LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 49, 21 November 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Secretary of the G-P.O. advises that tho "Pacifio Cable Hoard notify a six-hours delay on Jiomeward trailio to the United Kingdom."

"When tho Labour Department recently called tenders throughout Now Zealand for tho erection of , workers dwellings, tho tenders received in many towns wero too high to permit houses to bo built at a cost within tho limits proscribed by tho Housing Act. Contracts were let, however, in the following towns: Wellington, Auckland, Masterton, Nelson mul Timarn. In all the other ceuties, fresh tenders aro to bo called for tho erection of only tho concrete portion of the buildings. The balanco if tho work will bo performed by separate contract One of tho means employed - bv tho Workers' Divollings Board to lower tho prico of its houses is standardisation of tho interior fittings, which aro lining purchased in largo quantities. In Wellington, by a forfcunato arrangement with tho Defence Department, the board is oermitted to uso gravel and sand obtained from any of the Defence reserves. On the Fort Dorset reserve tliora is a very large supply of excellent gravel. The Labour Department has almost completed negotiations for the use of the Defence Department's motor-lorries in the conveyance of tho gravel to tho building sites.

While in England, Mr. W. B. Fisher, who returned to Wellington this week, met tho Rev. Mother Mary Aubert, of Wellington, who had just arrived from Rome. Tho rev. mother, who is 85 .years of age, had mot with a motor accident, but hoped to return to Now Zealand shortly. She told Mr. Fisher about eoine of her experiences in Ttaly at the time of the last earthquake there. Plio montiond that she helped to rescue a woman buried up to hor neck in dobns for 48 hours, whoso fingers had been partly nibbled away by mice.

Tho consent of the Government has bron obtained for the raising of loans by the following local bodies: Auckland Harbour Hoard, ,£150,000; P.ilmerston North Borough Council, .£136,275; Whangarei Comity Council, XH.500; Manaia Town Board, JC10.000; Ohura Comity Council, .£9000; Westland County Council, jCGfIfH); Waitotara County Council, ,C(i000; To Ivuiti Borough Council, .£2000; Clifton County Council, <£1250; Inangalma County Council, „C 500; Woodville County Council,

Tho prohibition of tlio exportation from the Dominion of sugar, jam, confeetionerv and other articles of food preserved with sugar is to be continued according to a notice appearing in the "Gazette."

The Detective Department h(t,s received certain articles of jewellery for which thev eanont find an owner. Tho property consists of two watches, a silver one "and tho other a gold-filled ono, a : cameo bangle, and a gold chain with a gold dollar attached.

, Thost seeking enrolment should make absolutely certain that in filling in the form of application they are complying with the law, as the penalty for a breach' is considerable. Yesterday at tho Magistrate's Court two individuals were fined .£2 for their ignorance in prenaring tho deelaration for enrolment. The offence committed was that one man signed his wife's name to an enrolment ■form and tho other man aanpended his signature as a witness without having seen the document signed.

Amendments in tho regulations for manual and technical instruction appear in the "Gazetto" issued last evening. Continuation classcs may bo held in English, French, German, Italian, Maori, Latin, Greek, or other approved language, arithmetic, geography, English history, chics, commercial history, vocal music, physical training, swimming and life-saving, elementary, woodwork, metal work, hygieno, ambulance work, homo nursing, cookery, dressmaking, needlework, drawing, etc.

Tho distribution of subsidies to publio libraries in country districts will tako place about March 1, 1020, and no claim will bo entitled to consideration that is not received by the secretary of tlio Education Department, Wellington, on or before January 2S, 1920.

Captain l!oy King, M,C., who has for Hid last few'days been canvassing old boys of the Waitaki High School and parents of old boys for support to tho war memorial, has met with a gratifying response. Among the subscriptions were two donations of .£IOO each.

The Arbitration Court will begin tho hearing of ease's this morning at 10 o'clock.

A bold stop lias been taken by tho Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society in announcing tlio horse leaping championship of New Zealand to take placo at the show in February. The prizes for this event amount to with the president's cup added to tlio first horse's share. This isi tlio largest sum offered for show jumping in New Zealand. The New Zealand championship for hunters will be another leaping attraction, tho prizes totalling ,£BO. A sito for wharf extension on the foreshore of Whang.'irei harbour has been granted the Wilson's Portland Cement Co., and a site for similar jmrposes has been granted tho Ivauri Timber Co. on the foreshore of To Kopuru. Captain Sheldon Gardiner, who was a member of the "Kiwis" with tho Now Zealand Expeditionary Forco in France, remained behind in London, and when tho last mail loft was oce.urying a good position on the London stage, Ho was recently in the cast of "Tho Eyes of Youth" with Miss Gertrude Elliott. An officer who arrived back from England by the Arawa says that the English railway strikorv which happened shortly before they tailed was a very dramatic business, but ended almost as dramatically with Mr. Lloyd George "on tp." Tho railwaymen—or at least some of them—imagined that tho world would come to an end if they struck, but the next dav . the Government had <10,000 Army motor (nieta in commission, and food'flower into London and other towns almost as readily as though all the whels were turning. "Of course/' said our informant, "people do not yet live as well as you do in Now Zealand. Nobody, or' at least very few. get really enough to eat, and wo all fatten up a bit under the good eating, we get out here. Ordinarily butter is unprocurable—it is nil margarine—and meat— w.o 11, a single chop costs Is. Gd. in tho butcher's shop. They say that most of our stuff is being sent to France and Germany, where butter is bringing ss, and 6s. "per lb., and meat anything you like to ask. As soon as tho railway strike took place the rationing system was reintroduced, and during the present winter it wil bo adopted owing to the continued food shortage, caused, I suppose, by the big demand from the semi-starved countries' of Europe.