THE TRAMWAYS BILL AND THE HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 284, 30 November 1910, Page 4

THE TRAMWAYS BILL AND THE HOUSE.

Before venturing to criticise the Tramways Bill again, m would like further opportunity to study the amendments accepted by the Minister in charge last night. The bill, as passed, differs substantially from the original draft; but we doubt if all room for objection can possibly have 'been removed. For the chief ground for criticism in this case is not a matter of detail, but of principle; and it is generally agreed that the bill as originally drawn implied the usurpation by the central Government of the natural sphere of the local authorities. We are hardly inclined to go so far in our objection to the bill as the Wellington "Evening Post," which recently described the bill as a "monstrous" measure, and called upon all local bodies and municipal authorities to resist, unitedly "the encroachment of a centralising tyranny, which threatens every vestige of independent power in the State." Without admitting that the Tramways Bill necessarily means that, as the "Post" declares, "local government k threatened with emasculation," we have grave doubt as to the extension of centralized power over local affairs to the extent at first prescribed 'by Mr. McKenzie, and we must defer a final opinion upon the bill till we see how far last night's amendments modify its original purpose. Meanwhile we desire to make two comments on the debate. The first refers to a detail of the <bill—the acceptance of a provision permitting a car to carry extra passengers to the extent of 75 per cent. in excess of rte seating accommodation. This concession suggests to us that the central Government has a very inadequate idea of what constitutes public convenience and public safety. But when we remember that it was claimed that the Tramway Bill was rendered necessary largely because the local authorities in general, and Auckland City Council in particular, allowed tramcars to be overcrowded, the situation becomes positively humorous. Certainly ivt our very worst, we never made a practice of cramming 140 people into a car. that •would seat only eighty. However, the political sense of humour is piten obscure, and we must, <ba content to.let the matter go at that. The other remark which we desire to make applies to the House itself, and the way in which the country's business is being conducted. Once more we protest emphatically against the practice of forcing bills through 'by means of all-night sessions, which leave members mentally and physically incapable of dealing with thorn in a rational and discriminating way. Last might members • appear to have relieved the tedium of the session and incidentally kept themselves awake •by an exhibition of 'buffoonery utterly out of keeping -with, the dignity of the House and the importance of the work in hand Exhausted Nature, we presume, could endure no snore, and this was the reaction. But whatever excuse ■may be urged on their ibehalf, we repeat once more that Government has 'no right to force business through under conditions bo unfavourable to good legislation; and if the fault lies 'with the memibers, who, in their eagerness to get home, refuse to put ap with any extension of the session, wo can only gay that they have no right to accept public positions and the salaries attached thereto rf they are not prepared honestly and faithfully to do the country's work as long as their services are required.

The following is Mr. D. C, Bates' weather report and forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. this day:—"Moderate to strong easterly winds, freshening. Expect warm and humid -weather, probably unsettled and cloudy. After twenty-four hours glass fall."

An unexpected capture was made by Detectives Cox and Sweeney, yesterday. They were going the round of v secondhand shops in quest of stolen jewellery, and at ono shop in the city they found a young man who had just sold two ladies' rings for 12/ G. The detectives asked him a few questions, in reply to which he said that his name was John Lewis, that he lived in Cook-street, and that the rings had been presented to him six months ago. Subsequent inquiry proved that his name was John Lewis Jack, and that he lived in Wakefield-street in a room rented from one Mrs. Purchase, who declared that the rings were her property, and that they had been stolen from her bedroom a month ago. She did not report her loss to the police. When these facts were discovered Jack was arrested on a charge of theft of the ring 3, which arc worth about £5. The strangest part of the story is that Jack, who is only 22 years of age, has £122 in the bank, which amount he has saved from his wage of £2 12/ per week as a street sweeper in the employ of the City Council. Regularly he pays in £2 por week into his account, and after he pays 5/ per week for his room, he is left with 7/ per week with which to buy food and luxuries. Jack was charged with theft in the Police Court this morning, and remanded for a week, the chief detective explaining that the prisoner had other articles in his possession which might possibly have been stolen.

A cricket team captained by his Excellency the Governor met eleven representatives of the crew of H.M-s. Encounter at Wellington on Friday last. Lord Islington's men batted first, and "declared" with five wickets down for 163, the Governor making GO runs before be was caught by Lieut. Elmslcy. This was the highest score made in the match. The bluejackets were all out for 119.

