LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, 23 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'Several. Wellington L'ity and suburban tradesmen were yesterday fined' in sums varying from 5s to £2' for having imperfect weights and measures.

'Owing to the Rev. J. Rogers having had to undergo an operation, the services in All Saints' Church to-morrow will be conducted in the morning by his Lordship the Bishop and' in the evening by the (Rev. A. J. Can-.

A errand school concert will be held at Stoke" Hall on Tuesday night, 26th September, in aid of the Stoke Red Cross Society. Particulars will foe found in this issue.

The Bishop of Nelson will conduct Holy Communion at 8 o'clock to-morrow morning in AH Saints' Church., Communicants are eamest.lv invited to attend.

Monday next, Dominion Day, „will' be observed as a holiday by the "Government otiices, 'banks, andi a number of other establishments. The Nelson Education Board, in a letter to the School Committees, suggested that the school children should assemble at their respective, schools at the usual time, and, after an address by representatives of the committee or teachers on the "history of-ths .Dominion, with special reference to the part played in the present war, be .granted a holiday for the rest of the day.

The Minister of Public Works (Hon. W. Eraser), in replying to a deputation at Auckland, spoke of tne great scarcity of steel and the extent to which this shortage is hampering the carrying out of public works. American steel was a-vailaMe, but it -was not up to the standard of British' steel, and even American steel could not .be obtained now under about £25 or £26 ia ton, which put it out of the question. He advised the deputation also, ifl they got power to borrow, not to take the .money now. (because it would only mean that they would have to pay high interest on it. supporting the lending department was satisfied about the security.

During a visit to the Ist Eastern General Hospital, at Cambridge, the other day, writes the London corresponK deht of the Post, the King had a short talk with a Maori soldier, who is suffea*-in-w (from consumption. His Majesty has taken a keeii' interest in the Maoris since his visit to New Zealand some 4 years ago. Tlie soldier expressed regret that he was not wounded, as he feared that when he went hack: to New Zealand his' tribe would despise him. But his Majesty assured him that he had" done his duty just «s well' as if he had been' wounded. The Maori, I understand, was Private P. Porikapa, of the' Wellington liifantrv. '

Brig.-Gen. E. W. G. Chaytor was personally responsible for the first discovery of the Turkish concentration for the no\v attack on Egypt, says the Post s London correspondent. General Chaytor was up ini an aeroplane as observer on a reconnaissance, and he discovered a great bodv of Turkish cavalry close, to Katia Thence onward the concentration steadily developed, leading up to the battle.

The works which have ibeen in hand for more than two years for the harnessino- of the Wair.ua Falls to provide motive power for the new mill erected by the Dominion Portland Cement Company at Portland —formerly known as T-iko-,-angi—on the shore of Whangarei „Harbour-, are now so near completion that it is expected the electric lighting of W'ha~-r-o-arei. which is an offshoot of the principal enterprise, -will b'e accomplished at the end of the present week. .

\ matter which is of vital interest to farmers at the. present timer when spring sowiii"- is be-in a: pursued with- all possible speed, and preparations are being made for autumn sowing, is the position of the seed market. A message irom t'he Christchurch correspondent of the Auckland Herald indicated that the position of the southern seed, market was normal, there being just about sufficient imported tii-ass seed to meet, requirements until the new crops come ri.n. .Enquiries made in Auckland by- the Herald showed that there will be ample seedi locally for all requirements for spring and autumn sowin<? bv which time the new crops will ' Thev showed also that the current prices, which compare favourably with those- at present prevailing in the South, have a tendency to d«crease. Reports from the South indicate that there is every probability that the crops of cocksfoot'and' ryegrass will be good, while information received! from England by last mail indicates that yields of English grasses will be above the average, and that in coi'seqiience the prices show an inclination to fall, and should substantially decrease by the time the requirements for autumn sowing are due to be met. .

