LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15480, 11 December 1913, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Ax Australian mail reached Wellington by the steamer Maunganui yesterday afternoon. The Auckland portion will arrive by the Main Trunk express this afternoon. Special train arrangements have been made by the Railways Department for "People's Day," next Saturday, at the Agricultural Show. An extra express will run from Hamilton to Auckland, leaving at 7 a.m. and arriving here at 11.40 a.m. Two trains will be available for the return journey on the same day, at 5.41 p.m. and at 6.5 p.m. Both will run to Frankton Junction. For the convenience of North Auckland visitors the ordinary evening train on Saturday will be delayed from 4.43 p.m. until 5 p.m., and will run right through to Kaiwaka. The member for Waitemata (Mr. Harris) has given notice to move, in the House of Representatives, an amendment to the Land Agents Amendment Bill to the effect that agents shall pay a license fee for each office or place of business at which business is carried on. The question has been raised as to whether it is a fact that men still on strike are drawing rations from charitable aid sources On inquiry at the office of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, it was ascertained that no strikers have received from that source any ordinary charitable aid relief. Some have been provided with the services of a doctor, others have been given dental treatment.

Several solicitors took exception to th fl delay that occurred at the Policed yesterday in obtaining the SJeJS justices of the peace in th, , , ° absence of M,E^.ci;lVrt h ble held that justices who were in L r y should have been called „ t °7 Cutten replied that justices were c l> >" rotation, and under no ci cur f "' would a man who was at iTT**** -«er what is occupy the Bench. ' Cd n*»

In spite of the boisterous Wat , Ponced since the beginni'Z rainfall recorded rX m ° mh J* P»t- The official reeo / T"' " ' 11 of 1.41 inches ,' date I r n show a l.of which almost thell r a.VS- The average rain,,, ' i !e!] on three •\ The » Vff «P rainfall in Wk-l , for th, whole of the month of n " Ckla , nd during (he past 46 veal , i s °.»«*t '" 1911. 5.C6 inches' ,f" ninw mjhf! - 'ered during the month in regis " 1... - VearC < V - 81i^,we Docemb « of L ' st >W ° nl - V - SI «ere r e cordcd

The preliminaries in retard to the ere<: tionof a chapel for the use of the i nma l twn of a chapel foi the use of tb» ; » the Papatootoe Orphans' Home a T abeyance The tenders for a earner concrete structure proved higher than w ? expected, and i, las been deeded not I accept any of these tender?. Fresh te ders will be called, probably for a bnfld£ in brick. '«

The department of technical education and manual training in Auckland occupies a prominent position in the Auckland Ex h.b.tion. Demonstration., in , wki C. use of gas are being given daily by teach ers and students connected with »he Tech nical College, or with one 0 the local manual training school,, while the ] a d v demonstrating electric cooking is also J assistant at the Technical C liege. * ft education exhibition of the Technical Coi* lege Court is very largely patronised bv visitors, and the work of the sini ,l generally most favourably commented upon. At the recent technical Xamina . hons held in the Dominion by the Citand Guilds of London Institute', the namber of passes obtained by the Auckland Technical College students w as in exces, of that obtained in Christchurch, Wellj n „ ton, and Dunedin put together,'the num' bers g: -Auckland 85, Wellington 22 Christchurch 25, and Dunedin 21. "'

The inquest into the circumstances con nected with the death of Edgar Walter 48 years of age, who died at the hospital on Tuesday from injuries received in the shafting machinery at the Takapuna Dairy Company's works on December 2 was held before Mr. E. C. Gotten, sV coroner, yesterday. .Sergeant Bowman V presented the police, Mr. A. E. Skel'on the relatives of the deceased, and Mr Hoi lows, inspector of factories, the Labour Department. Evidence was given thai on the day of the accident deceased was" washing cans and doing general work Walters had nothing to do with the machinery, but just before the accident he, was putting a hosepipe into the watertank on top of the cooling chamber, which was about 6ft high. Later, he was found to be suspended from the shaft. The hosepipe was wound round the shaft and once round deceased's body. It was not known how the accident happened. Deceased aS a steady, careful man. Israel Massev, manager of the company, said that deceased was supposed to stand on a ladder to do the work he was doing. There was no need to stand on the top of the coolie chamber to put the pipe in the tank. A" change had been made in the method : of feeding th© tank since, the accident. A verdict was returned that death was due to injuries to the spinal cord accidentally received.

Three charges of committing mischief by damaging launches, two of stealing hi zine, and two of the theft of jewellery' were made against John Hobbs, alias A, J- Lawson, and George Bowles, alias Davidson, at the Police Court yesterday. The accused pleaded guilty to 'the first group and to one of the charges of the theft of benzine. They were remanded by the presiding justices until Monday, as a further remand will probably be asked for, in regard to the alleged thefts of jewellery, which are said to have been committed at Wellington.

A social and dance is to be given at Cambridge on Wednesday next- by the Waikato Farmers' Club in the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce in honour of th? district's contingent of special constables. An invitation has been extended to the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. C. J. Parr), who will attend the gathering, as representing, the city.

An application for an increased rate of wages and shorter hours of work will be made at an early date bv the timberworkers of Auckland, before the Conciliation Council. The award under which the men were working expired on December 1, and the application is being made with a view to securing a new award. The hours of work at present are 47 per week, and a reduction to 44 is asked for in mills. yards, and factories. It is further asked that time and a-half rates bo allowed after the first two hours of overtime. Requests will be made,' on behalf of watchmen who work 365 days a year, that they be given 14 days' holiday per annum on full pay; that casual workers be paid at the rate of Is 6d per hour; such workers to include those who are endued to per--form a specific job. such as unloading or loading a ship, notwithstanding that the time token may exceed one week; also that workers employed in handling Oregon Pine or hardwood, or in trucking timber to and from vessels for export or import should be paid at the rate of Is 6d*per hour. It is further asked that where workers cease owing to rain or breakdown of machinery, and resume within half an hour, no deduction shall be made from their wages for this stoppage.

Finality was reached vesterd.iv in the case in which John C. B. Dunn <Mr. Denniston) claimed £101 15s from Donald and Kenneth Finlayson (Mr. Lowrie). and which occupied the attention of Mr. G. C. Kettle, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court for three (Jays last week. After hearin?. lenethv evidence Hi? Worship reserved his decision, hut yesterdav Mr- Denniston. for', the plaintiff, elected to accept a nonsuit, and this course was adopted.

Tenders for the lease of 16 education reserve allotments throuehout the Auckland province closed at the Lands and Survey Office on Tuesday last- Applications for five sections only were received, one of these, for Section 16a of the Waitemata Parish (57 acres), being rejected on account of it falling short of the upset price. The following tenders were accepted :—Section 154, Makarau Parish, of '8 acres, A. Ranum, at an annual rental of £10 10s; Section 7, Block V., Te Tunra,' 14a lr 35p, J. R. Tait, £2 10s; Section 32, Mangapai Parish, 29a lr, F. R. Byles, £2 5s 6d; Section 26. Karaka Parish'," 117 a, J. W. Dawson, £7 12s.

A parade of all the special foot con- • stables who were enrolled for duty dur- ' ing tho strike will be held at the drill 'r-';, ■■ hall to-morrow afternoon. They will be . met by the Mayoi and members of tbs';'■,• ['■■{, Citizens' Defence Committee. ■" ' V 'sra££j