• Woollen -wear for warm weather. You will be feeling the need of the lightest underclothing. The beet here. — Qeo. Fowlds, Ltd.—JAdJ.

" It was a huge success," declared Mr. J. M. Clark, judge of the elocutionary portion of the Auckland musical sind elocutionary competitions, when speaking to a Wellington "Post" reporter. "The theatre was packed from floor to ceiling every night for a week, during which time 1300 competitors occupied the stage. Personally I listened to 250 entrants in the elocutionary section. The receipts are stated to liave aggregated £1000." " What do you think of the standard of the elocution?" was asked. "It wae the first competition," he replied, "so the performances cannot be compared; on the whole it -was quite up to anything else I had heard. Some of the items were exceedingly good. The selections chosen for the test pieces were very fine, and the •interpretations were' veiy creditable. Shakespeare, 'Browning, and some of the best poets were represented in the programmes. I think competitions of this character cannot fail to be beneficial to the community. They will raise the standard of art and bring performers into competition with their fellow men and women, boys and girls, and altogether the institution serves a very useful purpose. I am very much surprised," commented Mr. Clark, in conclusion, "that Wellington has not seen flt to take the idea up. Financial success is perhaps the main thing, and these competitions have been extremely successful front that point of view at Auckland, Napier and Dunedin;"

There was a little mild excitement on the Queen-street wharf last evening at about five o'clock,, the cause being an enraged or terrified ibull that didn't ■want to make the sea voyage which had been arranged for him. Some pedigree cattle were being loaded on to the Victoria, when this particular bull got partly loosed from bis bonds, and ■broke out of the horse-box in which he was being slung over the side of the vessel. In hie struggles, he fell into the harbour between the ship and the wharf, and the task of getting him out and on to the wharf again, proved by no means an easy one. Finally, two men who were lowered down to the water succeeded in getting a rope round the bull, and he wae lifted up, somewhat drenched and sirbdued, 'but unhurt.

The fine imposed on Messrs. Guthrie, Bowron, and Co., of Dunedin, at Auckland in February last on a charge of having made a false declaration to the Customs authorities in respect of certain goods indented to them for a client, has been remitted by the Minister, on the ground that the breach, of the law on their part was purely technical. The amount of the fine was £25.

Owing to a typographical error in our report of Judge Sim's ruling on the Conciliation Commissioner's agreement in the Waterside Workers' dispute, it wa3 ■made to appear that the alleged invalid paragraphs were in clauses 7, 0, and 7, whereas they were contained in clauses 1, 6, and 7.

A novel wager has recently 'been made in a Wellington cluto, the parties to the affair being two well-known racing men, and the sum at stake is £2,000 (remarke the "Dominion"). The conditions of the ibet are that a Wellington owner selects a pedestrian to 'beat a horse on the road to Auckland and back to Wellington again in February next. The horse may be ridden toy the lightest weight available, and may go at any pace, -while the man will not be restricted to walking. It is understood that the horae eelected will probably be a "musterer," whole the man selected to defend the other side of the bet may be a well-known champion—at least the backer hopes to secure the services of such a man. Both rider and pedestrian will t>e allowed the services of a man on a motor-cycle to convey information as to the position of their opponents. Experience of previous similar contests is said to favour the pedestrian, as it ■has been found -that horses "crack up" on the rowds under the conditions.

While excavations for a new building in Wyndham-street for Messrs. Morpeth and Hill, solicitors, were in progress yesterday, the foundations of a twostorey building immediately above, owned by Mr. Goodacre, and occupied partly toy Mr. Hooker, bookbinder, and partly iby Messrs. Preston and Grange, coopers, were apparently disturbed. The effect was to cause the wall to move outwards. It fell away as much, probably, as six inches, and. was badly cracked. The groaning and cracking gave, 'warning to those employed in. the ■building, and they hurried out in the Street, while the workmen on the vacant allotment also made good their escape. However, the creeping of the building stopped, and it -was then trussed up to prevent further movement. The interior of the 'building was made 6ecure and the employees went 'back to work. The wall is damaged to such an extent that it cwUl probably liave to 'be pulled down.

Mr. J. W. Harrison, (licensed surveyor) reported at larft night's meeting of the Devonport Borough Council that he had completed the necessary survey to determine whether any encroachment existed on Victoria-road between Rattray and Ken-streets. On the measurement of Rattray-street frontages, the total surplus did not exceed three inches to the inter-section with Victoriaroad, while Kerr-street frontages sliowed an actual deficiency of five feet from the deed measurements. In the face of these figures he could not see how it •was possible for any encroachment on Victoria-road to exist in connection with the allotments mentioned. The Foreman of Works pointed out thac Victoria-road opposite these sections is only 84. feet >wido, thus leaving two feet short of a chain.

