OUR AUCKLAND LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 16197, 19 August 1916, Page 9

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE

ESpecui; to the ' Stab.*] AUCKLAND, Wednesdav. RECRUITING AVERAGES.

The figures' fox the next reinforcements Show Auckland. City quota as complete, but thera is an apparent shortage in Whangarei and Hamilton -districts. When the main body was being formed these districts recruited splendidly; in fact, there were hundreds of eager applicant® being refused. During the mustering of the earlier reinforcements the younger men from thesa districts were crowding in so that the time arrived wh*n the Waikato and North Auckland became almost denuded of eligible men, comparatively speaking, and the shortage now is due to the extra heavy recruiting in the early stacre of the war. In the "eitv there is full provision for the next two drafts,, and the requirements for the later drafts are beinc steading filled up. As far as "present pearances go there is no likelihood of the city district failing to find its quota for the next four months. ANOTHER DELUGE.

With just half the month gone we have already had over three inches above the average rainfall for the whole of August month. During the sevgn and a-half months of this year to date Auckland lias

had 39.22 inches o£ rain, which is only three niches below the average annual fall. On Sunday there was continuous rain, 1.08 inches falling between Saturday nioht and Sunday night. If the rainfall 'for direst of the year is anything like in proportion, 1916 will .be a big record for wetness.

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey was amongst old friends on Saturday, when lie opened the new ferro-ooncrete bridge near Pr.nmure. The old residents of the loca-lity have known him personally for many years, and one grandmotherly lady, who addressed him as Willie, no doubt remembers _ him long before he aspired to a political career. The bridge he was opennig cost, just on £14,000, is 800 ft long,.o2ft *ule, and 50ft above tidal water. In earlier days Mr Massey had driven across th« old bridge-. many times, and to show that he had not forgotten his old skill be took charge cf a traction engine and jilotcrl it across the new bridge. At a complimentary luncheon afterwards ?r _ Massey proposed the toast of "Old u-sidonts," and he said-the old pioneers of ew Zealand were worthy of all the honor

at could bo paid them." No country had ■cr beeii better "pioneered" than New ?ala.nd, because the process of selection the early days- made no other result

ssible. The early settlers had come nro in_ the knowledge that they had got > live in an uncivilised land, and possibly would have to take up arms to defend theme-elves. He could recall the pensioners who were brought to Panmure and Howick by Sir George Grey, and those pioneers had left their mark. He (Mr Massey) first saw the Tamaki River and Panmure when he was a boy "of 14 in 1870. His parents came to Sw Zealand in 1862, and settled near Howick, not far from the other side of the bridge. He did not think the people of New Zealand did sufficient to perpetuate the memory of the - old pioneers.' He thought there should at least be a roll o! tho pioneers kept in all public halls in country districts.

( The members of the Mnnukau County Council made Mr Massey a presentation of a handsome dressing case as a memento >i his visit to the district—a visit not specially in his capacity as head of the Government, but a, visit to see old friends. In returning thanks .Mr Massey said he would probably be in the position in n few _ days' time to make practical and special use of their kind present.

_ There was an amazing series of allegations and denials in a civil case which t\ as before the Magistrate's- Court on Monday. W. A. Sims, joiner, sought to recover from R. H. Stark, manufacturine jomer, £39 19s, balance of wages alleged to be due. The esse has been before the court before, and on August 2 the Magistrate remarked that either the one party or the other was. a.nimittiaig gross perjury. On August 5 plaintiffs counsel (Mi Haddow) who first appeared for him, and Mr Fitzherbert, who represented him on August 2, retired from the ease. On M'on day plaintiff reiterated his story that lit had sold furniture to seoosid-hand dealers, on defendant's behalf, and the receipt produced were given him by defendant. Defendant had told him he contemplated going bankrupt. Defendant had also told him he contemplated setting fire to the shop to get the insurance raonev. When bailiffs were in in Mav last defendant again .spoke of setting fire'to the place, and hj: also threatened to commit suicide. In witness's presence the defendant rang up a cjjjimaker and asked about a revolver, ihe defendant characterised plain tin".story .as a. tissue of falsehood from begin "ing to_ end. He had never thought of firing his shop nor of suicide nor of bankruptcy. • He had never received cheques or money from plaintiff for goods .'old tr>. second-hand dealers, and the receipts produced were not signed bv him. The goods referred to had been made to the order c.f persons, whose names piaintiff had given as'-Falls" and "Roav«. : ' The Magistrate said there was an extraordinary- conflict of .evidence.. One party or the other had committed the most deliberate-and wicker] perjury, ajtd a charge of forgery had also eeen made. Proceedings were "adjourned to enable plaintiff's counsel. (Mr Lundont to peruse the documents exhibited in court! FOR NAVAL PATROL. Governments, be uniconsciouslv lumorous at times. Recently it was offiially announced that the Governor had 10 knowledge of any authority given to. t : aptam Whitney, of Auckland, to enrol volunteers for service with the naval motor >oat partrols. The Minister of Defence, vvho,.made tMs. ajinouncement, added that the Government would take steps to. carry out tbe wishse. of the Naval (tornmission

