LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16098, 11 December 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A letter was received from an Auckland business firm by the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, at a meeting; held yesterday afternoon, calling attention to a recent judgment in the Auckland Magistrate's Court, by which it is held that acknowledgments for moneys passed between employees of a firm are liable to stamp duty as receipts. Tho eecretary of the chamber, Mr. A. J. Denniston, stated that be had written to the secretary of the Stamp Department on the matter. Members of the council expressed the opinion that an immediat* amendment in the law was necessary, and it was decided to bring the matter under the notice of the Prime Minister, with a view to getting an assurance from him that an alteration would be made in the Act.

I A sum of over £480 was realised as [the result of an auction sale which took ! place at the concert chamber of the Town Hall last evening, in aid of the Patriotic Fund, to which the whole of the amount received is to bo handed. Four acres of ground at Titirangi brought £15 an. acre, two acres realised £17 10s and nine acres £12 10s per acre. Twenty-five acre sections at Blockhouse Bay brought £3 10s each. One section of* the Pine View Estate at Hbbsonville, comprising on© acre, was sold for £12, whilst land at Birkenhead, with a mortgage of £50, brought £32 10s for the equity. Thirtyseven acres at Wbangarei with front-ago to Taibaruru Harbour was sold for £1 6s per acre. A sot of Encyclopaedia Britannica was sold {or £18 10s. whilst two green£tone tikis brought £2 and £8 respectively. A model yacht was sold for 15s, -whilst a 17-months-old pedigree bulldog. Admiral Sturdee. was the result of another £2 being netted. A pair of creamy ponies were Bold for £16. The bidding for a sevenseater waggonette did not go beyond £10 and it was, therefore, not sold.

Two complaints in regard to the difficulties attending the despatch of wireless messages to New Zealand from steamers travelling between the Dominion and Australia were received by the ,-oancil of the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting vesterday. It waa pointed out that although the regulations were supposed to be the same for New Zealand and Australia, the interpretation placed upon them by the two countries was altogether different and the Australian end accepted messages from ship's passengers without any further restrictions than the captain's censorship. One of the writers, a business man in Auckland, stated that he had one message which it was very important should reach his Auckland office, and when nearly halfway between Sydney and Auckland the message was accepted, sent by wireless to Sydney, and then transmitted as an ordinary cable message to New Zealand at a cost of °4d per word instead of being wirelessed direct. It seemed somewhat extraordinary that, while it was safe to send messages to Australia it should not be equally so for residents in New Zealand to send messages to thenown country. The secretary of the chamber, Mr A. J. Denniston, stated that copies of the letters had been forwarded to the secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, Wellington, asking or an explanation. It was decided that the reply be awaited, and that if it be not sat.sfactory a letter be sent to the Pol master-General asking why the discrimint tipn is made between tie two countries I

f J)° I'- k R€ * noM «. aged 13, who m from his bicycle while riding alone Church Street ' O"*"**. on Thorny evening is progressing favourable He broke his arm in falling, and ha to be conveyed to the hospital for Xray ££

A number of interesting articles are contained in the HttTUT.n Supplement today. Tohunga's article is entitled "When Peace Is No Peace," and LieutenantColonel A. A. Grace describes " Russia's Part in the Great War." Frank Morton deals with " Sharks and Sausages," -whilst the Rev. W. G. Monckton takes as his subject, "The Dardanelles Campaign." Elsie K. Morton's article is entitled, " White-feather Men," and Dr. J. Giles contributes " Mixed Musings." The issue also contains some striking war pictures, and a photograph of New Zealand's second hospital ship, the Marama, leaving Wellington.

A general meeting oi the Importers* Protection Association was held yesterday morning at the Chamber of Commerce when it was decided to proceed with registration. Some additions were made to the committee, and the list of officers is now as follows —President, Mr. R. Burns; vice-president, Sir. R. L. Stewart; committee, Messrs. E. W. Evans, H. E. Partridge, John Milne, A- L. Andrews, A. J. Entrican, B. Noakes, M. C. Cossar, and A. Bell.

The impressions of Auckland formed by the Mayor of Wellington, Mr. J. P. Luke, during his recent week's sojourn here are thus described by the Wellington Post:—"Mr. Luke has returned to Wellington, impressed with the idea that the Lady of the Waitemata is well on the road to progress. Both in the city and the suburbs he saw signs of municipal progress, although be looks to greater improvement in suburban roads, more especially on account of the fact that many suburbs are linking up with the city and forming a Greater Auckland. Drainage works are being pushed along, and promise well, but Mr. Luke thinks that, in spite of recent improvements, there is still something to be desired"in the matter of street lighting, especially in the residential quarters."

