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Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 57, 23 February 1918, Page 4

. Following is the official weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 this day: "The indications are for moderate to strong easterly winds. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled, with mild and hazy conditions, and rain probable. The barometer has a falling tendency, but rising after about 24 hours. Sea moderate. Tides good."

An award has been filed in the Court of Arbitration in reference to the Auckland city united'storemen's (Wool and grain) dispute. The award embodies, without alteration, the recommendations of the Conciliation Council, which the parties agreed to accept. The only matter referred to the Court was the question of preference, and the usual clause has been inserted. An award has also been filed in reference to the Auckland Hotel, and Restaurant Employees' dispute (Gisborne only). This also embodies without alteration the recommendations of the Conciliation Council, which the parties agreed to accept.

In order to select a candidate to represent their interests at the forthcoming election of a member of the Birkenhead Borough Council, a ballot was taken amongst the Birkenhead employees of the Colonial Sugar Co.'s Refinery at Chelsea yesterday. The votes were counted last evening, the highest number being secured by Mr. Ernest Hill, next in order being Messrs. Percy Backhouse, George Goodall and H. Munce. A strong committee was formed to further the candidature of Mr. Hill. This makes the third candidate announced, Messrs.- Darlow and Salt having previously declared their intention to nominate.

A rather extraordinary state of affairs was revealed at the sitting of the Military Service Appeal Board at Hamilton yesterday, when Donald Lee, farmer, Rotokauri, appealed on the ground that he was under age. He stated that he would not be 20 until November next. He had registered, giving hie correct age, yet was drawn in a ballot. Appellant gave evidence that, knowing that he was under age, he did not think it necessary to take any notice of the notification that he had been drawn in the ballot. He was subsequently arrested as a deserter. The chairman sympathised with Mr. Lee in the inconvenience and annoyance to which he had been subjected, and ordered that he should be paid his expenses for having had to attend the Appeal Board. "I don't usually do this," remarked Mr. Earl, "but I think it should be dene in this case."

A street appeal day in Auckland is being arranged and organised by the Auckland Hospital Patients' Benevolent Fund Association to be conducted next Friday. This was called the Hospital Auxiliary Fund, and before it took the new name it has a creditable record for the financial assistance it had rendered. Last year £585 was spent helping 106 families and 220 children. But the moneys in hand were not sufficient to carry on the operations of the association, and to increase its financial resources for the benefit of the sick and needy is the object of the present campaign. Over £100 has already been donated.

A case presenting some remarkable features came before the Supreme Court at Dunedin. Last month a man named David Henry Hill presented a monevorder for 7/0 at the post office in Oamaru, and the clerk, who was not accustomed to the work, made a singular mistake in handing to Hill tlie sum of £7 6/, instead of 7/6. Hill accepted the money and walked off, without acquainting the clerk with the mistake he had made. Mr. Justice Sim stated the law very clearly on the matter, pointing out that if a man received a sum of money which he must know iwas paid to him in mistake, and which lie knew- he had no right to, he was as guilty of theft as if he had put his hand over the counter and taken the money. When charged with the offence, the accused pleaded guilty. After hearing the facts his Honor released him on probation for 12 months, on condition that he refunded the money and paid the costs of the prosecution.

Another of the few remaining New Zealanders who took part in the fight at Eureka Stockade ha-s just died—Mr James Wdlburd, a resident of Bathurst for over half a century. He had attained the great age of 87 years. He arrived in Australia when 19 years of age, and was amongst the men who took part in the riots at Ballarat in December, 1854, which culminated in the attack on the Eureka Stockade, where a number of men were killed. Mr. Wilburd was wounded in the melee, and always retained the old Winchester rifle he used on that occasion. An old gentleman still lives at ATCh Hill who arrived- at the stockade the morning after the fight, and saw the bodies of the miners laid out prior to burial.

The practice of departing soldiers giving away badges, chevrons, etc., to their lady -friends was referred to at the Defence Expenditure Commission at Palmerston North, when the chairman suggested that possibly the high - price of these was fixed by the authorities so 'as to discourage the practice. A witness who was giving evidence said 'he had •had his badges since he went away to the front, and would not give . them away to anybody. There was a general laugh when it was suggested that perhaps the reason was that he was married.

It is announced in the " Gazette" that Captain P. H. Hall-Thompson, Naval Adviser to the Government, has been authorised to take possession of all wireless apparatus on any foreign merchant ship or British merchant ship not registered in New Zealand, such apparatus to be used in His Majesty's service as Captain Hall-Thompson may see fit.

A benefit concert has been arranged by Auckland's leading artists in conjunction with the Ponsonby United Football Club for the benefit of Mr. Spence Jones, a member of the club, who had his leg broken on the Domain last year in a football match, Railway v. Ponsonby. The concert will take place on Saturday next, March 2nd, in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall.

Investigation into a report published regarding the alleged closing up of the Tarawera River diversion shows there is no foundation for the report. The Tarawera River is still running out of the new cut, but during tho storm the river overflowed its banks slightly, the overflow finding its way to the old riverbed

The Waihi Borough Council, at a meeting last night, resolved to support a request by the Manawatu County Council to requisition the Government to resume race trains owing to the increased cost of repairing damage caused by extra motor traffic.

, I would like to go to the front, because it would be a holiday to mc compared with what I have been doing lately," remarked a farmer appellant before the Military Service Board at Hamilton.

Speaking, in Wellington on Thursday, the Prime Minister said that the actual pay a soldier received, taking into consideration food, clothing, medical and dental attendance, etc., was equivalent to more than 11/ a day.

