LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 55, 7 March 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Information with regard to the visit of the British trade shin to advertise British industries was received at yesterday's meeting of the council of the Chamber of Commerce. The chamber decided to reply, welcoming the visit of the ship, and expressing the hope that the mission in which she will be engaged will be a success: . . • . . . •

Reference to the proposed Wairaiapa railway deviation was made at the Chamber of Commerce yesterday, when Mr. A, Mackenzie reported upon the recent visit of the delegates of the chamber and other bodies to the Wairarapa. Mr. H. D. Bennett mentioned that Mr. J. Marchbanks, engineer to the Harbour, Board, was fully acquainted with, the proposal, and he moved that M^r. Marchbanks should be invited to address; the chamber on the matter. ' The', chamber, said Mr.' Bennett, should be fully acquainted with all-the information that could be gathered regarding the suggested deviation. The motion was carried. ' ' ,

An order made by the Supreme Court in a divorce action giving the. father custody of the children prevents the mother applying' for maintenance, even if the children are actually living with her. This was a_ point decided by ( Mr. F. K. iHunt, S.M.". at the /Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon. The position -was that the Supremo Court bad made a custody order in favour of the father, who had taken the ;children.to Hamilton, but had subsequently sent them back .to. .the mother, with whom they were fit-present living. _,The mother maintained that so long as she kept the ■ children she was entitled to some payment from the father. The Magistrate-said-he could 'not ■ override the decision of the Supreme Court, but he suggested that the mother of the children should apply to have the custody order reviewed. The case was adjourned indefinitely. -.-•. .. ■.;:■■-•'■:. ,■ Since football for girls was a novelty last year, the idea caught the fancy of some - immepaely, but the opinions, of others who had not been.themselves overtaken by that^idea. differed..greatly. The possibility of the continuance of the games this year is mentioned in the annual report of the Wellington Football Association, arid doubts are expressed as to wKcther suitable grounds' will be available if .further girls' clubs are formed. "Whether football ;for ladies should be encouraged is a moot point," says a paragraph -in the report, r" but as playedi by the' ladies concernedl no possible harm can happen. It must, however, be noted'that"the Football Association,.. London, has refused to' sanction any future-games being played under their jurisdiction."

A Wellington motorist who called at the office of The Post this morning expressed himselj^yery warmly on the subject of the danger of the road piers of the Kelburn-Karori viaduct. The central pier, he said, was bad enough in broad daylight., but at night it was no more or less than a moderately efficient car trap, which so far had not caujht many, but might go off disastrously unless something was done. A cost of while paint would not remove the piev, said the motorist, but it would greatly minimise the risk of accidents, at night. A curious discovery is said to havo ■been made at Butler Bros.' mill at Kua;tapu a day or two ago, when a log was about to be sawn up (writes the Holdtika correspondent of the Greymouth Star). In the. log was found embedded a three-inch shell from a gun. How it got into the tree trunk is not known. It is surmised, however, that the shot must have been fired many yearj ago out' at sea, for the shell (or shot) ehowed signs of great age,, and was much corroded.

Association football is certainly taking a very important place among Wellington's games. During the past season, says the thirty-first annual report of tlio Football Association, matches played in Wellington were as follow: —Representative 13, championship 636, Scouts 6, Senior Cadets 4, and schools 69, total 821, an increase of 263 games over the previous season. Entries received last season had totalled 101 teams for all grades of the competition, and with school, Scout, and Senior Cadet entries (a, further 35 teams), a grand total-of 136 teams. In addition, 105 teams had taken part in the six-s-side competitions held at the commencement of the season. The report also notes that the attendance of spectators at inter-club games increased greatly last season, and that at the Auckland-Wellington Brown Shield match there were fully 6000 spectators present.

The safety device invented by Mr. Frank Eveleigh, an Auckland tramway jnotorman, for use on direct-pressure air as fitted to tjramcars, was subjected to an'official'test at Auckland, reports the Herald. The device,: which is designed as a safeguard against sudden failure of the air brake through lack of pressure at critical moments, is a .. brass whistle 'of simple pattern screwed on to the pipe of the pressure gauge on the^motorman's platform. {The safety of passengers ' and pedestrians often depends on the emergency brakes, bnt at present the only indication the motorman has that his brake pressure is adequate is the pressure gauge, which he is often \inable to watcli closely when driving in traffic. On such occasions ho l-elies on the automatic pump, but unfortunately this ia not ''infallible. ■ By whistling shrilly when the pressure falls bolow the effective minimum, Mr*. Eyeleift'h's device warns the motorman that his air-brake is unreliable, and lie can then 1 regulate the speed of the ear by the hand-brakes. As a. result of the test, winch was regarded as in every way satisfactory, Sir. Eveleigh is suggesting to the Tramways Committee that sixi cars be fitted with his patent and given .three mouths" trial under ordinary working conditions. ,

Prices of two New Zealand proprietary brands of breakfast cereal foods were reduced yesterday. The reductions to the wholesale trade were 2s in one case and 3s in the other per dozen bags.

