LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 24 May 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is understood that an arrest has been made in connection with the attempted breaking and entering of a store at Matapu on Sunday night.

A streets widening loan of £IOO,OOO has been agreed to by the Wellington City Council.

The Wellington City Council has agreed to pay the Bell Bus Company £2500 compensation for the business of the company, the sum including the price of two sight-seeing ’buses. For the position of publicity officer to the Auckland City Council thirtyfive applications have been received. The Finance Committee has been instructed to reduce the applications to six or less, and the council will make the appointment. The office is a new one, and the duty of the officer will be to familiarise himself with all policy questions approved and decided upon by the council, and he will be required to explain such matters to the public at the council’s direction. He will also be required to arrange the advertising in connection with the council’s activities, and organise a municipal reference library. The salary will be £SOO a year.

Apropos of the appointment of Mr. George Spriggens to the Wanganui Fire Board, it is worthy of mention that it is just 44 years since Mr. Spriggens first become a firefighter, and_ he has continued in active service ever since (says the ‘‘Herald”). It was therefore a well-deserved compliment which was paid to Mr. Spriggens last week, as he can claim to have the longest service as an active firefighter of anyone in the Dominion, from May 11, 1884, to May 11, 1927 —a fine record, truly.

“A very deep knowledge of fundamentals, of specialised fundamentals, is required in our industries. Agriculturists and industrialists go to any Bachelor or Science and expect him to know the whole of the sciences from A to Z,” remarked Dr 13. Marsden during a recent lecture on Scientific Research. New Zealand industrial concerns, it was suggested during subsequent discussion on the subject, were not in a big enough way to employ highly trained scientists and specialists, but something in this direction might be accomplished by co-operation. If it were not, the smaller concerns would inevitably be swamped in the been competition.

In reference to the tubercular annexe at the Wanganui Hospital, Dr Skerman said that a suggestion had been made that the hospitals from New Plymouth to Wellington should combine and erect a hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis cases in every hospital district in that area. The question was, however, whether the ratepayers would contribute again. It was a question of funds. Personally, he thought that tuberculosis was a political matter and the Governmet should take it up, assist with the finances, and compel the ratepayers to subscribe. The board had considered the provision of a bacteriological department, and hoped that this work would be proceeded with on the completion of the X-ray department.

Returning by the Ulimaroa from Ins first visit to Australia, Mr E. D. M'Lennan, 'M.P. [for Franklin, was very enthusiiastic about the ,way the Australians had welcomed him and his party, and he is a strong advocate ior a cordial understanding between iis and our cousins. “I was very much tickled at some of the ideas they have about us,” he remarked to an ‘‘Auckland Star” reporter. ‘‘l was surprised at the number of people who thought we had nothing but a shaky little island, where earthquakes were more fiequent than anything else.” On the other hand, Mr McLennan gained quite a lot of new ideas about Australia and her problems, and lie feels tlie great importance of extending a cordial hand across the Tasman. “The more we get together, and understand one another, the better it will be for all of us,” he added. “Norfolk Island was never more promising than at the present time, and the natives are receiving the best prices for their bananas ever known to them,” said Mr G. W. Allsop, and Auckland architect, who returned tne other day by the Hinemoa, after a five week’s holiday at the island (reports the Star). Mr Allsop said that the soil of the island was very fertile, and there was luxuriant growth everywhere. The bananas grown in Queensland were being attacked by “bushy top,” a disease not present at Norfolk Island, and this meant that Australian merchants were accepting big shipments of bananas for which they were paying from 35s to 40s a case. Building timber was very scarce, and the three mills were practically kept going bv cutting timber for banana cases ‘ The island was being divided into small sections of about 10 acres, which were selling at about £ls an acre. The island itself had a total acreage of 8500. Mr Allsop remarked that the motors had not become very popular there.

A meeting has been held of those interested in the novelty ball, a committee being formed to proceed with the work. It was decided to hold the ball on June 2.9 th, and to make it a plain and fancy dress masquerade. It was resolved also to give to give a first prize for best ladies’ and gents’ costumes.

