LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 47, 24 August 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The railway returns for tho four-week-ly period ended 21st July, show a continued improvement, the surplus of receipts over expenditure being more than double the amount of the surplus forthe same period last year. The total receipts amounted to £1,977,834, and the expenditure was £1,637,059, the e.\cess of receipts being £340,775. For the same period last year the excess of receipts was £169,188. The North Island lines showed a surplus of £252,928, and the South Island lines, £87,846.

The Postal authorities have received advice from Melbourne that the Waihora left at noon on the 23rd instant for Wellington. She carries a small mail for New Zealand. The Tahiti left Sydnew at noon on the 23rd instant for Wellington. She carries 645 bags of mails for the Dominion, including 165 from Australia, 153 from beyond, and 327 parcel receptacles.

"In opinion, if New Zealand adopted the individual system o£ taxation that is adopted in other countries, charging companies only a moderate flat rate upon their undivided profits and. charging shareholders taxation on their dividends, costs and charges of all kinds would come down immediately," said Mr. W. D. Hunt, in the course of an address on taxation to the niembera of the "V" Club yesterday. Ihere would be a general fall in the cost of living. Competition amongst companies would quickly see to that."

Yesterday's New Zealand "Gazette" contains notification of the appointment of the following Justices of the Peace: Messrs. Sidney Clendon, Lower Hutt; Maurice Cohen, Palmerston North; F. D. Cornwell, Wellington; Walter V. Dyer, Lower Hutt; Clarence S. Keedwell, Levin; William R. Kemball, Masterton; Donald W. Matheson, Levin; Alexander G. Morrison, Rangitikei; Charles C. Odlin, Wellington; John Read, Wellington; Charles D. A. Taylor, Rangitikei; Richard Tingey, Wellington; Paul D. N. Verschaffelt, Wellington, and Lewis H. Yarrall. Manawatu.

The havoc -wrought upon reads in the Manukau County by heavily-laden mo-tor-lorries is so great that the question of regulation of loads to one and a-half tons per axle will shortly receive • the consideration of the council. A member stated at the meeting on Tuesday that one road had gone to pieces completely as a result of this heavy traffic, and two motor-lorries had lately been stuck in its quagmires. Another case was cited in which a lorry carrying 3000 ft. of rough timber had wrecked two weeks'' repair work. The chairman eaid the passing of the proposed regulation would seriously affect the county's own milk lornes, which carried a much greater weight' than the •restricted measure, but members-ignored his suggestion that they were preparing a rod for their own ■back, and passed a resolution that the matter ot load restriction during the winter months he considered.

"I don't go to drill because my puttees hurt my legs," was the excuse offered in the Auckland Police Court, by V L. Baker, a youth who slouched up before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., to stand first on one leg and then on the other while charges of failing to notify change address and failing to attend parades were read. "Did you ever tell anyone f«e that? queried the Magistrate. No. "Oh, what an* excuse!" observed Mr. Poynton, S.M. "Such an excuse is almost Gilbertian. How much do you get a week?" "Thirty bob to keep four of us?" "The four of us? What's that you say?" "Thirty shilling to keep four, I said. My father and sister aro both out of work." "Oh, you can't believe a word this boy says, when he offers an excuse about puttees hurting. For failing to notify his change of address he is fined £2, costs 9s, in default 14 days. On the second charge, fined £3, or 21 days, the sentences to be cumulative, but lie will have two months m which to pay."

The growth of the sale habit in the ■business world was touched upon in light vein by Mr. A.. J. Hutchinson, in the course of an address at the Karangahape Road Business Promotion Societys luncheon at Auckland on Tuesday. "It used to be. spring sale, summer sale, autumn sale, winter sale," he declared; "now it is spring sale, between seasons sale, summer sale, clearance sate, autumn sale, special sale, winter sale, and stocktaking sale. In the future I expect to see one firm holding a special clearance sale every Monday; a second firm, every ruesday, every article sold below cost; a third firm, every Wednesday, goods free, packing and assistants' time only charged for; a fourth firm, every Thursday, 50 per cent, reduction in all departments; a fifth firm, every Friday twelve months' credit and 20 percent! reduction on all sales; and a sixth firm every Saturday, groceries free to amount of drapery purchased; also a special catalogue compiled by shopping experts supplying a full list of special lines, and showing at what shops goods may be bought below cost."

