LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 150, 22 December 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The mails which left Wellington on 12th November, per R.M.S. Marama, arrived in London, via San Francisco, on the 20th instant, seven days late. With regard to the arrangements for payment of retiring and other allowances by the Public Service, Railways, and Teachers' Superannuation Funds tomorro.v instead of at the end of the month, it should be noted that this departure from the usual practice will oub apply to payments for the current month. A good story ig going the rounds of the police and the legal fraternity concerning a well-known Auckland member of the Bar. Last week, relates the Star, some seven or eight prisoners were being taken by train to Hamilton under police escort to stand their trial at the Supreme Court there. The legal gentleman had obtained permission to travel in the carriage with them, so as to be able to confer with one of the prisoners for whom he bad been retained. At one of the towns at which the train stopped, the local police brought two residents to the railway station to see if they could identify a couple of criminals from whose attentions they had suffered, and who might perchance be among the select company in the reserved carriage. One resident pointed out his man without hesitation ', but the other, a lady, looked timidly round the carriage, turning from one occupant to another. Finally her gaze rested on the legal luminary, and after a moment's thought she told a constable, " I'm not quite sure that that man there is the one, but he's very like him ! " Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd., announce that to-morrow and Thursday Father Christmas will be at home in his Treasure Grotto from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 3 p.m. till 5 p.m., when he expects to meet all bis young friends*. — Advt.

Eastbourne residents, led by their Mayor (Mr. W. J. Organ) and council, are taking a lively interest in the movement for the formation of a National Reserve. At its meeting on Friday night the council resolved : "That this council approves of the formation in Eastbourne of a branch of the National Reserve, and undertakes^ to use its best efforts to forward the proposal." Enquiries made by a Post reporter go to show that there is a strong feeling among Petone and Lower Hutt busine&s people ih favour of the reten* tion of Wednesday as the statutory liulf-holrday. Tho representatives of the two councils meet in conference to determine the question next month, and as liiei'o is difference of opinion as regards the most suitable day the pioceedings should be interesting. In view of the opinion of shopkeepers, however, it is considered unlikely that Saturday will be substituted for Wednesday as the half-holiday for the coming year. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M\, Charles Alexaqdev Daniel Thomas was ordered to find sureties to the amount of £50 that he would obey a maintenance order in favour of his wife. Mr. P. W Jackson, who appeared lor complainant, stated that Thomas made no attempt to comply with the order. Hannah Gidlow wa,s granted summary separation from her husband, William Henry Gidlow, on the ground of failure to maintain. Complainant stated that she believed he"r husband was in America. Joseph Flanagan was sentenced to seven days" imprisonment for failing to comply with a- maintenance order. Mr. Edward Tregeav, who has made a study of Celtic folk lore, and delivered an interesting lecture last year on the subject before members of the Celtic Club, stated last night that further investigation had caused him to modify an opinion which _ he then expressed, to the effect that little or no Celtic strain was to be found in the Teutonic countries. Whilst that was to a great degree true as re* gardf} Prussia, there was, he stated, a strong Celtic strain amongst the peoples of Southern Germany. The Celtic races had such 9 reverence for motherhood that it was inconceivable that they could be guilty of placing women and children in front of the fighting line and destroying buildings and churches of great historic and artistic value. Deterrent sentences were passed by Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., to-day on two undesirables arrested on the Te Aro Flat yesterda-j. Their names were John Black and Archibald Neville, and they were charged with Assaulting William Simpson. The latter bore evidence of having received exceedingly rough treatment, his left eye being practically closed. ( He stated that he lodged in a house in Taranaki-street. When the accused came home they alleged that a friend of his was a German. Simpson defended his mate and was brutally attacked in consequence. He alleged that he received lacks all over his body. Inspector Hendrey stated that Black and Neville were both dangerous and violent criminals, who preyed on their fellowbeings. Each was sentenced to a term of six months' hard labour. "Celtic Elements in Our. Nationality" was the subject of a lecture delivered at Scott's rooms, Manners-street, lasfc night, by the President of, the Celtic Club Professor H. Mackenzie. The address was a sequel to a more elaborate treatment by the lecture at previous gatherings of the club of the countries inhabited by Celtic peoples, their struggles for liberty, their love for the home and the sanctity of the family, their varied artistic gifts, and, above' all, their loyalty to friends and country [ At the conclusion of his exceedingly interesting lecture, Professor Mackenzie invited discussion. Messrs. M. .L. Reardon, Campbell. M'Warren, Galyin, and Tregear responded to the invitation, and all the speakers warmly complimented the lecturer. Musical items weve rendered during the evening by Messrs. Foote, Fitzgerald, Houston, Sir James Carroll, and others. A feature of the evening's entertainment was the reeitai tion of a poem of* his own composition on the subject of our boys going to the war by the veteran journalist, Mr. James Izett, Mr. Edward Tregear was chairman during the early part of the evening, and Mr. D. M'Warren subsequently. All there is to know about the Port of Wellington is contained in the 1915 Year Book of the Wellington Harbour Board, a well-compiled, ably-edited, and tastefully-produced annual. The works contemplated by the Board includes construction in the near future of a new wharf for ocean-going steamers, which is to be 948 ft long and 18Sft wide, with ample sheds and cranage Drawings are also being prepared for the construction of Te Aro Wharf, to be built ea6t of Taranaki-street WharL It will be 661 ft long and 123 ft wide. Both wharves will be built in reinforced Concrete. Tenders are to be called shortly for the reconstruction of the