TIMARU AND SOUTH CANTERBURY NEWS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19310, 15 May 1928, Page 4

TIMARU AND SOUTH CANTERBURY NEWS.

TIJfAKU. MAGISTRATE'S COURT. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr C. E. Orr Walker, S.M., a first offender for drunkenness was convicted and discharged. Shop Window Smashed. Yesterday afternoon a car was left standing in Stafford street south while the driver went into a nearby shop. During his absence the brakes slipped, and the car ran backwards down the hill, crossed the road, and crashed into a shop, breaking a large plate-glass window, valued at about £2O. Sequel to Otaio Affray. Bernard Lewis Blaekwell and Ernest McGunn, both of St. Andrews, appeared before Mr C. E. Orr Walker, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged that at Otaio, on May litli, they did break and enter by night the dwellings of Eobert Barr and of "William Ancell, with intent to commit a crime therein. The accused were arrested on warrant at 2 p.m. yesterday at the Timaru Public Hospital. Mr W. H. Walton appeared for McGunn. On the application of Detective Nuttall, both accused were remanded until Monday next. McGunn. was granted bail in the sum of £2OO, or two sureties of £IOO each. Blaekwell's application for bail was refused, objection being made by the police.

Inquest on Child. Mr 0. R. Orr Walker, Coroner, conducted an enquiry at the Courthouse yesterday morning into the circumstances . concerning the death of Maurice Leonard Bridger, aged seven and three-quarter months, who died at 10 Thomas street, Timaru, on Sunday morning. Sergeant Peterson represented the police. Charles Archibald Bridger, employed by the Timaru Harbour Board,, father of the child, said the infant was seven and three-quarter months old, and weighed healthy child. On Thursday afternoon the child left from one to two ounces of food. On Saturday,- at 5 p.m., it was listless, and witness decided to call in a doctor. He had told the maid at Dr. Ulrich's that he did not think the case was urgent. From what the maid said, the doctor had to see his usual patients in the surgery, and witness thought that Dr. TJlrich would then call to see the baby after his surgery had closed. However, the doctor did not call that night. The parents were_ not disturbed by the baby during the night. On Sunday morning about 8 o'clock witness's wife looked at the baby, and it seemed to be all right, but a moment later she called witness, as the child had a clot of blood on its mouth. _ The child appeared to be dead, and witness called a doctor to the house.

. To the Coroner: The impression I received was somewhat vague, but I thought that the doctor would have come on the Saturday night. Dr. F. F. A. tJlrich said that he had received a message between 5 and 6 p.m. on Saturday asking if ho would see Mrs Bridger's baby, but that it was not urgent. On returning home, he was informed that there had been a call for him to see - the baby, but that he could go when it suited him. Witness did not intend working after eight o'clock, and had arranged with another doctor to do any urgent work. As he had received no further message during that evening, he decided to call the next day. At eight o'clock on Sunday morning he received an urgent call to Mr Bridger's house. On arrival, he found that the child had been dead between one and two hours. Beyond slight signs of black vomit there were no other indications of the cause of death. j, . * To Sergeant Peterson: Doctors fairly frequently leave afternoon calls to the next day, provided that they were not urgent. Urgent calls are always promptly attended. I had arranged to have any urgent calls from my patients attended by another doctor. Had I known the case was urgent I would have gone immediately. Dr. G. H. Usshcr said that he had conducted a post-mortem examination on Sunday evening. The child 'tfas fairly well nourished, and there were no marks on the body externally. He described' the symptoms which the examination revealed, and said that he was of the opinion that death was due to pneumococcic meningitis. _ To Sergeant Peterson: Medical treatment the night previous to the child's death would have made no difference; the disease was usually a fatal one. To the Coroner: There would bo no alarming symptoms prior to death. The Coroner then returned a verdict in accordance with' the medical evidence. Timaru Unemployed Deputation.

