LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 34, 4 November 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Pcloona, which arrived at Bluff last night from Melbourne, has an English mail aboard.

Bad weather was experienced in Palnierston North yesterday for the owning of tlio Mamnvatu show. 1 "Intenuittent showers- fell during a great part of the day. Lute in 'the afternoon a heavy thunderstorm came up, followed by a very heavy hailstorm, and raiu. was falling until late last night. Tho weather has prevented the floods going down, and many of the roads in 'the district aro still blocked. As far as citu bo gathered it will still be soino days before the Mannwatu Gorge lload can be cleared. The track over the hills from Palmersbon to Pahiatna is the only' alternative route to tho East Coast. >It is in a very bad condition and is scarcely negotiable, but gangs of mqn Have been sent out to endeavour to make repairs so as to keep the roan open.

"Margarine is all right when it is coloured, but it does not appeal when served quite white," said slr. Bernard Tripp, who has just returned from England. "I ate nothing else the. f hole time I was there, and never found it different from butter—except in price. Butter ranged from Is. to ss. per lb. retail, and good margarine could", bo bought for Is. 3d. per lb. In England it is legal to colour margarine, and being beautifully made, I would defy anyone to tell the difference • between margarine and butter."

At a mooting of tho Dominion Exatutivo of tlio Now Zealand Catholic Federation yestorday, tho following resolution was carried unanimously, and copies wero ordered (o bo sent to the. Pi-inio Minister, tho Minister of Education, tho leaders of tlio Opposition' and Labour I'arties:—"That the New Zealand Catholic Fodoration strongly protests against tho clause in tho Education Amendment Act now before Parliament, abolishing the right of pupils holding scholarships at other than. State secondary schools. Scholarships are for the benefit of the pupils and not- for that of-any particular educational system. A grave injustice will bo inflicted on Catholic students if Ihoy aro not allnwod in futuro'to hold thoir scholarships at an approved secondary school of their own choosing."

I'lio Returned Soldiers' Association at lias passed a motion slrongt supporting tho Wellington E.S.A. in protesting against the pardoning of military defaulters oil Armistice Day. A copy jjj the resolution is to bo sent to the Pffine Mfhister and the general secietary of the New Zealand U.S.A.

Tho Wellington Watersido Workers' Bund will loave Wellington for the south to-morrow night to' give a series of con; certs in Christclmrch, Ashburton, Timaru Dunedin, Port- Chalmers, Waimate, Oamaru, and Temuka, for .the jjurpose oi collecting funds to cnnblo the band to tako part in the Ballarat contest in 1921. Mr. L. Glover, president of tlie Waterside Workers' Union, left. Wellington last night to complete arrangements for the southern tour Jn all probability Ihe band will givo return concerts ill Timftru and Christchuroh.

The last lueoting of the Wellington District Repatriation Board was presided over by Mr. T. S. Weston. Two 'business loans were granted, and eight were declined. In 19 cases it was resolved to grant loans for tho purchase of furniture, two applications being declined. The board resolved to subsidise ilio wages of three men undergoing training as apprentices and to pay the fees and allowances of five others receiving instruction in technical schools, otc.

Tho police wero advised yesterday that at 10.30 on Tuesday night tho body of Albert Edward Thompson, a shepherd, aged 87, was found'in the water at Portage Wharf, ICenepuru Sound, the man apparently having been accidentally drowned. The body was recovored and taken to Picton, whore an inquest will be held.

The Education Aniondinent Bill was somewhat severely criticised by the Auckland Education Board yesterday, when a resolution was passed, expressing appreciation of tho Minister's, aotion in forwarding copies of tho Bill, express-. lSig disappointment that a comprehensive Bill emlwdying principles for which the board 6tond had not been introduced, and protesting against -legislation by regulation in such important matters as teachers' sslarie?.—Preaa Aean.

A >Now Zealand (Maori) War Medal, bearing the name of Hamilton, was recently found in tho Wairarapa district. Any porson claiming the medal should communionte with,' Headquarters, New' Zealand '.Military Porecs Wellington On a recent commercial voyage of the Tutanekai to the Chatham Islands with cargo and passengers,- tho Lyttelton Harbour Board charged the ship with port dues, in accordance with tho amount of cargo carried, following the precedent sot in regard to transports carrying freight. Tho Marine Department has repudiated the charge, on the ground that a Government steamer is exempt from charges under section 116 oil tho Harbours Act To this the secretary of the board has replied, stating that while 011 a commercial voyage,to tho Chathains the vessel was . hardly in tho service of tho Government, and it was a nice point whether she shoutld not he charged dues on the full tonnage; in any case, tho principle had been admitted, not t only in regard to transports, but also in regard to State coal—Press.Assn. Eight • cases of pneumonic influenza wero notified to tlie Auckland District Health Officer for the week ended at noon on Monday, compared with, Jjvo oases during tho previous week, "ho distribution of the cases was: City two, Waiuku three, Hamilton, Waihi and To A roll a one each. Tho suggestion that the date of the Battle of Jutland, May 31, should be commemorated iu a fitting manner was placed before the Governor-General at an audience granted at Auckland on Monday afternoon to Mr. T. W. Allen and Captain 11. G. Archer, president and past president, respectively, of the lloval Naval and Murines Association, liis Excellency said 110 preferred that 'tliu association should commemorate 011 St. George's Day, April, 23, the anniversary of the Zeebrugge attack, the work ot die whole of the sea services during the war. Lord Jellicoe granted his patronage to the association and agreed to the v proposal that 011 St. George's Day a reunion Should bo held and the youug naval men invited to participate iu the function.

There is a great. simplicity. and a charming lack of guilo among the Swiss people. When, iu Geneva recently, -Mi'. lJemard Tripp beard'a good story to illustrate how "barriers hud been burnod away," and 'a true democracy established. A gentleman having had tho uso of a guide for an hour or so asked tho charge, and was astonished to find it greater than be hud anticipated. Ho. was so indignant that he said ho would have the case looked into by the Magistrate, and forthwith baled the guide beforo the Court. ' When tho case was called tho visitor came forward to find, to bis astonishment, that tho guide be was proceeding against for extortionate charges was the Magistrate. No need to ask the result. It seems that if litigation is slack it is quite permissible for the Magistrate to do a little guide work. - , Reginald' Matthews, who is charged with the murder of Clarence Wagstaff, was taken from Chribtchuroh to Timaru on Tuesday. It. iss understood that die was identified yesterday by several persons as a man seen in the vicinity-of. .tho tragedy •on Wednesday last.—Press Assn.

"The pig is one of the cleanest domestic animals, if you give hiin a fail chance," remarked Captain J. Henry, of the S.P.C.A., during the hearing oi a cruelty case at the Lower Hutt Court yesterday. '

When evidence was about to lie taken in a sexual caso in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Chief Detective Ward called attention to the large audience, mostly of young men, present, and suggested that tho Court should- ba cleared. The Magistrate (Mr.. J. S. Evans): "I doii't see why an audience of young fellows like those standing at the back there should be in Court at all. Young fellows like that should bo at work." The Magistrate ordered the Court to be cleared, and there was immediately a shuffling of feet, while some of fhose who fancied they had .been robbed of a cheap entertainment began "lwohing." The Magistrate: "Tf you can find out. the man who is making that row bring him up here, and I will deal with him properly." The noise ceascd and tho Court was . soon cleared.