LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 17959, 4 May 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Chief Justice has ordered a new trial in t-ho case of Gallagher r. Bicknel', a claim for £BOO special damages based on alleged breaches of covenant to repair building, etc., on a leased farm. The jury awarded £BOO, and the defendant applied for a new .trial on the ground that the damages awarded wore excessive ; also that the members of the jury were guilty of misconduct in discussing the caw> with a witness for 'the plaintiff at the luncheon adjournment during the progress of the case. The witness, it was alleged, informed the jurors that the defendant made £20,000 out of tho lease in question. The Chief Justice said that the inlormation was not actually material to the case, but was of such a nature that, it might have affected the jurymen's findings. Tho monthly meeting of tho Macnndrow Road School Committee was presided over bv Mr M'lndoc (chairman. Mr Burt was elected treasurer, and Mr Fox secretary. Messrs Paine, Tinder, and MMntyre were appointed a Works Committee, _ and Messrs Burt, 'Fraser, Wright, and Paine a Sports Committee. Messrs Hurt, M'lndoc, and Paine were elected delegates to the School's Committees’ Association. Mr W. Perry was appointed janitor. Tho head master reported that there had been an increase in tho number of pupils, with a. bettor average for the month, and that the savings bank deposits amounted to £4O. It was decided to send letters of thanks to Messrs King and Dalton (who have retired from the committee) for their past services, George Bowden, a. young man. who said ho had arrived from Australia a few months ago, was committed for trial at Wellington yesterday on a charge of breaking and entering the promises of TUyth, jeweller, at Fetone, and stealing twenty rings valued at £l4O. The offences wore, alleged to have been committed hist month, Tho evidence was that from what Pierre Kugcner, a brother-in-law of the accused, had said, a search was made under tho house where accused was staying, when a number of rings wrapped in paper were found. Kngener’s sister said ho was not at Petone. on the night when Blyth’s shop was ordered and the rings stolen. It was stated in evidence that accused had endeavored to dispose of tho rings. ‘Bowden strenuously denied having seen either tho I rings or a. scarf before they were produced at the Police Court.

The Otago Women’s Club hold an at, home yesterday afternoon to welcome .Miss J. B. N. Paterson, who is assisting Dr Trilby King in his health campaign. Mis?; Paterson said she had intended visiting friends in, New Zealand for years, hut after training under Dr King in London an extra incentive was added to the contemplatcd trip. She had really come nn holiday, with the hope of persuading Df King to finish the professional hook on ‘Nutrition,’ which ho had almost completed in England in 1919 before returning to New Zealand. Pressure of work had so far presented him. She felt, however, that tho publication of the book was of importance to the child welfare movement, not only of tho Empire, but of tho whole world. 'Miss Paterson also gave some of her war experiences, briefly sketching the ovation given tho first British hospital ships as they sailed up the Seine to F.ouen. She outlined the condition of Central Europe when she visited it after tho armistice along with Dr King, who was chosen by tho British War Victims Belief Committee to inquire into the condition and health of the women and children after the ravage of the war. This fact alone showed the value attached to New Zealand child welfare. She also gave details of American child welfare work in Poland, and described tho withdrawal of the German troops from Warsaw.

William George Bashloigh was committed for trial at’Auckland on four charges of obtaining sums totalling £350 under false pretences. It was alleged that- ho represented ho had a. milk vendor business, or was starting one, and had secured premises in various centres, and had engaged men as Branch managers, requiring them to invest £IOO in the business, Ho pleaded not guilty. . . ,' ■ 1 The spiritual mission was continued at Knox Church last night. After devotions, conducted by tho Eev. Tulloch Ynille, an address was given by the Eev. A. W. Kinmont on ‘The Cost of the, Christian Life.’ He spoke of how free tho benefits of the Christian religion aro to men and yet into what costs they lead men. True religion may claim from men nil they have, but it is just this appeal to tho'heroic in men that has been the secret of its success. After tho Boxer rebellion there were no mission stations that had so many volunteers ns those situated in dangerous provinces. Yet the secret of the appeal to tho heroic lies in tho fact that it is the appeal of Eternal Love. Tho subject to-night is ‘Tho Juy of tho Christian Life.’

At the Supremo Court, Auckland, William John Thomas Blackmore, for forgery and uttering at Whakatane, was admitted to probation for two years. A youth named Walter Leonard Cooper, on seven charges, comprising breaking and entering nnd theft, forgery, and theft as a servant, was sentenced to three years’ reformative treatment. Two Maori youths, Whareloho Paterson and Pannpa, Rainckii, for breaking and entering and theft, were admitted to probation and ordered to pay for tho articles stolon, Mr Justice Tl.erdmnn explaining to the accused the meaning of probation, and remarked that of late many young Maori boys had come before him on various criminal charges. “ Four ancestors,” ho said, “were belter men, and never got into trouble. They wore men of integrity and led good lives, so yon .Maori boys should keep out of trouble, and strive to emulate them.”

According to a recent visitor to the United States, who is at present in Palmere ton North, the latest dodge to smuggle whisky into America is to enclose a nip in a chocolate easing. The brand of cJiocolatcs containing tho “ mountain dew” sold like hob cakes, until the suspicions of tho Customs officers were aroused and an embargo, was placed upon them,

A man who had been living at Raurimu for some months, with bags as his only covering, and who subsisted upon wild berries, was arrested last week. Ho was sent to Auckland Gaol for a week, so that he might have a chance of obtaining good food and clothing.

A visitor to Palmerston North, told a ' Manawatu Times’ representative that when ’be was recently at Newport News a taxi driver offered to drive him and his party 120 miles for two bottles of Scotch whisky. The taxi man stated that he could sell the whisky at from £2 to £5 per bottle. “Of all the undesirables that have appeared before yon, I venture to say that this man is the most undesirable.” Thus Chief Detective Kemp in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court, when a man named Raymond Woodward pleaded guilty to a charge of having trespassed on the Troniham Racecourse. “Ho is the sort of man who goes to the course and offers to collect dividends for people and fails to turn up. I have complaints from Dunedin to tho effect that ho has failed to account for large sums of money. Ho is_a ‘ gnesser,’ Your Worship.” After hearing of this character, Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., fined Woodward, £lO, in default two months in gaol.

The sum of £9,795,763, which represented the gross earnings of Victorian railways for the last financial year, was nearly twice the total earnings oi Queensland railways, and five times the total of Western Australia (£3,700,000) and South Australia (£2,942,000), tho ‘Age’ records. Now South Wales railways, on the other hand, exceed Victoria, in gross earnings by nearly £5,000,000. The net earnings per train mile on. the Government railways in the six States were: Now South Wales, 2s lOd; Victoria,_ 2s s|d; Queensland, sJcl; South Australia. Is; Western Australia, le 2£d} Tasmania, Is ICd. In regard to the Federal Government continental railway, the net earnings per train mile were 4s lid. Tho percentage of neb earnings on capital coat were: Now South Wales, 5.96 per cent.; Victoria, 3.27 per cent.; Queensland, .56 per cent.; South Australia, 1-48 per ceofc.j Western Australia, 1.64 per oept,