LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 196, 14 May 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Trouble with, the mechanical stokers at the city electric lighting station last night caused the steam pressure to fall off. The lights all over the city were dim in the early part of the evening, when the load was at its heaviest. The position improved later, when the period of maximum load had passed.-

During tho month of April 158 Chinese, including 11 females, landed at New Zealand ports. The departures of Chinese from New Zealand during the month numbered nine. Fifty-three of the' Chineso landed in Wellington and 105 in Auckland. , Representations are to bo made by tho City Council to the Minister of Internal Affairs to introduce legislation with re< ference to the registration of motor-cars and vehicles, which- will provide for a distinctive mark to be attached to each number plate, and a different colour to bo used each year on registration. This pronosal, which .emanates from Mr. L. S. Drake, the city motor "Inspector, will, it is maintained, facilitate the duties of constables or traffic officers, as it will be seen at a glanco whether or not a vehiclo has been registered for the current year. This practice has been adopted in other parts with great success, and is based on the principle that the motor traffic is very hard on the roads, and it is only fair to the community as a wholo that owners of cars should pay regularly to their upkeep.

It is reported from Christchurch by the Press Association that the Health Department's restrictions imposed on account of influenza were removed yesterdav. The schools there will reopen on Monday.

The largo Red Cross motor garage at Trentham Military Hospital was practically destroyed 'by fire on Tuesday morning. It appears that when some tyres were being vulcanised flames burst out,' and set the fire. The only car in the garage at the time was saved by Miss Ewen and two members of the Medical Corps, who pushed it into the ' open, scorched and with the windscreen 'cracked. Some tyres, motor tools, arid cases of benzine were also salvaged. Tho Mayor of Wellington has received tho following letter from the captain of the battle-cruiser Renown:— "I request that you will convey tho thanks and appreciation of myself and the ship's company'of H.M.S. Renown to thoso who so kindly contributed towards tho entertainment of tho men in ' tho Sailors' Club in the Pipitea shed during the ship's slay in Wellington. Our thanks and gratitude, are specially due to those ladies of the Navy League who devoted so much time and trouble to the welfare, of the men and who by Iheir untiring efforts made the.. Sailors' Club such an unqualified success." ■

• A correspondent writes to say that the bowling team in Australia at tho present time referred to almost daily in the cablo messages as tho "New Zealand team" is by no means a New Zealand combination. It is purely and simply an Auckland team, and should he known as such. It may seem peculiar to, the untravellcd bowleTS in the DominionTo learn of a team going ■« Australia to play during the winter, but though the weather is not always suitable, neaily stll the big clubs havo their wintor greens, on which they can play, should they so desire, all the year round. As the winter weather in Sydney and Brisbane is mild, frequently very fine ITowis can be enjoyed by members of clubs with winter greens practically without extra expense, as the greens have fo be looked after all the year round in any case.

For some'years the ladies of Thorndon have been persistent in addressing tho City Council to provide them with a croquet ground. Usually the application has been for a portion of Anderson Park, which the authorities havo considered too small a ground to divide up among the different sports. Steady pressure, however, often has its reward, and now the ladies of the Thorndon Croquet Club hove been informed that tho extension of Anderson Park is being provided for in the loan schedule to be shortly placed before the -ratepayers.- The presumption is that if the" ratepayers apnrove the item a corner will be fo-nhd for tha club in the new part of the ground.

The Reserves Cbmmittco of tho City Council has approved the suggestion of tho city engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) (hat the superstructure of tho present Thorndon Baths bo utilised for dressing 6h«d accommodation at Evans Bay. Plans and estimates for tho work are now being prepared in order that provision may bo made for tho work in the new loan schedule.

Up till March 31 the Wellington Hockey Association had the use of the Karori Park under license from the Karori Borough Council, buton April 1 this fine ground became a city, reserve. It was considered by the city solicitor that tho issue of a now license would be necessary to enable the association to continue the uso of the ground for the remainder of their term, which, license is being issued with tho approval of the City Council.

