LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 152, 30 June 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Taupo earthquakes were mentioned briefly in the House of Eepresentatives yesterday, when. Ma-. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua) asked the Minister of Internal Affairs -whether he would, at the'earliest moment, lay on the table Professor Marsden's latest a-eport 011 the seismic activity. The Hon. ,W. Downie Stewart replied' that he would have no objection to laying the report on the table. The position, however, was changing from day to day.

Df. L. A. Bauer, head of the Carnegie Geophysical Institute,1 will arrive in Wellington, on 3rd July by the Manuka for the purpose of discussing questions concerning the Samoan Observatory (towards the cost of which the Geophysical Institute contributes) with the Samoan Observatory Advisory Board of the Department of External Affairs.- He will also corifer with the Surveyor-General, Mr. W. T. Neale, regarding the work of the Magnetic Observatory in Christcfcureh. Dr.'Bauer has just come from the Geophysical Conference at Rome, - where a resolution was adopted congratulating New Zealand upon thei way it has been conducting- the observatory at Samoa. The railway working account, showing revenue and expenditure for the period Ist April to 27th May, 1922, shows that, while the revenue on the various lines in the Dominion totalled £1,'067>846 (against- £1,159,994 for the corresponding period of last year), the expenditure was £912,007 (against £1,095,896 last year), showing a surplus of revenue of £155,----839. The South Island lines show improved figures. For the same period last year the expenditure (£483,286) exceeded the revenue (£475,515), while this year the revenue for tho two months is £462,----127, and the expenditure £399,329. '

Portion of section No. 10, Town Belt, Crawford-road, is to be resumed by the City Council, the land being required in connection with the proposed tennis courts which are to be constructed after filling operations are completed.

At a. meeting, of the Institute of Architects last 'evening, an interesting address was delivered bj Mr. C. Beginald Ford, P.N.Z.I.A. Mr. W. M., Page, president of the Wellington branch, occupied the chair. The scope of Mr. Ford's lecture was a "very wide one, embracing the leading features of the architecture of various countries and over 9 long series of years., '

Fifty returned soldiers are being employed on the formation of Prince of Wales Paxk, the necessary; moneys, £1500, having been. provided from the Poppy Day : appeal. The money is being subsidised £1 for £1 by the City Council, the subsidy being a portion of the loan money allocated for the improvement of city reserves. Speaking at last night's meeting of the council, Councillor O. H. Chapman paid ai tribute to the excellent work which was being done by the sokfiers, stating that they were working wonderfully well.

Before the building for the new Girls' College could be commenced on the site to the north of the Boys' College, much excavation was required, and a grant for the purpose was made by the Education Department about a year ago, and the work has now been completed. A road approach has also been constructed**from Ellice-street, winding up to the site on a reasonable grade, and al} is now ready1 for the builders. The outlook from the new college will be one of the finest in Wellington, commanding as it does the harbour and the Hutt Valley in the distance, and there is ample, room round for playing fields or any other purpose.'

"Boosting Wellington" was the subject of a few remarks by the hon. secretary of the. Central Progress League (Mr. George Mitchell, M.P.) at the annual meeting last night. He gave an instance of four ex-Imperial soldiers, all with capital, landing in Wellington with, the idea gathered from the literature published by Auckland that presumably there was no other place worth while in the Dominion. The secretary urged the necessity for boosting "Wellington, ,and; described a booklet in preparation, for such purpose. Propaganda must'continue, too, in the face of competition. The president (Mr. C. M. Luke) agreed that the propaganda of Auckland had reached far and wide in the Old Country.

A hitch occurred during the sentencing of prisoners by tho Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, at the Supreme Court yesterday. The law insists that prisoner's plea shall be endorsed! on the back of the official document, which goes before th© Judge of the Supreme Court, but, in the particular case, the plea was entered in quite a good position —not from the law's point of view—on tbe face of the document. His Honour held that he could not proceed with the case, neither could he hear evidence which the defence proposed to call as to prisoner's previous goodl character. The papers were out of order, and there was but one course to take to release prisoner, to re-ai'rest him, and to proceed with the case again.

