LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 121, 26 May 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An increase of 206 pupils is shown in this year's roll of the Wellington IViimeal College, when compared with the roll of last year. Figures for 1925 are (last year's figures are shown in parentheses):—Art school, 213 (171); evening school, 1186 (979); technical high school. 591 (634). According to a Press Association message, Messrs. C. A. Stopford and P. W. Dixon, who were nominated as candidates for the coming election of the Dairy Control Board, intimated at a meeting at Palmerston North last night that they had decided to retire in favour of Mr. Gibson (Taranaki), and Mr. G. Hoff (North Auckland) in order to save vote splitting.

Councillor J. Burns yesterday afternoon handed to the Town Clerk the following notice of motion: "That the constitution of the Finance Committee be disagreed with, and the members of the Finance Committee be appointed by. tha council." He remarked to a "Post'^ reporter that he had endeavoured to move a_ similar motion two years .ago, but his proposal then met with very little* support; he believed that a very fair measure of support would be given the motion by the present council.

After long and weary years of waiting the main north road from New Plymouth via Mokau is now metalled through to Te Kuiti, and the bridging of the Mokau River is in hand and will be completed by the end of: next year," states the . Taranaki "Herald." "For the energy shown in carrying out the final stages the present Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. G. Coates, and the district engineer, Mr. T. M. Ball, and his efficient staff, are entitled to the greatest credit. It is intended to tar seal the road as quickly as circumstances allow, and make it as perfect as possible. This will be a very great boon to the travelling public and to the settlers."

"I want sufficient evidence to satisfy my conscience that I am not pushing the thing through without evidence, said Mr. Justice Reed in the Auckland Supreme Court, in refusing to grant a decree nisi in a divorce suit in which petitioner and her mother had stated in evidence that respondent had occasional drinking bouts, which occurred about once a month. Petitioner's mother, reports the "Auckland Star," stated that her daughter would come to her home when respondent was drunk. "Are you prepared to swear that he was drunk on thoso occasions?" asked his Honour. "I am," was the reply. His Honour thought this was not proof of habitual drunkenness, and the case was adjourned till further corroborative evidence might bo obtained.

Exception to the Defence Department's lack of civic pride was taken by Mr. C. H. Chapman at last night's meeting of the Technical College Gover-. nors, when it was announced that the State Forest Service had donated a number of shelter trees (C. Lawsoniana and Pinus radiata) to be planted on the college site. Mr. Chapman drew attention to the bare appearance of Mount Cook, and suggested that the board might takesteps and approach the authorities with the request that Mount Cook be made presentable. It should not take much money, he said, to plant a few shrubs in different places and transform tin? hill from an "eye-sore" to "a thing of beauty." The board decided to write to the Minister of Defence on the ni-u ter.

The Mayor of Petone (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) reported to the Council last evening that he had attended a meeting of the Hutt Valley Railway Committee, and he described the proposals in regard to where the Railway Crossed the streets, and also the site for the railway station near Cuba street. The graded road on the Hutt road had been reduced by six or seven feet, but Cuba, street would rise twenty feet, starting at Burnham street, and coming back to tho level at Central terrace, Lower Hutt. The overhead bridge would extend right over 'White's liiie (Wakefield street) at this point. Burnham street was going to be extended eastward, crossing Plunket avenue and Ava street, and the station was to be situated between the two latter streets with access from Wakefield street. The council decided tp take no action at present, either approving or disapproving the proposals, but the suggestion that level crossings be installed seemed to meet with the approval of the meeting. Among items which came under the notice of the Wellington Cricket Association's Management Committee last evening was a report from the Senior.Championship Committee regarding the coaching scheme which was inaugurated last season. The report stated: "Owing to the epidemic of infantile paralysis we were unable to obtain the best results from the coaching scheme inaugurated during the past season. Despite this handicap, the committee has acquired enough information to report that the sdieme is based on proper lines. Mr. T. V. Hadcoek, the coach appointed., lias fulfilled his duties capably. He possesses ii first-L-L.SS knowledge of the -am,-, and adjusted himself admirably to tlio requirements of tho boys, and the application and patience shown by him were such that the committee reports most highly on his work. We have had under our notice all the books and personal reports compiled by the coach, with a statement of the fees collected. The book.? have ;ill been kept most methodically, and are distinctly creditable to [.ho complete methods used by the coach in carrying out his duties."

