LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 257, 25 July 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Cable censorship to the United States has been abolished. Messages written in code language may now be accepted the same as prior to the war. Messages in code language may also be accepted for Italy,

The Eastern Extension Company has received advice that it is expected that the Malta-Alexandria cable will be repaired within ten days, and full traffic by this route will then be restored.

Tho greatest difficulty is being experienced in finding accommodation for tho travelling public arriving in AA'olliiiglo!) by the night trains, and many people have spent hours calling at "hotels and bonrdinghousos before securing ouarters. A woman visitor from the AYairnrapa had an unenviable experience last night. She arrived .by ft late train and could not secure accommodation anywhere in the city, and shortly before 1 a.m. gave up her quest in despair, and sought refuge for the night at' the police station.

There is a type of "genlle srai'ter." who never allows an opportunity- of illegitimate gain to go by,.says the Christchurch "Sun." To such can be added a new species, i.e., the flag-stealer. Quite a considerable number of individuals reaped, a 'rich harvest by stealing flags and retailing them in ( the streets. Ono man was discovered by a constable climbing a. flagpole in pursuit of a.n emblem. In effect, in this case. : ho was "well up the pole." Another thief, whilst the citizens' procession was in progress, calmly appropriated several flags from u decorated lorry. But retribution in this case was also" in store, for an occunant of the lorry gave chase, and retrieved the (lags, 'and administered persorSl chastisement to tho thief.

There was a discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on the subject of widows' pensions. With rcsneet lo the resolution of the Buller Hospital Board, that the Government: be approached with a view to having the Widows' Pensions Act amended, the Finance Committee reported that on further consideration it had no commendation to make. - Various speakers took the view that the matter should not be left at that Instances were given where widows in receipt of pensions had to go out charing in the early hours of the morning in order h have sufficient money with which to keep themselves and their" children in clothes nnd food. It was contended tlwt the pensions should be fixed at such a sum that it would not be necessary for widows to have to work in order to supplement the-amounts which they received from the State. In addition, it was , urged that the pensions should be mode reciprocal with other States, so that if a. widow went to the Commonwealth, for instance, she could continue to receive her Now Zealand widow's pension, as was Ihc case with military pensions. After n■_ somewhiit lenglhy discussion it was decided tn a.'k Hie members of the Charitable Aid Committee to bring down a report as to what amendments they considered should be made to the Act.

Recently the Public Health Department advised tho Hospital Board Hint the services of certain returnini* medicnl officers would still bo retained, and asked (hat in the event of (he board requiring the services of any one of the. officers the position should 'be kept open by the appointment of a locum teiieus. At yesterday's meeting of the. board it was resolved to comply with the Department's desire.

During tho month ended July 15, 71 cases of infections disease were reported in the 'Wellington 'Hospital district. Tho figures are as follow, those for the previous month being given in parentheses: —Scarlet fever. (i'(7); diphtheria. 27 (iW ; tuberculosis, 10 (0): enteric fever, i (15); lethargic encephalitis, 2. (G); blood -poi.-tin, (i (2); influenza, 0 (17); pneumonia. 5 (Oh eerebro spinal meningitis, 2 (1); totals, 71 (110).

Next week John Lawrence Maloney, who was yesterday sentenced to six months' imprisonment for breaking_ custody, will be brought before the Courl to answer a uhargn of 'breaking .-and entering and theft from a dwelling. The offenco is alleged to have been committed during the time Maloney was at largo -between July Hand 17.

■Reference to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoard's meat contract was mode at yesterday's meeting of the board. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan said he would have something, to say on the. matter at the next meeting , of the Hospital Committee. Some information had come to hand, and he believed that it would lie possible to buy the board's meat wholesale and at a wholesale price. . /

In compliance with the reqnest of the Tnspector-General of Hospitals, the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board decided yesterday that nurses who have passed the hospital and State exam, illations be. granted a certificate after three years' training, instead of four years.

In the Supreme Court this morning His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) will pa« sentence on Arthur-Ed-ward Smoothy, who pleaded guilty at Eketalnma to a charge of attempted carnal knowledge, mi'l on William Alfred .Robert Fussell, who pleaded guilty at Napier to two charges of breaking and entering and theft, breaking and entering with intent to commit theft, and to four charge? of forgerv. In tho Arbitration Court yesterday Mr. B. Kennedy applied to have the agreement covering industrial conditions in the Wellington country restaurants, tea rooms, and refreshment rooms made into an award. On the request of Mr. W. A. W. Grenfell (employers' representative) the matter was held over till July 30. The Court adjourned till this morning. The Government has prohibited the importation into New Zealand of the publication "The International," the organ of "The International Socialist League,' , published at Johannesburg.

A good deal of trouble and confusion has been caused in the past through soldiers foiling ill and having to be admitted to hospital while travelling on privilege leave tickets given to them after their return to IN'ew Zeaaiul. Quite naturally the men concerned have claimed that they should be allowed an extension of the ticket to enable them to make use of it at some later time, but there has never been any definite arrangement by which this could be done. A scheme has now been considered by t'lie Defence • Minister, and it will probably 1)0 that, agreed upon. The scheme will be something like this: A man who lias used a ticket for a week before he falls sick will be given another ticket for three weeks, a man who 'lias used his ticket for two weeks will be given a fresh ticket for two weeks, and .the mnn who has used his ticket for three weeks will bo given a fresh ticket for one week. There is the question 6i payment for the ticket still to be determined. The clinrge will be £\ for a three weeks' extension, 15s. for a two weeks'/ extension, and 10s. for an extension for one week. No information is yet available as to who will pay these amounts—the soldier or the Defence Department—but it seems probable that the Defence Department will pay. Tho Railway Department must bo paid by some one, just as it is nnirt now for 'these- privilege tickets, which are used without-a break.

