LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 153, 26 December 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Christmas is in its origin and traditions, especially tho children's festival, and even though war is raging on ' the other side of the world, the youngsters have their full of merriment. They may not know the reason why, but they do ' know that they are privileged. It is their shopping season, and Sciooge, were he to wake up even in Wellington, would have no difficulty in recognising that it was Christmas still, the crowd of busy little shoppers would soon_ assure him of that. This year the number of children in the .streets has been indeed remarkable ; there were not quite so many on Christmas Eve as in the day time, for when evening came many tired little ones had toddled or been carried off to bed ; but there wero many left, quite wakeful and wandering, unconscious and careless' of the traffic, but very careful of a new toy. Of course, there were the usual jostling thiongs of adults crowding all the shops, and especially such as dealt in ice-creams and sweets. They continued tlo parade 'till long after 10 o'clock. The following message has been received by the Senior Naval Office, New Zealand Division, from the King: — The Queen and I bond the officers and men, of the Navy our heartiest good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.— Signed, George R. 1. i The banks throughout New Zealand will be closed on Saturday next as well as on New Year's Day. Despite war and its consequences there has been a great exodus of people from Wellington this Christmas. Railway bookings are reported to be a shade below those for Christmas last year, but on the eve of Christmas close on 2000 passengers must have left the city by water for Lyttelton (for which port threo boats were despatched), Nelson, and Picton. A full Sunday tram service wa-s run in the city yesterday and was well patronised. Some of the New Zealand dairy factories are turning out excellent butter, writes our London correspondent on lllh November. A West-End dairyman is still handling butter made in March last by the Tnglewood Dairy Factory, and the following is the opin* ion of au authority on it : "To the uninitiated the butter would appear to be almost freshly made, there being not the least sign of deterioration of quality so far as I have been able to discern up to the present time." One of the chief centres of attraction in tho Hutt Valley to-day was the annual outing known as Father Lane's Picnic, which is held as usual at the Catholic grounds, Lower Hutt. The special trains leaving Lambton Station this morning were crowded with holidaymakers, and the scene- at the giounds indicates the growing popularity of this outing. A feature of the day is an interesting sports programme, in which both adults and children are well catered for. A band wa-s also in attendance. The local churches duly observed the great Christian festival yesterday, but the joy of the services was naturally tinctured with sorrow for the mighty con* flicfc now proceeding in Europe, and which has so vitally affected even the remotest parts of the British Empire. At the Anglican churches the Christmas hymns and music were the feature of the services. Masses at all the Catholic churches were largely attended, and the music at the high celebrations was both olr'oorate and well sung. Wellattended services were held at- the Salvation Army Citadel) Commissioner and Mrs. Hodder leading in the evening. Another step was taken by the police yesterday in the process of cleaning up the city In the Te Aro end Bella Foster, May Sidon, Stella. Taylor, and Mary Stent vere all' taken into custody on vagrancy charges, the allegations being that they consorted with people of illrepute. All appeared to be suffering more- or less from di'ink when they appeared before Captain W. H. Hennah and Mr. R. D. Hanlon, Justices of the Peace, at the Police Court to-day. Under tho circumstances Inspector Hendroy said he did not think it would bo fair to proceed with the cases. Each offender entered a plea of not guilty, and waa accordirgly remanded until next Wednesday. The Prime Minister sent a cable mes;e as follows on Christmas Eve to Major-General Godley, commanding the New Zealand Forces in Egypt: "Tho Government and people of Now Zealand desire to extend to yourself, officers, and men of the New Zerland Expeditionary Force their warmest Christmas greetings and best wishes. Though separated from your gallant troops by many leagues of_ ocean our thoughts and hearts are with you. New Zcslanders are adding another interesting , page to the history of Egypt, and we know each and every member of the Force will do his duty in the great work which the Empire has in hand." The Prime Minister also sent a message to Colonel Logan, and the .Advance Section of the Expeditionai^ Foscg jn. jSamoa.j

