LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16022, 14 September 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Huddart-Parker steamer Ulimaroa, which arrived at Wellington from Sydney yesterday, brought 116 bags of mails for New Zealand. Of these 61 are from Australia, and the balance are from England. The mails were placed on the second oxpress from Wellington last evening, and will reach Auckland this afternoon.

A 15-year-old boy, who appeared on remand, was charged in the Juvenile Court yesterday on five counts with committing petty theft at Helensville. The probation officer presented a favourable report, and the magistrate formally committed the boy to the Weraroa Training Farm. He was admitted to probation for 12 months, and was advised to keep to his home. Another juvenile, charged with theft, was admitted to probation, provided he was sent to a farm in the country.

There have been complaints of delays to parcels and letters sent to soldiers at the Dardanelles, but when the conditions of the fighting are remembered it will be seen that the military authorities have been hard enough put to it to provide the men with necessaries. Indeed, a story is told of a staff officer who landed on the sandy shores of the peninsula. looked round him with disfavour, and asked wearily. " Where is my office?" Someone who had had longer experience of Gallipoh and its hardships tossed him over a spade and said. " Here, dig your own office.

A case of a kind that is, fortunately, rare, came under the attention of the Soldiers' Relief Committee of the Patriotic and War Relief Association yesterday. A soldiers mother, who had been receiving temporary assistance until the Defence Department was in possession of the necessary evidence to enable it to make an allotment from the soldier's pay, was in arrears with her rent, and a bailiff came to the house. Mr. J. Y. Warren, secretary of the Patriotic and War Relief Association, got into communication with the landlord's agent, and though he was unable to persuade him to allow the woman to stay in the house, he obtained permission to move the furniture. The woman's husband has been ill for a considerable period, and work is now being found for him at Te Kuiti, the Relief Committee having paid his fare there. The only other breadwinner was the soldier mentioned, and he has been reported missing. A voting brother has been doing light work, but he is now at home in a condition unfit for work. The Relief Committee will now have to secure another home for the woman. In reply to a question as to whether this case was typical of the attitude of landlords to tenants, whose boys had left for the war, Mr. V. J. Lamer, chairman of the Relief Committee, answered in the negative. "As a rule the landlords have been very considerate when we have made representations to them. They have, in many cases, forgiven back rent, and, in other instances, have made reductions in the rent."

Damage to a hired fancy dress costume formed the basis of a claim heard in the Magistrate's Court before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., yesterday afternoon, when a dealer named Maud Hanna (Mr. A. G. Quart-ley) sought to recover the sum of £2 5s from L. J. Comrie (Mr. E. MacCormack). Evidence was given that the defendant hired a costume from the plaintiff, and used it at a fancy dress function. While wearing it an explosion occurred in a tin he was carrying, and the costume was damaged. The magistrate held that on the score of equity and good conscience the defendant should have made good the damage done. He gave judgment for the full amount claimed, with costs and witnesses' expenses-

The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. T. Harlo Giles, has returned from New Plymouth, after presiding at a meeting held in connection with the Taranaki Furniture Trades and Carpenters' and Joiners' dispute. Mr. Harle Giles •will preside at a conference between the proprietors and employees engaged in the flour milling industry to-morrow morning.' A meeting of the Conciliation Council will be held on Monday next, when the Rattan and Wickerworkers' dispute will be heard.

The secretary of the Farmers' Union, Mr. A. Schmitt, -who returned to Auckland on Sunday, from a tour of the Raglan, Waingaro, and Raleigh districts, states that the country -was showing good evidences of spring. A new co-operative dairy factory had been built at Raglan. Mr. Sohmitt's visit was made in connection with the organising of local committees, whose duty would he to watch the interests of each district. A system of co-operation in milking and harvesting would be arranged by these committees, with a view to overcoming any danger of decreased production through shortage of labour. Mr. Schmitt was of the opinion that where these committees work, instead of a decrease, there will be an increase in production. There was no doubt whatever that the present crisis was already bringing out the better qualities of the farmers.

'• There seems to be a good deal of misconception in some quarters regarding the nature of the work of the Relief Committee of the Patriotic and War Relief Association," said the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, yesterday. "It should be clearly understood that the funds are not available for the purpose of supplying articles to those who can afford to procure the same for themselves. Articles such as razors, for example, can be procured by the majority of the men, and it would be quite improper to put the patriotic funds to such a use. The money has been subscribed to meet necessitous cases, giving assistance to returned men who are in need, or relieving their dependents in distress. Any such persons need have no hesitancy in coming to the Town Hall, where their cases will be pathetically received, and assistance given."

Reference was made by Rabbi A. Goldstein at the New Year celebrations at the Synagogue last Thursday, to the necessity for the'congregation giving freely for the alleviation of Jewish sufferers in the countries -which had been devastated by war. The Jewish community in Auckland has already given generously in this direction, in addition to individual contributions to the various patriotic funds. Some lime ago a sum of £500 was sent to London to be used for the benefit of Jewish refugees from Belgium. Later on, a sum of £500 was forwarded to London in aid of distressed Jews in the countries of the allies. Further collections are being made.

Next Saturday is the Day of Atonement in the Jewish calendar. On that day will close the 10 pejiete.ntial days which began with the Jewish New Year on Thursday last. Services will be held in the Synagogue on Friday evening, and throughout the whole of Saturday, from 8.30 a.m. till evening.

The Mount Roskill Road Board brought another batch of cases before the Onehunga Court yesterday in further pursuance of its determination to clear the streets of straying cattle and the footpaths of bicycles. Fines were imposed by the magistrate in a number of cases.

