LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14985, 6 May 1912, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Maheno. which arrived from Sydney yesterday afternoon, brought a European mail, via' Suez, and an Australian mail. The total number of bags landed from the steamer was 537. Of this number 250. bags were dealt with at Auckland, the balance being dispatched "> South by the Main Trunk express last night. The R.M.S. Zealandia is due at Auckland tomorrow afternoon .': from Vancouver with the inward European, Canadian and American mail*. Persohal items and other interesting news from our London correspondent, together with the usual budget of Australian mail news, will be found elsewhere in this issue.

The oyster season has now been open four days, but the supply shows no signs of satisfying the. keenness of the demand. A fish merchant stated on, Saturday that the supply at the- beginning of the season never does cope with the demand. In any case, ho added, the bad weather since the season opened has interfered with the picking. As regards quality, it is stated that the first oysters of the season never are the best, but those of this season compare more than favourably with the • first to come in previous years.

, A crisis has arisen in connection with the Auckland District Hospital, particulars of which are reported elsewhere inr this issue. The central figure in the trouble is the matron (Miss Griffiths), from : whose control some of the nurses are said to be seeking a change. Matters' have also Hap-; pened to disturb the junior resident medical staff. The Minister in charge of hospitals (the Hon. G. W. Russell), who is acquainted with the position, ;has; sent' telegram to the ex-chairman of ; the Board (Mr. P. M. Mackay) as ; follows " Re-; gret that you have not been re-elected to the- positidn of* chairman, f but J sincerely hope that your ability, energy, and tact will assist in bringing about an early: settlement on a satisfactory. basis of * the ; trouble that seems to overhang the ? insti-' tution." The Minister has also telegraphed < to the new chairman of the Board (Mr. H. Schofield), saying:—"Hearty congratulations on your election ■as chairman; Trust under your chairmanship the troubles that affect the hospital may be removed. Will be glad to assist in any) way I can." An inquiry into the whole subject will be made by the Board shortly,'when the complaints which.have • been formulated by the hon. medical' staff, and' which have been replied, to seriatim by the matron,' will be. again brought up for discussion.

' The second instalment of the splendid new, serial atony, ."A. Woman of th« People," by Arthur W. Marchmont, the opening chapters of which appeared in out Saturday supplement, is published in today's issue. The instalment is accompanied by a synopsis of the opening chapters. ' '"/ :■ : -.; .■"'. ''.:/' Y^'W'''',-*

The Third Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles, at present in camp: at Avondale, proposes ■- to march /through -the /city tomorrow afternoon,"- arriving in Queenstreet, via Symortds-street, about three p.m. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) will endeavour to, have the tramcar traffic stopped during the passage of the regiment through the street.

The total number of entries received for the annual exhibition of the. Society of Arte is nearly 600, including 125 photographs, which are to be exhibited by/ the Auckland Camera Club. The number of paintings thus \ approaches 500, and- is the largest ever received 'it or/ the exhibition. There are among them some largo and important canvases; but as the pictures have not yet been fully investigated the general merit of the /'display • cannot be - gauged. The committee set up to do the hanging has a heavy task before it to arrange «ie exhibition in time for the opening. The official ceremony and convereazione will be held on May 16, and the gallery will be open to the public on the following day.

The figures quoted by the city librarian in his annual report showed that 70 books had been lost, or as circumstances compel one to suppose, stolen. This return covers two years ; so the average of past years—3s lost books per annum—is still maintained. The steady loss of three dozen books yearly is one of the peculiar features; of the library statistical department. ''.''■'

An important point in income tat law relating to the timber industry has" decided by the Court of Appeal by, a judgment delivered in Wellington, on Friday. Application was made by the Taupo Totara Timber Company, Limited, and the Kauri Timber Company, Limited, for an interpretation of sections 71, 79, and 87 of the Land and Income Assessment Act to determine whether a company carrying on the business of cutting, milling, and Be ll. ing the standing timber, is entitled in ite assessment for income tax to deduct from the gross proceeds of its business the value of the standing timber cut by it./ The judgment was delivered by Mr. Justice Edwards, who said the question was whether the expenditure of money in the purchase of timber-bearing lands, with the right to remove the timber trees, is an expenditure of capital within the meaning of paragraph (c) of section 87 of th 0 Act of 1908. In the opinion of the Court the plaintiff company in each case was not entitled; in its assessment for income tax to deduct from the gross proceeds of its business, the value of the standing timber cut by it as set forth in the: special, case On the application of Sir John Findlay formal leave to appeal to the Privy Council was granted. "

