LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16010, 31 August 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tire steamer Tahiti .which left Suez on August 7 with 489 invalided' New Zealand soldiers on board is to go direct to Wellington, where she is expected to arrive on September 13. Tho Minister for Public Health, the Hon. G. W. Russell, stated yesterday that of the total number only 27 of the returning men arc hospital cases, and -57 are convalescents. Tho Tahiti had, ho believed, reached Fremactle. In spite of the*wot weather yesterday, it was decided to proceed with tho arrangements for Daffodil Day to-day. It is hoped that a largo sum will be collected in aid of the Countess of Liverpool's funds to provide leather waistcoats for tlio soldiers, and extra comforts for tho wounded. Many thousands of blooms were received by Mrs. Eliot Davis at the Town Tall yesterday. <■ At least two persons sent in two thousand blooms each, and there is every prospect that the supply will Ho ample. The Ponsonby and Onehunga school children supplied very acceptable dc/nations of daffodils and frcesias. Collections from many centres were ma.de during the day by Mr. H. Goldie. Many ladies will bo stationed at each street corner to-day. The treasurers, Messrs. K. Anderson and E. Bloomfield, will visit tho corners at intervals and tako charge of the amounts collected.

The Hud dart-Parker steamer. Riverina arrived at Auckland early yesterday afternoon from Sydney, after a protracted voyage of four days twenty hours. The vessel was considerably delayed by a breakdown in her engine-room and by continuous heavy easterly ( gales. The Riverina cleared Sydney Heads about 5 p.m. last Wednesday, carrying a large quantity of European and Australian mail matter/ 100 passengers, and' over 2100 tons of cargo, the latter including several hundred tons of transhipment cargo. Shortly after midnight on Wednesday the piston-rod of the high-pressure cylinder became heated and bent. The engines were stopped immediately, and the vessel hove to for about five hours while the engineers disconnected the damaged piston-rod and made arrangements for running the engines on the compound principle. After this arduous work had been completed, the Riverina was again 'put on her course, and logged 12 knots, ' which was considered most satisfactory in her disabled condition, until Saturday evening;, when ishe encountered a heavy easterly gale, «nd she was ablo to log only between nine and ten knots until yesterday morning, when she again maintained an average speed of about 12 knots. The gale blew with great force throughout Sunday and Sunday night, and a heavy beam sea was met with on the run down the coast from the North Capo to the Haunki Gulf. Repairs to the steamer's machinery will be completed this morning, and it is expected that she will sail for East Coast and Southern ports this afternoon as arranged. !The dislocation of business caused by the withdrawal of the Sydney steamer forms the subject of the .following telegram forwarded yesterday to the Prime Minister by the president oi the Auckland Chamber of -.Commerce, Mr. Robert Burns:—"Tho attention of the chamber has been called to the serious dislocation of business caused by the withdrawal of the Sydney'steamer. Wo understand that the withdrawal has been caused by tho action of some of the crew. If this is so, what action does the Government propose to take?"

v The income-tax appeal case, '.-John Chambers and Son, Ltd., as agents for llabcock and Wilcox, Ltd., Renfrew and London, against the Commissioner of Taxes, """ill be continued before Mr. Justice Cooper at the Supremo Court this morning. Mr. J. P. Campbell and Mr. R. \ McVeagh appear for the appellants, and Mr. W. J. Napier for respondent. Argument, for tho appellants was concluded about three weeks ago, and Mr. Napier's address to the Court, which •will be commenced this morning, is likely to last two or three days. This Is a test case, involving the liability to taxation o c English firms carrying on business in' New Zealand though local agents. -,'W

/A heavy north-easterly ga'.e has prevailed in Auckland Province since Saturday, .'and according to reports received, the conditions appear to bo very stormy along tho East Coast from the North Capo to Gisborne. ' There was a full fe ale on Saturday night, and this continued until last evening. Heavy rain commenced to fall yesterday morning, and continuedthroughout the -day and last evening. Several of the steamers in port were delayed, somewhat in loading and discharging operations, but with the exception of the trip of tho small steamer Kawau, to Mangawai and gulf ports being abandoned, the coastal fleet sailed as advertised. Tho Riverina, from Sydney, met a heavy -easterly gale, during nearly two days, and had to contend with thick, squally weather and high beam seas all the ■way' down' the coast-.

