NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8262, 26 October 1912, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

On Monday nest (Labor Day) the public office of the "New Zealand Times" will be open from 8 a.m. till noon, and from 6 p-m. till 11 p.m. Monday next. Labor Day, will be observed aa a, general 'holiday in Wellington. All the Government offices will be closed.

The following steamers should be within wireless range of Wellington tonight.—Manuka, from Wellington to Sydney; Makura, from Auckland to Vancouver; Wimmera, from Gisborne to Auckland; Victoria, from Sydney to Auckland. The Manuka, Victoria, Uiimaroa (from Melbourne to Bluff), and i'ninui (from Hobart to Wellington) are expected to be within wireless range of Wellington to-morrow evening. Monday (Labor Day) will be observed as a bank holiday throughout New Zealand.

Before Dr A. McArthur, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Robert p.ifi i..T was charged with selling watches and cutlery without having an auctioneer’s license. It appa.-red that recently defendant, in a motor-car, took np a position in Daniel street to sell various articles. He managed to got together a crowd of several hundred person*. Inquiries were made by the police and it was found that he did not have a license to dispose of good* in the street. Mr V. B. Willis, who represented him, said defendant had been unfortunate in not being able to get a lisansa in Wellington. In every other town in which he had been he had taken out a license. It was on tbs representations of the polics to the City Council authorities that he had not a lioeass issued to him in Wellington. He was perfectly prepared to pay for one. His Worship imposed a penalty of JBIO, the minimum fine provided for oCeooes of this kind.

In the fancy butter class at tbo Carterton Show, Mrs A. A. Pike won first prize, Mrs J. A. Hudson second. The "Porridge Pot” of liquid mnd at Whaka erupted to a height of twenty feot yesterday (states a Rotorua Press Association telegram.'. This phenomenon occurs only at long intervals.

The Miramar Volunteer Fire Brigade has received a donation of -ho from tho Wellington Harbor Board towards tlia equipment fund.

On Monday next (Labor Day) (hero will only be one delivery by letter carriers, which will close at tho chief post office at 7.2 1) a.m. A petition presented to Parliament hy Mr W. D. S. MacDonald, M.P., yesterday, urges the pushing on of the Gis-borne-Motu railway line. Monday next being a general holiday, the out-patients’ department at tho hospital will bo closed. Urgent cases will, however, bo treated at tbo main hospital.

Sir Arthur Guinness has given notice to ask tho Prime Minister whether tho Government will place a sum of money on the supplementary Estimates for the ro* lief of the widows and orphans of the miners who lost thoir lives in the Mount Lyell disaster.

Tho Presbytery of Timaru, per medium of Mr Craigie, M.P., has petitioned Parliament against any increase in the number of racing days. In their opinion, any such increase would mean additional Ifacilitieß for gambling, “which needs repression rather than encouragement." Mr John Payne, M.P., will lecture on Sunday night in the Empress Theatre on "Tho Bridge Across the Gulf." The lecturer intends dealing with current politics in relation to strikes and lockouts, and will also present his ideas concerning labor unity. A musical pro gramme will be provided. The following additional subscription! have been received by Mrs Qodley towards the senior cadets’ prize fund - Collected by Mrs- Hector Rollcston: Mre Burnes kl Is, Mrs Mackenzie and Mr* Koare 10s 6d each, W- H. D. Bell, LD. Bell and Miss Skerrett, 5s each; total J£2 17s. The Wellington contributions now amount to over J!80. Great interest centres in the visit to Wellington of Edward McHugh, founder of the British American Wlitorsdde Workers’ Unions, and a reform champion orator. Mr McHugh will speak at Courtenay place _ to-night. Cwra House Sunday night. and Paw Office square at midday on Tuesday. He will bo the principal guest at the Land Values League dinner on Monday night.

At the meeting of the Wellington Technical Education Board last evening, Mr J. P. Luke asked if there was anything further to report regarding the new site. “I am afraid not," remarked tho chairman (Air D. itobertson). “There hav* been too many political changes to allow of anything being done." Alter a brief discussion, the chairman and Messrs McLaren, Luke, and Smith were appointed to confer with the Education Board, at its monthly meeting on Tuesday next, regarding tho matter. The annual distribution of prizes in connection with tho day students’ classes of tho Wellington. Technical School will take place in the concert chamber of tho Town Hall early in December. Tho prizes will be presented by the Mayor (Mr D. McLaren). At last night's board meeting it was decided to grant £35 towards providing the prizes. It has been tho custom during past years to make an exhibition of the students' work at the end of each season, and this year tho exhibition will extend over three night*. Several Port Molynenx residents and others have informed tho Balclutha “Free Press" that the 1800 acres of swamp land at Otanomoiuo recently purchased by the Government, is still under water to a depth of several feet. One gentleman stated that there was five feet of water all over it. “It is a great pity,” tho "Free Press" adds, "that some high land was not included in the purchase, and the sight of this inundated traot says little for the acumen of those who recommended tho State to single out such a strip from an estate of over 5000 acres in extent.