Wool Jetty, bo as to make it suitable for the WellingtonLyttelton ferry service. It will have a length of 4?2ft by a width of 70ft, and a long shelter ihed .and baggage depot. Ticket offices will be erectea on the new Ferry WfTarf, which will then bo but a few minutes' walk from the new Wei* lingtoii railway terminus. The iear Book, which was printed at thft Evening Post, coutnins plans of the wharves, of existing and projected works, a chart of the harbour, a Map of New Zealand, and portraits of the chairman, members, and officers of the Board, and many illustrations. There is very tangible evidence that there is in Auckland at the present time a class of people who are known to the police as "hooks," but who are more commonly designated pickpockets. And there is very good reason for believing that these most annoying people " hooked " about £350 from the pockets of two people in the city ohe day last week (says the Star). The first victim was a blacksmith, who had cashed a large cheque, representing his savings, and rather carelessly put a roll of notes representing £310 in his hip pocket, as he was on His way to the railway station to the express to travel to Wellington. He had been a few minutes on the train, awaiting its departure, when he suddenly discovered that his roll of notes had disappeared from his pockets. Believing he had dropped it, he at once made search back along his tracks through the city, but could get no trace of the notes. He then informed the police. The toll had contained one note for £100 and one for £50, the numbers of which the blacksmith had notedj and the police, on making enquiries, discovered that the £100 note had been changed at a bank in the city about twenty minutes after the blacksmith first discovered his loss. . A new suit for Xmas. We can offer good material in well-made suits at 70s. Hoh'day lounge suits, 15s 6d to 455. Also smartly-cut "sporfs" suits. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.— Advt. Holiday baggage crush! Escape it entirely ! Check through us ! We collect, check (rail, sea), deliver immediately arrival. , Advise early. New Zealand Express Co,, Ltd., 87-91, Customhousequay. — Advt. For many days to come the main point of discussion in mahy circles will be oonhecbed with the recent elections, both party supporters declaring their side to be right, and so they continue to be divided Btnl. Our readers, will agree with us, as do all leaders without any division whatever, that the one foremost drapery establishment to buy your Xmas novelties, drapery, and clothing from is Messrs. C. Smith, Ltd., of Cuba-street, Wellington.—Advt.

Tho Salvation Army is holding a day of intercession and prayer on Sunday, 3rd January, 1915. ih connection with the War. On that day every Salvationist throughout the Dominion will be called upon to make a peißOha) offering of some kind towards the war emergency fund. " Rabbits are becoming such a post in the country that I think it is time someunited action was taken to lessen tha number considerably." Thus Bpoke Mr. J. M'Leod at the last meeting of tha Waitemata County Council. It was agreed that a public meeting should be convened in Mr. M'Leod's riding fc the purpose of arranging a campaign against bunny. Recent additions to the Wellington Zoo include the Samoan collection of birds, comprising a tooth'billed pigeoh, a pair of fruit pigeons, one rail and a pair of Java sparrows, a Government gifb of two dozen Japahese fan-tailed goldfishes, four flightless ducks from t the Auckland Islands, otid two seasons., There are now five sea-lions m the Zoo, tor a little baby sua-lion was bom on. Sunda.) . ■ A case of bag-snatching has been Veported to the police On Friday night a woman was proceeding along BidwilU street, accompanied by her little boy, when n man who was* standing in a, dark corner snatched her bag, pulling her over at the same time. The assail' ant madeoff rapidly in the direction of a plantation near by, and nothing has been Been or heard of him since It is understood thai the bag did not con» tain anything worth taking. During the past few weeks a band of ladieß has been canvassing Lower Hutt in connection wih he Belgian Shilling Ohrisnias Gift Fund, and the result is that £26 has been collected. The amount collected in Petone in aid of the Christmas Fund is £61 19s 6d to date, while there are a number of cards yet to be returned. In addition to this th* Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) is forwarding a fourth sum amounting to £36 18s fr» the Belgian Relief Fund. The children of the MoleflwOrth-streefc Methodist Sunday School are provided with a much-appreciated treat during the holidays, in the shape of a picnic. This year the suggestion waa made that the money spent in this way migh* be given for the relief of Belgian children. On a recent Sunday ballot-papers were issued, and a vote of the children of tho school was taken on the question. As a result there were no informal votes, and every boy and girl voted for the Belgian children. The same course has been adopted by the Sydney^atreeb Methodist Sunday School. It is sad, but none the less too true, that shop-lifting is becoming more prevalent each year in Auckland, and the losses sustained by retailers have a's» sumed such large proportions that it ha& been decided to take Btrong measures to try and check this system of thieving (says the Auckland Star). In at least three establishments this week in Auckland there have been cases of shop*lift» ing reported, and in each instance a woman has been the thief. The manager of a big Queen-street establishment informed a representative of the Star that as far as appearances went each of the women looked thoroughly respectable as far as attire was concerned, and there was nothing that would Beem to indicate that want had caused them to become thieves. Be added that, ift view of the great losses sustained by re* tailers from this practice of chop-lifting, tradesmen have now decided to take extra precautions during the busy season. "We have appointed three private detectives," he said, "and the establishment next door two. The same thing is going on in other large establishments in the city. We have also agreed amongst ourselves not fco let anyone who is discovered shop-lifting in the future escape punishment. They will be prosecuted irrespective of what may bo their station hi life. The fact is, we are certain thafc past leniency and acceptance of excuses lias only tended to develop the evil practice. For that renson we have determined to wake ah. example of anybody caught." Well stocked for Xmas in good quality shirts, socks, underwear, ties, boxes of socks and ties to match, and many useful presents. Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners'strcet.—Advt.