LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 24, 23 October 1920, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday afternoon Viscount Jellicoo and Lady Jellicoo paid a visit to Trentham Military JlosDirai. The Vicc-Hegal party arrived at about 3 o'clock, and insnecled the chief wards, including the collage, A block nnd B mock. They also visited the ward containing a number ot .children who aro suffering from paralysis and similar conmlaints. Having vim ted'the various wards. Viscount Jellicoo was shown over tho Massage Department. Colonel D. tTaiTjcrv, commandant of the hospital, aud Miss Thurstan. thb matron, accompanied Their Excellencies around the hospital, and Lady Jcllicob later had afternoon tea with the matron.

J lie Secretary, General Post Office; has been advised thnt legal time iu Bulgaria was piu back by ono hour on October 2.

The out-patients' department of (he Wellington Hospital will he closed on Monday (Labour ;Day). Urgent cases will be treated at the Main. Hospital.

Some inquiries were made vosterday from city grocers n« to whcthor'lhe high price of butter had lessened the demand. Ono of the largest businesses in town reported-having ••■sold considerablv less butter this week than was usual, Cut' it nppears not to bo altogether correct to attribute that to tho increased price—it wm rather because there were still shops who were selling butter at Is 9d. per lb. Another grocer, whoso place of business is remote from such ■ sources of "old price"-butter, .says that there lnw been a t falling off in the demand since the rise, lie was able to say so "with his hand on his heart," because many of lii/t customers were now buying butter in hall-pounds instead of pounds,. and they .seemed to- be able to make the lesser quajitity last out as long as the greater.

Private advice has been received of a drop in butter prices in Canada and the. United Statos, especially in the Chicago market. Since October 2 the price lias fallen 5 cents, and the present price is lower than the equivalent 'of 2s, Cd. per lb. f o.b. New .Zealand,

As the liner Surrey came Alongside ISo. 1 Queen's Wharf last evening she was hoarded by two waterfront police, and a member of the under-deck crew was arrested on a charge of atlackiug one of the ship's officers. It is alleged that, the man attacked one of the officers vritfl a spanner, lie was taken to Taranaki Street Police Station on being; arrestee, hut was later jomoved to the Central Station.. -

I'ho Postal authorities advise that only one complcto delivery will be made bv postmen 5n Wellington oil Monday (Labour Day)

A company's license costs but .£2 per annum, and probably because it is so small it is often overlooked. The Commissioner of Stamps, hi order to bring the matter home to- company officials, is proceeding against those wlio have neglected to. apply lor the nnmml license. J. B. Fitzgerald, Ltd., were charged in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. J S. Evans, S.M., with failing to renew the license.. Mr. N Johnson, who.appeared for the company, said that it was duo to an oversight that the renewal of. the license had not been applied for. The matter had since been put right. The firm was fined 205.. and "s. costs.

We have received a copy of a pamphlet entitled' "Otago University': A- Cnll for a lioyal Commission." The author c.rgues that the Presbyterian Church exercises a strong pull 'over the management of the university's affairs, and contends that, more especially in view of the increasing importanco of the Medical School, it is highly-desirahle that the ''sectarian bins which accepts ecclesiastical status as a substitute for academic distinction, experience, and scientific research" should be abolished. ' Tho pamphlet is published from the "Evening Star" office, .Dunedin, price fid

Advice.was received in Wellington yesterdity, of the formation in Christchurch of a Shipping Officers' Guild! Guilds have now-been formed in the four chief centres, and a conference is to be held locally very shortly, wliien representatives will bo present from each guild,

At present the teachers in technic.il schools hav,o their salaries paid on "a capitation basis, and thy Minister cf Education is endeavouring ito provide some more satisfactory system of finance for three payments. In all probability the capitation system will ho abolished in regard to full-timo teachers, and the system suggested for secpndar/ schools adopted, the teachers being paid according to classification and efficiency.

