LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 143, 18 June 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

To-day is the 108 th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, when tho allied British and Prussian -armies undev the command of the Duke of Wellington, defeated the French and overthrew Naj)o!eon the Great.

The Postal authorities have received advice from San Francisco that the Rr.iM.S. Mauntranui, which left San Francisco on the 15th instant for Wellinptou, has on board for New Zealand, 1922 bags of mail (including 1706 from the United. Kingdom) and 395 bags of parcels.

Controversy on the already much-dis-cussed .question of shorter access to Karon is beiiift" revived again, following on the proposal to construct a- deviation through Bowen street. When the Kellmrn cable tram purchase poll was bofore the ratepayers it was stated that the City Council had no intention of abandoning the Raroa road route, Bearing this in mind, a correspondent ("Curious") writes, asking if it is correct that the Mayor muy shortly be expected to make an announcement as to the date for turning the first sod of the Earoa road lice.

"Stop smoking cigarettes and making yourself 'ill aud then you can pay 2s 6d a week towards the support of your child," was the advice eiven to a, young woman named Olive Woodman, when she appeared before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day, in recard to the maintenance of her illegitimate child. The defendant maintained from the witness box, that she had been suffering from a nervous break-down, but the Bench interjected : "The doctor says that cigarettes are the cause of your trouble. Leave them alone. You will have to pay 2s 6d a week."

''It is very jjwitifyinK." Raid Colonel Collins, in replying to the toast of the National Rifle Association, at the Petone aud Old Navals Rifle Clubs' smoker on Saturday, "to realise that thi> military authorities are now taking active stops to anconrago riflo shooting us a national duty by holding command rifle meetings, nud _ have formed the Army Rifle Association to teach Cadets and Territorials the use of the weapon, that they may know how to shoot, and so add to the Greater security of our Dominion. The rifle clubs form a strong link in our defence scheme. Every rifleman must he imbued with the idea that he must play thfl game, and must make the tuost of his opportunities of fitting himself to participate in the defence of the country, should the occasion arise."

When Charles Edward Donnelly appeared hefore Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., atthe Magistrate's Court to-day on a charge of disobeying a maintenance order ip favour of his wife, it was explained by Mr. W. E> Leicester, on behalf of the defendant, that the Official Assignee had decided, at the meeting of creditors that Donnelly had not kept proper books, and the matter was accordingly placed in the hands of the Crown Prosecutor, with whom it now rested, whether or not proceedings would be taken. Donnelly was still out of work, but would endeavour to pay £1 per week to his vjife. An adjournment sine die was agreed to by Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell, representing th« complainant.

The young Now Zealander is certainly intensely patriotic, but it is questionable if he is as full of disdain for the members of races " unfortunate enough not to be British " as was the youngster of some years back. When, at a lecture at Dunedin on the Scout movement on Friday night, cinematograph scenes were being shown of the international gathering of Boy Scouts in England during 1920—si gathering at which twenty-five nations were represented—this was particularly noticeable, tho inarches past of foreign troops, especially if their bearing was commendable, being received with loud handclaps by tho many boys present (states tho " Ota go Daily Times ").■ Naturally, the members of "the " Kedskiu '' race who were- shown got something more than a clap—it was a whoop that went through the building when they appeared in full war-paint. The Chinese received quite a cordial reception, but there was a stony silence fo; 1 the Japs, which might indicate that tho boy in the mass either roads the newspapers of uses his ears. The Belgians were also among the specially favoured, but they fared no better than the Americans, the Danes, the Poles, the French, the Canadians, and the South Africans. But, kindly as was the welcome to thes6 Rcvecu visitors, and many others besides, they paled into insignificance compared with tho applause ■that greeted the boys from Gibraltar and Malta, and when "England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales" ■ftwunts !>»&!, there'was a. mighty ufceei 1.