No time is being lost in putting into effect tho recommendations of the, recent committee of inquiry into the tramway system regarding the extension of the tramway lfnes from Wallace-street to John-street. Tho Tramways Committee reported to lust night's meeting r ß ' the City Council that it had instructed the tramways manager to prepare the necessary plans, etc., required in connection l^yritli:;tlis-prw.Oßtd exjMßlqa..,- .

The Postal authorities have received cable advice from Sydney that the Manuka left at noon on the 29th instant for Wellington. She carries 613 bags of mails, including 290 from Australia, 3 from the East, 4 &om Africa, and 223 parcel receptacles. .'• Two letters of appreciation of treatment received at the Wellington Public Hospital were read at yesterday, afternoon's meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board. The Secretairy of the Treasury acknowledges in yesterday's Gazette the receipt of a sum of £1, forwarded tc the Treasury by a person unknown as conscience money to the Government. In connection with the ■ annual leave to Corporation employees the City Council has affirmed the rule that such leave is to be granted only on completion of each twelve months' service. Many dairy faonnere in the Wellington district show but little interest in the butter boom. Most of them sold their butter at Is 3d or Is 4d per lb, and they are now paying at the stores 2s per lb for the butter they require for home use. At a representative 'public meeting in the Town Hall, Westp^rt, last night, a strong protest was made against the Government's imposition of a tax of 9d per ton on> coal. Copies of the resolution are to be sent to the Prime Minister, member for the district (Mr. R. P. Hudson, M.P.), and the Hon. W. H. M'lntyre. It was also decided to send a deputation to Wellington to meet the Prime Minister. ... ■' There was a rather sharp rise during May in the number of applications to the welfare branch of the Hospital Board on the ground of unemployment. Fiftynine applications were received on this score, as compared with 45 in May, 46 in March, 38 in February, and 31 in January. The total number of applications for assistance was 154, as against 141 for the previous month. On the other hand, the duration of relief was shorter, the applications in quite a considerable proportion of cases not having been renewed. Generous hospitality is, frequently, shown to the Tararua Tramping Club's itrampers, and the club's annual report returns thanks to its hosts, including Mr. and Mrs. Robert Semple, Mr. .and Mrs. Greig, Mr. Victor. Braund, Mr. Burdan, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Lane, Mr. Matthews, of the Wairongoma-i, and Mr. Charles Gray, of Pukerua. Mr. Thomas also has on many occasions placed his iwhares at the disposal of .the club. The' l'eport mentions that the following members of the club assisted the chief guide (Mr. Vosseler) in the search for ithe late Mr. Kime : Messrs. E. Tregear, *W. H. Wilson, L. B. Cross, and G. B. 'Brown. ■ It was recommended to the City Council by the Reserves Committee1 last night that- the offer of the Housing Branch of the Labour Department to convey to the council, as a playing area, two acres- and! a-half at Central Miraniar, be accepted, and that the erectioi> of a temporary fence.and' the levelling up of the area, be put in hand. Councillor W. H. Bennett wantedi to know whether the council was going to be saddled' with. th« cost of maintaining the area, which really belonged to the Government, and was part of the proposedl model village scheme. Councillor W. j. Thompson, chairman, of the Reserves C'ommitfcele, stated that the offer to the council was a very good! onej and a splendid green was being provided for the children. The recommendation- was adopted.'

Reference to complaints'regarding the heating of the Fever Hospital.was made at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board by Mr. J. W. Butler. Mr. Butler said that the steam heaters had been criticised, as they did not give out very much heat, and convalescing patients, after spending a month or more in bed, felt the cold very keenly. The chairman of the Hospital Committee (Mr. C. M. Luke) replied that the Fever Hospital was,in every way an example of what a hospital should be, and when the place was being built special attention had. been paid to the heating. Fires or radiators were not of much value in a hospital, as only a few of the patients could feel the benefit, and steam heaters were favoured because these provided a uniform degree of heat. Tests., taken recently had shown that the heat of the wards was 10 degrees, higher than that of the atmosphere outside.