A .preliminary notice for the novelty ball to be held in the Manaia Town Hall on Wednesday, June 29, ns advertised in this issue.

Word has been received by the Hon. O. J. Hawken that the Chilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has. not the power to modify the high fees in connection with the visaing of documents to accompany stud sheep exported from New Zealand to Chile, as they are embodied in the law which establishes the consular tariff of Chile. Mr. P. G. Morgan, Director of the New Zealand Geological Survey Department reports that, on. the whole, the prospects of petroleum existing in Taranaki in a commercial quantity are good. The favourable data outweighs the unfavourable.

After midnight on Saturday Dunedin telephone subscribers will hear the tamiliar “number please’’ no more, for the change over from the manual to the automatic system will .then take place. Years have passed since the installation work began, but by the end of this week it will have been completed, and the who.e of Dunedin will have to become accustomed to the new and more simple system. Possibly the last of the litigation over the Wright estate was heard in the Supreme Court at Y\ ellington yesterday, when Mr Justice Adams made an order for the removal of the caveat on the sale of land belonging to the estate. Th© effect of the judgment is that the purchasers of Surrey hills, Windermere and the other lands recently sold at auction, may secure clear titles to the land. The caveat was lodged on behalf of two of the beneficiaries, Eva Ethel Roberts and Kate Lillian Nosworthy, both daughters of the late Mr E G. Wright. It was urged on behalf of the caveators that the sale of land had been made at prices which sacrificed the interests of the beneficiaries. The action decided yesterday was the application of the Bank of New Zealand to have the caveat removed. The judge held that the bank had ample reason for selling the lands. When John Anderson remarked to his employer at Hamilton that he had cut the tail of a dog because it was too un wieldly in turning, he little thought it would involve him in an action at law for £2O. Bruce Johnstone sued the defendant, his late farm manager, for the value of the animal, stating that he had previously instructed defendant not to touch it, as he would handle it himself. When plaintiff returned from a holiday he found the dog’s tail amputated close to the body and the animal was in g ; eat pain. Defendant stated that the dog chased a cat and became entangled in wire, and while he was endeavouring to free it the dog struggled so violently as to break his tail. The magistrate awarded plaintiff £lO damages, .saying he did not believe defendant’s story.

An outspoken speech was made at Wellington yesterday by the Commissioner of Police (Mr W. B. Mclllviney) at a farewell to Detectives Hunt and Sinclair, who have been transferred to Auckland to help cope with the criminal wave in that city. The commissioner urged the police to invoke the very wide powers of the Vagrancy Act and emphasised the fact that, despite the police in Auckland being everywhere, criminals were getting the upper hand. “It must now be war to the death.” he said, “and the city must be cleaned up. It should never have been allowed to get in the condition in which it is,” Auckland had more police than any other part of New Zealand, and yet they could not prevent crime. The criminals, he said must be prevented from associating and thrown into prison. It was useless to complain when it was too late; the crime must be prevented. That was why he was sending up five detectives to add to 28 plain clothes men already in Auckland. Within a stone’s throw of the central police station was Grey Street, the den of the criminals.

The old cry of “Hold your horse, Sir?" has evidently given place to “Watch your car, sir?" (says the Post). It was stated at a meeting of the Automobile Club that a man had undertaken the task of watching motorists’ 4 ara at night. He did not levy a stipulated fee, but accepted donations. The employment of a regular man by the club was discussed, hut it was explained that in that case the association might make itself responsible for such cars. It was stated that so long as the man mentioned did not ask for money the City Council could not prevent him from watching motorists ’ cars. Several members said they had made use of his services, and thought his watch reliable. “Does he become responsible for the loss of the cars?" asked a member. “Not at all,” he was assured. “We must do something," said another member. '‘Cars are disappearing off the street every day in the week. Eighteen ears were reported stolen in a week in Auckland. ’ ’ It was decided to find out the legal responsibility (if any) the club would incur l-y putting on its own watchman.