An argument advanced in support of the formation of an Empire Defenders' Parents' Leaguo at a meeting of parents last night at St. Matthew's parish hall was that nobody could look after the interests of Nov. Zealand soldiers so well

as their own fathers and mothers. At the end. of the meeting one, oE the mothers expressed her gratification that the league had been formed. . She asserted that ono reason why .it would be able to do good was that, the women members would bo able to console their fellow-members who might lose their sons, Moreover, the league could include tho . workers, whereas the Patriotic League, she said, was largely composed of - wcll-tc-do folks; Tho chairman of tho meeting, Mr. John Potter, had another argument in favour of the league. Tho.members could wear a badge to show their sons were at tho front. This might, have the effect of putting some of the young men who stayed at home to shame. , Tho Botha Fund opened in Auckland now totals about £500. Donations not previously acknowledged are as follows :~ Invercavgiil Borough Council, £6; R. A. Spinloy, £5 Waipa County Council, £4 10s: Mount Albert Borough Council. £3 ss: Newmarket Borough Council, £2 10s; Kawhia Town Board, Karoo Town Board, No.' 1 school, Matnkoho, and Champtaloup and Edmiston, £1 each; John Foster, Waipn, Miss Melville, and Whangarei County Council, 10s each; A. Bridgcman, 8s; Dargaville Borough Council, 4s; Whakatano County Council, 3s; Rev. and Mrs. Saunders, 2s; E. Phclan and Anonymous, Is each. Further evidence in the claim' for damages brought by H. E. Manning, Ltd.. against-Joseph Zahara, in connection with tho proposed erection of a. building in Karangahape Road, was given beforo Mr. Justice Cooper yesterday- afternoon. 'Mr. 11. H. Ostler appeared for plaintiff and Mr. J. R. Rood, K.C., with him Mr. W. D. M. Glaister, for defendant. His Honor heard counsel at length, and reserved his decision. " .

An' excellent series of war pictures from the Dardanelles will appear . ill to-morrow's issiio of the ArcKiiASD Weekly News. Among tho collection is a Etrikiug full-, page (photograph of a British gun in action on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Another interesting picture shows troops issuing from a trench to attack the lurks, while in other photographs various aspects of tho campaign against the Turks arft graphically depicted. Panoramic views of tho departure of the Auckland quota of tho eighth reinforcement draft for Trentham will also appear in the number. The roll of honour contains four pages of portraits of men who havo suffered in the fight against tho Turks. Several other photographs make up a particularly interesting publication. 1 The output of the new season's butter has rapidly developed under the influence of the highly-favourable conditions of the past few weeks. Consignments are now being forwarded to cool storage in Auckland from factories throughout tho province, a.rd the quantity already accumulated is 6800 boxes, of which 4500 boxes were delivered during last week. On August 31 last year the quantity in store was 7294 boxes. Tho prohibition against the export of butter has not yet been removed, but it is presumed that, as the available supplies are rapidly increasing, there will bo no difficulty in the way of tho normal resumption of the export trade. The' first shipment will be made to London by the steamer Otaki about the middle of September.

The presence in Auckland yesterday of tho Minister for Public Health and Dr. T. 11. A. Valintine, Director of Military Hospitals, was taken advantage of by the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board to bring under their notice the proposal to utilise the one or other of the buildings in the Exhibition Grounds at the Domain

