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Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 129, 31 May 1918, Page 4

The Weather Bureau forecast is Bβ follows: "The indications are for variable and moderate breezes, liut moderate to strong northerly prevailing. There is a prospect of fair to cloudy weather. The barometer ha* a falling tendency. Tides -rood. Pea moderate.' . In order to brin<r the dispute over wharf porting charges levied by the Railway Department to a head, the Wansanui importers hare decided to refuse to pay what they consider exorbitant rates. A sorting charge of 1/li per ton was imposed by the Government recp.nHv.

The failure of some aliens and naturalised subjects to render military service formed the basis of a remit which was carried, strengthening the hands of the Government, at the Farmers' Union Conference. The remit, which was irom the Kaukapakapa branch of the union, provided for such defaulters being conscripted at soldier rates of pay to be used in essential industries.

Twenty-five soldiers and two dependent* applied yesterday before the Military Pensions Board for the renewal of their allowances, and fourteen, of the soldiers had their request granted. Seven were given permanent pensions, the allowance in two cases was terminated, and two other appeals against terminated pensions were dismissed. Of the two dependents, one, a wife whose husband had regular employment, had the pension taken away. The other, a widowed mother of a soldier now dead, had her weekly pension of 10/ increased by 50 per cent.

At a special meeting of the City Council last night a by-law relating to the minimum • cab and van fares and delimiting the route of eattl*-driving through the city was passed. A by-law enabling the Council to prohibit the habitual use as a thoroughfare of any grassed portion of the municipal parks and reserves- was ' > passed. The object of the lastnau is to prevent unsightly tracks bring made through grassed areas set apart for ornamental purposes or for the playing of certain games. These hylavvs have yet to be advertised, and the Council will consider objections and the advisability of amendments before confirming and making the proposals operative.

A public meeting to consider the proposal to erect a Soldiers' Club was held in Hamilton on Wednesday. The Mayor. Mr. .). \V. Ellis, said that the Borough Council had agreed to offer, at a peppercorn rental, a most suitable site for the building, which would be available for citizen mid soldier members, and which, when the purposed of the Soldiers' Club had been served, would revert to the municipality. The proposal was approved, and those present were appointed a general committee, witli power to add to their number. An executive, consisting of the Mayor and Messrs. .1. R. I'ow. A. R. Manning. MeLeod. Hay. McGregor, and Voider, was appointed. It was stated that £, r )000 was required, and lx'fore the meeting closed £1150 was subscribed, with conditional promises bringing the amount to £IjoO.

The Auckland City Council was requested by a deputation from the Education Board, at its meeting last evening, to contribute towards a fund for creating a manual training school at Kingeland. Mr. (i. W. Murray, in support of the request, outlined the proposal, and emphasised the necessity for such an institution on the western side of the city. He stated that the proposal wae to expend £1.800, of which £600 was expected to come from interested local bodies in the neighbourhood. That amount would be subsidised t for C by the Government, anil the balance of Utiou would be granted by the Kducation Department. The City Council was requested to contribute ci'.)o- The matter was referred to the Finance ami Legal Committee, with permission to a deputation from the Education Hoard to attend and more fully explain the pro]K)sal.

Speaking in connection with soldier settlements ;it the annual Provincial Conference of the Farmers' I'nion. Mr. H. Melvill C'rispe. delegate from Mauk\ stated that evidently the settlement of the land was not a popular proposition with returned soldiers, for out of In.OOO soldiers who had returned t<. this Dominion only some (idO odd had so fur taken up sections. Mr. Crispe contended that the conference was wasting ;i lot of time over a matter that the Government was making every effort to deal with. Ho also stated that in connection with this matter provision had been made for soldiers to take up a section in any part of the Dominion they desired to, and that the usual grant covering the section would be available if the deal wa-s approved of by the Departmental officers.

Commenting lust night at a meeting of the executive of the Auckland Second Division League on statements made at the Returned Soldiers' Association Conference. Mr. A. A. Creamer, president of the League, said the League had on several occasions nought the co-opera-tion of the Association, and the Association had never invited the League to discuss the question of repatriation. The League's repatriation proposals were formulated at the suggestion of the Minister of Defence, who at once placed the proposals before Cabinet. The speaker deplored the lack of information evidenced by several speakers as to the objects anil achievements of the League. He instanced the statement by the president of the Association that under the pension scheme put forward by the League the widow of a Ciallipoli hero would receive less than the widow of a soldier who fell in France four years later. No such distinction existed, all widows now receiving the same pension, irrespective of when their husbands wer: , killed. Mr. Creamer added that he knevi the statements made at the conference did not represent the views of the general body of returned men, and expressed the hope that the two organisations would work together f or the betterment of all soldiers and their dependents.

