LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 14, 11 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from Sydney that the s.s. Liveiin.i sailed at 1 p.m. on October 8 for Wellington. She carries 223 bags of mail for the Dominion. The mails which left Wellington on August 81 per R.M.S. Marama. via San Francisco, arrived iu London on October 7. The. Waimana, which arrived from London and Southampton on Sunday, and berthed yesterday, brought 975 immigrants. Of these 697 are adults, 254 children, and 24 infants. There are 322 for Auckland, 49 for Napier and Gisborne, 329 for Wellington, 162 for Lyttelton, and 108 for other southern towns. Included in this total are 40 domestic servants. A narrow escape from an accident vas witnessed yesterday morning at the eastern end of Courtenay Place. ].hole happened to be no police constable on duty just then, and a motor truck, driven at a good rate of speed from Courtenay Place to Kent Tert’acc, cut between the centre poles instead of round the one closest to the foot ot Majoribanks Street, and narrowly escapea running down au old gentleman. I hanks to tho work of tho police, the public have been trained, into knowing the tiaffio track in that locality fairly well, and are therefore taken unawares when a car diverges from it. The official health figures for tho past week wero not available yesterday. Dr. Findlay, Assistant Health Officer, told a Dominion reporter that no cases of influenza had been reported for the week in Wellington. Tho position was quite satisfactory. Tho American Consul-General has written to the.. Minister of Defence expressing appreciation on behalf of the American Government of the services and the courteous treatment extended to the sliipwiecked American sailors who wero removed from Sunday Island by 11.M.5. Chatham. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., held an inquest. yesterday morning into the causo of death of Joseph Hannan, a waterside worker who was found dead in his room in Walter Street, on Friday. The medical evidence showed that Hannan had been suffering from heart disease, and that this was the cause of death. Tho Coroner returned a verdict accordingly. In a paragraph published yesterday with reference to the Chinese Republican celebrations. Hsu Shih Chang was inadvertently referred to as "Provisional” President. He is President of the Republic The annual church parade of the Boys’ Institute and S. A. Rhodes Home for Boys took place on Sunday morning at St.’ Peter’s Church. Tho cadets, scouts, and members paraded at the institute and mai’chcii via Vivian Street and Cuba Street to the church, headed by the Institute brass band, under Mr. A. Iremonger. The Rev. H. Watson delivered an appropriate address, his subject being "Bo a Man.” The speaker impressed upon tho boys tho necessity of cultivating clean thoughts, and of never showing tho spirit of malice. The address was listened to with tho greatest attention, iho congregation being h- large one, and included Mr. G. A. Troup, president of tho institute, and several members of the Management Committee. The Main Roads Bill came before the Wairoa County Council at its last melting, also a request: by tho New Zealand Counties’ Conference that a motion he passed disapproving of the Bill. Tho council voted unanimously declining tho request, nnd passed a motion congratulating the Hon. J. G. Coatee on the main principles of the Bill, and stating that though some of the details might call tor adjustment, the council generally favoured the Bill.—Press Assn.

A AA’anganui remit to the Harbours Association’s Conference to bo held tomorrow week reads: "That in the best interests of harbour boards the financial year should end on Alarch 31 instead of December 31, and that the Government be asked to make provision for this amendment to existing legislation jn the new Harbours Bill. The Lyttelton Harbour Board has sent in a remit of a similar character. The commander of the 1’ reuch sloop Aldebaran paid an official visit to the Mayor and City Council at 11. n.m. yesterday, when the usual courtesies were exchanged. Tho visit: was repaid at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Spealing at tho AVellington Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday, when tho Mortgages and Deposits Extension Bill was under discussion, Mr. Robert Bell, cf Christchurch, said that almost invariably the rate, of interest: on money was I per cent, higher in. tho North Island than in tho South. Tho French sloop of war 1 Aldebaran, which arrived on Sunday last, will stay for three or four days longer before proceeding to Akaroa and Dunedin. The last visit of the Aldebaran to Auckland took place in January, 1920. Commander Giraud being jn charge. She had then on board Lieutenant Guicrrc, a wireless expert, and was engaged in a number of experiments in wireless telegraphy fiom various points in tho Pacific ’ The Aidebaran was built in a British shipyard during the war, and is of tho same type ns H.M.S. ATeronica. She was put into commission in tho French navy early in 1916, assisted in the convoys in the Mediterranean nnd the Atlantic, and had several encounters with submarines. I‘inally, after having done service in tho Black Sea. the sloop lias been stationed in tho Pacific for nearly two years, her headquarters being Noumea and Tahiti. From New Zealand she will proceed io Hobart. The following is the list of officers on board:—Commander de Solniinihac. Captain Seyeux. Surgeon Fournier. Lieutenants Rcboul, Philippe, Bayot, and Papillon. Important improvements have been made in tho arrangement of the savings Ixink department of tho Auckland chief post office. Hitherto Lsays the “Star’ ) members of the public who desired to withdraw money from the bank had to fellow a somewhat involved procedure which entailed considerable delay sometimes. After filling up a withdrawal slip they had to present it ami their pass book to a clerk, who after examination sent it by aerial railway to a department at tho rear, where the necessary entries were made in the book. On its return the depositor was able to get his cash at an adjacent counter. ’lno middleman and his aerial railway have lieen abolished, and by moans of structural alterations the public counter has Ix’on carried back until it gives direct contact with tho ledger clerks. There arc five windows at tho counter, eacji being allocated to a certain number of accounts the indices and details in regard to which are directly behind. Thus a person wishing to withdraw mcncy has simply to hand bis slip and book io the clerk, who makes tho entry. In practice the change is very satisfactory to both from tho point of view of the Department: and of tho public. Practically’ no time is lost, and when (hero does happen to bo a little delay, tho public can soo for tlicnirelves that the clerks aro reallv busy, which is consolation in itself. /

Nine applications have been received for Iho position of Pahiatua county engineer. Thirty ratepayers waited on the rouucil ’''‘■t h deputation, nnd proicstLci against a”" permanent appointment being made. Decision was defer red. Press Assn.

