LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 293, 6 September 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The mails which were dispatched from Wellineiim tin July 7 arrived in London on August 21

Tho Railway Department announces thai, commencing Monday, a petrol motor service will be run between Wellington, I.ower tlutt.-and Tipper Huff. Tho service will consist of a motor-driven lar with trailer attached. Second-class accommodation only will ho i provided. The limes at Which trains will run aro Miticmnecd in our advertising columns. Somo time ago it was annouueed that the uresent telephones'.in uso in the areas covered bv the Newtown and Courtonay Place automatic exchange sub-stations would bo "cut-over" to the new Western Electric svs.em ou September 20. The Director of Telephones (Mr. G. A. Shrimpton). sneaking to a Dominion relireseiilative yesterday, said that at the. nresent rate at which the work was proceeding it would bo very unlikely for the "cut-over'' to take place on September 20. Probably it would take place towards (lie end of this month or the beginning of next month. The Prime Minister (Itt. Hon. W. F. Massev) is to open the new Sarjeant Art Gallerv in Wanganui at 3 pan. to-day, and in the evening will deliver an address on '"The Peace Treaty and Its Petition to the Umpire." The Chief Postmaster announces that the censorship of radio messages to Sa; inoa will be removed from 9 a.m. to-day. Duriwr Hie Ihree days September 1 to ■t there were forty-two cases of influenza notified. Of these six cases were pneumonic and seven severe. In Wellington district there, were fifteen cases, three of tiiem liiieunionic, mid one sc-vere. A sad occurrence took place iu Barrett's Hotel early yesterday morning. A returned soldier, who came to New Zealand iu the Giessen, and who had been missed at the front, and was also a sufferer from shell-shock, who was staying at the. hotel, was found in an uncouseious condition on the floor of the commercial room at 5 a.m. by the.porter. It seems I hat lie was reading iii the room up till an earlv hour in the' morning, and was there seen _by the porter, who advised him to go to lied. At 5 o'clock the norter l'cund him lying ou the floor in an unconscious condition, and, becoming alarmed, called up the licensee (Mr. DaiInn). On examining the man, blood was discovered on his tunic, and a sharpnointed knife was-found upon the floor. Dr. Hcnrv was called, and after exauiinine the wound in the chest, evidently self-inflicted with the knife, said the wound was not a serious one, and ordered Hie man's removal to the hospital. On inonirv last night as to the man's condition. tho hospital authorities stated ttiat bo was still in the same condition as when he entered the institution. Duriuir the Address-'in-Keply debate in the House of Representatives last cvenimr. Mr. E. Semple (Wellington South) .snoke of the fate of the. goldmin.ers who aro annually ordered out of the mines of New Zealand because thev had contracted Diieumoconiosis, and were unfit to pursue their occupation as miners any lomrcr. Me Quoted the cases of fourteen men who had been ordered out of tho mines at. Wnilii. Their average age, he said, was about thirty-six years. When these men were ordered out of the gold mines, he added, tho doctor, practically speaking, pronounces the sentence of death unon them. They might do a little lieht work for a few months after thev left, the mines. They might becomo incapacitated within a i'ew weeks. They live .-.ome.ime; for years, a lingering life. They received a pension from (he Government of .£1 per week after liiey become permanently incapacitated, and in case of their dcalh and if married their wniow r.iceivecl 12s. Ltd. a week fur two vears. Mr. Semple strongly denounced these payments as (iiiito inadequate, and urj-'Cd that .there could not be contentment under such conditions. His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Hubert Stout) will; this morning, pass sentence on the following:—Leonard Maurice Nicholson, for theft of a motor-cycle; Darr.v liubert M'Devitt, for escaping from' lawful custody, and for breaking, cnlcrimr. and tliett; and Cecilia Hunter for forgery. In reply to a request from Mr. 11. Holland at the last meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board tho board's engineer (Mr. C. J. 1!. Williams) made a statement regarding tho future possibilities of Lyltellon Harbour. Inter alia, he slated that the present berths can accommodate vessels 560 ft. long, with a beam of 70ft. and a draught of 111 ft., or longer vessels with a somewhat less draught. These berths are being extended as required to accommodate vessels of <W)ft. by "(lit. by ;i2ft. draught. L.vtlelton would always be worked lis a tidal port, so that JJtit'l. at low water in tho channel would be sufficient for vessels of -tofl. draught. The enlrunco channel, Iho entrance' to tho Inner harbour, and tho principal berths can be dredged In 10ft. at low water. 'Accommodation for a ship 1000 ft. in length, 100 ft. beam, and Wft. draught can be provided at Gladstone Pier. At tho present berths tho limit of length is (raOfl., but a new jelly can be .provided lo accommodate a ship 800 ft. In length, 100 ft. beam, and 40ft. draught. The increased maintenance cost, due to tho depth of 40ft. at luw water, would amount (o about J:9ofio per annum, or. <£21,000 per year in all,.