The Californian quail appears to have a fondness for grass-sped, and apparently acts under the delusion that seed sown on new burns is placed there for its particular ■benefit. The question of removing the protection from these birds was discussed at the conference of the Farmers' Union yesterday. It seemed ridiculous, one speaker said, that the Government should think it necessary to protect them. In the hill country especially the birds simply ate the grass-seed as soon aa it was sown. One of those present statetl that a farmer of his acquaintance, who found he had a large following of quail when sowing, had adopted the plan of steeping some seed in a solution of arsenic. Since then, the speaker said, he had not been troubled by quails. "And the Government didn't say a word." he concluded amidst lau"hter.

Farmers in tlawke'a Bay are complaining of depredations of rooks amonir their lloeks. The rooks have acquired the habit of attacking not only lambs, -hut full-grown sheep, and the losses in some parts of the district are becoming serious. The birds attack the flocks not only in the daytime, but also during moonlight nights, and one fanner near Farndon has lost scores nightly. The rooks attack the throats of the sheep, and numberd can be seen in the paddocks with open wounds. One was seen with its head completely severed with the exception of the spinal column. The birds also eat the (lean right down the middle of th:> l.iu-k, rendering the skin quite n-cl-.r. A., the rooks are protected the position is serious in some part:- of the districts. Representations arc being made to the Government on the subject.

The Good Roads Committee of the Nortli Auckland Development Board have procured a large number of copies of the fourth annual report of the Country Road Boards of Victoria, and have supplied a copy- to every County Council .throughout Northland. The report contains a mass of useful information, and should do much to formulate new ideas with regard to road construction and maintenance amongst the County Councils of the North.

A proposal by the Oiiinemuri County Count !1 that the Government should take over the whole of the main arterial roads of the North Island, and should make and maintain same out of the consolidated revenue, was forwarded to the Auckland City Council for support, and came before the Council's meeting last night. The matter was referred to the Finance and Legal Committee, the only passing criticism being that of -Mr! A. J. Entrican that the matter was rather outside the scope of municipal politics.

'The motor-car pidled up in ite own length. It took a minute and a half to do so." This statement was made by a witness in a collision case heard at the Chriistchureh Supreme Court, and although the matter of time was the subject of some questioning by counsel, the witness stuck obstinately to his estimate. As a last resort, counsel suggested to the witness that he should study his watch for half a ininnte. Thirty seconds ticked by, and the witness exclaimed: "Oh! it was not as long as that!"

One of the returned men from the front, who arrved in Oamaru the other day. tells thi> story of a New Zealand gunner, who had juet arrived at his sector in France, shaken hands with those who would l>e his mates, and turned to proceed to his quarters when a shell came over and he found himself badly wounded—so badly, indeed —that after hospital treatment, h<? was sent back to New Zealand. He has done hie bit, but it did not take him long to do it. Such are the misfortunes of war.

"That this conference protests against the stagnant attitude of the Government regarding important public works such as roads, railways, etc, and considers that the Government should raise a special Public Works Loan, and is confident it would be fully subscribed." These expressions were the subjectmatter of a remit from the Matahuru branch of the farmers' Union which came up for consideration at the annual conference this morning. The remit was carried with only one dissentient.

A meeting of the executive of the Farmers' Memorial Committee was hold yesterday afternoon wh.-n the question of the terms and conditions of the proposed scholarship were reconsidered. Following a recommendation of the subcommittee, comprising Messrs. 1C A. Craijr, W. P.. Leyland. Captain Fleming, marine superintendent, and Captain Burk. the executive adopted the amended conditions, which will be submitted to a meeting of the general committee on Friday next. If these are then adopti-d the committee will lie able to proceed at once with the promotion of the appeal to the public in support of the movement.

The war has greatly enhanced the value of rabbit skins, probably because of the great use rabbit fur is put, to in the manufacture of hats for the soldiers, and this winter the prices bade fair to soar as they did last winter, but apparently a check has occurred. A Southern paper has been informed that there has been a drop in value of about (JO per cent, within the last few days, consequently on America stopping the import of skins. It is expected that the market will recover before long. Meanwhile sixpence apiece hod beon the ruling local price for fair average skins, and several contract** had been fixed up on that basw. The paper adds that unless America reversas her decision the dealers seem likely to lose.