Some glittering specimens of ore from the Zeehan Consolidated, Thames, have arrived in Wellington, to bo forwarded io tho Imperial Exhibition in London next year. At a meeting of the company held in Wellington last week the nction of the directors in dispatching a representative to London to interest capitalists in the mine was approved.

The question of improved shipping facilities was discussed by a meeting of producers lit Stratford on Friday. It lias been suggestedl that the use of the main ports only would necessitate the cutting out of some of the coastal ports, but this the Taranaki producers were not prepared to sanction, and passed a resolution to the effect that New Plymouth mußt bo included in. the main port list in any agreement for an improved shipping service.

A proposal has been advanced for the preparation of the Presbyterian Creed in a brief form, the idea being to make available a clear and concise summary that could be easily comprehended by all. • The Presbyerian Assembly, in confei'ence at Dunedin, discussed tho subject, and at a meeting of the Ashburton Presbytery the other night, says the "Guardian," the proposal to publish the creed in a smaller compass met with approval. The matter will be discussed by the various Presbyteries of the Dominion and finally dealt with by next year's Assembly.

i A commission appointed by the Presbytery of Hawkes Bay, consisting of Rev. Messrs. Asher (Moderator, chairman). Robertson (clerk), ancl Mackie (Dannevirke), and Messrs. John Neill (St. Paul's, Napier), H. Adair (Mataivhero), and Bridge (Ormond), sat last week in St. Andrew's Church, Gisborne, which was filled to capacity, to consider a petition signed by 41 members and adherents of the church, praying that the Presbytery take steps to preserve the historic faith of the church. It was alleged, states the "Gisborne Times," that the Rev. James Aitken, M.A., had in his teachings departed from the fundamental doctrines of the church. Evidence was heard on both sides. The decision of the' Presbytery will be made known after due consideration.

"Can I have time to pay?" requested a middle-aged defendant named Alfred Welch, who was fined £10, iv defaulttwo months' imprisonemnt, by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day, on the first of. two charges of the theft of articles and clothing to the respective values of 39s and 38s, the property of Messrs. Whitehead and Pears. "How long do you want?" inquired the Bench. The defendant: "Three -months." The Magistrate: "Three months? Three days T It was explained by Chief-Detective Kemp that the accused had been employed by the complainant firm as a window-dresser. He had a very good character previously, and had a very respectable wife and family. The Court declined to grant an application by Mr. P. Jackson for the suppression of tho accused's name.

An exchange of library assistants between Auckland and Tcrronto, Canada, has been approved by the Auckland City Council. The chief librarian recently reported that the Toronto chief librarian had suggested sending to Auckland Miss Moir, associate head -of the Toronto Library (reference department), and that if the plan were approved he proposed sending in exchange to the Canadian city for 12 months, including travelling time, Miss Maud Ballantye, of the local library staff (states the "New Zealand Herald").- The Library Committee has recommended that this scheme be adopted. Miss E. Melville, who presides over this committee, stated that the scheme would involve the council in no exepnse other than ihe gap between Mis* Balkntyno's d-epar-ture and the arrival of Miss Moir. Miss Ballantyne was prepared to pay her own travelling costs. She would have nine months in one of the best libraries in America, and the proposal was an excellent one.

Captain Edwin T. Pollock, Governor of American Samoa, has forwarded the following appreciative letter to the president of the Eaglish-Speaking Union at Wellington : "Our time in your most hospitable country was so taken up that I had no opportunity to write you, as president of tho English-Speaking Union, before the U.S.S. Ontario sailed from Auckland, how much honoured the officers and I were that you invited us to be present at the first meeting of the English-Speaking Union of Wellington. On looking over some San- Francisco papers, en route to Samoa, I saw that at a similar meeting in San Francisco, our Admiral Sims was a speaker. He fee's, as we do, that an English-Speaking Union will tend to draw our countries together, as well as to help the whole world to a better understanding of the principles for which the union is striving.. I consider it a great honour that we should have been able to be present at your first meeting, and hope to meet you all again."

