LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 February 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“A vast, mass of material over a small matter,” said his Honour, the Chief Justice, during the hearing of the 'Sutton Cup case yesterday, at New Plymouth, commenting on the huge amount of evidence taken.

The inquest concerning the death of Thomas George Needham, carrier, was concluded at Wellington yesterday. The deceased died on February 10 following a collision between his horse and a tram. The coroner, Mr. W. G. Riddell, found that death was due to pneumonia, following injuries to the chest. He stated that deceased left the hospital against the wish of the doctors.

Time was when it would have constituted contempt of court to attend a Supreme Court sitting without a coat; in fact, one or two cases are on record in New Plymouth in which spectators have been ejected by order of the judge. A change has come over the scene, however, for the Auckland Star relates that a jury which sweltered through the hearing of a long and technical case was duly grateful to Mr. Justice Blair for allowing them to doff their jackets. . Shirt-sleeved jurymen are seldom seen in New Zealand courts of law, bat such a slight relaxation of court discipline does no harm, and if it makes for comfort it probably makes for judicial efficiency. At the annual meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Dunedin the president (Sir George Fenwick) stated it was hoped and believed that legislation would be passed in the coming session of Parliament making it compulsory for cattle fo be dehorned except in the case of stud animals. The society, he said, had always held strongly the opinion that that was absolutely necessary. They all knew how animals gored each other when crammed in a railway truck and occasioned unnecessary suffering. Before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S. M., in the Police Court, at Auckland, an elderly man, Christopher Lennox (Mr Wyatt,) at the instance of the Health Department, was prosecuted on three charges: That defendant published a statement likely to mislead the purchaser, that certain pills had been approved by the (Minister of Health; that without authority he issued a circular implying that liis business was under the patronage of t*he Minister; and that lie attempted to obtain 2s 9d by lalsely representing that certain pills had been approved by the Minister. Mr. Hubble, who prosecuted, said that defendant had merely submitted the ingredients of fine pills to the Health Department. He had been told that the department had no power to prevent the sale of purely herbal remedies. The Magistrate: “The department merely said that the pills were harmless?” Mr. Wyatt: “And possibly beneficial.” Counsel added that it had been purely an innocent .offence and the wrappers had been altered. In imposing a fine, with costs, on the first charge, the Magistrate remarked: “That will not hurt him. There is a lot of profit on- those pills.” Latterly there has sprung up at Lyttelton a new industry in the exportation of empty benzine gases, states an exchange. Hitherto they were considered of so little commercial value that there was no difficulty in picking up a few for firewood, and very often launch owners: dumped them into the sea. A. few years ago a Lyttelton man procured as a gift 160 cases, or sufficient to provide him with.kindling wood for two years. When the supply became exhausted he sought again his liberal friend, but was told that empty cases could not then be obtained for less than 9d each. A Union Oompany steamer arrived at Lyttelton recently to load several thousand cases consigned to Nelson. A large quantity was also- taken by another steamer which left for Nelson via Wellington a few days ago. On her previous trip to Sydney the Karetu carried between 5000 and 6000 cases. As an indication of their present value the shipping freight on empty cases from Dunedin to Nelson is Is a case. Some interesting reminiscences of colonial soldiers in Bristol at Christmas time were recalled a few days ago (says the “Western Daily Press”) by Mr.. Comer, vice-chairman of the Bristol Board of Guardians. Mr. Comer’s hotel in High Street was a very popular stopping place for men on leave from Salisbury Plain, and those who were fortunate in having leave for the festive season were sure of a really good time there. Among thg company one Christmas was a young New Zealander, by name Anderson, who became great friends with another soldier guest staying at the hotel. They spent, all their time together calling each other by nicknames, but when the, time for parting came each wanted to know the other’s proper name and home address, so that they could correspond. This led to a remarkable revelation. They found they were brothers. The parents had died 'whilst they were small boys and one ivas taken to New Zealand by a relative. The other had remained in England, and had been brought up by other relatives.

There are 2,30ft,000 payers of incometax in Britain.

The greater part of British wageearners earn about 50s a week.

