LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 34, 4 November 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tailors' in Wellington are enjoying a vorv busy time just now. Inueed, so Krent is the pressure of work in some establishments that they simply ennnot undertake to effect repairs to old garment';. "There are so many 'gratuity suits' knocking about: now that 1 cannot look at repair work," remarked one tailor to a Dominion reporter yesterday. "Numbers of returned soldiers are drawimr sufficient from their gratuities to go in for two or three suits at the one time, leaving the rest of their money in. the bank. Thov are finding this the best wav in which to utilise the gift from the State." "I simply dare not press any of my hands to push through a repiir job," slitted another tailor. "AVcre Ito attomnt to do so they would simply put.on their coats and walk off Hie premises." This tradesman added that his staff were employed on piece-work, and that he had sufficient orders for new suits on hand to keen his employees going at top pressure until well into tho New Tear. In regard to the agitation for ail improved cargo service between Melbourne and the Dominion to relieve Hie congestion of goods at the Victorian' port, tho Wellington Chambers of Commerce reported' yesterday that they had been in correspondence with the Union Steam Ship Co., Huddart Parker, Ltd., the Melbourno Chamber of Commerce and the Government respecting the cargo loug awaiting shipment from Melbourne, to Wellington. It was reported that arrangements had been made whereby tho Tahiti would -probably load at Melbourne this month for Wellington and Lyttclton. That steamer is at present loading in Melbourne for Dunodin and southern ports. The arrangement was considered to be as satisfactory as could bo expected under the existing conditions, In reply to an application by a defendant in the box at the Magistrate's Court yesterday for lime in which to pay a line, the Magistrate, Mr. B. Page, S.M., asked: "Where do yoro live?" Tho defendant, who was obviously embarrassed replied: "I'm at present staying at the police station." The fire that developed on tho steamer City of Winchester whilst she was en route-from Waitara to Melbourne is now thought to have been extinguished. Yes. terday the coal was being shifted to llu 'tween decks. Owing to there not bolus room for two gangs to work in the hatch at Hie same time, no work was done in unloading the meat cargo. It says a good deal for the sound outside constructional work in connection, with the telegraph system in the Wellington district when it is reported that no damage of any moment wa3 done by Sunday night's cyclonic gale. The velocity of tho galo was very great in the city'at a late hour on Sunday night but beyond a few "pauses" in sonio or the lines there was no damage reported in the district. Yesterday morning His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout; sentenced .Tames M'Laughlin, a returned foldier, to nine, months' imprisonment with hard labour for having made a false declaration in- order io obtain a marriage certificate to enable him to many a seventcen-year-old girl. M.'laughlin was before His Honour on Saturday, but sentence was deferred until yesterday, in order that the prisoner's military record should bo produced. M'Laughlin's Army dossier showed a fairly lengthy list of offences of various degrees. It was stated in the document that he had been returned to.New Zealand'as a chronic sufferer from the veiled disease. . "I coald give you two years' imprisonment," remarked His Honour, "but I give you the light, sentence of nine months, as this is (lie first ease of the kind that ha-- come before me. I hope the, girl's parents will see that steps are taken to get the marriage dissolved." At yesterday's meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce a letter was received from tho Canterbury chamber enclosing nuother letter received from the New Zealand Agents' Association in London, which shows the latter to be a. live body. The liondon 'letter said: "At the. last annual mooting the inauguration of a similar association in New Zealand was proposed and favourably considered. Many matters of importance to the future' trade of the Dominion under the new conditions are now calling for consideration, and concerted action at both ends is imperative if the best results arc to bo obtained. Tho committee has therefore prepared a memorandum showing some of the activities of tho association, and T liavo pleasure in enclosing same together with the rules of the association and the last annual report, containing a list of members." A clause in the Finance Bill provides for ircreasees iii salary to the Clerk of the House of lieproscntativcs and tho Clerk-.As.-a'staiil. of .Cot) per year each, making the safarios of the two positions .11700 per year and .£SOO per year respectively. At last Thuisflay's meeting of the City Council. Councillor T. Forsyth, at n,ucstiou time, asked whether the council was to urocced with the piercing' of a tunnel or the erection of anutlier big dam at Wainui. