LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15768, 17 November 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

A serious accident befel a little girl, Jean Jensen, in Dominion Road yesterday afternoon. The girl, who is 10 years old, resides with her parents in Pine Street, and she was returning homo from school on a tramcar, when her hat blew off. In endeavouring to recover it she slipped from the car and received a fractured skull. She was taken to the hospital, and last night was reported to be in a semi-conscious conditic/n.

A large lamber of German merchant steamers have been interned at various Australian porta by the Commonwealth authorities, and it has been proposed that some of these vessels be manned by British officers . and crews and used to carry cargoes from Australian to other ports. One captured steamer named the Turul will shortly visit New Zealand. This vessel 16 at present at Sydney, where she was detained on August 15, and she is now loading transhipment cargo from the Commonwealth and Dominion liner Port Maoquarie, from London, for Auckland, Napier, and Wellington. The Port Macquarie was to have come on to the ports named, but was taken over by the authorities for ether purposes. Her cargo ff/r the three ports amounts to about 3600 tons. The Turul is a vessel of 3530 tons gross, and was owned by the HungarianLevant Steamship Company, Ltd. She is a British-built steamer, baring been constructed at Middlesbro' in 1907 by Messrs. R. Craggs and Sons, Ltd. The Turul is expected lo arrive at Auckland early next week.

A total of 20 points of rain was registered yesterday morning. The rainfall for the earlier part of November amounted to 13 points, making a total of 33 points for the first half of the month. The average fall for the month is 3.09 in, half of which would be 1.50 in. The rainfall up to nine o'clock yesterday morning was therefore only one-fifth of the average. A short spell of fine weather, to be followed by more unsettled conditions, is predicted by the Government meteorologist.

With a view to controlling motor traffic in the Mount Albert borough, the council proposes to pass a special by-law restricting the speed of motor vehicles to between 12 miles and 16 miles an hour, according to the If a car is following beImd a tramcar it will have to stop until the passengers alight or board the car, except v,hen the roadway between the outer rail and the kerbing is 12ft wide. Then the motor-car may proceed to pass the tramcar at a speed not exceeding four miles an hour.

At the close of his address in St. James's Hall last evening Mr. W. Richardson was asked a number of questions by members of the audience. One lady wanted to know the candidate's opinion" on military training in New Zealand. In reply Mr. Richardson said that he understood his questioner was averse to military training on account of the horrors going on in the fields of Belgium. He expressed himself in favour of international arbitration to settle every dispute, but until the nations grew wiser than they were at present he was in favour of military training for all men between the ages of 16 and 75 who were physically fit. (Applause.) In reply to a further question the candidate announced himself in favour of the Bible-in-schools referendum on the ground that " the Bible was the best medicine that had ever been found to combat the frailties of human nature." (Applause.)

Very nearly eight months ago the great drainage system for the city and suburbs was first put into operation. Several further connections have still to be made and reticulations constructed before the system can be said to be complete. The general health of the community, it is expected, will be benefited by this modern system of drainage, the effect becoming - more and mere noticeable the further the system is extended. When questioned yesterday on the subject, the officers of the Health Department said that it was really too soon to look for anv very marked effect from the new system. The three notifiable diseases most clr/sely connected with drains enteric fever, diphtheria, and scarlet fever —had not as yet shown any marked decrease in their frequency, but, it was pointed out, so many factors besides drains influence the prevalence of these and other infectious diseases that comparisons of one period with another are often misleading. Before long, however, it was confidentially anticipated, the beneficial results of an adequate drainage system would be felt more throughout the city and siiourbs, the actual number of cases of sickness de creasing and the danger of epidemics being minimised.

Advice was received yesterday at the local office of the Marine Department that the Admiralty has forbidden the use of the blue ensign by any merchant or private vessels during the present hostilities. The blue ensign is exclusively the flag of the public service other than the Royal Wavy, and is as well the flag of the Royal Naval Reserve. It is flown also by certain authorised vessels of the British mercantile marine, the conditions governing this privilege being that the captain and a certain epecified portion of his officers and crew shall belong to the rani* of the Royal Naval Reserve. It is flown by ships belonging to Government offices, the seal or badge of the office being displayed as well. In addition to certain yacht clubs which are authorised by special Admiralty warrants to fly the blue ensign, the consular bodies have the right to fly this flag, the distinguishing badge in their case being the Royal arms. The blue ensign is purely 'a maritime flag, and, though the rule is more honoured in the breach than in the observance, the only flag that a private individual or corporation has the right to display on shore is the plain Union Jack, and in this country the New Zealand ensign.

The Heme Bay Council School. Kent. England, has presented a Union Jack to the Heme Bay school, Auckland. The flag has been forwarded through the Rev. Knowles Kempton, who will make the presentation to-day at the school at Bayfield at 2.15 p.m. An invitation has been extended to all parents and friends of the children to attend the ceremony.

Tho statement filed by Edward Davis, labourer, of Waipoua, who has made application to be declared a. bankrupt, shows that h.s total debts amount to £172 5s lOd. owing to unsecured creditors, and his assets to £42. The latter comprise an interest in five horses, £30, and book debts. £142, estimated to produce £12. Bankrupt states that he commenced business in Waipoua as a storekeeper and gum-buyer about three years ago. At that time he had about £500 capital. After he had been in business for about six months the price of gum dropped, and there was no sale for it. His house was burnt down, and lie lost everything. About 12 months afterwards he went to Kaihu, where he stayed for four or five months looking for work, but without success. He also tried to collect money owing to him. When he subsequently returned to Waipoua his father-in-law provided a team of horses and a plough. They were to have the gum turned up in ploughing, but the war commenced, and they could not sell the gum. He believes that two persons owe him sums of money.