A narrow escape ■was experienced jesterday by Roy Hastings a single man, residing with his parents at 56, Great North Road, Grey Lynn. He was driving a van along Douglas Street, Ponsonby, about 2.30 p.m., when the horse, a young one, suddenly swerved. The vehicle was overturned and the driver was pinned beneath

it, being rendered unconscious. Ho was dragged from underneath the vehicle by two ladies, and medical aid was summoned.

i Hastings was unconscious for some hours, but after he regained consciousness he appeared all right, having no marks of injury except scarred legs. He is a returned soldier, having been sent home on the Willochra on account of a weak heart. A visit of inspection to the camp of the Tunnellers' Corps at Avondale was made yesterday by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. J. H. Gunson, accompanied by Major J. E. Duigan, general staff officer for the Auckland military district. The Mayor, who was received by Captain N. Newcomb, officer in charge, made a complete tour of inspection of the camp. Most of the men were engaged in squad drill under the direction of non-commissioned officers, and the Mayor was afforded an opportunity of seeing the progress made by the men during their eight weeks* training. Mr. Gunson remarked after the inspection that he was delighted with the evidences: of the good work that were to be seen on every hand. The Auckland 'Railways League, of j which Mr R. R. Hunt is secretary, has received the following subscriptions:— Pnkemiro. Colleries, Ltd., £4 4s; Waihi Borough Council. Campbell and jShrenfried Co., Ltd., D. Goldie, Tonson Garlick and Co., Ross and Glendining, Ltd., Macky, Logan, Caldwell, Ltd., £2 2s each ; Bagnall Bros, and Co., Ltid., Sharland and Co., Ltd., Upton and Co., S. Vaile and Sons, Ltd., Brett Printing Company, G. W. S. Patterson, Taumanmui Chamber of Commerce, George Fowlds, Ltd., Kaiapoi Woollen Company, Ltd., £1 Is each; C. J. Hutchinson, £1. The annual prize-giving and breaking-np ceremony in connection with the King's College, Remuera, will be held at the college grounds on the afternoon of Tuesday next, at three o'clock. A distribution of prizes in connection with the Auckland Grammar School will be made at the Town HaD on Thursday evening. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. H. Gunson) will probably be present ©a both occasions. "At the inquest yesterday, as to the death of Jane Leaek, an unmarried woman, 50 years of age. who died in "East Street, Newton, on Thursday last, the evidence showed that deceased had been ill for some time, and had refused to see a medical man. The post-mortem examination disclosed chronic pelvic peritonitis, feptic absorption from which was the cause of death. Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M, recorded a verdict .accordingly. As previously stated, a large number of school boys and other lads have volunteered to give assistance in harvesting to those farmers who are short of labour. A list of the volunteers is being kept at the Farmers' Union Office in Albert Street. The duty of collecting agricultural statistics, which has for the last few years been done by other agencies, is to be again undertaken by the police force. It is understood that the police will commence the work in February.

At a meeting of the Master Bakers' Association the recent action taken by the journeymen bakers in regard to the commencement of work prior to 4 sum. was discussed. It was finally decided that the master bakers take no action in the matter.

The motion to delete the clause in the Federation of Labour's rulea relating to acceptance of " clearances " bv all unions proposed at the conference of waterside unions at Wellington by a delegate from the Auckland Umon, formed the object of considerable discussion among men on the Auckland waterfront yesterday. It an pears that whatever may be decided upon by the conference will not in any wav commit the Auckland union. The two delegates at present in Wellington are there by invitation, merely M t T dog." for the Auckland it is understood that thev have r2erv2 instructions which must be rillT *** hered *. One of ££**££* ,t to the abolition of the EWri™ r- • fj. by the sde Workers' Union for tbTL J-J** out all und^^Sranl that the question the disposal of the je° *\ at it come, U p for dls tZf O TiT n ? eD of the representatives, * return

m A former Dunedin resident „~ ,- • in Winnipeg, Canada. ™?*-° "°* brln very bad £*" >Jt? *" *?* trade is reviving and th! *"'' but good. We shalAavf &**%£ S 10,000 troops in training in 1: 2S? , *° ing the winter. Thev L J.T.2? **' from the summer camp. We •ending new contingent to ££%?*<