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Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 211, 5 September 1924, Page 4

- Some lady witnesses have their own ideas regarding tlie right of free speech oven in a court of justice. A case came before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., in which a brother obtained judgment for £13 against his sister. Ag she left the Court the female litigant turned to her brother and said, "You are a dirty mongrel; you are a dirty blackguard like my own husband." The brother wisely took up the position of "Never a word spake he." The offer by Dr. T. W. Ley?, of a largo oil painting by Mr. E. W. Payton. ''iarawera Mountain and Lake. Sunset .Scene of ISBH Eruption." was last uijht accepted for the Art Gallery, by the City Council, with thanks to the donor. In his letter submitting the picture, Dr. Leys stated: "Apart from the artistic merits of thiß picture, it has an historic value, becuusc the country lias greatly changed since the picture" was painted, and is still changing. The artist hag been remarkably successful in reproducing the topographical features of the mountain and iake, which were the scene of one of tiie most remarkable volcanic outbursts in recent times."

Among tlie many very beautiful wild flower, of Australia, "rowing alike on so-called desert and seashore, is the native roue. All other of these hundred and one products of tlie bush in flower, •variegated and colourful as they are, fail to rival the sweet simplicity of the native rose. It ia a rose in miniature, of a beautiful pink, growing freely on a mnnll shrub. All attempts to cultivate it have failed. Australians in Auckland may see a splendid display of the native rose, arranged by Mrs. Xorman Wilde, in the lounge of tlie Albert Hotel.

Two years ago. says the "New Zealand Times," a young Australian took a job peeling potatoes on a steamer bound for San Francisco. He landed in the United States with little more than the clothes he wore. He is returning to Australia now by the Maunganui. which left Wellington on Wednesday night. On the top deck ia a motor car which he is taking home for his own use. But he himself is not to be found in the first saloon. He is back at his original job, peeling potatoes.

At a preliminary meeting for the formation of a Stamp Club in connec-

tion with tho hoys' room of the Leys Institute, about 30 hoys were present, Mr. Brown, president of the Auckland Philatelic Society, presiding and explaining in a very interesting manner the Objects and value of the proposed club. It is intended to affiliate with the Auckland Philatelic Society, the committee of which has promised cvory po-siblc assistance. Weekly meetings will he held, and it is hoped that the club will prove a useful adjunct to the work of the boys' room. Por downright vandalism some boys would be hard to heat. During the holidays, and more especially yesterday,

there have been a large number of boys from the city fishing off the Stanley Bay wharf. Despite a -notice stuck up that no fishing is allowed, no one bothers much about the youthful fishermen so long as they behave themselves and do not unduly interfere, with the traffic ou the long jetty. Yesterday, however, when the tide commenced to ebb, many of the boys found that the current was too strong and that their sinkers were too light. They discovered that the ridging on the roof of the men's'waiting shed was lead-edged, and soon they had the end of ft length torn from its place, and with a sharp knife got the lead which they required. When the passengers commenced to gather for one of tlie usual trips across the harbour, one boy was still on tbe roof asking for a sharp knife, and when he was remonstrated with for his destructiveness. he soon got down and hid amongst the piles under the wharf till the ferry boat had gono.

The Waitemata County Council has put a proposition to the City Council that it should contribute £200 towards the reconstruction of the Huia waterfront between the wharf and school, which was recently destroyed by storm. The cost of the work would be £1000, of which the Public Works Department would contribute £500 on a £ for £ basis, but the County Council could only contribute £300. The Waitemata Council tliought that the City Council might be prepared to contribute £200 in view of tbe road being necessary in connection with the waterworks. The City Engineer reported that the road does not at the present time affect the council iv relation to the Huia Valley for waterworks purposes, excepting the road between Huia and Big Muddy Creek, which gives access to the council's property at Cornwallis and is constantly used by the engineering staff. The City Council lias authorised its engineer to negotiate with the Waitemata Council, on the basis of cither making a substantial contribution towards the upkeep of this road or, otherwise, itself appointing a surface man and undertaking the metalling of certain of the worse sections of the road from time to lime as required. It is announced that negotiations have boon brought to finality between the Taihape and Fcilding Farmers' Freezing Companies whereby the Taihape works will close, all stock from that company's shareholders to be handled at tbe Feilding works. This arrangement will continue until the complete recovery of the freezing industry. The Government Tourist Department has received advice from Oakland, California, that a party of fifty people are coming to Xew Zealand by the Xiagara, arriving in Auckland on February 2. The party -is visiting Hawaii, South Seas, Australia and Xew Zealand. Tbe Xew Zealand itinerary will include Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, and the Wanganui River. During the month of August the Onehunga Borough Council issued building permits of the total value of £13,957,' made up as follows:—Dwellings, 10,' value £6099; sheds and garages, 19, .£525: alterations and additions, 11. -.733_.

