LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15686, 13 August 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Thebe was a great scene of . enthusiasm at the patriotic meeting held at tho Town Hall last night, when the Consul for Franco, M. Rigoreau, stepped upon the platform. The consul took his seat by tho Mayor after the meeting had commenced, and as soon as bo appeared tho audience instantly rose, cheered France a number of times, and sang the "Marseillaise." At the conclusion oi tho meeting tho French ..national anthem was again sung and cheers were given for France and Belgium. The Mayor of Dargavilio has telegraphed to the Mayor of Auckland stating that there were somo hundreds of naturalised Croatian diggers in that district who would accept work as farm labourers if given the opportunity. Mr. Parr forwarded the communication to the Farmers' Union and it came before the Provincial Executive yesterday. Tho latter decided to reply that if tho Croatians were required the executive would advise them later on. A potition in bankruptcy has been filed by William Henry McCauley, labourer, of To Pnko. The total debts amount to £433 10s Id, owing to unsecured creditors, and tho assets aro set down as £15, being the value of furniture. The deficiency is thus £418 10s Id. Bankrupt says that he has been forced to file because imprisonment for debt proceedings have been taken against bun. The first meeting of creditors will bo hold at Rotorua on August 21. William Mullor, baker, of Cambridge, has filed a petition in bankruptcy, and the first meeting of creditors 1 will he held on August 17, at 2.30 p.m. j It is announced that there will bo no despatch of San Francisco or Vancouver mails on the next time-table dates. It is probable that the despatches will be made a few days later but no assurance can be given to this effect. As soon an arrangements can be completed tho most lengthy notice possible will be given. Tho statement which has been made to the effect that a movement is on foot amongst local boot manufacturers to urge the Government to suspend the operation of awards during the present crisis is combated by several manufacturing I firms in Auckland. Messrs. Trenwith Bros., G. A. Coles and Co., the Northern Boot Company, the Auckland Co-opera-tive Boot Company, and Mr. R. Walton declared yesterday that they were not in sympathy with the suggestion and were entirely ignorant of such a movement. They all affirmed that they did not wish the award covering conditions in tho boot-manufacturing trade to be interfered with in any way. The following telegram has been received from the Prime Minister by Mr. John Rowe, president of tho Auckland Trotting Club:—"l desire, on behalf of the Government, to thank yourself, the committee, and members of the Auckland Trotting Club for the very generous offer contained in your telegram of to-day's date, to contribute 150 guineas to the Patriotic Fund for horses or other such purpose as may be thought fit, and also the uso of the club's ground to the Defence Department. The club's loyal and patriotic offer in this matter is warmly appreciated and accepted. Should it bo necessary to make use of the ground the defence authorities will advise you in due course—(Signed) W. F. Massey." The popularity of Dr. A. W. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, was exempli ficd at the meeting held in the Town Hall last night in connection with the proposal to form a National' Reserve. Bishop Averill delivered" a stirring address, which was frequently punctuated by , loud applause. At the conclusion of his address, the audience rose and accorded the bishop an enthusiastic outburst of cheers.' When the meeting closed the audience again rose and cheered Bishop Averill. ■ The executivo of the Auckland Provincial 'Farmers' Union recently urged the Government to work the limestone deposits at Redvale. At yesterday's meeting of the executive a letter was received from Mr. Massey stating that samples from these deposits had been analysed by the agricultural chemist, and as a result trials would bo conducted on the Albany experimental plots. If these proved successful, the open ing up of the deposits would bo fully gone into. Tho executive thought that this would mean a great deal of delay, and it would perhaps be better if a company was formed to work the deposits. Tho matter was left in the hands of the secretary, who will make inquiries. In order to cope with the increased work thrown upon them by the mobilisation of the expeditionary force, the dofence authorities had an extra telephone installed at the Defence Office. The public were quick to appreciate this addition, and all day long tho clerical staff are kept busy answe-ing telephone calls, many of which are absurd inquiries, the question sometimes being asked as to the probable longth of the war. Reasonable queries the staff do not mind answering, but they wish the public to have a little consideration, and to sometimes allow them to uso their telephones themselves. Regarding the establishment of a college for the training of dairy factory manager?, tho Prime Minister, in a letter to the executive of the Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union, stated that tho matter had been left in aboyance pending tho advice of the Board of Agriculture. As soon as the board's recommendations were received the training of factory managers would bo effectively considered. The Harbour Board's Empowering Bill is now before Parliament. Somo of the settlers at tho upper end of the harbour are not in favour of tho provisions of the Bill, and yesterday, on their behalf, Mr. Vallance, solicitor, put the position before the executive of the Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union. He contended that if the Bill was passed the foreshore which was now vested in the peoplo would pass to tho board, and the privileges now enjoyed by the settlers would most probably bo curtailed. The executive agreed that those settlers opposed to the Bill should be heard before it was proceeded with, and carried a resolution to that effect. At a special meeting of the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association held yesterday tho sum of £86 was collected for tho patriotic fund, and promises wero made which will bring tho total up to nearly £160. Further sums can bo sent to Mr. J. H. Pagni, secretary of the. association Two members of the Civic League, Mrs. Baume and Mrs. Sbarman, -were busily engaged yesterday in securing socks for tho troops. The result of the day's work was the promise of 1500 pairs from various business firms. Of this number a total of 1000 pairs was supplied by Sargood, Son, and Kwen, Macky, Logan, Caldwell, Ltd., Arch. Clark and Sons, and Ross and Glendining. Other firms contributing wore George Fowlds, New Zealand Clothing Factory, J. R. Self, Georgo Court and Sons, John Court, Ltd., Sehneidcman Brothers, E. C. Browno and Co., J. Green and Son, G. Tutt, and A. E. Shrimski. A largo number of cholera belts were giv*t by Rendellfl, Ltd.