A social evening to raise funds for the furnishing of the Soldiers' Hostel was held under the auspieee of the Girls' Committee of the Women's Mutual Aid Society at the Druids' Hall last evening. The Hon. Arthur M. Myers gave a short address, and briefly outlined the object of the evening. The social was well attended, and the fund should benefit considerably by the proceeds. Musical items •were rendered by Miss Madeline Knight, Misses Bailey and Walker, and Mr. Bell.

A muscular Russian named Barnard Kromen. a man with a had record, ran amok in Pahiatua. and smashed the windows of several business premises. Damage totalling ESO was done. In one instance a plate-glass window, valued at £34, was broken. Kromen was fined £40. in default 12 months' imprisonment. In response to » deputation representing Pitt and Beresford Street churches, the Works Committee last night recommended the City Council to have the present lavatory in Bcresford Street replaced by one on the plan of tnat erected in Newton Road, at a coat of about £200. The Town Hall to-morrow evening will be ocenpied by fiOO action song perform-, ers who will contribute a most attractive programme of sixteen numbers, including some unique and novel items which will 'be presented with due spectacular effects. The Temperance Guards Hand and Mr. Tom Garland in monologues will add variety to the entertainment. His Worship the Mayor will preeide.

A parly of 30 settlers from the Far North —under the aegis of Colonel Allen Bell, president of the Mangonui Agricultural and Pastoral Association — arrived in Auckland this week, for ttie purpose of attending the farmers' week in Auckland, and afterwards going to Waikato to visit the winter show and. the Rnakura Experimental Farm. The visit of Northland farmers will undoubtedly do much to improve agricultural conditions in the North, and the visitors will undoubtedly return home inibued with new ideas and a wider outlook.

Constable F. Bourke, who has become very popular during service of about four years in the Auckland District Police Ofliee, was made a presentation by his comrades of a travelling bag, umurella, and nicely-mounted hairbrush to-day, on the evp of his departure, on transfer to the district office at lnvercargill. In Christchurch on Tuesday morning some excitement was ca;ised in Cathedral Square by the attempt of a man wearing! an Australian military uniform to evade arrest by two members of the local military police force. The man was seen vi the Square in company with a young woman, and was arrested as a deserter, lie gave his name as ('. C. Jonca, and asked to be allowed to have a few minutes' conversation with his lady friend. The request was granted, but Jones took the opportunity to make a dash for liberty. He made off towards the west side of the Square, but was promptly followed by the two policemen, and again arrested. From this stage until he was put into a cab Jones put up a strong resistance. lie is a man of small build, but it took the two military police all their time, with the help of a detective, to effect the arrest. At one stage, whilst the detective and one of the police were practically dragging the man along towards the cab, Jones, with a sudden push, nearly sent the detective flying into the putter. He was eventually carried, still fighting violently, into the cab. Jones was removed to the barracks, where he was put under lock and key. Jones had been seen about the town for several days, but up to Tuesday morning had managed to retain his liberty.

Krorn all parts of Christchurch there have come, within the past few weeks, complaints of petrol storerooms having been raided by night and the precious oil borne off. One of the latest victims is the firm of ISriseoe and Co., whose cellar was forced, and about seven tins of petrol removed. That thie was the work of a marauder who specially sought the motor spirit seems to be borne out by the fact that while the linn's warehouse was also broken into nothing has been missed from it. There was no petrol there.

Counsel wn appealing against a conviction for theft at the Palmerston North Supreme Court recently. "Suppose," he said, illustrating his point in mitigation of hi* client's action, "that 1 am authorised to place my hand in your pocket and take out one shilling, and 1 take two?" "Then lam afraid I would have to run you in." said his Honor, smiling. Some of the Maoris in Otaki district make a feature of growing violets. A Gisborne resident was informed by one native that he had :i:S00 plants growing, and was putting in more next season. The native mentioned that Lα had that morning sent 1500 blooms to Wellington, and would he sending the same number next day. He had a order for COOO blooms a week, while another firm wanted 4000. The violet* were then hardly in full bearing, but would soon yield enormously. Some of the natives (the visitor was told) were very well out of violets. The officer from the Customs Department who attends at the parcels post department of the Poet Office will be in attendance from 9 a.m. until noon as from Tuesday next. The restricted hours will not apply on occasions when particularly big mails are to be dealt with.