Arrangements aro being made for the erection of a morgue at the new Fever Hospital at an estimated cost of .CIS!). The work is lo lie carried out by day labour on a silo chosen by Hie Hospital Committee of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

■Although somo <li(licii'ly was experienced for a time in obtaining recruits for the Polico Vorce, to fill tho vacancies caused by the resignations of men who left the force to join the colours, considerably, more men are now coming forward, many of '.horn being returned soldiers, while several ex-consinbles have

again come back to the farce after war eervice.

tt was reported to tho Hospital Board .yesterday' that all the nurses who sat for the final hospital examination had pasaod, and tho examiners had given an excellent report of their work.

For the past three months, Mr. J. Grant LMiickie, for two years chief constructor to the Auckland and Sockburn Flying Schools, has been at work on (he construction of a seaplane which is convertible in lialf-an-honr to a landplnne. The. machine is now assembled at l!edrliffs, and Mr. Mnckie intends making ,-i trial (light on the first suitable day, to .Alugnzine Hay, Lytlelton, where he has, with the permission of the Lyttelton Borough Council find the Lyttelton Harbour Board, established a seaplane biise. The seaplane ilias been constructed of New Zealand material, Tho hi pin lie, which has ooividera'ble inherent stability, •md has been successfully tested over land, is some 22ft. in length, and bus a top wins spun of Daft. It is dmil-cau-tvoH'ftd -.mil equipped with a 70 horsepower Maxim oncrhiP. water-cooled. The propeller, specially designed by 'he inventor, i~ made in five alternate parts of hard -nirl soft New 7if.al.iud wornk (unlimited. Two floats, oanli lift, long by llin. by 12in., and weighing 521b., are made rif 'liaTonnllv-p'-uiked timl:»r, and are doiiblc-skinnwl'. Kα rt the weotlier proved "iiitaliV. Mr. r ?ckie intended flyin? to T.yttoHon on Wednesday morning. I'.uf a heavy gust of wind on Tue--dnv ninht lvrokp one of the nlnnes. whirli will necessitate a n<Mv lop win? hpinf filled on arrival at base l> is hi* intention, to make trim from Magazine Bm.v to Akaron. TCaikourn, and -other coastal towns.

At the Lyttelton Police Court yesterday two justices'»of the peace sentenced Thomas Peeves to twelve months' imprisonment for'using obscene language in a public place. Accused had 48 previous convictions against him for various offences.—Press Assn.

A Press Association message from Christchurch states that William Spriggins aged about 35, and said to be a recent arrival from the North Island, lias been arrested on a charge of breaking and entering Overs' Bros, store at Diinsandel. Accused was , discovered by tho owners at 3-o'clock in the morning in tho store. He had effected an entrance by forcing the door.

New Zealand is not alone in -having such a thing as a "eoal shortage," for conditions in Victoria, owing mainly lo industrial troubles, are much worse than here. A Christchurcli firm has received a letter from a Melbourne business house in which it is stated that, as Victoria is mainly dependent on Newcastle for its coal supply very early in the strike the Fuel Controllers took charge of the position, and prohibited the use of enal for any reason other than public utilities, with the result that many industries closed down. A week or so laler restrictions were .tightened up. and the use of electric power or gas in industry was prohibited. The consequence was a largo increase in the number of men unemployed. Householders were also prohibited from using gas or electricity for cooking or lighting between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 P.m. Since (hen a further order has reduced Uie hours to about four a day, whilst, the use of lights in shops or any businesses, except where points of danger exist, is not allowed. Gas or electric lights must not be seen burnim? after ifl.Sfl p.m. _ Tn addition, the railway and tram have been curtailed, imd it was understood that the trams were to cease runniiv after 7 p.m. each dnj..

The Hospital Committee reported to the Hospital and Charitable. Aid Board yesterday that arrangements were .being made for the transfer to Victoria Hospital at the end of the month of tlie female patients at present housed at tho Home for the Aged Needy.

Tho arboreal decorations which were u?c--l during the Peace celebrations, and which attracted so much attention and admiration, fulfilled a useful function up till the last. Owinjr (o (he boisterous vrcathnr. the greenery has looked rather dilapidated during the past two days, l>lll ,i gcod deal of it has been rmnoved by wo pi? who were only too srkd to tako it away for use as fuel. Amongst the

were carl-loads of manuka. This makes the very best of firewood, r.nd those who were able 1,0 secure a load will have good kindling for a week to conie.

Professor H. Clark, who acted on the ft.'iff of Y'Vriwia University in place of Professor TI. Marsclen during the latter's absence nt the wnr, left for America three weeks ago. Professor Clark is an authority on acoustics,, and whilst h< 1 irn.s hern his knmvledpn i-n that regard wa= taken advantage of by the Government to correct acoustic faults in the new TJ"usp of Representatives, which is being done by providing absorbents of wind. Professor Clark also advised the Rducalion Board Hint the nconsHcs of the board room could be greatly improved by the provision of a felt absorbent, either on the floor, walls, or ceiling. JTis idea is to be' given effect tc by the board.