A deputation representing the unemployed of Timaru waited on the Hon. Mr Bolleston at the Borough Council Chambers at noon yesterday. In introducing the deputation the Mayor (Mr G. J. Wallace) said that the unemployment problem was one which should be dealt with without delay. The Timaru Borough Council was ready to do everything possible to relieve the situation.

Mr Kolleston, in reply to tlie deputation, said he would be very glad to be of any assistance. On behalf of the Government he could say that they would do the same as they had done last year. However, they could not do a great deal without the assistance of the local bodies. The Government would be prepared to subsidise the unemployed up to 50 per cent. Everybody who was seeking work should register, and the residential qualification should certainly be insisted upon. If the Government paid the full award rate men from the country came into the towns and called themselves unemployed, with a result that farmers all over the Dominion could not get labour. Belief measures were not intended to be con- | tinued permanently, but were merely a I help in times of stress, and that was why 9s and 12s a day had been paid. Borough Council Items. The takings at the Timaru Borough Council's hot sea water baths for April amounted to £SB 5s 9cL At the Borough Abattoir 310 cattle and 1456 sheep were slaughtered during the month. Of these one cow and six sheep were found diseased. The revenue amounted to £l7B 9s 3d, compared with ,£IBO 13s 6d for April last year. During the past fortnight nine building permits, of a total value of£o0«> were issued. They included four houses, three garages, two alterations to business premises, and one shed. The General Manager of the Electricity Department reported that work in connexion with the new Grasmere street substation was proceeding satisfactorily, all outside underground cable joints having been completed. The 11,000 volt Beyrolle switchgear had been unpacked, and a start had been made on the erection of that equipment. The

3300 volt switchgear should arrive shortly. During April 27 new consumers had been connected, and 28 additions had been made. The connected load for April was 71,364 k.w. The report was adopted. Caroline Bay Association. The annual general meeting of the members of the Caroline Bay Association took place last night, Mr T. E. McKay presiding. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report, said it was mostly due to the carnival that the season had been such a success. The expenditure this year had been large, as the main thoroughfare of the Bay had been asphalted and a tennis pavilion had been erected. Concerts had been arranged on the Bay and the public had expressed gratitude at the way in which the Association had provided" entertainments for young and old. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows: —President, Mr T. R. McKay; vice-presidents, Messrs G. S. Cray and J. P. Newman; committee, all present were elected to the General Committee; improvement committee, Messrs G. S. Cray, J. P. Newman, W. Re veil, F. S. Shrimpton and T. R. McKay; hon. treasurer, Mr S. D. Mason; hon. auditor, Mr J. L. Ferrier. It was decided that £SOO be set aside as a reserve fund.

The committee agreed that further asphalting of the Bay pathways be proceeded with; that tho extension of the supper room at the Bay Hall be carried out at a cost of approximately £250, and that the matter of extending the lawns be left to a sub-committee to consider'and report at a later special general meeting. The question of forming a Progress League in Timaru by the Chamber of Commerce, Borough Council, and the Caroline Bay Association was discussed, and it was decided that with regard to the title, the Timaru Progress League or South Canterbury Progress League, the delegates vote as they think fit. Borough Council. The fortnightly meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was held last night, the Mayor (Mr G. J. Wallace) occupying the chair. It was decided that the Mayor's Coal and Blanket Fund Committee be permitted to forfeit their street day this winter in favour of the Commercial Travellers' Association, who will conduct a street appeal in the interests of the South Canterbury orphanages. The Coal and Blanket Fund will be allowed a day in the winter of 1929 for its appeal. Ten tenders were received for the erection of a dressing-shed in Ashbury Park, and that of Mr G. T. Koller at £lB9 was accepted. In connexion with the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee of Christchurch, the Town Clerk was instructed to write_ to the Railway Department suggesting that as the principal ceremony would be held on Monday, May 28th, _ the *pe cial train from Timaru to Christchurch should be run on the Monday, and not on the Saturday as previously intended. A deputation from the Timaru Unemployed Committee waited on the Council in reference to relief work.

