LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1919, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Th e grand ball which put the cop-ing-stone on the Whangarei peace observances last night, produced the appreciable sum of £36 16s paid for th e privilege of participation and observation.

One or two Whangarei tradesmen who failed to decorate their premises for the Peace Celebrations, found a plentiful supply of white feathers on their door steps on Saturday morning.

"The Court is for the protection of the defendant," said Mr Stout in court this morning, when asking for a change of venue in a debt case. "Oh," replied his Worship, "I could not subscribe to that."

M r F. H. Levien, S.M., this morning, when dealing with a motor car case, remarked that he had just returned from Auckland, where he had noticed that the excessive speed at which motors travelled was becoming a grav e danger. Someday, he supposed, a serious accident would draw attention to the matter.

The Whangarei district representative hockey team, consisting of Messrs Lees, Sloane (2), G. Carter, P. Carter, S. Draffin, Ormandy, Whittle, Chissell, Miller, and Campbell, left Whangarei to-day for Auckland, where they will take part in the White Horse Cup Competition. F. Murdoch, who was picked to play, could not get away. Mr Hodgson accompanied the reps, as manager.

A "first offender," who celebrated peace yesterday not wisely, but too well, found himself before the court this morning charged with drunkenness and threatening behaviour leading to a breach of the peace. SeniorSergt. Cassells said that the accused assaulted a Maori in Cameron Street, and declared that the native had been ofFensiv e to him. He knew the Maori, and that was not improbable. On the charge of drunkenness the i accused was convicted and discharged, and for committing an assault was fined ss.

A collision between a motor car driven by Oswald Mason and a Kamo 'bus, resulted in a prosecution in court this morning. The information was laid by the borough inspector who said that the defendant had taken the corner from Main's Avenue into Kamo road at an excessive speed, and had struck the 'bus, causing damage and sei«iously injuring own car. Mann pleaded guilty, and explained that on the night in question (July 4th) he had an engagement to tak c passengers to the ball and was running late. He admitted the excessive speed. His Worship imposed affien c of £2 and costs 7s.

Liberty is everyone's birth-right, but no one's personal property. When my liberty takes away the beat conditions of life, something has gone wrong. Liberty to continue manufacture and sale of intoxicative drink cannot be questioned if it is for the welfare of men and women and children as a whole. 780

It would appear that few citizens recognised Mr Arthur Wilkinson, who

was so well camouflaged in the uniform of a French officer during the Peace Celebrations.