On thei recommendation of tlie Finance Committee, the City Council decidedl last night that applications be invited for the position of internal auditor at a salary of £500 per annum, rising by annual increments to £700 per annum. --The Mayor stated' that the committee felt that the necessity of making such an appointment had arisen with' the growth of the city's trading concerns. The officer would devote his whole time to the work. Councillor Chapman urged that, in making ike appointment, the council should- giv« preference to any member of the staff capable of undertaking the duties. The Mayor said that officers of the council would! certainly be entitled to apply for the position, and their applications! would have the consideration of - the council. Councillor Forsyth protested against advertising the position, but that course was decided upon after a long discussion, the voting being 10 to 5.

The scope of the inquiry regarding lifesaving appliances for Auckland, which is to be made by the Auckland harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant, on his visit abroad, was finally determined by the Harbour Board on Tuesday. Captain Sergeant's inquiries are to be confined to ports in Great Britain and the Continent, and a. weekly report is to be made to the board. Inquiries are to be made on the following matters:---(1) The installation of wireless (telegraph..or telephone), at Tiritiri, Rangitoto, Manukau Heads, Auckland, aboard the, tug Te Awhina, and at other points; wireless direction finders; any other matters deemed of interest to the port; (2) a new salvage tug, or, if a suitable tug bo seen, the harbourmaster be authorised to employ expert advice and immediately report by cable to the board. An inquiry regarding an additional trawler, for work at Auckland, is to be made on behalf of the City' Council. Two cases of gas poisoning were attended by an Auckland doctor last week, both of which were due to using a caliphont in a closed room, while having 'a bath. The most serious case was at Stanley Point, Devonport. A young man, 21 years of age, went into the bathroom prior to going to bed to have a bath, and, with the dooi and window shut, started the caliphont. After the best part of an hour he was found lying on the bathroom floor, cold and stiff. Strenuous efforts at resuscitation on the part of his father and brother brought him round after the lapse of another half hour, but the effects of the poisoning were not removed for some time (states the Auckland Star). Strange ti> say the young man had no. recollection of anything that had happened, with the exception of the swooning. It cannot be too strongly impressed on all persons using baths with caliphonts bhat full ventilation should be secured while the water is being heated.

The Hataitai Electors' Association is to bo informed in reply to its request for a protecting fence at the corner of Hataitai and Huia roads, that there is no money on this year's city estimates to enable the work to be carried out, but' that consideration will be given to the matter by the City Council when framing the , estimates for - nest, yews '

