LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 10, 7 October 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A suggestion that the Adolpli Woerliann, which iecently arrived in port, was not a suitable vessel for the carriage of troops, was made in the Houv of liepresentatives last night by Mr. A. Walker. Ho asked whether it was not a fact that the Canadian authorities had refused to use the ship for this purpose. Mr. Massey said .that .the name of the ship should bo an indication •jpwt aho was "not much account." ' He knew that tlie Defence authorities wer» mqiiirin? about the ship, and tho Minister of Defence would be able to reply later to the question. \

"It has come to our knowledge, ran a letter read before the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce yestorday, "that certain American firms are charging interest on sight drafts from the time of shipment to date of the receipt of money in New York. This is in addition to ordinary hank 'exchange and conversion rates. We should bo glad, in tlio interests of our clients, to know the view of the chamber in this matter." The firm is to be advised that the opinion of the chamber is that the extra charge .s quite contrary to practice, and is tantamount to double exchange.

A Press Association telegram from Napier states that a severe earthquake shock was fejt at 2.56 yesterday morning. The direction was west to cast.

"What is going to make a very great difference in conditions in New Zealand is the very alaniiin;; increases in the value of land. Such increases have occurred in Australia owing to the gradual push of agriculture, but not nearly to the extent of tho rise in New Zealand, said Mr. Alexander Macintosh to a Dominion .reporter-yesterday.' "In some parts of the country land is fetching .£IOO an acre for . dairying. Now, if people are going to pay Wiat for latid, how is it possible for the cost, of living to recede, seeing that everything comes from the'land? I have seen it worked out in figures which cannot be refuted that it would be impossible for a man who has paid .£IOO rm acre for land to sell-butter at Is. Bd. per lb. Instead of looking for a decrease public must rather expect- an increase."

The Jlon. G. W. Russell gave notice in tho House of Representatives last night to ask tho Minister of Defence whether lie would consider tho introduction of legislation to provide for the resuscitation of na.val. brigades in Hie principal ports of the Dominion. "The desirability of' forming these .'brigades for tho assistance of tho first line of defence and for training men -suitable for the Navy needs no argument to support it," said Mr. Russell in a note to his question.

At the present time the Tongan group of islands have no rapid means of communicating with the outside world, and this has always been a great drawback to tho growers, traders, and othor l'esidents in - the Islands. Arrangements have now been completed whereby- tho isolation of tho Tongan, Islands will be destroyed with the aid of wireless"telegraphy. An order lias been placed with Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd., for a. complete equipment to provide direct communication between Nukualofa and Suva. The entire-ap-paratus, which includes the latest magnifying valve receivers, power pliant, storngc batteries-, and specially designed masts will bo manufactured by the company, at its works in Sydney and erected by Australian engineers.

An inquest was opened by the Coroner, Mr. W. G. Kiddell, S.M., yesterday afternoon into tli6 circumstances of the death on Sunday of a girl named Louis-. Stanbridge, aged 12 year6 f> residing witli her parents at Jjohii6onville. Evidence was givert by Dr. l'yffe regarding a postmortem, examination ho had held on the body, which, he said, disclosed that death had 'been caused by a form of blood poisoning. Exactly what caused this was not, however, ascertainable. The inquiry was accordingly adjourned- till +.!W p.m.' on Thursday for the purpose of obtaining further evidence.

Steps aro being taken by the officer commanding No. 5 Group, Wellington {Contain W. 11. Bell), to round up all youths who have been failing to attend Senior Cadet and Territorial drills. There is quite a number of such defaulters ill Wellington, hut :m "amnesty" will be granted litem if Ilie.v forthwith report to the group ollice and express their readiness to comply with the provisions of the Defence Act. Tn that ense no prosecutions will In!:" hut if they fail to report themselves at owe'and are traced subsequently, t.o'.ice proceedings will have to be taken.

Uriilvi'ig yesterday to it question asko-. 1 bv ll''. P. Krasrr (member for Wellington Central). Hi" Hon. W. IT. ll'eyie.Minted- in the Home of Rcnrcsep In lives that the selection of a New Xen'mu; invning ship to replace the Amohira (was being made in the Old Country ,r. present. 'Hie Prime ini.--!nv olwwH Hint a suit 'Me ship had been promise. 1 . In- the Admiralty.

A suggestion that the Government should introduce legislation this session to allow local bodies to expend money on memorials to fallen soldiers wis made by Mr. T{. A. Wright, M.l\, to the Minister of Internal Affairs in tho House of .Iteprfsentatives last night.

A recent automobile fatality in tho city formed the subject of an inquiry yesterday afternoon by the Coroner, Mr. W. Q. Riddeli, S.M. The inquest was into the death of Thomas Smitlv, aged 77 years, n retired fafmer, who, on the evening of September 22, was run over by a motor-ear and sustained iniuries which subsequently led to his death. Senior-Sergeant Willis conducted tho proceedings on. behalf of the police. Tho driver of the car, Norman K. Page, gave evidence To the effect that he struck the deceased while in the act of turning from Clvdo Quay into Courtenay Place, the ieft-hand wheel passing over the mini's body. Witness was travelling at. about four -or five miles an 'hour at the time, and lie pulled up his car within a few feet after ho struck deceased. Witness immediately nut deceased into the ear,-and drove him to Dr. Smythe, who ordered his immediate removal to tho Hospital. Medical evidence went to show that at the Hospital the deceased wns operated on, and was progressing very favourably at the time of his death, having been up for three or four dava. His death occurred suddenly, and was probably due to heart failure arising out of the shock caused to his system by the accident. Evidence corroborative of that of Page was given bv Edwin M. Lodge, taxi-driver, who was in the car at the time of tlm accident, and by a pedestrian (John Gnuntlett), who was an eye-witness of ,the occurrence. The Inst witness said that tlie car was travelling at a snail's pace, and the lights were dimmed. Further, hearing of the inquest was adjourned until 9.30 a.m. to-day.

