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Evening Star, Issue 16034, 10 February 1916, Page 4

Two divorce cases—Emma Margaret Rail v. Joseph Dunlop Hall, and Irip Frances Worloy v. Ralph Paliiwr Worley —have been s.ot down for hearing in the Supreme Court. Taumoxumii reports to-day state that Mount Ngaruahos last night emitted flames 1,500 ft high. The mountain was normal to-day. A Chxistchurch P.A. telegram states that the annual conference oi the United Commercial Travellers' Association of New Zealand opened to-day, Mr S. A. Orchard presiding. He said 'the year had been very successful, and the membership had increased by 38 net. The assets were £l7s—an increase of £37. Many thousands sterling had been raised by the members for the war funds.

At a sitting of the Police Court this afternoon Reginald George Smyth, aged 17, was charged with intent to defraud by means of a false pretence, to wit, by falsely representing that his name was A. P-esttie and that he was authorised to obtain certain goods for the Rev. E. A. Aselsen from Ross and Glendining, of the total value of £3 17s. Accused was senWiiTcecL to one month's imprisonment, tho Governor to be asked to transfer him to an industrial school.

I The election for the post of secretary to the Dunedin Waterside Workers' Union resulted as follows:—William Morris, 126 ; Fred Harris, 85; Robert A. Douglas, 24. For the first time on record no civil cases are set down for hearing at the quarterly civil sittings of the Supreme Court fixed for Monday next. Mr Paulin's forecast: —S.W. to N.E. grinds, and electrical Tain showers.

Our representative at Christchurch telegraphs : —A peculiar feature of the recent registrations is that, although a number of farmers and other men who live in tho country, and who are accustomed to riding horses, have enlisted for the infantry on finding tho mounted branch full, and some drivers in the city have also done so, many city men, laborers, tradesmen, artisans, and clerks, whose daily occupations do not take them anywhere near horses, have signed on only for tho mounted rifles. Another unsatisfactory feature is the largo proportion of men who are not prepared to 'go into camp until some little time has elapsed. Again, there is a larger proportion than formerly of men who, having registered, fail to present themselves for medical examination. All the timo the number of men who have been classed as temporarily unfit, and who have been provided with the opportunity to have themselves made able to comply with requirements without cost to themselves, but who have failed to report again to the recruiting officers, is growing larger. In view of these facts, the situation is exceedingly unsatisfactory for the Christchurch area group, which has not only to fill up the shortage in its quota for the 13th Reinforcements, but has only three weeks in which to find its quota for the 14th Eeinforcements. That means that oyer 140 fit infantry men should be found within three weeks.

The delegates to the conference of the locomotive engine-drivers of New Zealand were welcomed by tho Mayor of Christchurch yesterday.* ' The president (Mr J. Henderson) said tho last council, with the General Manager and Minister of Railways, had endeavored to secure improvoments, and a petition to Parliament h.-id been referred to the Government: but so far nothing had been done to improve wages and conditions. The federation had felt the effects of tho strike of 1913 and the present war. The executive did not agree as a whole with the Federation of manifesto, and he thought they should strive to bring tho war to a conclusion as soon as possible, and uphold the integrity of the Empire. Mr Henderson expressed the view that the scheme of federating tho three railway societies would do much good in dealing with matters affecting the railwaymen "as a whole. The Mayor of Christchurch said lie would do all in his power to encourage local building, for he believed Xew Zealand could turn out as good locomotives as any other part of tho world, and the slight extra expense should not be grudged, because the money was to be retained in the Dominion. The war had taught the lesson of self-reliance in manufactures, and lie would like to see the railway workshops largely extended to turn out the whole of the rolling stock required in the Dominion. Mr James Blackie, Mayor of West Harbor, has taken up land in Canterbury, and as he will bo leaving this district soon he intends resigning his mayoral office. A numerously-signed requisition is to be presented to Mr H. E. Moller asking him to contest_the vacant seat. A peculiar position arises in connection with the matter. Under the new Act the mayors last year were elected for two years, and in providing for resignations it is laid down that if a mayor resigns before he has completed one year of office his successor shall be elected in the ordinary way, but if he has held office for more than one vear the election shall be made by the councillors at a special meeting called for the purpose.

The census was mentioned by the Prime Minister in the course of an interview at, Wellington last night. Ho stated that it had been before Cabinet several times. The quinquennial census would have been taken in the ordinary course in April nest, but there had been a suggestion that it should be postponed in view of the war. The Cabinet decided yesterday that the census _ should be taken: but in all probability it will not be possible to make the necessary arrangements until early next year. The decision of the Government was due mainly to the desire of Ministers to give the Boundary Commissioners a sure basis for the adjustment of electoral boundaries before the next General Election.