"I had to walk to the atop below the J.C.L. for a car!" Thus a lady to her husband after the performance of "The Dream of Gerontius," by the Choral Society last night. Fortunately, it was a fine night, and a few minutes more on one's homeward journey made little or no difference. But there are occasions when cars at the Town Hall, ready to take one home, would be a convenience. The tramway officials seem not to be patrons at Town Hall functions. Perhaps they favour His Majesty's, ancrit whicli Mr. Brinsden complained at la-st night's meeting of the City Council.

A correspondent writes: "The American lady who advertised her houses to let only to persons with large families, writing to a friend in Auckland, says: I wondered how the news of my unußiial proposition got into the pages of the 'Auckland Star.' I had hundreds of letters from all over tjie United States asking was it really true that I wanted children in my houses': I have bought seven houses within a stone's throw of Lynn, Mass., and I have in them fortythree children, one family of ten, one of eight, and in my four-room tenements four and live children each. It is a dreadful thing the way landlords act about allowing children in their houses. They seem to think it a crime to have a family."

■The ejty waterworks engineer has reported that in a system where duplicate mains are laid, the question of large service reservoir capacity }s not required, but that when, however, the new pipe line is completed, a triplicate pipe line will be available front the various sources. Provision had been made in the present pipe contract fpr an _Bj"n rising main to Mt. Eden reservoir, tl»u. duplicating the existing 1-in main, also a loin main duplicating the 9ih main as far as St. Mark's Road, leaving only 70 chain of Oin pipe to complete the duplication to Mt. Hobson reservoir. The work is to lie placed on next year's estimates.

'"We often convict ourselves by notifying the clerk of the Court," stated a Christchurch defendant in a eaae in tlie Aghburton Court, when he was charged with having failed to forward notice to the authorities contemporaneously with the dispatch of liquor. He explained that in many cases where the liquor was called for by the purchaser the police would know nothing of its dispatch, but for the fact that the vendor, advised the Court in the no 7 license district to which the liquor was going. If the a4 v ices were a day late reaching their destination the forwarders were promptly summoned and fined. Often the delaya were not due to any slackness on their part. Thus it would be seen how a man's honesty could lead him into Court. The defendant agreed with the magistrate that it was essential for tho police to be in possession of the information at the earliest opportunity in order to watch liquor dealings, but he merely wished to show where traders could evade their obligations if they cared to vi»k it by omitting to notify the clerk of the Court of liquor brought in by people to take to their homes in a no-license district by motor car.

. At the Wanganui Magistrate's Court (reports the "Chronicle"), when John Downer appeared to answer, two charges in respect of allowing cattle to wander at Mosstown, counsel for the Waitotara County Council, pointed out that the

defendant was in the habit of taking the wljole day to remove his stock front one paddock to another about a mile away. He understood that the defendant had not (sufficient, grazing room in his paddocks, so he grazed them on the road, where they were » continual source of trouble to people in the vicinity, as they broke down fences and damaged drains. This sort of an offence, remarked counsel, was exceedingly difficult to detect. The defendant said that he was under the impression that so long as someone was in charge of the stock it waa not termed grazing on the road. Mr. Barton, S.M.. pointed out that the defendant's interpretation

of the law was wrong, and that stock were to be grazed in paddocks and not on the roads. He then convicted and fined the' defendant. The story of a bull in a china shop Is time-honoured, but it ia not often that such incidents occur in real life. Ok a recent afternoon, however (relates the "Daily Times") a resident of Columbia Road, Masterton. had a rather exciting experience with one of the bovine family. A drover was taking some cattle along the road when a Hereford bullock became excited, rushed through a vacant section, and jumped a fence. The animal made straight for the residence, and entered the back door. The surprise of the lady of the bouse can be easily imagined when she went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea. and found the room occupied by a lougliorncd bullock, frothing at the mouth with excitement. The lady immediately summoned her husband," who handled the bullock carefully and got it to