At the Bunedin Police Court yesterday the adjourned, ehurire. aeninst eighteen waterside- workers, of having been found in a common gaming-house, was withdrawn. owing to the decision in Friday's caso. when two other defendants, similarly charged, were dismissed—Press Assn.

A Press Association message froir. Hamilton slates Hint n meeting of South African War Veterans decided to form an association. and passed iv motion urging the Government to extend His same privilege of placing veterans on the land as is enjoyed )>y returned,soldiers.

Before Mr. E. D. Hanlon. .T.P., at the Mount C'ook Police Station yesterday morning, three first oflemlers, for insobriety, who hail ficen admitted to bail hie whf, failed lu appear, were fined Ifls., in default 48 hours' imprisonment. One first offender was convicted and, discharged,

In the House of Representatives lasv night, Mr. 1!. A. Wright asked the Post-master-General whether lie would place .a substantial sum on the Estimates for the purpose or the erection of a post office at Karori. Tie mentioned that some years ngo a site had been purchased, but nothing more had bqen done. | The Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt, has just emerged successfully from a very trying experience. Some six weeks ago a day pupil contracted diphtheria. This was followed in the next three weeks by 6everal cases amongst the boarders. Very stringent precautions were at once taken. Dormitories were disinfected by the Health authorities, and first ail possible contacts, and, later, nil including the sisters ami day pupils, had cultures taken from their throats with a view to the detection of possible carriers. The results in all cases were 'negative. Then the heroic measure was adopted of giving all the younger boarders, some thirty in all, an immunising dose of' anti-toxin. This has had the desired iffect. There has been no trace of illness of any kind since. The children and sisters had also lo garglo, twice daily. All the school buildings, dairy, etc., lmve been thoroughly inspected by the Health authorities, and are a model of clealin'ess and order. Not content with this, an isolation building ivell away from the school has been arranged for'the immediate recepiion. of any. case of sickness where, the patient can be isolated until the nature of the case is diagnosed.

The Wellington Cabinet Compiiny, Ltd.. Ailelaido Bond, has donated-.£5 to the Fire Brigades recreation fund,in Recognition of the services rendered'during the fire on Friday last.

A. favourable recommendation lias been given by the Hoise Petitions Committee to the petition of Messrs. Leyland, O'Brien, of Auckland, for compensation for losses sustained by tko capture of the scow Moa by Count von Luckner and the other German prisoners who escaped from Motuihi Island, and .'were recaptured together with t,hi> vessel at the Kermadec Islands. The company asked for some .£I2OO for cargo jettisoned ancVfor damage to tho vessel. The Public Petitions Ato Committee reported"The committee is strongly of opinion that the Government should ■grant reasonable compensation to the petitioners." "* Mr. W. H Eicld (Otaki) gave notice in the House of' Representatives yesterday to a6k whether the Government would provide a return passage to this country for any New Zealander who. being rejected for service with the' New Zealand Expeditionary Force, worked his way Home, joined the Imperial Force-?, and was discharged without sufficient means to return to his home. A request that the legal business connected with the settlement of returned soldiers should be. distributed among all the returned Soldiers in the legal profession in Auckland'was recently made in a memorial* addressed to the Minister of Lands. The! Minister in reply stated that tlie Department considered it inndvisable to distribute the work on accountof the additional Departmental work which, it was asserted, would be entailed. The matter was discussed Inst week." reports, an »xchange, at a meeting of solicitors who "ave been on active service. Mr. H, 13. Speight, who presided, stated that, the legal firm to whom all the business in question was now entrusted had' declined an invitation to be represented at the meeting, but had f.tated that the matte? had been placed before the Law Society. After a discussion, in the course of which it W;ss contended that distribution cf the work would facilitate ratlicr than retard the completion of transactions, it was decided to appoint, a sub-committee to reply to the Minister's statement' nnd also to interview Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., upon tho subject.

During September four aeroplanes were ■ "crashed" in and one was injured during railway transit to Sydney. The 'Assistant Minister of Defence .informed the Federal House of Representatives that in -three cases. the nrimary cause of the accident was insufficient engine power, and iu the fourth case the accident was due t"> mi airlock in the netrol pipe. The machines used wore onlv suitable for "aerodrome work -that was to say, short flights in the vicinity of the aerodrome.

Through. Sir Thomas Mackenzie the High Commissioner for New flealand in London, arriingfliiiGnfa have been made by Afr. -P. .T.' Mnckie, the well-known Scotch whisky distiller, to forward out tn Wellington 100 quarters of the iinest Chevalier seed barley procurable for Rowing purposes, soys the "Farmers' Union Advocate." The barley, was shipped from Glasgow by the «.». Port Hacking. and it is honed will arrive at its destination in splendid rondition. " lie whole consignment will he sold on arrival hy public auction, in lots of five, or teii quarters as may he arrayed, am! the total proceeds, jvithoui: deduction of any eliariros whatever, will he handed over hy Mr. Jlackie tn the local hospitals. It is solely| with a _ view to encouraging barley-growing in New Zealand, that Mr. Mnekie lins shipped the 100 (wartevfl to this country.