Improvements are being made at the Kaingaroa fish freezing works, at the Chatham Islands, in preparation for the resumption, of operations, which have been suspended for :% number of years.

At a meeting of the Wanganui Centre of the N.Z.A.S.A. last night it,was resolved: "That the centre dissociate itself with the remarks made by the chief instructor in" life-saving''at, Wellington, when he. suggested that because the Government had temporarily stopped a subsidy it had sounded the death-blow of swimming and. life-saving. The centre considered that such an expression ofooinion was not a true index of the people's feelings on the matter, and that the swimming community-had to make sacrifices with others, b"nt it would not wjHi'iold its support because the Government had rpased to give a subsidy for the time bping." 1

Ths biggest locomotive in the world recently hauled the longest train ever made up—more than ft mile in length-^ over the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains, from Princeton, West Virginia, to Roanoke, Virginia, for the Virginia Railway. The locomotive and tender weighed 449 tons and measured approximately 125 feet in length! •■ '- The train was composed of 100 rarsr each of which weighed 40 tons and measured Slj feet. The load carried by each car represented 120 tons of coal, making- the total weight pulled by the engine approximately. 16,000 tops. . -■',

Fr(ie beer! The great occasion of Princess Mary's_ wedding day did not go uncelebrated iji at least one part of Auckland, statesthe Auckland Star, one hotel marking the historic . social event by instituting:, betw^n the hours of 5 ,and 6 p.m., that popular function, "free beer." Needless to-say the celebration' was immediately popular. A number of impromptu speeches were made, and the health of the bridal couple toaeted freely. ■■■"Blime," one man was heard to remark afterwards, in deep chagrin, "and. I never heard about it ■ till one minute to 6." "' ■' ; .

Mr. Nelson Isaac, 1 a New Zealand artist who has been working iri. London, nnd who will teach nt the Elam School in Auckland, has had suggestions niade liiiii that'if the various art societies'in /New Zealand show sufficient interest, Sir William Open, Augustus John, Muirhpad Bone, Eric Kennington, George Clausen, Francis Porld. and William Ttothpn=tein will be most wjlling to lend drawings for exhibition in the different cenh-es of the. Dominion. "It is my belief." added Mr. Isaac, "that such an ' exhibition would considerably stimulate the work of our local artists, who, in the opinion/of the gentlemen I have named, have an excellent opportunity of develoning a vigorous and robust school of painting." ,

- A matter which might well call for consideration during the present W.E.A. year, said the pt*sident of the Wellington branch, Mr. J. Forde, at the animal meeting of the association, is the appointment of a permanent secretary. The Canterbury branch, he mentioned, had gone much further ahead than Wellington, and much' of that success was probably dus to the work of a, secretary, who could give full time to the movement. At the same time, he wished to-express his warm appreciation of the good work of Wellington's honorary secretary; Mr. D. M. Kennedy. He moved that an honorarium of £25 should be paid to Mr. Kennedy, and the meeting fully approved of the suggestion.

The proposal to lay flown a flat-rate scheme for electricity-ivas criticised at a meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League. A speaker said he thought the league should get on to the,matter k " hot and strong." He thought it most unfair that the South Island, should have to bear the'burdens of the North Island. The same • thing applied to the railways. Before the Government fixed the policy regarding electricity, a strong effort should be made to alter it. He moved: " That this 'league enters a most emphatic protest against the, Government adopting a flat rate for ele'otrical charges throughout Now Zealand.

An oil launch, said to have been cap-" lured from the Germans, has been stored in one of the Auckland Harbour Board. shedson the Central Wharf, with the Customs seals on, since .18th December. The launch was bought at an overseas port by an Auckland Tesidont, and was brought from Australia by a Union Company steamer. Owing to it having been a German vessel, it was detained by the Customs Department until a special permit had been granted for landing it, this not being issued until recently. Storage has been charged at the rate of ,over £3 10s a day.since Ist January, the f:otal amount being now nearly £200. In addition,' freight charges from Australia and landing charges at Auckland total over £100. As the launch is of German construction a duty of 35 per cent, on its value will be charged before she is released. When all charges have been paid, comments the Herald, the launch, which measures about 33 feet over all, will be an expensive boat.

New Zealand students and professional men and women who go \to the United Kingdom for study, or to gain .further experience in their professions, often find it difficult to make acquaintances through whose agency they will be enabled to see something of the life of Great Britain. Arrangements have been made (says The Post's London correspondent) to provide for such students or profession*! people being received .as' occasional guests in private homes., Those who desire to avail themselves of" 'such facilities should" register their names and addresses and furnish brief particulars regarding themselves at the office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, 415. Strand, London, W.C.2, as. soon as possible. This invitation is addressed to all bona- fide students, particularly to teachers, university and musical students, youths studying in secondary schools, doctors undertaking, post-graduate/ work, and naval and military men taking coujses of training.

