrete construction seemed to him io have a future, because it required no exterior finish. This involved the use of reinforced concrete wall slabs, consisting of two parallel slabs connected bv short reinforcing wires only. In this form of construction damp could not come through the wall, "because the latter was double, with nolliin? but metal bridging the gap within it.—"Star." The Dominion Museum authorities have received recently a collection of war posters used during the war in England and in America, the collection having been procured bv the High Commissioner. It is not possible to place (ho posters on view, but. an exhibition of them mav be arranged later. It is a commonplace that poster advertising m America is better than, in England, and tho posters =cem Io slimv that the Americans made extraordinarily good use of this form of advertising in all their war endeavours.

l'or tho purpose of examining the good roads of Taranaki and inquiring into other works of interest in that province a municipal parly from Wellington has. been touring Taranaki during the weekend and vesterday. The party consists of the Mayor (Mr. J. V. Luke), Councillor L. M'Kcnzie, Mr. A. J. Paterson (As-sistant-City Engineer), and Mr. L. S. Drake (Motor Inspector). The party is expected lo return to Wellington this afternoon.

Mr. W. G. Eiddell (coroner) yesterday held an inquest concerning the death of David Armstrong,, an insurance agent who resided at No. 13 Park Street. The evidence showed that the deceased, who was about sixty years of age, was\'o*id (lead in the scullery.of his house on Saturday night. The scullery was locked up, and he was sitting in a chair with the tube of a gas-cooker lying alongside of him, and the gas turned on. Dr. Pattie was' summoned, but could merely pronounce life to be extinct. The widow of the deceased stated that she could not in any way account for the tragedy. The corona-.' found that the deceased had met his death through poisoning by coalgas that he had administered to himself.

Sir Robert Stout intends to move at the meeting of Victoria College Council to-morrow eveuing: in the opinion of the council it is desirable that a principal be appointed (or the college.'

A local branch of the New Zealand Transport Workers' Advisory Board has been formed in the Auckland district, subject to approval by the unions concerned.—Press Assn.

At the annual meeting of the Auckland branch of tho Engine-drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association, dissatisfaction was expresed that no proposals from the Minister of Kailways hud yet been submitted (states a Press Association telegram). Tfie general opinion was expressed that members would not work under existing conditions.

The names of Messrs. A. Anderson, J. L. Churchouse, and D.-K. have been handed in by various unions and members of the Labour Party for the selection < ballot for the Parliamentary candidate tor Hutt electorate. Meetings will be held in Petone and Lower Hutt, at which the candidates will express their views to members of the party and afliliated unions prior to the ballot.

At an inquest at Mastcrton regarding the death of Vv. L. Falconer, the Coroner returned a verdict that deceased met nis death from heart failure caused by 6hock through collision with a motor-cyclist at Maniliera.

Complaint of delays in receiving printed copies of awards and amendments from the Government Printing Office was made by Mr. B. F. Barter at the Arbitration Court at Auckland (states the- "New Zealand Herald"). He-stated that printed copies of certain Amendments affecting tho allied iron trades made in February last had not yet be'en received. This delay had caused considerable dissatisfaction among the members of the unions. Mr. Justice' Stringer expressed surprise at the delay, saying that on making representations on this matter some timb ago he received assurances from the Government Printer and tfio Secretary of tho Labour Department that the work would bo pushed ahead with all possible dispatch. He promised lo make inquiries.

At a meeting of the Christchurch Licensing Bench a fortnight ago the committee expressed ,a. wish to peruso .the leases of licenses, obviously with a view to ascertaining which were "tied" and which were "free" houses (says a Press Association telegram from Christchurch). Tho [committee met again yesterday, when tho chairman announced that tho last of the documents required had only been received that day, and as the committeo wished to peruse them the meet ing' was adjourned for a week.

The question of a geological survey of Whangarei and tho Bay of Islands was mentioned at last meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (says the "Star"). Mr. H. P. Cooke wrote stating that whilo in Wellington recently he had approached the Minister of Mines in reference' to tho matter, and found him 'sympathetic. The districts from the Whangarei Heads to Cape Brett, 'he said, would eventually prove the richest, mining districts in the ■Dominion. Tho minerals known to exist iVere coal, iron, manganese, antimony, quicksilver, copper, gold, silver, and a largo variety of limestone, pottery clays, building stones, fireclays, etc. Ho urged the chamber to endeavour to get tho 'Mines Department to proceed with the survey at once. Tho matt.'r was r-eferred to the Mining Committee.

A. complaint about his employees' fondness for the turf was made by an employer in a saddlery trade dispute at the Arbitration Court at Auckland (slates the "Star"). Recently, he said, his factory had virtually to close down because' most of the employees had gone to the races, though it was not a holiday. This seemed to show that his men were not worried over' the high cost of living.

