NEWS-OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 52, 10 September 1928, Page 8

NEWS-OF THE DAY

» No Serious Crime. The total number of police offences in tho Wellington district during the past year, as shown in tho review by Superintendent Emerson in his annual report to the Commissioner, was 5398, which is an increase of 48 on tho previous year. Tho principal increases were thefts by clerks or servants, house and shop breaking, receiving stolen property, breaches of the Motor Vehicles Act, failing to maintain wives, etc., and vagrancy. There was no serious crime during the year. The conduct of the members of the Force is reported on as having been satisfactory. During the year the authorised strength of the district was increased by night. An Association of Ideas. Twice during the oratory contest for the Plunket Medal on Saturday night the audience, largely composed of students, laughed when speakers referred to someone being "called to tho Bar." The student mind apparently associated "tho Bar" with six o'clock closing, rather than with the legal profession. One of tho speakers was quick to take advantage of the audience's perverted ideas, saying of tho character about whom he was speaking that at any rate ho imbibed tho spirit of tho age. A Maori Personality.' A picturesque personality in the Methodist Maori party to visit New Plymouth in connection with the celebration of the 106 th anniversary of the establishment of the Methodist Maori Mission is To Aho-o-tC:Ba!igi Pihama, says the "Taranaki Daily News." He is tho nineteenth descendant in tho direct male line from Hoturoa, the chief who brought the ancestors of the Waikato tribes to New Zealand in the Tainui canoe. He is a close relation of the Maori king (Te Eata Mahuta) and carries with him one of tho king's taiahas as a sign of the king's approval of his mission. Chief To Aho is nu outstanding orator. Ho speaks in his own language and is accompanied by an interpreter. Costly Motor Service. Some indication of the cost of conducting a motor service was given at Hamilton on Friday when the affairs of a bankrupt taxi-driver, Robert Henry Hampton, of Frankton, were investigated by the official assignee, Mr. J. H. Robertson. No creditors were present (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Bankrupt's schedule showed debts owing to unsecured creditors, £218 11s (id. He had no assots. Bankrupt, in his statement, said he started business as a taxi proprietor and did well until the end of October, 1927. Up to that time his cars were free. Later he decided to start a service between Hamilton and Auckland, and bought a now car to run on this service. He put the freehold car in as part payment and trouble commenced. He found that the model he had purchased was nearly two years old. During the four months he ran the car it cost him £43 for tires and repairs, notwithstanding that three months' service was promised with the new car. As a result of representations made the car was exchanged for another, and in the few weeks it was iv use it cost him £90 for repairs. Bankrupt attributed his failuro to the fact that the representations made in reference to the suitability of the curs sold to him were not borne out. In answer to the official assignee, bankrupt 3aid that in eight months he had paid tho motor company £300. Tho Auckland run had proved a lamentable failure, and ho did not consider anyone could make a success of it on a fare from 12b 6d to 15s per head.

A Nightingale? A 'bird with a particularly shrill whistle lias been heard in Asliburton by several residents lately, and a good deal of interest is being taken in the stranger (relates the "Guardian"). Its piping is heard only late at night, and has been notcicd only during the present moon. One listener considers that the bird is a canary, while another claims that it is a nightingale. 'Tar Too Patient Sometimes." Comment on tlio patience shown by Judges of1 the Supreme Court was made by Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court at Hamilton last week during the hearing of a case. After remarking that one of the counsel engaged had uuch tried his patience, his Honour said he thought the Judges were far too patient sometimes, and that possibly it would be bettor for all parties if they were not so lenient in this respect. "Had a Wonderful Taste." "When I was having my first meal on the boat after leaving San Francisco, I asked the steward where the butter came from that I was eating," said Mi- T. S. Cooper, owner of the Linden Grove Jersey stud farm of Pennsylvania, when addressing members of the Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association in New Plymouth on Monday night. "The steward replied that it was New Zeajand butter and was about nine weeks bid. I was agreeably surprised, for it had a wonderful taste, and I thought it must be American butter." Unloading Phosphate. Reference by Mr. A. F. Ellis, tho New Zealand member of the British Phosphates Commission, to the facilities afforded at Auckland and Lyttelton for the discharge of rock phosphate cargoes directs attention to the proposals of the Auckland Harbour Board to improve its methods of dealing with rapidly:growing cargoes of this description (says the "New Zealand Herald"). For about six years past the method Of unloading rock phosphate at Auckland has been by the employment of dumping grabs operated by wharf cranes. It is efficient and expeditious and it is considered a poor day when 2000 tons are not transferred from the ship's hold to railway wagons. In its scheme of works, however, tho board has planned for the construction at Mechanics Bay of a railway wharf specially designed for the handling of all such bulk cargoes as are taken direct from the ship's side to their destination by rail. Instead of the usual double railway track the new wharf will have four tracks on each side, larger and specially-designed cranes, and, again, larger emergency hoppers to hold discharged cargo in times of shunting delays or a shortage of wagons. Only tentative designs have been prepared, but the new bulk cargo wharf will. probably be ouo of the earliest sections of the board's scheme of works to be executed. "And Wellington For That Matter." The news that a syndicate is to build an up-to-date hostel at Tongariro National Park, and conduct it under the guiding genius of Mr. R. L. Wigley, managing-director of the Mount Cook Motor Company., which owns tho Mount Cook 'Hermitage, was received with great interest and satisfaction in Auckland on Wednesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). ".It means thes opening up of the greatest playground and health resort in the North Island," was the view expressed by a business man, who knows tho attractions of the park well. "It will provide Auckland, and Wellington for that matter, with splendid accommodation at an unequalled week-end and holiday ground. The scheme is another step toward making this country a tourists' paradise." Soino hesitancy was at first shown by members of alpine sports clubs in giving tho scheme their un- \ qualified approval, it being felt that b}' catering for tho well-to-do tourist class the modest interests of many young Aucklmiders, who at present use the Whakapapa huts during their holi- ! days, would bo neglected. Any such | qualms have been set at rest by the assurance that hut and camp accommodation will bo retained for those who prefer it, and that the hostel tariff will vary according to the class of aceoramol j dation chosen. j Trader's Unusual Plea. I A successful application for the sup- j prcssion'of his name, on the ground' of the effect its publication might have ou liis business, was made by a defendant in a case in the Magistrate's Court at Thames ou Friday, before Messrs. W. Lucas and Glossing, J.P.s (states a local correspondent). Four men were charged with aiding and abetting a ho-tel-keeper to commit an offence by persuading him to sell -them liquor after hours. Sergeant M'Donuell explained that tho licensee of tho hotel had already beoa fined &2 and costs for selling drinks to the men concerned, and tho present prosecution had been brought under a clause of the Licensing Act, which laid it down that anyone who aideil and abetttd in the commission of an offence could be fined the same amount as the person who actually committed' the offence. A fine of £2 and costa was accordingly imposed on each of the four men concerned. One defendant, a retail trader, asked for suppression of his naino jn the grounds that his clients included church people, whose patronage he might lose if his name was published. Tho justices granted the request, and ordered the suppression of tho retailer's namb, "on this occasion only.''