LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16670, 15 October 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

A detachment of 460 members of the! thirty-second reinforcement/* who have been in Auckland on final leave, returned to camp by special train last evening. Twenty officers of the First Division and 50 non-commissioned officers attached to the thirty-third reinforcement, who have b'een on special leave, returned by the express train. An elderly man, Mr. John Thomson, was found dead in bed at his room in the Waitemata Hotel yesterday morning. The deceased, who was a butcher by occupation, resided at Te Koporu, Northern Wairoa. He arrived at the betel on Saturday, arid was last seen alive by the licensee, Mr. J. Endean. to whom he complained of feeling unwell, at about eight o'clock in the evening. Dr. W. H. Horten, who had previously treated him for heart disease,' I issued a certificate that death was due to ! cardiac failure.

The prospects for the coming strawberry season are considered to be very favourable, and it is expected that the first cases of fruit will arrive in Auckland this week. The plants are flowering well, but, owing to the scarcity of straw and Eine needles, mulching operations have cen delayed.

Tho weather on Saturday morning did 1 not look promising for the week-end, but after a few heavy showers had passed over the city fine weather set in. The barometer, which had been rising since Friday, registered 30.43 in by noon yesterday, but in the evening a slight fall was recorded. It is exceptionally high for this time of the year, the normal height being 30.00 in. A very high barometer usually indicates a strong easterly wind. Although the wind changed to the northeast on Saturday mornjng, it continues to be only a light breeze.

The report of a special committee on the question of the cost of living in New Zealand will be presented to Parliament within the next two days. Much importance is attached to the debate that will follow.

The institutions established by the Anglican Church at the southern training camps were found by the bishop, Dr. A. W. Averill, on his recent visit thereto, to bo very much used and appreciated by the men. The various buildings are not only utilised for social purposes and lectures, but also for drilling, and at Awapuni additional accommodation is needed. Bishop Averill states that at all the camps and institutions supplies of good new literature, magazines, etc., are badly wanted.

The following motion will be moved by Mr. J. S. Bond at to-morrow's meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board :—" Thsrt, in view of the cessation of' important works and the prospect of no resumption ,thereof in the near future, a committee, comprising the members of the Works Committee and the mover, be appointed to inquire into and report on the engineer's department."

Three small boys were charged before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., in the Juvenile Court on Saturday with having stolen a saddle, valued at £3 15*. Chief-Detective Mc-uahon said the lads, after using the saddle for some time, had become frightened and returned it. They were of excellent parentage, and had not previously been in trouble. The magistrate severely reprimanded the lads, and admitted them to probation for three months, The respective parents were ordered to pay 13s 6d, ,amount of damage done to the saddle, amongst them.

During the month of August 67 men were discharged from Trentham camp. The principal reason for their discharge was physical unfitness*

The secretary of the Women's Mutual Aid Society, Mrs. Von Stunner, has re-! ceived notification that the Minister for Internal Affairs has approved of the Women's Mutual Aid Society War Fund. The object of tho fund is to provide Comforts for soldiers and attend to their requirements and to the needs of their dependants. ,

Precautions against cerebrospinal meningitis, which are being taken in Foatherston camp, include an innovotion, so far as New Zealand is concerned. This iB the inoculation with anti-cerebro-spinal meningitis of all patients who go into the camp hospital. It has frequently happened, hitherto, that patients ordered into hospital on account of influenza and other sickness have developed cerebrospinal meningitis symptoms. Since the practice of inoculation was begun there have been no cases of this kind, the few cases of cerebrospinal meningitis which have been reported recently coming direct from the lines. Contacts with proved cases are also inoculated, with good results.

The conviction of Miss Adela Pankhurst and two other women under the Australian War Regulations has beon quashed by the High Court on a technicality. Accused were charged with having takon part in a meeting in a proclaimed place, on a pretext of making known their grievances. Miss Pankhurst was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. After hearing argument, Mr. Justice Barton said the charge that persons were present on the "pretext" of making known their grievances was different from a charge of being present " for the purpose" of making such grievances known. Defendants might havo been convicted under the latter charge; but that did not concern the court, because the charge against them was that thoir beintr there was a " pretext" or a sham. Tho other judges having concurred, the appeals were allowed, and the convictions quashed in each in stance. Miss Pankhurst was recently married in Melbourne to Mr. T. Walsh, a seaman, at the rooms of tho Free Religious Fellowship,* by a Unitarian minister. Tho Board of Agriculture at its last meeting received from Mr. E. Parry, chief electrical engineer to the Public Works Department, a report in regard to the application of electricity to the stimulation of crops and tho results obtained by Professor Blackman, professor of plant physiology and pathology, South Kensington, for which a special grant had been made by the Development Commissioners in England. It was stated that- in 1916 an increase of about 50 per cent, in grain and 85 per cont. in straw on a crop of oats was obtained as a result from overhead electrical discharge. Mr. Parry said he doubted whether the gain to be obtained would be so great in New Zealand as in England, where there was much less sunshine than in this country. He, however, expressod the opinion that there was no doubt a field for its application to tho stimulation of special crops such as garden crops and fruit, and said he hoped to be able to make arrangements for testing the' application of thifi method to the purpose named.

