LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 65, 19 March 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce decided yesterday afternoon to circularise members to the effect that it was proposed to carry out a businessmen's tour of the Wellington province, commencing on the 19th of May.

"Wo have had isany inquiries in regard to your wonderful Auckland Islands, and would like you to send us some small view books of the City of Wellington 1 and other cities, also assorted postal cards of places of interest." So stated a letter received at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce from the Canadian Railway News Co., Ltd. The matter was referrod to the secretary of the chamber.

The contribution of the Christchurch Boys' High School Old Boys' Club to tlie New Zealand Rugby team—Messrs. W. C. Dalley and J. H. Parker—were guests at a very pleasant dinner given last evening by the Wellington branch. \Ve had a good time, but we are very* glad to be home again," the footballers said m reply to words of hearty welcome from the chairman, Mr. ]£ T Norris.

What to do with old tins, benzine and other, is a problem with householders, all over the city and suburbs now that the City Council rubbish collectors decline to take them away. The matter came before the Lyall Bay Progressive ' Association last night, when tho danger of tins lying about yards, harbouring rats, breeding' flies, and other vermin was considered. At present tins are often thrown over the nearest fence. It was claimed that it was the council's duty from the point of view of the health of citizens to deal with the problem.. The meeting decided to refer the matter to the City Council with a request that it should devise some scheme for the disposal of.waste tins and similar waste material.

The Otago Expansion League has, telegraphs the Dunedin correspondent of "Tlie Post/ received the {olluwiug letter from tlie Hon. K. F. Bollard, acting for tlic Minister of Public Works:—"hi continuation of my interim reply of sth December, 1924, to your communications requesting a Government subsidy towards the. cost of erecting a bridge over the Motatapu Hiver' to enable tourists to visit the glaciers of Mount Aspiring, I have now the lionour to inform you that this matter has received further consideration, with the result that I have agreed to grant a Government subsidy of £300 (£1 for £1), the cost of a suitable bridge being estimated by the Lake County Council to be in the vicinity o £ £600. Formal authority to expend this amount will be issued when the council's proposals covering the work have been approved by the district engineer at Dunedin ; "

The question as to what is a fast steamer cropped up in the course of the -Meat Commission proceedings yesterday afternoon. Mr. W. D. Lysnar disagreed with a suggestion thaf the Admiral Codrington* the steamer owned by the Poverty Bay Fanners' Meat Company, was a slow boat. "She is an 11-knot ooat, he said. "The same thin«surely, ' remarkedthe chairman (Mr 3. Alexander). "It comes in very handy sometimes to have a slow boat," replied Mr. Lysnar, amidst laughter. At any rate, he said, the Admiral Codrin^ton was not many days behind the Atlfenic on a certain trip/through the Panama Canal. She took 48 days, and the Athenic took something like 36 days. Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., said that on her last trip the , Admiral Codrington took 76 days. Other boats took from 38 to 45 days. Mr. Lysnar: "She can do two trips a year, and that is enough for our purposes."

A lady defendant in a motor-speeding . case at Petone yesterday was probably fortunate, through the Jack of knowledge, by the prosecution in racing affairs. The lady in question was charged with exceeding the limit while on her way to the races, the time of the alleged offence being' given as 11.45 a.m. The lady said, and her story was corroborated by another lady witness, that at 11.45 they were putting money on Die totalisator on a certain horse, which won the lirst race They were quite certain of the time, because the first race was run at 12 o'clock/ The prosecutor was obviously puzzled at the apparent discrepancy in the time lie had stated, and did not press his case. Owing to the doubt the Bench dismissed the case, and it was not till later that a solicitoi\who was present, unofficially informed the prosecution that the horse in question did not run in the first race, but won"either the second or third race. In the meantime, the plaintiff, who was quite evidently sincere in what she had testified, had driven joyfully away from the Court.

A few days ago the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. P. Massey) received a letter from an English visitor, about to depart by the Aorangi, in which he said. "I thought, before leaving New Zealand, that 1 should at least like to write you these few lines to say how deeply impressed I have been, not only with the natural beauty of thi3 country and the great efficiency and up-to-dateness of your national organisations, but also that spirit of courtesy and kindliness which I have found nearly everywhere in my travels. England, I know, already regards this country with more than ordinary affection, and I hope, when it is my privilege to speak from a political or other platform, I may at no time forget to lay before those who may hear me sonic slight and not unworthy pietnro of one of our most magnificent sister countries and Dominions. I should esteem it a very great privilege and kindness if you should have a moment to answer this, if I might feel, when I sail from here on Tuesday, that I might take Home with me a message of similar good feeling from New Zealand to those in the Oid Country." Mr. Massey replied by telegram :—"Am sorry your letter received too late, to catcli connecting mail with Aorangi. I delighted to know you urn leaving New- Zealand with such favourable impressions, both of the country and its people. You ma\- take this message with you : 'New Zealand sl.iuiN fotir-ftqtißre lor Kills, country, and .Empire 1 ".

