LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15998, 17 August 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

" The number of cases to ho brought J under your notice is not unduly large," remarked His Honor Mr. .Justice Chapman when delivering his charge to the Grand Jury at the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court yesterday. "In my experience I have known much larger calendars. The cases, with one or two exceptions, are of an ordinary nature, but among them I notice several sexual cases, though even these are not of a very serious description. lam | afraid it is impossible to rid ourselves of this class of offence. The police do their best to suppress it, but we cannot expect to be entirely free from it. on I will find in the list several of these cases of a simple nature." The proposal to erect a new police station on the waterfront has been revived by a letter written to the Justice Department by the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. H. D. Heather. Some time ago the Harbour Board was asked for a site for a new police station, and the board set aside an area on the old Auckland dock reclamation. and stated a ' rental. The next communication from the | Department was to the effect that it wa« j proposed to erect a. substantial building j costing anything up to £30.000, and the board was risked to reserve the site until the war is over- The board replied that I the request was hardly a reasonable one. j as the rental suggested was comparatively iow. Now that the completion ot the j work of filling in the Auckland dock is in sight, the Justice Department has beeit again asked by the board what its intentions are in regard to the site. "If the Justice Department does not intend to make use of this site," remarked Mr. Heather yesterday, " the board will be compelled' to put this area up for auction with the rest of the building sites available, when the dock has been filled in."

Some interesting information concerning Eden Terrace was given bv a witness in evidence at the inquiry into the proposal to join Greater Auckland. He said that Eden Terrace was the most thickly-popu-lated district in Auckland. In an area of 96 acres 3000 people resided. There ■were 675 dwellings, not including factories and shops net provided with house accommodation. The witness also said that 447 ratepayers owned property in the district, and 80 per cent, of these lived outside the district;

The Huddart-Parker steamer Riverina arrived at Auckland shortly before 6 p.m. yesterday from Sydney. The vessel cleared the New South Wales port at 3.30 p.m. on Thursday last, and had to contend with strong westerly and southwesterly gales and high following seas throughout the voyage. The Riverina brought a large quantity of European. Egyptian and Australian mail matter. 70 passengers in all classes, and 2000 tons of general cargo, including nearly 11.000 hardwood sleepers and transhipments from several Home and Australian interState steamers. She "will sail again for Sydney at 5 p.m. to-morrow, and on her return to Auckland on August 30 wiJl make a trip to East Coast and, Southern ports.

Considerable progress has been made with the construction of the new launch landings west of the Ferry Buildings, and the completion of the work is now only a matter of a few weeks. The new shelter, with brick base, tile roof, and walls of lathe and piaster, is a considerable improvement. The old man-o'-war steps will shortly be destroyed. Arrangements have been made with the Telegraph Department for the installation in the building of'a penny-in-the-slot telephone. The five concrete landings were complete some weeks ago, an d men are now employed erecting dolphins for temporary moorings for the launches. To the eastward of the landings, the dolphins are for the use of pleasure craft, but launch owners are not allowed to moor their launches there for a longer period than two hours, without obtaining special permission. On the western side, launches plying for hire will be accommodated. The landings are only for passenger traffic, and cargo must, be landed and taken on board at the steps reserved for this purpose at the Hobson Street corner.

Fifteen years ago yesterday, on August' 16. 1900, the fourth New Zealand con- ! tingent received its baptism of fire at Ottoshoop. near Mafeking, in South Africa. Captain J. Harvev was killed Captain Fulton—now Lieut,-Colonel commanding the Trentham Regiment—was wounded. Lieutenant R. W. G. Collins of the Wellington Lands and Survey Office—was severely wounded, and Sergeant P. Hickey— now major in the Defence Office at Dunedin—was severely wounded. Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop. whose death as reported on Saturday, was [ under fire for the first time as "a lieutenant, and Major A. M. Samuel, who is in command of the 6th reinforcements, made his debut in the firing line on that occasion as a trooper.

Two men. James Olliver, of Manurewa, and Otta Hanson, of 35, Paice Avenue, off Dominion Road, were admitted to the hospital yesterday suffering from broken legs. The former was lifting a log with a jack and the log slipped and strut him on the leg. Hansen, who is a painter, is stated to have fallen from a ladder.

The Union Company's steamer Navua arrived at Auckland early yesterday morning from her periodical trip to South Sea Island ports. The vessel was a day late, in leaving Auckland, and consequently only made short stays at the various ports of call in the Tongan, Samoa and Fiji Groups. She hrought 75 passengers, a proportion of whom were tourists returning from a round trip. The vessel also brought a large shipment of fruit, and her cargo included 12,164 sacks of copra. 5860 sacks being consigned to Auckland and the balance for transhipment to Sydney and London. Tho Navua met with heavy weather for a part, of the journey between Suva and Auckland, but .she reached port at scheduled time.

A married man named Henry Nichols, 56 years of age, who was admitted to the hospital on August 9, died from pneumonia yesterday morning. He appeared to bo suffering from fits when admitted to the hospital, but subsequently stated that he had taken poison. Ho was treated accordingly, developed pneumonia. which proved fatal. An inquest will he held to-day.

