LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 256, 23 July 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The report of Mr, Lawrence Bilks on tho City Council's electric power station pioposal was presented late last night to the council in committee-. Tho report favours a steam-driven plant at Evans Bay.

Professor J. S. Temutnt, speaking at last night's meeting o£ tho National Defence League, gave his impressions of the physical training demonstration thnt he had witnessed at Trentham tho previous afternoon. He 6aid that at one time he had not been a believer in all that purported to be called physical culture, but from what he had seen at Trentham ho had been converted to tho opinion that what was taught by Captain A. W. Brocks, M.C., chief instructor in physical training, was sound, and would bo of benefit to the Senior Cadets. Tho games were healthy and useful, and were to be commended for their freedom from a military atmosphere.

Membore of the Hospital Board commented yesterday on the fact that tho Charitable Aid Committee is at present virtually subsidising married mon in Tceeipt of what constitutes less than n bare living wage. Several instances were quoted by the chairman of the committco (Mr. J. G. Pethcrick) where relief was being given to the families of married men—with seven, eight, or ten children— who, while in employment, did not receive sufficient remuneration "to keep the wolf from the door." Mr. J. Glover said that if the Government did not do its duty by tho men with large families, "it was up to the board to fill tho breach." It was a lamentable state of affairs that those who responded to tho cry of "keep the cradles full" should be thus penalised. Mr. J. W. M'Ewau considered that tho position should be brought under the notice of the Governmont, with a view to prevailing upon tho authorities to grnnt a State bonus in the case of families over a certain number. AYhilo endorsing the action of the committee in granting relief, momliere were generally of the opinion that the State should interest itself in tho matter. It was resolved to ; =ond a strong memorandum" to the Prime Minister, quoting specific cases that had come under tho boards notice.

Tw«mty-two cases of goitro were visited by tho Wellington hospital Boards health inspectors durfng last month. Eighty-n'ne cases _of infectious diseases were also dealt with.

In the Juvenile Court yesterday morning, before Mr. E. Page, S.M., a.fifteen-year-old girl was charged with the tnett of clothing and a purse, of a total value of £19 17s. Cd. The girl ran away from home and accepted employment; as a domestic. She told the lady who engaged her that she had been turned out of home by her mother. She stayed at the house until tho evening and then went awav with certain articles. _ She was traced, to Petono and the missing property was - found in her .possession. The mother of the girl said the child was beyond control. The Magistrate admonished the girl and convicted and ordered her to como up for sentenco when called upon within twelve months, provided she remained at the Salvaton Army Home during the twelve months and behaved herself.

Mr. R. C. Kenner, who sustained severe internal injuries in a bicycle accident on Lambton Quay somo months ago, has 'been compelled to re-enter tho Dowen Street Trhatc Hospital. He underwent an operation on Tuesday last.

"I don't think any local bodies should be allowed to placo bumps on tho road to prevent motor-cars travelling at high speed," remarked the Hon. G. J. Anderson (Mia'ster of Internal Affairs) when addressing yesTerday's annual meeting of the Now Zealand Automobile Union. "A stranger to a district where such obstacles are placed on J;ho road might, owing to his ignorance of the local speed by-laws, damage his cur very seriously." Delegates to the meeting cordially endorsed tho Minister's views on this matter.

During tho quarter ended .Tune SO. the value of the exports from New Zealand, including bullion and specie, amounted to £11,406,084, as against ,£15,537,468 in the corresponding quarter of last year.

Two hundred and patients were admitted to tho General Hospital during June. On Juno I there wero 211 persons in the institution. Twenty-two deaths occurred during the month and 213 patients were discharged, leaving 218 remaining in the Hospital at thd entf ot the month. There were also four deaths in tho Children's Hospital, 2 in the Seddon Annexe and 2 in the Victoria Hospital. At thp. end of the month tbfcre were 1.1 patients in tho opthalmic ward, 53 in the Children's Hospital, 24 in the Seddon Annexe, 30 in the Infectious Diseases Hospital, 19 in the Clifton Terrace mnlo chronic cases institution, 21 in the Victoria" Hospital. 15 infantile paralysis cases in the Children's Hospital, and 4 patients in the Belmont Convalescent Home.