A poll of Foxton ratepayers was taken yesterday on .loan proposals for public swimming baths and library which were rejected by substantial majorities. The resulting poll was due to the sites 'sanctioned by the ratepayers being altered by the council. Fresh loan proposals are to be submitted by the new council.

Hutt road fees received by the City Council up to the end of February totalled £8596 11s Bd, and as the financial year ends this month it is not probable that this amount will be greatly added to, as new cars coming into commission from now onwards to 31st hist, pay only half a crown or thereabouts. The new year for this special tax commences on Ist April, and fees' should be paid, according to the Act, by May.

Dr. Bell, the new professor of surgery, was welcomed at a meeting of the University Council, telegraphs "The Post's" Dunediu correspondent. The Chancellor (the Rev. Dr. Cameron) said that in view of the reputation acquired by Dr. Bell at the University of Edinburgh, they expected great things of him at the medical school. Dr. Bell, in replying, said that whilst in England and Scotland he had watched very closely the doings of New Zealand students, and he thought that they had been a credit to his predecessor (Dr. Bamett).

A school of abdut 40 right whales was seen on Saturdajj about a mile east of Whale Island by' a Native, Wi Keepa Hakiaha, who was fishing in the vicinity. The school was making in a north-westerly direction, and the monsters could be seen throwing up great spouts of water as they passed within half a mile of the observer's launch (states the "New Zealand Herald"). It is many years since such a large school of whales was seen here, but a single specimen was noticed by a Maori about three years ago lying off the harbour entrance.

Only two cases out of the seven submitted to the Judges at tiie present sitting of the Criminal Appeal Court have been held, to possess sufficient evidence to warrant leave to appeal being granted. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) yesterday intimated that the two cases m question, for the hearing of which dates have to be fixed, were:—Frederick Shorland, of Auckland, found guilty of rape and sentenced by Air. Justice Herdman to ten years' hard labour, and to receive ten strokes of "the cat." Patrick' Hayden, of Wangauui, sentenced by Mr. Justice MacGregor to fifteen years' hard labour for indecent assault.

When the Appeal and Full Court sessions commenced in Wellington this week many of the cases were not ready to proceed. Nothing was said at the time, but yesterday,- when making a fixture, the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) saM 30 years ago cases had to bo ready to proceed when the session commenced. This time a great number of counsel asked for cases to be set down to the end of the session. It meant that many cases, and there was a very long list, "would not be heard tli'is session. Such a big^Court of Judges could not be held up in Wellington with nothing to do, while business was held up and the cost was heavy.

Representations were made to the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon by Miss Fair, of'the Y.W.C.A., regarding conditions existing iv China, in connection with the employment o! children in the factories. Miss Fair stated that the conditions were appalling. Children of four, five, and six years of age were forced to work long hours, and were given no day of rest. Recently a Commission had* been set up, and in its report had made several recommendations, having as their object the alleviation, of existing hards.*)s She asked that the council should approve of these recommendations, lhis the chamber agreed to do.

The New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association recently received the following cablegram from Major-General Sir A. H. Russell, X.C.8., K.C.M.G., who is at present on a visit to the United Kin<raom:— Hecer.t letters encourage hope that good season and. prices realised for wool and stock will mean for soldier setters happy issue out of most of their troubles. Hearty congratulations to tt,? m;,, m >ay *helr !?<* continue.-General Russell General Russell is maintaining a keen interest in the problems of ex-service men, and, while in England, * one of tiie N.Z.R.S.A. members of the Advisory Committee, of the British Empire Service League, which body is to hold its second tiehnial conference at Ottawa, Canada, in July next. "It is to be sincerely hoped/ remarked a Wellington motorist to a "Post" reporter to-day, "that the City Council jwll during the next financial/ear make some other than the present ridiculous arrangements for the receiving of Hutt road fees. The motorist, being.a person with a usual amount of commonsense, naturally goes to the traffic inspectors office to pay his fee, though of course, if he sat down for half an hour and argued it out with himself, he would realise that the collection of fees is a matter for the city treasury, and that he should go to that department. Tho motorist wastes time, the council's officers waste time, but that is purely the motorist s fault, he does not argue it out with himself. As a matter of fact, thewhole business of making payments to the council is an absurdly complicated business of walking round a block and carefully searching for the right pay-in counter."