LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 30 October 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday was another busy varied j day in Parliament. After a brief run on minor measures the House of Re- ! presentatives stopped on the Cook Islands Bill, The Opposition blocked the passage in Committee, and progress was reported, on an understanding that consideration of the Bill would be resumed this session. The House then settled down to the Public Works Estimates, which weni through, with the usual comments. Managers were appointed to confer with similar delegates of the Legislative Council about the disagreement oetween_ the two branches of the Legiela ture in regard to amendments of the Education Bill and the Legislative Council Bill. The House rose at 1.55 a.m Ihe Legislative Council passed the Wages Protection and Contractors' Liens Bill and the Land Bill. In the House of representatives yesterday the Minister of Defence (Hon J. (Allen) gave an emphatic denial to some idle rumours which have been published in a country paper regarding suspicious doings by Germans on Somes Island. There was no foundation for them what' ever, he said. That the City Council Bhould put in hand works to provide employment for carpenters, painters, plumbers, and plasterers, was a suggestion lecently made by the Trades and Labour Council, and at its meeting last evening the Corporation decided to reply that it had in strucbed the City Engineer to submit a report as to the authorised works thai could be started immediately. A deputation recently waited on the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J P. Luke) and urged in consideration of the increased revenue derived by the city tramways through the holding of various patriotic functions that a donation be made from the Tramways Account to the Patriotic Fund. The Mayor, in reply, promised to refer the matter to the Power Stations and Tramways Committee. At last night's meeting of the council the committee recommended "That a donation of £25 from Tramways Account be granted to the Patriotic Fund, through their Sports and Entertainments Committee, on account of increased tramway revenue derived'through various events organised by the committee." The recommendation was adopted. A strict eye is being kept by the City Council s inspector on the milk carts plying in the city and suburbs to see that a proper degree of cleanliness is observed, and at last evening's meeting of the City Council the Public Health Committee reported that it had taken the evidence of a milk vendor concerned in a previous recommendation as to his dirty conveyance, and also the evidence of his driver, another milk vendor, and the inspector. The committee expressed itself as satisfied with the accuracy of the inspector's report/ as to the dirty state of the cart. It considered that a severe caution would perhaps serve as a salutary lesson in tho present circumstances, but the offender was to be clearly informed that any further offence by him, or any other milk vendor, against the by-law would be dealt with in a much more drastic manner. The clause in the report was adopted by the council. A lad, aged eighteen years of age, was charged in the Magistrate's Court .this morning, before iir. D. G. A Cooper, S.M., with travelling on the steamer Wahine between Lyttelton and Wellington with intent to evade payment of the fare. He pleaded guilty, but said he had no intention of defrauding the company. He resided at Auckland, and had been on holiday in the South. When he left Uunedin on Wednesday he had sufficient money to see him through. Before he reached Christ church, however, he lost what he had. He held the return half of a railway ticket to Auckland, which expired to- ' morrow, so, not knowhig what to do, j he boarded the Wahine. Inspector Hendrey eaid he believed the lad's j story Was true, but he desired a remand until Monday in order that enquiries could be made. This -was granted, the boy to oe kept apart from other prisoners. Just after he had left the dock, a charitable gentleman came forward from the body of the court, and offered to pay tho amount of the fare. This was accepted, and th*e lad was discharged without a conviction being recorded against him.. The report of the Investigating Com* mittee, dealing with the £12,000 .bonus offered by the New Zealand Govern j ment for an improved method of dressing phormium-iibre has been completed. There were thirty-three inventors enter* ing, but many of these sent no particulars to the_ Committee. Among those whose inventions or improvements commended themselves to the Committee \vere the following inventors, together with bonusj es that the Committee recommended should : be paid to them : — George Craw, Lintou, patent stripper slips machine, £100 j f I Suttie^ and Auckland, automatic ' scutcher, "a great improvement j on the present method," recommended patentees be granted £750, conditionally on their reducing their royalty proposed i at 3s 6d per ton to 2s per ton 3 Robinson and Wanklyn, Foxton, tail-clipping I machine, free of royalty, £150} H. B. Murphy, Waikanae, process for washing and softening tails, which "gives great promise of being a benefit to the indus- j try," recommended that bonus of £500 I be given to inventor to enable him to j perfect his machine. Inspections were made at places between Dargaville, in the North, jjnd Inveircargili, in the South. > At the criminal sittings ■of the Supreme Court at Benalla (Victoria) last week, before Mr. Justice Hodges, John Handford was charged with having | assaulted a girl under the age of sixteen at Mitta Mitta. The girl stated that in January last, a* she was passing accused's 'houee, he called her inside, saying that Mrs. Handford wanted to see her. When she went inside, ■ accused committed the assault. Accused ' denied tho assault, but said he kissed the girl. The jury, after an absence of half an hour, returned a verdict of not guilty. His Honour (to the prisoner) : You are discharged. Turning- to tho jury, his Honour added : — " It is to be hoped that if he tries it again, similarly, it Trill be on a member of your own families. Gentlemen, you are finally discharged." Tenders are to be invited locally and in Australia by the City' Council for tho supply of enamel street name-plates. The engineer (Mr. A Cowiej was instructed by the Petone Borough Council i last evening to proceed with the construction of two bathing sheds on the local beach. Dressmakers stands for home use. Well padded, covered with stockinette, natural shapes, and all medium sizes. Thes.e are light weight and strongly made, speci ally adapted to the home dressmaker. Price, 35s 6d each. Kirkoaldie and Stains, Ltd.— Advt. Renowned for Our caps. When you have once worn one of our shapes we guefcs you'll '•epeat youi- order. Geo. tfowlds, Ltd.> Manners-street.— Advt.

