LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 285, 26 August 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Persons who have land to sell or lease aro not generally expected to tell “th? truth, tho whole truth, and nothing but the truth” about it, A certain latitude is by custom permitted them. But the Lands Department, when it has sections to offer, tells the truth coldly and* severely. Here, for example, is its description of somo sections that it is offering to discharged soldiers: —Broken country, covered with fern, short manuka, and hakea. Soil of very poor clay, on sandstone formation; badly- watered. Very much disfigured with gum-holes, mine-shafts, .tram-lines, tip-heads, etc. About a quarter of a mile distant from Kawakawa. '

The Comptroller of Customs announces that when goods arrive in New ‘Zealand on and after January 1, 1922, from countries having an appreciated rate of exchange computed with reference to the relative values of tho sovereign and of the gold or silver monetary units of such countries, the goods shall bo assessed for duty at the hanking rate of exchange at or about tho time of the exportation of the goods, as nearly as such rate can be ascertained. .'

A recent article in The Dominion revealed tho wonderful extent to which, a small wireless listening plant can ho made effective in tho hands of an expert. In. that, ease the expert was the Clief Telegraph’ Engineer (Mr. E. A. Shrimpton), who. has set up a small aerial at his home in Miramar. Since the article appeared Sir. Shrimpton has "ftded a sound amplifier, with really astonishing results. Stations in faraway places that were inaudible without the amplifier have come into range, and their messages can be read; with tlie same ease as though it were some near-by station sending. One big note the identity of which could not bo picked- up 'before has been located definitely as that of the big station at Stavanger, in Norway (tuned to a. 12,000 metre wavelength), whilst messages being sent from Nome City, in Alaska, to Seattle havo also beftn picked up and! read with ease. Listening with the 'amplifier has mado tho air veritably alive with the voices of all the world. Mr. Shrimpton states that before attempting to "tune” the chorus resembles that of a confused drum an'd fife band. At least forty stations can be heard speaking at the same time. j The lAijorily of property-owners in Wellington may expect to receive 'their rate demands next wecc.

The brotherhood of the Royal Navy and the mercantile marine was spoken of last night by His Excellency the Governor-Genegil (Viscount Jellicoe) at tho anniversary gathering of the Sailors’ Friend Society, over which he -presided. "Before the wat there was'a difference between tbp two fleets," ho said. “Now There exists only one, consisting of tho Royal Navy aiidl the Royal Mercantile Marine.”

"Not always, unfortunately, is it the case that all of us'are interested in sailors. But nil of us should be interested in them anA anxious to do what we can for them.-The Governor-Gen-eral, at’ tho Sailors’ Friend Society anniversary last evening. A donation of ten guineas has been received (by tho Wellington Board from the Dominion Sports Club Committee.

A lengthy communication regarding hospital subsidies was yesterday received by the • Wellington Hospital Board from the Westland County Council. Tho council asked the board to support _ a certain system. Mr. F. Castle (chair-, man of the board) moved the following motion: "That this board favours tho proposals approved Hospitals Conference, fixing the minimum subsidy at 12s. 6d., and the maximtfni at 285.. and is willing to-co-operate’ with other bodies: in urging the Government to adopt this scale.” The motion was carried.

Applications are to bo invited by the Wellington Hospital Board for the position of medical superintendent at a salary commencing at. .£lOOO and rising to ,£1250 per annum, with furnished house, lighting and fuel. Dr. P. R. •.Woodhouse's resignation has already been an,riounced. It does not take effect till November.

"I can't exactly say what my shearera spend their wages on,” remarked a sheepfarmer in tho Arbitration Court yesterday. “All I know is that on one occasion I handed them a cheque for *£4 10s. out of their wages in order, that they might ‘taxi' it into Napier to tho pictures.” The dispute between tho coalmine owners and unions in the Auckland province will be heard by the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. Hnrlo Giles, on Ajugust 30.—Press Assn.

A report to tho Hospital Board yesterday stated that the average number of patients under treatment last mionth was 388. At present there are in tho hospital 399 patients. There aro 35 scarlet fever, 15 infantile paralysis, 11 diphtheria, 9 influenza, and 18 venereal cases. Thirty-five beds in the Ewart' Hospital aro occupied.

A piano lias been purchased for tho Ewart Hospital - for Consumptives, and it is proposed by tho Wellington Hospital Board billiard dining tablo be purchased as soon as sufficient voluntary: donations are in hand. , The dental surgeon, in his report to the Wellington Hospital Board yester. day, stated that a high percentage of tho children passing through the hands of the dental department were seen to be suffering from adenoids and diseased tonsils, though apparently tho parents were ignorant of the fact.

