LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15932, 1 June 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

+~ Babi-v yesterday morning the CanadianAustralasia l mail steamer Makura arrived in port from Vancouver and way {torts, j with European and American mails, passengers and general cargo, and berthed at the Queen's Wharf soon after 7 a.m. The I total number of passengers on board was , 86 in all classes, 28 of whom were booked for various psrts of the Dominion, and 1 58 were through passengers for Australia, 'the vessel's cargo for New Zealand to- | tailed 930 tons, and consisted of the usual ; lines of Canadian merchandise. The ' Makura left Vancouver on schedule time, : the trip throughout being characterised by i moderate to fine weather. As the i Makura is the only passenger steamer from Auckland to Sydney this ; week, a heavy demand was made on i her passenger accommodation yesterday. 'The bookings at the. close of the day , showed that about 210 people had booked at Auckland by the vessel—loo in the first saloon, 45 in the second saloon, and '65 in the i,hird-class. The Makura sailed J for Sydne\ last evening and she is due I there on Friday. She is expected here ! again on Monday, June 14, en route to iSuva, Honolulu and Vancouver. A young woman named Florence Somerville was admitted to the hospital last night suffering from the effects of having taken an overdose of chlorodyne About 6 p.m. the woman, who, it is understood, had only just arrived in the city by train, booked "a room at the Waitcmata Hotel, and about half-past seven she was heard screaming. As the door of her room was locked the licensee of the hotel obtained ingress by means of the fire escape and found the woman lying on her bed. Doctors Stride and King were summoned, and after treating her ordered her removal to the hospital. Amongst ner effects was found a note written to a friend, in which the young woman said that she had not had "any rest for several nights, and that she intended to take some chlorodyne to induce sleep. The hospital authorities stated last night that a fatal outcome of the case is not anticipated.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Thomas Hayr, farmer, of Three Kings, and his wife, were driving in a trap in Walters Road, Mount | Eden, when tho blinkers suddenly came off the horse's head. The animal turned j into Dominion Road and bolted for a distance of about a mile and three'quarters to the Mount Albert-Onehunga Road, where the trap capsized. The occupants were thrown out, but neither they nor the horse were injured. Tho trap was destroyed. The horse's career wag a wild one, and it narrowly missed colliding with a tramear at one point. lln order to warn people to keep out of the way Mrs. Hayr waved a handbag, ! entirely forgetting that it contained £6 or £7 in sovereigns, notes, and silver. The whole of the money was lost. Tho Pacific Coble Board's new auxiliary schooner Strathcona is to sail this morning for Fanning Island. The vessel, which is one of the finest of her class yet built at this port, lias been constructed for the 'purpose of conveying cable officials and i necessary stores between Honolulu and I Fanning Island, thus relieving tuc steamer ; Iris from the necessity of going to Fanning i Island except when repair? ha re to be j made to the cable or heavy stons landed. j The schooner is provided with ample passenger accommodation, and is fitted with I refrigerating and electric light plants. The Strathcona., which completed her trials 'over a week ago, and which wore entirely I satisfactory, has fcr the past few days ' been engaged in taking in stores and other ! material at the company's moorings off Devonport. It is understood that Captain C. Robinson, a well-known Auckland sailing master, will bs in command of her. A new railway tim --table will come into operation in the Auckland Province today. The most important alterations are in connection with the express trains between Auckland and Rotonia and Auckland and Thames. The express train which in the summer runs from Auckland to Thames will be discontinued, and an express will leave Auckland for Rotorua at 10 a.m., taking passengers for Rotorua, Taumarunui, Waihi, and Thames. An express will leave Rotorua for Auckland at 9.30 a.m., arriving at Auckland at 4.55 p.m., and the Taumarunui, Cambridge, Thames, and Waihi trains will connect with tho Rotorua service. Several alterations on the Kaipara line will also come into force. A train will leave Auckland for Henderson at 11 p.m. on Saturdays only, and on other week days a train will leave Auckland for Henderson at 10.35 p.m. The train which formerly left New Lynn for Newmarket at 7.12 a.m. daily, will run through to Auckland, and will arrive at 7.53 a.m. From Auckland a train will leave for Henderson at 7.46 a.m., and will commence the return journey at 9.20 a.m.