Two records, regrettable as they might be, were established by the Wellington Hospital ln July. The total number of admissions was 477 for the month as against 375 in July, 1922. This constituted a record. The figures included male surgical 88, female 69; male medical 54, female 35; children surgical 40, medical 36; diphtheria 50, fever hospital 32. The total number of patients m hospital for any one night reached a maximum on 4th August, when there were 474 patients—the highest on record, fhe number of operations totalled 163. The acting medical superintendent stated to th ( e board: "Since my last report there has been a rapid increase in the number of patients suffering from influenza, Followed by an equally rapid fall—reaching a maximum of 48 on 7th August and falling to 28 on 14th August. All the staff -were inoculated before the epidemic started, with the result that only a few junior nurses have been affected.' All these were of a mild type." Mr. C. M. Luke stated that since the report there has been a considerable decrease. There were 416 patients, only ten of whom, were influenza patients. H.M.S. Laburnum arrived back at Auckland from the South Pacific Islands pn Tuesday afternoon. The sloop, which ™1 H, 6, 6" ab'ePt from ' Auckland since 14th May, visited Suva. Hull Island Sydney Island, Atafu, Nukuboho Faknafu, Apia, Pago Pago, Karotonga, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Penrhyn, Niue Island and Tonga. Bunkers were replenished during the cruise at Suva, Pago Pago, and Tahiti. The Laburnum visited the Phoenix Group at the end of May, being the first warship to call there since the opening of the war. Landings were made at Hull and Sydney Islands in the group, and on Hull Island a white man was met who had been there for two or three years, with the natives. There were no white men in Sydney Island, but a half-cast was' numbered among the inhabitants. Both islands had flourishing coconut plantations, leased to the Samoan Shipping and Trading Company. The white man and the half-cast were overseers and had twenty native labourers under them. Throughout the cruise Commander Sherston found the natives very friendly, and was again impressed with the great superiority of the Fijian and Society Islanders over the natives of Africa. Their charmjng manners and their politeness were especially uotcd.

The joke about mothers-in-law is popularly known to bo of a fairly ancient order, but probably very few people imagine how really old it.is. Mr. Drummond, headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School, stated in a lecture on Tuesday evening that he had actually found mention of it in an old Latin fragment in which a lady, writing to a mutual friend, quoted her husband's "malicious references to her mother,"

Writing of the Canterbury acclimatisers' war upon the weka (whoso alleged crime was the eating of pheasants' eggs), Mr. J. S. Myers comments: "And this is the bird of which Gnthrie-Smith writes, in view of its efficiency tig a ratdestroyer, "If, then, in New Zealand any serious interest ever comes to be taken in our native birds, the most efficient method of preserving the smaller, tree-breeding species lies in the propagation of the weka. Of all the birds that deserve our care he comes foremost, and assistance withheld from him is help denied to half the indigenous birds of New Zealand.' The days of cock-fighting are over, but crimes are still committed in the name of 'Sport.' " The increase in students taking modern languages at the Auckland University College was emphasised at a meeting of the College Council. Professor Maxwell Walker, professor of modern languages, asked for the appointment of a full-time assistant, who would commence duties at the beginning of next year. lhere had been a steady increase of students for a number of years, while during the last two years there had been an extraordinary increase, the number practically being doubled. He had 77 students in 1921, 114 in 1922, and 152 in 1323, while he expected a further increase next year. It was impossible for one man to cope with all the work. The president, the Hon. George Fowlds: vynere are we going to stop? If we grant this, we will.be having further applications. The matter was referred to the Education Committee.

Deploring ' the serious increase in crime among young people, Mr. E. C. Outten, S.M., stated in Auckland at the itarangahape Road Business Promotion Society s luncheon that theft was bein<* committed by young men and women for quite unduly small temptations. "The i*sons Department tells us," he said, that the number of New Zealand born young people in the prisons of the Do- ' vpTr° nT? Pef Tent- greater tllan last year. It means that we have not been ff°P eiY Jronght up." Mr. Cutten said WJ :?T\,f in Z was *"»* t^ as wtll rt^'l™", Were not trail*d as well as their heads. Sunday-school institutions strove to do their part, but did not exercise a widespread hold It was the extension of beneficial influence that was the object of the Young citT zens League the work of which he commended to the notice of those present" « is a matter for regret that the premature publication of M SpahlWer's investigations have aroused false hopes amongst those suffering f rora tuberculin w v? a c""cular letter issued by the Health Department. The letter J* Kr Hobert Philip, one of tie best known tuberculosis specialists in Great Britain, as saying, as one who had looked into the position very carefully, that tT WS8 f "° tr? atment- The treatment spoken of was inchoate. I*, was rather the possibility of treatment, than the actual method of treatment. It was right that the public should understand that this treatment, which was every now and- again boomed afresh, was not an existing available method of treatment bo far as medical men understood it was not a new method, and rested essentially on bases which-were familiar to I them all.