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that the work of probing for foundations for the new dam was still going forward. He, personally, was of opinion that the council should have gone on with the tunnel so as to get at as early a (late as possible 100 per cent, increase of water supply from the Orongorongo, but he had to go by the Engineer's printed report (which all the councillors had received), which recommended going on with the dam first. He, for one. was not going to set himself against the Kntrinccr in a matter o£ that kind. In Hie Supremo Court yesterday the Grand Jury returned a no-bill in tho case against; Margaret Ethel Levy, who was chareed with concealing the birth of a. child. Yesterday afternoon an accident befell M. Haigh. ii pupil of Wellington College. It appeare that the class to which Haigh lielongeo' was experimenting with ammonia, and the boy was engaged in hcatimr a. corked test-tub* of the solution. 'IV apparatus . xplodcd, and the healed solution splashed over his taco and eves. Mr. Gilford, the master in charge, promptly applied cold water to the. lad's face, and later the principal of the college, Mr. J. P. Firth, and Mrs. Firth, applied' first-aid, and after about a cniarter of an hour's attention 'tho hoy was able to reopen his eyes. He is now progre.-si.ig favourably. In recognition of the work performed by members of the military and civil stall's of the Now Zealand Defence Forces during the influenza epidemic, approval lias lieen given for special leave of absence from December 21. 1019, to January ;i, 1920 (both days inclusive), being granted to all who can be spared for the days between Christmas and New Year. The offices will remain open during the holidays, and those who are renuiral to work will be granted equivalent leavo immediately following the New Year adjournment. This will cover tho period January 5 to 8 inclusive, and tho members of the military and civil staffs concerned will report for duly accordingly on the morning of January 9, 1920. No deduction on account of the leave referred to will bo made from annual leave.

» Tolcgranis for Central and South Can--3 'ermiry nnd North Otago wore subject B to heavy dellay yesterday. Private advices show that there were heavy falls of snow in tliMO districts on Monday y night. At Ashburton three inches fell. On that section of Lambton Quay be l.ween the Bank of Now Zealand am e Grev Street the new tramway tracks art - beinu' raised some six inches above the 1 level of tho old tracks. This is on ac I count of a dip which has always existed at the head of l'Valln'i'slon Street, cans ' ing a llalness in the woodblocked stir ■" face which has allowed Ihe water to lit '■ duriue wet: weather. The raising of Ihi - I racks will give the load a crown, en ;- aiding the water to run away quickly ;l into Ihe side channels. This will wear „ the re-surfacing of the whole of the sec lion either in woodblocks or in concrete = covered with asphalt. Tho omission of a word in an abstrac of a clause of the "Washing-up" Bill " published yesterday, gives a wrong impression. '■- pression. The clause referred to tin - closing of a road adjacent, to the swim . ming Ixith, and the word omitted wa: ,i "Jolinsonville." J, Fruit vendors state that the reportet ,[ remarks of Dr. Thacker, M.P., on tin '" subject of Island oranges and tho pric that is being charged for them is no in accordance with fact, and urge thai in fairness to them the matter shouh be adjusted. Dr. Thacker based hi: argument, inferring profiteering, on tin assumption that a case of Island orange: a consists of 200. As a matter of fac ' there were usually about 120 oranges ii e a case, and out of those the rotailei ,(. was, on tho average, able, to sccurt .. about 90 sound oranges—which made al y the difference. 't An instruction issued by General Heade quarters, New Zealand Military Forces. .. stales that when temporarily employee '- ,/tafl's are to be reduced, unless very 0 strong reasons to the contrary exist ~ singlo men who have not seen service e overseas will invariably be dispensed t with before married men or men whe e 'have had service overseas with tho Exf peditiouary Forces. An inspection of the sth (Wellington! > Regiment was made by Colonel G. F. C !J Campbell, C.M.G., Coast Defence Commander, at the end of last week. Tht e total of all ranks ou parade was 350, d the officers including Coloael J.J. Esson, & C.M.G., Lieutenant-Colonel It. St. J. '■ Bcere, and Lieutenant-Colonel I. 'J'. Standish, C.M.G., D.5.0., staff officer t( . Coast Defence Commander. Colonel s Campbell, in the course of an addres; - to the troops, remarked that he had 3 noted a marked .improvement in the - regiment since his last inspection, and 1 ho congratulated Lieutenant-Colonel l Beere, who has taken over tho command 3 of tho Regiment from Colonel Esson, on 1 the excellent appearance of the men. ) Thanks to the energetic endeavours oi .'. the group commander, Captain W. M. t Bell, the musketry programme of tho ' regiment was now well forward. ' The - adjutant, Captain Davis, had arranged 1 for shooting practice at Trentham on t Saturday afternoons, and each week-end I about 150 members of the regiment pro--3 ceed to the butts, whero some very nood I work was done. The No. 5 Group riflo - meeting will bo held at Trentham on the first Saturday in February. o