LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 227, 19 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Chief PosfmasJer notifies that mails which left New Zealand 0:1 May 4. arrived in London on June JG.

A new motor-lorry, tho properly of 31 i. P. ■W.jMonlt, motor engineer in business near Karori Tunnel, was badly smashed on Northland ltond at 4.3(1 p.m. yesterday. In trying to avoid running oi'er a boy the wheels skidded (the road beini; wet and muddy at the time), colliding with a telegraph-post, which was brought down. Had it not been for the prompt action and presence of mind of Mr. Moult, who reversed the ejigine. ami jammed the .breaks hard on, the lorrv would have gone over the bank and oil to a .house in Northland Road, but fortunately this was prevented, the lorry being brought up with the fore-enrriaj/e resting over the edge. Mr. Moult escaped injury, though he recei-ed ,i bad shaking. Tho boy in the meantime had vanished.

The ahlliiiii report <d <Uie New Zealand Automobile t'nion comments as follows uiMii "joy-riding": There uppeiirs to be n-marked increase in this Dominion (as elsewhere) in that class of malpractice known as "joy riding," i.e., the uiiau-, Ihorised use of eomeono else's car for pleasure or otherwise. Curiously enough, it is not, in law, a penal offence. It is not neee.-sary to dilate upon tho probable loss (o owners, especially to those whose insurance policies become invalid when the car is driven by -some person oHiel' than the owner. The offence is one against properly, and may also become one against tho public safety, and such steps -as may be necessary to have Ihc law either amended or stiffened up should be taken at once. It may bo of interest to members to know that in Washington, U.S.A. (to quote from an American' Motor Journal): "Joy-riding will soon cease to be quite so ottracHvo as. it appears to have been. The State Senate has passed o. Bill which makes it a felony to steal a cnr. At tho fame time the Bill makes all persons riding ia the stolen car equally guilty."

A remarkable fish, apparently of the trevaUi species, but as yet not specifically identified, was brought lo port at Auckland by Sanford, Ltd.'s trawler Countess (says the "New Zealand Herald"). The fish, which was netted on the Tiri fishing grounds, ia about lSin. in length, and closely resembles the ordinary silver frevalli in shape and sizo, but hears fins of a brilliant golden red hue. The body is suffused with a beautiful combination of these two colours.. Tho owners of the vessel, realising that the fish was of an unusual order, communicated with Mr. T. F. Cheeseman. curator of tho Auckland Museum, who has as yet been unable to ascertain whether it is an accidental or casual ehnnee variety of trevalli or a new species hitherto unclassified. ' Reference to.'he dangerous practice of crossing the railway tracks at Petone Station instead of using the subway, was marie at the sitting of the Petone Magistrate's Court yeserday, when E. Lawrenoe was charged with having committed the above offence. It was stated by Sergeant Bird that the practico was an exceedingly dangerous one, in view of the large number of trains passing through Petone each day, and it was desired to warn the public of the danger. Ab0ut.3.30 a.m. on Wednesday the fire brigade was called to the brass foundry of \V. A. J. Dutch, in Wnkefiold Street. A fire, due to a defective furnace, had broken out in the moulding room on the second floor. It was extinguished before it had done more than damage tho flooring and joists. Tho building is insured in the Commercial Union office for .£3OOO. Tho Auckland Rugby Referees' Association decided last night to support the decision of the Auckland Bugoy Union to play the amended ganio introduced last season. In the course of discussion some members intimated that in the event of a .return to pure Rugby -rules they would not officiate.—Press Assn. It was decided at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board that the question of holding an agricultural camp be referred to Mr. C. A. Gumming, the senior instructor, in conference with Inspector Stuckcy. The homing pigeons donated by- members of the Auckland Pigeon Jjlyiiifj Club for service on the Western front -rrived in England in good condition. Up to the signing of the armistice they were used entirely in the senpluno service. Advice to this effect has ueen recoived bj; the secretary to the club, Mr. O. "B. Scott, from t'he Army Council through tho Actinn-Prime Minister.-—"New Zealand Heral-1." The Government has made ihe .following new grants for schools in the Wellington district:—Kolbufn, addition to sito JE6SO; Poroporo, new school, JM6G; Bcrhnmpore, addition to infant department, JM7; Soltfiiy, new school, additional grant, .£525; Muritai,' sites, iSOO and .£2lO. ' . A local industries demonstration may be a part of the celebration of Labour Day in Wellington this year. The Trades and Labour Council is calling a meeting of union delegates to make arrangements for a sports gathering in Kewtov.ii j.ml and to consider other forms of celebra-, tion. A general meeting of the New, Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association is to be held in AVellington next Wednesday. .Matters of interest to the coal mine owners are to be discussed. ■ In some schools in Wellington a gieat waste of water is allowed Id take jilaco through faulty taps aad insuth'iient superintendence. The Education Hoard has been written to an the subject by tho City Corporation, and as the result schoolmasters and committees are to be warned to be more careful in the .tuture. Two copies of that amazing and, to the German, tantalising, ptriotic journal, "Lα Libre Belgique, have been presented to the Canterbury, Museum by Corporal H.'ll. Barnes (says a Christ-; church paper). This is the secretly pub-' fished paper which appeared regularly in Brussels during the German occupation, and which was a big factor in keeping alive the Belgian spirit in spito of von Bissing's oppression. The matter of an application for the establishment of a, new school at Tunakino (Marlboroiigh)' was at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board referred to the Mariboroiigh Inspector (Mr. Stufrock) for a report. The imperfect acoustic properties of the Education Hoard's room in combination with the clamour of the children of the Technical .School at play outside, made part of the proceedings of the board at its monthly meeting yesterday n cioseu book to tho Press and to the members seated remoto from the chair. At length the situation was such that Messrs. J. J , . Shand and J. J. Clarke protested that they c6uld not hear a, word, ami Mr. U. London raised'the point iv> to whether something could not bo done to improve the acoustics of the room so _ that tho members of the Press could be given en opportunity of garnering the combined wisdom of "the board. The conditions arcscarcely what they.should be, and several speakers .with, non-carrymg voices cannot be caught at all accurately.

