General News.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18625, 25 February 1926, Page 8

General News.

Yesterday, Mr H. Macintosh, tho City's Chief Motor Inspector, and his assistants were busy sitting at x a table in the grass plot in. the yard of the Bank of New Zealand. They were taking a census of the number of passing cycles, cars, lorries, trucks, and drays. Every wheeled vehicle r passing through the bottlo-neck into Cathedral square was counted from 8.30 a.m. until 6 p.m. The last census of this nature was taken four years ago. The result of the counting should be interesting, but will not be available for some days.

■A missing door handle ■ screw caused quite a .... lot of trouble, which had a sequel in the Wellington Magistrate's Court, when an application was made for possession of the property. The plaintiff was an elderly woman, who said she wanted the six-roomed house for her own occupation. She stated that because one of the screwp was out of a door handle the tenant had refused to pay rent since August last. The tenant, alleged that there wore no handles on the doorß at all, and, further, that the windows would not open. His Worship was not satisfied that the plaintiff required the house for her own occupation, but ordered that the rent. £1 15s a week, be paid as from August.

An interesting visitor to New Zealand is Mr J. H, Chapman, of the fciecretariat of the League of Nations, who is spending a short holiday in his native land. Mr Chapman's work deals with economic and financial matters. The establishment ot the branch in. which he is engaged was the outcome of the Brussels Conference, when the position of post-war Europe was reviewed. Speaking at the League cf Nations Union at Wellington, Mr Chapman said that the work by the economic and financial section included the rehabilitation of Austria, which financially, industrially, and commercially was in a bad state. Much money had been wasted in attempting to bolster up conditions. The League took the matter in hand, and appointed Commissioners, who studied the conditions prevailing in the country. An international loan was floated, and for the first time in history a loan was subscribed to by twelve countries in about ten currencies. A Commission was appointed to watch the spending of the money, and see that waste was avoided. As a result of the League's ! action the revenue of Austria waa greatly increased, and now Austria was well on the road to recovery. The currency had been stable since 1923, and was now on a par with gold. Austria, a short time ago, felt she was sufficiently strong to stand alone, and do without the League's supervision, "That, I think, is a very healthy sign indeed," said Mr Chapman. "A Commission was sent to report on the economic conditions of Austria. The report has been forwarded to the Council of the League, which will consider what is to be done." Hungary was also in a bad way, and profiting by the experience of Austria, Hungary's finances were taken in hand, and now the country was on the road to recovery. The League has also taken an important part in restoring, stable conditions in Greece when that' conntrv was faced with an influx of one and a half millions of its own people after the trouble between Greece and Turkev. The social side of the League dealt'with the opium trade and the traffic in women and children, and in this work th<> United States was interested. The encouragement of disarmament was another of the T.oacue's spheres of activity, and an effort was being made to procure periodical returns regarding ; the traffic in arms.

Information has been received by the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society that the salmon are coming up the Hurunui River, and that several were caught last we«k. The first meeting of the 1926 session of the Philosophical Institute will be held at Canterbury College nest Wednesday, when the presidential address: "The Ascent of Sap in Trees," will be delivered by Mr C. E. Foweraker.

A special meeting of the Canterbury Drivers' Union last evening decided to support the candidature of Mr Hiram Hunter to act as a member of the Court of Arbitration, and Mr W. E. Sill as deputy representative. The Waimakariri river is still discoloured owing to the recent rise., but there are no signs of further flooding, and Kaiapoi residents do not expect any increase in depth from last night's downpour. After n long spell of fine weather, and several strong nor'-westers, rain commenced to fall at about 6 o'clock last evening. Fitful showers were experienced until 5.30 p.m., when the rain came down heavily, accompanied by a driving wind from the sou-west.

In a report of the recent scrub fire at Woodend it was stated that the blaze started on Mr E. Petrio's property, and spread to tho Government plantation. Mr Petric states that the fire has never been on his property, and so could not have originated there.

A civic reception will be tendered by tho Mayor to the visiting American athletes, Jackson V. Scholz and Lloyd Halm, at the Council Chambers to-mor-row at noon. The general public are invited to attend.

The fact that a resolution to go into liquidation had been apparently, somewhat unexpectedly come to was being stressed by counsel at the Supreme Court, Wellington, when Mr Justice Alpeirs remarked that recently _in Hawke's Bay the company went into liquidation in tho kitchen, in more than one sense, but it was a valid resolution. "It would," he added, "be equally valid if suddenly made in a shingle pit."

The view that New Zealand should bo represented by more than one delegate at the League of Nations Assembly was expressed by Mr J. H. Chapman,, a. member of the Secretariat of the League, who is visiting New Zealand.' Sir Chapman holds that the work to be done is too much for one delegate, who cannot divide himself into various committees. "A few delegates should go from New Zealand," ho said. "The Dominion must realise that she must take her place as <i nation in > the debates, of the League of Nations."

"I understand that if a, remand to Thursday next is granted, the accused will consent to go to a Home in Christchurh," said Senior-Sergeant Lander at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, when a domestic, aged 46, pleaded not guilty to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person, "i think it would be sufficient punishment if she were to go there," concluded itho Senior-Ser-geant. The remand was granted. A similar application was granted in the case of another woman, who was also charged with being idle and disorderly. "She has been sleeping out," said the Senior-Sergeant, "and it would be best lor her to go to Christcliurch also." The annual appeal of tho St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade is now being made. This organisation exists for the benefit of all classes and creeds, but in carrying on the work an approximate expenditure of £ISOO is incurred ■ against which only £650 approximately is received in class fees and invalid transport fees, which are purposely kept low. Consequently a sum of nearly £IOOO in subscriptions and donations is required annually to carry on, and extend the formation of classes, invalid transport service, maintain public first aid depots, and equip with tho necessary material the St. John Ambulance Brigade, a first aid body, the members of which attend all public gatherings in readiness for cases' of accident or sudden illness.

A pronouncement on tho vexed question of the suppression of names in Police Court cases was made at Auckland by Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., in suppressing the name of a man who admitted a charge of being intoxicated while in charge of a . motor truck, Tho Magistrate said there was a wide difference between appropriating a motor-car for "joy riding" and being intoxicated while in chargo of ; the motor-car. In all criminal acts intention wa3 essentia!, but not so in the case of an intoxicated motorist. No person would intentionally take liquor to place himself in jeopardy. His condition would be due to something else besides intention—an error in judgment as to his carrying capacity, the strength of the liquor consumed, or his nervous condition at the time. His first offence in this respect was morally loss grave than that of the "joy rider." From the first moment of. the "joy rider's" intention to take another man's car until the time he got away with it, there was in his mind wrong intention. For these reasons it was a worse offence than the other. Don't hesitate a moment when con aidering moving your furniture. J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd., are the people to do it for you. —6 Messrs \Y. Strange and Co., Ltd., announce that their establishment (warehouse and factory) will bo closed all day on Saturday, February 27th, for the employees' annual picnic. >—6