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Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 135, 9 June 1910, Page 4

The two six thousand-gallon watpr vats, which are'being fixed up at Levin, for •the purpose of -vxatering the thirsty Main Trunk locomotives are expected to be completed about the end of June, and next month Levin should be included in the stopping places of the Wellington-Auckland expresses. It is stated that then the only. two • recognised stopping places by Main Trunk expresses between Wellington and "Palmerston North will be Paekakariki and Levin.

■A return of membership of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants shows that at the end of the year there were 3,170 members in the North Island, and 3,249 in the South Island, making a total of 6,410. The membership at the close of the previous year was 6,335, so that, in spite of the creation of a new trades union for the locomotive employees, the Amalgamated Society's membership showed an advance.

The matter of Sunday golf was mentioned at the Invercargill City Council meeting last week, being raised by a condition attached to a proposed lease of part of the Park Reserve to the Golf Club. The condition was that golf be not played on Sunday. Councillor Lillierap thought that the condition was rather a slight on -tjhe members of the club. In any case, even supposing some members did play golf on Sunday, he could not see that the Council should take cognisance of it, as it seemed much on a par -with, say, cycling to Riverton, or taking a motor-car ride to Winton on a Sunday. The point was where was one to draw the line. "They want us all to be Sunday School teachers," intorjected a Councillor. But (says the

"Southland Times") Councillor Ldllicrap showed that his tolerance extended both ways. "Well, I don't know about that," he replied. "It would probably be just as well for us if we were Sunday School teachers." The Mayor supported the inclusion of the Sabbatarian condition, not so much on the ground of Sunday observance as because many people walked in the Park on that day, and the practice of playing golf there annoyed them. Councillor Stead considered that the condition was not puritanical. If the golfers golfed on Sunday, there was no reason why the bowlers should not bowl in the reserves that day, and the footballers play football, which would certainly entail a considerable amount of public irritation, and "the Council this looked to to protect the public from sue-h vexation of spirits. Discussion on the matter was not further pursued.

"Hundreds of square miles lying ■within five miles of our coasts had not a single sounding registered for them," asserted Mr.' .7. M. Murrell, "WclUngton, in a cammunica.tion considered by a meeting of the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The letter was intended to draw the Council's attention to the fact that the coast waters round New Zealand were far from being properly surveyed. The writer ventured the opinion that the present was a good time to agitate, for there was a probability of the Australian Commonwealth setting -up a marine survey department of its own, thus presumably releasing any Admiralty ship and men engaged upon the Australian coasts. The Council decided to adopt the suggestion of the writer, and the letter will bo forwarded to the Minister for Marine.

The Department of Health lias decided to run the sanatorium for consumptives at Cambridge on modern lines, and it has laid down rules under which patients can make themselves pleasantly u.-eful in the institution instead of being kept in idleness to brood over their troubles. We have no doubt that the majority of the patients will be glad to assist in the household duties and do a little gardening, wood-cutting, light carpentering, tree-planting, etc., and some of them will take a great pleasure in the care of poultry or bees. There is evidently one gentleman in the sanatorium who takes a keen interest in politics. He sees in the new regulations a c-hance of striking a- blow at the Government, and he has written an ad misericoj-diam protest to a contemporary, which makes a speciality of that kind of thing, and which is prepared to become "indignant" at a moment's notice at anything the present Ministry lias done or has in contemplation. The Minister for Hearth makes a perfectly reasonable explanation. He points out that modern specialists in the cure of consumption insist on the efficacy of light employment for patients; that no patient is admitted to the institution who ie not comparatively robust and "suitable for educational treatment"; and that no inmate is compelled to do uncongenial work against his will. All this is quite reasonable and satisfactory. The complainant, obviously, has his own remedy. He says the patients (presumably meaning , his anonymous self) are prepared to leave rather than "cure" themselves under tbe new "hygienic" treatment. What could be simpler?—("New Zealand Times.") •

A "Gazette" notice issued by the Government, notifying alterations in conditions in the railway service, does not seem to be at all pleasing to the employees, judging by the forcible and condemnatory terms made use of in places where railwaymen do congregate. Travelling allowances Oiave been reduced, and in the case of the clerical staff sick leave has in future to be counted as holiday leave. Another regulation which has given rise to intense dissatisfaction is one which, in the case of a reduction of the staff, a member, who may 'have been contributing to the fund for as long as 39 years, may be deprived of the benefits of superannuation allowance. From a cursory glance, this clause in the new regulations appears to open up a case for a decided grievance. The men in the service -are now busily preparing a plan of campaign in opposition to these alleged infringements on their rights. The First and Second Divisions in Invercargill will (says the "Southland Times") shortly 'hold meetings, and later it is proposed ■that combined action be taken by the two divisions. We understand that the alterations have created a lot of dissatisfaction an Dunedin.

Very shortly Moss Wihitelaw will toe leaving New Zealand to take up iher new duties in England. Nest Saturday, at half-past one, at the school in Howestreet, she will for tie last time meet all the old Grammar School girls who ■have attended the school during her head mistress-ship.

