LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 16, 14 October 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Prime Minister promised in the House of Representatives last night to get a .report from the Board of Trade concerning a suggestion made by Mr. H. Holland (Grey) that "enormous quantities of dried iruit are being held in cold storage in both Wellington and Auckland for an increase in price." A casualty list issued yesterday announces the death from sickness of 79721 Private Alfred Robert Curtis, of tho Canterbury Infantry liegiment. The next-of-kin of deceased is his mother, Mrs. K. Curtis, Westport. "This is but the usual impudence from that quarter," commented L'lie Mayor (Mr. K. I'. Hishworth) at last night's meeting of the Lower llutt Borough Council, when a letter was read from the I'ctono Borough Council advising (hat the gas pressures, "as prescribed by Mr. Bengali's award," luid. been supplied since September 2. Mr. Hifh'.vorth went on to state that the letter did not set out the true position. As a mallei' of fact the record kept at Lower Hutt distinctly showed that the pressures of the Uas supplied to the Hutt were not being maintained in accordance with those stipulated under the award. It was decided to reply to the Petone Council, iri-si-iling that such pressure be maintained _at the meter as would give the. required pressure at White's Line—the boundary between the two boroughs, It was slated in a cable message published last week that prohibition had been carried in Norway. Further particulars have come to hand in a cablegram received by the secretary of the Auckland- Provincial Council. According to this message, tho issue before the electors was sijnplj whether the sale of spirits should be prohibited, the sale of beers and wines not coming into question at all. The cablegram stales further that the result nf (he voting was in favour of prohibition of the sale of spirits. The cities showed a large preponderance in favour nf continuance, (he vote in Christiania being 18.GOO for thc_ change, and 75.(100 against it. The position in Norway therefore is that while beer and wine? may lie sold as heretofore, the sale of spirits is banned.

There was brief mention of the limber shortage at last night's meeting of the Lower ITutt Borough Council, when a resolution was rend from llic Wnilii llorough Council urging (lip Government to legislate against the export of timber until the local markets were supplied. Tho resolution was warmly supporied by 'the council, and in the course of a discussion it was pointed out that half of the Dominion's timber ou.tmit was being exported to Australia, while local builders were crying out for timber. In (he flutt district alone the difficulties of the housing situation were 'being increased on this account. The recommendation to fhe Government was endorsed. Plain-clothes Constable 'Iledgeinan, of Taranaki Street Police Station, yesterday arrested a lntm on n charge of stealing an overcoat early this mon'li. The man will appear before the Police Court to-da.v. A qualifying course for candidates for commissions in the Koyal New Zealand Artillery will commons at Trenthain on October 21, and will continue for two months. The following-have been select; ed to attend the courseMajon C, Newman, J).5.0., N.Z.F.A.; Major A. 13. Williams, D.5.0., Captain W. Pollard, Cuptain M J. Lyons, Lieutenants C. Gillespie, MX'., J. J. Kyno, V. G. Jones, and T. D. Wrigley, ,all of. tho Royal New Zealand Artillery. With the exception of Majors Newman and Williams, all Hie candidates were formerly gunners in tho B.W.Z.A. A comprehensive report giving the approximate estimated cost 'of the proposed erection of municipal gas works was submitted to last night'ts meeting of the Lower llutt Borough Council by 'the borough engineer'(Mr, E. A. Gunlbley). The report, which was received in committee, will be discussqd by the council in committee as a whole at a spccial meeting to be held next Monday. The provisional directors of the ffisborne hydro-electric scheme have been advised that tho Minister of Public Works has consented to issue a license provided the capital, ,£70,000, is sub-.' scribed witliih live -lionths. Tt is anlicipated there will be no difficulty in securing tho necessary capital locally. —Press Assn. It is announced (states our special correspondent) that tho Government has purchased (1200 acres of Mr. Vivian l!iddiford's estate, in the Martinborough <lis-' trict, for the settlement of soldiers. .During a discussion on sewing in State schools at last evening's meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Miss Phoebe My-/ ers said that she doubted if fine needlework should bo given to girls in the lower standards. As the result of her observations she hnd been somewhat disturbed to find that the sight of the girls was more deficient than that of tho teacher, nnd, she had wondered whether the sowing had not affected their siglit. In (he ca?e of knitting and fanc.vwork it was_ all right—it developed the muscles of the hand without straining the eyes. But—and there was a big but— the girls could not receive proper instruction in sewing until the classes were reduced to not more than thirty. It madf great demands on the teacher, who should grant a great deal of freedom, ns all children were not alike fin their aptitude for sewing). The present numbers In the classes made it impossible to give proper instruction in needlework. Two cases of influenza were rennrled by the Health Inspector of the Petone Borough nt last evening's meeting of the Borough Council. He also reported one caso of scarlet fever. The influenza cases are now convalescent. , . A man was arrested by Detective-Ser-geant Mason yeiterdnv on ,a- charge of biram.v. Tho ncenseil wfll be brought before tho Magistrate's Court this mornimr. .The uniform .Ihd Senior Cadets, while suited well to ordinary weather in this part of New Zealand, affords but lilHe protection in cold rainy weather. This, at ally rate, was the opinion expressed by Mr. R, A. Wright in a question to the Defence Minister in the House last night. He said that Cadets were on occasion kept on • parade wet through—lie mentioned the occasion of the opening of Parliament-Hand he sugre.sled t6 the Minis'er that the boys be issued with overcoats similar to "those now issued to Territorials. The member for Wellington North 'Mr. J. P. Luke) has asked if Ihe Government will make provision for running excursion trains during tho coming Christmas season.' "A boom period exists in America," said Mr. T. W. May, an Auckland architect, when discussing his recent trip to Hie United States. "America seems to have most of the money of the world, and her people are spending most lavishly. I was told that where oiio person bought a iubtqr-ear before the war five want ears now, iuid the output, of Ihe factories cannot at present meet the demand." New Zealand had 110, danse for complaint ajiout the price of labour when American conditions were compared, continued Mr. May. Tradesmen in the United States received from £1 ss. to ,£'2 a day, and still labour was scarce. The cost of living was very hijh, however—so high, in flint, that a visitor could only wonder what the ultimate result would be. Good hotel accommodation could not be cot for less than ,£:! a day, and the rates for casual board and meals. were more ' than double Ihe corresponding rates ill New Zealand. "The bulk of (he nonu--I*l ion in the towns T visMwl," ""''l May "appears to live in Hals. This cerI.T'dy.H the must un-10-dale modi' of living from their point of view. Soi"" of tho Riruelures limine as ma"v e c ["00 families." A=l;°d if it were not 'Wileinplated In erect buildings for flats in Auckland. Mr. Mav nm'd- there were some proposals in f'at direction, but-be "ddpd tint he would bo '•orrv to c ee the fl.it cv- l i-m of livimr adopted here as ownero'V as it was in ,-At"«r : oa. because lirmlp ]jfn \yn<i [|Cs||!'?d'v'' , 'fl , d to [1 P"»"l "xtct. Mmy who liver' mi )Hs In .\pK>r<"nn cit iric u='ng their S"v----1111»5 to b"v mntor-crs w1""i it would iry'i IHVf if Hi"v nut ">•' mnnev i..|„ * I,nn-« nf lh"i" e.-,. '"''l,n ncnnlp nt fnti'nvni" m-fi —-i- f-irpd'-New Zealand." added Mr. Mnv. "and Hint n re anxious for an exchange of trade."