as an auxiliary military hospital, in case

of emergency. A visit of inspection was paid to tlio Domain, and Dr. Valintine expressed the opinion that the late Government building would be tha most suitable for use if necessity should arise. The Minister left the matter to the Hospital Board and City Council, the latter being the authority having control of the Exhibition buildings. Thereupon Mr. Coyle, accompanied by Mr. E. H. Potter, a. member of the board, and Dr. A. McG. Grant, acting-medical superintendent of the hospital, waited upon the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, who acquiesced in the proposal that the building in question should be made available if required. Every facility would be given to the board in the matter. It is suggested by Mr. Coyle that the tea kiosk in the same area might be utilised for the accommodation of a nursing staff it the Government building comes into use as art auxiliary hospital. Numerous inquiries are made daily at the Auckland District Defence Office respecting soldiers serving with the Expeditionary Force, but in the majority of instances the relatives or mends fail to give the 'regimental number of the man about whom information is required. In order that particulars may be cupplied, the Defence authorities intimate that inquirers must always give a soldier's regimental number and state the reinforcement draft with which lie is serving. ) Cable messages may now be accepted at Expeditionary Force message rates for soldiers in Malta, with instructions to reply at the cost of the sender. The conditions are the same as in oases of messages tft , Egypt. Soldiers in Malta are also allowed to send collect messages to New Zealand up to 12 words .without the receipt of a request. . \ ••, _

A -bronze plato in memory of the late Mr. William Coleman will shortly bo placed on''the' honours board of the Orphans' Club, of .which ho was a member and officer for over 20 years. 'Mr. Coleman was elected a vice-president of the club in 1898, and occupied the presidential chair from 1901 to 1905. In the fob. lowing year, he accepted the position'of guardian of the club. In 'paying a tribute to tho memory of : Mr. Coleman at the last meeting of the club, the chairman, Mr. John Farrell, said the position had been specially created, for Mr. Coleman, and if;'was not, intended that any other member should succeed to it, but that his memory should be preserved :as the only guardian of the club.

A number of by-law cases were dealt with at tho Police Court yesterday. David Shaw,-charged with depositing rubbish in Church Street, Epsom, was convicted and ordered to pay costs. Arthur Doe admitted that he attempted to board amoving tram car, arid was convicted and ordered to . pay the Court costs. Roger Lupton was fined £1 for driving a vehicle across the intersection of Pitt Street and Karangahapb Road at more than a walking pace, and ignoring tho direction of the traffic policeman. Ray Lister was ordered to pay a penalty of 5s for driving a motor-car without a proper, taillight. A charge of failing jto keep his motor-car as near as possible) to the lefthand side of the street -was preferred rgainst William Stanley Miller, and after evidence had been heard the case was dismissed. , A Maori named Ivato Wiremti Xgatiwha '.was charged with, obstructing the traffic in Queen Street- and with {ailing to move on when ordered to do so. Tho defendant did not appear, and was fined; Ss. ' The maintenance case, police v, John Lament, a claim for support in respect of two illegitimate children, of whom the defendant is alleged to bo tho father, was reopened in the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr. G. C. Kettle, S.M. After evidence for tho defence had been

heard, the case' was adjourned until October 1. ' ) Two prisoners ' will come before 'Mr. Justice Cooper for sentence at ten o'clock this morning. They are Harry Kelly, breaking and entering and theft (three charges), and Arthur Osborne, forgery and uttering. A sitting of the Supreme Court in Chambers will be held at 10.30 a.m. on Friday. Mr. Justice Cooper will preside. "The Government has no intention whatever of commandeering your patriotic funds," said the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister for Public Health, yes terday, • in addressing a meeting of ladies at the Town Hall. "There need bo no fear that we shall do anything of the kind. Auditors may have to be appointed to give the Government a status, and also we wish to ensure a proper distribution of funds, so that men from poor districts shall not suffer by comparison with men from, rich districts." A national executive of tho New Zealand Land Values League has been formed as the result of a recent Dominion conference in Wellington. The headquarters of tho league for the year 191516 will bo in Auckland, and the officers are as follow •.—President, the Hon. Geo. ifowlds; vice-presidents, Mr. C. D. McLean (Auckland). Mi'. P. J/ O'Regan (Wellington), Mr. G. H. Nightingale ' (Christchurch), the Hon. J. T. Paul (Dnncdin); editor of official organ, Mr. ,R. A. Mould,

treasurer, Mr. G. Stevenson; secretary, Mr. G. M. Fowlds. ■•"'-,