"The unfortunate thing is that we see a new Minister of Internal Affairs every year," remarked Dr. C. Prendergast Knight, when welcoming the Hon. G. ,T. Andereon (Minister of Internal Affairs) to yesterday's annual meeting of the New Zealand Autbmobilc Union. "We would like to see some continuity and hope to see you again when -we meet." "I hope so, too," replied Mr. Anderson amidst laughter.

Valuable work was done by tho Salvation Army oflicinlß in connection with tho immigrants who arrived by tho Mnli.ina at tbb beginning of the week. As soon as the ship came alongside officers boarded the vessel, and at cftce posted notices to the effect that thoy wero prepared to give help and advico to passengers in need of thn snme, and such services were readily token advantago of by nmily who wished accommodation ashore and information as to their ultimate destination. The Army, with its splendid organisation in every port and inland town, is eminently adapted to afford such assistance, and an arrangement was arrived at between the Immigration Department and Commissioners Lamb and Dodder for certain accredited oHicjrs to be given ollicirtl status on tho arrival of immigrant vessels from England.

"That the Government be asked to offer a bonus to the first producer of 100,000 gallons of benzole, denatured alcohol, or other fuel oil manufactured in New Zealand on a commercial basis," was the wording of a remit from Hawke's Bay adopted by yesterday's annual meeting of tho Nnw Zealand Automobile Union.

It. is notified in the Gazelte that the Public Service Entrance Examination, Senior National Scholarship K.taminalion, and the Intermediate Examination for Senior Free Places will begin oil November 22, the Junior National Scholarship JKsamlnntloh, November 30, and the Public Service Senior Examination on January 5, 1921.

The compilation of the financial statement in connection with tho Royal Rugby match nt tho Athletic Park dining the visit of the Prince of WnlfK has now been completed. The total takings amounted to ,£934. I<k, and tho amount to be paid over to tho City Council, towards a sports pound nt Salisbury Terrace, is £IX3 lis. It whs expocttJ that about X7OO would be cleared ns a result of tho match, and but for tho extra ex penses incurred by the Taranaki members of tho Army Services team, well over that amount would have been cleared. Unfortunately tho players from Taranaki,'just before leaving for Wellington, were not aware, that tho railway strike vas to ba declared oit, and travel by motor necessitated an expenditure of ,£SO. The balance-sheet war prepared by Messrs. G. Jackson (treasurer) and P. J. M'Comisky, and audited by Mr. 0. G. Kcmber. Owing to a break in tho crank shaft at tho power house, the Kelburn-Karori cars wore hot running yesterday. Repairs wore completed Inst night, and tho usual service will bo resumed this morning. At present tire Wellington city tramways cam £218 19s. per annum for tho carriage of His Majesty's mails to and from tho. city and suburbs. The City Council decided last evening that the charge shall be incrensed to JC275 per annum as from July 1. A proposal that architectural lectureships should be established at Victoria College, was ■ last night referred by the College Council to Uio Professorial Board for report. Tho Hastings Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution of sympathy with the suggestion for a national conference of delegates from Labour, agricultural, commercial, educational, and professional unions, to endeavour to abate industrial unrest, but believes that the proposal is unwieldy, imd will not yield the results anticipated. It suggests local conferences as a preliminary from which delegate* should bo appointed to a national Blithering.—Press Assn. . Mention was made at a committer meeting of the Town-Planning Association on Wednesday night that on certain cars passengers were denied the privilege* of their three-section concession tickets, and were cither required to pay an extra penny in addition to the concession, or a full fourpenny fare. As th» three-section concession ticket is equivalent to so many fourpenny rides, it was felt that an injustice was being done to tickct-holdere. It was decided to make inquiries' as to the City Council's ruling on this point. The animal meeting of the New Zealand Automobile Union yesterday carried ft remit from tho Wellington Automobile Olub protesting against tno erection of toll gates. It was contended that this method of raising funds was objectionable as'being out of date and too costly. Sii months' experience of tho new ny«tera of modical benefit adopted by fho Southern Cross Lodge of Oddfollowij, A.C., has been completed, and results have been shown beyond the expectations of fiio promoters of tho schema. The principle of tho 6ystem is that instead of the lodge > arranging for the services of medicnV men under contract as is tho rule with friendly societies, it has created a new flnedical fund, to which every subscribing member enntributes £1 per annum, imd it allow* the member. In enso "of elcknoss on lua own part or that of his family, to call irv-tiny medical man he Dleases. Iho \St\xe then paying "half the doctor'* fres, which are assumed" not to exceed half a guinea per visitv -Reports presented to the month, show thai; 170 members loliied,, fiio special fund, and after paying out .£32 towards Hie medieal fees, there is,a credit balance of £G3 remaining in tho fund. It is expected that if future_ experience shows no larger average of sickness experience, | the lodge will bo in "a position, in due course, to increase the proportion of tho members' medical expcns.es which it will undertake to bear.

