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Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1915, Page 4

The following is Mr. D. C. Bates' weather forecast for twenty-four hours from 9 a.m. this day: "The indications are for southerly winds .strong to gale. The weather wilJ probably prove squally and showery. The "night will probably be very cold. Barometer Vising. Tides high. Sea rough." Tfte Prime Minister, in acknowledging ooraeßpomdenee from tihe Harbour Beard respecting the exchange <of some land in itlhe paa-feb/ of Takapuna forming port of tihe Kauri Point Park Reserve for a section owned by the Board, states that inveetagartions are .being made to ascertain whetta- trustees were ever appointed for tflre- first mentioned parcel of land. r An inquest was held to-day regarding the death qf the boy George Eades, aged 15 years, who was thrown from his bicycle in Symonds Street, yesterday, receiving injuries from which he died in the hospital. The evidence of Dr. Grant, medical sμperintendent of the hospital, showed that.death was due to a fractured skull, and a verdict to this effect was returned by the Coroner. A prominent G'isborne sheepfarmer stated the other day that there was scarcely a station in the Gisborne district which was not at the present time carrying from 1000 to 2000 below normal carrying capacity. Stocks would be" still further reduced were it not for the fact tfiat pastoralists do not like to have to absolutely g&t tfclr-ihttp aw»y. ■■■■

The Harbour Board Engineer, reporting ior the fortnight ended March 16, states that a few -finiehing touches, are being given to the work on the western breakwater, and that electric mainsha've been run for the denoting light at its end. The light was shown for the first time laist evening. The Mechanic's Bay reclamation is nearly filled, the Chief Engineer of Railways having inspected it, and remarked upon the dispatch with which the work has been done. Splendid progress has also been made with the Quay Street extension, reports Mr. Hamer, who states that the footpath on the northern side has been completed for about a fortnight, while the northern half oi the roadway is through, and the southern portion about half done. The embankment at the St. George's Bay reclamation is now out about 115 ft from Campbell's Point.

I At the Magistrate's Court, Whangarei, yesterday, before Mr. E. Page, S.M., a weM-known kraal half-caste named Kake Akanrna (commonly known as Kake Auckland), wifro has*figured rather prominently 'on other 'occasiane before the local court, -was charged on three counts —being on licensed premises at Poiroti on March lltih, refusing to quit Voensed premises, -and assault on licensed premises. Mr. Edmunds appeared for accused. The evidence went to chow that accused, in company with other Maoris, had caffed at *he Poroti Hote!, 'and ihad asked for drink. Learning who accused was, the licensee had refused him. After partaking of tea in the draing-roomi accuised commenced "rowing," •jjid was ejected wfth difficulty after t/he licensee .had threatened to teleph-ona for tho police. Accused wav sentenced to ona month's .hard labour for assault, and was fined 10/ and 11/ costs on each of the I other two charges.

Some- good fun and £30 in hard cash were realised as the result of a happy thought at the local bowlers' dinner to their Christchurch visitors on Saturday evening. One of the Christchurch players was «a-ring a very handsome grey shirt,.which attracted gome attention amon;* some of the sportive members of tho Wellington Club. One offered the visitor a. guinea for it. As there was nothing doing, he proposed there and then to sell the visitor's shirt by auction for th<? Belgian Fund. Though no one except the owner knew the size of the shirt or its quality there wjis some spirited bidding, and after it had been sold over and over again it was finally knockpd down to the owner, who was thus enabled to leave by the IT o'clock boat with "a shirt to his -back." The sale realised £30.

"' Wtieri a Gisborrie gentleman was visiting the Old Country he found he could not induce his friends amongst the farming community to buy frozen meat. His cousin was one of the prejudiced. Since his return the Gisbornite sent Home three carcases of prime wethers for his relatives, who were interested in charity work, to distribute amongst the needy in the parish for ChristmasHe also asked his cousin to oblige him by trying a piece himself. This he apparently did, for the local farmer has received a letter from his cousin, who states that the meat was equal to the best of English mutton. The carcases were distributed amongst 20 families, who all testified.to the ex<;ellence of the quality. The local gentleman also mentioned that when at Home he invited the same relatives to 'tea, and unknowingly they ate and praised %p frozen lamb, which showed that much of the prejudice against frozen meat wag un-, justified. .