Nineteen members of the Marist Bros ' ; Old Boys' and - Catholic Men's Club i Concert Company left by the Main Trunk 'express last evening on a tour of the West Coast, Christchurch, and Wellington Sixteen concerts will be given during the tour. The party includes: Messrs. P J . Clark (musical director), L. Whittaker UK.A.M. (accompanist), F. Burke F Adeane S MtcLrd, 'j. .Lonergln', fi! *3h2 W ■Sf rk V*' °- Dod '. a Pd R. Long, lather Holbrook accompanies thenKunorii their tour They will'be the the various Catholic clubs in each centre'

"The Canadian mail steamer' ZealandiS! with; the" European. Canadian and Amtsrfifi can mails,'is duo at. Auckland to-morWWf afternoon from Vancouver, and wav portiMM A; fairly;large number of passengers 3111 disembark > from • the liner here, wEW "?»!* her cargo for this port amounts to several hundred tons. The Zealandia sails f«Jit Sydney direct, to-morrow evening, i n coPWB tmuation of her voyage. The R.M.S. Malfii kura leaves Sydney this afternoon lor Auckland, and arrives hero on Friday morning. The liner is scheduled to sail from here at three p.m. the same ,; dayifoVW Vancouver, via the usual way ports and when she leaves port the whole of her passenger accommodation will be occupied '£* The Makura will also load large lines of ! - ' butter, hides, wool and stores it Auckland for Vancouver. She is due at the " Canadian port on May 28, ■ ' V Notice has been given by Mr. J. E Tay *' lor that at the meeting of the*Harbour''' Board to-morrow he will move>:—" That" in future the engineer's fortnightly re" porta shall embody a statement showing the total number of hours that the Board'- ' general labourers have been prevent**'' from working by bad weather.',' . Mk ■■ i . ■ ■ ■■..' ■, < vi ■ ,' .■ 'fi -s The ' ratepayer* of Bayswater have do- ' cided to petition the WaitemataCountSlt Cojincil for a general improvement of the'.' roads in that district. It is stated, that '■' i while over £500 a year is paid in r ate a by the residents, practically nothing is expended on roads and footpaths. Mr. (C. 11 A. Cawkwell, county clerk, states that the? Council has already pasted a resolution to : ' the effect that scoria should be'spread on* ■'■' the roads and footpaths. The work has been delayed through the lack of facilities. ! for landing material from scows at Bays'. water. The Council, however, are"now''' making arrangements with the Tramway'. Company with the object of securing bah, last trucks for the transport of ecoria Itam Takapuna. '■' ''''- ; "''■' . - v« N ftMr. E. R. Peacock, chairman of 'th-tFjK national executive of the Y.M.C.A, or-,' ganisation in Australia and New Zealand,, informed a Wellington reporter that all* \- ,the branches are in favour of the estab* lishment of a national committee for'NeWS Zealand, with a national executive in; 7 Wellington and a national secretary the Dominion. He pointed out that suapf an officer would not be the secretary 0t any of the separate associations, the ideal* ' being that the officer should travel frrs, place to place, with Wellington as beadquarters. The national committee W^ : ; ; be composed of perhaps two rcpresnr.u-'" tives from each branch, and might never,./;-] need to meet, as an executive* Of four or', five men in Wellington, in whom' the, ; ; whole of the; Dominion would have con- M fidence. could carry out all necessary work**;,; H '.Each association would have to contribute y towards the salary of the national seer*/ * tary. • !\ $ | With a few exceptions, the W e police are of opinion that suburban picture'..-. entertainments have a harmful effect npoa the morals of young people. .As the re-;.<!;, • of a request, the. police in . most .of ths suburban stations have furnished magistrates of the Children's CourtjffpS their opinions upon the effects of thMs'. : l. shows. Armed with these reports, tla magistrates will interview the Attorney General, and ask him to consider the ndvisableness of introducing legislation which : '. will prevent children rom atlendingioifc ■■. : .jl ture entertainments unless they bo aw/::- I panied by adults. . It will also be sue- I gested that someone should :be appointed I to act as censor of the pictures shown pub- M licly.