A drastic reduction of wages for Indian labourers and of prices for sugarcane was recently announced in Fiji«by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (reports the New Zealand Herald). < The company proposes to reduce wages from 2s 6d to Is 6d a day, and to pay growers! 10s a ton for cane, instead of 19s paid last season. The following notice was issued to Indian wage-earners:—"At the ' commencement of the crushing season now closed, the company undoritook that the bnsio rate of pay then pre(vailing, viz., 2s a day with 6d a day bonus, would not be altered during the season. Since then the market value of sugar has dropped to an extremely low level, and Fiji sugar must now be sold in competition with that of other countries, such as Java, where wages are very low. In -these circumstances, the company is reluctantly compelled to discontinue the bonus of .'6d a day and to reduce the present wage from m2s to Is 6d a day. Thcsa alterations will take effect ns from Saturday, 25th Pebrnarv."

Expressions of sympathy with the restive* of "the late Messrs. W. Pryor and J. M. Muir were passed by the Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. Muir was a member of the Chamber for many years. j

The inducement offered to athletes by the professional side of sport was indicated in an application for reinstatement, which came under the notice of the N.Z.A.A.A.C. Council last evening. Th# applicant stated that he had' won £400 in cash, five cups, and twenty-five medals.

Mr. Bruce Mabin, who until recently held the position of secretary to the intermediate department of the Auckland Y.M.XJ.A., has been appointed to the position of boys' work director of the Wellington V.M.C.A. Mr. Mabin has just returned from the United States arid Canada, where he has been gaining further experience in the work' of the association.

Arrowing interest in cycle racing in the Dominion is likely to lead to a move on the part of the New Zealand AmateurAthletic Association.to take control of" cycle meetings, which at the present time were being held without any official jurisdiction. An application* by a cycle club for affiliation came before the N.Z.A.A.A. Council last evening, and the chairman (Mr. A. T. Davies) suggested that members should give consideration to the matter, with a view to discussing the whole question of. control of cycle racing at a special meeting to be f arranged.

John Dolan, an individual who has been in and out of the dock' at the Magistrate's Court every other day during the past fortnight or. so, and who has been causing the police a consider-^ able amount of trouble, made his final appearance, for one month at Jeast, this morning. He was charged with being An incorrigible rogue, and last week was given an opportunity of staying at the ■Salvation Army Home. This he declined to do, however, and thfs morning Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., decided that the only course left open to him was to send Bolan to gaol for one month. The Court will miss his figure.

A rather severe thunder storm passed V)ver Christchurch about 7 o'clock on Sunday night. Torrential rain fell, accompanied by loud claps of thunder and vivid flashes of lightning. As a result of the storm the north transmission line of the Lake Coleridge system broke and the city was plunged in darkness, but only for about half a minute, as the load was quickly switched over to the south line. As it was a "Sunday" load and consequently ajight one, the south line could easily carry it, but ; as a precaution the tramway and City Council authorities were asked to have their stand-by plants in readiness. As aeon as possible after the break occurred a repair gang wai sent out.

Attractively-dre«sed| a young woman named Eva Swindell entered the dock at the Magistrate's Court to-day to answer' a charge of having committed theft of 'the sum of £10, at Auckland, at the beginning of last month. Chief Detective Kemp said that the Bid's father had offered to make restitution of the £10, but the girl was emphatic that she had only taken £5. If that was'so it/ seemed unfair that the father should pay the full amount. JFhe Chief Detective suggested that the (rirl should be remanded in the core'of .the ' Salvation Army, until 13th March. • This course was adopted.

The Post's London correspondent men- \ tions that a recent sale of/the collection of postage stamps belonging to the, late Mr. H. F. Acocks, gome good prices were realised by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson. The collection was particularly strong in the Australasian section. A rare unused 3d stamp, deep mauve, watermark "star," imperforate,-New Zealand, 1862, sold for ; while, a pair of 1864 2d. pale blue, watermark "N.Z.," perforated 13, with the Dunedin postmark, realised £6. A pair of 1850 New South Wales _ "Sydney View," Id, carmine on yellowish paper, plate 1, used on piece of original, sold for £20 10b ; and £8 10s was paid for a late impression of:plate.2 of the 2d blue, with large margins.

Some HtUe time back Mr. F. If. Hunt, S.M., intimated that fines in cases brought under the Arms Act. would be increased, and this morning he put his ■promise into effect. William\ Henry Taylor,' charged with failing to register a firearm, 1 wasyfined £10 and costs. "Those £5 fines seem to be useless," ramarked Mr.' Hunt.