LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 109, 9 May 1924, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The statement of railways revenue and expenditure for the year ended - 31st March, published in the "Gazette" last evening, does riot,, of course,- cover the period of the recent strike, the result of which will be shown iv next month's figures. The total revenue for the year was £6,984,210, and the expenditure £5,403,765, giving a surplus of £1,580,----4 this is £355,139 better than last year. The North Island receipts were £4,197,392—a surplus of £1,214,792 over expenditure. In the South Island the receipts "were £2,786,817—£365,653 in excess of expenditure. While the improvement . has been greater in ithe North Island, the South Island figures are £68,693 better than last year. The Mayor, Mr. R. A.. Wright, has many times stated that 1920 lgans would not be allowed to lapse by reason of the council's decision not to raise moneys in accordance with the., authority given by ratepayers within, "the time allowed by law, two years, already extended for an additional three years, and last evening, following upon a recoinmenda-t-ipn of tho Legislation Committee, the council granted authority: to the. City. Solicitor to draft legislation extending' the life of: all loans in. respect of which no money has been:.raised for,a further period of five years. '

The Mount street deviation draws so much the nearer. Last evening the City Council decided after discussion in committee that the offer of Mr. G. H. Neale to accept £3850. for properties to be taken by the: councif in connection with the scheme' should be accepted. A I'ress Association message from Christchurph states that at a meeting of the council of the Swimming Association last night a campaign was inaugurted to raise £450 to" send Miss. Gwitha Shand, tho swimming champion, to the Olympic Games. A public appeal will be conducted with a view to making up the deficit. It.vras announced that over £130 had been secured during the day. The mystery of the loaded revolver found in-the rear of the taxi-cy driven by Joseph Ball, who crashed into and killed a young cyclist, A. Maurice Ansell, at Hamilton, on Wednesday, has been 'solved, states a Press Association message. The police have ascertained that the weapon was left in the car the previous day by a young bank clerk, who used the vehicle while" transferring money from one branch to'another. The' inquest was adjourned sine die.

■'. In connection with the proposal to form a rest park adjoining Karon cemetery, the Cemeteries last evening recommended ' to tho council that the area in'question should be handed over to the Reserves Committee as a rest park and recreation ground. The recommendation was adopted. -

During the time the Special Service Squadron was in Wellington the Dominion Farmers' Institute was one of the very few private buildings illuminated at night, and a code signal, "Welcome Wellington," was kept flying at the top of the mast. On Wednesday night the whole of the illuminations were used to morse a. message t6 the1 Hood, "Thank you. We wish you a pleasant voyage. Kin Ora." The Hcod morsed back, "Thanlts for your kind message." Later in the evening, Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Field personally sent the following message: "Many tharjks for your kind message, which, on the eve of our departure, was much appreciated." In accordance with the notice previously given ■by the chairman .of the Eeserves Committee, Councillor W. J. Thompson, the committee 'last evening recommended that notwithstanding the fact that portion of ■ the Investigation Committee's report adopted by the council placed the Director of Parks and Eeserves and the curator of the Zoo and their departments under the City Engineer, such officers and their departments should remain under the direction of the Town Clerk. There was but a brief discussion, Councillor Mitchell-saying that the Investigation . Committee merely made the recommendation>. the reasons for -which had been given during previous discussions. The recommendation was approved on the voices

The question of wages proved the greatest stumbling-block in the negotiations before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W.•-Newton) yesterday between the plumbers and gas-fitters and their employees. At one stage of the proceedings the wages offers from both sides varied by only Id, but the parlies were unable to compromise, and after lengthy discussion the matter was referred to the Court and the meeting was concluded. A number of union clauses were agreed Upon. Double time rates lire to bo paid for work done 'on Sundays or holidays, and travelling to suburban work is to be paid for at ordinary rates. Application was made to jciii the Auckland master • plumbers as parties to the dispute, but as it was not in order it was not acceptable. Fancy ■ Shetland -Wool Jumpers, 'in many Eastern colourings, arc greatly in vogue ,at the- present- moment. itirkcaldie's have opened n shipment showiug wonderful value. A Friday evening, special iv" tiie Blouse Department, 12i 6d each.—Advt.

A further two thousand five hundred yards of clay are to be spread upon the Lyall Bay recreation ground.»

