LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from Melbourne, that the Moeraki left at daylight on the 10th instant for Bluff. She carries 19 parcel receptacles for Wellington.

A question was asked at the last meeting of the City Council as to whether the Mayor, Mr. R. A. Wright, would approach the Government with a request that, Polhill Gully, running off to the south of Aro street, near the tram terminus, and at present held as a Defence reserve and; riße range, should be placed upon the market, that the land might ba used for residential sites. A general examination of the land has since been made, and the matter will probably be referred to again at the next council meeting.

A proposal for the re-establishmenfc of the steamer excursions to the Otago Sounds was made in the Legislative Council yesterday by the Hon-. Si' 1Thomas Mackenzie, who pointed out that the trips had been abandoned since the wreck of the Waikare many years ago. The Leader of the Council said that the matter was one for the Union Steam Ship Company. The Government steamer could not make the excursions. Sir Thomas said that on account of the incomplete surveys of the south-west coast of'Otago the main shipping difficulty was that of insurance. If the surveys were made insurance could be effected and the excursions might be re-established. Sir Francis Bell : ' The Government will take the representation into consideration."

, There are signs that the game of "Beaver" is going to have its run in New Zealand. It has been taken up somewhat enthusiastically by certain small boys in Auckland, some of whom recently amused a tramcar load of people by excitedly shouting "Beaver" on the appearance of any man wearing a beard, and between whiles counting up their scores, a point.going to each boy who first located a "beaver." In Wellington the practice has not been prominent, but there have been "occasional outbreaks, and one occurred when the.ferry steamer arrived yesterday morning. The first passenger to come down the gangway was a "beaver." A momentary silence was broken by a boyish voice which yelled "Beaver." From the almost unearthly silence which followed it appeared that even the small boy concerned realised that he had been guilty of an error of propriety—what might be termed a faux pas.

Mail day at the Chatham Islands is thus described, by the correspondent of the Christchurch "Press":—"The steamer Rama brought an exceptionally heavy mail, comprising eight bags and fifty-two hampers. Mail day is a great event on the island, and it is quite an interesting sight to see the residents galloping along the beach toward the port with packs of barking dogs following, closely at their heels. Whila the mail is being sorted, the crowd outside keep up an animated chatter on local topics, for this is one of the raro occasions when those from "but-back" come into contact with their fellowcreatures. At length the mail is sorted and the doors thrown open. Almost immediately there is a rush to the delivery counter, and for some time a great deal of good-humoured . pushing, jostling, and banter takes place. At last the mail is cleared, and to those in the city, where one, is used to the postman's knock and the sound of letters dropping on the hall floor, ' a Chatham Islander's mail would appear something unique. Your correspondent's share consisted of a sack and a half of matter, and was not the laTgest by any means.

"It has become more noticeable of late years that prisoners as a class are less given to complaining," remarks the Inspector of Prisons (Mr. M. Hawkins) in his annual report. "I am oi the opinion that this is largely due to the more intelligent and humane methods now in force, and also to the fact that the work upon which the men are employed is of a more useful and interesting character. Another contributing factor is. the altered relations existing between officers and prisoners. Formerly the prisoner looked upon his officer as being his enemy, always looking out for an opportunity to entrap him and have him punished should he infringe the slightest rule. The officer on his side considered that failure on his part in the matter of reports would be regarded as indicating that he was not enforcing proper discipline. This ,naturally created mutual antagonism, Fand did not tend towards creating mutual regard between officers and prisoners. This atmosphere has almost entirely disappeared, hence we rarely indeed hear of prisoners assaulting their officers. The prison system has immensely improved. The conduct of prisoners, as a, whole has undergone a change for the better."

The question of the admission to the hospital of relatives of. patients on the dangerously ill list cropped up during the hearing of a charge against Mrs. Macfie in the Supreme Court, Dunedin. A senior nurse employed at the hospital, in the course of cross-exam-ination, said that when a patient was placed on the dangerously ill list it was customary for relatives to be admitted at any time. His Honour (Mr. Justice Sim), addressing the witness, said: "Do you mean to tell me that no matter how' ill a patient may be, relatives are allowed to see them?" The witness replied that visitors were always warned not unduly to disturb the patients by talking or otherwise (reports tha "Otago Daily Times"). His Honour said it'was surely a very strange practice. Sometimes tho relatives were the last people a patient should see. Dr. Perry, a, house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, in referring to the matter at a later stage of the proceedings, said that patients on the dangerously ill list may receive visitors at any time, but not more than two could bo present at the same time. There was no need to have a permit from a doctor. It was usual, however, for the consent of the nurse in charge of the ward to be obtained. ■

If the ideas of Mr. H. E. Holland, tho leader of the Labour Party, are carried out, going to gaol will be a very pleasant occupation. "I am satisfied that the day of the wall prison is gone," remarked Mr. Holland; in the House of Representatives yesterday, "and that the more humane method of treating prisoners, and treating them as if they belong to a period of civilisation, has come. Some years ago the Socialists got control of the city of Milwaukee, in America, and got hold of the local prison and made, an experiment. They took a farm with a farmhouse; they placed a number of prisoners, taken at random, on the farm, and gave them the right to use tho food products of the farm, and employed them in the production ■of wheat. There were no warders in charge. They were placed on their honour. They went' out at a. certain hour of the morning and came back in the evening at the hour stipulated. During the period in which the experiment was made there was not a single attempt at escape, and the prisoners in that particular prison created a week's 1 output record for the State of Wisconsin." Mr. Holland added that he did not know how long the experiment lasted, but there was a; change in the municipal government, and he supposed Lhat the tyttcu wus then alt«ea.