Tlie following report was'presented to tho Wellington Hospital Board yesterday and was received without discussion : “Tho secretary of the Board of Trade advises that his committee is satisfied that the price's charged the Hospital Board for its coal supplies is reasonable ; hut that the reason why the coal company should differentiate as between the hospital and the phiro Home »u the matter of the increase. recently notified is being further investigated.”

Tho Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) stated yesterday that ho had asked the Director of Education to consider whether every primary' scdiool should contain’a chart that would bo a guide to tho elder scholars -in planning their post-primary course. It was a fact that at, the present time many of the children, as well ns parents, had no clear idea, of tho opportunities that were open. They did not know what courses were available in tho secondary’ how to get to tho University, what scholarships and bursaries were available, and so forth. A chart showing the various steps that could be tnkeir from the nrimnry schools would bo of great assistance to many of the young people in deciding upon their careers.

The picturesque names continue to disappear. This week’s Gazette contains an official announcement that Cabbage Bay, in Coromandel County, has become Colville Bay. An inquest was held yesterday morring by Mr. tF. K. limit, S.M., into the cause of death of an unknown man, 50 to 55 years of age, 'whose body, in an advanced stage of decomposition, was found floating in the harbour on Tuesday. Dr. Hector, who made a. postmortem examination, said he found no marks of violence, no/ did ho find any scars, tattoo marks, or marks of vaccination. Decomposition was too far advanced for him to be certain as to tho cause of death, but tho conditions ho observed wore compatible with death bydrowning. The ‘Coroner found accordingly.

Mr. (lulford Bell will leave to-day for Gisborne to act as elocutionary jfidgo at the competitions there.

At tlie dental department of tho V eL lington Hospital there were 290 attenuancos during tho month of July. The number of out-patients, treated was 100, the number of in-patients treated 10. and the number 'of new patients 6*. There’ were 24 non-paying cases. Fees for the month totalled .£7B 12s. 6d-

An inquiry into the circumstances causing tho death of William Grindiod. who was found hanging in Centra. Dark on Wednesday was opened by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday. After hearing formal evidence as to the identity of tho deceased the inquest was adjourned until Saturday morning. The following statistics of work done by the venereal disease clinic nt the Wellington Hospital during the month of July wero presented to the Hospital Board at its meeting yesterday :-43yphilis: Vales, 233 old cases attending; 3 n<.v crises seen; 65 patients ieceiv€<l 169 treatments. Females, 36 old cases attending; no now cases seen; 17 patients received 43 treatments. Gonorrhoea: Males, 99 old' cases attending; 23 new cases ’ seen; 265 treatments by doctor; 135 S treatments by- attendants. Females, 12 old eases attending; no new cases :»?cn; 46 treatments by doctor. Philatelists will lie interested to learn tliat the Italian Government has issued n new and complete set of stamps, some of which are of very handsome design and worked out in two colours. As the delegate who attended the International Postal Congress at Madrid last year, the Secretary of tho Post and Telegraph Department (Mr. R. B. Morris) has teccived a complete set of these stamps, beautifully set out in a specially-design. cd booklet of excellent workmanship as a souvenir of the recent I congress. Doubtless, collectors will bo eagerly on the look-out_Jor examples of the new issue. *. /

i The acting-secretary of the Wellington Civic League (Mr. D. M'Laren) has forwarded tho following letter to His Worship the Mayor:—"Under instruction of my executive I have to present the views of my league With reference to the corporation’s system of employing men in want of work. * Whilst heartily approving your action in .providing cm-, ployment for a number of the unemployed, the Civic League regrets that these men are not employed on some of the very urgent works required in the city, and tho money, thus spent, made thereby revenue producing. Wo would point out that the city is receiving very little value for the money spent in employing a number of men in. cutting gorse on the Town Belt. In our opinion it will cost many times as much to do this work by men unused to it as it would io have it done by contract, and if poorly done it will require to bo done over again in -a year or two. These men, wo think, coiild, be more usefully employed on such work as tho IslvZl Bay tramline duplication, or other constructive undertaking of a permanentkind, which will benefit the city and lie interest bearing. You will recognise that money spent cn work-that is revenue producing, and in a sense reproductive. also stimulates employment in other directions, and is of greater value to all depending on employment. My executive is desirous that this question shall bo considered by your council and trust that such will be the case at an early date.” x