A hall has been erected at Trentbam iMilitary Camp by the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and will be used for services, meetings, and social work among the men. It will be in charge of an agent appointed by the chinch. Divine service will be conducted on Sunday by Rev, J. M'Caw, chaplain. In the erection of the building, valuable assistance was given by the men in camp. Tho following leply ha-s been received to the ca.ble message which Uis Excellency the Governor sent on 24th December to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, notifying a further donation from New Zealand towards the fund for the relief of the poor of Great Britain, Ireland, and Belgium :-— "HiB Majesty's Government highly appreciate the fur* thor generous contribution from New Zealand.— (Signed) Harrouvt." Writing on 11th November, our London correspondent states that at a re* cent meeting of the L.C.C. Education Committee the Teaching Sub-Uommittee reported that it had had under consideration applications from three New Zealand teachers at present in Canada asking to be allovvcd to exchange posi> tions wibh three London teachers. The committee agreed to recommend the council to offer salaried appointments on the unattached stag to the applicants for one year. The popularity of the excursion to Picton was maintained to-day, when there was a great rush to secure passages. The result was that in a very short time the tickets were all sold, and when the Maori steamed away she had no fewer than 1380 holiday-makeis aboard. Except for a fairly strong nor* therly, which may not be paatieularly appieciated by many passengers, the trip should be in every respect a pleasant one. The Maori will return in time to be despatched for Lyttelton at 7.45 p.m A challenge has been sent by P. Hannan, of Wellington, to William Webb, of Wanganui. to row him for the sculling championship of New Zealand and £200 a-side, on the Wanganui River, between now and the end of April next. Prior to the issue of the challenge Hannan received a letter from Webb's backer (Mr. W. R. Tuck) stating that it would be im. possible for his man to meet Hannan ! before May or June, and suggesting that the latter should for preference accept a challenge made to him by a New South Wales scnH"The proceedings at the Ashburton stock yards on the occasion of a recent sale had dwindled down to the store cattle stage, at which everything becomes flat, stale, and unprofitable, when the scene was considerably enlivened by the appearance of an aged and decrepit cow —a bony, hopeless beast with a hump like a cameL and a generally dejected air. A wag in the crowd suggested that sh6 should be put on her trial, and aftur being brought up on several charges oi vagrancy, the unfortunate animal was 'duly convicted. Then someone suggested raising 10s for the person who would ride the brute round the ring. Thin looked "easy money 1 ' to a spectator, who immediately straddled the beast, which walked resignedly round the yard amid ♦he uproarious applause of the onlookeis. .The cow was finally sold to its rider, who donated the 10s to the British and Belgian Relief EWd. Considerable amusement was caused lli the Auckland Police Court on Wednes* day when a well-dressed visitor' from Wellington complained to s Mr. F V. Frazer, S.M.. of the treatment he had received at the hands of the police who had arrested him. "They asked me mV name, address, religion, height, the colour of my eyes," he said. "They also took my valuables, snatched my hat, took off my tie. collar, and braces, and said that they would lock me up like a common burglar unless I lodged £5 with them." Mr. Frazer (says the HeraJd) pointed out to the complainant that he had been treated exactly the same as anyone else who is taken to the lock-up, ond added that the arrested man, if he sho.vs a tendency to kick, will very likely havo his boots removed as well. The police, he pointed out, could be no r<s specter of persons, but he could undeistand that a highly respectable citizen, unfortunate enough to fall into the clutches of the law, might not fully appreciate the routine of the lock-up. Writing from England, a correspondent says:' — "In place of a University there is nn armed camp at Oxford. The builders are there, the Professors ore there, tho Dons, and all the paraphernalia for culture are there. But the undergraduates' gowns have been i'eplaced by khaki, and thu sticks with .vhich graduates supported their learning have been retired in favour of rifles. The University is hot closed, but its glory as a teaching centre is temporarily eclipsed There are 1800 fewer undergraduates than usual, and very little academic work is being done. Over WOO undergraduates have received commissions, mostly in Kitchener's army, nnd many of the greatest " nuts" of the Uni* vei'sity are carryiig despatches on motorcycles, and have filled the French with