The Kamo Springs Sanatorium has changed hands, Mr Jasper Montgomery having sold out to a Dunedin medical man representing a syndicate. The price is stated to have been £7500, "walk in walk out." An interesting feature of th e window displays during Peace Celebrations was a case of war medals and badges in Messrs D. W. Jack and Co.'s window. Some war maps, bayonets, etc., were also shown. "it was the only outbreak on Peace x)uy," said Senior-Sergt. Cassells, in referenc e to a case of drunkenness' cms morning. "Oh, well " said his Worship, "i suppose there was some little excuse," and th e punitive hand of the law fell lightly upon the offender. The live "group commanders" in charge oi the young people's sports at Kensington yesterday, were untiring in the capable discharge of their complicated duties, Messrs S. Walker and A. E. Marwck performing veritable prodigies in the way of drafting and expediting the legionary events. Th e party of clowns during the local celebrations did much to give innocent merriment to the crowds of children and they are to be congratulated on their tact and good humour. It is safe to say that their queer get-up and funny antics were responsible for a few thousand laughs and smiles. An ucciuent bexel Mr <john Mason, of vvaiKieKie, as he was returning from raparou on rriday night. He was enrown irom nis horse and sustained a dislocation oi one of liis shoulders. Afte r oeing conveyed to the raparoa hospital it was found necessary to use an anaesthetic - in order to remedy the trouble. i>r. Mcliraith much regrets that in paying a tribute yesterday to those who sacrificed so much tor their folk at home, he omitted any reference to tnos e noble women who, as' Red Cross nurses, both at home and abroad, did so much —in the case of many at the expense of their own lives—to minister aid to their lighting brothers. The engineer in charge of the Oorough electrical department deserves to be highly complimented upon tn e excellent work periormed m connection with the illumination of the town for tne Peace Celebrations. He was responsible for the lighting of Messrs Harrison and Sons, F. Morrison's, F. W. Reed's, J. Marshall's, D. W. Jack's, the Town Hall, and Bank of N.S.W. One of the most original and pleasing of the items in the procession yesterday was the little homemade cart in which was happily conveyed to the Park a bright little child, the cart being drawn by two pet goats. Master George Beeston is to b e congratulated on his enterprise and animal-loving instincts, as well as on his patriotic motto fixed to th c tiny cart—"The Goats Strafe the Kaiser." The Governor-General of Australia, th e Right Hon. Sir R. C. Munro-Ferguson, in making his opening speech at a famous Town-Plan-ning conference at Brisbane, gave evidenc e of a rare fund of humour. He referred to what an American had said of his own country:—that "their hindsight was better than their foresight by a darned sight." The Governor-General stood for foresight, and its propaganda was opportune." At th c Methodist Church last Sunday evening, the Rev. J. R. Clark, in the course of his second address on "Thrills of Peace," said: —"We make our boast that there is a God-like-ness in every man, we preach it, we sing it, but we do not live it. We say that every common man is the temple of God's spirit, but we show no more respect for some of these temples than did the Germans for the cathedrals of France. We see God in the great dramatic crises of history, but we forget Him in the com-mon-place." Two young natives were allegedly guilty of •causing an unpleasant disturbance on the down train from Opua on Saturday evening. On e of them, who was said to have been . drinking, was offensive to a lady passenger, and when remonstrated with by the guard, assaulted him. A tussle ensued, and a civilian who attempted to assist the official was bitten on the arm by the savage Maori. The other dusky offender then took • a hand in the fight, and "put the boot into the guard." The matter was reported to the police, who are taking action. On Sunday afteimoon, in the Hospital grounds, the Whangarei Municipal Silver Band played a splendid selection of music, under the direction of Mr A. Leatherby. The gathering at the Lyceum on Sunday evening, at 8 o'clock ) was not very large, but a good programme was supplied. The band rendered "Classic Gems,," "The Messenger Boy," Britannia's Crown of Song," "Tasma," and th c bandmaster, Mr A. Leatherby, a trombone solo, "The Rosary." "The Lost Chord" was played by Messrs Todd and Leatherby f and songs were rendered by Messrs Bryant and Simons. The energetic secretary of the band is Mr H. Flewellyn.

A movement is on foot to initiate a keen Town Planning and Beautifying Society. Just prior to the war, at tlie instigation of Mr D. W. Jack, during his term of office as mayor, a society was formed and Mr Jack was elected president. A public meeting will b e announced shortly, with a view to the consolidation and extension of the work. ,

i'h e most unusual nature of yesterday's event suggests the desirability of keeping mementos of the great peace gatherings, a neat souvenir card has been presented to each child, and it may be mentioned that the card is an indication oi Yvhangarei's capacity in colour printing. The card registers a reminder of "the greatest struggle in history, wherein Right overcame Might in the light for freedom, 1914-18." It would oe a graceful act on the part of parents to preserve these cards for the very young children, together with copies of the "Advocate" giving particulars of these special gatherings, it is certain that these tokens of a most unique series of events will be increasingly appreciated as the years roll by. The elder scholars will, on their own account need little persuasion to keep in their possession a record of a never-to-be-forgotten day.

The most ridiculous movement that ever started from civilised men is the one started by the Moderate League in iN'ew Zealand, when they ask the Dominion to borrow 15 to 20 million of money, and go into the Liquor Trade. 780