- " According" to' the police, pklurs II shows have caused an increase.elf crWipf|fH among children. Picture's of asen'salioniMl'B! character, which show clever'thefts anSL'.'"-H escapes from the police, art kiM to iiavj-';. ■ impressed children in a remarkable fashion H and induced them to attempt to carry'out II some of the details depicted. , - ■ „• ■. - .- ■ - V >:'M "' Many important subjects are to be <*■*• -■ cussed at the approaching; Labour IBf gress in Sydney, and some seeping; pre- .II posala are being put forward. with regard,,-;HI to hours of working, the restriction of in-;'Jjy dustrial immigration,' compulsory military ■■ .rg^ training, and the review of, tariff . effect ;•;II upon industries. ; .There are several.cs||fM ferences on the agenda paper to immi^V\H| tion, -the most pronounced being * E ?Bls||fpß tion from the Northern colliery . cmplbiT^j^jjjßj " That the Premier .be asked to cable ths Hjj Agent-General to stop sending any labour- :',. M era or miners to New South Wales, as ths , J ! influx is a menace to the workers in W ,','•'M I coal mining districts." The Labour Cow ■ flj oil of Now South Wales proposes the .'|^mH I lowing:—".That congress . recommend? HI ! that the Labour Council, of /New.:soiifo^-|fl| Wales take the necessary steps to brjflf;|" about a federation of the^hoifl-bf't^^M ! labour councils throughout the Common- m I wealth and New Zealand." . pSB •"'■"•. :i Si Two opposite views were ' given befot*|vMH the New South Wales ■I sion recently—one by Mr. Adrian Kn<a»|M chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, HI and the other by Mr. Sol. Green, a r*F c ' U sentativo ■ bookmaker. Mr. ■ Knox'entwewH| a.protest against Government or pol'ii'. 1 HI control of racing, and said in regard ,w HI betting ' that . the amount of , money t'f™-'HI passed through Randwick in a year «iffftl>';Hj amount to £1,000,000 sterling, £700,$*' HI being a moderate estimate. Mr. Sol. Grew HU told the Commission that his own turrio«f,-:<Wj was £300,000 a year. Mr. Knox, 4*fKsEj ing as an.administrator of racing in State, and as a racehorse owner, foe*. **|H| friendly attitude towards the totalisator. 1 Mr. Green, who gave evidence as ft'rcpw- B aentative bookmaker, strongly opposed ih« jM proposed innovation. He said that •■&• H .totalisator would have a decided tenancy Hjj to deteriorate the breed of the thorough--'.jfl bred, which was the mainstay &f_ '"jHH classes of horses in Australia, especially-:.IH in the event of war. When the best b - ,■■■ remounts were required they must , from thoroughbred stock. Since the duction of the totalisator into New land breeders were forced to send ; thetff'Bß yearlings to Sydney to be sold. v^^' .: A case which came up for bearing at thfi;,B| Sydney Water Police Court _ recently, ,a *Hffl which a Chinese was charged under tliB ,.|HJ Immigration Restriction Act, with " b ?-l?*.|BH directly concerned in the conveying l 9 ;BH Commonwealth of a restricted iiaroigtWi ||| with the intention of landing him secretly Jfl on Australian shores, allows the assjimp- « tion. that smuggling in human beings is, rt ;HHJ any rate, < being attempted. The CustoP* ; JJ| authorities.,evidently believe that the fie is going on, on an extensive scale, and; K| are consequently on the alert to check eV *j-jHB the suspicion of a move. The course of HHj procedure, it is alleged, is simple ■{8» IMB the Sydney Daily Telegraph). A merchff|jW say, is in need of men. He sends > to a»j H country for them, enclosing £50 with r?wH order. : This money, it is stated, is out to a member or members of the ■H9 of a vessel sailing for Australia. -w|BH would-be immigrant is thereupon f *l by the crew, who stow him away. 0 safely landing at his intended a further £50 is paid out. Thus, pears that with «i little criminal our land is liable to be populated with «*; ■■ stricted immigrants, for the comparatXWfißß small sum of £100 a head. That **J ■■ " smuggling " i 3 going on the Cuj authorities seem aware, but the BH culty, is to. catch these " IHJ handed. The Chinese in the . cwe HH the Court was fined £100,;' ;J|§ M