" I am no jingoistic war-monger, I know perfectly well the horrors and the- scourge of war," remarked Bishop Averill at the meeting held in the Town Hall last night in connection with the proposal to form a national reserve. "I look forward to tho time when war shall bo no more, but at tho same time, I am bound to say that tho only security to the peace of tho world is the supremacy of the British nation. Tho supremacy of the British nation means tho destroying of that spirit of German militarism as we know it today. Tho progress of tho world is being hindered at tho present time by the dominant German spirit, and it has got to be broken before there can be peace, and before there can Iks righteousness. I beliovo that we are face to face with the greatest event in the world's history, and that it will have a most far-reaching consequence of any event in tho world's history, and that from this event will como a now spirit, new ideals, and a now civilisation. Wo are not fighting against tho Germans alone, but against tho greatest' Power that is menacing the peace of tho world. I have, tho greatest sympathy for tho German soldiers and the German people in themselves, but I am perfectly certain that it is our duty to remove out of the way of the world's progress t.ho demon of German aggressive militarism that we have to-day. You have got to keep your heads, keep up your spirits, and keep down a spirit of revenge, and a spirit, of boasting."

The proposed endowment for the Waitemata County Council in the upper reaches of the harbour raised a good deal of controversy at a meeting of the council yesterday. The engineer, Mr. Jackson. stated in hie report that, in order not to leave a, strip of shallow water between the endowment and deep water, he had flagged out about 1500 acres instead of tho 1000 acres which it had been agreed would he sufficient for the council's purposes. Mr. J. H. Gunson, chairman of the Harbour Board, who had been asked to address the council, explaining the attitude of the board in tho matter, stated that the nature of the water-channel rendered it imperative that a substantial and wealthy body such as his board, which would have tho means to carry out the widening of the channel or any such improvements likely to be needed in the future, should retain complete control of the tidal lands. The Harbour Board could not, thcrcforo, allow the council to attain control of land below high-water mark, but would offer a considerable piece of land, not as an endowment, but as a holding from which the council could obtain sand and shell for a lengthy period. A motion to accept the land of fered provided it was endowed to the council, was rejected by six votes to five and Mr. V. F. Kerr-Taylor was appointed to give evidence at Wellington before tho Local Bills Committee in connection with the Harbour Board Vesting Bill.