The , matter of supplying school children with hot luncheons during tho winter months was referred to-yesterday at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board. Mr. K. M'Callum referred to the fact that tho scheme had been_ operating most successfully' in his district, where it'was considered a very good thing. Letters had been received from somo schools asking for a eubsidy. Mr. E. H. Penney said that in one school, where they had been doing something of the sort, ;t typo of stove had been installed which had prevented them preparing hot lunches. Air. C. D. HarkiiL'Ss reported that in the llorowhenuu district the , surplus from their picnics and entcrtainmenis was being devoted to the übject, and that they intended to apply fur a subsidy on such money. The chairman said this was a case of self-help. It was decided that it was a. matter that need not necessarily bo pushed on with as a general thing, as it would cost a good deal of money. ]f anything, were done for one school it would have to bo dono for all.

'The Waikato Hunt Club had the misfortune to lose, six hounds a few days ago owing to the animals picking up eonie poison on the way to tho meet. Thehounds came from tho imported otrnin which brought fame to the Waikato pack throughout hunting circles.

A visit to Purhkimui affords an indication of the elfeut of the hurricane liuit week (says tlio "Orago Daily Times"). A house situated ueai , tlio water's edge reminds one of a bomb raid, so badly is it damaged. Some young ladies who were, occupants of this house had a terrifying experience. .Another cottage was lei I. minus tin; veramlnh, and when Iho'poles were wroiiclierl off the flooring went with it. Window.', wero broken and boats were torn from the moorings. L:\rgo trees \ver« uprooted, and two fell in close proximity lo a farm house. The force of the gale may be gauged from the fact tluit cribs Ml) yards across tlio river were found to contain n coaling of. earn! inside.

Tho Pahautanui School is to bo visited by the executive committee of the Education Board' next week. Mr. Jvorsyth (chairman) explained at yesterday's meeting of the iMiication Board that a dispute had arisen between the school commitiefl and the board as to the state of tho building. He. was of the opinion that if repairs were effected, and a bit of pain) used, that the school would do for another eight or ten years. It 'ias to decido what was Iwst to bo done tiiat tho visit to PfthauUuiui wtw being 1 1

"ft may not be inopportune to make some refereneo to the position of the British motor trade in this Dominion (states the nnmiiil report of the New Zroland Automobile' Union). It is, of course, well within the knowledge of all members that from the very beginning of the will , England lmd io practically go out of business bo far us her overseas motor trade was concerned, wliilo America, which did not enter the lists until April, 11117, practically had the field to herself. From August, 1914, to April, 1017, though she-made quantities of munitions, America also nyide and exported many motor-cars, und it is only since April, 151", that tho import into New Zealand bus sensibly decreased. The .American motor journals made mention of a very large corporation known as the 'Automotive Products Corporation,' which in seeking (o capture world-wide trade. This enterprise will not only specialise in cars, tractors, trucks, etc., but will also seek to perfect its service by supplying all parts and accessories. Ag against this venture, we are having a visit from Major P.. I!. Goddard as overseas commissioner for the Association of British Motor and Allied Manufacturers, Ltd. It is to bo hoped that his visit will lead to tho comnlote restoration of English trade in nil British dependencies."

The work of building the hugo bonfire in Mount Eden in connection with the forthcoming peace celebrations is, now well in hand (states tho "New Zenland Herald"). The engineer to the Mount Eden Borough Council, Mr. J. llogen, tabled a plan at a meeting of the council showing that the fire column, which is octagonal in shape, is 90ft. in height and 30ft. in diameter. He explained that the column -would be lighted from the top in order that it might burn longer, and eight effigies, seven of prominent Germans and one nf a Bulgarian, would bi> hung at the sides, about two-thirds of tnb way up. These would rf>nrps?nt the Kaiser, the Crown Prince, Hindpnburg, Ludendorff, von Atockensen, von Tirpitz, von Bissing, and King Ferdinand.

