LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15613, 20 May 1914, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Fishing from the v King's ; and Queen's Wharves is to bo prohibited in future. The Harbour Board received' a report yesterday from the traffic manager complaining that numbers of people fished, from both wharves, and that they had abused the privilege by leaving offal and other offensive matter'on the structures and on cargo. In order to keep the conditions sanitary ho recommended that the right to fish from either wharf be abolished. The recommendation was : adopted. ■'

The cold weather of the past few days has been severely felt by travellers on the Main Trunk lino, particularly when passing over the high levels. Passengers arriving by yesterday afternoon's train stated that although snow did not actually fall the temperature was very low and all .the elements wero present for a fall at an early date should the southerly weather continue. The engines • running on • the central portion of the line have been equipped with enow-ploughs

The new post office at Takapuna will be formally opened for public business this afternoon by the member for the district, Mr. A. Harris, M.P., the PostmasterGeneral (Hon. R. Beaton Rhodes) having intimated his inability to perform the ceremony. An invitation to be present at today's function has been forwarded by the Postal Department to the Mayor and councillors of Takapuna, and the Takapuna school children will be given a halfholiday in honour of the occasion.

Three cargo steamers which figured pro< mincntly in the strike which commenced in New Zealand in October of last year have arrived at Auckland during the past few days. The vessels are making their first appearance.-' in the Dominion since the days of industrial unrest. The first to arrive was the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro, ' which reached port on Wednesday last from London. On Sunday the Rimutaka arrived from Liverpool and Australian ports. The third was the Commonwealth and Dominion liner Mimiro, which put in an appearance yesterday morning from Liver, pool direct. The Mimiro was the first cargo steamer to leave Auckland while the strike was still in progress.

Cable advice- has been received by the town clerk (Mr. H. W. Wilson) stating that Miss Ellen Terry, the famous impersonator of Sha&espere's heroines, has been ordered by her medical advisers to take a week's rest before leaving for New Zealand Her departure from Sydney has therefore, been postponed. The Town Hall had been engaged for June 2 and 4 for Miss Terry to give two of her "Discourses on Shakespeare's Heroines." These dates have now been cancelled, and Miss Terry will open her New Zealand lecturing tour ill Auckland on Jane 11 and 13.

The Harbour Board decided yesterday to undertake its own accident insurance in . future. Quotations received from two accident insurance companies at the previous meeting were referred to tbeboard-in-committee, with a suggestion from the deputy-chairman (Mr. W. E. Hutchison) that a scheme for . undertaking its own risks.should lie considered. The committee's recommendation, which was adopted yesterday, was that an. accident insurance fund .': be - instituted, an the amounts, which would be payable annually as premiums,'be paid into 'it,' and that &■ committee, consisting of Messrs. W. B. Leyland, G. R. Hutchinson, and the deputychairman, he appointed,' with power to make the necessary arrangements.

Three boys appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., yesterday on & charge of stealing a 'bicycle wheel and fittings, valued at £2, the property" of Thomas Reid. They -were also charged with wilfully, damaging two panes of glass, valued at 20s', the property of William Irvine. It appeared fliat the owner of the bicycle had left the machine in a shed. In his absence on April 25 the boys broke into the shed and abstracted the fittings of the bicycle. A pane of glass was broken when they wore leaving. After admonishing the lads, who were stated to belong to highly-respectable families, His Worship ordered them to come up for sentence when called upon. .■; .;

Damages totalling £57 were awarded by a jury at the Supreme Court last week to a shop assistant named Lily Aldridge, in a claim brought by her, through her father, against James Paterson, of Onehunga, merchant. Judgment was not entered up, however, pending legal argument as to tho business relationship existing between defendant and James Henry Cheshire, .who was driving defendant's motor-car when the accident occurred which was the basis of plaintiff's claim. The evidence in the case showed that the car collided with and injured Miss Aldridge in Wellesley Street East. The only facts admitkC by. the defence were that the car belonged to defendant, and was being driven at the time by Cheshire. The point involved was whether defen-dant-was or was not liable for the damages awarded. This was argued before His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper yesterday. For the plaintiff Mr. J. R. Seed, K.O. (and with him Mr. Endean) sought to prove that defendant and' ' Cheshire were partners by virtue of the arrangement between them in regard to the motor-car. Mr. M. G. McGregor, for' the defendant, argued, on tho other hand, that his client was not liable. on the grounds that the arrangement in question was one as between bailor and bailee. Counsel for both sides quoted several authorities. His | Honor reserved his decision.

