LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16798, 14 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The change in the control of hospitals wherein sick and wounded soldiers are patients from the Public Health to the Defence Department does not involve any chango in Auckland. The Minister fop Defence, Sir James Allen, who left Auckland for Rotorua yesterday, stated before his departure that he wished to make this fact quite clear. "It must not be thought," said the Minister, "that the. taking over by my Department of these hospitals will in any sense lead to them becoming military institutions. The only difference will he that matters requiring to be referred to tho Government will come to the Defence Department instead of tho Public Health Department, as hitherto." A proposal to initiate a movement for the construction and maintenance of good main roads will be discussed at a conference to be held in Auckland on March 22. Tho proposals have emanated from a special committee set up to consider the question by the Auckland Automobile Association. A letter was received by the Auckland Industrial Association yesterday, inviting representatives to attend the conference, and all the members of the General Committee were appointed to attend. Representatives have also been invited from the Auckland Chamber "of Commerce, the | Auckland Farmers' Union, and the North ■ Auckland Development Board. It will bo j proposed at tho conference that a body, to I be called the Good Roads Association of I New Zealand, be formed, having for its object the obtaining of legislation to deal with the main roads question. A slight outbreak of firo occurred at Mr. 0. Nicholson's residenco, at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Belle Vue Road, Mount Eden, at about 10.30 a.m. yesterday. Painters were at work on the Rouse, and the flame of the spirit lamp used for removing old paint ignited the under side of a weather-board. The Mount Eden Fire Brigade arrived promptly, thus preventing any serious damago by fire. The furnishings of tho drawing-room were, however, damaged by water to the extent of about £15. The damaged articles were insured. The result of the election to fill the position of Crown tenants' representative on the Auckland Land Board was announced yesterday, Mr. James Trounson being returned. The voting was as follows -.—Messrs. H. 8. Cooper, 95 votes; H. Lane, 80; J. McLeod, 107; J. Trounson, 943. The conduct and staffing of district high schools in the Auckland education district wore discussed at the meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday, when it was considered advisable to investigate the operation of these schools. To that end it was decided to ask the Director of Education, Dr. W. J. Anderson, to allow Messrs. E. K. Mulgan, M. McLeod and G. Pitcaithley to make special reports on each of the district high schools in tho board's district. Relative to the Motuilu souvenirs, concerning which the Mayor wrote to tho Minister for Defence asking if any could be seemed for the Auckland Museum, a letter has been received from Sir James Allen stating that the sextant and the wireless receiving plant manufactured by the Germans have been placed in the Dominion Museum, at Wellington. The Government cannot allocate the German naval ensign painted by the prisoners, as, according to international law, it is the property of the captain of the capturing vessel. When a charge against Frank P. Cookes of having failed to make application for enrolment in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Reserve was called before Mr, F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday, Sub-Inspector Wohlman intimated that he did not intend to offer any evidence. He said a telegram had ; been received from the Government statistician indicating that the accused had not committed any offence, even though he was not in possession of documentary evidence showing that he had enrolled. Apparently Cookes had been drawn in the ballot and had been classified C2. Unfortunately, he was slightly mentally deficient, and it was difficult to know what to do with him. Tho case was dismissed for want of prosecution, and the magistrate recommended the accused to the good offices of the Salvation Army, a recommendation which was favourably received by an official from tho latter body, who was present in Court. An investment of £10,000 in the new war loan is to be, made by the Auckland Education Board, providing the Minister will give his approval. The money will be drawn from the maintenance fund. When the people of the Dominion contributed towards the cost of equipping the first New Zealand hospital ship, the Maheno, in 1915, a number of public men in Auckland, closely identified with yacht-; ing and launching, gathered a sum ap-j proximating £800, for the purchase of a launch to be used by the hospital ship' when working in Mediterranean waters.) Now that the hospital ship is engaged in' other parts, the launch is not used to nearly the same extent, and recently the Defence authorities asked the donors of : the launch, which was named the Awhina. i what their wishes were in regard to its disposal. Tho donors have decided to hand the launch over to the Auckland! Patriotic Executive, to bo one of the prizes in the forthcoming art union, and an intimation to this effect was received at yesterday's meeting of the executive. I A resolution of thanks was placed