LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 214, 4 June 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho conference of the N.Z.R.S.A. yesterday decided to urge that tho purclin£» and building of urban and suburban properties for soldiers', dwellings bo administered ;by tho Repatriation Department, farming properties to be under the Lands Department as before. A very large shipment of oranges arrived at Auckland from tho Eastern Pacific Islands on Tuesday by tho Tahmc, states the Auckland "Herald." The consignment consisted of 20,000 cases,' shipped at Rarot'onga, Mnngaia, and Raiatea. The oranges loaded at Rarotonga appeared to bo in fair order, but tho olhor lots wqro reported to bo rather overripe. Tliis shipment is the largest landed in Auckland since 1008, when 25,000 cases of oranges arrived from the islands.

General Birdwood is an enthusiastic supporter of the game of Rugby football. When ho visited the conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday afternoon he reminded tho delegates tlmt_ he wanted to bB present at the Canterbury-Wellington match, and therefore lie could not spend too long n timo with them. "I was a very keen Rugby footballer myself in days gone by," he remarked. "I havo played halfback against Admiral Jellicoe, who was a three-quarter back. He played for the Royal Naval College, and I for the Royal Military College at Sandhurst." "How did ysu get on?" oueried a delegato amidst laughter. _ "Well, I have always the greatest satisfaction in having cnlinred and stuck to him like a leech," replied Sir William. "1 am 6ure you are glad that lie is coming here as Governor-General. I am sure you could not have a man with sounder views of what the Empire requires than Admiral Jellicoe."

After the deputation from the _ returned soldier?' conference had waited on the Prime Minister and tho Minister ,of Lands yesterday morning, tho delegates were photographed outside Parliament Buildings. General Sir William Birdwood was in tho group along with tho lit. Hon. W. F. Massey and the Hon. D. H. Guthrie.

Critics of Sir lan Hamilton in his con' duct of operations Gallipoli were joined last week by Chaplain Dexter, D.5.0.. who, when lecturing at St. Paul's Cathedral Chapter House, Melbourne,- declared tiiat the failure at Suvla Bay— which, lie said, was the crux of the Gallipoli'campaign—could be ascribed to tho incompetency of tho leaders, and to General Hamilton in particular. That general, tho speaker affirmed, had not acquainted himself with tho true position of affaire. Had those in charge of tho operations been levelled up with a good percentage of officers from the Australian forces, who were fully seized with tho conditions obtaining on tho peninsula, the enterprise would have been successful, and the Gallipoli campaign carried to a triumphant issue.

Interesting details of the former Gep man possessions in tho Pacific over which tho Commonwealth has been pro' • prised • mandates by the League of Na* lions are given in the report of tho Itoval Commission which was sent to the mandated territory last year by tho Commonwealth Government. The terri* tory is not a compact area, but con6ists of a portion of the mainland of the great island of New Guinea, and a large number of smaller islands, which aro grouped geographically into tho Bismarck Archipelago, flic Admiralty Islands and the German Solomons. Sonio of tho islands are.of substantial size. For. instance, New Britain contains 10,000 square miles and New Ireland 4(100 square miles; others are of varying areas down to tiny coral inlets and reefs. Tho small islands are mostly of coral formation on a sandy soil, -usually regarded as being tho best for coconut cultivation, provided it is of the necessary depth. Nowhere aro there larger animals than the pig and wallaby. Tho mandated territory as a whole is_ not thickly populated, and the best judges consider that tho natives do not number more than 350,000. As in Papua many of tho tribes were originally cannibals, and cannibalism still prevails in_ regions that have not yet come within tho sphere of Governmental influence.

News received privately from Sydney states that M. Bcniio Moisewitsch, tho brilliant. Russian pianist, has created a very deep impression. From a box office point of view the success is sensational—tho greatest since M. Paderewski —and difficulty is being experienced to accommodn-te tho vast audiences in tho big Town Hnll. He is described as ft peerless master of the piaiiistic art, with, emotional powers equal, it not superior, to those of Paderewski or Carrono.

"I think," said a visitor to Now Zealand, "that railway travel in tlya Bominion is the worst in the world, and probably the most dangerous to health. I refer not only to tho general state of uncleanliness, both in the carriapes and the lavatories, but to the positive discomforts one is subjected to on the Main Trunk lines in winter if one cannot book, or cannot afford to pay for a sleeper. Theri> are railways in South Africa that are palatial compared to those in "New Zealand, and those in Australia are positively luxurious compared to wnat is offered in New Zealand/ In most cold countries the cat. rioges are treated to a pleasant—sometimes in Ameriea to an unpleasant degree of wannth—and sleep is made possible thereby, but on keen wintry nights on tho Main Trunk, people have to movo about a bit. to prevent themselves being fro?,en. .Why people in this country do not agitato for reform in vour railways lias mystified others as well as myself."

For the vacancy on tho Maknra^ County. Council caused by tho resignation of the, chairman (Councillor S. Bryant), two nominations have been received. The candidates aro Thomas Shallcrass .Tackson (nominated by Arthur E. Woolston . and Helena Gertrude George), and Frederick Henry Futter (nominated by Thomas Hayes anil William Brown), Tho election will bo held next Thursday,, June 10. The rotuming officer is Mr. Wil•f'red Beech, the county clerk.

The Repatriation . Committee of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association conference yesterday submitted a report urging that tho regulations for the protection of soldiers' businesses administered during tho war bv the.Efficiency Board be revived for the protection of businesses established .with tho assistance of the Repatriation Department, and that the Repatriation Department be charged with the administration of such regulations. Tho report was adopted.

A Tress. Association message, giving results of tho Dunedin piping and dancing competitions, contains the names of several" Wellington prize-winners. Miss jean M'Lachlan gained second placo In the Slieauntriubhas for girls under 12 ysoi's, and tho girls' sword dance, and third prize in the girls' Irish jig. ,W. Brown was placed second in the boys' Highland reol, the sailor's hornpipe, and ill the juvenile championship sword dance, and third for boy dancer. David Thomas, anotfieiP'Wcllington boy, gained tho latter championship against eijilit competitors, was placed second in the juvenile Slieauntriubhas, third in the Highland reol, nnd second for champion boy dancer. Tho first prizo in tho lieel o' Tulloeh, for boys and girls under 18, and fourth place in the juvenile Highland reel championship were won by Miss Thelma M'Kenzic. In tho Irish reel, over i 8 veal's, thero were nino competitors, tho fourth place being awarded to Miss Daisy M'Lachlan. The third place in the girls' championship sword daiice was awarded to Miss Daisy M'Lollan. A. E. Luko was awarded first prize in tho men's sword dance, second for most correct Highland dress, third for champion Highland dancer, and tied for third for champion all-round dancer. Donald Scott gained first prize for march, strathspey, and reel. Miss Jean M'Ken"zie was awarded fourth place in the girls' sword dance, and Miss Rita Hands third foe girls' most correct Highlan'd dress. Miss Daisy M'Lelhm was awarded third place in tho class for champion girl dnncer.