admiration by their daredevil - feats. Practically all athletic Oxford has re-, sponded to the call of arms. There is scarcely a True Blue left in any of the colleges. At Christ Church there are only eighty in residence where there should be 300. All the ordinary sporting life of the University has been suspended. The colleges are suffering fitian* dally, but no murmur of complaint comes from them. So long as England lives they do not mind if their Alma Mater is moribund. Bearing distinctive marks of illtreatment a woman named Rose Lee stepped into the witness-box at the Magistrate's Court on Thursday to give evidence against William Leonard, with whom she had been living, and who was charged with having assaulted her. The story she unfolded to the Magistrate (Mr. D. G A. Cooper, S.M.) was a sordid one. She stated that Leonard came home the previous night and knock' ed her about. "He is a murderer," she exclaimed emotionally, "and if he is not put in gaol I will be murdered." She then described the nature of a brutal assault. He waa, she sain, always the same when he got drunk -and had been worse since a. prohibition order had been taken out against him. The accused denied the allegations. "I have done my best for you," the woman shouted to him across the body of the Court, "you are a dirty low scoundrel, and you haven't got a word to say for yourself." Sobbing, she left the box. Constable Phillips narrated how ho saw the woman in Courtenay- place last night at 10.15 o'clock fler face was covered with blood, and she was frightened to go home. Witness went to her house m Holland-street and found the accused drunk in bed. He denied any knowledge of the assault. "I know nothing about it,"' asserted the man in the box. "It seems to me to bo nothing more than a house of ill-fame." Inspector Hendrey remarked that the woman had been shamefully treated Her face was bruised and her body waa blackened. Hitherto she had always attempted to shield the man. Apparently when tho accused was sober he was a hpi'd-work-iug man, but when drunk be became a cowardly violent, bully. The Magistrate fined the offender £3, in default one month's imprisonment, and bound him over to be of good behaviour in two sureties of £25 oach. Well stocked for Xmas in good quality shivU. socks, underwear, tioa, boxes of socks and tics to match, and many useful presents. Gto. ]?owlds, LUI. £ Man* nerii-street.— Advtj, j

The Post and Telegraph Department has responded admirably to the claims on it* patriotism arising out of tho war. Up to the present 161 permanent officers and 43 temporary oflicers have joined the Expeditionary Forces, and members of the Department have contributed to the Patriotic Fund, through official channels, the bum of £2361 10s 6d. 'During the recent heavy gaio . vi Hawkes Bay dense olouds of travelling soil from the ploughed paddocks on farms obscured the plains. It war* estimated that fully six inches of soil had been carried away from some paddocks, and the drift on grassy places is said to be 3 feet high, covering up big thistles. Those who encountered i this travelling soil had a dreadful experience. Special attention is drawn by tho municipal authorities to the attractions which the Zoological Gardens at New* town Park offer to visitors as well as to local people, At the Zoo is to be found the most intetesting collection of birds, beasts, and fishes in New Zealand. The lecentljMn&talled aquarium is a. special feature, and the Town Clerk, in enumerating some of the other attractions, points otu that a visit would prove an education to children and a. relaxation to older folk Tramcars stop at" the Zoo gates. There is no chargo for admission on Sundays, but on olliev days threepence is- charged, but children under 15 aiv admitted **<>< People wno ride puati'bikes in Auckland not only must have the machinps registered, but, in addition, the registered number must be painted on tho bicycle, says the Star About twenty youths who had neglected this precaution came before the Police Court on Thursday morning, and had to pay fines The reasons given for tho numbers being absent were many and varied. One youth had borrowed his brother's bike without asking, aud he was told that in such case he also borrowed liis brother's sins of omission, and had to pay for them accordingly. Another young man, at a cost of 9s 6d in fine and costs, learned that to stick a numbered paper on the mudguard was not a nronpr compliance with the bylaw. Assurance that the dairy produce of the Dominion will not be detained in New Zealand for want of ships is felt by the New Zealand Dairyman. It "is pointed out by that journal that the information at the disposal of the Government is to-day that ten insulated steamers are expected in the Dominion ports in January and eleven in Februaiy. " The fact is partly due no doubt to the fact that our expedition .did not go Home, but stopped