LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15769, 18 November 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

The steamer Manuka, which arrived at Wellington yesterday afternoon from Sydney, brought a quantity of Australian mail matter for New Zealand. The Auckland portion -will ' come north by the second express this afternoon.

The defendant has not been seen for 37 years," said counsel for plaintiff in an ULdefended case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The Birkenhead Borough. Council sued Alfred' Francis Nicholis for £2 6s 9d for rates due on property at 'lakapuna, the latter's name being in the late book as the person primarily liable for the rates. Counsel satisfied the magistrate., Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., that the necessary advertising n lieu of a summons being served had been carried out. and judgment was given for plaintiff by default.

The committee of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, in August last, decided that the net profit from the show should be donated to t.he Patriotic Fund for the purposes of local relief. .Since then Belgium has been invaded and great distress caused among the inhabitants. The committee, therefore, thought it was justified in varying the resolution, and at a special meeting held yesterday it was decided that 50 per cent, should be devoted to the purpose originally intended, and the balance to the Belgium Relief Fund.

A witness at the Police Court yesterday claimed £1 Is expenses for giving expert evidence. The magistrate allowed the fee, and the witness promptly requested that it should, be handed to the Belgian Fund. " That is very good of you 1 ," commented Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M.,

A meeting in connection with the bankruptcy of Edward Henry Davis, storekeeper of Waipoua, was held at the office of the official assignee, Mr. W. S Fisher, yesterday. Bankrupt's liabilities were set down at £172 5s 10d,and the assets at £42, including an interest, valued at £30, in three racehorses. In reply to the assignee, bankrupt stated that he had bred and trained the racehorses, but had never raced them. Eventually the meeting was adjourned sine die.

It had been intended to officially open Myers Park to-day. This intention, however, has had to be abandoned. The Mayor, Mr. C. J. Parr, C.M.G., stated yesterday that the work of demolishing the old tenements and other buildings on the property had taken longer than had been expected, and the park would, therefore, not be ready lor opening until next month. The long spell of dry weather also had militated against the growth of the grass in the park, and this had been responsible for some delay. It would take three or four weeks to get the park fenced and in a proper condition for opening.

The chimney of a house in Manukau Road, Parnell, caught fire at nine o'clock yesterday morning, and the City and Parnell Fire Brigades were called out. The fire was extinguished before any damage hud been done.

The hospital authorities reported last night that the condition of Mrs. Gaudin, the victim of the recent shooting tragedy at Mount Eden, was still unchanged, and the bullet had not been extracted. The little girl, Jean Jensen, who fell from a tramcar in Dominion Road on Monday, was reported to be out of danger and progressing favourably.

A report read at last night's meeting of the Hospital Board, pointed out that it was inadvisable to treat mental cases in the Auckland Hospital. Chronic and incurable cases could be treated better, and at less cost, in other institutions, and the removal of such cases from the hospital would allow the admission of necessitous cases at present excluded owing to lack of room.

The postal authorities advise that the English mail which was despatched from Auckland on October .1, arrived in London on November 13, seven days late. This mail was sent to Wellington, and was then carried to Sydney, where it was transhipped to one of the regular mail steamers. The mail was originally due in London on November 6.

A memorial service will be held in St. Matthew's Church on Sunday morning next, for the late Earl Roberts. The service will be conducted by the Rev. W. E. Gillam, vicar of St. Matthew's,

Amongst the many fine war photo- ! graphs appearing in to-day's issue of the [ Auckland Weekly News' are several which were actually taken, in action at considerable risk to the photographer. One of these depicts an engagement between a party of Belgians and the enemy. In the foreground lies the Dody of a soldier, shot almost as the photograph was being taken, whilst in - the background appears a gallant Red. Cress worker attending to a wounded Belgian where he fell, still under the fire of the Germans. Other ; fine photographs show an armoured train in action manned by Belgians and British, the sinking of the German converted cruiser Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse off the West African coast, a British naval brigade participating in the defence of Antwerp. Belgian women and children, fleeing to Holland to escape the cruellies j of the invaders, Rheims's beautiful cathe- ; dral after its first acquaintance with | German "culture," soldiers of the Kaiser's I army as prisoners of war in England. Russian machine guns captured by tip Germans being conveyed in triumph ' through Berlin, survivors from the Abou- I kir-Hogue-Cressy disaster in Holland, the King and Earl Kitchener inspecting recruits. a British military kitchen at tho j front, dusky warriors of the French army, i and a huge fort-wrecker used bv the Oer- : mans. The various illustrated incidents in ; the firing line include the destruction of a , bridge by a gallant Belgian under heavy i fire, an armoured motor-ear saving an 1 aviator's mechanic from the clutches of a j party of Uhlans. 1' renchmen storming the Chateau de Moudement, Germans at- j tacking en masse, Cossacks crossing a j river in their own peculiar manner, and j an attack by French infantry on a Ger- i man entrenched position. Two full pages j are devoted to "Belgium Week" in Auck- j land. These deal extensively with the street collection, procession, and sports in aid of the relief fund. Amongst other illustrations appear native defenders of Tahiti, i a view of Jaffa which was bombarded by j British cruisers, some of the New Zea i land volunteers at Samoa and the railway ' taken over from the Germans. H.M.A.S. Sydney, the German cruiser Emden which she defeated, the schooner Ayesha in which the landing party fiom the Emden escaped, the cable station in which the instruments were damaged, volunteers in training at Trentham and the inauguration of a now motor-'bus service between Mount Egmont and New Plymouth. In addition to an excellent portrait of the late Earl Roberts, there appears an illustration of what was probably his last official visit to Lord Kitchener. This 16th war number of the Auckland Weekly News is as interesting as the best of its predecessors.

