LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 17062, 5 June 1919, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A special meeting of the Otaco Education Board was held last _ night. After transacting some minor business in committee the board considered for four hours the details of a case in which a resident of Wakari accused Mr J. Moir, the head master of the Wakari School, of unjust and excessive punishment of his boy. A large number of witnesses were called on both sides, and at the close the chairman (Mr J. Wallace) announced that the board would give their finding a fortnight later. The other members present were the Hon. D. T. Fleming and Messrs J. Smith, 11. H. Todd, J. Horn, W. R. Brugh, J. H. Wilkinson, and G. Livingstone. In connection with the death at Whangarei of Jessie West, aged 32, a housemaid in a Whangarei hotel, whose body was found in the upper reaches of the Whangarei Harbor yesterday Pearl Burke, a housemaid in the hotel, in tho course of her evidence, testified that a spiritualistic meeting was held in the deceased's room on Tuesday night. After the meeting, at 8.30, witness and deceased walked down to the wharf, where tho latter, remarking "Freddy is calling me," disrobed herself and put on her nightdress. At deceased's request witness took her clothes and walked away, though fully aware of deceased's intention. A verdict was returned that death was due to drowning by tho deceased throwing herself into the water. The coroner remarked that the girl Burke, though apparently simple-minded, was morally responsible for Miss West's death, if not liable under the criminal code. An Order in Council has been promulgated amending the regulations recently issued for the protection of soldiers and discharged soldiers. The definition of "recently discharged soldier" is amended to include a soldier within 12 months immediately succeeding his return, instead of six months, as in the original regulations. It is further provided that nothing in tho regulations shall apply to proceedings taken with respect to the balance for the time being of an account current of any soldier or discharged soldier with any bank or approved trading company or approved merchant, or with respect to any mortgage, bill of sale, or other security securing such account current, and all proceedings may be taken accordingly without the consent of the Attorney-Gene-ral. For the purposes of this clause an approved trading company or approved merchant means any company, firm, or person approved in that behalf by the Attorney-General. At a meeting of tho Waikaremoana Hydro-electric League at Napier it was decided that the bodies connected with the league should send delegates as a deputation to wait on the Government and press the district's claims. Mr J. V. Brown, M.P., said that if the deputation failed he would be prepared to move a vote of noconfidence in the Government. Mr Brown also said that the undue anxiety of the Hawke's Bay County Council to get away from the league made him wonder whether the Meat Trust was behind that body, as it had been reported was the case 'with regard to the Invercargill scheme. Police investigations into the damage done to the plate-glass window at Air Charles Shalfoon's shop at Opotiki resulted in the discovery of a revolver bullet, a man's cap, and a glass bottle inside the broken window. The owner of the cap has been identified. Evidently the revolver was fired at the window at short range, and the bottle was used to enlarge the hole. In his excitement the culprit apparently fell through the window into the shop, and forgot to recover his cap and bottle when making his escape.

The coal shortage is acute at Welling- I ton. The State coal depot in Lower Cuba street was besieged yesterday by numerous coal hunters, who evidently had learnt of the arrival of two colliers from Greymouth. At one time there must have been oyer 2CO people in and outside of the building, and some method of dealing with the large crowd had to be adopted. Two men were stationed at the door, and only a limited number of people were allowed in at one time. The crowd consisted mainly of women, with just a few men scattered here and there. Inside clerks were working at high pressure in dealing with the never-ending stream of applicants. Only small orders wore< taken, as the supply is not yet up to normal. Having given their orders, customers went away apparently satisfied ; but with so many orders requiring attention it is very likely that many will have to wait* some time for the delivery of their coal.

An undefended divorce petition, in which £SOO damages were claimed against the co-respondent, was heard at the Supreme Court at Auckland yesterday by Mr Justice Cooper and a jury of 12. The petitioner was Harry Jane, and the respondent was Lulu Jane. Arthur Hope was cited as the co-respondent. No defence was offered either to the petition or to the claim for damages. The jury awarded the petitioner £3OO damages, and a decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute in three months, with costs on the lower scale. The conference of representatives of the municipal tramways in the various centres of New Zealand met at Wellington yesterday to consider the regulations which the Minister of Public Works proposes to put into operation. It was tho generally expressed opinion that the regulations should not be gazetted for some time, as it was considered that under present conditions some of them would operate prejudicially to the controlling authorities and the public. A deputation of members of the Parliamentary Industries Committee waited on the Minister of Marine at Wellington yesterday, requesting assistance for the fishermen at Ivaikoura. It was pointed our that the fishermen suffered serious disabilities owing to lack of a boat harbor or moorings for their launches. The Minister said he had received reports on the matter, and these favored assistance, but until he knew the cost of a protecting arm as against the cost of skids, winches, and an engine-house he would have to delav his recommendation.