Men's foot-wear. Don't miss one-price ■window at Fowlds's. Fine, quality Shoes or BooU, 55e. I'ovvlds, Manners stt^et.— AdvL • ' ' "

" You can never convert an opponent' by .anything but tact, kindness, and generalship, • remarked Mr. H, A. Wright, M.P., at a meeting of Reform supporters at Lyall Bay last night. \uu will never do it by force, because it you get angry, he will get angry too, and you won't get anywhere at all unless it be into a free fight in the end." In view of the request by the wheat controller regarding the price of bread, a large meeting of the Christchuroh Master Bakers Association was held to consider the matter, says a Press Association message. It was unanimously decided : That in view of the report from the executive that they had been requested to attend a conference with the Department of Industries and Commerce to consider the price of bread, this meeting of master bakers has carefully considered the position in order to see whether it were possible to still further reduce the price of the commodity, and has unanimously arrived at the decision that such a course .is impossible under existing circumstances." "I was very drunk at the time, sir," said Robert Eadie in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland yesterday, when charged with the theft of an overcoat, valued at £3, on which charge he was convicted and ordered to be deported. Senior-Sergeant Edwards said that Eadie came over from Australia by the steamer Manuka which arrived at Wellington. .He had a long list of convictions in England and Australia. Mr. Hunt: '■'Oh, he's one of the 'ham and egg' men, is he? Well he won't get ham and eggs for a while. He will be sentenced to three months' imprisonment. I will arrange for his deportation to Australia." Senior-Sergeant Edwards: "Yes, sir, we don't want his type in the country." Eadie: "And I don't want to stay here either." Mr. Hunt: "Send him back on the next steamer."

Some concern was shown by members of the Auckland A. and P. Committee in regard to the possibility of New Zealand being defeated in tho world's butter championship at the forthcoming Winter Show. "We have thrown out the challenge," said Mr. E. D. M'Lennan, "and it would be very serious if local exhibitors were beaten by Australia, for instance. On tho English markets our buttor has brought considerably advanced prices over the Australian produce, and local producers should take special care in the preparation of exhibits." It was pointed out, however, that most of the butter for exhibition was in cool store already, states the "Auckland Star." Mr. Thornton, head of the dairy division of the Auckland district, had also told Mr. Stanley, the secretary of the Winter Exhibition, that, defeat in the competitions would make no difference whatever.

A suggestion—and it is far from being" a new^one, says the "Mavlborough Express," was advanced at the annual meeting of the Mai-lborough Patriotic Association that the time had just about arrived when the patriotic funds should be distributed on the basis of the classification that has been made already of returned soldiers, according to the nature and extent of their disabilities. Messrs. Alex ; Thomson and C.'Noes were the authors of the suggestion and, as usuaJ, it was vigorously combated by the majority of the members, especially those belonging to the Investigation Committee, who are the ones most closely in touch with the work the association is doing in making loans to and providing relief for, returned soldiers or their dependants. It was emphasised, in the course of the annual report, that the work of the association is very far from complete, and the .needfulness for careful administration and' conservation of the funds for the sake of ex-soldiers who are still breaking down or requiring financial assistance for various reasons, is still very apparent. Fiji is to have a striking court at the Dunedin Exhibition, and although there will be no displays by the famous firewalkers of Beqa as was done at the Christchurch Exhibition, the Court will introduce sufficient of native customs to make the display distinctive. A special committee has been set up by the Government qf Fiji to arrange for the establishment of the court, and one of the members of the committee, Mr. T. Home, a prominent business man of Suva, arrived by the Niagara yesterday. Mr. Home (states "The Post's" Auckland correspondent) is at present bound for Sydney, but will take the opportunity of consulting with the Exhibition authorities. The Fiji court is to be the largest of the South Sea Island displays, and will have in attendance, a number of selected native Fijians. One of the features will-be a huge cannibal war drum, which will be sounded each day at 11. a.m. to invite visitors to thn historic kaya drinking ceremony. It is also proposed to bring a war canoe which is to be used on the lake.

