LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15976, 22 July 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Ax accident befel Nicholas Burns, a fireman from the steamer Waiwera, last evening. He was crossing the corner of Customs and H'obson Streets when a passing tramcar knocked him down. It was very dark at the time. Constable Marlow, who was in the vicinity, found that Bums's injuries were confined to a few bruises. He was conveyed to the hospital for treatment.

A man named Frederick Rogers,. 50 years of age. fell a distance of 15ft down a lift well in Dalgetv's store last evening, and injured his spine. He was attended to by Dr. Coldicutt. and was conveyed to the hospital. His condition is not serious.

The Union Company's large cargo steamer Waiteniata arrived at Auckland during the early hours of yesterday morning from San Francisco direct with 9424 tons of general American merchandise. This includes 17,000 cases of case oils, a quantity of barrel oil, 100 tons of oats, and a large quantity of Californian dried fruits. About 2000 tons of the cargo will be discharged at Auckland, and the balance at Wellington and Sydney.

! At the Police CVvurt yesterday Charles j Stanaway pleaded guilty to cruelly illtreating a horse on July 6. Inspector Alder .said that 011 the date mentioned defendant was driving a lorry loaded with wool to the Hohson Street Wharf, "[he wheels became embedded in s<vme. loose earth, and the horses could not pull the load. Defendant thereupon kicked one of the horses in the chest. Defendant said ho lost his temper on account of the inspector interfering, and kicked the horse, but he did not injure it. The magistrate imposed a tine of £2 and costs 7s. Alfred Collins admitted that he had cruelly illtreated two horses by overloading them. Inspector Alder said the defendant was carting wheat from the wharf along Shortland Street. He put 30 sacks of wheat on the waggon, and the horses were unable to pull the load up Shortland Street. The magistrate imposed a fine of £1 10s and costs 19s. Edward Dyer was charged with using a horse suffering from sore shoulders. The magistrate convicted him and ordered him to pay the costs amounting to Is.

Quite a number of graduates of the University of New Zealand are going to the, front as members of the Expeditionary Force. Many have already left, and others are on their way, and others, again, are in training in tho various camps in New Zealand. In the 7th Infantry Reinforcements at. Waikanae alone, 110 fewer than eicrht graduates figure as officers and 11011commissioned officers. In A Company there are Captain Herman, LL.B., Second Lieutenants Taylor, M.A.. and Senior. 8.A., of Auckland; in B Company, Lieutenant A. B. Sievwright, LL.B., Sergeants Gerald Fell. LL.B.. and G. Strack, M.A., all of Victoria College. Wellington: in C Company. Lieutenant Merton. LL.R., of Canterbury College; in 1) Company, Lieutenant C. Smith, M.A.. Otago. The Officers' Training Corps established in connection v. ith the New Zealand University College is said to be responsible for the military spirit and efficiency of these officers.

A spfvial meeting of the City Council uai held yesterday to confirm special orders made on June 23. . The raising of an amount of £38.000, being the balance of the loan of £50.000 for the Jcrmvn St.rrjt scheme, was authorised. A special annually recurring rate of l-3d in the £ on the annual value of all ratable property in the city, excepting the district of Grey Lynn, was struck, for payment of interest and sinking funds on loans.

The curtailment of sport was referred to at last evening's meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union by Mr. J. H. Pagni. He was present at the meeting on other business, and before leaving the room called the committee's attention to the cablegrams ■which had appeared in yesterday's Herald in reference to the matter. He asked whether the committee would consider the question of curtailing its match programme, and pointed out that public interest in football had dimii..shed. .Mr. Langsfotd, secretary and treasurer of the union, said they, unfortunately, had obligations to meet, and, therefore, were compelled to carry on.

The ratepayers of Takapuna will be called upon to-day to select a borough councillor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Audus Raynes. The candidates are Messrs. Bartholomew, Cronin. and William Duncan. foiling will take place between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Booths will be stationed at the Chamber of Commerce, Swanson St.re?t. the Presbyterian Church. Belmont, and the Foresters' Hall, Takapuna.

Inquiries regarding the prices pi id for all classes of meat sold at the Westfield saleyaids yesterday show that there were ion - marked advances which, it is said, will probably bo reflected in further increases in the retail prices. During the past three weeks the price fur prime ox has increased by £2 10s per head. Choice ox sold yesterday at £2 6s per 1001b. The general run of beef sold at from £2 2s to £2 ss. a substantial increase on the previous week's prices. Mutton sold particularly well, and showed a sharp rise. Extra heavy wethers fetched £2, a price that li3d not been attained for many years. Veal sold well at high prices, while pork was in heavy demand. The meat offered changed hands readily at the prices mentioned. The quality throughout was good.