At a meeting of *the Auckland Trades and Latoour Council last evening the resignation of the president (Mr. A. Kosser) was tendered and accepted. Mr. Rosser was seen by a "Star" reporter this morning, but beyond confirming the fact that his resignation had been accepted, declined 1 (to say •anything, owing to a-special resolution having ed last- night, in -which, it- was--decided; tha.fr no information .the PTEs&iby.-oJScialfir'iorsothfiia.

The Auckland Tacing season "was brought to'a conclusion yesterday, when the Auckland Racing Club concluded their winter meeting. The attendance was large, and the racing interesting. During the afternoon there wera no less than eight falls, but fortunately in each instance both rider and Jiorse' escaped injury-

With: reference to the severe earthquake recorded in this issue, Mr. Stevenson, FJJ.A.S., states: "Some people will doubtless attribute this disaster to the presence of Halley's comet, which is still visible in our evening sky, but, as a matter of fact, the comet has nothing whatever to do with the catastrophe. The present period is one of earthquake intensity, and will last until the 11th June. 'Further severe shocks may be expected in the same districts during the next few days. The indications point io the northern hemisphere being the centre of seismic disturbance during the present period. Another seismic period will occur during the first week of July, but New Zealand should not be affected adversely."

At Fisher's Bush --at NetTierton yesterday an accident happened to a young man named J. C. Curran, who was struck on the forehead 'with a maul, nasty injuries being inflicted to the head, which was cut open. He was brought up to Paeroa in. a buggy, and the wound wa3 stitched up by Dr. Smith.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday (telegraphs our Dargaville correspondent) a most important case came before Mr Scott Smith, SJSL, who had to decide ■the knotty question of whether a promissory note, signed by a half-caste Maori, requires the translation endorsed. Chadwieks, Ltd., sued R. Brown for £23 amount of a promissory Hate. Mr Coates, representing plaintiff, contended that the Bills of Exchange Act only required 'translation in cases of full-blooded Maoris. The original Act of ISS3 used the words "aboriginal native," which counsel contended showed that Parliament intended to limit the requirement of translation to full Maoris. The Consolidation Act, 1908, used the word "Maori" without any interpretation. The word Maori "was a particular word, and the word "native" in the Native Land Acts did not apply, as "native," a generic term, included half-caste and ■three-quar-ters. Defendant admitted that she was a half-caste, living in European style. ,She owned considerable property, and had paid other promissory notes which were not translated. She admitted that she intended to pay until Teeeipt of the sum-m-ons. Judgment was reserved.

At a meeting of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association one of the delegates to the recently held council meeting verbally reported on the business transacted thereat, and the treatment accorded to CKnterbury delegates. Special stress was laid on the action of certain Auckland delegates in voting against a motion forwarded by the Auckland Association, and it was asserted that from this time forward no provincial association would feel safe as Tegards the use to which its votes would be put by its delegates.

At the State examination of pupil nurses trained under the Midwives Act, the following Aucklanders passed: LucyBarker, Laura Baker, Annie Luke, Jessie Aitken.

Opinion in New Zealarid is sharply divided on the scheme for the importation of British boys (not accustomed to farm work) for a form of apprenticeship to farmers. Conversing on this subject with a "Post" representative at Well lington yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture explained the Government's position. He said: "In my opinion the boys should be trained before coming out here to farming work. The Government was urged to take a good many, and thought that 50 lads would not make any difference one way or another to the people of this Dominion. The Government will see that the conditions under which the boys will live and work are reasonable and comfortable. In Wellington province alone I understand 50 boys can be absorbed under conditions favourable alike to farmers and the lads. Regarding the future," Mr. McKenzie added, "it is obvious that if our lands are to be opened up and settled, the Dominion must have a very considerable increase in its population. While it is contended that there is labour stifficient for present requirements, we must have a largo increase of population of the right class to meet the needs of the future if the developments which are now imminent take place."

Mr. Justice Chapman held, in an appeal case, M. J- Suban versus James Holmes, at Christchurch yesterday, that where a man comes to an hotel sober, makes arrangement for accommodation, and becomes a lodger, and is afterwards found by the police in an intoxicated condition, the landlord cannot be properly convicted of permitting drunkenness, and that the lodger had a right by contract to be on the premises. The appeal was allowed, and his Honor directed that the conviction be set aside.

The North Island Railway Appeal Board dismissed an appeal in the case of Thomas Roache against his dismissal as junior porter at Masterton, for alleged theft. Roache apparently kept a bottle of beer which he found in a railway carriage.

The Railway Department, in response to requests for an earlier train for' those who have to start work at 7.30 a.m., have now decided 'to run a passenger train from Henderson to Auckland daily, leaving Henderson at 6.15 ajn., and ar-riving°A-uekland at 7.1-7 a.m. This train will commence running on Monday next, 13th. June, and will be given & trial fo? a few months.

Mr. George Aldridge repeated his popular lantern lecture on "Comets" last night at the Church, of Christ, West-street, at which, there was a large attendance.