The annual meeting of the' New Zealand Dental Association will he' held at Victoria College on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next week. The Mayor (Mr. .1. P. Luke) _ win open tho meeting, and tho presidential address by Mr. 11.1.I 1 .1. Washbourn (Timnru), president, will follow. On tlie evening of Wednesday tho annual dinner of the association will tako pl'a'co at the Etnpiro Hotel.

The Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has received cable advice from the Head Office in London that an interim dividend at the rate of 21 per cent, has 'hfipn declared n'l tho preference and ordinary stock of the company.

Thirty-five returned' soldiers aro receirinn training at tho poultry farms established by the Vocational Training Kni'ifli (l> Fnr, <'fi Denartmcnl) at tho Cashmere Hills Military Sanatorium, Christchurch. Instruction is also given in fruit-growing and beo-kooping, tho numbers attending being twenty-three and twenty-nine respectively. Sovon nf the men who havo taken this course aro now settled on poultry farms, and throe others ore negotiating for land with tho same object in view.

It is stated in Christchurch that three vessels have already left the- Dominion direct for New York or Boston with quantities of tomb. These arc Iho Northumberland with 27,000 carcasses, tho Armagh with 252,000 carcasses, and the Suffolk with 223,000 carcasses. In addition the Surrey is to leave at the end of May, the Somerset towards the end of June, and the Devon and tho Essex in July. A cablegram from New York referred to an arrangement that 30,000,000 lb. of mutton and lnmb would bo delivered within six montlis. As a matter of fact, tho three vessels which have already left have taken over 27,000,0001b., taking the averago carcass at 351b. As four large vessels aro still to leave, tho supposition is that a much larger quantity will bo delivered than that actually stated. i

Mr. Frank Esmclton, of the "Lightnin'" Company, received this week a letter from Mr. Harry Plimmer (who is in New York supporting Miss Ethel Barrymore), in the course of which tho writer states that the winter was finishing up very badly. Owing to the blizzards not a street car had been running for ten days, and a thaw having set in that day the slush was appalling. Mr. Esme'.ton, who knows New York very intimately, states that it is difficult to realise a ten days' stoppage of tho street cars, as ordinarily the traffic problem is a most difficult ono with every wheel running; with, the enrs held up for ten days by the snow, tho city must have been quite disorganised, and a great deal of misery must have resulted among tho poorer classes of the community.

' An Auckland youth wont to tho police station recently for a permit to buy ammunition for a pea-rifle. At the Police Court subsequently Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M.. was introduced to George Walker, who 6o!d the rifle at auction (without a permit) to James Hartley, who tame along for selling through Arthur's auction agency (without a permit), and A. 11. Jones made his bow as the auctioneer who sold (without a permit) to Joseph Muvnhy. who bobbed up in court as a dealer who sold (without a permit) to the youth who had completed the circuit bv '■ontacting with tho police. All the parties declared that they were ignorant of the law which required a permit for the sale of firearms, and they wero ordered to pay costs.

Tho many people who 'listened to the delightful music of the Royal Artillery Band when' it visited Auckland at the time of the 1913-191-1 Exhibition will be pleased to,learn, states the "Star," that a number of the bandsmen were so favourably impressed with this country that they have announced their intention of revisiting it and settling here. They hope to make a living in the musical profession, and with the talent they possess and the regard in which they are held, they should experience no difficulty in this respect. We. are informed that they will arrive at Auckland' in a few months' time. It has been a matter of epocnlati'on with many people as to how the band fared in the war. These will bo glad to learn that while the band took an active part both as fighters and players yet the majority of tho members who visited the Dominion were fortunate in coming through safo and sound.

-. At a representative meeting at Dunedi.i on Monday to raise funds for tho relief of starving children in Europe, it was decided to make the appeal a Dominion one, and to petition the Legislature to grant a liberal subsidy.

The Minister of Public Works publishes in this week's Gazette- a list of the conditions subject to which lie. will be prepared to entertain applications for licenses to construct and use electric lines. He suggests the adoption of certain systems in order to standardise conditions as far as possible throughout tho Dominion.

Empire Day is to bo celebrated on Thursday, June 3, the King's Birthday, which will b» a Government holiday throughout New Zealand.