A difference of opinion as to* whether all annual supplies for the Harbonr Board should bo tendered for exists amongst the members of the Beard. At yesterday's meeting it was suggested that in some cases tenders should not be called. Mr. J. H. Bradney protested. that the board was bound by la.\v to call for.tenders for all requirement!! over a value of £50. Otherwise ft loophole was offered for "graft," though he c'lid noli say it would be introduced so far as tho board's officials were concerned. Mr. E. W. Alison expressed a similar opinion. The question should be thrashed out in committee. After some discussion the matter was referred to the board in committee, tho deputy-chairman (Mr. W. E. Hutchison) first pointing out that the law provided that the board "might," not "must," call tenders for supplies. , .

A committee, consisting of the chairman (Mr. J. M. Mamie), Dr. Florence Keller, Messrs. M. J. Coyle, J. J. Craig, and Captain E. J. Thomas, was set. up at last night's meeting of the Hospital Board.to go into the question of purchasing motor-nmbuhmces for the Auckland Hospital out , of the fund ; organised by Captain Thomas., Mr, Mennie announced that application had been, made to the Government for a subsidy, bu( ; the money, had not yet come to hand, The amount collected totalled £844, and it was expected that a subsidy of £1013 would be received; making'la grand total of £1857, which, it was anticipated, would be available for tho purchase of the ambulances,

l\ The Auckland Weekly News, which appears ; this morning, is of. exceptional local interest owing to the big cadet review and the fir& at Government House. Both ©vents have been magnificently photographed. 'llireq splendid panoramas of the reticw occupy the central pages of the journal. Other, pictures dealing with" the function also appear. Several views of the sensational fire at Government House depict the brigade at work, when the outbreak wi& at its worst, the removal of furniimre. from the building, and the seat of the fire. Recent cables from Sydney have given details of several magnificent flights and daring aerial per. fonvianees by a French aviator in that city. The issue presents views of the hydro-aeroplane, the first in Australia, on which several of his finest flights were made. The inspection of the Bay of Plenty senior cadets at Rotorua is the subject of another illustrated incident in the New Zealand tour of Sir lan Hamilton." An entirely new view of the encroachment of the sea at Hokitika is reproduced, together with one showing the proximity of the main business street to the ocean. The edition includes manv other illustrations of but slightly less in*, terest to those previously mentioned. The chief of these deal with the earthquake in Sicily, Auckland harriers at their last week-end run, New Zealand's largest cheese factory, ' spring fashions in Eng. land, hop-pickers in a Nelson garden scenes at the I'apawera military camp, R.M.S. Ruahins in a heavy sea, suffragette leader who endeavoured to " shout-down" a magistrate, new home for consumptive!! at Christchureh, a motorcar accident at Waiwera, General Hamilton's visit to tie Veterans' Home, Auckland, America's golf champion, commercial travellers af Greymouth, and a polj. tical cartoon. Several portraits are also reproduced. This edition, besides heir,* of present interest to all who participated in, or witnessed, last Wednesday's review is a suitable souvenir of General Sir lan Hamilton's visit to Auckland:

Tho civil sessions of the Supreme Court were continued yesterday before His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper, who eat in chambers and afterwards heard legal arp. ment on a, point reserved in the case Aldridge v. Puterson. His Honor alio heard an undefended divorce suit. The case, Walter James White v. the King, a claim for damages for alleged injuries received, was jet down" for hearing, but was settled oc.t of court. To-day His Honor will hear the defended divorce suit, Cropp v. Cropji..