During .Tune 239 outpatients were treated nt tho dental. branch of tlie Wellington Hospital. Thirty-five in-pntients were also attended to. In all there were 47 new patients. The total fens for tlifl month were ,£SI 3s. Cd., and thero were 48 non-paying cases.

The Wellington Rugby Football League has been granted tho use of the Basin Reserve for the representative match Wellington v. Canterbury on July 31. Tho application of the Wellington Hockey Association for tho use of the Basin Keservo on September 18 has been referred to the Reserves Committee.

At last night's meeting of the City Council Councillor J. Hutchison moved that the council's grant towards the tepid bath at the Boys' Institute bo increased from .£IOO to .£2OO. Councillor Hutchieon pointed out that the institute was doing a work whichl really should 1« undertaken by the council. Councillor M. F. Luckio seconded the motion, and in eo doing stressed the good work that was being done by the institute in tanking good citizens. Later ho hoped that tho council would undertake the erection of hot salt water baths at Te Are. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that money hnd been collected throughout the district, arid if the baths fund could bo dissociated from the. general institute accounts they would kitow better where they were. He did not see how 10s. a week was going to keep, n boy at the institute. If they were till boys of poor parents, and not of parents who could afford to pay more, ho would 6av "go on with the game." Councillor C.*B. Norwood counselled holding- the matter ovoi until next meeting, fo that in tho meantime they could make themselves acquainted with tho real position. This was agreed to.

Advice that trained masseuses frott military hospitals are becoming avail, able for civil hospitals has been received by the Auckland Hospital Board from the Inspecter-Gonoral of Hospitals, Dr. T. H. A. Valintino. The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, said that during his recent visit to Auckland General M'Gavin had 6tatod that his department was prepared to give tho board the option of taking over the whole of the electrical massage plant in the annexe in tho Domain at cost price, less allowances for depreciation. An officer would be sent from Wellington to .go into this matter, and he suggested that VcprcsSntiaUves of ttija board should moot him. The matter was referred to tho finance committee for Teport.

A point -made by five Hospital Superintendent (Dr. Woodhouse) in the courso of his report to the Hospital Board Yesterday on' the necessity for embarking on a polioy of extension was that during tho financial year 1910-11 the averago number of* occupied beds was 248. During the year 1919-20 tho averago number was 380, an incrcaso of 132. To accommodate these palicnts the diphtheria ward, tho eye ward, and Ward VII had been builb containing respectively 7, 20, and 27 beds, a total of 54, Beds on verandahs protected by glass number 28, and beds in the open corridor at the rear of the main building number 8, making n grand total of 90 beds. To accommodate the 132 extra patients, therefore, 00 beds had been provided, ond over one-third of these wpre out of doors. Other buildings had been erected siheo 1910, namely, the Children's Hospital, the Seddon Annexe, the nurses' sick rooms, and Fever Hospital, but these had not relieved tho main building.

