LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 18336, 25 July 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The finding in connection with the libel notion between. J. Reid (president of the Wanganui Swimming Centre) ajul the Wanganui ‘ Chronicle ’ has been settled, the nowspape* having apologised anil paid all costs. The alleged libel was contained in n letter signed by an anonymous contributor.

A few months,- ago many complaints wore heard about short-weight deliveries of coal, and steps were taken to remove the cause of the complaint hy way of additions to the Weights and Measures Act, authorising an inspection ot the weighing of -sacks of coal and-coke (says a Wellington telegram). Coal merchants were notified that they must hand to customers a docket, setting nut the true weight of the coal and coke delivered. A result of an inspection of tho coal yards showed that, tho complaints as to short measure were well justified in some cases, and owners have been warned that, in flagrant eases proceedings will bo taken.

The vital statistics for the month of Juno show (hat Auckland cily is first with a population of 167,760. Christchurch follows with a population of 115.4C0, Wellington is close up. with .112,070, and' Dunedin is fourth with 75.020. Of tkoi provincial towns,•'•■Wanganui is first with 24.-160, Invercargill coming next with 20,180. Then follow (Napier 17,870, Palmerston North 17,810, Timani 16,450, Hamilton 15,550, Cishonie 15,120, New Plymouth 15,903, Hastings 13,750, Nelson 11,240. Charges of bigamy against, George Dines and Elizabeth Bishop were admitted at tho Eltliam Magistrate’s Court yesterday, and also five counts against Dines of making ' false declarations to the Registrar' of Births respecting five children of the bigamous marriage. The accused pleaded guilty to all charges, and were committed to tho Supreme Court, at New Plymouth for sentence, bail being allowed, Regarding the declarations in respect of the children’s births, the police slated that Dines informed the registrar that he and Mrs Bishop were married in .England in 1910. In a statement Dine? said he lived with the Bishops for two weeks in 1914, and when he left Mrs Bishop accompanied him Do married her in Wellington in 19113, believing the marriage to he legal, as William Bishop had given a false name.

Iwo men, Henry Chet tick and Joseph. August, appeared before the Auckland Court on a charge of illegally removing opossums. It was alleged that they took opossums without a license, removing them out of season. It was slated that the movements of tho accused- had been closely watched hy ramrers employed hv the Acclimatisation Society. A number of opossum traps were found, which had been set, hy the accused. It was difficult to detect offenders in such eases, and a heavy fine was asked lor if a conviction were recorded. .flic ma gist rate agreed that small fines were useless, as large profits could be made from the practice. A line of £25 was imposed.

Successive Postmasiers-Gcncral have attempted to wriggle out of Die anomalous- position created by the fact that the Commonwealth, while declaring sweepstakes to bo illegal, collects money in tho Jorm of a heavy tax' on winnings from TattersaTs in'Hobart. Mr Gibson had to wriggle out of it in the Douse of Representatives recently (reports the ‘Ago’), and lie made no hotter fist of it than his predecessors.- Mr Blakeley asked him if it were a fact that the Commonwealth received largo sums annually in the, .shape of taxation from tho trustees of Tnttersall’f sweeps, and that his department carried documents and letters between the Taxation Department and the trustees. If so, as the questioner adroitly pn( it, would he allow the same privileges to - the general public, to send and receive letters, as were _ enjoyed hy the Taxation Department f Tho Postmai ter-General replied Dial .it was a fact that the Commonwealth received the tax levied on Talter.sall s prizes, lie was not aware that the Post Office delivered anv covrefp.mdoncc to Tat.tersall’s from the Taxation Department. Such correspondence was not exempt from prohibition. There was nothing to prevent the Taxation Department or Dm general public receiving letters from Taliersall’s. “Ton are the third Postmaster-General who has refused to answer (hat question,” declared Mr Blakeley in disgust.

At a meeting nf the council of tlie Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Mr. 11. W. Hudson, presiding, Mr A. J. Luuu referred to t lie fact that income tax notices were beiti<t issued at the old rate, notwithstanding- the faH lliat the Prime Minister bad promised a reduction. He thought they should at once enter a protest that any assessment at the present lime .should be subject to any reductions in the Finance Act to lie passed this session. The eha.irman said it would bo fair to assume the assessments now made would be, subject- to amendment. Mr Limn said that, if (he present notices were allowed to pass unchallenged the commercial cnmmmiiiy might he called upon to pay 7s 4d as formerly. A resolution was passed asking the reason for sending out income notices earlier than usual, and stating the opinion of the council that any reductions in the tax included in the Finance Act lie allowed on the assessments now made. Urging the. need of a Fire Prevention Lay, Mr Herbert Filmer, a Wellington insurance underwriter, appealed to the members of the insurance profession at the guild meeting there last Thursday, suggesting that fire brigades, underwriters, and kindred bodies should combine to organise an annual reminder to the public nf the heavy yearly loss to the dominion by fire, and to instruct the public <ui the causes and effects of preventable fires.