The average number of patients pet day under treatment at the Wellington Public Hospital last month was 344. The Wellington City milk sale bylaw, providing amoiyt other things for the,sale of milk by ooupons, was ctraflrmed by the City Council last night. The chairman of the committee t stated • that the bylaw would ''agaih.be submitted to the Minister of Public Health, and he anticipated that it would be approved. The bylaw would com© into operation on Bth July. The need of more ground* at Peton« /.'. was stressed by some speakers at a special meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union last evening. Mr. J. N. Millard stated that one area at Petone he had \ inspected was capable of providing four grounds. "The Petone Club," h& said, "is one of the strongest in the city, and if you get a ground there Rugby will go ahead in leaps and bounds. As a matter of fact, it was only the shortage of grounds that prevented the Petone Club from entering at least three more teams in the competition." To arrive in Wellington only with the clothes they stood up in, after being: robbed of everything else they had on the ~ boat barring their good name, was tho fate of two Southern politicians who went from Lyttelton to Wellington on the. Maori on Tuesday night (saya 3 Press , Association message from Christchuruh). , The following telegram has been received from one of the victims: —"Gone through on Maori for all my ready cash (a few pounds), my fountain peii, watch and chain, pocket book, glasses, and cheque book. Arrived ir> Wellington with noth-. ing but my good name. was treated the same." Tlie progress of the Rugby game in Wellington was indicated by Mr. .T. Pi-endeville at a, special meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union last evening.-. During'the past two or three years, he H '- said, there had been large increases in " the number of teams playing, and the future prospects were of the highest, ifc being -considered that there would be an 'almost^ certain annual increase of from. 20 to 25 teams. But, where were the grounds to come from? At the present time the union had strained their own and the -local body's resources in supplying grounds, and' were it not for "double- •> banking," the'use of the college playing areas, and the suburban grounds, it , would be impossible 10 get through with' the matches. When a city councillor suggested last night that the' Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright) was not a racing man, the Mayor promptly replied that he was broadminded enough to thoroughly appreciate the action of the Wellington Racing Club to donate one-third of the profits of next month's meeting to the unem- J ployed fund. He thought that otheß bodies of sportsmen and clubs might very , well follow the example set by the Rac-' • in? Club. The same remarkj said the. Mayor in agreement- with a councillor, applied also to religious institutions and others. 'Money for the relief of the workless was certainly urgently needed. Mr. Wright was quite ■ indefinite when, asked whether he would attend the races, and he did not answer Councillor Norwood when the latter suggested that if the Mayor went he should take the* councillors. ; Decision was eivei> byr Mr. F. X..' Hunt, S.M., at ww Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, ir the case 111 which Thomas Quinn, licensee ot - th« Provincial Hotel, lower Hutt, was charged; with exposing, liquor for sale, with keeping premises open for the sals of liquor, and with selling liquor to two men. The cases arose from a police visit paid to the defendant's hotel at 9.5 p.m. on 7ih May. It was stated, during, th« evidence, that twelve men. tadi been found in the bar. The Magistrate said that he did not believe the defence, which, was full of contradictions of facta, sworn to by the constables. Quinn was fined. £10 am onto'din. each.'of the first two charges, «nd was convicted1 and; ordered to pay ooets on the remaining , two. William Pritchard, Ma-nson' M'Nab, MichaeJ Black, William John Paul, "William Edwards, William Robertson, and .William Kawker were eacW fined 40s and costs for being found om the premises, and1 Henry Benge, Jobf Henry Mafoey, Arthur V. Goange, andli Parcival Whiteman, for a similar of--fence, were; fined1 20s and costs. Ships have carried cows before now; in order to ensure a supply of fresh! ( ; milk, and some carry frozen milk for the run; but the condensed article is popular with the commissiarat, but not; appreciated by passengers so much as the milk fresh from the' <»w. The' latest thing in milk supply on board ship is the emulsifier. It is used in the preparation of the full cream milkl*, powder for making liquid milk. Thel-\ steamers of the New Zealand Shipping Company are trying it. A start wai made with a small experimental equip* ment and was so successful that big v capacity plants are now being installed and the result is said by experts to be an unqualified' success. Unless one knew what it was beforehand, it-ia said that the emulsified article is difficult to tell from fresh milk, and besides, cream can be extracted from \i) in the process. The sea trials have. been so successful, it is said, that the i great problem of fresh milk on ships is solved, and that this new treatment of milk in powdered form may presently be adopted on shore to mitigate, if not to prevent, the occasional difficulties experienced in obtaining fresh milk regularly and of satisfactory quality. , The late harvest in South. Otago, this! year put back the routine of farming! * operations, but the fine weather ol the] early winter has enabled the seasonal! work to be pushed on, and the1 farmers L are well content with their prospects in! every way except in regard to oats./ Rather heavy stocks of oats are held by many farmers, aud^ they are scanning the horizon, for a/market. Th« most likely demand is from Britain, bu» the freight charges are high. The North Island is not npwadays taking nearly so much of the Southern oatsj as in past years. This lessened demand is set down to the replacing of the horse by the motor for traffic purposes. Big stables are being shut xip or turned into garages. One of these establishments,, now shut up, used to keep from 200 to 250 horses (states the Dunedinj Star). •■ This change has now, of course,' been going on for some time, and it is having a steady effect in reducing tho acreage put down in oats. Twenty; years ago, such a crop as we have har-. vested this season in Otago would havo . Veen swept off in very short time. j