A solution has been found of the problem occasioned by the Euronenn workers on the Evans's Pass Eoad, Christehurch, refusing to work with five Hindus, who wore given a contract on the road. The resident enfitinw, Public Works Dopnrtmon (Mr. J. W. MTSnnis) Ims provided them with a job in tho back country, far removed from any white workers.

The City Council decided last evening, <in tho recommendation of the Financo and Property Committee: "That the projiofal of the Dominion Farmers' li'sllUito Willi reference to suggested qwn space at the corner of Fentherston end Eallance Streets, he approved, and Hint .a donation equal lo the, rates on the proixn'ly lie giii tiled for each year that the land is left as a reserve; the council lo Ik,- responsible for niniiitcMauce when once tho lay-out has been completed, which will be at-the cost to the aunlicanlA." In explaining the clause, the Mayor paid that the. council hail no Ic'Kill rittlit In remit lluv rales, lint it was within its rights in donating the iimoiint of the rales to loiiu as tho land was kept as an open rest place.

Reference to the death of the late Mr. G. B. Bullock was. made at yesterday's annual meeting of the New Zealand Automobile Union. Dr. C. Prcndcrgnst Knight, who pres'ded, stated that the late Mr. Bullock was a keen supporter of motoring, and for a long time represented tho Otago Motor Club on the executive of the union. His death at a comparatively early age had been a great j -.r r community. On the motion ot Mr. G. M. Banks it was resolved to forward a letter of sympathy to tho relatives of tho deceased gentleman.

Eoplyiug to a question by Mr. ,T P Luke in tun House of Representatives yesterday the Minister of Education ii to# ! aid that in December last the Wellington Education Board had been authorised by the Department to enter into negotiations for tho purchaso °„7™P=' 1 ? «' tho rear of the Terrnco {school, this land being required for tho school as n playing area. Tho Department had recognised that this property was_ necessary. Somewhat lcngtliv negotiations had been going on between the owner of the property—in this case tho Hospital Board-and tho Education Board. _ There were some difficulties about title, but these were being cleared away, and within the past few days tho Department had been advised by the Education Board that the land was now purchasable. It would now be his duty to bring tho matter before Cabinet with a view of a grant being mode for the purchase.

Meson's Gardens, the fine botanical property at Taila, which was recently placed under offer for sale to tho Txjwer Hutt Borough Council, has been offered also to tho Wellington City Council. At Inst night's meeting tho City Council decided that Hie oiler be not accepted. 'Ilia Mayor said that he had gnne'into the matter, and had come to the conclusion that Wellington had places suitable for scenic reserves much nearer lo the city than Mason's Gardens, which were situated well up the Hutt Valley. Ho mentioned Percy's Gardens fat Petonc), and that that it was a very desirable place, and had some native bush on it. Then there was a 30-acre block alongside the Kaiwnrra stream, and Day's Bay, which was a lino outlet fcr the people of Wellington.

The annual report on scenery preservation was presented to Parliament yesterday. The expenditure duriui; tlio year was XT.iO; .£5lO of tills was for acquisition cf lands; <EDI.(KIO has now been raised out of the .£IOO.OOO authorised under the Act,

According to a Gazette notice August 6 has been fixed as tho date for holding an election to fill an extraordinary vacancy on tho Pctone Fire Board, caused by tho resignation of Mr. T. Sutcliffo.

,Tho Full Court was yesterday asked by the Minister of Stamp Duties to decide whether ft certain instrument wna liable- to bo assessed with duty under eection 76 of the Finance Act. 1915. From the statement prepared by the Minister it appoarod that Stanley Clifford Baker, bv oral agreement, sold certain land In Fred Hulse, who, before the completion of the- purcha.se, resold to Francis Stewart. Bnkor executed a. memorandum of transfer in favour of the sub-purchaser, Stewart. When the memorandum of transfer was presented for stamping, the Commissioner of Stamp Duties assessed the instrument as- liable 10 two duties, (n) as a conveyance on sale to Stewart, and Cb) as an agreement for the sale of the land by laker to Hnlsc. Hulse objected to the second of these assessments on the ground that the instrument was not nn agreement in writing for the sain of land within section 7fi of the Finance Act, 1915. Appellant paid the duty, mid required a case to be stated for the Court. Mr. A. do B. Brandon and Mr. T. C. A. Hislop yesterdav argued the case 'for the appellant. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey represented the Minister ci Stamp Duties. The-Court reserved its decision.