The necessity for all classes of the community to be ready to make sacrifices during the war was emphasised by Bishop Averill at the patriotic meeting held in the Town Hall last night. " I would remind the employers to show their patriotism at this time by finding as much work as they possibly can for the men of this town and other places," said the bishop. " And, I would ask the workers to share that work with their fellow men, and share, if neces sary, their last crust with them."

The Executive Committee of the Marsden Centenary Celebration Commission held a meeting on Tuesday last at the Diocesan' Office, when the following reso]ut : ons were unanimously agreed to :—" (1) That in view of the heavy demands made on tho resources of the Dominion ;by the needs of tho Empire at the present crisis, the raising of the Marsden centenary fund be for the present postponed; (2) that, subject to the consent of the guarantors, the services of the Rev. P. W. Clarkson, organising secretary of the Marsden centenary fund, in the meantime be offered to the Mayor for work in connection with the Patriotic Fund." Bishop Averill had an interview with the Mayor of Auckland, and also offered the services of the Executive Committee, comprising the bishop, Archdeacon Hawkins, Revs. W. Beatty and P. T. Williams, Messrs. H. Gilfillan, H. P. Kissling, and C. J. Tunks, and the general secretary, the Rev. W. H. Wilson, for work in connection with the Patriotic Fund. The offer was accepted.

Farmers' unions in the Auckland district have responded in a most liberal manner to the appeal for horses and waggons, according to letters placed before the executive of the Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union yesterday. About 40 waggons have been promised or given, and about 30 horses have been provided. Besides this, a quantity of harness and other material has been presented. Several branches have not as yet provided any equipment, but they aro prepared to assist in any way that may be desired.

The effect of the international crisis was reflected yesterday, when owing to financial considerations the Waitemata County Council was obliged to postpone the currying out of several proposed works for periods of from three to six months. The engineer, reporting in respect to tenders for the Helensvillc Bridge, stated: "Owing to tho unsettled state of the market, that has occurred since tenders wero called, it is impossible to estimate the cost of steel, and I have advised tho contractors to make their tenders subject to market fluctuations for steel, and must ask you, under the extraordinary circumstances to consider such terms formal."

"Tho present condition of tho world would drive a thinking man to utter despair or madness if thero wore no God who rules and judges nations in equity," remarked the Rev. W. Beatty, vicar of St. Mark's Church, in making reference to the war in the course of a sermon. "If there is not a divine law of right binding nations as well as men, which will in (he long run, by whatever means, be impartially, inflexibly, and irresistibly executed, what security have the honest, the peaceful, the humble, and tho meek? . . . Now, to make war I for tho sake of gratifying national covet-' ousnnss by seizing the inheritance which' God has entrusted to other nations is simply to commit wholesale murder, and to incur blood-guiltiness for which the righteous Judge will assuredly require a strict account. It ought to bo a matter for deep thankfulness that, in entering into the present gigantic conflict, England has been saved from that awful crime. It may bo a matter for argument and spocu- , lation whether tho British Government | would not have been justified in declaring war earlier. The violation of Belgian j neutrality at once obliged us, as an honourable people, to fulfil our solemn bond and pledge, and appealed to the noble, chivalrous, humane, and, in. the truest sense, tho Christian instinct to take tho part of the weak against tho mighty, i Therefore, all tho heavy sacrifices that wo will be called upon to make will bo sacrifices for tho cause of freedom, justice, and political honesty. Every soldier and sailor who lays down his life will bo a martyr —one of God's witnesses--just as truly as if ho had died for his religions belief. And any service that 'wo can render to the Empiro and to our own Dominion in this timo of stress and need will bo a divine service, just as much as any act of worship."-