In the House of Representatives, Mr. L. M. Isitt called attention to a recent case of troops, who on their way Home had been charged at the canteen 6d a

bottle for cordials, which wore sold in the private bar of the ship at 40 per cent, less. Mr. R. Flotoher: "I mentioned a case the other day in which cordials were sold at 6d a bottle, and after there had been nearly a mutiny on board, tho price was reduced to 4d." Mr. H. G. Ell: "Why is it done? Most extraordinary!"

A case of gross vandalism is reported from the Rangitikei district. On the night of September 29, nearly three miles of fencing was cut to pieces. A seven-wire fence, forming tho boundary-line of Mr. j David Robb's property was cut ho fewer than 340 times, representing 2380 breaks in the wires over a distance of over two miles. Molt of this boundary fence followed the Rangitikei _ River cliff line, and in places whole sections were cut out. between the posts and rolled up with slabs' and thrown over the cliff. Orl another half-mile the wires were cut at every post, and then many of them were chopped into small pieces. Considering the present price of labour and matorial, Mr. Robb's loss is estimated at between £250 and £300. A few gaps were also cut in every one of Mr. Robb's subdivision fences'.' A neighbour, Mr. McKay Turnbull, also suffered loss, which, though severe enough, is'light in comparison with Mr. Robb's. His ridge fence was cut 20 times, that is, 10 gaps were cut out, after which the staples were drawn from the centre-posts and the cut portion of the fence allowed to, fall. Two gaps were alsd t cut in the boundary between the I farms of Messrs. Robb and McKay. Turni bull. In addition to the destruction of

the fences,, poisoned meat was laid along the whole of the affected lines. The perpetrator left no clue.

The 1817 session of the Auckland Orphans' Club was brought to a close on Saturday evening. There was a very large attendance of members, and the president, Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., occupied the chair. Representatives of the Devonport Orphans' Club and the Auckland Savage Club were present. Fraternal greetings were received from the Dunedin aid Napier Orphans' Clubs and several members of tho Auckland Cub in distant parts. An excellent evening's entertainment was provided. Songs were contributed by Messrs. F. Bourke, E. Drake, A. H. Ripley, H. Manning, and Signor Molinari, a violin solo by Mr. A. Beale, and monologues by Mr. F. Hintz. The orchestra played several enjoyable selections. It was announced that Christmas greeting cards were being prepared to despatch to members of the club on active service.

A representative meeting of Catholics was held yesterday afternoon at St. Bene-1 diet's Hall, when tho first annual report' of the Catholic Women's Hostel was sub-' mitted. This disclosed a satisfactory posi- i tion, stating that so popular had the insti- j tution become that more commodious pre-, mises had to be secured. The hostel, therefore, was entering upon its second year in an up-to-date and larger building in Symonds Street. Appreciation was expressed of the excellent work of the board of management in making the concern a paying one and in liquidating the whole of tho initial outlay. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to the matron, Miss A. V. Lorrigan, for her capable management of the hostel, and to the retiring secretary, Mr. J. B. Bonner, whom ill-health lias compelled to relinquish the office. Mr. James Butler was appointed secretary in his place. Miss O'Keefe was added to the board of management, all the other members of which were re-elected. Thanks were accorded to the Right Rev. Monsignor Gillan, V.G., and the Very Rev. Father Cahill, for their practical interest in the movement.

The political situation was referred to by | Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., at the meeting of the Auckland Orphans' Club on Saturday evening. " A short time ago affairs in Parliamentary life were considerably mixed, and there was fair prospect of the trouble resulting in an appeal to the people," said Mr. Parr. " The dark cloud rolled by, however, and it is certain that we shall hold our seats for another year. Last week a caucus was held, and nt this gathering of the clan much of the misunderstanding was removed. I do not think that while the war is hanging over our heads, at this most critical and serious hour of the war, we should go in for distractions such as a general election. Although the National Government has not accomplished all that some of us had hoped for, it has succeeded in putting through some valuable legislation. I am bound to say that while the war lasts there are only two possible leaders in the House—Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward. They are the strongest men in the House. Mr. Massey is the most commanding figure in Parliament, and as leader he is wonderful. He is full of urbanity, good humour, and tact, and all three are very essential at the present juncture. Sir Joseph Ward is the only man that can comman'd the confidence of the Liberals of this country. With these two leaders New Zealand will pull through this war with great credit and honour to herself i and to the Empire. "-