The policy of the Government in regard to public works was briefly referred to by the Prime Minieter at the opening of the Mangere Bridge yesterday. He stated that at the end of the financial year, March 31, there were 6271 men employed on public works in the Dominion, as compared with 3989 men at the corresponding date of the previous year, thus showing an increase of 2300 men} despite the war. He also mentioned that during the past financial year no lees than £646,878 had been expended on the making of roads, principally in tne back blocks, whilst 91 miles of new railway had also been opened.

A tribute to the loyalty of the native race was paid by the Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister for Native Affair:), in an interview last evening. "No resume of native transactions." said the Minister, "would be complete without a mention of the splendid exhibition of loyalty displayed by i/he Maori people in offering a Maori contingent for the war. The raising of the contingent was left entirely in the hands of the native Parliamentary representatives, and it has been a credit to the race and has obtained universal praise wherever it ha* been seen. Raised at first for garrison duty, it is now required for the front, and tho necessary reinforcements are being recruited. If any lingering distrust or cloud remains between the two races, nothing could more speedily dissipate it than the prospect of the two races fighting, as they should, like one people against the common foe." . The condition of the railway employee, William Schofield, vko was struck by a train near the Newmarket end of the new Parnell Tunnel on Saturday afternoon, and who suffered a fractured skull and broken leg in consequence, was reported by the hospital authorities last night to be serious, fieorgo Hughes, who was injured internally by being trodden on by a colt, on tho Manukau Road, o*n Saturday, was also .stated to be in a serious condition. "People who do not understand the question," 'said the Prime Minister last evening, "sometimes suggest that the Government should impose a war tax. No Government can impose a war tax cr any other tax. Taxes can only be imposed by Parliament itself, and when Parliament meets the proposals of the Government for increasing the revenue will be submitted to the House."

In replying to the toast of "Parliament" at the function in connection with the opening of the Mangere Bridge yesterday, Mr. Arthur M. Myers referred to the party truce that was declared when the war broke out last year. Although they had had the election since., he ?>'d, he thought that the Prime Minister would admit that bo had received the support of all members of both parties in regard to the great national issue that had to b> faced. It was the duty of the country to support whatever Government was in" power in developing the resources of the country so as to defeat a common enemy. He was sure that all members were actuated by the b <st of motives and that they would do even-thing :n. their power to assist the Government, in keeping the Dominion in the van of progress.

A notification has been given by the Auckland Racing Club that illegal sweeps will not be permitted on its property, and that arty person promoting such sweepstakes during the winter meeting will be removed from the racecourse. The secretary of the club, Mr. J. F. Hart land, explained last evening that the law prohibited the conduct of sweepstakes in which any portion of the sleeps was taken by the promoters. Officers cf the club were determined to che~k any "infringement of the law in this respect, and it had invited the co-operatior of the police in checking the development of this practice.

The boys of the Auckland Boy Scout organisation have placed their services at the disposal of any person for the running of mtssages, etc., provided the latter will make a contribution to the Hospital Ship Fund. Altogether, some 1300 boys, all of them anxious to do something for the fund, will b( available. Cards which those making use of the boys are expected to fill 'n may be secured at the offices of the daily rewppapers. and also at the Scout- head quarters, Victoria Street. The scheme is already in operation, and, has proved satisfactory.