on re- 1 cord. I An accident to a motor-lorry, owned by Messrs. Geo. Henning, Ltd., occurred near the intersection of Wellington and Nelson Streets shortly after mid-day yesterday. j The lorry, which was empty, apparently got out of control, swerved, broke through a fence, and ran down a sloping embankment, about 25ft to 30ft high. Tho driver, who jumped clear before the lorry de- : scended, received slight injuries to his leg, but his assistant, Walter Dickinson, jumped too late, and received injuries to his face, neck, and shoulders, which I necessitated his removal to tho hospital. I The front wheels and the axle, the radiator, and the steering gear of the lorry were damaged, in all to the extent of about £5. Reporting upon the business transacted at the meeting of the Advisory Board of New Zealand Patriotic Societies, in Wellington, Mr. V. J. Lamer stated at yesterday's meeting of the executive of the Auckland Patriotic Association, that there had been an interesting discussion upon the following resolution, which had been passed by the board :—" That the Advisory Board'is of opinion that no relief should be granted to the dependants of deserters, and that patriotic societies be requested to accept this resolution as a recommendation from the board." Some members of the executive considered that each case should be treated on its merits, as there was a danger of penalising dependants for the misdeeds of soldiers. The policy to be adopted was left with Mr. Lamer, who is chairman of the Claims Board. A proposal to form a boys' band at Devonport was discussed by a meeting of residents of the marine Suburb last evening. The Mayor of Devonport, Mr. J. Henderson, presided. Mr. Vivian., manager of the Ponsonby Boys' Brass Band, and Mr. Marks, conductor of the Grey Lynn Boys' Drum and Fife Band, were present and gave the meeting the benefit of their experience. The chairman referred to tho disbandment of junior school cadets as a national calamity, and expressed the hope that the system would be reinstated. It was unanimously resolved that an effort bo made to organise ,a boys' drum and fife band. A preliminary committee, consisting of Messrs. F. Gribben, E. Bartley and G. W. Thompson, was appointed to prepare further information to be presented at a future meeting. Several donations frOm £5 downwards were promised at the meeting. The city organist, Mr. Maughan Barnett, informed the Education Board at its meeting yesterday that he was prepared to resume the organ recitala for school children in April and May. The members expressed their thanks for the offer, and authorised the secretary to make the necessary arrangements.

There was a keen demand at the Westfield stock stale yesterday, and prices remained firm. Choice ox beef sold ashigh as £2 12s per 1001b, and prime quality from £2 9s to £2 lis, others from £2 to £2 6s. Cow and heifer beef sold at £2 2s to £2 9s per 1001b. Steers ranged in price from £13 10s to £22 12s 6d, and cows and heifers from £9 to £17 ss. Calves were penned in average numbers, and sold at late rates. The majority were in unfinished condition. Runners made from £5 to £8 5s ; heavy vealers. from £3 15a to £4 15s, medium from £2 12s 6d to £3 10s, and light from £1 10s to £2 10s. There was a heavy yarding of sheep, and prices were a little easier. Prime wethers made from £1 16s 6d to £1 18s 9d, medium to prime £1 13s to £1 15s 6d, and unfinished and light from £1 7s 6d to £1 lis 6d. Best heavy prime ewes made from £1 12s 6d to £1 15s 6d, good ewes from £1 8s to £1 lis. Prime lambs sold well, heavy prime realising from £1 9s to £1 12s 6d, and a few odd extra heavy lambs £1 16s 6d. Others brought from 14s 6d to £1 ss. J Store lambs made from 8s 6d to 14s. The yarding of pigs was a largo one. Suckers and weaners were in strong demand. Choppers and heavy baconers made from £4 15s to £7 15s, others from £317s 6d to £4 12s, large porkers from £3 5s to £3 15s, others from £1 15s to £3 3s. The loss, through resignation, of pupil teachers who are attracted by the higher salaries paid ill other branches of the ! public service was mentioned at the meetj ing of the Education Hoard yesterday, i The secretary gave as an instance the case I of a pupil teacher, who was receiving £35 per year, and had resigned to take up a cadetship in tho Treasury Department at a remuneration of £78 per year. _ The board decided to draw tho attention of the Minister for Education to the difficulty being experienced by the board through the competition of other Departments in this respect. The report of the Claims Board presented to tho Auckland Patriotic Execu- . live yesterday stated that no new features existed in connection with the board's I work, except the undue delay which had ; arisen in connection with the granting of Government pensions. In view of this position, the board had had to render a considerable amount of assistance. Representations had been made' to tho Minister for Defence with a view to obviating this delay in the future. A street brawl, which resulted in a man named Alfred Ashenden, Symonds Street, being rendered unconscious, and in tho removal to the police station of Valentine Fox, seaman, occurred in Port Street at about 5 p.m. yesterday. It is said that Fox, a very powerful man, who was under the influence of drink, knocked Ashenden down, the blow rendering him unconscious and causing a severe scalp wound. A civilian, named Bernard McLoughlin, oi Mount