LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 42, 13 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The following further cablegram has lieeu received by the Wellington Chamber of Commer:o from the Sydney Chamber regarding the Austrian "steamer OrKfiva. which was interned in the Dutch East Indies in tho early etjiges 'A the war:—"Following cablegram" received from S'.'hcpjisagcntuur, Padang: Orsova due Sourabiiya twenty-fifth; discharges cargo there. Receivers should apply Schcensasrenhuir; require bills of lading nr bank guarantees, sheltering charge* thirtv-one per cent, invoice value, wnrehonsimr charges and insurance from Padang." Nearly two hundred applications were received bv t-Ite Marine Department for the seven positions of inspectors of gear r>n the waterfront. Five of tho positions am for master mariners and two for waterside workers willi eea experience. In further reply to a letter suggesting the establishment of a correspondence school of agriculture for discharged soldiers, the Primo Minister has written to Mr. W. Pinches, of Auckland, that, in the opinion of experts of the Agricultural Department, no good purpose would bo served by tho Government or anyone eleo establishing such a. school. The only -way to become a practical farmer .is to learn by practical experience. Any soldier settled on the land who has not an expert officer immediately available, with whom The can discuss personally any difficulties ho is meeting with, has only to write to tho Department of Agriculture, and all possible information will be given him. A conference will be held in Wellington on Monday with.the object of forming a municipal engineers' association. It is hoped by the promoters that a strong organisation will be formed. One of its chief objects will bo the unification of ejvtems of keeping electricity accounts all over the Dominion. This will facilitate the making of comparisons between the accounts of the various centres. Depreciation and sinking funds are mattors of great concern to electrical' , engineer!*, for there aro wide differences in the treatment of these accounts. Although both of tliNfi matters are fundamental, it is said that there are wide differences. Among other objects are agreements regarding insurance ■ risks, with a view of safely and decrease of tho cost of wiring, and regarding municipal trading.

The forged National Bank ,f:\ note has turned un again, one having been passed by a tram passenger to the Kicearlon racecourse on Saturday (says an exchange). The note was handed to the conductor of a crowded tramenr, and in the crush and hurry of the occasion ho look the note—an ordinary looking one— to bo genuine, and gavo the passenger n 2s. fid. ticket to tho course and 17s. Gd. good silver change. The particular note bears the same" date as the missing bundles, January 1, 19KJ, and the number, written in deep indigo ink, is A 300,.137. Closo inspection would leave no room for doubt even to the layman that something was wrong, and the notes are only likely to be passed successfully where some hurry exists in money changing.

A Press Association telegram from Jnvercargill states that Sir Joseph Ward received a very cordial welcome from the Mayor and a largo gathering of citizens on arrival yesterday. Tho Mayor referred to Sir Joseph Ward as a patriot true, to New Zealand in its time of trial and to Southland. Referring to the hydro-electric schemes, Sir Joseph Ward said that the" Government should provide all the necessary fittings, costing about .C3fl per house, on the time-pay-ment system, so that the benefits of electricity would bo available to all at. the earliest moment,

An uncomfortable skin trouble, strongly re.si>inbi<u<r what is known as "Maori itch." is prevalent in Wellington at the liresent: time. Tho malady breaks out in the form of red pimples on the face, body, and hands, and the itching symptoms arc very acute. Being highly contagious, people, who contract the disease should at oiuo seek medical advice. It is thought that its introduction to the Dominion has been due to returning troops, hi Ihc Army the complaint was known as "scabies," and soldiers contractimr it during tho irnr were subjected to sulphur baths, this treatment; proving effective in a very short time. A Wellington doctor stated yesterday that several cases hnd come under his notice lately, and he expressed the opinion that, on account of its contagious characteristics. Biill'ercrs ought to be placed in isolation until curcn. The disease was not dangerous if treated without delav, but isolation cught to be made comliulbc.lT. .

Acting upon ad,-ico received from Napier, tho Palmei-slon police n.rrested at the railway station on Tuesday a young mull named Patrick Ilonienick Jlecd, on a charge of having disposed of a motor-car, tho property of Ihe Napier Repatriation Board, telegraphs our Palmcrfiton correspondent. Accu^co , , who was brought, before the Police Court yesterday, was remanded to appear at Napier on Novembor 10.

The New Zealand Academy of Pine Arts has. after its recent annual show, onco more, arra ig'.'d its pictures, and the gallery is again open to the public daily between tho hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tho whole of the pictures, including Hie rew purchases, have been hung, tho only art treasures not now in Wellington that bolomr to the gallery being those on loan to the Soijcnt Art Gallery in WanKiimii, an art repository that should create, a new interest in everything artistic in that provincial ceutro.

A. correspondent, Jlr. It. A. M'lntyre, draws attention to the fact that "The Silver King" was not originally played in thi> <ild Opera House (now Everybody's Theatre), but in the old Theatre lioval. Our correspondent is quite rieht. The old play was performed in the 'J'he:i.t;e 1 loyal originally hi! May, 188.-.. when Mr. H. N. ("iNat."") Douglas v.-iis Wilfred Denver, and was revised in MnvembiT the followini; year, for the oiwnimr of the old Opera House in Manuel's Street.