" We were taking the names of so many of them thafc we did not have any time to listen to excuses." said a constable at the Magistrate's Court atChristchurch, when asked if a youth, charged with cycling at night without a light, had offered any excuse. Sixtythree defendants who had cycled at night without lights on their machines were charged with the offence. Many interesting excuses were offered, th» most usual explanation being delay at work through the floods, breakdown of machinery, rush of business, and other exceptional causes (reports the- " Lyttelton Times "). One youth, eighteen years i.'f age, who said ho ,was still attending school, gave as his explanation that, although he had a lamp, ho did not light it because lie was conserving his supply of two matches. " I don't smoke, and so / I don't carry many matches with me," he said. However, when the constable took his name he borrowed sonu> matches from the guardian of the 'law with which to light his lamp.

Tho president of the Southland Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union, in his address at the .annual meeting of the union, commented on the political position as follows:—"During the year we have had our full share of matters political, the Parliamentary elections taking place in December, and local body elections in May. The latter created considerable interest, and [ think the results were generally satisfactory. This cannot be said of the Parliamentary election, as none of the three parties secured' a working majority. It is doubtful if the interests of the primary producers would be made a, first consideration by any one of these three parties. Tho llefonu Party lias disappointed the hopes of many who supported it. Its political progress lias not been unmarked by broken promises and unredeemed pledges, and tv-day we find many fanners who were once enthusiastic supporters of lteform continuing their support not because- they entirely (ipprove. but because there is nothing better offering. The chief stock-in-trade of the Liberal Party is the achievements of past statesmen, whose greatness and example they do not even attempt to imitate, while tho platform and speeches ■■ of Official Labour make an agreement between that party and the producers impossible Many of our members maintain that our political future lies in the formation of a Farmers' Political Party, but I invself am somewhat apprehensive, feeling that any such movement would tend to dismember the union. The Future, politically, is full of interesting possibilities."-

Mr. Evan Parry, chief engineer of the English Electric Company, states that the locomotives which have recently been conveyed to tho Otira tunnel are now passing up and down tho line, and to-morrow they will take loads of carriages and trucks. He said' that he had received no definite intimation as to the dato fixed for the opening of the tunnel, but had heard 4th August mentioned as the possiblo date. "Tho electrical work in connection with tho scheme is proceeding well," be said, "and I am very satisfied with tho progress of the work."

"The winteriess and roadless North," was the phrase used by Mr. Singer at the Auckland Supreme Court in alluding to travelling difficulties encountered by witnesses who bad to come from Kaitaia to the Supreme Court for a case down for hearing before Sir Bobert Stout, tho Chief Justice. Those witnesses, said Mr. Singer, had twice tried to .attend, and on both occasions had been delayed by the condition of the country over which they had to motor. A weed's notice would be needed, bo that they could know what the roads were going to be like.

In spite of the prospects of an early opening of the Otira tunnel, the coach drivers do not appear to be unduly disturbed (says the Christchurch " Press "). This is probably due partially to the fact that they have had fifteen years to prepare for the shock, and partially because they feel sure that further long delays will occur. In many quarters the opinion is freely expressed that passengers will not bo carried through the tunnel till Christmas. A few somewhat more optimistic believe that Carnival Week in November will see the first passenger trains. Goods traffic will bo carried a considerable time before pas' senger traffic, and there are signs that the Hailway Department intends to expedite the transmission of goods as much as possible.

In the course of his interesting address to the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Association on Friday, Mr. H. C. Cameron, formerly Produce Commissioner for New Zealand in London, remarkedthat a cable message published a few days previously stated that the question of the better supervision and handling of apples in London had been brought under the notice of the Port of London Authority by a deputation that pointed out that fruit discharged at Southampton could be delivered in London Quicker than if it were discharged at Tilbury. The temperature of the apple chamber on board ship recommended by Mr. Cameron was 38 to 40 degrees,; no* 30 degrees as stated in the summary of his address published in "The Post" of Saturday. Thirty degrees being under freezing point, would, of course, be detrimental to the fruit.

