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Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 261, 4 August 1928, Page 25

An old cannon ball was dug uut of a bank near the mouth of the Kapuni River a short time ago (says the, “Taranaki Daily News”). The finder was Allan Young, son of Mr. A. L. Young, of Manaia, aiid the relic is believed to be a shot fired from H.M.S. Alligator during the Maori troubles when the natives held Mrs. Garde a prisoner. Several cannon balls were discovered at this spot some years ago and are now ornaments ou a local resident’s gateposts. Since the beginning of the year there have been 8589 arrivals at the port of Auckland, as compared with 50,117 for the same period in 1927 (says the “Star”). Last month was a busy period, the total being 1207. which is -137 more than in July, 1927. Departures show a slight decline, the figures being 1300, as against 1390 for the corresponding four weeks last year. . “You were excited at the time. You hit accused with the flat of the shove) instead of the side, and you sny there was mi iron bar also handy,” said counsel to a witness in the Timaru Supreme Court recently (reports the “Herald ) Witness, who throughout seemed to resent the questions of the solicitor, caused the Court io smile when he replied: I wouldn’t mind giving you a clout with the side of the shovel.”

Speaking in Oamuru. Miss B. E. Baughan, organiser for the Howard Penal Reform League, said that, in comparison with the population of England, New Zealand should have only about 400 prisoners, whereas there were over 1300 in the Dominion (reports the Oamaru “Herald”). It was because New Zealand prison system was far behind that of England, and its reform was an urgent and pressing need. The probation system, said Miss Baughan, had been wonderfully successful, the proportion of failures being only 7| per cent. Under the old system the percentage was between 60 and 70. The lecturer made a strong appeal for further extension of the system, stating that Britain and the United States were far ahead of us in this matter.