LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16210, 22 April 1916, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A large English and American mail arrived at Wellington yesterday. The Auckland portion will arrive by the y express this morning. An English, Australian, and troop mail is due here by the Victoria late on Monday night or early on Tuesday morning. A distinct shortage in the supply of household coal, due to the number of men who have left the mines for the war, is being felt in Auckland. Added to this is the fact that freights have risen considerably. Local coal merchants anticipate a rise in prices before long. The break in the mail and trade service to the island of Niuo caused by the fire that occurred at tho end of January on the ketch Kereru, by which it was formerly carried on, was closed yesterday by the departure to the island of the schooner Awanui. Mr. W. F. fitting, who owned the Kereru, and also owns tho Awanui, recently renewed for two years his contract with the New Zealand Government, under which he undertakes to make six trips to the island in each 12 months. The request of the City Council that the Mayor of Auckland should reconsider his resolution to forego his honorarium during the period of the war has been submitted to Mr. Gunson by the DeputyMayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican. Mr. Gunson will probably defer his answer until the council's next meeting. The city authorities are taking steps in regard to the noisy tramcars, which have beon the subject of complaint The traffic manager has been instructed to exercise to the full extent the powers possessed by the City Council under the Tramway Company's deed of delegation. These powers are rather cumbersome in their operation, in that they require a specified period of notice as to the cars complained of. "It is, however," says tho Mayor, " the duty of the council to see that its powers are exercised, and we are going to do so." The extension of Quay Street towards Campbell's Point, provided for in the scheme adopted by the City Council and Harbour Board, will be an attractive waterside promenade. The street will have a_width of 100ft,,out of which there will lie an 18ft footpath on either side. Of tho other 64ft, the middle portion will be a grass-plot 16ft wide, and raised above the level of the roadway, with suitable intersections at intervals for the accommodation of traffic, leaving 24ft roadways on each side of the plantation It is proposed to ask the Harbour Board to consider the question of adapting the portion of the street already formed to the same plan.

That the prospects for this year's shooting season are much better than they were last year is the opinion expressed by Colonel W. H. Hazard, ex-president of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. It is pointed out that the weather for months past has been exceedingly dry, ana has been the best for the encouragement of breeding. Reports from all parts of the district indicate that all feathered game aro plentiful.

In the rush of passenger traffic to Rotorua on Thursday, holders of first-class tickets once more found themselves obliged to put up with second-class accommodation. An extra carriage was added to .train at the last moment, but for some reason the authorities found themselves unable to provido anything better than a second-class vehicle, into which passengers of both classes had to enter and make the best of circumstances. The complaint on this score, of course, long pre-dates war-time, and it seems that the convenience of the travelling public of Auckland receives little consideration from the railway authorities. Needless to say, the complaints on the present occasion, from thoso who had to pay the higher fare for the lesser kind of accommodation, were both loud and deep.

The improvements to Victoria Bark which will result from tho arrangement made between the Harbour Board and the City Council— which sections owned by the board on the Patteson Street, Customs Street, and Beaumont Street frontages will bo thrown into the park—cannot be carried out until the exchange is sanctioned by legislation. Arrangements havo accordingly been made to introduce the necessary clause into an Empowering Bill, which is to be introduced on behalf of the council in the coming session of Parliament. This measure, besides ratifying the exchange between the two bodies, will provide for other matters in which the council, requires powers it does not now possess.

The proposal to send a gift supply of butter for the benefit of the New Zealanders at the front has been well taken up, and the Mayor of Auckland hopes to be able to make a definite announcement in a few days as to what is being done in tho matter. The indications are that sufficient butter will be provided by donation to enable a shipment of considerable dimensions to be made. Tho statement published on Thursday, in a telegram from Dunedin, that the shipping companies aro raising their coastal freight rates by 2s 6d per ton, did not disclose the full effect of the 1 alteration. The cement companies have been advised that the rate on cement has been increased by Is per ton— 8s 6d to 12s 6d, or nearly 50 per cent. At tho same time the inter-colonial rates on cement have been increased by 5s per ton. A clause in the Auckland Hockey Association's annual report refers to the largo percentage of hockey players of the province who have answered the Empire's call, some of whom having found honoured graves at Gallipoli, whilst others have been wounded or stricken with illness. Since the outbreak of war over 300 actual playing members from the city, seven members of the association's executive committee and over 50 per cent, of the Referees' Association havo donned khaki and in addition the enlistments among country players have been so generous that no local competitions could be held last season at Rotorua, Cambridge, Whangarei, Waipa and Piako. Even though the response has been so generous and general, the Executive Committee of the Auckland Association feels that it is not out of place, in view of the crisis which the Empire is now experiencing, to express an ardent hope that no hockey player will put his game beforo his duty, and that whin ho feels his call has come he will "play the game" to the Empire, to his comrades who have already answered the call, and to himself. In new of the Royal command, received through His Excellency the Governor, that no dinners, reviews, salutes, or other celebrations shall be held on the King's Birthday, the King's Empire Veterans in Auckland have decided to hold a quiet luncheon on May 24, Empire Day.

A- supplement issued with to-day's Herald contains many excellent features. Tohunga contributes a seasonable article in "The' Message from Anzao," while Elsie K. Morton deals with "Anzac and Easter." Lieutenant-Colonel Grace writes on "Little Neutral Nations" and Frank Morton on "Germs and Germans." Archdeacon Mac Murray reviews the position in regard to the war in "Looking Back a Year." "German Missionaries" is from the pen of the Rev. J. Takle. A number of topical pictures and several cartoons appear among the illustrations.