The New Zealand Pigeon Derby will be flown on 17thrMay (says a Press Association message from Dunedin). It will be the largest combined race ever flown in New Zealand, over 200 birds competing. , •

Empire Day is to be celebrated this year on Tuesday, 3rd June, In conjunction -with, the anniversary of the King's birthday. A public holiday will be observed in the - Government • offices throughout the Dominion, as -usual.

This year the Wellington City Council's obligation to the Hospital Board is a subsidy of £31,741 5s 3d.

The Niagara, which left Sydney at noon on the Bth instant for Auckland, carries 45 bags of mail from Australia, <48 from beyond, and 5 parcel receptacles for 'Wellington. The mail from beyond includes East 7 And Africa 1.

No action is to be taken by the City Council in regard to a claim for compensation arising ouff of a tramway accident at Park street in December last.

Hemlock, the plant resembling parsley gone to seed,, which was recently responsible for the death of a child in the Adelaide road district, has now been declared a noxious weed in the city, and owners with the plant on their properties will be compelled to eradicate it.

Provided the church authorities are agreeable to paying half ..the cost of the work, improvements at the corner of Upland road and Upland crescent, Kelburn, will be undertaken by the City Council. The share which the church authorities will be asked to carry will bo about £12 10s.: ■"..

According to a Press Association message, members of the Gisborne Land Board yesterday-tendered their resignations as a protest against the failure of the Minister of Lands to support'their decision regarding the non-payment of rent by soldier settlers in the Ardkeeh Soldier Settlement. '.' ,

Tramway concessions granted to Boy Scouts, that is, one or two sections for a penny and Tihree or four sections for twopence, are now to be: extended to Girl Scouts, but will not apply to adult officers. . . ...

Live shell practice will take place tomorrow afternoon' between 2 and. 6 o'clock1 at Haughton Bay, east side, by the 19th, Battery, N.Z.A. The occasion is unique, as being the first, time on which 60-pounder guns will be fired; the range being seven.milesV- The targets are placed on the land at Baring Heads. '.;•..' '.''.' -

The representations made to the Tramways Committee of the City Council by a deputation on behalf of the residents of Karaka and Worser Bays, Seatoun Heights, and a portion of Miramar, urging that a tramway extension should be constructed from the Seatoun tunnel to' the Karaka Bay wharf, have been referred on to tho council's officers by the committee, and a- report upon the proposal will shortly be received from' the General Manager of Tramways.

A plea that he had received the amount in small sums, and that when he gave a receipt for .the aggregate he thought he was not required to stamp the receipt, was put forward by Austin. Edgar- Nicholls, who was charged in ■ the Magistrate's Court to-day on four informations with failing to stamp a receipt. Sub-^ Inspector Cameron said there were sixteen receipts ■ wftich, had not been stamped, but only four were dated, and on those the informations were laid. Nicholls was fined .£1 on the first charge,-and ordered to. pay ,7s costs on each of the, remaining ' charges.'■;: • '' ■'• _ i-:

Authority was given the City Solicitor by the council last evening to include in the local Bill to be placed before Parliament next session a clause providing that Lindum terrace, Grass street, and Beauchamp street should be added %o the private Ways or. streets to be taken over under the Bill. Power -will also be sought to extend the time of five years for the completion of the Evans Bay reclamation. . ' " •

Selling unwholesome meat was a charge made against a butcher named John G. G. Kuch before Mr. E. Page, S.M., to-day. Sub-Inspector, Cameron stated that the purchaser of the meat, when he found it was bad, had taken it to the police. Mr. Putnam, who appeared for Kuch, said the meat was sold, at a time of the year when the weather .was muggy, and meat was liable to go bad. Only a portion of the meat was unwholesome. The 'Magistrate said .though defendant had been in business a long time this was his first appearance on such a charge. Defendant was fined. £2. :

The'total population of New Zealand at 31st March last, according to the estimate of the Government Statistician, was 1,347,754—687,593 males' and 659,761 females. The Maori population was estimated at 53,820, and t'»t of the Cook Islands, Kiue,. and the mandated territory of Western 'Samoa, as at 31st December, 50,560. The total increase of population in the Dominion proper for the quarter ended 31at March, 1924, was 4735 (including Maoris), comprising a gain of 4716 by natural increase ' and of 17 by migration. The former,, comments - the Statistician, is about a normal increase, but the latter is much below normal..