A collision between a motorcar and a tramcar occurred near the bonier of Fisherton Street and Surrey Crescent. Richmond, yesterday afternoon. The motor-car was being driven by Mr. J. B. Gilmour, who was learning to drive, and was being instructed by Mr. H. D. Burrows. When Bearing Fishftrton Street, a tramoar was seen approaching, and Mr. Gilmour, in error, turned to the right instead of the left, and the motor-car — four-seater—crashed into the front of the tramcar. One of the front wheels of the motor-car and the wind screen were smashed, but the tramcar was not damaged. The occupant* of the motor-car were thrown out when the impact took place, but were not injured

A large number of those associated with the dairying industry attended a smoke concert held at the Tiffin restaurant last night. The event had been arranged in connection with the annual conference of the managers of North Auckland dairy factories, which 6at yesterday morning and afternoon. The social side of the annual gathering passed off very pleasantly last night. Mr. T. Bassett presided, and was supported by Mr. W. A. Beddoe, the Canadian Trade Commissioner, and Mr. A. Morton, the president of the National Dairy Association. A short list of toasts was honoured and an enjoyable concert programme was contributed to by Messrs. J. Lonergan, F. G. Bourke. A. McEhvain, Mellor, L. Abrahams, La.ing, and G. M. Valentine,

Owing to the delay occasioned and the trouble experienced by the coastal steamer Tasman in working Whakatane, as a result of the shallow water, the Northern Company has decided to withdraw the vessel from that trade. . The auxiliary' schooner Paroto, which has been specially built to work shallow water ports, will take up the Tasman's running, but will not carry passengers. The Paroto will leave Auckland every Tuesday for Whakatane. Passengers for tiliat port will be carried by tho Ngatiawa, which, after this week, will leave Auckland every Wednesday for Ohiwa only. The cafgo service ' between Auckland and Opotiki will be maintained by the auxiliary schooner Te Teko. This vessel is due here about the end of tho week, and will sail every Tuesday for Opotiki with cargo only.

A strong plea for a large Greater Auckland, stretching from the Waitemata to the Manukau, was made by the Mayor of Onehunga, Mr. John Rowe, at the opening of the Mangere Bridge yesterday. The Prime Minister, he said, could make a name for himself by introducing a Bill compelling all the small local bodies within the area referred to to join the city. Nature intended all this country, lie said, to form one city, and it was only the desire of the small local bodies to prolong their own lives which stood in the way.

Whilst engaged on tho s.s. Manaia in assisting the boilermakers on Saturday afternoon Frederick Hodges suddenly drop* ped dead. At tho inquest into the circumstances of the death, held yesterday by Mr. F. V. Frazcr, S.M., Dr. Coldicutt stated that a post-mortem examination had revealed a disease of the heart of at least two years' standing. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with Wis medical evidence. The deceased was a widower, aged 39, with no family. He had been resident in New Zealand for about eight years. Some reminiscences of the early days of Mangers wore narrated by Mr. W. Westney at the opening of the new bridge yesterday. Before there was a bridge, he said, communication between Mangere and Onehunga was by means of a ferry, the journey to Auckland being completed by a 'bus service, by way of Norman's Hill. Residents of Mangere, he remembered, were often compelled to spend the night in Onehunga when the water was too rough for the ferry boat. Mr. H. R. Mackenzie, chairman of the Mangere Road Board, raised a. laugh by referring to an occasion when the present Prime Minister, who was than a member of the Mwigere Road Board was " had up" for driving over the old bridge at a trotting pace. Mr. Mackenzie added that if there were any more budding Prime Ministers, in the Mangero district they need no! fear being "run in" for trotting over the present bridge. During the w«,ek ended May 29 21 males and 2 females were received at Mount Eden prison, and 22 males and 3 females discharged. There are 238 males and 15 females remaining in the prison classified as follows remand, 4 males' end 1 female ; awaiting trial, 8 males- sen fenced to death, 1 male; imprisonment for life, 4 males; sentences of hard labour 219 males and 14 females; in default of bail, 2 males. , Advice received by the postal authorities states that the New Zealand portion of the English mail which was despatched from Auckland on April 20, arrived in London on May 26—six days late. This mail was carried by the Makura, which reached Vancouver on May 6, schedule time, so !hat the mails were either delayed in transit across Canada or in crossing the Atlantic.