WITHIN THE DOMINION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 221, 5 June 1915, Page 2

WITHIN THE DOMINION.

NHW ZEALAND SEAPLANE. SUCESSFUL FLIGHTS AT AUCKLAND. CLEVER NEW ZEALANDER'S WORK. AUCKLAND, June 3. Vivian Walsh made several successful flights on a locally built seaplane to-day. He made three flights each of. over ten. miles on the harbour, the maximum height being 300 feet. Walsh also made a flight of over a mile, carry .ing a passenger. (Three young Aucklandcrs have been for some time at work on the construction of a seaplane.) POST OFFICE FACILITIES. EOTOEUA, .Tunc 3. In an interview here to-night, Hon. R. IT. Rhodes, Postmaster - General, stated that in order to provide the Department's facilities for settlers residing beyond easy distance cf the postoffice, it was proposed that drivers of mail vehicles on certain selected mail delivery routes, in addition to the delivery of mail matter into and collection of mail matter from rural boxes, shall undertake at all stopping-places the sale of stamps, issue of postal notes, registration of postal packets, and receipt from the public of telegrams. AN ADVISORY BOARD. . ON ENEMY INTERNMENT. I ! AUCKLAND, This Day. i Mr Massey states that the Governj raent has decided to appoint an Advisory Board of a judical character, to deal with exceptional cases in regard to internment of enemy subjects and the Hon. Mr Bell is now making necessary arrangements. A well-known Auekand citizen has consented to take a position on the Board, which would be of a serai-public character, and consist of three members. LICENSING ON THE WEST COAST. GRANTING OF NEW LICENSES. "A DISGRACE.' ' HOKITIKA, June 3. When the West-land Licensing Committee resumed last evening to decide •whether any new licenses were to bo granted by the Committee, the chairman (Mr J. G. L. Hewitts) stated that as a result of the deliberations, a Minority of the members had decided to adjourn al applications for new licenses for one month. He said this was tantamount to the committee agreeing to granting new licenses. If the grant- ' ing of new licenses coud be done in n regular way he would have no objection to them being placed in localities where necessary, but as long as he sat on the bench he would be absolutely opposed to the manoeuvring tactics employed to secure the granting of such applications: He desired to say he and Mr McGregor, a member of' the Committee, dissented from the decision arrived at. The means adopted in claiming these licenses amounted to , nothing more than a system of collusion between the licensing committee and applicants to defeat the clear in- | tention of the Act, and while he remained upon the bench he would not be a silent party to such proceedings. The law required amending; if alterations was not made the present method adopted in securing licenses would have the effect of bringing licensing committees into disrepute and so dragging the administration of justice through the mire. If he failed to give expression to his opinions he would I not'be fit to occupy the position of chairman of the committee. In fact, if it was not that he was compelled to sit on the bench lie would resign as a protest against the whole proceedings. If the present system of manoeuvring was going to continue it was a positive disgrace, and he trusted that it would be soon brought to an end. N. Z. HOSPITAL SHIP. THE DEFENCE MINISTER EXPLAINS. WELLINGTON, June 2. "It seems to me that there is con"siderable misunderstanding in minds of the public with regard to the position of the Government respecting the i Hospital Ship," said the Minister of Defence this evening. "I want to make it quite clear that the Government can fit out the ship complete in every detail i at the cost of the State and would be j prepared to do so if necessary but his Excellency the Governor wanted to have a personal interest in some humane work connected with the war and he knew that there were a great many ! people in New Zealand who felt as he did and would like to share with him the burden and the responsibility of , equipping the Hospital Ship. He start ' ed the national move ment for equipping the Maheno for service near our tr ops. The Government is paying for the preparation of the ship and for the necessafy furnishings, the Government does not want to stop, people from giving towards the cost of -the' equipment if they fceLdisposed to respond to the appeal fli.at-'the Governor hasmade Nobody vvlio docs not -care to support

this movement need have the slightest compunction about withholding their money and giving it instead to some other, fund that attracts them more than the Hospital Ship fund docs. The Government has not asked for money for the equipment of the ship. - The Governor has done so and I am sure that a great many people are very glad that he gave them the opportunity to assist the troops in this practical way.' The Minister of Defence mentioned that the Government was not working in the dark with regard to the Hospital Ship. The plans of the Australian Hospital Ship had been brought to New. Zealand by the Maheno and the authorities hed secured expert medical advice with regard to the work that had to be done aboard the ship before she would be ready for her new duties.