LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 144, 14 March 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The War Expenses branch of the Defence Department is still engaged in sending out to members of the N.Z.E.F. the illuminated service certificates, an artistic production well worth framing. Already some 58,000 certificates have been issued, and, roughly, another 21,000 are to be distributed. The certificate is a complete record of each man’s service in the Forces during the war period, and gives the length of the periods of service in New Zealand and overseas, and the theatres of operations in which the men were employed. To ensure accuracy in these details. The men have been circularised individually for particulars of their service, which are checked by the Department’s records. It is understood that there is a possibility of Sir Thomas Mackenzie, former High Commissioner for New Zealand, reentering polities. It is quite possible that he will resume his old associations as a member of the Legislative Council, where, it is generally accepted, his long experience o£ public life will be of value to the Dominion.

William Veaol, working as a fireman or as a seaman, was yesterday attempting to board a tramcar in Lambton Quay when he fell, receiving injuries to the back of his head. He was removed unconscious to the hospital, where he was admitted at 4 p.m. At 11 p.m. he was still unconsicous. His age is about 44.

The banks and legal offices will close for holiday <:n Thursday next (St. Patrick’s Day).

A Press Association telegram from Timaru states that the death occurred yesterday of Mr. John E. Hurdley, a prominent business man. The deceased was a borough councillor for ten years, and was 65 years of age. For many years he was in the Railway service as a stationmaster. but latterly was in business in Timaru and Christchurch, dealing principally in fine Indian goods.

The belief that the pohutuknwa, or Christmas tree, will not grow where frost occurs is a fallacy, according to Mr. C. A. Whitney, who referred to tlie matter at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. He said pohutukawa trees he had sent to a friend in Norfolk, England, were growing spendidiy, and he mentioned that trees of the variety grew at Taupo, where heavy frosts were experienced.—"N.Z. Herald."

Reporting on its work for February, the Vocational and Educational Branch cf the Defence Department states that the total number on the class rolls is 1233, the number of men attending classes 875, and the percentage of inpatients receiving instruction at hospitals where classes are maintained 85.3. The workshops at Rotorua were transferred to the control of the vocational officer, Wellington, on February 26, this being the first, step in the reorganisation of the branch. The report refers also to the work done in the workshops at Trentham and to tours of instruction made to places of vocational interests. The ships’ companies of H.M.S. Chatham and Philomel aro to be entertained on March 23 at an "at home,” to be given by the Mayor and Mayoresses and the city councillors, in the Town Hall. ‘A programme of music will ba given, followed by a dance. The public are invited to be; present. A meeting of the Wellington Provincial Christian Endeavour Union was held on Friday. Correspondence was received from several district societies sending in nominations for officers of the union for the ensuing year, also reports of their membership and activities during the past year. Reports were received from committees set up to arrange for the annual convention of the union to be held on May 11 and 12. The eight members of the Parliamentary Labour Party last night addressed an audience in the Empress Theatre. The subject they dealt with was the proposed visit of the Prime Minister to England, and all their speeches amounted to a protest against the idea of sending Mr. Massey abroad with power to commit New Zealand to anything in the matter of Imperial or international relations. Naturally, the speakers did not confine themselves strictly to the question just mentioned. Mr. Howard (Christchurch) insisted that there was such a thing as a class war in progress, and that a visit to the Parliamentary galleries would prove the truth ef his assertion. Mr. Parry (Auckland) made the most loudly-applauded statement of the evening when he said that the Government of Russia was the only one that was really striving to create a new world. The men who were to sit at lhe Imperial Conference were, according to him, the arch-enemies f democracy. A.n imaginary speech ascribed to Rienzi, The last of the Tribunes," was the inspiration of Mr. Bartram (Auckland). Mr. Bartram told the members of his audience that they were the slaves of a horde of petty tyrants and of their own stupidity. The audience applauded. Mr. M'Combs (Lyttelton) believed that the lesson of past Imperial Conferences was 'that New Zealand should never give its representative "an open cheque." The chairman of the meeting was Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington). Qn. Saturday afternoon Mr. T. Shields, president of the Wellington Life-Saving Society, and n team of picked members, gave an exhibition of life-saving and a display of fancy swimming at the Hutt Bridge. A large crowd of spectators witnessed the performance, and it is stated that a considerable sum, which is to be handed over to. the widow and family of the late Mr. W. Boyes, wqs obtained through the agency of collection boxes. The Caledonian Band played nt the hospital yesterday afternoon, and collected £5 16s. in aid of the institution.

The Wellington Harbour Board Permanent Employees* Association held their annual meeting on Saturday evening. About fifty members were present. The secretary reported that the membership now totalled three hundred and four, eighty members having joined during the year. Mr. W. M'Bnin was elected president and Messrs. M'Laren and J. R. M'Kenzie vice-presidents; Mr. C. H. Chapman was elected secretary, and Mr. E. Kirk , assistant secretary. An "at home” was held at Fort Dorset on Saturday by the officers and men of No. 3 company' of the Garrison Artillery, Wellington Division. There was a good attendance of Territorials and their friends, and an enjoyable afternoon was spent. Firing took place on tho sixpounder and the three-pounder guns, at Hong-Kong targets, towed by the Lady Roberts. The display of marksmanship was excellent.. Captain Abel, O.C. company, being in charge of the arrangements. Later in the afternoon a tabloid athletics tournament was held, which provided much amusement, ■ the E.L. squad being the winner. Shooting at th'e fort rifle range was completed for the Nftvals Belt, an historic trophy belonging to the company. This was won by Bombardier Short, Gunner Martin winning the Lloyd Medal for second place. Special framcars conveyed the Territorials and their friends to Seatoun.