The arrival of a shipment of 4500 tons of sulphur at Auckland by the Port Melbourne, marks an interesting stage in the importation of this mineral. Until recently the Dominion depended upon its supplies of sulphur, used in the manufacture of superphosphates, on. the markets of Japan. Recent operations in the industry have made the markets of America a better commercial project. Tho sulphur landed'in Auckland came from Texas. Describing the method of obtaining; the sulphur, which is 991 per cent, pure, an ofheer of the ship'stated that it is raised from 3000 feet below the surface by means of a shaft, into one, end of which are placed steam pipes which convey steam to tho deposits, and this melts the sulphur rock. In a molten state the sulphur is pumped up the shaft, and run into bins, where it solidifies and is ready for shipment. The method provides commercial sulphur of high purity.

. An instance of how. motor competition is creeping in against the railways occurred this week, when for the first time, probably in the history of Ihe Dominion a fully-equipped' theatrical company set out to tour the North Island in its own motor-cars, accompanied by its ow\ motor-lorrj, especially fitted to carry- the scenery and effects. _ Given fair average weather tho travelling is said to be moro comfortable, a halt can be made where desired, and a very considerable saving is effected in motor and express charges in the towns visited, »

The question of what constitutes a "discharged soldier" was raised again at the Magistrate's Court at Christchuich on Monday, reports tho "Times," before Mr. S. B. M'Carthy, S.M., during tho hearing of a case in which a Mrs. M. Roberts sought to recover possession of a tenement from Hnrry Nicholas. Under tho War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act, 1918, a discharged soldier cannot bo ejected from a tenement if lie pays the rent, keeps the premises in good order, and does not make himself a nuisance to the neighbours. Mr. Amodco, who appeared, for tho defendant in' the case before tho Court, contended that tho defendant could not, in point of lnw, be ejected as he was a discharged soldier. Mr. Cunningham, who appeared for the plaintiff, disagreed with this contention, holding that the defendant was not a discharged soldier, in that ho had not served overseas, but had merely been in camp for a period of four months. ■ The Magistrate .said he must be furnished witlt a definition of'what constituted a discharged soldier. In point of law the defendant might be a discharged 6oktter, but it did not seem to be justice that a returned soldier could bo kept out of a houso which ho had bougti by a man who had not i served overseas. The case would bo adjourned for a month to enable tho legal position to be looked into.

Speaking at the annual meeting of tho Taup'in Collieries, the Hon. E. W. Alison said that the total quantity of coal raised in New Zealand for the year 1914 was 2,275,594' tons, in 1918 (the latest date up to which the statistics were available) it was 2,031,250 tons, a reduction of 241,3-14 tons. The total outputof the Taupiri Company for 1918 was 223.255 tons, so that tho loss of production all over the Dominion in that year was greater than the whole output of our mines. In other words, more than tho whole output of tho Taupiri mines was lost to the country.. The shortage could only bo remedied by increasing the number of minors. Until additional miners could be secured the shortage of Now Zealand supplies of coal would continue, and tho importation of large quanties of coal from other countries be necessary.

At a meeting of superannuated public servants at Auckland it was decided to, form an association to be kuow.n as the Association of Superannuated Public Sorvants. It was stated, at the meeting that old civil servants wanted to voice their views to the Government on the cost, of living, as at present they were unable to live comfortably on their pensions.—Press Assn. At last night's meeting of tho N.Z, Rugby Union a letter wob read from the Otago Union Btating that Mr. H. Harris, Dr. Thompson, Messrs. J. Brody, A. ,1. Miscall, and G. Fache had bec.i nppintod tho union's dolegates to attend the annual meeting of tho N.Z.R.U. Mr. J. 'Manning, late presidont of the Afanawatii Rugby Football Union, who was at present in Wellington, has been appointed delegate for that union. v

Members of the Karori Riflo Club will fire the second stage of tho C.'..C. cup match at Trentham on Saturday at ranges of 800, 500, and 600 yards, 6cycn shots and sigrfcer af oaou" range,