The Supreme Court at Timaru was occupied all day yesterday on a charge of manslaughter, against " James William Grant, a runholder in the Mackenzie Country, through causing the death of Hector W. P. Cox, machinery agent, by the negligent driving of a motor car, causing a collision with a motor cycle ridden by the deceased. The evidence for the prosecution indicated that two cars were travelling along a dusty road at an excessive pace, the accused being in the second car and in the dust raised bv the first, and that he turned off the middle of the road to the right-hand side, and almost immediately ran into the cyclist. The accused claimed that his speed was usual on that road, and not unreasonable; that ho was on the middle of the road and did not turn off till after the collision; and that the swerve capsized the car. He did not see the cyclist * for just before he mot him a puff of wind raised a cloud of dust, and hid everything in front. The jury were out for four hours, and just at the limit agreed on a verdict of " Not guilty." It is understood that Mr Grant has made liberal provision for the widow and ( family of Mr Cox. Mr Solomon. K.C., appeared for the accused. The Southland Queen Carnival art union has been drawn. The winners of the first four prizes were :—Brick bungalow, Invercargill, valued at £1,000: W Scott, Warkworth, Auckland. Brick bungalow, Invercargill, valued at £850: S. Lipscombe, Invercargill. Bungalow, Invercargill, valued at £650: J. Barron, Taumata, Otago. Dwolling, Gore, valued at £500: E. Munro, Ferry Hotel, Wairoa. The only prize that came to Dunedin was the ninth—a Ford valued at £2OO beiw drawn by Mr C. H. Fyffe. "~ " Consequent on rumors circulated concerning the health of soldiers in Featherston camp, Surgeon-general Henderson has made a statement in which (reports an Association wire) he points out there have been a number of complaints of gastro enteritis patients in Hospital 24, but none of the_ cases are of a serious nature. From inquiries he finds that the complaint is prevalent in the surrounding villages and in Wellington itself. It is one that usually occurs during the hot summer weather, and he thought the trouble was in no wav duo to drinking water which analysis has shown to be of good quality. On behalf of the Mosgiel Women's Christian Temperance Union, Mrs Pinfold has sent the following resolution to the Hon. .Tames Allen:—"This Women's Christian Temperance Union view with grave alarm the growing practice of ] shouting ' for our soldiers. Having seen its sad results, this union not only protest against the custom, but earnestly and urgently ask that legislation be proceeded with at the earliest moment with a view to making the practice illegal."

A party of motorists from Dunedin had an interesting time on Saturday morning on the Clyde-Cromwell road, in the vicinity of the- recent wash-outs. In avoiding the boulders at one point the machine backed over an embankment, and was only brought up 15ft below the road surface by a chimp of trees. How to regain the road was a problem, but fortunately some tools left by surfacemen were discovered near by, and the motorists set to work to build a track. Just as their labors had been concluded the coach came along with a welcome reinforcement of four willing men, and the car was soon back on the road. Next morning, however, further trouble was encountered ; this time near the Bald Hill Flat, on tho ClydeRoxburgh road. Here a cloud-burst had created a gap 20ft wido by about 12ft deep in the roadway. While the motorists were reviewing the situation they were joined by the occupants of two other cars, and the whole party set to work and made a track down the bank by tho side of the road. Within two hours they had got to the other side of the crater, and were sailing merrily for home. It was hot work, though. Two coolies brought beforo Messrs D. A. Do Maus and N. Dcdds, J.P.s, on charges of drunkenness "were treated as first offenders and fined 5s each at the Port Chalmers Court this forenoon. An old offender, who was charged with drunkenness after successfully withstanding the lure of the liquor for over 12 months, was fined 10s in respoct to his recent lapse, and a prohibition order was issued to help him in the way of sobriety for the ensuin"term.

Strong remarks (wires our Christchurch correspondent) were made at the-meeting of the Canterbury Automobile Association in connection with the alleged unwarranted action of the petrol selling companies in bumping up the the price of motor spirits. It that though the stocks of petrol were large tho price had been advanced over 2s a rase, which was far in excess of the proportion of the alleged rises in freights, which rises had not been paid on the Blocks in hand. Tho association set up a committee to thoroughly investigate the matter.

Our Christchurch correspondent telegraphs : —Tho following references to the war appeared in the report of the Enginedrivers, Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association, which was presented by the general secretary to the conference of that body now sitting in Christchurch. It hasi been stated that this union aro in favor of voluntary enlistment, but if the time comes When there are not sufficient volunteers then a form of compulsion cannot bo objected to. The Prussian military spirit must -be broken, and if that is our one desire then prematura peace is out of all consideration. Even if our country has to invent somo method to break this'spirib it is tho right and proper thing to do. The Prussian military spirit has had much to do with tho introduction of militarism into this country, and it must be killed if we are to free ourselves from this spirit Onco this is crushed, then I am confident the British nation will not maintain tho rmLitary spirit. Many of our comrades hay© fallen in this light. Our ranks of unionism havo suffered, and since June 30 last the enlistments have made a heavy onslaught on our membership. However •our first duty is to bring the war to a successful issue.

Tho growing need in this City for a municipal fish market was referred to by Or Havward at last night's meeting of the City Council, and the chairman of the General Committee (Cr Sinclair) assured councillors that, his committee had the matter under careful consideration, and had sent to Wollincton to obtain further information from the Wellington Cit"Council as to the success of the venture) there.

"No Rubbing" Laundry Help arriving j n a tew clays. Hunter aud Ftheridge.—[Advt.] Watson's No, 10 is a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth the monev [Advt.]

Speight's ale and stout aro acknowledged by the Dominion public to bo the best on the market—[Advt.] rarents and guardians aro reminded that a children's day on the St. Clair Beach will bo held on Saturday, and as this outing has been arranged for the children of Dunedin on account of the success of the iast outing, their preseuce is requested to help to make the occasion a success.

Ladies recommend Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all chemists and stores. See you get the genuine.—[Advt.] Applications for an assistant mistress to take general work in third or fourth forms of Waitaki Girls' High 'School receivable up till February 19; salary, £l5O per annum. Housewives can say good-bye to washboard drudgery when "No Rubbing" Laundry Help arrives. Hunter and Etheridge.—[Advt]. Monthly meeting Dunedin Bakers and rastry cooks' Union will be held in the Trades Hall at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The veteran praises Watson's No. 10 whisky. It appeals to him as purest, most mellow.—[Advt.]