Eden, endeavoured to savo Ashen--1 den from.further injury. At this juncture I Constable Barrett interfered. He received slight injury, and was resisted violently by Fox. Sergeant O'Brien and Constable | Hooker then appeared, and Fox was handl cuffed and removed to the station. He will appear at the Police Court this morning ! charged with assault on Ashenden and Mclaughlin, with resisting Constable Barrett, and with using obscene language. A circular letter from tho Minister for Internal Affairs regarding tho matter of the unauthorised collection of moneys for patriotic purposes, was received by tho executive .of the Auckland Patriotic Association at its meeting yesterday. Tho letter stated that numerous complaints had been received in regard to the issue of permits to persons' other than those selected by the trustees or executive officers of societies controlling approved funds. It was necessary, therefore, to point out that permits should be granted only in those cases whero there was no doubt as to the bona fides of tho applicant, and where there was a clear undemanding as to the disposal of moneys raised or collected. To enable the Department to secure a more complete check upon ail permits, and to more satisfactorily trace collections of moneys in aid of various funds, the Minister asked the executive to furnish a monthly statement as to all permits issued, and to assist tho Department to protect tho public by the exercise of a careful discrimination in respect to future applications for permits. The Auckland Education Board decided, at its meeting yesterday, to ask the Defence Department to release all teachers engaged on home service, said that they may resume their occupation as teachers. The board had previously placed the position before the Defence authorities, and a reply had been received to the effect that any application for the release of a teacher on home service would be considered on its merits. Members expressed the opinion that teachers so engaged could be replaced by other men not so urgently required in ; civic life, and agreed unanimously to ask I for the release of all teachers who were I not likely to b,e drafted to the active I service branches. I Giving evidence before the Defence Expenditure Commission in Dunedin, Cap- , tain Stevens, A.A.G., said he felt relief ! in hearing what the chairman said to I Colonel McDonald at Palmerston North, I to the effect that officers giving evidence i would not be victimised as a result of any I disclosures they might make. He added that before the Education Commission in 1912, an officer of the Department was called on to refute an attack by a higher officer, and, as a resn't, was relegated to a position carrying £100 a year Jess salary. There was no suggestion that this man's evidence was false. The erection of an open-air school in the vicinity of Narrow Neck has been under consideration by the Devonport School Committee for some time, and application was made by the Education Board for a site on portion of the Fort Takapuna Reservo at Narrow Neck. The reply of the Defence Department to this request was read at the meeting of the board yesterday, and was to the offoct that the Department was not prepared to consider tho disposal of any portion of the reserve. The opinion was expressed by several members that it was hopeless to expect to get anything the Defence Department, or the Government generally, had its hands on. In view of the necessity of relieving the overcrowding of the school at Devonport it was decided to ask the school committee to suggest another site. . An inquest concerning the death of Mrs. I Margaret Skeen, of Remuera Road, who was found lying unconscious in Queen j Street on Saturday evening, and who died , at the hospital on Monday night, was held I before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday. j Dr. R. J. Bnrnsidc Hall, junior house i surgeon at the Auckland Hospital, said I that deceased was admitted at 7 p.m. on ! March 9 in an unconscious state, and that i sho gradually sank without recovering sufficiently to give an explanation of tho accident. The cause of death was fracture of the base of the skull, an injury consistent with a fall on a hard pavement. Nurse Clayton, Upper Vincent Street, said that at about 6.45 p.m. on Saturday, while walking in Queen Street, near Victoria Street, she saw.deceased cross to the kerbing. Suddenly sho fell backwards, her head striking the edge of the pavement. A verdict that death was due to a fracture of the skull, caused by an accidental fall in Queen Street, was returned by the coroner. ' ' The task of conveying returned sick and bounded soldiers from the ship to their homes in Auckland and the suburbs has been voluntarily undertaken in the past by private motor-car owners at their own expense. No restriction has been placed on the number of next of kin carried in the care, but now, on account of the shortage of benzine, it has been decided that in future two next of' kin only shall be taken in a car which is used to convey soldiers to their homes. It was announced at the recent (Methodist Conference in Dunedin that Mr. J. W. Court, of Auckland, had made a donation of £1000 to the Auckland Methodist Mission, as his thanksgiving offering for the introduction of the six o'clock closing of hotels. The money will be used by the mission in the employment of special agents to engage m work amongst boys and girls in Auckland, J i