The laying of the foundalion-stone of the new Presbyterian Church in Crescent Road, Birkenhead, by Mr. J. W. Stewart, took place on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering. Telegrams were read from the Prime Minister and the Rev. J. M. Saunders regretting their inability to be present. The church, which is being built by Messrs. G. and E. Ohms, to plans prepared by Mr. W. H. Glover, architect, is 45ft long and 25ft wide, and will have seating accommodation for 200 adults, besides the vestry and class-rooms. It has been decided to hold the opening services in the new church on December 13. A very successful service was held in the Victoria. Hall, opposite the site of the new structure, in connection with the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone. The Revs. C. E. Porter, moderator of t:he presbytery, W. McDonald, and G. Y. Roby, and Mr. J. Lilewall took part, appropriate hymns being sung by the congregation and children. The service concluded with the National Anthem. A collection realised the sum of £14.

The breach of promise case Stephanie Langton Webb (Mr. J. R. Reed, K.C., with him Mr. W. Black) v. Hugh Patterson (Mr. J. R. Lundon) ha* been settled by the parties consenting to judgment being entered for plaintiff for £50 without costs. The original claim was for £550 for alleged breach of promise. The evidence was partly heard during the last session of the Court, and the case was then adjourned until this session. Meantime the settlement was arrived at, and judgment was formally entered up yesterday morning by His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper.

The burning of Louvain was mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the University College Council in a letter from Mr. Victor V. Branford, London, suggesting the signing of a formal protest by all the learned and scientific bodies in the world. The chairman, Sir Maurice O'Rorke, was authorised to sign a formal protest against the German outrage.

In connection with the rescinding motion passed some days ago by the Harbour Board in respect to the proposed ferrycharges, the chairman of the board, Mr. J. H. Gunson, has given a further notice of motion to the board to deal with the new position relating to ferry wharfage. Discussing the position yesterday the chairman said it would be recollected that the question of imposing increased charges pn the ferry companies had been under consideration for some months. As previously intimated, the rescinding motion teugeested no departure from the previous decision of the board, but it was merely to clear the way for the motion, notice of which has now been given, and would be considered at to-day's meeting of the board. "It seems possible," went on the chairman, "to find a way out in regard to the proposed charges which will meet the objections of both the companies and the North Auckland local bodies against the proposed charge per trip." In the motion to be considered by the board today the chairman provides for a rate per day for various-sized vessels instead of a charge per trip. "The result to the board." said Mr. Gunson, " will be precisely the same, and will have the advantage of complying with the companies' wishes and those of the public."

The fact that over £10,000 , was collected through the agency of the New Zealand Herald towards the Auckland Patriotic Fund was favourably commented upon at the meeting of the Finance Committee of the Auckland Patriotic League yesterday morning. On the .motion of Mr. X. A. Nathan, seconded by Mr. A. S. Bankart, the following resolution was carried :—" That this committee desires to place on record its sense of the obligation the Auckland Patriotic Committee is under to the New Zealand Herald for its valuable services in raising contributions towards the Patriotic Fund."

One of the questions put to Mr. A. M. Myers at his meeting last evening was whether he would be in favour of the passing of a measure providing for the volcanic hills in and around Auckland being converted into public reserves. Mr. Myers said that he would be pleased bo support such a measure, and he said that the waV in which the volcanic hills had been despoiled in the past was a disgrace to those responsible for it.

I The Auckland University College Council has a balance at present estimated at about £2000. At yesterday's meeting Mr. G. L. Peacocke moved that the question of the investment of this sum, or a part of it, be referred to the Finance Committee. At the present time, he said, the council could obtain good interest for its money. The proposal was adopted. After being closed for extensive alterations and repairs, the Auckland reference library was reopened yesterday. An anonymous donor has made a gift to the library of five autograph letters by Robert Louis Stevenson to his mother, and. one from the mother to the son. These will be housed in the literary section of the reference library. The value I of the gift is set down at £150.

An elusive prisoner in the person of Walter Gray, who on two occasions escaped from the custody of the police, has been re-arrested in Melbourne. In the first place Gray was arrested at Eden Park, Auckland, by Detective Hammond, on March 2b, on two charges of pocketpicking during the progress of the New Zealand-Australia cricket match. His case was remanded for a week, and he obtained bail by lodging £100 cash with the police. Disappearing two days latex, for some months he was not heard of. Then he was arrested in Sydney, and arrangements were made for his extradition to New Zealand. Obtaining bail again, however, he once more disappeared. Advice has now been received that Gray has just been arrested at Melbourne, and Constable .J. Goddard, of Newmarket, left by the Niagara last evening for Sydney. The constable is to proceed to Melbourne to arrange for bringing Gray to New Zealand.

The water main in Williams Street, Mount Albert, burst on Saturday night and a large quantity of water was lost before the pipe- was repaired. The borough turncock reported the matter to the Mount Albert Borough Council last evening and said that in order to get the repair outfit to the locality where the main had burst the fire brigade's motor had to be requisitioned as there was no other conveyance available. At present there were 500.000 gallons of water in the reservoir.

" New Zealand mutton is very much to the front in England, especially in country districts," writes Mr. Charles Bagley, a member of the Auckland Harbour Board, in the course of a letter to the chairman, Mr. J. H. Gunson. "I saw some Now Zealand mutton hanging alongside some freshly-slaughtered English mutton. The appearance was such that you could hardly tell one from the other. All local fresh meats are retailed from Is per lb upwards. New Zealand butter does not appear to be advertised nearly .so well as the mutton. The butter is retailed at Is 6d per IV-