Tile Court, of Appeal (First l)ivisipn) has been a.diourned until .Monday. This Court has vet to deliver a reserved judgment. Mr. R. Scruple (Wellington South) lm» riven notice in the House of' Representatives In move "that there be. laid betoro Hie House a. return .showing-(!) The number of men employed in the coal mines of this. Dominion in jilt!) as compared with 1.91"-18; ('-) tlvo amount, ot coal nroduced bv each miner ill 1019 as V.omimred with 1017-18: and (■") the number of undeveloDcd coal, leases held by nrivale. individuals or companies, on what, condition such leases are, held, and Ihe amount paid annually for.each ieaso hi Ihe Stale." '.' At a- meeting «f Senior Cadet officers, presided over by Captain W. M. .Bell (Group s.commander), held on Thursday! evening, it was decided that there should . be a march-out of alt* companies onco a quarter. The marches-will be held on cortnin evenings, yet to be arranged, and as there are twenty-six companies in tho area they should make a tine spectacle. The Senior Cadet Rugby football tourilanieal, which is engaging the attention of all companies at present, is to commence on Saturday next. The draw will be announced next week. A lwndsorae challenge shield 'has been ptesenlcd to the group for this event. The. .Hon. 0. .1. (jsi Hand yesterday gave notice in Ihe Legislative Council of the followinsr oucstion:—'"Whether, in view of the lame Accumulated profits'shown The conference between tho representatives of Ihe Wellington branch of the New Zealand Shipowners' Federation and the Marine Engineers' Institute in connection with tiie proposed new agreement to cover Ihe small boats trading in and out of Wellington was continued yesterday. No settlement was arrived at yesterday. . Undefended divorce cases will be heard bv tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) in the Simreme Court this morning.. Mr. B. A. Wright- (Wellington Suburbs) is asking the Minister of Justice when it. is intended to erect a police station at. Island Kay, the vote for which w.is n.'.ssed bv' Cabinet some years ago. The Dcnartment: is the- owner of a suitii,hie seel ion at Island Bay, and the lime, savs .Mr. Wright, is now opportune for ereclim.' the building. Tlis Ifmi'inr Mr. Justice Kdwurds, sillimr in the Bankrupley Court yesterday lnorninL'. Granted Ihe discharge from-, bankruntcv of Matthew Adams anjl Mary Alice Adams, grocers, lulbirnie, for wiiom Jtr. F. F. Newman apprared, and of llavid Oivr-n Thomas, chef, Tronthnni, for whom Mr. J. A. Scott appeared. There was no opposition to the dis chunks. Mr. W. It. Field (Otaki) has given no-tii-B in Ihe House of Representatives to ask the Minister in charge of the Board nf Trade Department whether the scheme for the standardisation of boots and the sunulv of same to the public at a nwderaie cost has failed, and whether thero is anv good reason for the continuance of the injustice entailed on farmers, iiiivlioiilnrlv fin-all farmers, ill commiindeorins hides al a. low price, enabling nenllliv tanners to make unlimited profits thereby. '•

At the lust, mcctiiifr of (lie Wnipukurau South African Veterans' j\sfociniion the election of permanent officers of the branch took plaeo with tho following result::—Mr. ,S. P. Hrandou (chairman), Mr. N. 11. Shepherd (vice-chairman). Mr. CI. Smales (lion, secretory), Mr. 1'!. 0. P. Von Dadclzen (hon. treasurer); Finance Committee, Messrs. Smales, Brandon, and Von Dadelzen; 'Workinft Committee, Messrs. I'. Wells, A. Gibson, B. Groom, D. Cameron, W. 11. Bassetl, and Meredith. A lengthily signed petition of veterans will be placed before the House of licprescntalives, outlining the aims and ambitious of the society. Mr. George Hunter, M.P., is placing the petition before tho House on behalf of the Waipukurau branch of the Veterant;' Association. The news has been announced in Napier that (weather permit tins) H-M.S. New Zealand will call at Napier for two hours on September IS en route from Wt.'.linglon to Auckland. Now that tho Ilun guns captured by tlie New Zealand Division in France have 'been thoroughly inspected for a period of, over six weeks, some members of the City Council are of the opinion that the Defence Minister might lnako the promised allocation at the earliest moment, and so allow the front of the Town HaH to resume its norma-!! appearance. Tins German "ironmongery" cumbers the greatest portion of tho sidewalk, and as Die puns are not lighted in any way after dark they offer a Certain risk to pedestrians. It is urged that tho guns could now well be distributed amongst tho different local bodies, to be used in parks and reserves throughout tho Dominion as grim reminders of tho part Now Zealand's sons p.ayed in the great war.The member tor Wallace (Mr, J. C. Thomson) lias asked the Prime Minister if the Government will, now that the war is over, with a view to stimulating research work and invention, consider the nd.'isableness of granting licenses to those who wisli to study radio-telegraphy and telephony, New Zealand and the Falkland Island beine tho only countries in tho world where such licenses are not grant; ed. An experimental radio-station, says Mr. Thomson, means a station used for private practice or research work in the art of radio communication,' and not onorated lor protit in either sending or race;vine; licenses to bo ot two oiaw'n. one for receiving only, and the second for both receiving «wl sending; applicant* for licenses tu sign a statutory declaration of secrecy and not to be under sixteen vears of age. Mr. Dunbar -Sloane, of Wellington, lias been selected as the official Liberal candidate for the Wellington Suburbs seat. Mr. Sloano enlisted with the New Zealand forces on the day war was declared, acted as Embarkation Officer in Wellington, and subsequently was quartermaster and adjutant on tUo hospital ships Maheno and Maraina. Auuroximately i'orly ear-owners have been summoned to appear before the Cjmrt. in the near future to answer elmrees of exceeding the speed limit on tho Knit. Pond. The prosecuting authorities allege that the by-laws relating to speed on litis highway were broken during the last meeling of the Welling-, ton Pacing Club. The offenders, it is stated, come from all parts of New Zealand. B.y an announcement in another column it is notified that the Municipal Association's Conference will open on Wednesday next at 2.30 p.m.,-instead of 10 a.m. as previously stated. in tile last 'balance-sheet of the State Fire Office the Government will not consider whether the time has come when a, bonus should bo paid to the insurers, as provided by '.lie State Fire Insurance Act. inns?" Dr. A. JC. Newman (Wellington Past) has eiven notice )o ask the Prime Minister if the Government will protect whales 1.0 urevent them from being exterminated.