When Mr. Massey, at the civic reception yesterday, was praised by the .Mayor tor his fighting qualities, he told n little story ho was reminded of. On the wax to’Vancouver recently he developed something like a boil on his neck, and when lie arrived ho was unable to wear a collar. 'The papers were very a; xieus to obtain interviews that ho wa.i not particularly anxious to grant. Ono of the papers came out later with the announcement: "’J he Primo Ministei of Now Zealand arrived by tho Niagara last night, and is staying at the Vancouver 11 tit o’., Coining ashore with his neck in silk handkerchiefs, Mr. Massey looked exactly like a retired prizefighter.” “1 think,” Mr. Massey added, "they followed it up by saying ‘or a prize-fighter who had not retired. So somehow I have got tho reputation of a fighting man outside of my own country.”

Tho Wellington Harbour Board will move at next: week’s conference of the Harbours Association: "That the Minister of Finance be asked to amend sections 24, 25, and 26 of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act, 1920, in the direction of relieving local bodies of the duty of collecting debenture tax on debentures issued and to be issued, this conference being of opinion, as, a result of the, practical experience of individual harbour boards, that the operation of these clauses has seriously affected Dominion investors in local bodv loans, and has tended to force such bodies io seek money for necessary and urgent works outside of Ne-w Zealand.

The following remit from the Napier Harbour Board will be discussed at th<» Harbours Associations’ Conference in Wellington to-morrow week:—“That representations bo made to the Minister of Finance to convene as early as possible a conference, of all local bodies who are applying for loans of, say, over .£lO,OOO, with the idea of discussing the question of the financial requirements of such local bodies, say for tho next . twelve months, as an arrangement might be come to which would reduce the call upon the public moneys at the present time.

'The executive cf tho Harbours Association has reported that in accordance with resolution of tho seventh, conference reading: “That tho conference discuss tho question of consolidating all harbour charges on chipping and goods with the object of having the matter referred to the association’s executive far consideration and report to the conference,” it had obtained tho opinions of a majority of the harbour boards upon the proposal, and will submit for tho consideration of the conference a summary of such opinions. ’lho conference is to be held to-morrow week. There are indications that tho house farming harvest, which, connected with tho shortage of houses and tho influx to tho city of residents from adjacent rural districts and further abroad, has been a conspicuous feature of Auckland city life during the past two years, has been practically reaped. In that time many’ hundreds of people have become flatdwellers, and of the business of letting’ and sub-letting there has been no end, in the process of making three families live where eno had lived before. Month after mouth the building permit returns of local bodies have been marked by the number of applications for the conversion of dwellings into flats, and in iho city area tho “at home gossip has revolved around romances of the rents. An inquiry made by a “Star” representative at tho City Council offices lost week indicated that tho tide of flats has passed Hie flood, and there is a perceptible ebb in the conversion class of building. From conversation with people engaged in catering for the flitting flat dwellers, it appears that a line dropped in the vacancy column of the advertising sheet that fished up twenty or thirty eager would-be tenants last year brings now only five or six cautious inquiries, and that the flat has to have the attractions of comfort and space, in addition to some show of reason in price, to become a revenue producer. At: the first Convention of the New Zealand Self-Determination for Ireland League the, following were appointed members of the first Dominion Council .—President, Mr. P, J.’ O’Regan; executive committee, Messrs. J. J. M'Grath, P. Griffin. D. Burke, and J. A. Scott, Rev. Father Gondringer. Mrs. T. J. Bourkc, and Miss Eileen Duggan. Tho Very Rev. Father Gilbert. Miss Jessie Mackay and Messrs. J. J. M Grath, and Hall-Skelton were appointed, representatives to attend an Irish Race Convention to be held either in Dublin or Paris on January 21 next. When speaking of butter-fat competitions in connection with A. and P. Association shows at tho last Matamata Association executive meeting, a member stat, ed that ho knew of one man who had used two cows instead of one. Another member said in America cream had been injected into a cow’s quarters to secure a good test. This drew forth the retort, “That has been done in New Zealand.” The fixing boat had a busy day yesterday. numerous trippers taking the opportunity offered for a short flight oyer tho harbour and city. The starting point of the excursions is the Glasgow and largo crowds of spectators line the wharf to see tho flights begin ana end. A decided advance in the lavatory accommodation on the Main T ru wav carriages is now being effcc-ed, and one of the improved cars is now in commission. It is well known to all travellers on the “Trunk” that there has been no privacy at all, especially for women. In the renovated car the lavatory is divided into two separate compartments, with a narrow passage dividing them, each half being fitted up with all necessary appliances, and one half being for women and the other for men In addition a num'.her of coat hooks have bee put UP in various parts of the carriages, and this also will bo greatly appreciated. The winter garden in the Domain that was erected from a part of the prefit derived from tho Auckland Exhibition of 1913-11 will bo formally opened this week (says an exchange) The Mayor will accept iho glass building on behalf of tho citizens, and immediately aiterwai’ds ''" ;U declare tho new road around the D c ’ to 1 30 °P en - This road provides ’ ■ round the cricket oval, and will ill" V the increased facility in roadwav ‘for pleasure traffic in tho Domain that has been long needed.