Only very small quantities of strawberries have appeared an the Auckland market so far. The recent wet weather has had the effect of rotting the "side" fruit, and it will probably be. a fortnight before marketable quantities of berries are received,

At the New Plymouth Girls' High Schoil yesterday morning Captain Andrews. of the s.s. Karnmea, on behalf of the Wellington branch of the Navy Uiague, presented the School with a Not Zealand Hag in recognition of the tact that the school's membership of the league lias readied one hundred.— l'ress Assn.

An important commercial venture in connection witlf aviation in New /.ealand is to be started (says an exchange). A concern, -which wii.f form part or, or be connected with, the Larkin-Sopwith Aviation Company, of Australasia, intends to commence oper.it ons. It is nndeistood it? headquarters will he in Auckland, but aerodromes will bo established in all the main centres. The company proposes to sell machines, carry passengers, ana undertake commercial flights, etc.; in fact, its operations wl! embrace everything pract.eable from a commercial aspect, it is intended to institute services between the principal", cities, deluding one between "Wellington and Christchurch. L'eut. I). C. lnglis. D.C.M.. sou of the late Dr. Inglis, of Christehnrch, will be prominently connected with tlie running of the New Zealand concern. Lieut. Ingl's left with the Main flndy, and gained the Pistingu'shed Conduct Medal on (Vlinoli. After service 111 franco he transferred to the lio.val Air Force arfd served for some time in France in charge of a fast scouting machine. 11b or'ffinnllv went to France with Colonel W. A. Bishop, V.C.. D.5.0.. M.C., D.F.C., Legion of Honour, and Croix de Guen'e. and served directly under him. Later liis SMiodron was commanded b.v Major Mannnek, J) 5.0., Af.f!.. "Ww'-fs Ur» Wlmn IMannoeV met. his death Lieut. Tng'is was scouting with him in another niacin'no. Maior Mamiock-wns Rhot down by macliine-cun fire fro'n the ground, and Ti ; eut. Tnslis was forced to land Wirniurh a. bullet piercing the octroi lank, bui managed to reach the British ontpcpts.

"Although the early pioneers of Auckland worked with such courage and faith in the building no of litis overseas Dominion. they could not have had the very slightest 'idea, of the wonderful work they were doing for the Empire and for the world," said the liev. ,W. Beattv in the course of a speech at a reunion of old colonists at . Auckland. "They could never have foreseen tlint one dav their country would be sending a\rav vast stores of foodstuft's to feed the people of the OJd Country, and of wool to clothe them. They never could have foreseen that one day their sons would co in their thousands and their daughters in hundreds to ftyht aiid. serve in the great cause of civilisation. Least of all could they have, fure-eeii tho Great Government which was one day to hrise, when the affairs of this litHe country of (something over 1,000,000 inhabitants would bo directed by an august body of 117 legislators, each wanting .£OOO a year, not for governing the country, but for misgoverning it!" The thrust was received wiili loud laughter ami applause.