At its meeting last night the City Council passed a resolution granting applications by sports bodies for the remission of rates on city reserves used by them, provided that the conditions laid down had been complied with. At the Supreme Court this morning, George F. Sievers, who had on 23rd October been convicted of theft of £48 12s at Magterton cttmt before his Hon our Mr. Justice Hosking for sentence and was remanded until Tuesday next. Bail as previously fixed (£IOO and one surety of £100) was renewed. Mr. T M. Wilford appeared an behalf of the acensed One of the motions laid before the Patriotic Society meeting last night was to the following effect:—-" That the meeting records its extreme horror and condemnation of the inhuman acts of the Geiman army upon inoffensive Belgian men, women, and children, as reported upon by the Judicial Commission. Consideration of the motion was held over till the next public meeting of the society. The Fire Brigade Committee reported, at last night's meeting of the Wellington City Council, that it had been waited oh by the secretary of the Firebrigademen's Union in connection with the dismissal of a member of the service, and the union asked tha* an enquiry be held into the circumstances of such' dismissal. The committee recommended that the union's request be not agreed to, but that the action of the oflicei 1 be upheld. The recommendation was adopted.' The election of a member of the Eastbourne Borough Council to replace Mr. F. P. Kelly, resigned, wae held yoster' day, and resulted a* follows :— William Perry, 153; Charles Russell. 135; majority for Perry. 18. There were two polling places, one in the bo>nigh and the other in the city Of the votes cast in Wellington 98 were fot Perry and 59 for Russell, while at Eastbourne Russell received 76 votes and Perry 59. Mr. J. D. Avery, the town clerk, was the returning officer The location of the Art Gallery in Whitmore-street and the hours of admission are so little known to the Wellington public, and still less to visitors, that the governing body/ the New Zealand 1 Academy of Fint Arts, lately decided to ' take steps to give them more publicity. At last night's meeting of the Wellington City Council an application was received from the Academy to place notices in tramway sheds, setting out the location of the Art G-allerj, arid stating the hours at which it is open to the public. The Power Stations "and 1 Tramways Committee recommended that the application be granted, which was done. It was strongly urged at last night's meeting of the Patriotic Society that the Government should utilise returning troopships by conveying widows and children of the Allied Powers to the Dominion. Mr. S. Pearson stated that hfc believed the Wellington Provincial District would be able to take 1000 families, and that appeared to be the general feeling of the meeting. Four of the ladies who were present ottered to take a family each and provide for them. One speaker urged that there were many things 'that could be dispensed with whilst the war was on, and the proceeds devoted to the alleviation of the sufferings of those who wore bereft of fathers and husbands. During a discussion at the initial meeting of the Patriotic Society last night, there was some difficulty in arriving at an exact definition of what women and children— victims of the war-— were to be relieved. At first " all victims" seemed to be included, whether Belgian, British, French, or Germans; but eventually it was decided to confine it to widows and children of the Allied Powers. One lady, who has been a very earnest worker for relieving the Belgian women and children, said that she was willing to receive a family into her home, but if a German widow and children were brought to her she would do her best to alleviate- their Bufferings, and she thought that would bo the feeling of most women. Considerable reference to the late Mr. W. C. Gasquoinc was made in the House of Hepieseutatives yesterday afternoon. His widow had petitioned for a compassionate allowance on account of his decease shortly after having been retired from the position of General Managei\ of the State Coal Mines Department, which, it was pointed out, had been founded on Mr. Gasquoine's old business. It was distinctly suggested that Mr. Gasquoine* reasonably consider* ed that he would remain in charge of the Department until lie reached the retiring age (65), and the doctor, who attended the committee only that morning, distinctly expressed the opinion that his death was expedited by the intimation of his early retirement. More than one member -suggested that Mr. Gasquoine's widow should be granted an allowance of at least £1000. The committee recommended that his widow be granted at least a year's salary, and its recommendation was referred to the immediate and favourable