Some shocking features were present in the case cf a man who was arrested for vagrancy in Hagley Park, Chriatchurch, yesterday. A constable was on liis way to the city, when he happened to notice a man who had been frequenting the park for the past three weeks. His condition could only be described as filthy in the extreme. The man, whose name is Jos. Scott, had 'been making a habit of sleeping in the. park for some -weeks past, his couch toeing under the trees near Victoria Lake. His clothes were absolutely rotten. He was in a frightful state of filthlness. The police officer to whom it fell to take charge of Scott at the police station had a most unpleasant task. Every stitch of the man's filthy clothing had to be removed and burnt. Scott was then taken out into the open and washed with a strong solution of water and Jeycs , fluid. The officer used a soft, long-handled mop, which he dipped into ' the bucket, and then applied to the man's body. This was followed up by several buckets of a milder solution of the same sort, and, finally, by some buckets of pure water. The frightful state of the man's head and shoulders -was revealed in all its horror by the cleansing process. He underwent the bathing ordeal without a 'word; in fact, he seemed rather to enjoy his al fresco sousing.

Ties {or comfort and for show will be found in our selection. We also have belts and cummerbunds.—-Geo. Fowlds. —

Ifc is ■•understood that tionof early date another story over tW 1 •!? ! ing occupied 'by the TelS^p; tdins Departments in DunetUn I "OUgo Daily Times." Sfeg. J>«'. V been come to consequent ui>on rtf ? growth of the loil tehSo2 which gives promise of . deve opwT' • such an extent as to demand in a? U future much larger accommodation that that at .sting. The difficulty is to J * by the erection of a third kS"" the present building, and iteffitfP been given effect to, it i 8 „£«, n ■' certain that there will be latest telephone system, now StLjJ ' known as the central !ba<W ru- % ' tern has recently teen mstaUeV &£ : cargul, Timaru, and Hastings. . ™*. The effect of the Licensing Act of tt;. session upon the entry of Uquor u£Z Zealand "Times" representative %*ffi A. X Holmes, clerk of the Va&Ql Court, yesterday. "A very 7 amendment has been made'to tie S Sing Act of 1903 by the amend wg passed tins session," said Mr. ; "whereby seo tio n 147 of thY Wi 1908 has been made to appW-tV., ° f proclaimed in section 272. fe . this amendment is that the Rohao pi" or King•Country) is now on VS footing to the no-license areas.S notice must foe given of all liquor m*! rng in, in the same way as in ? "th c n T. license areas. The clerk of the Court v Ohakune has been appointed for that ' portion known as the Upper Waimaiil district, and the clerk of the Cou# ' Te Kuiti for Kawhia."

The criminal sessions of the Aucldaai Supreme Court were concluded yestwdaj afternoon with the hearing of a fhajm of assault, causing actual bodily hint ' preferred against two young men, ftmek Freland and Arthur Kedfern:Cple. IV offence was alleged to have ', been} com/ mitted in Sussex-street on thY nigitV September 10th last, and the two nies assaulted (both bigger and pethaw stronger than the accused) were stated to have been severely handled. '' 'thj • Crown Prosecutor described the affair i» an unprovoked assault, but in the ciiunj of cross-examination Mr. Lundonj'wbj) defended, sought to show that' the complainants were the actual aggreseoh, The evidence of the witnesses .for;.the Crown was very conflicting, and so unsatisfactory that Mr. Tole suggested -nl its conclusion the advisability of ping the case. His Honor' directed the jury that they could decide was no case for the accused to answer, and this view l>eing approved^the aodji* ed were acquitted.' ■':-—■•■ ■ Th,e Gjovernnient Valuation.'Department has in hand at present the revalua. tion of a good number of' bqrpugfij, road districts, and counties in the Auckland Province, including the ihor,QU2}ii b'j.. Parnell, Dcvonport and Grey Lynn, ifrhiijh ■;■"'' were previously valued in 1905, 19<W and 1903 respectively, and the Pomt 1 CheVa-', Her and Mt. Wellington road districts, valued respectively in 1905 and : 1006. The following road districts are being ■, reassessed in the Manukau County; the parentheses containing the dates of the last valuations:— Mangere (1006), ■Mauku (1904), Waitiku \Wk), PukeKohJ East (1006), Pukekohe West ;(19M), Karaka (1906), East Taanaki (1906), and Wairoa (1904). The Stole'of the Piako, Xfafcamata and Raglan" counties, which were ■■last revalued in 1907,' »w receiving the attentions of the. GorarimeTvt, -valuers, as also are. the; coxites I of Hokianga and Awakiiio, which,.wen previously assessed in! 1005. Tlie Timmarunui, Whangarei, and Dargayille .boroughs (revalued in 1906, .1007-and 1008 respectively), .the " Kotorua' .Twnj.f District (previously, assessed in 1905); and the Wainui riding of the Waitemata ■ I County (last assessed in 1905), are also : (being dealt with. Veiy- big are anticipated in many instances in tiehew values, which will take; effect as, i from March 31st, 1011. ■ : W