The 1916-17 shearing season is rapidly, aoproachinc, and it is expected that farmers will have no little difficulty, in finding shearers, owing to their present demands for increased rates and also because so many of them have left the country with "reinforcement drafts. Thus the work of shearing will, in many instances, be thrown on to the farmers themselves, but with the assistance of machines this difficulty should be reduced to a minimum. Up-to-date and reliable rhesiing machines to suit flocks of all sizes are procurable at relatively low cost, which will enable any man to tackle the joh-of shearing and do infinitely better work than he could with the old hand shears. Not only that, but the extra wool secured and' better all-round' work done more than repays the cost of a shearing plant. To-night! "Morning Glory" House Trocks—slip on like a coat and fasten With one button at waist. All "famous "Zealandia" brand. In splendid washing materials at 7s 9d each.—Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.* Although "No Rubbing Laundry Help" washes all clothes spotlessly clean without rubbing it positively does not injure hands or daintiest fabrics. Is does seven weekly washings. Stewart and Co.* Tenders for clearing gruNbing trees at the Special School for Girls, Richmond, will be received up till noon on Saturday, the 30th" Sept., 1916. "I.heard Mr Suhburbs speaking most beautifully of his wife to another lady in the train iust now. Rather xrausual in a man these days." "Not under the circumstances. That was a ne\s cook he was escorting out."

J At the Ashburton Court the other day a woman from Ra-ngit-ata appeared to answer three charges of alleged opening of postal matter.

A heavv sea has been running into the Manawatii River at F(....U.n recently. Most of the harbor, r H-ir-ons have been blown down, and anoi;< tx,... of the heads jettly collapsed.

"The coming tournament in Wellington is going to be the biggest ever held in the historv of bowjs in \o\v Zealand/' said Mr E. •). Hill at the meeting of the Council of the Dominion Bowling Association on- Thursday.

The Hon. A. ,M. Myers (Minister of Finance) stated to a New Zealand Times representative on Saturday that the war bonus was being paid to "p" SOIL warders at the same rate as to other public servants —namely. £7 30s to single men and £ls to married men.

The balance of the Pitt Memorial Fund, amounting to about £4O, is to be expended on a- short length of iron fencing, along the Bridge street frontage of the Queen's Gardens adjoining the Pitt Memorial Gates. The work is to be proceeded with fay the City Engineer at once.

It i= not anticipated (says the Masterton correspondent of the Dominion) that there will b© a shortage of shearers in the Wairarapa this season. Already a number of Australian shearers have arrivedi. One settler sttates that he refused five applications from shearers by one mail.

The leper island of Motu-ngakau, situated inside the lagoon on the east side of Aitutaki Island," Gook group, distant about six miles from the mainland, is visited monthly Dy the Resident Agent, who conveys- the four lepers provisions supplied by the Cook Islands Ad'minis-t-ration.

The "long paddock" is- being freely used just now, and the City Council is instructing the Ranger to keep a. close watch on the streets, and also on the reserves, which are occasionally commandeered by enterprising stock owners.

An early start is to be made with the extension, of the chains along Wakefield Quay. There has been a. delay in procuring timber for the wall, but this is now coming to hand, and the City Engineer will now soon have the work in hand.

The plantation of tree ferns recently prepared in the Queen's Gardens, near thf> Hnrdy-street gate, has come away splendidly. The trees, over a hundred of them, and of large size, are sending out new fronds, and before long a magnificent fernery will form an additional attraction at the Gardens. .»

The evidence of the destrnctiveness of seagulls among young lambs is accumulating (states 'the Cheviot correspondent of the Lyttelton Times), and there can be no cloutfc that these birds are fast acquiring the habit of killing lambs for themselves. Farmers frequently discover lambs still alive that gulls have attacked. It is also noticeable that gulls are frequenting the lambing paddocks in larger numbers than formerly.

A lad named Biainsford Atkinson, aged 8, living in Beachyille, met with a.n accident in Trafalgar • street thisf morning', as a result of which, he sustained! a.nasty gash on this right foot. He and another boy were double-banking' <> n > a bicycle, Atkinson being seated on. the bar. The steersman ran. .his machine into a stationary bicycle standing outside a verandah, and Atkinson, who was barefooted, got hdsi foot in the spokes. Mr A. Davies went to the iboy's assistance, and had to take the wheel off before he could'liberate-the foot.- The little chap was carried into Mr Ancell's shop, where he was attended by Du'. Lucas and afterwards taken home.

The Women's Branch, of the Auckland Education Board, having a vacancy for a bookkeeper supervisor, cammum"cated: with-ft-he Beturned Soldiers' Employment . Bureau,,. which recommended •Sergt.-Major Green. When the latter'.applied..far the position, he was informed bv the direc-tor that he had decid'ed. to recionimend a Mr Schultz, whose qualifications eminently fitted him., for the position. At the Board meeting several members took exception to/the. director's action, maintaining; that preference should oe.-given- to a. returned soldier. Answering;"questions the director said that "Mr Schultz was-21-years of age, and a recruiting officer- had "informed Trim that he would probably not be. wanted for active service.. Though Schultz could be traced back, tovGerman. antecedents, his father was a Scotdbruan. •. The board decided to defer making an appointment and to call for applications again..-.