consideration of the Government. The request of a certain number of taxi-cab proprietors for a general amendment of the existing rCjuo of taxi-cab charges in their favoui was considered at the meeting of the City Council last evening. The Bylaws _ Committee recommended that the request be declined. Several councillors urged that there was need for some, revision} as some of tho taxi drivers fared very poorly under present circumstances, while others, again, contained that' they had been frequently overcharged. Councillor Buddie said they heaid frequent complaints from people that they had been overcharged by taxi-drivers. He asked why the taxidrivers were not compelled to hang up their scale of charges inside their cabs, j where everyone could see them? Councillor Baiber replied that the bylaw required them to display the scale of charges, but some of them kept the placards under the seats, where it was difficult to find them. The whole matter was referred back to the Bylaws Committee to take evidence upon and report. By Gazette notice certain provisions of the Wellington district bookbinders, paper rulers and cutters' award are buspended. They relate to weekly employment and provision for the payment of full weekly wages to journeymen and apprentices. For swimming at the bays ; best selection of costumes, neck to knee Is 6d to 6s 6d, two garment 2s lid to 8s 6d, at Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners-street.--Advt. • The battle for supremacy is always going on. Against" all others we are first for quick-, safe delivery of -parcels. We send to any addresß. N.Z. Express Co., Ltd., 87-91, Customhouse-quay. — Advt. * A visitor from London and New Yolk states that one of the first things that strikes a newcomer here it tho remarkably smart attire of tho ladies. During the last ten years he has lived in New York, London, and Paris, and he states that in nono of these cities do you see finer garments than you do hore. It stands to reason that when Messrs. C Smith, of Cuba-street, have resident buyers in those fashion centres they can chow such beautiful garments as they have this season. Our representative noticed some of the most charming Race Frocks in their windows that have ever been displayed in this city. Ladies of real Recent-street and Fifth-avenue taste will do well to pay a visit to C. Smith's now Showrooms, at %, 08, 100, 102, Cuba-street.— Advfc. J

Notice boards are to be erected at suitable places on the Town Belt requesting citizens to protect their own property, and offering a reward for information leading to the conviction of persons damaging trees and uhrubß on tho public reserves. A cable was received by Mr. E. J. Carey, secretary of the Wellington Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union, yesterday, stating that a Bill had been passtd by the Victorian Legislature making a six-day week compulsory for hotel and allied workers. The new Act will come ihto force on Ist January next By the decision^of the Appeal Court, dolivored yesterday, the name of R. T. Wood has been removed from the voile of the Court. He was ordered to pay £15 15s to the New Zealand Law Society, which made the application When he application was heard, Mr H. F. yon Haast appeared for the society and Mr. A. W. Blair for the other side. Intimation ifi to ha given by the City Council to the Rosencath and Oriental Bay Municipal Electors' Association that the council cannot undertake the construction of suitable tracks on the Town Belt above Oriental Bay, but that it will be prepared to give periodical attention to the present tracks, with a view to keeping them in reasonable re« pair. Instruction have been given by the Reserves Committee of the City Council to have the extension to Kelburn Park carried out, a* provided ih tints year's estimates. The Superintendent of Heserves ha* been (instructed to proceed with, the planting, ot tne bank <jii ihe [ eastern side of Anderson Pa.rk, together j with the erection of the protection required at the top and bottom of such j bank 1 A committee wae appointed at last night's meeting of the Patriotic Society to ascertain what provision had been made against attnek by officers responsible for the defence of the city It , was pointed out that a large number of men who could not serve in the Territorials wore well ai>le to take part, if needed, 111 the defence of the country, and that* all they wanted was train-, ing for an hour or two each Week to fit them for defensive work. Business people who imagine tna,t "any old thing" will do as a receptacle in which to leave rubbish outside the»r 'premises make a mistake, as the City Council recently paesed a bylaw providing that all 6uch receptacles must \>e proper tins fitted with lids. Councillor <I. Godber at the meeting of the council last night o'rew i attention to