While walking in Courtenay Place late yesterday afternoon Mrs. Fdith Mlldride, who resides at 20 Tama Street, .Island Bay, slipped and fell. She was picked up and taken to tho Hospital, where it was found that she was suffering from slight concussion. She is progressing favourably. Tho City Council last night resolved to ask for the exemption of Upper Willis Street from the provisions of clauso in of the Public Works Act.

When speaking on the subject of "glare" from motor-car headlights at yesterday's annual meeting of tho NewZealand Automobile Union, the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) said that this question was going to be most difficult to settle, and, in his opinion, the only people who could suggest any practical remedies wero professors of physics. "Glare" was an absolute menace to- the community. "I look upon the man who won't dim his lights when passing another car as the very worst class of 'road hog,'" said Mr. Anderson. "He is the most callous ot individuals, and he should bo dealt with very drastically." Mr. W. Stuart Wilson: "Confiscate his car!" "You might do that," replied Mr. Anderson, "but that, would not be much compensation for the widow of a man who was killed through such callousness."

Tho proposal of the Wellington Harbour Board to construct a weighbridge at the entrance to (feen's Wharf has been approved by tho City .Council.

Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) has'given notice to ask the Minister of Lands, whether he ia aware that it is intended to cut up into small sections Mason's Gardens, Taita. and -whether tho Government will take steps,to preserve that rare botanical collection, described as unequalled in the Southern Hemisphere, tor the benefit flfliie people. Mr, Wil.ford states Sir David Hutchins and Mr. JV. Ferguson have thoroughly surveyed the.jjardens, and are of opinion that at leasflo acres ate covered with raro mid valuable trees that would bo impossible except after a long period of years to replace, and that this portion of the gardens should not be ruthlessly destroyed. Tho trees in the gardens, amongst others, comprise cedar, cork, cypress, and hickory, alf of wjilNi aro extremely uncommon.

Tho Pjiblio Health and Cemeteries Committee reported to the City Council Inst night that stone memorial steps were being presented to tho soldiers' cemetery by Mrs. R. AV. Kane; that Mrs. Matthew Holmes had presented to the cemetery a memorial sun-dial for tho cemetery j and that the typo of headstone for. erection at the graves had been approved. In giving this- information Councillor R, A. Wright said that tho Women's National Reserve was doing very good work indeed in connection witli tho soldiers graves at Karori. Councillor Wright intimated that tho Women's National Reserve had asked the council to erect a memorial wall in this cemetery, on which it was proposed that tho names of the Wellington soldiers who died in the war would be inscribed. This proposal would be reported on at the nest meeting of tho council.

The question oof fire prevention and protection cropped up at a town-planning meeting on 'Wednesday night, and a special committee, comprising two insurance men, a civil engineer, and a builder was set up to draw up a report on tho whole question as it allects Wellington. When the City Engineer's estimates were being considered last evening by the City Council, Councillor ,r. O. Shorland called attention to werlc promised at Antico Street being omitted. Tho Mayor said that any promise given in respect of work in Antico Street would be honoured. The latest maritimo steal revealed in Duned'n is in connection with the cargo just landed by the City of Winchester from New York (states an exchange). Out of ouo consignment, which included valuable leathers, ,£IOOO worth disappeared. It is understood that the dunnage put in by the thieves includes a, quantity of American magazines and nowspaners. Special regulations respecting tho shooting of red deer in tho Jiotortia Acclimatisation District are gazetted. Those licensed by the general manager of the Tourist Department may kill deer of either sex or any age, which should' lio destroyed either by reason of aso, deformity, or any other reason. Such deor may be destroyed up' to October 11.