In connection with tho field instruct lion staff of the Department of Agriculture, .it has boon arranged that Mr. P. E.' Ward, Instructor in Agriculture, shall be transferred from Wellington, to Christchureh, for duty in the Caiitcrbnrv district. He will be succeeded in Wellington bv Mr. P. W. Gii-enwood. and the transfers will take place very shortly, as soon as Mr. Greenwood is able to commence duty .with the Department. Meanwhile Mr". Ward is paying a short visit to Canterbury, with a view of becoming acquainted with the work now inprogress there.

Unemployment in Christchurein was referred to at Thursday's meeting- of tl o Christchureh Repatriation Bonrd. It was roporltid that during the past fortnight forty-four discharged soldiers had applied for employment and forty-seven tad been "placed." There were now only fourteen men out of work. The chairman said that tho.position was very satisfactory, because there were quite a.number of-civilians-seeking employment in the city. Mr. W. E. L;adley.drew attention t? 'the fact that there werefalso nine exImperial foldiers on the "list nf unemployed. The Minister had stntrd rpceh'tly that these men would be looked after by tho Repatriation Department. Mr. W. Goss nnswl-rod that ex-Imperia'l •men were being helped by the board's officers in every possible way.

D. C. Twynelian, a married man, aged 32 years, a • gvottr 'by occupation, residing at 140 Jaeteon Street,, Petone, was admitted to the Hospital at W5 p.m', yesterday, suffering from poisoning. Latb last night he was reported to be progressing favourably.

A public meeting at Marlon decided (states ti Press .Association message.) that, being loyal Britishers and New ZealandcTs, in View of the disturbed stato of tho Dominion, we desire to assure the Government of our whole-hearted support in.whatever action, they may deem necessary to take in order to carry out tho conditions of law and order and to uphold the right of our .Constitutional Government."

Tho body of Thomas Raymond Billsborough, aged three and a half years, ft son of Mr. Charles Hillsborough. wa3 found on the rocks under the. whnrf (states a Press Association message from Dunedin). The boy was missed Trom his homo on Thursday morning, and had evidently gone to the wharf and fallen into the harbour. At an inquest a verdict of accidentally'drowned was returned.

Mi'. George Winder, who is retiring from business,, was entertained at supper in Scott's Rooms, Manners Street, on Thursday night, by his entire staff and friends, who assisted voluntarily in tho recent salo Mr. Winder -was presented by tho assistants with <n group photo of the staff and a morocco leather case, .suitably inscrilied. Tho ladies of tho stall' also presented Mr. Winder with a group photo of themselves, and all proKent expressed their appreciation of Mr. Winder as an employer and tho 'best wishes'-for his future health mid prosperity. During the evening Messrs. Martin Bnff, M'Kouy.ic, and Zacliariah contributed musical items. Miss Una Simon played tho aoconipanimento.

In these days when cancellations of orders aro unpleasantly numerous it is pleasing to lie able to record an instance of British business integrity which has created a very favourable impression (says tho London "Times" Tradp Supplement of August 21) Owine to tho war several British manufacturing linns which had. previous to the outbreak, entered into undertakings to sunply machinery and goods to Australian houses were unablo to carry out their engagements. It was understood by the Australian firms that the contracts would never bo fulfilled, in view of the fact that ilio British firms were relieved from any legal obligation by the various Acts nnd regulations passed during tho war. Tho Australian houses have, however, recently received an intimation that the whole of tho orders would be completed nnd tho goods forwarded on the terms fixed in l.ho pre-war contracts. This is good business and good propaganda, and it is understood that a list of the British firm's concerned is to be made -public in Australia. Tlie iucidont recalls the behaviour of British insurnnco companies in connection .with the San Francisco earthquake claims, when the fact that they accepted liability.,while others did not do so, preotlv enhanced their reputation throughout.the world.