The five Maoris, Awa Horomona, Whatu Rua, Pukepuke Kanara, Maka Hanuera, and Toika Hakai, again appeared before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court on Thursday on charges in connection with the events which culminated in the arrest of the "prophet" Rua. The accused were remanded in custody to appear at Rotorua on Thursday next. In refusing to sell the remaining cone of the Three Kings for use as a scoria quarry, the board of the Wesley Training College was influenced by regard for public opinion. The terms offered by the intending purchaser were most substantial, but the board, recognising that the preservation of the beautiful volcanic bill was desired by the community, sacrificed its immediate interests by refusing to sell. In the older parts of the city it has been the practice of the City Council to remove noxious weeds from tho streets at its own cost. In view of tho fact that legally the responsibility of clearing the roadway to half its width rests upon the owners of the property on either side, the question has arisen as to how the suburban districts recently incorporated in the city shall be dealt with in the matter. The question camo up at Wednesday night's meeting of the council in respect of blackberry and gorse that are growing in Albert Street, Remuera, off Victoria Avenue, as to which Mr. C. A. Whitney had written to the council. A recommendation of the Works Committee that the council undertake the work of clearing the weeds away was adopted. A statement in bankruptcy has been filed with the official assignee by William Ernest Hill do Baugh and Herbert William de Baugh, builders. The amount owing to unsecured creditors was £968 2s Bd. No assets are mentioned. The private schedule of H. W. do Bough shows that tho amount owing to unsecured creditors as £97 15s and to secured creditors £100, the value of the securities being £50. The total liabilities are £147 15s and tho assets nil.

A new organisation of the Salvation Army, as far as New Zealand is concerned, has just been brought into existence— body known as the Life-Saving Scouts, whose special course of training is to be in the rescue of tho drowning and ambulance work. Similar institutions connected with the army have existed in England for some timo past. The scouts are to bo affiliated to the' Dominion Corps of Boy Scouts. Scoutmaster Davis is the commander of the Auckland company.

The appearance of two young men in the Auckland, Police Court on Thursday, charged with the theft of machinery, valued at £130, was the result of diligent ; work by members of the police. Constables Gourlay and Mcßride, while inquiring about a lost anchor, called at an engineer's; shop, and there casually observed some copper which had been purchased as scrap metal. Tho shape of the metal led to questions, and it was explained that the man who sold it brought it on a cart laden with grass. With this slight cluo the officers proceeded to Victoria Park, where grass was being cut. They were informed that no grass had been carted away on the day in question, and that the grass had been thrown over a fence. Tho officers then visited tho place where tho grass was deposited, and on looking about found that a stable near had been forcibly entered. A householder gave a description of a man who had been seen taking grass, and later in the day the officers apprehended two young men, who on Thursday were committed for sentence on a charge of stealing machinery valued at £130. They also admitted stealing a number of sacks from Avondale.

Evidence of tifi number of dm tried i.ici who are enlisting in Auckland may be gauged from the fact that of the 122 n.en who enlisted at the Victoria Street reing station for the week ended on Wed nesday night, 48— oyer one thud-are married. Many married men placed their positions before the officer in charge of the recruiting station before they enlist, and in numerous instances that officer exercises his discretion and advises them that, in view of their domestic responsibilities, their duty at present lies in remaining in New Zealand and caring fo; their families. The application of a school teacher with nine children for permission to enlist was refused. In another instance a woman with eight children asked the recruiting officer to prevent her husband from leaving with the reinforcements. In tins instance, also, the man's family call was deemed to be greater than that of his country, and the wife's application was granted The Supreme Court offices were closed for the Easter holidays on Thursday, at 1 p.m. They will be reopened on Wednesday, from which day until the following Saturday they will remain open during the mornings only, closing at 1 p.m.. It is expected that Mr. Justice Cooper will be in Auckland on Monday, May 1, for the transaction of business in chambers and in banco. The next civil and criminal sittings of the Supreme Court will open on May 15 and May 22 respectively. A formal charge of not being under proper control was brought against an infant, four months old, in the Juvenile Offenders' Court on Thursday, before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M. The child came before the notice of the police under extraordinary circumstances. A week ago it was found in I'rankwn in charge of a woman who, while intoxicated, was wheeling it about in a bassinette. It was devoid of clothing, and the woman, in her drunken progress, tipped it. out of the bassinette. The woman was lined at Hamilton for drunkenness, and the infant was brought before the Court as a neglected child. At the instance of the Waikato Hospital Board secretary, the child was sent to Auckland, where arrangements have been made for its welfare. Recently Messrs. H. J. Okey and W. T. Jennings, M.P.'s, were waited on by a deputation from the Polish residents of Haw-era, who protested against the action of the authorities in compelling them to report weekly to the police. Thev pointed out that although not naturalised British subjects they had no sympathy with the Germans. Their parents left Poland on account of the tyranny of the Germans, Most of them had been here since childhood. The members of th« deputation all took prominent parts in local affairs were industrious farmers, and between them had reared over 30 children. They stated that they were under the impression that 25 years residence entitled them to be considered naturalised British subjects In reply, the members promised to brine the matter under the notice of the Minister for Internal Affairs, and that thev would make a strong recommendation to have the > restriction removed.