The Society for the Prevention _of Cruelty to Animals proceeded against Sun Hop Sing at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, on an information of cruelly ill-treating a horse whilst it was Buttering from sores. Mr R. H. Webb, who appeared tor the society, stated that al a rule Chinamen treated their animal* properly, and they had not given the eoodoty much trouble. Accused said he had been warded by Inspector Seed about four months ago that he must not work the horse. After that ho did not nso it, but the other day, when he considered that the sores had healed, ho put it into harness again. The magistrate (Dr A. McArthur, S.M.), inflicted a fine of JEI, with oasts dC2 11s, in default three days’ imprisonment. Their Honors the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stoutj and Mr Justice Edwards heard argument in the Supreme Court yesterday concerning a question in civil procedure—the meaning of rule 466. It is required by the rule that statement! of claim in actions for mandamus, etc., shall be verified by affidavit, and the question discussed was the form of thii verification. The point was raised in connection with the cases of David Hanan v. the Ikarua District Maori Land Board and Hannan v. the Land Board and another. The defendants moved to dismiss the actions on the ground that the rule had not been complied with. Mr M. Myers appeared in support of the motion and Mr A. W. Blair opposed on behalf of tho plaintiff. Decision was reserved.

The successful flotation of Auckland city loans was the subject ’of comment by the Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr) in tho course of an interview. Tho loans for the Point Erin. Park £22,000, Shelly Beach Baths ,£SOOO, branch library J 63000, and balance of tho Town Hall loan X 21,000, have all been taken up. The only account on which the city will require money for some time is the streets loan. The council is to spend .£25,000 in the next twelve months in the permanent paving of Customs, Fort, Gore and Symonds streets and Karangahape road. Of this sum £ IO,OOO has already been subscribed at *i per cent, at par. The balance of _ .£15,000 will be required during the coming year, and tho council is oflering a limited number of debenture* at 4i per cent., the value of each being XICW.

A young man who was prosecuted at the Magistrate’s ■Court yestortiay for having failed to attend drills. Pleaded not guilty on the ground that he had not taken the oath of allegiance. Lieutenant Richmond, who appeared for the department, stated that section 11 of the Defence Act, 1909, required every officer receiving a commission, and every soldier as soon as possible after enrolment, to take the oath that he would faithfully serve. It was often very difficult to prove a refusal. Defendant had not been soon on parade either last year or this year. The oath spoke of "faithful service," but the defendant had not performed any at all. The lieutenant contended that the oath referred to th* manner in which a man should carry out his gervioe, and not to whether he would, or would not serve. In the Act the sections dealing with the rendering of personal service were far removed from the provision relating to the taking of the oath, and did not refer to it. On the other hand, they distinctly said tha( a certain class of persons should be liable to a fine if they defaulted in service, and it was ridiculous to suppose that in the face of this clear statement a man oould say, "It is true that I am one of those liable to serve, but I cannot be compelled to do so, because I have not vet promised that I will." Lieutenant Richmond failed to see how an omission to take a military oath could be pleaded as a defence ho a civil prosecution. Dr McArthur, S.M., reserved decision on the point as Lieutenant Richmond desired ■ judgment on it.

A jiKtv-sagrt from Dunklin Rays that th" Taiori nvcr fell a coupio of I‘cet on Thursday and ttJI dauber of flood eri-iiis U> bo averted.

"Th;mk>Kivint: Day’ 1 w-jll l>o colebralw. ui the Uojiurai .Minion to-morrow. Both mOi and evening service:; will bo ot a special musical character. Two clay pigeon in fi.‘ohev» wore* hold by the ALaritertou Gun C»ub at Mattel ton on Thursday, ; f ir.-.t juateli— F. Tapliu 1, T. Harvey J. K. J. King 3. Second match —I'. Co</p f .T 1, T. Uarvoy 2. At the ira-otiiitf of the lirothorhood to morrow ailornooii in the *M*;v Tln-atic, Mr Jadward Mcituyh. Brilr-h Lal*>i load<-r ami avvomato of Gr-o;;-, will speak on “lire! herhood versus Ilv ILigh Cost of Living.” There will he piovided, and iho meeliug opeii to men and women.

The Wellington S Learn terry Com pan y will run sTKCjaI Btcaiuers all day on J>aJx>r Day, to JA.y’s Hay. Ail Lhe sine* shown will bo in full swing, and hot water will bn supplied free to picknickcit*. Tho Vvnlorsido Work-iV Band has been enga-g'-tl to play tluri-iig tito " a /- , special s*ieaniur sorvico Will run to ana from Retime.

A meeting of Iho executive of the Upper Unit Valley 1/Paguo is to bo held at Upper Unit on Wednesday evening next to consider a proposal of Messrs ilonningtcu and Webb that tho league siloviki hold a public meeting at a later date and invite tho larmeis of tho whole district to attend, with a view to comini; to an arrangement lelat.rvo to pasKontter and milk train services in the vallev to tho mutual advantage and satisfaction of travellers and dairymen. '’The Triad" cornea out this month—a positive armful—with art and musical supplements and all complete. It is a big prize for sixpence, beautifully printed and all on art paper. How it is managed JJaoyertz only knows! Tho letterpress is most readable, especially thosu tilings relating to “Kismet" and Oscar Ascho. There is no little daring in some commentaries on a recent libel action, and a great deal of gush about Wellington journalism calculated to make the judicious grieve. Frank Morton is conspicuously at his best quantitatively and qualitatively in prose and verse. Fritz Hart gives a fine sketch oT Coleridge-Taylor, deceased. "John Hoc” writes entertainingly on "Examinations," "Geographu” discourses graphically of tho back-blox; A. Gladys Kernot is quite on tho top note in "Some London Plays and tho New Spirit Moving Them"; Charles Wilson continues his novel etching series;—and there are many many others. Ladies are notified that Mrs Eolleston has just received a large supply of Human Hair, direct from the leading hair merchants. Paris. Switches from 8e Cd upwards; pin curls, 2s 3d; “Ncdra’ hair nets (special), 9d: transformations, etc. English prices. 256, Lambton quay. —Aavt.