The Wellington Stock Exchange reports :—"There has been a drop iui nearly every class of shares since our last report, and tho cause is not easy to dclino Income-tax proposals, general industrial unrest, ami the increase in tho tank rate at Home, are no doubt contributory causes. As wo go to press tho coal strike in England is aiuiounced. On top of this, English 2i per cent, Imperial Consols are quoted at .£35 10s., so that the immediate prospects aro not good.' It may be gathered from the cablegrams that the strike will not last long, and if this proves correct the position should improve soon,"

A total eclipso of the moon, visible in New Zealand,' will occur on tho night of October 27-28. Lunar eclipses are due to the moon,passing into the shadow cast by the. earth This shadow is surrounded by "penumbra" or partial shadow, and a total eclipse always has three phases, in which (ho moon first becomes dimmed in the penumbra; is next practically extinguished as a source of light in the full shadow; and then becomes dimly lit in tho penumbra, after which it passes again into tho full sunlight. The times of the eclipso next week, as supplied from the Government Observatory, are: Moon enters the penumbra, 10.51 p.m. on the 27th; enters the shadow, 11.58 p.m. (practically midnight):. total eclipse begins 12 59 a.m. (one minute to 1) on the 28th;- middlo of eclipse, 1.11 a.m.; total eclipse ends 2.21 a.m.; moon leaves the shadow, 3.27 am.; leaves the penumbra, 1.2!) n.m

"The Truth About the British Council of Action" will be the title of an address to be delivered bv Mr P. Eraser, M.P., at the Alexandra. Hall. Abel Smith Street, on Sunday evening, at 8.

• The Defence Department has now commenced to issue the 100,000 British General Service War Medals, which recently arrived from Home for distribution among former members of the !N Z.E.F. It is expected that tho work will take several months to complete, as the only • available machino for engraving tiio iianiea and numbers on the medals is defective, and a new one has had to bo ordered from England. When thjs arrives the rate of issue will bo expedited. The medal is in silver* and is about the size of a live-shilling piece. On tho one side is the head of His Majesty King Georgo V, and on tho other the central figure represents St. George, wounded, trampling over- the Prussian shield. To serve «fi a reminder of the many crimes' committed by the Huns during "the war, particularly the infamous subinarino campaign, the skull and crossbones have been set, beljjw the central figure. Each medal is cousidercd to bo worth 7s. 6d Tho next medal to be- distributed • will bo the .Allied Victory Medal, but supplies of this- medal, of which about 100,000 arc to bo issued, have' not yet arrived in the Dominion.

At a meeting- at the Trades Hall last nicht, convened by the Carpenter* • Union, and presided' over by Mr. J". Barnes, the followimr resolution was earned:—"This meeting endorses the action nf the Trades and Labour Council in rec.nnimeudin.i all industrial unions to immediately demand an increase in wages to compensate for tho increase in the price of butter, and requests that tna Labour Representation Committee convene a monster demonstration on . the Basin .Beservo to protest against the increased price of- butter."

A gas leak in tho "Evening Star" office .(Dunedin) being: discovered, alter much searching, the situation being under a lloor, the. plumber cut out the faulty bit of pining, and found that it was eaten through in two plates by rats—ono hole three-quarters of an inch long and half nu inch across,

The council of tho North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society resolved this Iveek to drop the proposed prosecution or au individual on a charge of shooting a white lieron-ou Lako'Dllesiuare. A ieuer w*s_ received from the society. rra;icttors, nivisius that no information could be laid against an individual for having a white heron' in his aossession, beeuu.e the section dealing with possession applied only -to "native game," and wiiiio herons did not come within that category. , Kegardiug the seeopd propuseJ charge of shooting native game, the solicitors considered that the evidence availablo was sufficient to warrant the laying of, the information and to establish a prima facie case, though it was probably insufficient to. oblaiu a conviction. .Mj. M. l'\ Stead moved thattthe necessary 6teps be taken to have tho Animals Protection Act .amended so as to make illegal possession of native birds, other than game. Professor Blunt seconded the motion, which was carried. It was agreed that letters be written to. the llinister of Internal Affairs and the Now Zealand Acclimatisation Societies' Association on the subject.

Mr. John Daily Hayes, aged 83. who met his death on Saturday last at the Alt. Eden railway station, through being struck by an engine while attempting to cross tho rails, was long associated with the early settler and" whaling flays of the North Auckland district. 13om at Whangaroa, Mr. Hayes was better known in those days as Captain Hayes. He was owner of a schoonu- that traded between "Whangaroa and Auckland, carrying timber cut from his own forests. The remains of his old homestead at tho en-! trance to the Whangaroa Harbour have been a land-mark for many years.—"N.Z. Herald."