The experiences of passengers on trains that were blocked by slips in the King Country during the week-end were in some respects diverting (states "The Post's" Auckland correspondent). One man, for instance, who had to submit to a good deal of banter from his fellow-passengers, was a prospective bridegroom. According to programme he was to have met his'bride at the altar in Auckland at half-past two on Saturday afternoon. At half-past two, however, his train was still blocked by the slips, and it may be presumed that an anxious young lady in the city was counting the moments. Wheu it seemed doubtful on Sunday morning at what time tho train would leave Te Kuiti, one man who had an important semi-public engagement in Auckland for three o'clock in the afternoon decided not to trust to the railway for his chances of keeping it. Accordingly lie chartered a motorcar for the rest of the journey at a cost of" £15 or so. When he had not been more than a quarter of an hour on the road he had the mortification of seeing that the train had resumed its trip, so that had he stood by it he would have been in plenty of time for his appointment. However, he reached the city with something to spare. "The outstanding need of the district is some means of public conveyance, preferably motor-buses to operate at least as far as the tramway terminus at Brooklyn," said Mr. F. D. O'Halloran, secretary oMhe Vogeltown and Mornington Electors Association, while speakin" for a deputation which waited upon the Finance Committee of the council yesterday afternoon. "If a need of this description is persistently ignored by the municipal authorities, the ultimate result will be an appeal to private enterprise, which is already proving a formidable competitor to civic activities throughout the Dominion. In a case such as this, where the council has been afforded ample opportunity to make the first move, it would be manifestly unfair to blame the ■ratepayers if they were compelled to adopt the alternative course of action " Tho Mayor, Mr. C. 15. Norwood, replied that the city was ''being welt and carefully combed to see just where the- public was ljeing unfairly treated in the matter of transport." The difficulty as regarded a service to Vogeltown and Mornington was the reading difficulty. Various other needs of the district were put forward by Mr. O'Halloran, improved roads and footpaths, a. slo.t telephone or telephones, additional fire alarms, better street IMiting. and the numbering of houses, lie also expressed tho feeling of his association that a general plan should be prepared for the development of the locality, with an eye to avoiding unnecessary future- expense and tie setting apart- of yet creauonai aveast '

The farmers' school at the Government Farm of Instruction has opened, with forty farmers from ull over the province iiv attendance, states a Press. Association message from Hamilton. Instruction will take the form of lectures by Government, experts, farm strolls, and practical demonstrations. The school ■will continue until Friday. "In view of the fact that the proposed Evans Bay reclamation scheme might affect the present bathing facilities at the head of the bay, we heartily concur with the protests voiced by various organisations regarding same,'"' states the annual report of 'the Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association. "A resolution affirming 'That in the event of reclamation work being undertaken in Evans Bay that steps be taken to preserve the bathing facilities as far as possible,' was carried, and has been circulated among kindred associations." "In past years," remarks the annual report of the Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association, "the authorities have been urged to supervise the work of excavating gangs to the extent of making it compulsory .that the footpath or roadway affected be left in the same'condition as when operations started. This has not been done, and residents traversing Hataitai, Waipapa, or. Hamilton roads m wet weather are compelled to wade through mud and slush. Another protest has been lodged, arid we hope that op tkis occasion some record will be paid to our common-sense suggestions." b