Tn the Supreme Court on Saturday morning the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) had before him the youth Maurice Victor Wallace, an ex-industrial school boy, for sentence. ■ Wallace was licensed out, and while at Targe broke and 1 entered a dwelling and stole 17s. The youth was placed on probation on condition that he returned to the school and obeyed orders. Bay of Plenty farmers in the main do not appear to be greatly*' concerned about the cattle tick, says the "Poverty Bav Herald.” It is admitted that the tick is to be found in the district, but they consider that it is not of the virulent species by which such great damage has been done in America and South Africa. The tick, said one farmer, had been known to exist in the north for years, and it did not appear to have done any great harm.

The price charged by storekeepers and tobacconists for tin boxes of wax matches Ivs beep the subject of inquiry by the Board of Trade officials in Auckland, stlates the "Herald.” In the past it 'has been generally accepted that these boxes contained 250 matches, but a recent test repealed the fact that they hold only 156. Prior to the war, tin boxes of matches were sold for twopence each, but the present price Is fivepence. A report' on fho matter in the course of preparation, is to be forwarded to Wellington. Another matter of importance to householders, especially during periods of coal and gas shortages, is the price of candles. The local office of the Board of Trade has secured a sample of candles which, it is alleged, have been reduced in size as compared with ffhose sold in pre-war days, and for which Is. 2d. a packet is being charged, whereas the price for the "pound packet” of candles a few years ago was from Bd. to 10d., according to quality. The attitude taken up by the Prices Investigation Tribunal is flhat while tallow was sold at as much as .£lO2 a ton during the war, it is now •own to <£3o e ton.

Old residents will remember that the Native gravling (npokororo) used to come hito'Tße' Taranaki streams in the autumn to spawn in the fresh writer, says a New Plymouth paper. During the migration up the-river much good snort, was obtained in taking this lively little fish on the rod.. A local angler was whipping the Waiwakaiho the other evening when he secured a fine specimen of the npokororo on the fly. The fis'h was in splendid condition, and weighed 11b. Ordinarily it does not weigh over half a pound. It is understood that the npokororo has not been seen in Taranaki streams for about 20 yeare.

Some of those people who bought boots from the Defence Department at the sales held recently at Kensington arc complaining bitterly of having been taken in (says the Dunedin "Star"). A "Star” reporter was shown a pair of boots recently bought at one of these sales. They had been once worn. The uppers were in perfect condition, but the first sole had fallen out at the sides. Then’ appeared to have been' skilfully patched up with small pieces of leather, the whole being veneered with a thick coating of polish. The buyer of these boots ia determined to have the matter looked into.

A huge pile of coal is now stacked up in the yards adjacent to the Dunedin engine sheds (says the "Otago Daily Times”). It is understood that there are about 25,000 tons of coal—all imported—heaped there, and another cargo is expected shortly. In order to enable the coal to be handled expeditiously, temporary railway lines are built on the stacks, the trucks are run up, and the coal emptied. At the present time there is sufficient coal at the Dunedin yards to supply the local demand and that from Invercargill and Palmerston for the next five or six months. If it is estimated that the coal cost, say, A 5 per ton—this sum covering all expenses—it will 'be seen that the value of the 25,000 tons runs out about .£125,000. Nearly all this money goes out of the country. Hansoms are vanishing. For only seven such vehicles are licenses now held in Dunedin, or one for about 10,000 per head of the population. When fashion drives any particular business into eclipse its followers usually assume a dejected air and mutter grievances. Expecting something of the sort, it was quite n, relief to find a hansom driver perfectly cheerful and content. "Business is all right so far as I’m-'concerned," he remarked. "There’s lots of people who won’t ride in taxis, and I suppose there always will be, What we're up against is the idea that we charge fancy fares. It isn’t so. Our fares aro fixed by the council—2s. to move off tho rank, and 6s. an hour. That pair of rubber tyres on my turnout cost me .£l3, and have about, a year’s wear in them. «o I have to put by five bob a week for tyres alone, and that’s only one of many high charges. But we manage to make a living, and its pretty steady, and I don’t think the taxis will ever quite drive us out of sight.”—Dunedin "Star.”

Following is a copy of a letter, dated January 13, received by the lion. sec. of the N.Z. India League from Mr. C. Jinarajadasa:—"You will see that there is very strong feeling being aroused throughout India about the treatment which Indians are getting in some of the Dominions and colonies. When recently in London I happened to see Lord Lytton (Under-Secretary of State for India), and told him of the. resentment being aroused in India. Of course, I know from personal travel and, observation the feeling of the Dominions to the problem of coloureel labour, but the matter has ceased to be one of purely internal interest for a single Dominion. If the British Empire is to be any more than a mere name, the feelings of those who compose four-fifths of it dust be considered by each Dominion. I suggested to Lord Lytton that a committee from each of the Dominions might be invited to deliberate over this matter of Indians in the Dominions, and the Dominion representatives would understand the whole situation better if they met in India and not, in London. As I have mentioned, the whole problem has already . been taken up bv the Government of India with the Colonial Office, and I am quite sure that in all tho new Legislative Councils here in India the subject will not be allowed to drop. You know how highly I appreciate what you are doing, because it is one more piece of work to establish on a firmer foundation tho reconstruction of the future.” , As will be seen from the advertisement, nominations are requested for the several offices of the executive of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association. The nominees must be financial members of the Wellington. Returned Soldiers’ Association, and their proposers and seconders also. These nominations are to be in the hands of the .secretary by March 26, and the voting .papers will be sent out to financial members, together with the annual report and bal-ance-sheet. Attention is drawn to the fact that all overdue subscriptions must bo paid before March 31.