LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume 148, Issue 148, 20 December 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

To-morrow (Friday) is the day when the citizens of Wellington nave a chance to make up lost ground in the matter of £he Radium (Radiation) Appeal ljund. On page 11 of this issue the appeal is featured, .and an attempt is made not only to show its medical and humanitarian side, but also, as,far as popular language will permit, to 'explain something of the wonders of Radium and of Badium emanation. The 350 per cent. rise in New Zealand's cancer death rate is graphically illustrated. Included in to-morrow's " drive " for subscriptions will be a street collection, in which ladies will predominate, and a collection in offices and business premises, mostly of men. For the latter, the city has been cut into blocks, and all male workers who are desirous to help this canvass and collection are requested to be at No. 1 Committee-room, Town Hall, at 9 to-morrow, when the secretary will hand each worker a collecting list and inform him of his block and duties. Much depends on the success of this pre-Christmas " drive."

The North Canterbury Farmers' Union decided yesterday to urge the Government to,fix wheat prices. In the course of the discussion' it, was stated it might be possible to get Ss 2d, whereas on an open market' not more than 4s 2d would be received, and it was impossible to agk for an embargo when there was a shortage. The Public Works ■ Department recently circularised local bodies, urgih": them closely to inspect the: poles com' ing under their jurisdiction from they Commonwealth, with 'a view to the identification of white ants or other timber pests. "It has been reported (states a Press Association message) that men at' Palmerston North have discovered in a hardwood pole a nest of the dreaded white ants. The pole was immediately burned. This discovery is alarming, as the ants destroy the interior wood to one-sixteenth of an inch, and the decay is not noticeable unless the wood is constantly tapped.

"Just imagine he is offending you, and you want to deal with him," said Mr. Justice Frazer to a young girl in the Arbitration Court at Auckland on Moixday, when her counsel, Mr. Singer, asked her to show her inability to uss her hand as a result of an accident for which she was claiming conpensation. The girl was given an ebony ruler, and then it was that his Honour told her to grip it as if she "meant business" against her counsel. The girl was unable to make a firm grig, and subsequently a number of medical witnesses, who were in conflict in their evidence, were grouped around the witness-box, examining and testing the injured hand. Incidentally, it was suggested that her recovery would be expedited if she had her teeth attended to (states the "New Zealand Herald"). In giving his decision his Honour said that medical science nowadays traced a number of ailments to the condition of people's teeth.

. Some resentment was expressed at the meeting of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on Tuesday, at the decision of' the-Minister-of'Justice not to make any change in the existing regulations for the apprehension and punishment of defaulting husbands. The chairman, Air. W. Wallace, said that at least 20 hospital boards had asked that legislation should be introduced to compel defaulting husbands to a3sume their responsibilities, and it was difficult to understand the Minister's attitude. Only those who came in touch with cases of relief knew what a charge {he support of deserted wives ajid children was upon the ratepayers. Often,-said Mr. Wallace, a man committed forgery, involving a few pounds, and received months of imprisonment, but in cases of desertion, the amount of maintenance involved thousands of pounds, and there was no effective way of compelling the defaulters to pay (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). These views were supported by members of the board, and it was decided that a deputation meet the Prime Minister on his return to tho Dominion and impress upon him the importance and urgency of this matter.

Opposition to a suggestion that a bitu-men-dressed road.be constructed to Buckland's Beach from the Howick main road intersection is being organised among a number of farmers in the district. It was reported unofficially at the meeting of the 'Wanukau Caunty Council on Tuesday that a petition in favour of the proposal was in circulation in the area adjoining the roa.d, and- that a counterpelition had been circulated in addition. The counter-petition lias reached the council first, signed by twelve farmers owning property in th"c district. They formally protest against the proposal circulated in the district that a special rating area should be formed for the purpose of raising £45C0 to lay down the road^ surface in bitumen. "Being farmers," states the counter-petitioners "we consider that further taxation will tend to drive u« off the land. Furthermore, the road, if constructed, will benefit land syndicates and small section owners, who pay only • a small rate. Most of the small section owners owning cars do more damage to the roads durmg a weekend than the farmer does during a month." The chairman, Mr. F. M. Waters, said that no proposal on the lines mentioned had as yet been submitted to the council (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). "There is nothing like getting in first, though," remarked a member. It was decided to inform the counter-petitioners that their protest would .lie taken into consideration when the original petition was received.

