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Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 224, 22 September 1925, Page 6

During the course of his crossexamination of a witness in tbe Supremo Court this morning counsel, in speaking of a poultry farm, said the business had gone back, and eggs had "chopped." His Honor: "Dropped?" Counsel (smilingly): "Yes. sir." His Honor (amid smile's): "That would be fatal to their market value!" During the westerly gale at Auckland on Sunday morning one of the stern mooring wires from the training ship Philomel to the jetty at Devonport carried away a wharf bollard. At the time of the occurrence the warship was moored with four lines, and was therefore in no danger of breaking away from the wharf. After the incident, however, she was secured with ,two additional lines until the storm abated. Plans of the proposed alterations to the British Buildings were submitted at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Electric Power Board. The estimated cost of remodelling of two shop fronts, erecting a new suspension verandah and other necesary work was put down at £1271. The proposals were adopted. It was decided to notify the present tenants that the .board would be prepared to consider granting leases for a period of three years, till April 14, 1028, at rentals to be determined after the alterations have been carried out. A cash contribution of £150 was made yesterday by the Auckland Electric Power Board toward the cost of the Auckland provincial court at the New Zealand Exhibition in Dunedin. A further sum of £50 was allocated for advertising in connection with the Exhibition. "My experience of Chinese," said a witness at the Magistrate's Court this morning, "is that they are careful, honest men." He was 'defendant in a case in which the plaintiff was a Chinese gardeaer.

Fine but overcast weather was experienced at Auckland to-day, when there was a light wind from the north-west. The barometer continues to show little movement, the reading at mid-day today being L'O.S':?o inches. Overseas steamers arriving at Auckland report stormy conditions oil" the New Zealand coast. The inter-colonial steamer Moeraki has been delayed ou her voyage from Sydney, but is expected to reach port early this evening. The White Star liner Athenic, which is bringing passengers and cargo from London, and the American steamer West Nilus, which is on her way from San Francisco, have also been affected by the storm, and report that they will not reach Auckland until to-morrow morning. Portions of the steamer Hawea. which was wrecked on June 12, 18SS, to the east of where the Newton King wharf, New Plymouth, now stands, have been brought to the surface by the dredge Paritutu. The wreck has caused mi trouble in the work of dredging. Thirtyseven years of submergence have rolled tlie old hull, and the pieces which the dredge has raised are in a state of decomposition. The Hawea was wrecked at a point about 100 feet out. from tho present Newton King wharf, and some 2..0 fc<?t nearer the shore than tlie end of this wharf (states a correspondent. The Moturoa wharf, then much shorter and narrower than it is now, was the only one in existence at the port, and the breakwater was about SOU feet shorter than at present. Tlie vessel settled down and broke up four or five days after striking a rock, at a point where the Australind was lost some years before. All the passengers and crew were saved. though a valuable racehorse, Allegro, was drowned. Captain J. Ilansby" was iv charge of Ihe vessel, with tlie present harbourmaster, Captain W. Waller, as chief mate. The ship's boats landed the eleven passengers at the wharf, ns well as the crew of 38, with their luggage.

Conditions o.n the -Manukau Bar were again normal to-day, and ihe steamers which had been delayed at Onehunga experienced no difficulty in crossing outwards during the morning. A strong westerly gale was blowing on the West (.'oast during the week-end, and the bar became unworkable on Saturday afternoon. Owing to the conditions 'yesterday', the Rarawa and tho Rimu were unable to sail for their respective ports, and in consequence of this delay the departure of the Rimu for Hokianga has been postponed until Thursday. °

A claim for compensation arising out of an accident in the Waihi mine will shortly be heard at the Waihi Court before five assessors, the warden, Air. '■ Salmon, presiding. The statement of claim alleges that plaintiff suffered.' serious injury to his hand through tbe ; explosion of a detonator which he bad picked up in a stope. The claim is for a sum totalling about £650. It is understood the plaintiff will be represented by Mr. P. J. O'Regan, of Wellington, and the defendant company by _ U-. j H. P. Richmond, of Auckland.

Speaking at the Chamber of Com- \ merce meeting, Mr. Hoddinott. station-! master at Waihi, gave particulars in ! connection with the proposal to run ex-' cursion trains from the Waikato to Waihi, to enable people from that dis-' trict to pay week-end visits to. the Waihi beach. The railway authorities depended on the local authority to make all arrangements for the transport of visitors from the railway station to Waihi's seaside resort. The chamber resolved to co-operate with the Borough ] Council in the matter.

Mr. Russell H. Bartley, chief engineer to the Auckland Electric Power Board, has been promoted to the position of general manager, in succession to the late Mr. A. Wyllic. This announcement was made yesterday at a meeting of the board. The salary was fixed at £1100 per year. When the work of the general manager was thrown ou his shoulders through the illness of Mr. Wyllic, ability and a thorough grasp of tlie board's undertakings was displayed by Mr. Bartley, said tbe chairman of the board (Mr. W. J. Holdsworth), in tendering congratulations. Extensive studies of electrical engineeiing were made by Mr. Bartley in Great Britain and other 'countries. For a term, on returning from abroad, he was electrical engineer at Te Kuiti, and afterwards went to New Plymouth, where he had charge of the installation of the tramway system, and held the positions of electrical and tramways engineer. Mr. Bartley. who is a son of Mr. Clem Bartley, of Auckland, has Ibeen three years with tho Auckland Power Board. "What about the strike? They ought to get more because they will have free meals to supply," said a councillor at the meeting of the Mount Eden Borough Council last night. The remark followed the reading of a letter from the Labour Day Committee, asking for a contribution for the Labour Day celebration. Tamaki district is agreeable to a merger in tbe Auckland Power Board's area, and this fact was announced at yesterday's meeting of the board. There was a proviso, however, that Tamaki be charged city rates for current used. Tho Legal and Finance Committee of the board will deal with the application.