' The city by-law relating to the protection (by gauze f . glass or otherwise) of fruit and other food on public sale for consumption, which was attacked by Mr. J. B. Reed, K.C., in defending a charge against F. J. Wilson, a fruit hawker, has been held to be quite good. Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., gave judgment to that effect this morning. He said the grounds for attacking the by-law were: (1) That it was uncertain in ite terms; and (2) that it was unreasonable. The by-law referred to "food ordinarily consumed in the state in which it was sold," and, though -come people -peeled apples before so many young people ate toeliiiftjft-itiiojit peeling it that it might Dβ ealls(l*aa-orfiinary thing to consume apples that way, just as >it would be considered out of the ordinary for a person to eat a'cocoanut in the state in which it was sola." He considered the use of the word "ordinarily" made the clause sufficiently definite. It might not be reasonable to expect tradesfolk to protect their goods in the way that scientific instruments were protected, but for practical purposes the use of gauze and glass was reasonable. Defendant would be fined 10/ and costs.

"In this caee the men got the leafiete printed by a respectable firm of printers, innocently acoeptedi them and distributed ■them to lother -members of the union, and it would have been extraordinary if they had noticed that the leaflets had no imprint," -ebated Mr. Cuttem, S.M., yesterday, in indicating his regret that having found" -tihiree . membera of tlie Waterside Workers' Union technically guilty of havi-agxiiepeieed a leaflet having no imprint, he had to fine them £5 each, that being the. minimum fine. The men were Cook, Miller and Solomon, who had a "ticket" far the Waterside Union's electron of office-bearere printed, and had distributed i>t among the members, but .had neglected to observe that the printer lhad not put his imprint on the piper, which was a perfectly inn'oeent and ilmrinleas publication.

A Ohristchurch paper remarks:— "There is a somewhat unusual demaifd by investors for suitable investments ■that is, gilt-edged securities. Money 13 freely offering in varioas sums at 5$ per cent, and borrowers in this district, with rural land as security, have no difficulty in obtaining the amounts -they require at reasonable rate 8 of interest. This is rather singular considering the fact that the greatest war the world has evei seen is still in progress, and it may be taken as an evidence of the confidence investor's have in the stability of this' country. The cessation of hostilities in Europe will, probably, open up other channels for investment, and this -will have fche natural effect of reducing the amounts now available here."

The Rev. Father Lane, who has..sjust returned to Gisborne from Ireland, said in a lecture that there was no more prospect of civil war between the north and south of Ireland than there wae between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.' • The first contingent of Irish Nationalist volunteers to leave Ireland •to go "to the assistance of England, he said, were escorted through a northern town by one of fche Orange brass bands. Did that look like civil war?

"Yes, Idogo to the races," 'stated a woman at the Mngißtra/te'e Court this manning, wlhen asking for maintenance from her- brothers and sisters, and on being accused of rwaeting what sih.e had been already given. "It's the only place here that a woman cam go alone," ehe explained,

A meeting convened Mg the Southland Fanners' Union aiseuesiid the Government's proposals to prohibit the exportation of oats arid chaff, and carried the following resolution, with three dissentients: "That this'meeting entirely disapproves of the Government's action in prohibiting the exportation of produce; that it is an unwarrantable interference with the farmere in the carrying out of their business, as it will tend to diecourage the growing of oats and create a worse evil than exfets now."

"I lore the man, and think he has just been led astray," stated a woman who had had her husband arrested and brought before Mr. Cutten, SJ\L, for failing to adequately provide for Her. "It's the first time he hasn't paid ine his wages." An explanation of the circumstances by Senior-sergeant Kutledge was to the effect that the man failed to turn up home on Friday with his wages, having ■probably got drunk, and his wife, thinking he would probably leave her, took out a warrant against him on Saturday. The charge was adjourned for four days with a view of the husband probably being able to satisfactorily explain to his spouse in camera how it had all happened, and being forgiven tide -time.

I A representative o! the New Zealand Government, Mr. G. L. Tacon, who was sent i-o South America to inquire into 'the prospects for tile eale of New Zealand fruit there, has cent a lengthy report to the Department of Agriculture from Buenos Aires, in the course of which he says: "Buenos Aires can be relied upon to take all the suitable apples and pears Xew -Zealand tan send here for at least some years to come. One buyer says that if it is certain that we can supply the class of apples he requires, in good condition, he would 'take about 2000 cases by each fortnightly steamer, and pay 14/ per c.i.f. for them. Only the beet fruit is wanted, and -grading and -packing must be honest and careful. The size 3, as nearly as possible, should be %\ to Z\. Highfy-coloure'd apples ire most favoured," but others, such te 'Munro's Favourite' and 'Stunners' when matured, will probably fetch good prices. Softer varieties 'should not be shipped, as they ■will not stand the journey, and will always cause much trouble. Some 1\ in size would be taken, but not too many, and nothing below full 2* would be saleable."

