LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 179, 24 April 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There were many conjectures as to {he identity of one flag flown in the city yesterday (St. George's Day).. This was the League of Nations' flag,' which was flown from the stalf of To Aro House. It consists of a horizontal bar of blue between two /bars of white, with a Vshaped piece' cut from the outer edge. Inquiries made yesterday among the proprJetors of hotels and lioardinghouses serve to show that thero may bo expected a very big influx of people from the country districts next week in connection with the. Prince's visit to Wellington. One hotelkeeper said he had a batch of applications from nil parts and was quite, unable to conjecture how tliQ. people 1 were to be lodged/as his, accommodation was already to the full without, anything Bpecial by way of an attraction in th<! city. He believed that suc.li we* the case with 1 nearly all the hotels, licensed and otherwise', so that the matter of finding accommodation for the extra people who wore coining to Wellington next week for a special.purpose would, ho thought, develop into a serious problem.' An which appeared in Auckland lately wanting carpenters, and asking that oniy elderly men-need apply, has attracted a good deal of comment, and it would seem on inquiry, that there was more in the request than appeared on the surface (records the "Star"). One contractor whe has built a lot of houses recently said that house building would bo pushed on at far greater speed if the younger tradesmen would work an hour or two extra daily, like the elderly men wero prepared to do. • To tho State schools of the city and suburbs yesterday trooped little girls all laden with flowers, so fresh and vividly coloured, so rich in variety and shade as tn lead one to believo_ that Wellington, all unknown to itself, is'really a garden city. These fragrant offerings wero woven into wreaths during tho afternoon, and to-day representatives from each class will assemble at Parliamentary grounds, and there deposit them on and about the cenotaph which has been erected by the Returned - Soldiers' Association to-honour-.those-who . fell in./the Great War, and to mark,-in particular, the anniversary of Anzac Dav. ■ ' The annual report of the Berliamporo School says:—"Our system of supplying wjth a cup of. cocoa children who bring their lunch was continued right through the cold weather,, and, although the facilities were not of the best, tho re-sults-were anpreciated. -Weghoie- that a pas heater for' the bo in-, stalled in the near future." Tho Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) managed, to bring about a settlement. of four industrial disputes during the week,- three of these being arranged in New Plymouth, namely, tho Taraimki tailors', Taranaki * carnenters', and Taranaki drivers' disputes.- On Thursday aii agreement was reached in the case of the Wellington Amalgamated Society of Engineers. . . At the memorial service to .be. heldt in the Town Hall to-morrow, the' Salvation Army Band will play Chopin's Funeral March, and fit the end of the service will play the "Dead March" in "Saul," Canon Feilden C.F., Trill conduct the .service and will be assisted by Major F. W. Burton (Salvation Army), Dev. J. M'Kenzie and Itev, H. Van Staveren.- Miss Eileen Driscoll has consented to sing "0 Rest in the Lord," from Handel's "Messiah." The city organist, Mr. Bernard Page, will accompany the singing of the hymns on the organ. Returned soldiers ore requested to wear their war medals' or ribbons on Anzac Day.

The '"Olympic Council ha' received a letter from the Prime Minister (the .Right Hon. W. i'\ Massey), enclosing a donation towards the funds for sending a team to Antwerp, and stating Mint he is heartily in agreement with the- movement. "A potentinl murderer" was the term applied by Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., in tho Police Court at Auckland on Wednesday (says the ".Herald"), to George M'Cnlloch, a ship's fireman, who admitted throwing two shovelfuls of hed-hot coal over Alexander Moys, fifth ehgiueer on the steamer Otaki, on' ti. voyage from tho Panama' Canal to Auckland. SubInspector Wohlmann stated that fortunately Moys had not been .critically, injured, and in view of the fact that it was considered undesirable to have the accused in tho Dominion the chargo had been made one of common assault. Mr. V. li. Meredith, for tho captain of the steamer, stated that on Anril 11 Moys had occasion to cliecK M'Culloch for choking up his fire, whereupon the aocused'said that if he wero reported he would give Moys a mark that would last him a lifetime. Later, when working at his furnace, the accused drew a shovelful of coals from the firo and threw it over Moys, remarking, "I will, give you something."- Moys avoided most of the coal, but the accused followed up with another shovelful directed at his fnee. Moys saved his eyes by putting up his hrm, ibut his face and arms' were" painfully burned, and one arm was cut by the shovel. The accused did not attempt to justify his action before the captain, who decided that tho matter was too grave for his jurisdiction. The Magistrate said that the accused was lucky in not having the life of the engineer on his head. He would be sentenced to two months' imprisonment with, hard labour,

,Tho forthcoming by-election ct Eastbourne is a topic of intenso interest among those concerned in the welfare of the suburbs across tho harbour. Tho candidature of Mr. P. H. M:<ther, the former Mayor, who resigned owing to internal 'dissension in the council, is announced. The keynote of the whole situation is the procuring of a new ferry boat to maintain fast communication between tho city and Eastbourne. (Negotiations for ft, fourteen-knot steamer have boen( carried by. the recent council to a poijtt where any interruption'may mean a serious loss of time. A meoting of Mr. Mather's supporters is called for S o'clock- to-night at the Eastbourne Hall, Rona Bay. ' ' Arrangements have been made by the Now Zealand Picture Supplies to kinematograph tie principal scene? in connection with tho tour of the Prince of Wales through the Dominion. The welcome to the Prince at Auckland to-day will be fully "shot," and it. is anticipated that the film will be shown in Wellington on Tuesday next. Specially elaborate arrangements have been made to take the big Maori hui at Rotorua. and it is most likely that the pictures of this event—probably the last big Jlaori gathering of its kind—will be shown tho world over.

The Chief Justice (Sir Itobert Stout) will hold (v sitting of the (supreme Court at 9.30 a.m. to-day. There nro thrco cases set; down for hearing.

Mr. Tom Pollard, of Greyinouth, was a visitor to Wellington yesterday. He 6tates that a very strong amateur operatic society has been formed in Christehurcli. and has already commenced rehearsing "The Geisha." The Dunedin society has decided to produce "The Country Girl" onco more.

Late last evening a man named George Cowling was ,picked up in Webb Street in an unconscious condition. It is believed lie resides in Pivie Street. On being examined by the hospital authorities he was found to ba Buffering, from injuries to the head.'

Members of the A.M.P. Society have cause to be extremely'gratified'with tho splendid results achieved last year. The seventy-first annuel report shows Hint the total funds now exceed the sum of forty-one millions. The total business in force', inclusive of bonus additions, amounts to over one hundred and thirtythree mill ions, whilst the total new business written for the year nmounted to over eleven and a half millions. The cash bonus dividend lo be distributed amounts to over a million and a quarter, find this provides the members with additional assurance for over two millions If is interesting to note that ,tho reversionary bonus for the first Tear on policies issued in 1919,. ranges as high as .£l7 per .£IOOO assured; as compared with tho pre-war bonus of JDI.I uer .£IOOO. The claims paid during the year amounted to over one million and a half, and this includes the payment of over a quarter of n million due' to the influenza opidemic. AVlint more .eloquent tcstimony could there be to th'H benefits to be derived' from life assurance with o company wliicih prides itself upon the prompt settlement of its claims. _ The result pf the year's operations points to a remarkable condition of stability and progress. . ..