The s.s. “Middlesex” brought fresh supplies of good sheetings for the Melbourne’s great summer sale, purchased advantageously by the firm’s manager, Mr Scanlan, in England, to bo included in the sale at sale prices. Hero is a great opportunity for thrifty housewives. Finlay’s and Horroekses’ world famed linen finish shetitngs, 54in. 2/11, 72in. 3/6, SOin. 3/lb—Advt. and Genneis.>en! Do you wish to save money? Here is a golden opportunity to save on every purchase during McGrner, Bone and Co. Ltd.’s Gigantic Annual Summer Sale. Bargains galore in every department. Mothers! See our special school outfit for 14/6. Nothing like this has ever been offered in Hawera before. School will soon bo re opening, so get your hoy’s outfit now!—Advt. BARGAINS AT BUCKRELIi’S Proviouv to Annual Stocktaking (20th February, 1028) Buckrell’s are offering sensational Bargains. Georgette and Voile Frocks 12/6. Jerseysilk Frocks 10/6, Navy, Nigger, Fawn, Costumes, good shapes, at 63/-, Henderson Hats half price. Buckrell’s for quality, Union Street, Hawera.—Advt

The induction service of the Rev. J. R. Young the newly appointed vicar of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, will be held this evening. The ceremony, wid be pertormed by the Yen. Archdeacon Creed Meredith, of Wanganui. There will be a number of visiting clergy, and the service will be led by a full choir. At the conclusion of the service a short welcome social will he tendered the vicar and Mrs. Young in the schoolroom. 1

“Mr. O’Dca grandiloquently referred to these items as cf trifling amounts. I don’t know whether that is -so; but most people would regard a sum of £TOO as quite a considerable amount. It may be trifling in Hawera,” said the Hon. Sir Char es Skerrett- in the Supreme Court at New Plymout on Frida v afternoon. “You flatter Hawera, sir,” said Mr O’Dea- —“Taranaki Herald.”

“In this country there are few people not in gaol who should hjei tin?re,” said Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., at a meeting of the branch of the Howard League for Penal Reform , (reports the “Star.”) It has been stated that New Zealand’s percentage of prisOn population was ten times that of New South Wales, but it must not be forgotten that in the Dominion we had the most efficient police force in the world. New Zealand had a high moral tone, although statistics might appear to contradict it. Prison statistics were high for the reason that so great a proportion of criminals were arrested. Ivarl Klenner, the driver, and' Frank King, a passenger, were found injured yesterdav afternoon at the foot of a bank, 100 ft deep, about a mile on the New Plymouth side of the Mangorei Dairy Factory. They had been taking two tons of coal to the factory when, about 4.30 p.m., the motor lorry left the road. The men were discovered some time later and the ambulance was brought out to take them to the hospital. They are suffering from shock and abrasions, but their condition was reported last night not to be serious.— “News.” • \

Daylight saving in England has proved to be of inestimable benefit, said Dr. Lindo Ferguson upon his return by the Tahiti at Wellington yesterday. In Britain there was mo chance of repealing the Act. All classes, he said, derived great benefit and objections, which were mostly imaginary, had died away. He thought the mistake in New Zealand was in not giving effect to the measure fo.r five months instead of for three.

A claim of £I6OO general damages and £l2O 12s hospital fees was upheld by the jury in the Supreme Court at Invercargill yesterday in the case of John Herbison Kerr versus David Baird. Plaintiff, a schoolboy, was cycling along the Oreti Beach Road to Invercargill on May f) when defendant, the driver of a motor-lorry, _ overtook him and ran him down, inflicting severe injuries to the right leg, the calf of which was torn away. Medical evidence attested that the boy would, probably lose his leg below the knee and would never regain the Pill use of it- even if it were not amputated-—Press AssnFollowing closely in the wake of the declaration as main highways of 185 miles of streets through smaller boroughs, a Gazette notice will shortly appear declaring the 2603 miles of secondary roads in counties selected by the Main Highways Board at its last meeting. The allocation of the revenue derived from the petrol tax provides for the distribution of 25 per cent, for assistance to counties on secondary roads, of which, as already announced, a total length of 3000 miles is to be selected as soon as these secondary highways are declared. The local authorities will receive a subsidy on maintenance. At present no such subsidy is payable. Until such time, however, as the board is in a position to know what the proceeds from the petrol tax will be, and also what expenditure is involved in the maintenance of the secondary highways system, it will not be possible to subsidise construction works on these highways with the amount allocated- under the heading of “main highways adjacent to the larger centres of population, 25 per cent.”