The August number of "New Zealand Life and. Forest Magazine, has the inimitable tui for frontispiece, and contains a happy reference to the blue herons which, though now rare, still fish oil the Teef between Ngahauranga and Petone. Mr. James Cowan's description of the bell-bird chorus in the Urewera; Mr. Horace S. Cottrell's story of stalking the stilt (with a camera) in Petone marshes; and Mr. W. W. Smith's notes in "Trees that feed the birds" will all delight the lover of-the native fniiiia and flora. Quotation is made from Messrs. Myers and Atkinson's excellent paper on the part played by native birds in pollinating and disseminating the native trees, and in protecting their vegetable foster-children from insect' pests. Would-be readers of this paper—the essence of which was presented in an article in last Saturday's "Evening Post" are recommended to write to the State Forest Service for a copy of it. The Tararua Tramping Club now contributes a section of the magazine, and the notes of its members will be read with interest, i

Some figures showing a lower percentage of juvenile crime in Wellington than m any of the three other large centres quoted by Mr. G. A. Troup at a reception at the V.M.C.A. rooms last evening, will no doubt attract attention. The returns from Dunedin are not available for one year, but judging from the figures given in other years, the general percentage would not be much affected. The returns relate to the convictions of boys in the local Courts. Mr. Troup stated that Wellington had more boys' institutions than any other city in New Zealand, and mentioned the V.M.C.A., Community Club, Boys' Institute, and Eey. Feilden Taylor's Club. , It was claimed by the speaker that as a result the convictions of boys under 16 were lower in this city than in Auckland and Christchurch, Dunedin being omitted because of the ■ incompleteness of the returns, only four years being given against five for the three other centres. The returns were as follow:—Auckland: 1918, 29; 1919, 27; 1920, 10; 1921, 12; i 922, 12; total, 90. Wellington 1918, 9; 1919, 2; 1920, 2; 1921, 7; 1922, 19; total, 39. Christchurch: 1918, 17; 1919 36; 1920, 9; 1921. 10; 1922/14; total 86. ■ Dunedin: 1918. —; 1919, 3; 1920, 5; 1921, 10; 1922, il; total, 29. These figures, remarked Mr. Troup, worked out at: Auckland, 1 for 1843; Wellington, 1 for 2874; Christchurch, 1 for 1314. ■ .• : ,

"The ever-recurring question of deserting heads of families has engaged the attention of the committee during the. past month,, efforts having been made to deal with, at least, some of the cases. The committee, however, finds its path beset with obstacles, and these pot so much through lack of suitable legislation as from the difficulty of securing the application of what already exists," stated the report of the Social Welfare Committee of the Hospital Board yesterday. "Among the casos dealt with," continued the report, "was one of a wife and three young children, who have been dependent upon the board continuously since 7th May. and; intermittently, since July, 1921, through the failuro of the husband, an able-bod-ied man and a carpenter, to provide for thoir maintenance. Recently, a fresh maintenance order was made against this man which he, as usual, disregarded. Proceedings for disobedience were promoted by the committee, and heard on the earliest date the Court procedure would permit, but the man, appearing with.a story of inability to obtain payment for work alleged to have been done, succeeded in obtaining an adjournment for a month. At the end of that time the whole process of discovering his whereabouts, etc., will have to be repeated, and. as he will probably have moved to another place in the meantime, the chances of any satisfaction to his dependants or ourselves are very remote."

A charge of attempting to obtain goods to the value of £12 10s from Stanley Frederick Brailsford by means of a valueless cheque wu preferred against a, middle-aged man named Albert Fred enck Clarke who appeared before Mr. h. Page, S.M at the Magistrate's Court to-day. Clucf-Detectivo Kemp explained that several charges of a similar i nature were pending against the accused, both at Wellington and Chrißtchurch. The defendant, who wa« arrested by Detective Jarrold, was accordingly remanded until Friday

w ls"f. wtown T was somewhat libelled at the We lmgton Hospital Board meeting yesterday Mr. W. Cole said Newtown seemed to him to be one of the noisiest places he had ever struck. He only realised this since attending the board meetings. Speaking on the value of the hospital site, which, with improvements was stated at a, quarter of a million, he said it seemed extravagant to allow people to be kept at the hospital, some of them all their lives, when the institution was situated in such an expensive locality.

Hearing that a Maori was acting in a threatening manner at Wakatiwai, two constables went there on Wednesday, Bays a Press Association message. They found the place deserted, except for Kani To Puhi, who had been chopping down fences with an axe and also threatening a- relative that he would kill him. He was arrested, and the Maoris thereupon came out of the bush rather resenting the arrest, Puhi was handcuffed and brought to Thames, where he was seen by two doctors, who certified him insane. Two justices committed him to Avondale mental hospital.