The sum of £250 was voted by' Parliament last year for the encouragement scientific research.- The Hon. G. W. ii-ussell. who is at the head of the Philosophical Institute, has written to .?■Professor Beriham (the president) a?ki;ig him to take the advice of. the council as- to the best manner'in-which' the vote'should' be expended,, and what subjects should be selected, The. Minister, says the Post, expresses the opinion that "probably the best course in connection with this important matter would,be for a conference to be. called of. representative scientific men from all over the Dominion for the purpose of discussing the question of what might be done to develop the natural wealth and resources of Xew Zealand. IE am. giving this aspect of it full consideration at the present time, and when- 1 have de'tinit'e proposals submitted to me from the scientific bodies of Dunedin, which-, I understand, are considering the master, I will be prepared; at once to crall such a conference, as that "it may be representative of every industry in New Zealand with a view to giving a lead in the matter."

To-night! ! Ladies'" iiiack Cotton Hose at Is pair. To-night only at this price.— Auckland ClotJiing and Drapery Go.* An entertainment will be held in Oddfellows' Hall, Wakefield, on Wednesday, October 4th. Particulars will be advertised later. The Wakefield public assembly will be he!<3 at the Boarding House Hnll on Wednesday evening. Proceeds will be in aid of Mail Tobacco Fund. To-night! Boys' Jack Tar Straw Hats at 6d„ Is. Is 6d, and Is lid each.— Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.* To-morrow will bo observed ats Home Mission Day in the Richmond Methodist Cirucit, when the offerings at all the services will be devoted to 'the Home Mission Fund. The officials are hoping to maintain the good record put up last year. iby making a satisfactory donation to this' Central Fund of the Church. Tlie extra preacher for the day is Mr F. T. Broom, of New Britain, who will conduct the services at Stoke and Wakefield. To-night! Plain Cream and Ecru Casement Cloth—nearly Ik yards wide—so inches—at 10J,d yard.—Auckland Clothing and Draperv Co. * The first aid lectures begin on Tuesday, October 3l"d, in the room below Mi* G. F. Dodds' surgery. Those wishing to gain, the medallion should also . attend these lectures. To-night! Ladies' Smart Pan Dan Hats, a't Is ll'd eaoh.—Auckland Clothing and Drapery.Co.*

Some information about .tlie censorship of films was given by the -Minister of. Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Bus-sell); to a Dominion reporter on. Monday. The censorship -work is now being done. Mr Jollift'e began on Tuesday week, and. up' till Saturday he put through about 100.000 feet' of films. Of all "the films' put tbxough, two were condemned by the censor as unfit for publication. His certificates of approval regarding these films were withheld, and the films cannot legally be exhibited without his certificate.

"Illicit traffic in cocaine continues to be a source of grave anxiety Iboth to the Government of India"and myself," says Mr Austen Chamberlain.. Imports have been prohibited except under license, private possession ■is punishable, and the sale to private persons by. chemists and druggist is permitted only for medical, purposes on the prescription of a qualified practitioner. The drug, however; lends itself to smuggling by seamen and others in ways which defeat the 'best conceived regulation. In 1914-15 9756z. of cocaine were imported into India from tlie United Kingdom, a decrease of 224 compared with the imports of 1910-11.

Advices by mail received in Auckland this week from firms in the Old Country give freight rates to the Dominion at 117s 6d and 120s. Tin's was f< r all lines' that before the war cost 38s' l Cd per ton measurement. [Lines of hardware, formerly paying freight at the rate of 37 6d to 40s per ton. are now costing 117s 6d. However, freights are a little easier from New York, altnough still very high. iSoofi after the outbreak of war freight ■ ratesfrom New Yoila to New Zealand jumped to £lO per ton. Advice received! thisweek gives freight at 133s per ton. ,It would seem as if further advances iri' freight are expected, as one firm writes: ' We are making a vigorous protest against a further advance in freight rates." ■ '"'