Telegraphic communication between | Wellington and Auckland was interrupted for several hours yesterday and -vy&s j also some interruption on the n gt-on- 1 Napier route. A tree the line ' between Ohak Taumarunui, carrying a«"aj' one of the poles and no message .Could he cent to or received from vTdlingto-i by that route from 9 a.m. until nearly three clock yesterday afternoon. ' But for the line from Taranaki to Auck- I j land being dear, the latter city -would ' | have been completely isolated 50 far a 5 ' I telegraphi-. communication was concerned. | I The trouble on the Wellington-Napier : line was caused by a motor car colliding I with a telegraphic pole somewhere north ; of Napier, causing a delav of about, an 1 hour end a-half in the transmission of • messages. I i Referring to the question of national ; defence yesterday at the annual meeting of the Auckland Provincial Employers' j Association, the president. Mr. E. A. j j Craig, remarked that it was one which | I affected the employer. He rejoiced, as a I patriotic New Zealander. in the success 1 lof compulsory military training. The i ! cheerful and willing manner in which the | > large majority of the youths of the Do- j minion had submitted to the restriction | and discipline necessary to fit them as i •worthy defenders of their country, had, j jhe was sure, deeply impressed them all. j ! This training made possible the early i despatch of soldiers from the Dominion ! jto help the Motherland. He trusted that j I those who opposed compulsory training i wero now convinced of the far-reaching ] benefit of the system, and would forever j hold their peace. The question of fire fighting in Taka- 1 pvna -was discussed at last night's meet- ; ; ing. of the Taka puna Borough Council. , 1 A recommendation was made by the i Streets and Works Committee that the I council receive a deputation from the ■ Devon port volunteer tire brigade on the j matter, and that the whole subject be re--1 opened. The Mayor, Mr. W. Blomfield, ! said it appeared that the fire brigade j which had been formed in Takapuna, was , dead. • The members had stated that there was not enough water available to combat : fires. Still, the question should be faced. The Devonport brigade proposed to procure a motor fire engine and had intimated its readiness to attend fires in the Takapuna borough. It was resolved to receive the deputation.

A further advance has taken pJace in the price of chaff during the past month. Chaff is now quoted at from £11 to £11 10s per ton, as against £10 to £10 10? per ton late- in June. In July of last year chaff was selling at from £5 15s to £6. The oats market is at present very- slightly easier than was the case a month ago. but even so oats are fetching about 4s 9d per bushel, a# against the 2s 6d to 2s 8d per bushel paid a year ago. The demand from Australia for chaff has been so keen —chaff is worth £14 per ton on the other side of the Tasman Sea—that Southern farmers are even bagging their wheatstraw. Quantities of oats are also being exported, while there also must, he taken into consideration the estimated shortage of about 3.000,000 bushels at the March and April harvest, he shortage and the high prices of both oats and chaff have naturally affected th© trades in which horses are employed, and, it is stated, have resulted in an increased use of motor lorries.

The work of constructing the Quay Street landing will be advanced a further stage at the end of this month, when pile-driving will commence. The concrete piles for this work have been made at Freeman's Ray, where a large staff has been employed in constructing piles for the Centra! Wharf.

The hardships encountered by the Union forces in their pursuit of the Germans in South-west Africa are illustrated by an incident related in a letter received in Auckland. Referring to the Natal Carbineers. the letter states :— In their trek across the desert they were without water for two days, and when they found a well it had been poisoned by ths Germans. The whole troop had to be sent back. Some of the horses died, but the men, not having drunk much, escaped. They were dying for a drink. Some fellows' tongues were swollen and their lips cracked. All they could do was to moisten their lips on the damp sand."

At a special meeting, the Mount RoskiU Road Board decided to notify 75 owners of water meters that they must have them either renewed or repaired as required and tested by the Auckland City Council within 30 days, otherwise the supplv would be rut off. The opinion was expressed by Mr. Win-tone and endorsed by all present that every meter in the district, should be put in working order and kept so. Also that- all new meters installed should be approved by the foreman before the water is turned on. Th 3 board decided that the chairman and Mr. Winstone should inquire as to the cost of water mains and whether some can be procured within reasonable time. This was in answer to a petition received from residents of the Islington Estate for water. The board estimated that the work would cost about £2000. A sen-it c in memory of the late Sister Charlotte, of the Order of lie G'.-od Shepherd, will be held at St. Matthew's Church on Friday morning. The service, which will be conducted by the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Dr. -a.. \Y. Averill, will commence at 10.50 a.m.