The North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday approved of estimates covering the next five years, totalling £150,OCX), including £30,000 for a new nurses' home.

W. M'Devitt, of Sydney, who meets P. Hannan on the 19th January in Auckland for the Australasian sculling title, has arrived at Auckland. He commenced training in Australia, and will go into camp in a few days. The Wellington Harbour Board finances are always in a fairly flourishing condition. At the moment they show as f olLbws:—Current - account; credit £40,----123 4s 2d; imprest account credit, £4708 U 9d; on fixed deposit £05,000. Accounts, claims, wages, progress payments, etc., required the passing of accounts amounting to £33,625 5s Bd.

The distinction between character and reputation was pointed out by Mr. J. W. Poyuton, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court on Monday. Some men of good reputation, stated Jlr. Poynton, had bad characters. On the other hand, some men of good character had, unfortunately, bad , reputations. Character was what a man was—reputation was what people thought he was.

The rain yesterday was most welcome to Hutt "Valley farmers. Market gardeners needed the rain to swell the tomatoes which are now beginning to fruit. Owing to the period of dry weather many farmers have been harvesting their hay, and in some cases these crops have suffered, but the damage so far has been very small. The Hutt River rose yesterday some four feet above normal.

The new road and bridge at the entrance to Stokes Valley was. opened for traffic last week, but since tHen someone has placed a barrier on the road. This has several times been removed by the Hutt County Council, but each time has again been replaced. The council has now issued a warning that a prosecution will probably follow if the barrier is again removed. It is not the intention of the council to take steps to close the old roadway.

Three young labourers, Frank Martin, Oliver Newton, and George "Morgan, appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-da,y on charges of stowing away on the steamer Waitomo at Newcastle. It was pointed out by Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse that one of the accused, Oliver Newton, was a prohibited immigrant, and he suggested that all three men should be sent back to Australia. Accused were remanded for sentence -until to-morrow.

An inquiry as to when*the Harbour Board was likely to do anything towards building an up-to-date restaurant was made at the board meeting last evening by Mr. M. W. Welch, who said the present establishment was not a restaurant at all. The chairman (Mr. G, Mitchell) said th c matter was still in view. Plans and specifications would later be presented. The proposal was to build over the present establishment, but the cost would probably be about £7000, and the board would have to consider what it was going to do when the plans were brought down.

Several members of the Canterbury Education Board, at a meeting yesterday expressed disapproval of the proposal by the Education Department that all buildlags for secondary and technical schools should be designed »iy Government architects in consultation with archkerts of Education Boards (reports the' Press Association). Mr. W. H. Winsor, who led the protest, said outside' architects should be consulted, otherwise school buildings would be in one style without- that variety which was desirable, and th?. effect on -school architecture would b^ deplorable. Every architect, he sui\i, was apt to got into a groove and fitd it difficult to get out of it. The boa^d passed the- following motion : '-TJ^t while the proposal.did not, affect trie board very materially, it felt that wie proposal was inadvisable, arid would ac detrimental to school archit-ectuce."

"In science the new laboratory, although by no means fully etjaipjied, has been of immense benefit ■in the study of practical work. So much so, indeed, that some boys succeeded in manufacturing a new explosive of such dynamic force that I do not think there is likuiv to be a repetition of the experiment, stated the acting-headmaster Mr D U. Collins, in his report at the King's College prize-giving at Auckland. In a humorous reference to the "new explosive," the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, said he was sure the TTrerfch Consul, M. Paul Serre (who was on the platform), would be with him equally interested in this high explosive of Kind's, manufacture. "11. Serre will aoree," continued His Excellency, "that this product may be of great use should ever France and Britain be again standino should to shoulder as allies."

The sight of a long rank of horsedrawn passenger vehicles is a thing of the past in Duriedin. the advent of the motor having yearly led to a reduction of their num«ber. - To-day there *r& only three hansom cabs licensed in Danedin. and as a rule two are seen on' the rank, the other one being brought out only at rush times (states the "Star"). Till a month or two ago there was still one four-wheeled cab on the stand on the rank outside the Telegraph Office, it being the only representative of the typo, that' had been there for several years. It has now, too, gone out of commission, its owner having obtained the more modern vehicle of locomotion, a taxi. A great many of the old-time "cabbies" now have'motors. The two still on the rank have been in the business for many years, and continue to get a fair share of business. Among their clients are elderly people who prefer to ride in a cab.