LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16215, 28 April 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The work of the Claims Board of the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association is steadily extending, not only in regard to cases arising in and about the city, but also in connection with the provincial committees, which operate on their own account, and draw directly upon the central body for funds as they are required. One pleasant feature of the board's administration is that quite a number of men who have received assistance from it in the period immediately following their .return to New Zealand have written to state that they are no longer in need of help, having secured employment, or in some other way become independent of the Patriotic Fund. Such men are warm in their expressions of gratitude for the support given to them in the time of stress.

In presenting some figures at the annual meeting of parishioners of All Saints' Church, last night, the vicar, Archdeacon Calder, observed that on December 21, St. Thomas's Day, they would celebrate the golden jubilee of the parish. Since the establishment of All Saints', 3800 children had been baptised in the church. During the past twelve months, 40 weddings were solemnised. The baptisms during the year totalled 150, 80 candidates were confirmed, and the communicants numbered 5000. In everything except financial matters, lie said, tho church had made good progress.

The erection by Mr. W. E. Hutchison of the extension of the municipal art gallery which is to house the Mackelvie collection, has been considerably delayed owing to tho difficulty the contractor experienced in obtaining glass and other necessary materials. Most of the supplies required are, however, now to hand, and it is expected that the work will be completed in a few weeks, when the formal opening will take place. The portion ol the building at present appropriated to the Mackelvie collection will be utilised in the future for relieving other parts of the art gallery, in which tho hanging space is overcrowded, and also for tTie exhibition (A newly-acquired pictures which have not yet been seen by the public.

The girl scholars at the Auckland schools are working very devotedly and enthusiastically at the provision of comforts for tho soldiers at the front. '" My girls," said Miss Newsom, of Newton East, at yesterday's meeting of the Educational Institute, quoting a typical case, "are giving up their spare lime before school, their morning and afternoon playtime, and much of their evening hour? to the work." As Miss Xewsom and others considered that it was "waste of patriotic enthusiasm" when such whole-hearted workers were hampered for want of sufficient materials, it was agreed, on the motion of Mr. ('. R. Munro, that any school should be allowed to draw upon the amounts set aside by its teachers for the Patriotic Fund out of their salaries the equivalent of their contributions for a month, the money to be spent in providing material;;.

The mof of the Myers Kindergarten, the handsome gift with winch the Hon. A. M. Myers has supplemented his benefaction to the city in the shape of Myers Park, was hoisted yesterday, and the workmen employed on the job exercised the traditional privilege of their craft by " flying the flag" as a hint to the owner. Though Mr. Myers might, in the circumstance, fairly claim to be in a different position from a person who builds for his own benefit, he happened to be in the vicinity during the morning, and accepted the reminder. Accordingly, he invited the workmen, some thirty in number, to a luncheon at the Strand Arcade.

' At the annual meeting" or the Society for the Protection of Women and Children and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, yesterday afternoon, reference was made by Rabbi Goldstein to the, Blue Cross Fund, recently started in England to do work among the horses at the front, similar to that which the Red Cross Society is doing for wounded men. The sufferings of the wounded horses were terrible, and, at a time when all thought and endeavour was directed toward the alleviation of suffering among the soldiers, there was a tendency to forget the noble part played by the horses. It was mentioned bv Rabbi Goldstein tint subscription lists had already been opened in Sydney, and £500 had been donated by the Australian Jockey Club towards this most worthy object. With a view to inaugurating a similar movement in Auckland, it was unanimously decided that the matter be submitted to the Ladies' Committee for consideration.

The quarterly meeting of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was held yesterday morning, Mr. D. Dunlop, president, in the chair. The financial statement presented by the treasurer, Mr. (1. Lippiatt, showed a credit balance of £47, but in view of the responsibilities devolving upon the branch, he strongly recommended the raising of the rates of subscription. Accordingly, Mr. Lippiatt gave notice of a motion, to be considered at the next quarterly meeting, in favour of increasing the subscription from a minimum of 10s 6d to a minimum of 13s, with intermediate rates, graded according to salary, ranging up to a maximum of 255, tho increases to date from July 1. He estimated that by this means an additional £100 per annum would be raised, which would be about sufficient to meet the calls upon the branch. An address was delivered by Mr. E. K. Mulgan, M.A., chief inspector of schools for the Auckland district, upon his recent tour in the British Islands, which detailed some amusing experiences of travel, and especially dealt with his observations of the working of the education system in the Old Country and elsewhere. A hearty vote of thanks was given to Mr. Mulgan by the meeting.

An important communication respecting the provision of more convenient access to Avondale railway station has been received by Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., from tlio Minister for Railways, the Hon. W. H. Herries. Consequent upon the death of Mr. David Daniels, who was killed while crossing the line on March 16, Mr. Parr made representations to the Minister, asking for a safer means of access to the railway platform. In reply, the Minister, while not acknowledging that the Department was blamable in the matter of thu fatality, pointed out that a proposal for providing a sub-way as a more convenient means of access to the station from the north side'had been approved. The sum involved, however, was considerable, and, in view of the financial position created by the war, the Department was unable, at present, to proceed with the work. Immediately funds were available the work would be undertaken.

Further donations from the Auckland Educational Institute have been paid into the various funds, as follows:—Auckland Provincial Patriotic Fund, £524 19s 9d; French Red Cross, Russian, and Servian Relief Funds. £100 each, making a total of £824 19s 9d.

Seldom has the Wanganui River been so difficult of navigation as it is at present. Five boats, telegraphs our Taumarunui correspondent, were delayed at different places at one time recently.

