LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20468, 26 April 1930, Page 22

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Poppy Day at Auckland on Thursday -realised £1,466, and at Christchurch '£1,550, with about £IOO more to come. Pleading guilty at Gisborne to three charges of obtaining goods by means of false pretences, one charge _ of unlawfully concerting a car to his own use at Napier, one charge of damaging a car to the extent of £2O, and one charge of the theft of number plates, Norman Hugh Jeffs alias Norman Proctor aged 22, was admitted to probation for two years in the Police Court and was ordered to make restitution of all the amounts involved. The accused took the car in Napier and drove to Gisborne, where the debts were incurred. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that the North Canterbury Co-operative Flour-nulling Company, whose mill at Oust was burned down in January, lias purchased the Zealandia Milling Company’s mill at Addington. The price is understood to ho about £25,000. The Association football authorities at Wellington intend to send a deputation to the Educational Conference next month on the question raised at the annual meeting of the refusal of some teachers to allow the “ Soccer ” game to be played in the schools. Referring to the problem facing city hospital boards as a result of the large number of motor accident cases and the apparently inequitable distribution of the cost between the boards and those benefiting from tho insurance, the Minister of Health (Mr Stallworthy) said the problem was one that had to be faced. The cost of attending these cases was a heavy burden on the hospital boards, and proposals were likely to be made towards finding a solution. He fully realised the magnitude of the problem, and the matter was already engaging tho attention of the department. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that a cheque for £SO has been handed to the mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer) from tho Christchurch branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners for tho relief of unemployment. Donations totalling £0,250 in aid of institutions which are, giving valuable service to the community were announced at the annual meeting of the trustees of tho Auckland Savings Bank. The gifts (says a Press Association telegram) are subject to the approval - of the Governor-General in Council. The New Zealand obstetrical endowment appeal is to bo assisted to the extent of £2,000, and a similar sum is to be given to the Auckland branch of the Plunket Society for the purpose of paying off tho mortgage on its headquarters building. A gift of £I,OOO is to be made to the Auckland branch of the St. John Ambulance Association. The Auckland Hospital Board is to receive £750 for tho creation of an endowment fund towards the purchase of radium for use in Auckland. The Sailors’ Home endowment fund is to .receive £SOO. The donations made by the bank since the inauguration of the practice in 1906 amount to tho magnificent total of £llB,lOO, and many deserving institutions and causes have benefited, particularly since 1914, when donations with one or two exceptions have been made annually. “ I consider I was robbed as far as the price of the house was concerned, and on account of this and worry from sicknesss I decided to burn the house down when my wife and, family were away,” said Edward Harold Alexander, aged 27, a confectioner, in a statement to the police which was produced in the Police Court, Auckland, on Thursday.. Alexander was charged with wilfully attempting to sot fire to a house at Onehunga owned by the State Advances Department and occujiied by him. The accused admitted the charge. Tho police evidence was to the effect that a neighbour discovered a candle left burning in the house. Detectivesergeant Kelly said the accused would not have gained anything by the fire. Tho house was under a mortgage to the State Advances Department. Alex- , ander was committed to tho Supremo Court for sentence.