LOCAI AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15684, 11 August 1914, Page 6

LOCAI AND GENERAL NEWS

Charged in the Police Court yesterday with having wilfully set fire to the auxiliary yacht Clara, Harry Christmas was remanded for a week, bail being allowed in his own bond of £100 and in two sureties of £&0 each, or in one of £1(|0. The charge was the outcome of Mr. E. C. Culten's finding in the inquiry which he held concerning the loss of the vessel. In his verdict ho stated that had tlio evidence been heard before a magistrate, it would have been sufficient to have Christmas committed for trial on a charge of arson.

The Government has announced that special arrangements will be made to enable members of the national provident fund who are on active service to keep good their membership. In somo cases employers are going to assist their men by paying contributions during the men's absence. The Government has decided to meet one-half of the contributions due by members to the fund during their absence.

A shooting accident occurred at To Ahunga, near Dannevirke, on Sunday, resulting in the death of Frank Englebretsen, aged 10 years. It is reported that some boys had been playing with a gun, when one of them pointed it at Englebretson and fired, being unaware that the weapon was loaded. Tho boy's lungs wero frightfully lacerated,

In response to General Godley's application for 100 waggons for transport purposes, Mr. George Dash, secretary of the National Association of Coachbuildcrs, has telegraphed to tho Prime Minister as followsTKe coachbuildcrs of New Zealand offer tho Government, immediately for use, all used vehicles in possession of tho trade. Wo will, if needed, work unitedly in rapidly constructing any transport or other chicles asked for by you." Mr. Dash states that ho has visited most of th% work 6 in New Zealand, and knows it can bo done in a fortnight, if needed.

It iv, reported at the Romuera Road Board's meeting last, night that very satisfactory, improvements had been made to the plans of the new Remuera post office. A motion was passed thanking the Government, the member for the district, and the postmaster, for their efforts in meeting the wishes of the Board.

A large number of boys are in, the habit of wheeling trolleys on footpaths, milch to the annoyance 'of pedestrians. Several offenders in this respect were summoned yesterday, tho police stating that they had only taken tho names of tho older boys, Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., pointed out to the lads that theirs was a dangerous practice, and a constant source of annoyance. Any further cases would have to be severely dealt with. In tho present instance the boys were admonished, their parents being ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution.

A notification has been received by Mr. J. P. Ridings, Collector of Customs, to the effect that all lights and lighthouses ordinarily used by shipping on any part' of the, New Zealand coast may be extinguished at any time. Tho Collector of Customs has also been instructed by the Minister for Customs that all vessels proceeding coastwise or to oversea ports are required to obtain from the' collector, or from the boarding inspector on tie Queen's Wharf, a special clearance before leaving the port. The only vessels exempt from this notification are fishing boats, which are not carrying bonded stores or cargo other than fish.

The Mount Albert Borough Council decided last night to inform the Prime Minister that the council, while deploring the present international crisis, would do everything in its power towards the equipment of the expeditionary force to be sent to Europe and the alleviation of distress among the dependents of those volunteers who are being sent to the front. The councillors Agreed to form themselves into a committee, with headquarters at the Council Chambers, to collect funds to assist the movement.

A public meeting of Auckland citizens will be held in the Town Hall at 8 p.m. to-morrow. The Mayor will preside, and' all ex-members of naval and military forces and others who are receiving a training that fits them for the work of soldiers, are especially invited to attend and enroll in the National Reserve.

At the Remuera Road Board's meeting last night, when there were present: Messrs. J. Dempsey, chairman; P. Spencer, A, B. Herrold, J. G. Rutherford, C. H. Furness, J. B. Paterson, and S. MooreJones, the chairman stated that a conference had been held with the , One-tree Hill Board to consider the Tramways Company's offer with regard to the Great South Road. A proposal that Mr. H. Munro Wilson, civil engineer, should be asked to prepare full estimates for the excavation and formation work required by the company, such estimates to be considered by a further conference, was endorsed. A committee, consisting of the chairman and Mr. C. H. Furness, was appointed to wait on the Tramways Company's general manager, a letter having beon received from him refusing an additional servico at Victoria Avenue on Sundays, for the reason that the present traffic did not warrant it.