A line of twenty-five;barrels 01-crudi petroleum from the Taranaki' Petroleum Oil Company has been shipped in the s.s. Kaikoura for oLndony It. is addiws , ed to the High Comniiseioner, and is intended for the Admiralty,, to ibe used in liquid fuel experiments in warshipJ.

A garden fete ls ; being held in-the grounds of iMrs. Aubin'3 residence, Par-• neD, this afternoon, in aid of the funds for the Campbell free kindergardenV k-' large number of- visitors are present, and the charming surroundings, music _Bnd general atmosphere of festivity" ensure success and an enjoyable afternoon. ;

Moral muslins, 3/11 dot; navy-printi,; 3/11 doz,; navy figured delainettes,- 3/9 doz.; lovely -white muslin embroidered blouse lengths, 1/11, 2/0 each;.;..strife!;; zephyrs, .3/6, 4/9 doz.; striped, cambrics, 3fd. yd; coloured Jap. glace, chiffon, taffeta", and Pailetto silks* all to cleat; at 9Jd.; coloured dress materials, double-width, oyds. for 1/11,, 2/11; 5/11. 7/11. See these. —Grey and Ford's Great Alteration Sale, 9 a.m. to-morrow. The "Old Beehive," Newton.—(Ad.) There was an outbreak of fire.at.'P* , -. vonport yesterday morning about 7-« i the blaze being a washhouee. at Mr. to , ■: gove's residence in Alison-avenue,- TM fire brigade were quickly on the scene, mil the hose reel was not necessary, the lire being extinguished by a bucket brigade. At last night's meeting of the Dwottport Borough Council the captain, of.»« fire brigade reported that the brigade had been called out on five occasions during the fortnight, three of which, W been, to attend gorse fires. cided that owners of land whereon. »w fires have recently occurred he ;deW* ■ with the cost of the fire brigade's attendance. i ; f» White calico, 36in., 3/11'doz.; .^ ,w and unb. twill sheeting, 93<1. yd.; white and uufc. table danmsK, 83-d.,'lOJd., 1/-; roller towelling, ,«Jj ; 43d 53-d- yd-; white and cream W curtains from 1/6, 1/11, 2/3, 2/0; «l oured quilts, 1/0 each; red and W*: and green and black ttblißg, JJj. striped ticking, 4Jd. yd.-At <*°f % Ford's, Ltd., Great Alteration Sale, »• "Old Beehive," Newton, 9 wn-, *<>•?«, row. —(Ad.) . ;v; Gent's Panama hats, 15/6, 21/0J nis shirts, 2/6, 2/11, 3/6; neglige sW* 2/11, 3/0. Bridgman and Bndgman. r& • It ds time to lay aside the hard «». now. The order of the day » J *%*{£"■. 'er Try ours.—Geo. Fowlds, wo ;

Hats for the lKtie like our Jack tars. For «»>tao have lines at 2/0 to 5/11.-GW. Ltd.—(Ad.) -J.MM, Big alterations! Men's *MfflO men's under-pants and sll 'f t ?'J / n ) ,nW worth 2/0; men's B*7, $3 trousers, 2/11 pair; men's M&gg ing trousers, 4/11, 5/11 pair; WJ» -j , tea blouses, 1/n each; tooys'^^ washing hats, 1/- each.—At our .v Alteration Sale, 9 *•«• "/£*'Nctfand Ford, Ltd, the "Old Beehive, » ton. —(Ad.) attss Special value in cotton and gaol, latest colours, lowest price B«V ■ man and Bridgman.—.(Ad,£