vrhen it arrived hero. Mr Allen announced that the Government "had. no knowledge," but the fact remains that copies or the Imperial Government's cables were sent to the Prime Minister, and full information -was forwarded to him. Some woeks ago Captain Whitney received a cable from the Admiralty instructing him to act as agent in connection with the visit of Captain F. P. Armstrong, who is expected here next month. The-cables contained certain definite instructions and information including the- keeping of a roster of selected men. All this information had been supplied to the Government. -No men have boeii enrolled, but a complete roster has been made of men available for service, and this roster is the one •that will be used bv 'Captain Armstrong when he arrives, notwithstanding that 'the Government ha& no information."

A LARGE APPETITE. Because Russians who were acting as firemen on the Corinthi'c developed what the others regarded as too healthy appetites, 18 British firemen absented themselves at Auckland without leave, and when .the captain went to the police station to lay an information lie found his 18 firemen there already complaining that they could not sail on the vessel 'unless separated from the Russianf. The man were charged at court, and their story was that the Russians ale so much and so rapidly that the others did not ff&t 'their proper share of meat. On© of the Ens-

pW !i ad b^' n s<sVerel y assaulted. The ino Magistrate said ho was aware. Ru* uo e to e d fc S ght T f bt ° f th ° <*»&»* uue to drink. Ihe men were order-rl +■■» mail ° n b °" d ' «"*»* ™ BriSTfl£ 3 h I- f to a month's hard labor for asa-ultmg a Russian.

THI, PRICE OF UQUOR, Kotclkepeis. in Auckland are. divided in opinion as to whether an increase shou d or should iU be made in th- 13 charges for liquor. Wholesale , ite have gone, up to undreamed of hv„relJS "L p | 0 „w 1^ lass 1 Q !, Sl}iri , tsren '=W E j-ame. Something had to bo done, a., K I as leloil p ice, they agreed to limit the quan-" tdy. Consequently the barmaid will hi f dure measure out one's- whisky and soda t is not stated whether the bar tender 1; nat£n?"JH to the *™™ ab tbirst. of tl o

COUNTERFEIT COINS. Many tradesmen and others have- been ■met floiins. The counterfeits are excellent il/'i , t -" U . ln cclOT - and can bed--nectar v for tradesmen and custom«i to mig ch-ange now ip th* olrl-fishion, ? way commence years ago! fa * hlon <** AUCKLAND ROADS favc h r l of s LT idCl ' ab! ° Publi ° a S itAti ™ »» ■'■■«nie a the City Conned are embarking o during tne war and pending the moS nln ' mt ? afl &,ne of tho «tv and 'ock r ! t lUle '-«- thai but carters i °'' ! - V motor£st 3 but o.dl, **' d ., l^ s m«» «e complaining oudly Auckland must certainly be .dvofor U,? Un =V* ln * dis Si' a «f«l condition toi the greater part of its length Th Mum W h } _ o f fecial spots, IS calculated to bre?k do!! my motor vehicle, while the &£ road be ween Auckland and fiamHofi ;nnply defies description. To imt Iv" the city a „d subm-ban roads lifca.good condition will C ost a bi-lum of to be faced sooner or later. Travelled loads an r\ew Zealand, and that for •, centre ot its «zc and importance % v o \£ nre not far oF bein" da**** „L ■he worst iri the worid. ' amOU S st