An enthusiastic meeting of fully 50 yachtsmen, held last evening, and presided over by Mr. J. F. Wallace, decided to form an Auckland Yachtsmen Volunteer Naval Defenco Force, and to offer its services to the Government for harbour and coastal defence work. The objects of the proposed force are to teach its members signalling, (seamanship, drill, and riflo shooting, and to do patrol duty in the harbour and on the coast. Captain A. Whitney announced that Captain J. A. Wallingford had offerod to drill the force, and had stated that there would bo no difficulty in obtaining rifles for the corps. Tho first drill will bo held next Monday evening, when it is expected that about 100 will bo on parade.

The Dcfciico Office has been working at high pressure for more than a week past. Besides tho work entailed in medically examining volunteers and fitting them out with uniforms and equipment, an enormous amount of clerical work has been necessary in dealing with the thousands of applications, so that tho clerical staff, as well as tho officers, have been kept hard at work both night and day. Now that the advance-party of the expeditionary force has been sont away to Wellington, it is anticipated that tho worst' of the rush is over.

Tho Inspector-General of Schools states that teachers joining tho expeditionary force and appointed as officers shall be paid so much of their salary as teachers, which, together with military pay, will amount to one and a-quarter times their salary as teachers; other teachers joining will bo paid to tho total amount of their salary as teachers,

Another very fine war number of tho Auckland Weekly News will be issued to-morrow morning. Tho numerous illustrations follow as closely as possible the movements of armies and navies in Europe, while tho hurried enlistment of troops in Auckland and Wellington and the defpatch of the local men to tho capital are fully covered. In addition there arc portraits of a number of English and Continental leaders who figure most prominently in the limelight of war. The whole of tho pictorial section is alive with the topic ol the day.

A meeting of the Conciliation Council was held yesterday at the rooms of tho commissioner, Mr. T. Harlc Giles, who presided, to bear a dispute concerning tho Auckland City Bricklayers' (No. 2} Union, which claimed higher wages and improved conditions. Tho assessors for the empjovcrs were Messrs. S. I. Clarke. W. Ball, and W. Sands, and for the Union, Messrs. C. W. Ravenhall, George Insley, and H. Otaway. Mr. G. Baildon appeared for the master builders and Mr. C. Gro?venor for the- employers outside tho Buildere' Association. Partial exemption was granted to the Auckland City Council, the Auckland Harbour Board, and tho Colomai Sugar Refining Company. The Auckland Electric Tramways Company. Messrs. Campbell and Ebrenfried .J. J. Craig, Ltd., the Great Northern Brewery, Ltd., tho Northern Steamship Company, Ltd., tho Waitemata Sawmills, Messrs. Henderson and Pollard, and Macklow Bi'os. were all granted total exemption. The council then went into committee and discussed the clauses. A very largo number of clauses were agreed upon and only a few remain to be etill further discussed when the Court of Arbitration, which has, for the present, suspended its sittings owing to the crisis, announces that it is prepared to consider fresh awards.

' I do not think it would be dcsirablo for the separate boroughs to act independently with regard to the raising of iunds for the equipment of troops and tho relieving of distress," remarked Mr. J. Dempsey, chairman of the Remuera Road Board, at a meeting of that body last night. The chairman added that New Zealanders might Iks called upon to make sacrifices before tno crisis was passed, but he was sure that they would rise to the occasion and do everything that circumstances might require. Leading citizens had made generous offers, but, anticipating shirkers, ho advocated a form of war tax. Whatever was done, however, Remuera would fall into line. Incidentally, tho chairman mentioned that the board wait not at present in a very strong financial ,position. The loan money was exhausted, and the rates were coming in slowly, giving evidence of future difficulties in collecting. A supplementary loan of £7500 had been negotiated, but was not to hand, consequently there was little money available for carrying on works. Rather than put any of the workmen off, ho suggested that they should work short time, but it would not bo necessary to tako any action until the next meeting. After discussion, Messrs. P. Spencer and C. H. Furness were appointed to wait upon tho Central Committee with offers of assistance and co-operation. '