The work of the Plunket Society in Auckland is steadily increasing, and the two nurses have their time fully occupied in attending to the numerous cases in which their advice is sought for the benefit of mothers and infants. An advisory board, comprising several medical men and other citizens who are interested in the work of the society, has been formed. The resignation of Mrs. W. H. Parkas from the position of president was received at the last meeting of the society. Mrs. Parkes has found it necessary to resign owing to ill-health, and in expressing regret at the loss of her assistance several members referred to the valuable services rendered by her as secretary, and later as president. The hope was expressed that she would soon be able to resume an active part in the work of the society. Mrs. A. M. Myers and Mrs. George Bloomfield have been elected joint presidents.

The following was the state of His Majesty's prison, Auckland, for the week ending November 14: —On remand, 3 males; awaiting trial, 10 males; sentenced to life, 4 males; sentenced to hard labour, 258 males, 14 females; sentenced to imprisonment, 1 female; default of bail, 4 males; received during the week, 22 males, 1 female: discharged, 32 males, 2 females. Total in prison, 279 males, 15 females.

Reference to the death of Earl Roberts was made at last night's meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board, the following resolution being carried, all standing as a mark of respect" That the Auckland District Hospital and Charitable Aid Board desires to place on record its sense of the great loss the British Empire has sustained in the death of the illustrious soldier and patriot. Earl Roberts, of Kandahar. who did so much to uphold the integrity and honour of Great Britain and tho Overseas Dominions." This resolution was moved by Mr P. M. Mackay, being seconded by Mr. M. J. Coylo.

The annual synod of the Methodist Church in the Auckland District will open in the Pitt Street Methodist Church this morning. The ministers met yesterday morning, when a large amount of preliminary business was dealt -with. The synod is not a legislative body, and only makes recommendations to the annual conference. It will consider the whole of the church work in the district. One of the principal matters for consideration is a proposal to delete the time limit of five years in the matter of the appointment of ministers to circuits, while another concerns the creation of a conference representatives' expenses equalisation fund. Methodists have been discussing the question of reducing the size of the conference, and the report of a subcommittee that has been considering the matter will be dealth with. Last evening a sen-ice was held in the Pitt Street Methodist Church. The Re -. George Bond presided and there was a good attendance. The Rev. C. H. Lav ~ 8.A., preached the sermon, and took for his subject, " Faith." A communion service was afterwards held.

Arrangements are being made for the laying of foundations to carry the structure that will complete the design of St. Paul's Church, Symonds Street. The original proposals made by the vestry for the completion of the chancel were indefinitely suspended when war broke out, but arrangements have now been made to proceed with the building scheme. It was originally intended that the completion of the church should be made a feature of the Marsden Centenary celebrations, and February 7 was fixed as the date for the laying of the foundation stones. The programme lot the centenary commemoration has been considerably modified, and the conditions caused by the war have greatly increased the difficulty of obtaining funds for the church building scheme. Recognising the need for employment, the vestry has now authorised the immediate construction of the first section of the plans, sufficient funds for this purpose being already in the care of the trustees. This undertaking has been simplified by the donation of complete plans and specifications by Major W. H. Skinner, the architect who designed the completed portion of the church, and who is now an invalid residing at Thames. These provide for a very beautiful east end, the transepts being particularly imposing After the foundations have beetle constructed, a halt of some months will be necessary before the heavy weight of the walls is imposed upon them. The vestry hope to secure, during the interval, enough money for, at any rate, the most necessary parts of the edifice.