Complaint is rife among fruitgrowers of Henderson and Avondale districts that I serious delays occur in the transmission of their fruit South. Some time ago the Henderson Fruitgrowers' Association, Ltd., approached the member for the district, Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., and asked his offices in seeking a remedy, in consequence of Mr. Pair's action in the matter, tho Minister for Railways, the Hon. W. H. Hemes, has stated that he will institute careful inquiries, and obtain a report. If investigation proves that serious and unnecessary delays occur on southern lines, he will direct that special efforts be made to obviate the trouble.

"It is a misuse of the Act, and not a •fair thing to the debtor to be dragged into Court on a judgment summons when he has made an honest attempt to meet his obligations," said Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The magistrate's remarks were occasioned by the appearaice in Court of a journeyman painter who < wed a sum of about £5 10s, and who stated that he had made fairly regular payments off the debt, despite the fact that he lad had occasional illnesses brought on by the nature of his work. Mr. Kettle said he would take a note of the case, which, he said, was one of a great many. He asked the judgment debtor how much he had lost in coming to Court, and was informed that a day's wages— been forfeited. "This man should be credited with this amount off the account," said Mr. Kettle to the solicitor who was appearing for the judgment creditor, adding: "And I have a good mind to allow him the costs of the judgment summons." The debtor eventually agreed to pay off the debt by fortnightly instalments of 2s.

The election of a director of the Auckland Fanners' Freezing Company to represent the dairy factory companies in the province which have taken up shares in the undertaking was completed yesterday. Mr. H. E. Pacev. of- Auckland, was returned, polling 9851 votes, as against 2650 recorded in favour of Mr. J. McLcod, of Helensville.

Some criticism which has been levelled at the Patriotic and War Relief Association for expending part of its funds upon I Domain improvements was answered by Mr. C. R. Munro at the meeting of the Educational Institute yesterday. As the institute's funds had provided some of the means, Mr. Munro pointed out that when the teachers handed their former contribution to the Patriotic Fund it was stipulated that half the money was to be devoted to the relief of local distress. The Domain works were started to provide work for a large number of men who were thrown out of employment through the war, as a means of assistance that would be much more in keeping with their selfrespect than the direct voting of money. Probably several thousand men had in this way been provided with temporary employment, for of the 200 odd who were engaged on the work the personnel differed from week to week. Mr. Munro read a letter from Mr. A. S. Bankart outlining the way in which the scheme had been carried out, and declared his opinion that the scheme had served an important purpose at a time when it was urgently required.

Complaint was made at the annual meeting of parishioners of All Saints' Church, Ponsonby, last night, that nowadays children were not brought up to attend church. It was remarked that they were sent to special children's services instead of the ordinary services of the church, at which latter, apparently, they were not wanted. It was suggested that this was a contributory cause of the decline in attendance at public worship. Instead of being trim and tidy on Sundays, children were allowed to run about just as on a week-day. A parishioner expressed the opinion that churchgoers themselves were to blame, as children were not kept under such strict parental control as formerly.

Allusion was made to the Takapuna water supply at last evening's meeting of the Takapuna Borough Council. Mr. E. E. Grimwade remarked that no provision had been made by the Waitemata County Council for a sinking' fund in connection with the loan of £4500 for the Takapuna -water supply service, which the Borough Council had taken over. He suggested that steps be taken to provide a jinking fund that will extinguish the debt in 10 years, that depreciation on reticulation bo provided for, and that a commission be appointed to administer the funds. The Mayor, Mr. W. Blomfield, said 'hat the question of the whole o; the Takapuna water service would have to be shortly discussed. The question of purchasing the whole of the Devonport Borough Council's mains which were in Takapuna would have to be discussed. :\ heavy expense would be entailed, but money must bo raised in some way. On the Mayor's motion, the question was referred to the Legal and Finance Committee

The Melanesian Mission steamer South em Cioss, which has been laid up in the harbour since December, will sad for Norfolk Island and other islands of the Melanesian Group on May 20. The funds o f the mission are not in a flourishing condition, and unless they are augmented in the near future, the second voyage of the year, usually made in September, will not take place. The Southern Cross is the only vessel running direct from New Zealand to the Solomon Islands, and the New Hebrides"and she is largely depended upon for stores and mails by tho missioners. If, however, money does not come to hand shortly it will be nccessaiy to abandon the September voyage.

Speaking in Petone, on Anzac Day, S'.r Joseph Ward said the people of the Empire were not yet in sight of the end of the war. Nevertheless they had before them a guarantee of what that end would be, in the determination of the nation to carry to a successful conclu.-ion the work in which the brave men who fell at Gallipoli had no small share. The men who had gone before had laid the foundation of the final victory, and their deeds were a summons of an imperative kind to those who were required to take up arms now'' and go forth to complete the task. If any words uttered that afternoon could inspire the fit man who had not yet volunteered for service, then the opportunity was a great one, and he hoped, for the credit of New Zealand, that on April 25, 1917, it would be possible to say that there was no New Zealander who had shirked his responsibilities to the Empire. !

'Hie Legal Assistance Fund of the New Zealand Educational Institute now stands at £1000. During the year more than twenty teachers have benefited cither by legal advice or assistance in the courts. Tho cases dealt with included the prosecution of parents for threatening or insulting teachers, defending teachers charged with assault, and a case in the Supreme Court against the Marlborough Education Board in defence of a teacher's right under the law concerning appointments. The teachers were successful in all these cases but one. At the present time the executive is supporting an appeal case in the Wanganui district,