LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18396, 11 May 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

:j Work on the Auckland waterfront was hindered somewhat yesterday afternoon by rain. Atmospheric conditions during the early part of the afternoon were oppressive, and the barometer dropped 10 points between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Light rain fell at 3 o'clock, and continued until 4.30 p.m., when.it changed to a drizzle. By 6 p.m. the rain cleared completely, and the sky was clear last night, with' a rising barometer. The b true significance of Anzac Day was mentioned at the meeting of the executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association last evening. It was stated that many people failed to realise that Anzac Day was a day of commemoration not only of the dead on Gallipoli, but also of all those who died in any theatre of the Great War. It was stated that next Anzac Day it was hoped to have some ceremony at the Waikumete Cemetery in addition to the placing of wreaths on the graves. /. Good progress was made with the hearing of criminal cases at the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday, when Mr. Justice Stringer and Mr. Justice Herdman were fully occupied. It is anticipated that the end of the quarterly criminal calendar will be reached to-day. A ready response has been made to the request by the Hamilton Beautifying Society for donations of bulbs for planting at Ferry Bank Memorial Park and the other reserves in and about Hamilton. Already nearly 5000 bulbs have been received. • The question of cases in the various mental hospitals was dealt with at some length by the executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers'' Association last evening. A resolution was passed urging the necessity for a half-way home for many of the mentally defective. An inquest concerning the death of the eight-year-old boy, Maurice Jonson, who resided with his mother at St. Andrew's Street, Archhill, and who was killed in a motor accident at Great North Road on Wednesday evening, was opened vesterdav before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M. After evidence of identification had been taken, the inquiry was adjourned. An exceptionally large number of persons assembled in shed No. 8 on the Central Wharf yesterday, when a quantity of salvage from the wreck of the Wiltshire was offered for sale by Mr. J. Jones, auctioneer. Taken all through, the prices were good. Barrels of white lead and oils realised about £8 each, and sheets of glass measuring 6ft. by 2ft. fetched about 3s each. ""'Two barrels of palm oil were sold at £10 . each. Two hundred and fifty water meters realised £2 each. The voting for the election of a member of the Auckland Hospital Board to represent the three counties of Great Barrier, Rodney, and • Waitemata, as well as several town districts, is fairly evenly divided between the two candidates. Mr. J. McLeod's total is now 657, while Mr. H. ,Aitkenhead's is 602. There is still one return to come, which may affect the result. A young man, Charles Bennett, 25 years of age, who resides in* Brighton Road, Parnell, had a narrow escape from drowning in the Orakei basin yesterday. By some means he got into the water, and was seen struggling out of his depth by a young man who happened to bo in the vicinity. The latter promptly dived in, and succeeded in supporting the distressed man until both were rescued by a pulling boat, which had hurried to the spot. Mr. Bennett, who showed signs of exhaustion, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital. - - -' , The approach of winter as usual' is bringing an increase in the number of men seeking work. The Auckland office of the Department of Labour has now on it* register the names of 180 out of employment. Good entries have already been received for several sections in the Auckland Winter Exhibition, which will be opened on July 17. In the butter and cheese classes 226 entries have come to hand from various parts of the North Island. A feature of the show will, be the exhibits by primary school children. The entries in the art section are also good. The primary schools in the Auckland Education district will close to-day for the winter holidays. The schools will reassemble on Monday, May 21. The Grammar Schools will break-up to-day for a fortnight's holiday. The employment of a foreign-born caretaker by the Helensville Town Board was referred to at a meeting of the executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association last evening.. It was stated that returned soldiers were out of work in th© town, while this man as being employed. A sub-committee was appointed to inquire into the matter. The law in relation to finding and keeping • does not greatly interest scrupulously honest people, but there are doubtless many who will welcome the opinion given yesterday by Mr. Justice Stringer in commenting on a case in which the finding of a totalisator ticket was involved. His Honor said that where a totalisator ticket was picked up and there was nothing by which the owner could be traced, its retention by tho finder was not regarded in law as theft. If. however, a man picked up something that could be identified as belonging to some particular person tnaw would be regarded as theft. For instance, it was not theft if a person picked up and retained gold or silver which could not be identified as belonging to someone else, although a person of high moral character would hand it over to the authorities. It has been reported that the New Zealand Swimming Championships, which have been allotted to Wanganui for 1924. may be handed over to Napier, which has a larger swimming pool and better facilities for running the New Zealand " Swimming Olympiad" than Wanganui. The matter was mentioned to the presi- . dent of the centre, who stated that the suggested change had not been discussed by the centre, and he felt sure that strenu- : ous efforts would be made to hold the I championships at Wanganui. The application of a man for exemption from serving on ' the jury on the ground that he was over age was granted bv Sir Robert Stout in the Supreme Court in Wellington. " You are entitled to be excused." remarked the Chief Justice. " I think you arc very well preserved for sixty-two and a-balf!" The train, as usual, crawled along towards Foxton—and then stopped dead. " Guard," shouted a jovial passenger. i" may I get out and pick some flowers?" " Afraid you won't find many about here," said the guard good humouredly. "Oh. there'll be heaps of time." com- ' mented the jovial one, " I've brought a packet of seeds!" Failure to pay rates within the statui torv period, disqualified a somewhat lar;-t* 'number of ratepayers from recording the ii ; votes in the Maketu and Te Puke ridings 'of Tauranga County, writes the New Zeai land Herald's Te Puke correspondent I Recent legislation provided that desen I franchisement should operate against i tardy county ratepayer?. ! An elderly man. Mr. George Midwood. I residing in Marama Avenue, Epsom, was j admitted to the Auckland Hospital yes-. j rerdav afternoon suffering from a dieI located shoulder and concussion. His injuries were sustained through a all-