In reply, the Mayor said he recognised that a certain amount of work should be commenced immediately, and he was sure that the Council would do something to relieve necessitous cases without delay. It was decided to hold the matter over to a special meeting of-the Council to-night. A deputation from the Timaru Minister's Association waited on the Council with regard to charitable aid work in Timaru.

Mr Hughes said the deputation had resulted from a conference of the Coal and Blanket Fund, Hospital Board, Salvation Army, and the Ministers' Association. The trouble was that overlapping had occurred, and the time had arrived when an organisation should be formed to carry out relief work and thus prevent overlapping. Their aim was to establish a central bureau where all relief cases could be handled, and this would obviate imposition on the funds by unscrupulous individuals, as sometimes was the case.

The Mayor said that' once the cases receiving relief had been tabulated the overlapping which had takea place in the past would disappear. Cr. Geo said it was the duty of the Hospital Board to undertake the necessary tabulation. The Mayor said the Hospital Board was unwilling to undertake the work. After some discussion it was decided that a further request should bo made to the Hospital Board, and should-the Board again refuse to keep the suggested record, then the Council would again consider the matter in an endeavour to meet the situation.

TEMTJKA. PERSONAL. The Misses Winsome and Phillis Talbott are spending the term holidays with their parents, Mr and Mrs Leslie Talbott (Kakahu). Mrs Charles Poultney, who has been visiting Cheviot, arrived home yesterday. Mrs J. E. Karton was a passenger by the south-bound express yesterday. Mr J. Hay (Palmerston North) is on a short visit to his old home in Maude street. Mr and Mrs J. Rouse (West Coast) are the guests of Mr and Mrs W. Baxter. Presentation. The music pupils and ex-pupils of the Convent gathered to do honour to their tutor, Miss Mona Evans, on the eve of her approaching marriage. Miss N. Clarke, on behalf of those present, asked Miss Evans to accept a set of silver dessert spoons and soup spoons, and wished her joy and prosperity in her new home. South Canterbury Acclimatisation Council. At the annual meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society the retiring Councillors will be Messrs L. B. James, G. Reid, L. Storey, W. S. Gj-ant, and E. Twigg.

WAIMATE. By the will of the late Mary Helen Crawford, the sum of £IOOO has been left towards the cost of a new Sunday School for Knox Church, Waimate. Mrs Kippenberger, Studholmp, js on a short visit to Timaru. Mrs Hodgkinson, of Dunedin, is visiting her parents, Mr and Mrs C. J. Jackson, High street. Mr and Sirs G. Drew (Ngaio, Wellington) are spending a holiday with friends in Waimate. Miss Elsie Mathieson, of Christchurch, is visiting friends in Waimate. WINCHESTER. Mrs J. K. Scott has returned from a holiday at Waipukurau. Mr V. Foxon (Nelson Creek) is spending the term holidays with his parents, Mr and Mrs J. V. Foxon (Winchester). Mr Lawson (stationmaster, Winches-

ter) is spending his vacation in Invercargill. The Ladies' Hockey Club have arranged for a social and dance in aid of the travelling funds of the club. PLEASANT POINT. The first official shoot of the Miniature Rifle Club was attended by 25 members. H. Roberts won the trophy and also the weekly button. » The members of the Golf Club met Mrs J. Stewart, who is leaving Pleasant Point, and presented her with a bedroom clock. The Plunket Society held a very successful dance in the public hall, which was very becomingly decorated for the occasion by the local committee. The supper arrangements were carried out by the ladies. The home game of football on Saturday was Zingari v. Point, fifth grade. .After a keenly contested struggle, the local team were victorious by 14 to nil. Mr D. Christie refereed. The Town Board have received authority to proceed with the erection of a Town Hall and offices.