To-morrow's issue of the Auckland Weekly New? will contain many fine photographs dealing with the return of the wounded from the Dardanelles. The incidents illustrated will include the landing at Wellington, the railway journey of the Auckland men. and scenes in the city an Sunday last. The roll of honour this week contains the portraits of 217 soldiers.

A poll of Epsom ratepayers will be taken to-morrow on the question of raising a loan of £3500. for the purpose of laying and connecting 4m cast-iron watermains for that portion of the Epsom district not within the Manuka Water Supply Board's area. The polling-booth will be located at the Epsom school, and votes will be received between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

What was described by the magistrate, I Mr. C. C. Kettle, as a most extraordinary case, terminated in the Magistrate's Court at noon yesterday, when an application for a maintenance order was dismissed. The complainant, Annie Violet Phelan (Mr. Allan Moody), a single woman, claimed from John McSweeney (Mr. B. A. Singer) maintenance in respect of her, illegitimate child. The case occupied the Court for 11 hours. The magistrate said the case was the most extraordinary he had ever heard. The onus of pioof rested with the complainant, and that onus had not been discharged to his satisfaction. In cases of this kind, the evidence must be clear, satisfactory, and convincing, and the magistrate must be quite satisfied that the evidence is true, and that it is quite safe to make an order. In this case the evidence was not convincing or satisfactory, but he did not wish to prejudice either side. It had not been proved that the defendant was the father of the child, and the information would be dismissed. The magistrate added that this was a case in which the police would be perfectly justified in making the most exhaustive inquiries. On one side or the other the. most wicked perjury had been committed. Mr. Moody said the police were making inquiries concerning various incidents mentioned in the case, Mr. Singer said his client intended taking the matter further, independent of the police.

An arrangement is under consideration, but not yet completed, by which Dr. Glantz, a German interned at Motnihi Island, will be exchanged for a British doctor now a prisoner of war in Germany, says our special correspondent at Wellington. Dr. Glantz was one of the prisoners taken when the New Zealand Erpediditionary Force captured Samoa.

As president of the Auckland Provincial Belgian Relief Association, the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, yesterday received a letter from Mr. Robert Burns resigning his position as vice-president and vicetreasurer of the association. The letter stated that during the absence of Mr. Burns in England, the position of ActingConsul for Belgium would be held by Mr. J. C. Burns. Under, the rules of the association, Mr. J. C. Burns automatically becomes vice-president and vicetreasurer of the Relief Association.

It is anticipated that there -will be no shortage in insulated steamer space until the end of this year, at any rate. Equal to 19,000 carcases are going from Auckland by the Otaki, and 25,000 carcases are to go by the Port Albany, which is due at Auckland on Saturday. Space for another 25,000 carcases has been secured in the Mimiro. This makes a total of nearly 70,000 carcases, which will be shipped in the next month or six weeks. The. Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company will continue killing as long as there is anything to kill. There is likely to be less demand for killing space in October, so far as can be seen at present. Lambs will be coming forward in January, February, and March, but it is too early at prej sent to estimate what shipping space will be available.

The Organising Committee of the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association met last evening, when Mr. Charles Rhodes was in the chair. It was decided to ask all the religious bodies in Auckland to take up collections in their churches on October 51, in aid of the fund, the day to be known as " Soldiers' Day.** In connection with the Patriotic Queen Carnival, the services of several representative citizens were secured to act on the executive. The chairman of the Carnival Committee is Mr. George Elliot, and the

vice-chairman Mr. Eliot Davis. Members of the committee were appointed as follows —Messrs. H. P. Richmond, H. P. Kissling, J. J. Walklate, J. J. Kingston. M. M. Lonisson. E. Anderson, and J. C. Burns. Mr. Charles Rhodes -will he a member of the committee, ex officio. It was decided that a public meeting should be held in the Town Hall on Thursday afternoon, at three o'clock, -when it was hoped that those interested in the carnival would attend to hear an address by Mr. Owen Cardston, the organiser of -successful Southern queen carnivals. Mr. George Elliot -will also address the meeting. The committee decided to communicate with the A. and P. Association, with & view to securing its assistance for the carnival at the annual show.

Word has been received from the Defence Department by Sergeant-Major W. J. Cox, of Auckland, that he has been promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and appointed musketry instructor for the Auckland military district. At the parade of the Ponsonby unit of the National Reserve on Saturday night Mr. H. Cook, chairman of the committee, congratulated Lieutenant Cox on his promotion. In doing so he made reference to the successful work accomplished by the lieutenant as honorary instructor of the Ponsonby National Reserve, It was mainly through him that such keen enthusiasm prevailed in the unit. Mr. Cook's remarks were received with applause. In reply Lientenant Cox announced that he would still continue to act as honorary instructor to the reserve.

The chief provision in the Alien Enemv Teachers Bill, leave to introducegwhich in the House of Representatives was given to the Prime Minister last week, is that it shall not be lawful for the governing bodv of any university or school under the Education Act, or any other institution supported wholly or in part by grants from the public, to continue to employ an alien enemy as professor or teacher or instructor in education in such institution.

The Devonport Presbyterian Cnurch was crowded last evening, when the Rev. George Budd, late of Feilding. was inducted into the charge. The Rev. R. Inglis, interim moderator, presided. The Moderator of the Presbytery, the Rev. J. M. Saunders, preached the induction sermon. The new minister ' was introduced to the congregation by the moderator as they retired.

The following was the state of His Majesty's prison, Auckland, for the week ended September 11:0.> remand, 5 males ; awaiting trial and sentence, 11 males: sentenced to life. 5 males; sentenced to hard labour. 207 males, 14 females: sentenced to imprisonment. 2 males; default of bail. 4 males; debtor.l male; received during the week, 27 males 3females discharged,3l males, 2 females; total in prison, 235 males, 14 females.