Samples of the new live-pound notes •issued byi t'he Bank of New Zealand) haw now been received:;'by'.the- local branchy' but it is not tine : 'intention to requisition.; them until the stocita of the old five-pound notes have been used' up. The .new notes' are really a work of art.' They-.are slightly larger than, the old notes of similar value, and the design is quite different. The design, in fact, is. much more elaborate. The watermarks are\ varied, and inchidie much scroll work and sonie floral designs. In the centre of- the note there is a. large figure "5" ; there ./

are two smaller "s's" in the top and another two "s's" of smaller size still, in the bottom corners. In the centre, at the bottom, is the word'"five,''. and 1 just, above the middle of the note'i is another "five" iin large letters. Thej. old sketches, representing a iNew Zealand'; scene before civilisation came, have been" reproduced. The most striking difference between the new,notes and the-old ones is the blending of the ground . colours on the -former. These colours are" green, ■brown, pink, and orange, which spine-; times run into purple, and they are sheufe ed into each other in an artistic manner; ■ The back of the new motes is also arranged on a beautiful'coloured'-basis.-. ■•The. all-round: colouring,, it is stated, precludes' any possibility of the notes being successfully photographed l . •■ -.-: •- -

Some remarkable instances of the wildness of rumour are disclosed bv -the? report of the Uoyal Commissioners ' who inquired into the allegations against the Dalmatians of North Auckland,, says the Herald. Probably the most noteworthy, case of the kind was that contained in "a letter to Mr G. H. Poole, M.P., which was read in Parliament. This letter embodied the following sentences : —''Well,:' T can inform you that eviery Austrian.in this district still possesses firearms and, 1 , a good -supply of ammunition. _• Quite: recently I saw six of themi all in "pos- ■ session of Browning automatic shotguns. '' Yet when the wriier came before the commission, says the report, he, knew nothing of any arms or amnvuni-A tion, and said the six "Austrians" he saw had only two guns between them—! of which lie exainined arrtl the other he did not. Asrain, there : wast a petition, signed: bv 370 persons, :'iri--cluding justices of the peace and members of local bodies, whioli alleged - tliat :the foreigners were- a, danger to the comumnity, as most of them were trainedi to arms, And. charging them with .tprb-. curing, naturalisation 'papers by fVand. On this point the commissioners state: —'' We examteed. as many of the signa-. Tories as we GOtrld';fin'd,: and not one of them, even, those ,who drew up '.the petition, could be found to- justify the v charges, therein made against the TJalmai .tians. ■-. .None :of the allegations' were supported by any evidence." /jtvV''-^

A distressing accident occurred -about 11.30 o'clock on Friday evening at: land, which resulted in\ a lady visitor from Duinedin having her foot-amputated,-(says the Star). The lady, Miss Hollick. (daughter of the late Mr.John HbllicK, . contractor, of Mtiltc*ri'), has •been • staying, for a. couple of months in Auckland wifali ;'Mr and Mrs. E. W.. Biach,. of Ponsonby. She was returning- home 'with soma friends, who bad been to a. party a t_ Epsorn. Ait the top of Symonds* street they boamded a car returning to the Ponsonby barn. With Miss HollidkWere also Mr and Mrs Gilmore, arid Mr-J. Patterson. When the car; reached , the corner of Qtirrah'' street, Miss Holliick,' evidently thinking that, it; had stopped, attempted to alight before it had actuals ly come to a standstill, with iftie -result that she was. thrown to the grorindy.andj her right foot getting under the wheel, was severely crushed across the instep.' The (unfortunate lady was at once conveyed to the: residence of (Dr. Usher, who, recogndsing the seriousness: of the ' case, at once had her removed in a taxi to a private hospital. Mr Biach,, who had res tired to rest, was communicated with/ a'nd at once went to Severn House, where the operation was performed as soon as, possible. •■•''■.-

Between 60-> and lOt J members of the Masonic Lodges of New Zealand aire known to be in ikihaki. ORlecent mails from the'" front, says tttie CM-istehurch Press,have brought particulars of an ing meeting of the members of the craft held! behind! the fighting-lline on June 21stJ at which more than 90 lodges hi New Zealand were represented. The chair was taken by Major G. Barclay, of the New. Zealand' Engineers, who' hails from tlh© Railway Department in Auckland', and; Hi old® dn t'he .Grand 'Lodg-e of New Zealand' the rank of past senior grand War-, den. A't the meeting the following resolution was carried unanimously : —"Tha4> ■this meeting of Freemasons, held somewhere in France, within : a short'distance of the enemy lines, within range of his guns, and composed of brethren serving m the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. . representing manv lodges audi the various Constitutions in the Dominion, send greetings to their brothers' and best wishes-, for continued success of the. various lodises." The building in which the meetin was held was destroyed by the. enemy's shell-ifire very shortly after the dispersal of the gathering.