The probability of trie Auckland Srfdiers' Club being closed this year was mentioned at the meeting of the executive of the Patriotic Association or* Thursday afternoon (states the Auckland " Star ' in amplification of the recent Press Association message.). The Soldiers' Club Committee reported that thn operations of the club for the year ended 31st March last resulted in a loss of £801 10s 3d. The committee held a meeting recently, when it was decided to recommend to the trustees that the premises' should bo closed on 30th November next. Both the House Committee and the General Committee of the club thought it advisable that the club should be closed, as it had now served its purpose, said Mr. V. J. Lamer. The club premise* are owned by the association, which will receive the proceeds in the event of a sale. A meeting of the trustees will be called at an early date.

Apparently all is not harmonious in a South Canterbury district, arid the actions of a woman in interrupting the conduct of a country school are going to lead to the casus belli being ventilated in the Court (states the Christchurch " Sun "). The matter was brought, under the notice of the Education Board last week. The chairman of the Totara Valley School Committee, Mr. A. J. Cleland, reported that on 13th June a Mrs. M'Cann went to the school and entered without knocking while classes were being held. On being requested to withdraw, she refused, and Miss Hnmilton, the teacher, was compelled to close the school for the day. She sent in a complaint to the committee, and, at a special meeting, it was decided that the Education Board he asked to take _ proceedings against Mrs. M'Cann. wi|th a view to having her bound over to keep the peace.. It was desired that she should be prohibited from entering the school and grounds during school hours. The chairman further added that it was quite impossible to carry on the school as matters were, and tile present state of affairs was injuring the education of every child, it was decided to instruct the board's solicitor to take action against Mrs. M'Cann.

The granting of a year's leave of absence on full pay to. a former salaried officer of the Auckland City Council gave rise to some discussion at the meeting of that body last week. The action taken was that a committee which had been " authorised " by the council at a meet ing held a fortnight ago to make the payments extend for twelve months, and had taken such " authorisation " as an instruction. The committee had originally recommended a term of six months on full pay, but this recommendation had been referred back to it. Certain councillors, including members of the committee concerned, protested against, the extension of the term of the ex-officer's leave of absence, and one sought to move an amendment to /escind the decision. This was ruled out of order, however, the fieputy-Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon. stating that notice of motion must be given. An effort was made by Mr. T. Bloodworlh to Inive twelve months' leave of absence on full pay, instead of sis months as recommended by another committee,, granted to a retiring wages employee of the council (reports the "New Zealand Herald").' He contended that all employees, whether on salary or wages, should be treated alike. His motion was, however, defeated.

In the course of the correspondence at the Hastings Borough Council's proceedings on Thursday evening, a letter was read from the General Manager of Railways, intimating that the Lyndon road crossing would be equipped with warning- bells in its turn. There were. crossings in more need of equipment than Lyndon road ; there was a good view at St. Aubyn street crossing. Trains passed over, it .slowly, and extra, caro was taken by the staff when suunfing across the street. The mishaps that had occurred were due solely to those concerned failing to take precautions to safeguard their own welfare. The exhibition of a lil-tle care on the part of drivers of road vehicles would remove all risk of accident. The council's request that a crossing-keeper V* appointed could not. therefore, be complied willi. The Mayor then moved : ('!'. That we consider the installation of warning bells at Lyndon road railway crossing a most urgent work, and necessary for the protection of our citizens and" that this council insists that some definite time be stated as to when the bells will be installed. (2) That a reply be sent to the Manager of Railways "and the Minister of Railways that Hastings is not a wayside,_ up-country bush station, bnt a busy railway centre, and us such it should receive just consideration. Councillor Fowler said Mr. M'Villy seemed to have mado up ],i s m jiul long ago that members of local bodies were fools. The motion was carried.