A strong: indictment of the business methods of eonle land speculators ,in .their dealings with returned soldiers was made by the chairman of the Auckland Land Board at the board's latest meeting. "It is a scandalous thing," tho chairman said, "the way that some of these men shuffle. They enter into an agreement with a returned man who is endeavouring to get a farm together, nermit arrangements lo be concluded, ami allow the victim to make his application to tho board. They then see an opportunity of making a pound or two more on their; bargain, and, hy means of a legal quibble, walk calmly out of their agreement. An agreement is, 'if necessity, a loosely drawn document, and it is not difficult to find an interstice from which to escape. Several cases of this kind have recently, hampered the applicants, and wasted the time of the board." In conclusion the chairman said: "It is unthinkable thai; while we are doing our best to assist the returned man, unscrupulous private individuals should be able to nullify our efforts. It is time that such people should be exposed, as their actions do nnt help deserving men who, ljv their efforts at the front, secured good titles for the many whose main occupation is the exploiting of good settlers." At a public meeting at New Plymouth last night, addressed bv Mr. P. E. Cheal, president of the Auckland Railway League, it was decided that the'meeting join with the people of Auckland and Napier in urging upon the Government a more vigorous prosecution ot railway construction wort, especially of the Stratford, Onganiho, East Coast, and North Auckland main lines.—Press Assu. When the Matunga was captbed by the Wolf her mails were taken by the raider to Germany, and after remaining in enemy hands for well over a year, they were delivered to tho British authorities after the armistice hnd been signed. In due course they arrived in Sydney, and were resorted at the G.P.O. Ever? one of tho letters, which were mostly addressed to 'the naval and _ military forces in operation at New Guinea, had been opened by the German censor, and sealed again, but did not seem to haw been otherwise tampered with, The post, office, in its fashion, mad" up the bags again and finally delivered the mail to, the addressees, just two years late. Most of the packets went once ihoro to New Guinea, hut a number of letters, being addressed to H.M.A.S. Una, which was then lying in Sydnev Hnrbour, were delivered there forthwith. The Post Office authorities were, of course, unable to say whether anything had been removed from the lotter?. hut since nothing has been heard from the recipients" to that effect, 'it is probable that the contents were intact. In any case (remarks tho Sydney "Sun") it is a curious trait in the psychology of the Hun. which leads him. while doiline destruction to some of the fairest buildings in Europe to carefully preserve, Hiroush months of voyaging, piracy, and hair-breadth escapes, n few lwgs of mail, to salve th n m from all tho turmoil of a preaf. revolution nnd finally to deliver them to the rightful authorities.

At n meeting of the New Plymouth section of the Post and Telegraph As6ocintion, the following resolution was carried:—"That this meeting deplores the fact that no attempt lifts been made to rcclassify the i-ank and file of the service, and requests that the payment.-of the balance of the war bonus be naid forthwith as promised—Press Assn.

A peculiar circumstance is recorded in connection with the suicide of a girl named Jessie West, who jumped oft' the wharf at Whangarei. Two men who were .returning from a fishing trip saw the body the next "morning about three miles down the river. It was then , floating buoyantly. They hastened to the nearest telephone to inform the authorities, and search was made without result, but tlio body was later washed ashore at Awaroa. Creek.' Dr. 0. E. Maguirc, medical superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, states that he had never, known or heard of a case in which tho body of a drowned person failed to sink immediately after death. The period during which it remained submerged depended upon tho rapidity of decomposition, and the usual period of submersion is from five to ten days!

The executive of tho .New Zealand Automobile Union, discussing in its annual report tho making and financing of good roads, says: "There enn b'e no doubt that this Dominion will sooner or latcibe faced with tho imperative necessity of setting up a special Department to deal with this question, if not entirely on the Victorian model, at least as regards its main principles. Tlio excciitivo submits," tlio annual report continues, "that the time is opportune for a great conference of all interested in the question, and that an effort should be made to bring about such a meeting duing the noxt session of Parliament."

The Action of the Flaxmillers , Association in refusing to accept as a delegate of the workers to a conference a man whoso nanio is on the list of military defaulters was discussed at .1 meeting of members of the Federated* Seamen's Union. The following motion was carried: "That this meeting of , seamen strongly resents on principle the action of the F-laxmillors' Association in refusing to meet the workere in conferenco to discuss conditions of employment 011 the ground that a delegate of the workere is a person whoso name appears on tho list of military defaulters. This wo regard as a serious infringement of tho right of tho workers to elect whom they desiro to represent them to disease conditions of employment with employers, besides being the medium of additional punishment to that prescribed by law and regulation, tho person objected to having suffered two years' imprisonment for a,"breach of the Military Service Act, and, in terms of tho Government Gazette embodying the list of military defaulters, has been deprived of his civil rights for ten years from December 10 last, anil is inoligiblo for employment in tho liovcruiiient or l»y any weal ur public authority during that period, wliich means that ho cannot bo enrolled as an or contest any public oflice. Tho principle of- unqualified victimisation adopted by tho Flaxinillei'fi' Association or other employer will not bo tolerated by the seamen of the country, and with tho fluxinill workers and tho delegate, objected to we offer sympathy and pledge all support in maintaining the unquestionable, right of workers to choose their representaitves without interference or dictation of the employers."