Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 65, 19 March 1926, Page 6

That the population of New Zealand is increasing at a faster rate than that of any other country in the world was one of the interesting facts mentioned by Professor J. B. Cortdliffe, during a discussion on immigration at a meeting of the Canterbury branch of tli€ Economic Society of Australia and New Zealand (states the " Lyttelton Times ")> Profeesor Condliffe said that ffom 18H1 to 1921 the rate of increase in population in New Zealand was 23 per 1000 per annum, Austfalfa being second with 22 per 1000. Actually' the white races were increasing faster than the black races. Although the birthrate in New Zealand was not higl"-, the excess of births over deaths was about fourth ■ in the world. New Zealand's death rate was the lowest in the world, and her inffcntile mortality rate was by far the lowest in the world. Swimming of a high-class order was the rule at the carnival given by the Waitemata Amateur Swimming Club at the Tepid Baths last night, whicli marked the first appearance here of Reg Grier, the Queensland champion swimmer. The 100 yds. scratch invitation race was won by the visitor in the fast time of 585., which is 2-ss. faster than tire New Zealand record established at the last New Zealand championships by N. Dowsett. of Wanganui. A. D. Adanidon and L. Fairgay were always in the ruhnitig, and Grier, after a brilliant sprint, beat Adamson by a yard. In the 220 yds. handicap race. E. V. *Cunnold, to whom was conceded Be, beat Grier by three yards with the visitor coming up to the winner in wonderful style. Miss G. Pidgeori, New Zealand breaststroke champion, lowered the existing record for tile 220 yds. by l-55., covering the distance in 3.40. "It is a very satisfactory state of affairs, and I think the city valuer is deserving of great credit for the fact that his valuations have been reduced by such a small sum by the Assessment Court," said the Mayor at last night's meeting of the Auckland City Council, to which the valuer (Mr. P. I?. Xotley) repotted that 240 objections to valuations were lodged with the Court, but only forty objectors attended. The total ratable value on the valuation list was £2,138,502, and the reductions made by the Court came to £7814, or 0.36 per cent. The total was no\v £2,130,778, which was £158.150 of an increase on last year's figures. The Government Valuation Department repotted that the ratable capital value of the city of Auckland was 'fixed at £36,430,407, which total would be used for levy purposes by the Auckland Hospital Board and the Drainage Board. Practically no progress seems to have been made towards the installation of an automatic telephone system for the Birkenhead, Northcote and Birkdale districts. In view of this, the matter has been revived by the Birkenhead Business Association, which has written to the district engineer of the Telegraph Department for official information. The association desires to know how many subscribers would be requisite before the Department would grant automatic com nectioh with the City, and respecting the special form for signature by applicants. Further queries were as to the respective annual charges for business and private telephones, if a minimum of 200 subscribers was forthcoming, and how Boon Gould the Department undertake to have the automatic system in operation after the receipt by the Department of the minimum number of guaranteed subscribers. It is a long time since some of the Auckland City Council endowment properties have been let on lease, and in the meantime prices have soared considerably Three revaluations decided on last night, for instance, were a Ponsonby Road property from £14 to £37 10/, k city property from f 18 to £193; and a Symonds Street boarding house property £8 to £84>

The Navy League quite upheld its reputation as an organiser of 'brilliant functions with the ball which it gave laet evening in the town Hall, in honour of the officers of the Australian Squadron at present in port. Their Excellencies, the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fefgusson) and Lady Alice FergUsson, and staff attended. There was a Very large number of dancers, who enjoyed themselves thoroughly, although it was unfortunate that there were about 70 ladies "over" during the whole of the evening, the music, which was much enjoyed, was provided by Mr. Gordon Eady's orchestra. A full account of the ball appears in the social news. A claim for restitution of conjugal rights was heard by Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court this morning, the petitioner being Gladys Emily Searl (Mr. Matthews) and the respondent George Edward Hicks Searl. The evidence showed that the parties were maffkd iii 1913. There were two children. In 1923 he left her and had not eince supported her. She wanted him to return. He pleaded poverty as an excuse for not taking her back. His Honor said the letters produced did not contain any specific request to return. There had to be such request and a refusal on the part of respondent to comply. A law clsfk gave evidence that he had asked the respondent to return. A decree was made that the respondent return within 21 days. There were a number of ladies present at the meeting