A "Gazette Extraordinary" announces that tho maximum price of bacon and ham, when sold by a manufacturer, has been fixed at the standard price ruling December 1, 1917.

''"You could not get a boy to drive a baker's cart for love •or money—not if you paid him £3 per week," said & master baker at the sitting of the Appeal Court at Hamilton. "Boys won't come into the bakery, either. They don't liko the early hours." As the result of a recent conference, between the Waihi Borough Council, delegates and borough employees before the Conciliation Commissioner, a filial agreement was reached at a special meeting of the Council. The new award fixes wages at 10/ per day. When it was mentioned by tbe Hon. Mr. Wilford at the Napier deputation concerning the alien question ,last evening that all the Germans from Fiji had been deported to an unknown destination in Australia, there was Borne comment as to why all the Germans in New Zealand could not be so interned. Mr. Wilford explained that in Fiji after tho Seeadler incident strong representations were made to the Imperial authorities to have such a step as was taken carried, out. All the German population, which numbered about 50, came under the heading of suspicious, and consequently were interned. Similar steps would be taken, and had been taken, in New Zealand wherever there was cause for suspicion. Otherwise the Government was powerless to deal with them. In connection with this matter Mr. Wilford denied a statement current in New Zealand that there were no British people ■whatever allowed at large in Germany. He knew definitely, he said, that there were.

The Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon heard an application to have the Auckland Gas Company joined as a party to the general labourers' award, ironworkers' section. The application was p. -.->- b y \i r . Wesley Richards on behalf of the union, who stated that since the case was last before the Court the union had agreed that the company should be exempted from the clause, which provides that the workers' representative shall have the right to enter the gasworks on the understanding that the company became parties to the other clauses of the award. Mr. Grosvenor, for the employers, stated that the company was a public concern supplying gas to the public. He asked that they be included with the parties in the exemption clause, which provides that so long as the wages, overtime and Sunday rate* prescribed by the award are paid, the employers under this clause are exempt from the other clauses of .the award. The Court reserved its decision.

An Auckland gentleman, who has just returned from a trip through New Zealand, states that the pasture wherever he went was beautifully green, and evidently more plentiful than in many other years at this season. This is due to the frequent rains that have fallen during what is usually the dry season. Tlie weather 'has been exceptionally favourable for the dairying industry. In the Napier district the pasture has never looked better. In Canterbury, after about three years of drought, there is no such danger, and the crop 3 look really first-class, harvesting being in full-swing at the time of the visit. One point that struck the visitor is the great increase in the number of women who were assisting at harvesting, due no doubt to men having gone to the front. Women were seen busy on the top of stacks, doing the work usually relegated to the men..of the_district. In the Otago district the same remarks apply. The crops appear to have done well, the grain was in some cases being carted right from the fields to the nearest railway station. Thousands of sheep were seen at the stations awaiting trains to carry them to the various freezing works. "As far as my judgment goes," remarked the recent visitor to the South, "I have never before seen money so plentiful as it is at the present time in Dunedin."

The question of dealing with the damaged wall enclosing Little Shoal Bay is apparently provoking quite a battle royal in Birkenhead and Northcote municipal circles. The wall forms a connecting link, for pedestrians between the two districts, and the expenditure in connection therewith is shared by the two councils. The" Northcote Council last .Tuesday agreed to expend its share of £455 if the wall was repaired in accordance with Mr. F. E. Powell's advice, and raised three feet for the whole length to effectually prevent the possibility of exceptionally high tides again washing over the bank, with resultant damage.' Mr. J. Broady—who, with Messrs. Crowley and Barnes, dissented from approving of the work on the ground of its alleged inadequacy—has now given notice of motion to rescind the resolution passed. The Birkenhead Council on. Wednesday approved the more modified plan of raising the wall another 2ft. 3in., at a cost of £426, shared by Northcote. This was strongly opposed by the Mayor and Mr. A. Hadfield, the latter of whom has now given notice to move its repeal at the next meeting. In any case, a deadlock has been reached, one Council wishing to adopt the extra three feet to safeguard future untoward eventualities, while the other body, on the grounds of economy and believing such a course safe, only being prepared to vote the funds for an increased height of 2ft. 3in. The Birkenhead minority considers the expenditure Proposed excessive, while the Northcote minority favour a still greater amount for a more elaborate and substantial scheme.

The idea that shell shock at the front is responsible for many cases of insanity is without foundation. Men have returned from the front who have had to be confined in mental 'hospitals, but many of .these-would have fallen victims to mental disease even without going on active service. It is noteworthy that since the war began 45 soldiers have been received into the mental hospitais from the camps as against 44 returned soldiers. There are at present retraining in the institutions 23 soldiers from the camps, and 27 returned soldiers.

The excursion to-day to the Thames under the auspices of the Old Thames Boys' Association was well patronised. Up to Thursday evening last 600 tickets had been sold. The steamers chartered | —the Aupouri and the Waiotahi—left at one o'clock. They leave Thames on the return journey at five o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Excursionists may, if so desired, return on Tuesday's boat. The Thames Band is to meet the party on arrival.

Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, noticing in Leicester Square two soldiers from his own country, went up to speak to them. But they, having been duly warned of the danger of the affable stranger, first asked his name and his place of abode (says tlie London "Evening News"), and it was not until these details had been written down for them that they felt it was safe to converse.

New Zealand children thrive on New Zealand groats—Doctors' Cream o' Groats. Try this fresh, pure, nutritious food.—(Ad.) Ladies' print overalls, good shape, 2/U. Large white nurses' aprons from 2/6.— Frost's, Newmarket and Parnell. — (AdJ,