leave quietly. The drover and the occupants of the house consider themselves lucky that no damage waa done. The ruling passion is apt to trip a man over his conversation sometimes (remarks the Christchurch "Sun). That was twice exemplified at a meeting of the Xew Brighton Borough Council. One councillor, ah enthusiastic lodge member, addressed the Deputy-Mayor as "worthy chief," and immediately was laughed at by his fellow councillors. Later a speaker in a deputation, -whose knowledge of the egg-prodtlcing business is well known, meant to say "motor-cycling," but the word "poultry" somehow slipped out by mistake. "If I were naked what was the most interesting place in the whole world, I should say the dentist's chair," stated Professor Adams, amid laughter, at Palmerston (says the "Standard"), when stressing the value of interest in teaching. "Every movement of the dentist is of interest to the occupant of the chair," he added, amid renewed laughter. The City Council last night received an inquiry from the architect of the Education Board, asking whether it would demolish the fence in front of the Normal School and put in a rock border in lieu of the Board painting the fence, the cost of which (£2O or £25) could be handed over to the Council. The request was declined. The King's Empire Veterans have decided to erect a memorial to the lute Lieut. Harry Wrigg, X.Z.C. With the approval of the City Council this will take the form of a tablet to be placed in the vestibule of tlie Town Hall. In response to a report front Mr_. A. L. Trevithick as to when Owens Road is to be completed, the City Engineer li»_ reported that £1930 had been included in the proposed street, improvements loan schedule, and that in the meantime necessary maintenance would be carried out. Miss T. Stevenson, of Auckland, wag second in the mezzo soprano »010 competition at Wellington with 80 points, the winner being Mrs. Miller, of Lyttelton, 83 points.

"This was one of the finest visits I have ever made to any foreign country, and I cannot tell you how much we approve of New Zealand and the royal entertainment which we had while there." These remarks are made in a letter just received by an Aucklander from Dr. R. R. Smith,"of Grand Rapids. Michigan, who attended the Medical Congress in Auckland, in company with Dr Mayo, and to whom a set of photograph of Auckland and its environs was afterwards sent as - a memento ot the visit. Further testimony to the high quality and general excellence of the "Auckland Municipal Record" continues to arrive froni abroad. The latest appreciation is from the Brisbane publishing firm or H J Diddams and Co., the head oi which is an old Aucklander and a former Mayor of Brisbane. In a letter to the Brett Printing Co., wiiich printed tlie second number of the "Record," Messrs Diddams and Co. state: "We smcerelj congratulate you ou the high standard achieved by your firm in the printing °* the second number, and the council on the excellence of the two issues, from both a literary and an «*»»»*£• standpoint." There was such a strong demand for the second number of the "Municipal Record" that no more ate now available. The next issue is to bt. published in October, and will deal principally Vftn Auckland's water supply. Thanks to the promptitude of the Remuera Fire Brigade, a m:l~-vendo , Mr J- H. Wattan, of Grand \ue Road, Remuera saved his motor van this. morninz He was delivering milk at the corner of Upland Road and Remuera Road, and at about half-past five the front of his motor car caught fire, _ benzine leak apparently coming hi contact with a short-circuit. The Remuera Fire Brigade was rung up, and arriving smartly, put the blaze out with the chemical cylinder. The two front wheels and the dashboard and wiring were damaged, but the car was covered by a policy in the New Zealand Office.

While working on a building in Albert Street yesterday afternoon Mr. J. Thompson, a labourer, aged 44, and a single man, missed liis footing when walking along a plank, and had his left leg sex-erely crushed between the plank and a steel girder which was beinqlowered at the t'.me. He was immediately sent to the hospital, where his injuries were to. Tlie total rainfall at Waihi for last month was SJ3G inches, a little more than half the August average. The total fall in the first eight months of the Year was 76.58 inches. There were fourteen frosts and 185 hours of sunshine during the month. A lad aged 15, Ray Rodgers, of 48, St. Mary's Koad, Ponsonby, when cycling up Khyber Pass yesterday, fell off the machine, and the rear wheel of a motor lorry which was passing went over his hand. The lad was taken to the hospital, where it was found his band was severely crushed. At a parade of the 45th Senior Cadet Co., Sergeant-Major Jamieson was presented with Lady Godlcy's Cup for the best shot in the company during the year ended May 31, 1924. SergeantMajor Jamieson scored 116 out of a possible 120. The Chief Postmaster advises that the mails which left Auckland by the -Makura on Aug-Ust 5, via Vancouver, arrived. _n London yesterday. Mr. C. H. Furness has been appointed to represent local bodies on the Board of Managers of the Seddon Memorial College.