An inspection of Mount Wesley Cemetery, near Dargaville, which was the scene of a cyclonic visitation on Friday, revealed the fact that 15 tombstones had been blown over, and in some places grave fences had been carried considerable distances. Trees had been torn up by the roots. Tho gale was evidently of a whirlwind nature. It played in and around the hundreds of graves on the western boundary of tho cemetery. A tall macrocarpa hedge was shorn of its branches. Then the course of the tornado was deviated southwards; and then towards the river, following die gully topography of the locality. En route it tore up a lino of largo macrocarpas, and on the river-bank unroofed a gum-store, whilst the verandah was swept out of sight. Outside the narrow area affected no damage of consequence was done.

The importance of a heavy production of cereal and root crops has been urged upon the Mayor of Auckland in several letters which lie intends to place before the Citizens Committee at its next meeting. "Those in authority should advocate the planting of every possible acre in either cereal or root crops," states the writer of a typical letter. "Many acres can be obtained free of rent for one season, while others may bo even sown gratis so soon as the project is formulated. Britain will have many mouths to feed when this awful war is over. Can we not do our share? The same consideration applies to Australia." Mr. Parr remarked yesterday that he regarded the matter as highly important, and considered it should receive the attention of the Chamber of Commerce and tho Citizens Committee.

A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Robert Ritchie, settler, of Orua Bay, was held yesterday, the official assignee, Mr. W. S. Fisher, presiding. Mr. 11. J. Durham appeared for the bankrupt and Mr. Allan Moody represented Mr. E. Morton, a creditor in the estate. The assigneo stated that when tho first meeting was called bankrupt was not in attendance, and some comments were passed regarding his absence. However it had been ascertained that the mail service to Orua Bay was somewhat erratic, and the bankrupt had not received the assignee's notice of tho meeting at the time the meeting was held. Mi". Durham said that bankrupt had no desire to treat the Court with disrespect. In his statement bankrupt said he possessed a halfshare in a launch with his brother. Ho engaged to have an accommodation house built on his mother's property, and to raise part of tho necessary money ho tried to sell his interest in the launch. However, by tho time the house was built tho sale of his shave in tho launch had not been accomplished. Ho had filed his petition because a judgment- had been obtained against him. He could make no offer to his creditors. At tho time lie entered upon his project- to have the houso built he estimated that ho would bo ablo to raise £275 towards the cost price—£3o4. Tho balance ho thought ho could get from his brother. He could not" remember telling Mr. E. Morton, tho builder, that the land on which tho house was built- did not belong to him. .After a lengthy cross-examination of the bankrupt the meeting was adjourned sine die.

A dog was the cause of an outbreak oi fire in Wellington on Tuesday morning in a grocer's dwelling. A clothes-horse, standing in front of the kitchen fireplace, was accidentally knocked over by tho dog, with tho result that the clothes caught fire. The fire was extinguished with ease, although a great deal of damage was dono to tho rear of the promises.

A new design of trailer is being tried by tho Christchurch Tramway Board. A special typo of truck is expected to reach Christchurch towards the end of this month, and in the meantime, tho body for the car is being erected. The complete trailer will be thoroughly tested, a ltd if it proves a success, more of the trucks will be ordered, Tho new truck lias four whools of a large diameter, instead of eight, and a long wheel base, and, to enable curves to bo negotiated, the axles havo a certain amount of play, this being * new featuro of the construction.