in Egypt. That is ample for everything the producer can put up ready for export in the time named. The Government ha« really done its work in this very well indeed, and deserves the thanks of the country. The f-eare is over, therefore. We may. look back. then, on the day when we were invited to regard the list of steamers in the service of the Dominion for refrigerated produce as only capable of making one trip iruihe season. That misplaced industry was responsible for a thorough good fright of the producing N interest*. Reflection stopped the panic, and time has made everybody cheerful once more." The importation recently of a. largo shipment of sea-graas furniture from Hongkong has given the Auckland Furniture Trad es-^JJn ion another argument in support of the protests made by it from time to time agauiet the competition of Chinese furniture. According to a statement made by the gecretary of the union, Mr. W. Mansou, the war has very seriously affected the furniture trade, and the union regards with alarm tke importation of articles which might have been made in Auckland. Furniture mado of sea-grass ha-s recently virtually supplanted wiekerwork in popular favour, and a considerable quantity has been made in Auckland from raw material, procured from China. Though the manufactured article is subject to an import duty of 20 per cent, ad valorem, tho cost of labour is so much less in China, that it dan be landed in Auckland, Mr. Manson stated, at a much lower cost than similar furniture can be- produced locally. So far as the union is aware, the prices, at which the furniture is sold to the public do not show any such distinction between the imported and the locally manufactured article. Twenty-three members of the commu* nity who indulged too freely in the convivial glass during' the festive season, and who came into the hands of tho police ih consequence, appeared before Captain W. H, Hennah and Mr. R. D. Hanlon, Justices of the Peace) at to* day's sitting of the Police Court. As they, entered and left the dock they made a motley procession— some young,, som<} old, some still gay, and others troubled. There was the old ofiender, with the face of a. hardened drinker, and young then who had barely reached the age when it is necessary to ehave. For instance, a boy--h& was not, more—of 17 stated that he was "not ueed to drink," but a friend had given him some on ChristmaA Eve. "A friend?" put in Inspector Hendrey. "He was no friend of yours." Another offender \va« arrested on Chrittmas Eve with nearly £14 ih b\"e pockets. Wheil he had sobered up he was allowed out on ba.il , only to come back to the cells on Christmae Day. Among the inebriates there were two women— both firet offenders in the eyes of the law. Alexunder Gilraer, Robert Russell. Ambrose Williams, and John Mann wero each fined 10s. in default forty^eight hours in gaol. Harold Wplhmnre wae convicted on two charges, and ordered to mako good the damage done to the arresting helmet, while Henry M'Ctisker was convicted and discharged. All the others— statutory first offenders—' were leniently dealt with. The Mercantile Gazette report* registration as a private company of L. F. Walks and Co.. Ltd.. Capitol, £10,000 divided into £10,000 shares of £1 each ; subscribers, Wellington, L 1?. WalHs 3334, G. A. Wallis 3333, E. J. Stephens 3333 Objects : To acquire as a going concern the business heretofore carried on by L. F. Wallis under the style of "L. S. Wallis and, C 0.." as wholesale and retail merchants and importers, manufacturers and traders of ana in motor vehicles, etc. That celebrated novel " A King's Romance," by E. Vivian Edmonds and Mary Austin, has recently been produced in picture form. The picture, which is entitled " Revolution,' is stated by London papers to be otto of the biggest successes ever shown in Eng'and. The rights for Wellington have been secured by the management of Shortt's Theatre. Tlie firnt screening will take place at this theatre on JM,onday next.— Advt. A new suit for Xmas. We can offer good material in well-made suits at 70s. iToh'day lounge suits, lSs 6d to 455. Also smartly-cut "sports" suits. C3eo. Fowlta, Ltd.— Advt. Holiday baggage crush! Escape v entirely ! Check through us ! We col* lect, check (rail, bea), deliver immediately a\ rival. Advise early. New Zealand Express Co., Ltd., 87-91, CMstomhotu ■>- quay. — Ad vt, Visitors to Wellington daring the In , day season will do well by ptvymg a vibit to that magnificent new building in Cubastreet occupied by Messrs. C Smith, Ltd.* tho popular drapers, who have been pr<v minent before the public during the past thirty-eix years, in which time they have built up <>no of the largest businesses in the city by simply giving the very best ttfrvioe- and values possible, We nre told that their establishment, as an exclusive drupory and clothing ono, is undoubtedly tho fiucot in Wellington,— Advi.