Attention was drawn at the meeting of the Eden Terrace Road Board last night, to the nt«d for a school in the district, some of the neighbouring schools being regarded as too crowded to cone with the requirements of the Eden Terrace district. ,:< It is 12 months," 6aid Mr. C. H. Olivu, " since we had a promise from the Education Department that it would consider the building of a new school , here. It is building schools all round the district, but here we are being passed by." It; was decided to urge the Board of Education to take steps to secur* the erection of a school in the district.

The social functions arranged in connection .with tlie Farmers' Union Confer- ■ ence, which opens in Auckland to-day, include a smoke concert to-morrow everung, at which well-known local artists will perform. Among those who have accepted the executive's invitation to this gathering

are Messrs. J. H. Bradney, M.P., and J; A.. Young, M.P., W. A. Beddoe (Canidian Commissioner), Colonel R. Logan (officer commanding the Auckland military district), Mr. C. J. Reakes (director of the live stock division of the, Department of Agriculture), the officers of H.M.S. Psych}, arid representatives of various local bodies.

A- crew for H.M.S.. Philomel, which ii to' be handed over to the New Zealand Government iii July, has been secured, sufficient men from the Philomel, Psyche, and Pyramus having volunteered to stay on, and already, although no formal request has been made, a considerable number of applications has been received from young men who are desirous of entering cc a period of training, both as officers and seamen. The«i appears' to.be every prospect of the Philomel entering on her new career as a training ship for the navy under the most auspicious ; conditions. Captain P. Hall Thompson, who has been appointed, commander of the Philomel, and naval adviser to the Government, is travelling to the Dominion by the ost«r--ley, which is due at Sydney on June 18. A request has been made to him by the Minister for Defence that he should stay for a while in' Australia to make inquiries as to tho system of training which is being carried out there,. so as to be able to report to trie New Zealand Government as to what system will be best adapted to the Dominion requirements.

The retirement of Dr. J. C. Pshft from the position of chairman of the Medical Committee of the Auckland Hospital vu the subject of a resolution by the honorary staff at its annual meeting. The staff decided to "record its appreciation of the; services of Dr. J. C. Pabst, who as chairman of the Medical Committee for the past three years has done splendid service to the institution, and considers that the efficiency and organisation of the hospital are in ti great measure due to hi work." Dr. Hardio Neil was elected chairman of 'the committee.

The protest made by the One-tree Ell Road Board against the proposal of the Hospital Board to establish consumptive sheltersheds on the Costley Home grounds came before the meeting of the Hosplwl Board last evening. The chairman (Mr. J. M. Mennie'l said there had always beer. shelter-sheds on the- spot, and it was decided on his motion to reply to the Row Board to that effect. Mr. M. J- Coy l * wanted to kr.ow if the sheds were to be considered permanent buildings or merely temporary structures. He would like to test the feeling of the members as to the position. Eventually Mr. Goylo gave notice that he would move for a decision as to whether the structures wero to be considered temporary buildings or otherwise-

Tho civil list prepared for yesterdays.-./ sitting of tho Magistrate's Court was unusually lengthy. No fewer than 2io cases wero set dovrn for hearing. Practical!? the whole of the morning sitting was spent \ in giving judgments by default in the undefended cases, in granting adjournment*, and in arranging times for the hearing « defended cases. The number of judgment* given by default was 48. Several appli- -. cations for adjournments until next Tuesday were refused, the presiding magistral Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M-, stating that t* desired to dispose of the defended cases during the week. The attendance of* tors, was very large yesterday. la add**? to the main court, which sat from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a civil sitting was held nrtn auxiliary court-room by Mr. F. V. Frazer, , S.M., and a civil judgment was delivered bv Mr. E. Page, S.M. In, addition civil work, M-.. Frazer presided over tip Juvenile Court and visited the gaol, ami p. Mr, Page presided over the morning »* - ting of the Police Court, held an .inqog ~ m the aftemxm/ and took depositions » the hospital ■■'■-xa