Arrivals at the port of Aockland during the fortnight ended 18th included one mail steamer, four large cargo steamers, four intercolonial and Islandtraders, eleven coastal 'steamers 'from Southern ports, and brie sailer, an aggre-. ga"fe of 71,410 tons gross and 44,108 "net tons. In addition there were 257 local coasters of 43,270 gross and 23,240 net. tons, making a grand total of 114,680 gross and 67.348 net tons. The depar-; tures were one mail steamer, five large cargo steamers, five intercolonial and Island traders, thirteen coastal steamers to Southern ports, two sailers, one war-, ship, and one H.M.N.Z.T, an aggregate of 93,437 gross and 61,052 net tons, which, with 254 local coasters of 41,566 gross and 22,566 net tons, makes a grand total of 135,003 gross and 83,618 net tons. In the same period the patent slipway has been engaged by two vessels of 410 "tons : for five days, and Calliope Dock by 'five vessels of 2,045 tons for six days. During the fortnight the arrivals at Onehunga numbered 12 coastal steamers of 4,106 net tons, and', the departures of 12 steamers of, 4,100 net tone. ' ' v.- «£ t■■ ■■_ ?-... -•> v ■ \

At last the public ere <to -be placed within measurable distance of obtaining fruit and soft drinks on Sunday, .says the "Sydney Daily Telegraph." The question has been discussed in Parliament time and again, but Mr. Black, in hU new post a s Chief Secretary, has definitely decided the matter. The Sinister informed a representative of the '•Daily Telegraph" last :weefc tTiat he had had an interview with the InspectorGeneral of police, and ffiiat officer -was quite in accord with his View *hat the sale of light refreshments should be permitted on Sunday. "I a m inclined to think," the Minister added, "that under the law if drinks and fruit are consumed on the premises there is no infringement of the law. I have written a minute to the effect that the sale of fruit and cordials is permitted on Sundays, but I am recommending that during church hours the doors of the shops be kept slic-htlv ajar, so that there ishall be no offence to •the susceptibilities ol church-Min* people. The Premier j» in accord with what I propose. The minute will take effect at once, and Spplyto the city as well as the country." -

Japanese rape seed having recently been offered for sale in New Zealand and considerable doubt- having existed ac to whether this seed was of a variety suitable for fattening live stock, the t!l«e tary for Agriculture cailed to the Britieh Consul at Tokyo as follow "Is Japanese rape seed of forage variety or of annual oil-producing kind? If both produced, cable trade description of former." A reply has just been received from the British Ambassador as follows: -Japanese rape eeed is mostly annual oil-producing variety. One district grow a foreign variety calkd Hamburg The Parburyhenty Company a Bntoh firm at Kobe, has been export ing it to Australia in considerable quantitles, and it goes under the name of Es»ex rape." This information should aS e,et N«r Zealand importers to secu c a proper variety, and should minimise the risk of their getting the comparatively useless birdseed rape. ■

A crowded meeting held in Dunedin by the Sooal Democratic party | deimmichig exphtftens of fdodsbuffs iar tekmg of «Ke pr e . sent .vao- cnsß, end « the Gov«on «f the flour, and meat a Z &*? <*? «ouatfy, and to ensure by a*te enterprise that feufficient wWt •rtMil .be grown fa Jj ew ZeaJand « eeaeon, not only fox v* people of t£ country, but for purchase to exportation at a amamurn price to assist the denied attempte to defray out of the war tons, etc, and demUnded 4 graduated 'tax on lamd and incomes. * ali *rea

Some time ago it was announced by a ladies'outfitter in Gisborne that she in tended giving the whole of the profits of her .business for twelre months to the Belgian Relief Fund. Within tw! months she had £100 to pat A* credit of the fund, ,nd ZJtly A t£l instalment of £108 was receiv-ed.

The Telegraph Office adriees that packed week-end and deferred rate S " c ™***W*e and will be refused. Each weekend and deferred rate message must be complete in itself, *nd must not contaon messages for two or routes—T,-!a Pacific and via Eastern

It hasbeen decided fte Q Appeal to hear argument, on April 1* -next, in connection with the three election petitions recently lieard at T e Kuiti