of the New Zealand Natives' Association last night, and though they did not participate to any extent in the discussions it became obvious at one stage that they were following the argument with keen interest. A member recalled that at a previous meeting , a lady had spoken very fluently, and that her name suggested some question as to her right of membership. The chairman explained that the lady in question was a New Zealander born and bred, and that her marriage to one who was not a New Zealander did not affect her personal qualification for membership. immediately one of the ladies at the meeting came to her feet, with a heated declaration that the deprivation of a woman of her birthright as to nationality on account of marriage to an alien was one of the greatest injustices ever perpetrated by the British Constitution and she commended the association or refusing to perpetuate the injustice. A meeting of creditors in the bankrupi estate of George Charles Strong, carpenter, Pokeno Valley, was called foi this morning, but lapeed because nc creditors were present. The Official Assignee, Mr. W. S. Fisher, formally examined brankrupt and adjourned the meeting sine die. Bankrupt's Schedule showed a deficiency of £178 1/8, while the a'sseti were practically nil. He is a married man with six children, and had taken on two contracts both ol which were unsuccessful. He had beer in the carpentering trade for about It years. He did not keep books because h< had no business knowledge. Communications regarding the vehicular charges, on the cargo ferry services to the North Shore districts have been addressed to the DevohpOrt Ferry Company and the Waitemata Ohambei of Commerce by the Birkenhead Business Association. The latter body has pointed out that concession tickets are issued for private motor cars, whereas carriers who use the cargo ferry daily arc charged the full fare, the co-operation of the Devonport Chamber was-solicited as this question really affected all the marine Concreting work in Jervois Road, Ponsonby, will not be gone on with until the work already authorised in Great North Road and Remuera Road is finished, in accordance with the City Council's promise. This announcement was made in a recommendation of the Works Committee adopted at last night's meeting of the Council. Work is being pushed on along the Great North Road, and the gang of men is rapidly approaching the Old Stone Jug, between which spot and Grey Lynn there was a lot of filling and blasting to be done. The engineer Vas authorised to go on with the work from the Stone Jug to Oakley Oree"k where the work will join up with the lung stretch that has already been concreted through Avondale and New Lynn. When this Great North Road is finished the next job to be tackled will be the completion of the Kemuera Road. Chukor, of chickore, a species of partridge native to India, are to be introduced into the hill country of North Canterbury by the Acclimatisation Society. The society expected to have the birds about April of this year, but information received from the Otago society makes it plain that the birds will not arrive before August at the earliest. Chukor are an Eastern ally of the French red-legged partridge, they are similar in appearance, but differ in habits, notably in that the chukor prefer to inhabit hilly country. They are found up to considerable altitudes, up to 10,000 ft and more throughout India, Tibet and Southern China, where they are regarded as a very good sporting bird. When speaking at the opening of the Murchfeoh Show (Nelson) yesterday, the Hon. G. Anderson made a strong appeal for the purchase of British goods, instancing particularly the amount of money sent abroad for motor cars. "If you have to buy these cars, buy them from Britain," he said. "Of every pound that Went to America eighteen shillings had to be paid in cash, for they did not want our produce and put up a barrier against it. If the money went to England it came back, 'because they bought outproduce. A new Maori church was consecrated at Omaio, near Opotiki, on Wednesday, by Bishop Sedgwick, of Waiapu, assisted by Archdeacon Williams, the Rev. J. E. Draper, Canon Pahewa and three Maori lay readers. The building has cost £800. which has all been collected by Canon Pahewa from natives and pakehas. It will seat CO people. It is constructed •of concrete and roughcast. A party consisting of forty women and children from the Jubilee Institute for the Blind visited H.M.s. Diomede yester* day at the invitation of the captain. The sailors escorted their visitors ovei the ship and never tired of answering the numerous questions asked, tea. was afterwards served on board and a dance held. The party returned home eaying that they had thoroughly enjoyed' the outing. An area of 30 acres has been pegged off on the lend vested in council foi the purpose of tree planting at Te Teko This area has been cleared and will be fenced before the end of March to enable planting to be undertaken in May oi June. A Gazette published last evening contains an Order-in-Council whereby the authority of the Governor-General to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Union or Tokelau Group is delegated to the Administrator c 2 Western Samoa for the time being.