A peculiar accident occurred on a Wellington beach recently. A woman was sitting on th© sea shore watching her little boy, aged about six. throwing stones into the water. The boy came close to his mother, and In bringing his hand sharply back in the action of throwing, broke one of the glasses of his mother's spectacles. Some of the glass entered the mother's eye, cutting the pupil severely, and, in spite of the fact that she was given expert attention immediately, it is feared that she may lose the sight of the eye,

The Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson. does not intend to call a public meeting, as suggested in a petition, to support his proposal that a camp should be established in Auckland and to protest against fresh troops being trained at Trentham. Mr. Gunson yesterday forwarded the following letter to Mr. Robert Burns, president of the Chamber of Commerce, who headed a recent deputation on the subject :—" I have carefully considered the petition which I had the honour to receive, and in reply I beg to say that, after due consideration, I have com© to the conclusion that at the present time it is undesirable that a public meeting should be called. You are no doubt aware that since the petition was promoted a Royal Commission was set up to report, on Trentham, and is still sitting. Under these circumstances the question may be considered sub judice, and upon these and other grounds I am of opinion that & public meeting would at the present time be inadvisable and inexpedient.'' In the course of evidence given before the commission inquiring into the proposed amalgamation ci Eden Terrace with the j ! citv vesterday, ;t was stated that at a fire ! which occurred outside the city boun- ■ daries tiie city br:..ade had looked on, i and had taken no part in assisting to j extinguish the flames. When the magis- ! irate inquired the cause ot this a gentle- ' man in Court ejaculated " Petty jealousy, \ and went on to state that the suburban ! brigades were jealous of tTio city brigade. < The magistrate expressed his doubt .is to :t he correctness of these statements. Ani other gentleman present stated that in one ' i instance the city brigade had arrived at ' j the scene of a fire outside its district, had j put it out, and was about to return to the '! station when the suburban brigade made 1 '4 : its appearance. ,! Two jurymen failed to appear at the 1 Supreme Court yesterday when called i upon to do so. The first was Mr. Enoch | Bond, a member of the Grand Jury, who, j it was stated was away in Canterbury, j His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman im i posed a fine of £5. to be remitted if Mr. I Bond could show reasonable cause for his absence. In the other case, that of Mr. George Thorpe, who had been called for the common jury, a fine of £2 was imposed.

| Probate of the wills of the following! j deceases! persons has been granted by His ] j Honor Mr. Justice Cooper:—Leslie G. ] I I lark (Mr. Morpeth ,■ Robert Carruth (Mr. Stewart), Robert Chester (Mr. Gribbins, Samuel Dodd (Mr. Ross; j Joseph E. S. Gribble (Mr. Johnston), | Godefmy Galitzenstein (Mr. Gnbbini, Stephen T. O'Kecfe (Mr. Stewart!, HolI ger Bro Randrup (Mr. Fee). Thomas G. j X. Screaton (Mr. Calder'i, Samuel | (Mr. Stewart), Thomas Whit-taker (Mr. j Butler i. Noel Steadman (Mr. Gold water), j Letters of administration of the estates of the following persons have also been granted.John A. Peery (Mr. Arm strong), Henry Spratt (Mr. Spencer).

By instruction of the deputy official assignee at Gisborne, Messrs. Richard Arthur and Company offered the topsail schooner, Elsie Mary, for sale by auction yesterday. The highest bid was £1600. but this was not equal to the reserve, and the vessel was passed in.

The. postal authorities advise that the English portion of the New Zealand mail which was despatched on June 15", via Vancouver, arrived in London on July 17, two days late. The mail was carried by the Makura. which reached Vancouver on July 2, one day late, so that the mail was evidently further delayed either in transit across Canada or in crossing the Atlantic.

The Native Appellate Court, comprising Judges MacCormick and Ravrson, has heard a native appeal by Taiwiwj Te Taniwha, against a partition order made by Judge Holland, in respect of the Wharekawa Block, situated at Thames. Mr. W. J. Napier appeared to oppose the appeal, and Mr. Wilson represented the appellant. After argument had been heard judgment was reserved.

The S- -cretary of the Auckland Women's j Navy Relief Fund stated at a meeting! held yesterday that since May last, £200 has been sent to England and £50 has! been given to the Hospital Ship Fund. The balance in the bank is about £500. One ton and a-half of clothing has been sent, away, and £60 spent in fitting the men of the Philomel out with 500 pairs of socks, 250 scarves, and other woollen articles. It- is proposed to hold an entertainment in His Majesty's Theatre in September, and a fete in December.

Tenders were to have been opened at last night's meeting of the Mount, Albert Borough Council for a portion, of the borough drainage scheme. The Mayor, Mr. Murdoch McLean, said it had been ascertained that by altering a certain part of the route in the Morningside area a saving of £200 would be effected. For this reason he moved that the tenders be not opened until August 25. The motion was carried. Mr. McLean stated that the Auckland and Suburban Drainage ; Board had not yet commenced the construction of the No* 8 branch sewer in Mount Albert. When this sewer was finished it would drain the whole of the clay area of the borough. The sooner the sewer was constructed, the better it. would be for the district.' On the motion of the Mayor, it was decided to ask the Drainage Board when the work will be commenced, and whea completed.

Representations on the subject of dangerous level crossings were recentlv addressed by the Mount. Albert Borough Council to tho Minister for Railways. At last nights meeting of the council, the reply of the Minister was read. The Minister stated that a portion of the loan authorised under the Railways Improvement Act of last session was to be set aside for the installation of automatic alarms. As soon as the money was available the work would be started, and the most dangerous crossings would be attended to first.

A protest against, the exclusion of women from the executive of the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association has been made by the committee of the women s branch of the National Reserve. A resolution calling upon the executive of the fund to rescind its resolution which " as it now stands, is considered a grave reflection on the abilitv and earnest work of the women of Auckland " has been forwarded to the Mavor. as chairman of the executive In a covering letter, the secretary of the organisation, Miss E. M. Black, writes that m the opinion of the branch it is largely owing to the efforts and selfsacrifice of the Auckland women that the committee is enabled to commence its operations with such a good credit balance at its disposal, and an injustice has been done in not giving the women an opportunity to assist in the dispensing of this citizens fund, particularly as many of the claims on the fund will bfrom the suffering women who have sacriI ficed their menfolk in the cause.