the fact that the bylaw was not being compli«?d with, and the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) replied that the corporatinn's officers would \be requested tt» set that it wa* enforced. "When one reaas of the needless and merciless slaughter by the Germans of old men and sick women and children, and the wanton destruction of cities, it makes one wish to be in the thick of things, and bear one's share of destroying their ill-used power," writes a member of D Battery from Samoa He states that the men who have been in tents are striking camp and taking up quarters either in the school or picture theatre. The men are permitted two swims, of twenty minuteB 1 duration, each day, but he adds, "I think if we had our own way we would be in tho water all day." The Management Committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, at a meeting held yesterday, approved of a. contribution to a Dominioh War Distress Relief Fund. The amount sub* scribed is £^8. of which £25 10s was received from the {following associations; —Hawkes Bay, Maryborough, Southing Taranaki, Wellington . and the V\ «i Coast, while the New Zealand Assooia tion added a further 6Um of £52 10s, making up the total of £78. The Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago A&socia* Hons are contributing towards local re« lief funds, bnt entirely Approve the New Zealand Association's contribution. The matter will be formally placed be* fore the annual meeting this evening. An application has been received by the City Council from a number of Day's Bay .residents for permission to erect a. bathing-shed on the Day* Bay beach. The Reserves Committee reported to the council la-st night that, after full consideration, it was' of the opinion that it was unwise to pel mit private individuals to erect bathing' sheds on the beach, and it had requested tho City Engineer to furnish the committee with an estimate of the probable cost of erecting sufficient dressing accommodation for the general public visiting tn<* Bay ; a, number of cubicles to be provided in euch buildings, and the design to be submitted to the committee for approval. Harrowing details have been received by some Wellington residents as to diabolical cruelties inflicted by the German Huns on Belgian women and children One speaker at the meeting of the Patriotic Society stated that a woman in England, who had offered to provide for some of the orphanij) w,aß horrified to find on their arrival at her home that the hands of one were cut off, the ears of miother, and the nose of a. third. He expressed an opinion that when the people of New Zealand came to know of these children's sufferings there was nothing that they could do for them that would be left undone Corroborative statements of fiendish atrocities ■"were given by other speakers. The sale of a handsome Union. Jack at the Labour Day sports at Farndon, near Napier, realised £75 ss. Bidding was started by Mr. Renouf at £10. Offers came in quick succession, and the flag was purchased by Dr. Robert .M'Nab, the Liberal candidate for Hawkes Bay, for £23 There was great enthusiasm, and cheers were given lor the purchaser. Dr. M'Nab handed the flag back to Mr. Renouf, who started bidding going again. Mr. J • Vigor Brown, M.P., bought it for £20, and Mi\ H. M. Campbell, M.P., for £20 "It's a pity we haven't got the' whole Parliament here," declared Mr. ftenouf. ■ The flag went up again and was bought by Mr A. Kohn for £8, and by Mr. Butcher for £5 ss. The latter returned the flag for the Belgian Fund and again purchased it for £6, this bringing the total up to £75 ss. Mr. Harry Moss, manager for Messrs. Johnston and Co.. Wellington, met with a serious motor accident at Napier hist evening. He was driving along the Marine Parade from Hustings, when a child crossed the road, antT in trying to avoid running it down, the car wo* turned snarply, swerved, and e&jwized. Mr. Mosr'r right lets was broken just ■ above the knee, and his left leg was also injured. He was taken to a privathospital in ( Vapi«r foi treatment >' ih* left Wellinutoti for Napier be with him. It is only about a year ago that Mr. Mosb met with a driving acei dent oti Wellington-terrace, when he was in collision in his dog-cart with Wardell's new motor van. He was the*, driving into Wellington from Karon On that occasion Mr. Moss was Uirown out of his trap, his right leg was then broken at the hip, and he was removed to the Davis-street Hospital, where ho was fo* Borne monthb a patient. As a matter of fact, he had not since been able to dispense with sticks for walking aboui His former injuries were making verj alow progress when the second acciden happened to still further delay recoverj. The Petone Defence Hifle Club will open its season to-morrow, when teams will be picked by the .president a-nd vice-president.