ThiTP was a good iillendanco at the Petone i.'hurch of Christ on Tuesday (r/piiiin:. when the licv. V. ,1. Jfaidhall dclivTiTil an aililress entitled "Churches of (Jiirisr and What T'liey Teach," and dealt with the origin, principles, and i.'l'owth of Hie Chui-ch. The movement often known as Hip restoralion movement, said r.lin speaker, haii 'its rise in a wideenrend desire for unity among Christians, which dcsiie (leveioiicd as a consenuence of the division in (lie Protestant Church after the Information of the sixteenth ('(■iiluiv. The principle of action governing the movement was a. plea for restoration of tho church organise lion of Ihe iiist century, as a cure for the divisions in the church. After oxnlaininu' how this principle was applied to the wurkiti;; conditions of the Church, the lei'tini-r claimed thai (lie growth of thn movement \;ar- proof U.at it was possible In app'y • first cenluiy Chinch liiinciplis Id Iwenlieth eeutury (lliiireh life. In one hundred and thirty years the nu'inV'ership of Ihe (.'huri-li nf Christ liail irach.'d one millioii and ;i half, and it was :il--(> staled' that eight hundred fo:'fisn mis?ionario« were at work.

At the Jlanukau Counly Council on Tuesday a letter was received from the Priim , 'MiuistiT stating that under the present luw the duty on imported machinery could not be remitted, but when lariif schedules were next under review ihe (|iiestion of allowing local bodies to import road-niaking machinery free nf duty would receive careful consideration.

Writing from San Francisco undor date Oclobcr It, Mr. J. H. Gunson, Mayor of Auckland, states that all the vessels bound for Australia and New Zealand are crowded, and tho earlier ones were fully booked up before over he and his wife landed at San Francisco. Big premiums, ho adds, nro being paid for passages. Ono man was ottered a round sum and his hotel expenses until he could secure a passage by a later boat if he would transfer his right to a passage by a boat that was just leaving. "I was not feeling 100 well. I thought I had an attack of malaria coming on." Magistrate: "And you thought three botilea"of beer would do you good?" "Yes!" This was the reply of a young man Mined Patrick Michael M'Grath when asked by Mr. E- Pago, S.M., at tho Ifpper Hutt Magistrate's Court yesterday to explain why he was found on the premises of the Provincial Hotel at ten minutes past nine one evening. The prosecuting constable said he found defendant going into tho hotel, <and after asking his reason, warned him that if he persisted lie would Iμ 'liable to bo charged. In spite of this M'Grath wont in and asked for three bottles of boor, which were refused. Tho full penalty was pressed for, and he was fined £2 with costs 7s. ■Rain is badly needed in Ihe country districts of Poverty Bay, where feed is drying up. Tho land requires a liberal downpour to effect a great freshening up of growth. Sheep and cattle are beginning to show the effects of. tho continued dry spell. Mumps have been prevalent through, out the whole of the Auckland district, and all schools have been n Ifected nioro or less. On Monday about 100 pupils of one suburban school were absent owing to the malady. Tho Health Department authorities state that it is not a bad typo of mumps, but at tho same time parents are advised to use reasonable care in Hie treatment of their children, and not to allow them to catch a. chill, which k simply done at this time, of the year. All Territorial training will bo euspende.l from December 1 to January 7. This decision has been made to permit as many members as possible of the Staff Corps and Permanent Staff to take their leave, which in many cases has acoumulated, and to enable the'stnif to concentrate, on administrative duties.

In the Tipper Hull: Court vwsterduv Richard Jngra.m Low claimed from John Purvis .KlO, alleged 'to be duo bv assignment. Mr. L. Mnule appeared for Low. and Mr. 0. C. Mnzengarb for the defendant (Purvis). '.Llie facts, as slated, were that Purvis let a contract to a builder named O'Malley to buy a fourroomed houso at. Maymourn, remove and re.-orect it Trenthuin for tho sum of JC2GO. Purvis was to pay O'Mnlley £W down, .-Mill when the frame was erected, and the balance on completion. Ho had Divid .CIS 2 on the job when ho was approached by Lev; with :in order for .£3(l, bcin<r moneys lent by him to O'Malley to nurchnso material for the work. Iα consenuencp of this order Purvis reinonstruled with O'Malley, ordered him oft' tho iob. and engaged one Joseph .lackson lo complete the work by day labour. A document was then drawn up by Low, signed bv O'Malley, and approved by defendant, purporting to hand the contract over (o Jackson, who did not sign it. Tt also contained n reference, to the .43(1 lent bv Low, which defendant; said ho did not l;now to be in it. After a norm dps'.i of evidence hnd been taken, Mr. Mazengarb asked for n nonsuit, statiiii,' that the document could not be regarded a> an assignment, of debt; that it "was not. a l.ill of exchange, nnt complying wil.li the reriuirements of the Act; and thiil. there was no consideration for an eniiitrtble nwifjnmcnt. Judgment e reserved, to be Riven in tho Magistrate's Court. Wellington.