Pending the linking up of Evans Bay •and Mangahao power with the city it has been found, necessary by the City Council to impose restrictions upon the use of radiators and electric irons-during the three winter months of greatest demand, i.e., as from 14th May. Radiators may not be used between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m. and irons between 4 and 8 p.m.: >The council has the power, but the lines will not-, carry the loads. The Mayor told the City Council- la«st evening that the position might be different next year, but ho could not promise it. The council, he said, would have to consider radiators afr, any rate, as'they did not pay. ' The very much debated question of access to Eoseneath is to be still further debated, under the presidency of a Supreme. Court Judge, for the Eoseneath and Higher. Levels Association has now served an injunction upon the council in an endeavour to restrain the Corporation from proceeding with the work decided upon,., and it was last night decided, upon the recommendation of the Tramways Committee of-"the council, that the whole question of the validity or otherwise of the council's and association's contentions should/be referred to the Supreme Court for settlement.

five days a prisoner: in a German submarine and 19^ months interned in' Germany was the war experience of, Captain R. G. Sprague,. master of the Canadian Challenger, which arrived- at Auckland from Halifax on Tuesday afternoon: Captain Sprague was master o{ the steamer Pontiac, which was torpedoed and stink in the Mediterranean, on 28th April, 1917. Only Captain Sprague, the chief engineer, and two of the gunners carried by the Pontiac Were taken aboard the . submarine, the remainder of the crew drifting about in the boats until they were rescued by ,1 passing Vessel, states the "New Zealand Herald." Captain Sprugiie nnd ether prisoners were taken through Austria to "Wahmbeck on the Woiser, Germany, being interned until the Armistice was signed. \

Eirktaldie and. Stains, Ltd., intimate that Saturday, the-l&li ins't., is the last discount day.'. for monthly accounts— Advl. ■ . ■ .■■... '

In his report to the Lyttelton Harbour Board on Wednesday, the chairman, Mr. F. Horrell, urged that they should import only goods of- British manufacture. "You advocate that.'and yet here we are using pencils of American manufacture," exclaimed Dr. H. T. j! Thacker, at the same time throwing a pencil on to the Press table so that the reporters could obtain a good ,view of it. Mr. Horrell was unable to deny the soft impeachment; I.- I

This last week or so has seen some preliminary evidences of material progress in the lay-out pf the- exhibition grounds in Dunedin (states " The ■fosts correspondent)-. For. months past work_ has been going on in connection with the formation of a waterway down the west side of the grounds At present attention is being devoted U> laying ; dow n the sports arena. Other work now under way,is the levelling-off of the site, ancl a contract has been let for this work. The tenders for the buildings close on the 28th instant, by which time the site will be ready for buildine, and the railway siding for bringing material on to the site-will be laid down. Speaking on the question of the Dominion Museum at the luncheon of the Xc Aro Advancement Association yesterday afternoon, the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright) commenting on the director's proposals, said that he believed that: the citizens would be able to. raise that proportion money which./would: enable the first mng'of the museum to be built. A National Art Gallery associated with the museum would help to stimulate response to a public appeal. He h O p e d they would be able to proceed with a scheme which Was long overdue. The museum's records,: exposed to danger of Tire, were irreplaceable, and what would future ' generations say if anything happened to the present collection? He hoped they would 6ooribe able to do something. Mr.D. M'Laren ;■ promised, the cordial-support'of the Civic I League. .-'.. r . ,-. ,■. -.

Violations of the licensing law in regard to six'o'clock closing are commented upon in the annual report of the New Zealand, Alliance presented at the annual meeting now sitting in Wellington. "The fact that the six o'clock closing is better observed than was ten o'clock or eleven o'clock is not good enough," the report states, "for all trade between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. is illegal trade and should be ;j stopped at once and for ever, and the police have more time and better facilities .than ever they had under the longer "hours for sale." The report also points but that whereas the liquor traffic had promised a revenue of £2,500,000 per annum, the official figures for 1922^and 1923, calendar years totalled only £3,024;739, instead of £5,----000,000. That is to say, over two years the deficit -was £1,975,261 as compared with what the liquor traffic promised the voters. ... • -.-■..