There is much cause for regret that the council issued a permit (or the erection of an advertising hoarding on one oi the most busy thoroughfares in'the suburb, _ remarks the executive of the Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association in its annual report. A protest was immediately lodged by the association iii regard to the erection of hoardings in' any residential area, and it is hoped that tho council will not 1 renew the per: mit when the initial period has expired • Incidentally, the hoarding was not \>ack to the street line when first erected, out representations to the authorities eventually resulted in this errov being rectified. Apparently officialdom does not worry about contravention of the city bylaws; and moves slowly evenwhen attention is directed thereto. In contesting tho contentions of Labour supporters who advocate the abolition of capital, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.,' stated at Lyall Bay last night that he did not hold at all with any individual amassing a great amount of money. "And," he added, "I believe the time will come in civilised society when the amount of capital that can be held by any one person will be limited. 'I believe that because I do not know what a man can do who has an income of half a million a year coming in. It is no use; it cannot be any good to him unless he attempts to do good with it. I cannot see what object a man has in amassing money like that. It certainly cannot bo any good when he passes out, unless he,leaves it to his relatives, and it is the worst thing in the world to leave a great deal to a boy or girl when they have done nothing to earn it." "The question of increasing the membership of the society," states the an nual report of the Brooklyn Horticul tural Society, "calls for serious .consideration, the small amount charged fur subscription should not deter residents of the district 'from enrolling and assisting by every means possible to make this organisation a real live asset to the suburb. We are extremely grateful to those ladies .and gentlemen who have come forward and donated trophies and cash towards the funds of tho society. Without the aid of finance the work of the society could not proceed! Perusal -of the balance-sheet discloses 1 the fact that tho cost of conducting shows has rarely been a financial suc-t cess from actual cash received. If it; was- not that the prize-winners had donated the cash back to the funds your; society would be unable to meet itsliabilities."

Messrs. Black, Gardiner, and Fleet waited on the l'etone Borough. Council last evening as a' deputation from Koro Koro and Mauiigaraki in regard to the' needs of the' district. The requests were : Improved lighting (which waa acknowledged to be now much iinpiov-: ed since the installation of the electric light) ; repairs to road fences and domain fences; access to the waterfall on the scenic reserve behind'the domain; asphalting the domain footpath; an area of the domain now in gorse to-be planted in trees ; improving the roads by lessening the gradients, widening narrow portions, and taking off sharp bends. The deputation also asked for the engineer to prepare an estimate , for a water supply for the district for which the residents might be willing to rate themselves. The whole of the matters were referred to the Koro Koro committee, comprising Councillors Jay, Jacobson, Campbell, and Scholefield.'who were also asked to report on the question as to whether a right-of-way existed to the Koro Koiv road from Riddler's crescent.

Considerable discussion was aroused at a Conciliation Council meeting to-day when the employers' agent, Mr. B. L. Hammond, asked that the Nelson district be exempted from the provisions of the proposed Dominion- award for hotel and restaurant workers. It was stated by Mr. Hammond that the workers in Nelson did not want an award. There was more "home-life" in Nelson hotels than in any other hotels in NewZealand. The girls were accepted almost, as members of the family, and they took part in all the social life of the hotel. All of them were local girls, whose families lived in the district, and if an award was going to be "forced" on them it would destroy all sentiment between employer and .employee. "We don't want any sentiment," remarked Mr. H. O'Malley (representing the workers of Wellington). "Oh, is that so," replied Mr. Hammond. "I thought wo could have looked for sentiment among you democratic workers." It was finally decided that the question should be considered privately by the parties, and if no agreement was roiiclied the matter could then be referred to the Court. A deputation from the local Football League club waited' on the Petone Borough Council last evening with several requests. The principal speaker was Sir. Langridge, who asked that tlie club be granted, on two nights a week, the use of portion of the foreshore lipp.i the wharf for practice purposes; thai an electric street light be placed to .is to light the ground, and the ioiuhil. as the owner of the building used by the club, pay half the cost of installiiia the electric 'light. Tho first request" was granted by the council; the second was granted subject to the club paying half the annual cost of the lamp; no action was taken in regard to the request, for the council to pay a half-share of lighting the club's room Mr. Langrfdyo also said the League had been most un-

fairly dealt with in the matter of grounds. The league was being charged £25 for a ground which was a qnagniire. and no conveniences were provided, the players having to wade throiitzli heaps of manure to wash in a horsa trough. In reply, the Mayor (Mr J \V. M'Ewan) said the league took th» ground with its eyes open, and should honour the agreement it had made with the council.