"It is said that every man, woman, and child in Los Angeles has at one time or another figured in motion pictures," said Mr. Albert Goldie, of Los Angeles, yesterday. I can quite believe it.; I was caught three times in crowds whilst som» picture stunt was being taken, and everyone I know has been caught at some time or other. It is a queer place. Yo« become blase to the most extraordinary happenings when you realise that thorn is a camera lurking somewhere .in the vicinity. I was passing a big hotel once and saw a woman in a brilliant evening dress toilet scurrying down a tire escape, and after her rushed a man who did incredible jumping feats as he hurried down tho escape after his quarry. On another occasion Mrs. Goldio and I were strolling past the swimming pool 'at Venice, and seeing it gaily lighted we went in. There we saw the water of the pool—only about twice the size of a hobil dining room—being lashed into waves (by machinery); there was a fake wreck, artificial rain and lightning, and a wonderful rescue being effecled by the hero.' Whilst this was taking place there was a crowd of mixed bathers and npoctntoM looking on and exchanging witticisms with the actors as they went through their stunt in three feet of water. Yet 1 suppose the picture of that wreck liar thrilled hundreds of thousands of pooplo all over the world." Mr. Goldio says that many Australian artists have made good in pictures. Mr. Rupert Julian (formerly of many Williamson comuntiies) was the biggest producer in Universal City, near Los Angeles, and hi« wife, Miss Elsie Wilson, was one of the few sui'cp.'sfnl female, nrodueprs in the Slates. Other successful neoplo from 'his »;i(|p were Inui-e Lovely (formerly Louise Cni'liiisseV Kind HpiippK, Sv'-via llremer, and Mr. Winter Hall.

An ini|uest was held at Dunediii yeslcrdav concerning the dealli of Daniel David Brown, states u Dress Association message. The doctor 'who conducted Ihe oustmorlem examination expressed (he opinion that tlie cause of death was cardiac failure following cirrhosis of Ihe liver. A conslablc, in his evidence, said that lii> knew deceased was given to drink. The verdict was that death was due to cardiac failure, following cirrhosis of the iiver. The coroner rebuked llic man Jlullin. in whose house deceased died, for allowing his house to be frequented by people who wanted to dissipate in liquor.

"Would yon have miners competing with gaolbirds?" asked Mr. 'i'. Bloodworth ut tho Arbitration Court in Auckland after Mr. S. E. Wright hod suggest. (■<! that, in view of the rising price of coal, the Government should work the State coal mines with prison labour. The suggestion had a bearing on a discussion earlier in the day concerning the likelihood of many poor people in the citj having to go without coal during the coming winter, and Mr. Wright in making his suggestion remarked that the miners were asking for well absurd condilions that something would have to ho done to keep the price df coal down. Mr. Justice Stringer laughingly remarked that anyone placed in charge of a gang of coal-hewing prisoners would have a lively time. lie thought that as Mr. Wright had inado the suggestion the job ought to be given to him, to which Mr. Wright replied that he would place the miners, who had the necessary experience in charge of tho gangs and let them earn their XI a day in that way—"Star."

Brigadier-General Richardson was present at the Salvation Army Young People's Demonstration at the Town Hall last evening, and delivered a short speech, in which he paid a very warm tribute to the excellent services rendered by the Salvation Army chaplains at the front. The New Zealand Division, he declared, was greatly indebted to the Salvationists many comforts, and the funds subscribed in New Zealand iiad been judiciously spent by the chaplains.

The matter of opening the Boys' Institute Tepid Baths for the purpose of giving instruction in life-saving was menHoned at last evening's meeting of the Wellington Centre of the Royal Life Savins Society. The chairman (Mr. G. S. Hill) mentioned that he had conferred with the institute authorities, who required .£2OO to open the baths, but he did not consider that rlie society should pay this. , To his mind, it was a matter for the City Council, and he strongly advocated that the society should wait on the council and ask them to provide the necessary money. The secretary said that last year one.hundred and nine boys gained their awards in the baths during the months of March and July, and for' the same period in 1917 one hundred and eighty-three boys gained nwards. Tho baths were now closed, and the work of instruction was at a standstill, as it was too cold for outside work. It was decided to seek the assistance of the Wellington Swimming Centre, and appoint a joint deputation to wait on the Baths Committee of the City Council at nn early date.

Mr. Tadashi Okabe, a Japanese merchant, well known in Sydney, who was a fiist-class passenger on board li.M.S. Niagara on her last outward voyage to Vancouver, committed suicide by jumping overboard on April • % while mentally deranged. Mr. Okabe was a director of the Masuda Trading Company, Tokohaina, and was returning to Japan after n. business visit to Australia.

At last night's meeting of the Petono Borough Council the Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewnn), in supporting the proposal to declare Anzac Day a statutory holiday, said that ho hoped that in the event of the holiday being declared the day would not be given up to racing. Councillor Anderson asked what objection the Mayor had 'to horse-racing. Ho was sure that no. man appreciated racing more than the averago' returned soldier. Tho Mayor, in reply, said that it was quite unnecessary V explain the sacredness'of the day. He was sure that it was not the wish of the largo 'majority of returned soldiers that Anzac Day should be given over to pleasure and enjoyment. It was decided to support tho proposal.