The form of declaration to be- lnadn by persons arriving in New Zealand Is published in this week's "Gazette." It is declared to be unlawful to bring aiiy firearm, ammunition, or explosive into the Dominion without authority from a superintendent or inspector of police, and until such authority is obt-vnrd they must be left under Customs control. The oath of loyalty is omitted, but a person who does not intend io become permanently resident in New Zealand has to state the purpose of bis visit, the intended date of his departure, and usual place of residence outside New Zealand.

"He wanders about in the day and picks up his living as best he can, while at night he gathers up all the old sacks and newspapers available and then seeks the shelter of a hedge, which is the only home he knows," explained Senior-Ser-geant Lander when an old man named John Kilmartin appeared at the Magistrate's Court to-day, charged with being a rogue and vagabond. The officer continued that the accused had a long list of previous convictions, and had only been out of gaol for a month when he resorted to his old mode of living.. In accordance with the suggestion of the police, the accused was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, a recommendation being made by the Bench that the old man be sent to the special institution at New Plymouth.

"It must be remembered that the majority of cases in which radium has been resorted to are just those in which aid from any other sources has been abandoned. In the words of Dr. Rudolph. Holmes, 'the unfortunate patient is robbed of the assurance of certain death, and given the happy thought of the uncertainty of "life/ '.' stated a report from Christchurch, read at the Hospital Board meeting . yesterday,. during. a discussion on the subject of {We establishment of a radium department. Mr. C. H. Chapman said he liked the idea of the report in suggesting one institution for New Zealand.' He thought Wellington alone would be prepared to subscribe the amount required for such an institution. Mr. C. M. Luke mentioned that the institution would cost between £40,000 and £60,000.

Arrangements have been made by the Caledonian Society to welcome Scottish immigrants arriving at Wellington, by which they can be made to feel at home and among friends immediately they land. Major Green, of the Salvation Army, represents the society on board the vessels while in the stream. When the boats berth at the wharf, the immigrants are met and welcomed by Scotch people resident in Wellington, after which a social is tendered to the new arrivals. The first social of the kind took place at the New Century Hall last night, Mr. R, H. Nimmo, in welcoming the guests to the Dominion, emphasised the great resources of New Zealand, and the immense scope for its development. He urged the newcomers to emulate the enterprise of the early pioneers, whose splendid work had done so much for this country. The Rev. B Todd also welcomed the immigrants on behalf of the Presbyterian Church.

The Victorian Society for the Protection of Animals has written to the Canterbury Society for the Prevention of Cruelty, stating that on 27th June the Waihora arrived at Melbourne from NewZealand with a shipment of 600 head of cattle, and that 100 of the cattle had died. Inquiries were made as to what action New Zealand societies intended to take. The secretary of the Wellington Society wrote stating that the inspector of that society superintended the shipping of the cattle, which were sent from Wellington. The inspector, after makine inquiries, concluded that the deaths of the cattle were due to the bad voyage, caused by heavy storms. The secretary of the Napier Society wrote stating that suffering to cattle on board steamers should be stopped. When the letters camo before the committee of the Canterbury Society an extract was read from the Melbourne "Argus," which stated that in one part of the Waihora on tfiat voyage there was a shortage of water. It was decided to send copies of the correspondence to the Union Steam Ship Company, and to draw the company's attention to the complaints- , In the course of an address to the 1 Club yesterday, Mr. W. D. Hunt, the well-known authority on taxation said that it might be said that shareholders would not be satisfied with the same rat* of dividends that they now received if they had to pay taxation on them, and they would expect their companies to earn higher dividends '; This is not the ease,''.said Mr.' Hunt. ' I tell you as a company manager that I can satisfy my shareholders just aa well with a dividend that is subject to tax as with the same dividend flee of tax. Let us take'an example. Assume for a moment that I am paying my shareholders an annual dividend' of 7 per cent, free of tax. Suppose the taxation system is changed from companies to individuals. Suppose I pay them the next year 7 per cent, subjectto tax. Let us see what >"s going to happen. We will suppose that my shareholders are the average cl.iss of shareholders that own the whole of the companies in New Zealand—a large number of small means, a smaller number of moderate means, and one or two wealthy men. On the evidence of the Commissioner for Inknd Revenue, half my shareholders will have incomes so small that they will pay no tax. It is obvious, therefore, that to the man who pays no tax 7 per cent, subject to tax is just as good as 7 per cent, free of tax. Half my shareholders are, therefore satisfied." '