The estate of the late William Dawson (of Speight's Brewery) has been sworn for probate at £250,000, states a Press Association message from Dunedin. No bequests of a public nature are made under the will. ' > .

His Grace Archbishop Julius, together with the other Anglican Bishops of the Dominion, will be visiting Wellington next week for the annual meeting of the Anglican Board of Missions. They will nil take part in a service in St. Peter's Church on"Wedneaday evening, at which the Archbishop will be; the preacher.

An enthusiastic meeting at Ashburton, states a Press Association message resolved to form a school committees' association, embracing the county's fifty schools, for the purpose of getting into closer touch with the board,, securing their own membership on the board, and .better transport concessions for pupils.

The Statutes Bevision Committee has amended the Companies Special Empowering Bill, which' confers on certain companies power to afford' relief to certain guarantors of-the- New Zealand jl^}. Packing;, and Bacon Company (Ltd.), by adding a clause providing that '_no such payment shall be made out of the subscribed capital of the company." ' -.- • .

A Wellington business house has just taken out a policy of £20,000 with a mutual life assurance association in order, to provide for superannuation and annuities ,for its staff: This is believed to be the first transaction of its kind in New Zealand, and is certainly unique in the Dominion in the experience: of the association concerned. '

Members of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council were entertained last night ' by' Mr. J. A. Young, the Chairman of Committees of the House. During the gathering highly complimentary references were made to Mr. Young and to his fitness for the important office to which he had attained. Mr. Young also entertained the members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. •

'This v about the quietest and most settled period we have had for many <a long day," remarked "a prominent Wellington citizen directly interested in industrial affairs'to a "Post" reporter todays "for six.months or so things have gone along smoothly , all over the Dominion, with not more,than one or two quite minor disturbances to. spoil the polish.. During the war years and: those immediately following, six months without a slippings of the cogs would 1 have been something quite unexpected!" Captain Fox, secretary of the British Ski-ing Society of Switzerland, who has just returned, from three weeks at Mount Cook, yesterday informed a Press representative at Timaru that he considered the possibilities, of winter sports, were not appreciated in New Zealand. Captain Fox, who holds, first-class ski-ing qualifications, considers that the environs, of Mount Cook^arei admirably' adapted to all forms of Alpine sports. With several others he made the- first ski journey to Mueller hut, 3000 feet, and returned the same day, in the. face of a heavy blizzard, though some members/of the party were storm-bound for two nights. New Zealand, he. says, has a great asset in Mount Cook as a winter tourist cenlre. *•"*■' .-■••.. .--..-

"Is he not working?" inquired Mr. F. K. Hunt,, S.M., when referring to a middle-aged man named Albert Williapi Kirkland, who ap'peaned at the Magistrate's Court to-day on a charge -of stealing four billiard ballu valued at £4, the property of the City Council Staff' Club/ "No, not at present," returned Chief Detective Kemp. "Then he has got. fourteen days of it, anyhow," .said the Bench. It was explained that Detective MoLennan had observed the accused trying to dispose of one of the balbv ,to. a dealer. When interrogated, he madetwo inconsistent explanations, but when the other three balls- were found on him, admitted the offence. "He simply walked into the billiard room and then, took the balls away with, him," concluded the officer. A sentence ofe fourteen days' imprisonment with hai;d labour was imposed. '

Sterner punishment for wife deserters was suggested by Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch. North) in the House, of Representatives yesterday. It would pay the Government handsomely, he said, to spend money on securing the extradition of some of these men, imprison them, and make them work for the support of their wives and children. Their treatment and fare should be adjusted according to the industry they exhibited while in gaol. " "If- they malingered," said Mr. Isitt, "put them on bread and water and they would soon work." The Minister of Justice' (the Hon. C J. ParrJ said that he believed a maintenance officer had been appointed under the Act of 1920 and was doing excellent work at Auckland. This officer secured the convictionl of wife deserters and then afterwards saw to it that the. maintenance payments were kept up. It was a rather difficult matter to follow deserters to Australia. The expense was high, and the matter had not been considered. However, he would consider the suggestion made by, Mr, Isitt, because it was wortli it.

To the "honour" system in the prisons is devoted an interesting paragraph in the annual report of the : Inspector of Prisons (Mr. M. Hawkins). "I am convinced," he states, "that•.the system now in force in the four-prisons of the Dominion is far and away the. best. From time to time we hear a great deal about the 'honour' system said to be in operation in some of the American prisons.' In this connection I am afraid that the general public of this Dominion have no idea as to what is being done in this direction at their very doors. As a matter of fact the 'honour' system, not in a limited but in a. most advanced form, is in full operation in many of the prisons of this Dominion, and, what is more, is being carried on most successfully. Personally, I must admit that the results as a whole have far exceeded expectations, and fully justify your having departed from the old-established custom of never trusting a prisoner. The 'honour' system has proved a. success, and has come not only to stay, but, I hope, to be still further extended. For almost forty years I have been engaged in and have had experience of the conditions existing in practically every prison in the Dominion. My opinion should therefore be of some value."