NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8608, 19 December 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The annual meeting of shareholders of the “ New Zealand Times ” Company, Ltd., was held on Tuesday. From the statement made by the chairman (Mr F. G. Dalziell), it appeared that eleven months ago the control of the newspaper and business had been placed under entirely new and _ independent management, and tho directors were pleased to be in a position to announce that tho change had been attended with highly gratifying results, from the financial as well as from every other point of view. Coincidently with the work of reorganisation, there had been a steady and substantial growth in the circulation of tho “ Times,” while the advertising revenue had materially increased, and the factory had been placed l on a more efficient and remunerative footing. The prospects for the future wore most satisfactory to the shareholders. A “Gazette Extraordinary” was issued yesterday proroguing tho General Assembly until Friday, January 16th next. , At the conclusion of tho Hutt Borough Council meeting last evening, an adjournment was made to the Mayor’s room, at Mr E. P. Bunny’s invitation, and the prosperity of the district was proposed and honoured. The season’s greetings were extended to the council and staff, and cheers were given for the Mayor and Mayoress. A very pleasant feature in the closing hours of tho year at the Normal School was the number of donations made by each of the classes to deserving children in various institutions. The gifts comprised toys, books, dolls, and in some cases hard cash. Several hundreds of small people will hove causa to rejoice in the thoughtfulness of their little friends in the school. Edward Wilson, who was knocked down and run over by an express on Tuesday, died in tho hospital yesterday. He was picked up after the accident in a semi-conscious condition and taken to the hospital, but he never really rallied. The cause of death is assigned to internal haemorrhage and shock. Wilson, who was a married man, twenty-nine years of age, was a fireman on the Remuera. His wife and mother are at present in England. An inquest will bo held to-day. The secretary to tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board desires to acknowledge, with thanks, tho following donations to the Christmas Fund at the Wellington Hospital:—Mrs W. Nathan, New Zealand Fruit Brokers’ Association, £2 2s each; Messrs Ballinger Bros.. 10s 6d: Messrs John Chambers and Son, Victoria Laundry, 10s each; “friend,” 3s; Cricketers’ Arms Hotel, 2s 6d;and goods from D. 1.0., George and Kcrsley, and Prince, of Wales Hotel. Commissioner Richards, of the Salvation Army, has fixed Sunday, January 4th, as “Candidates’ Sunday.” On this occasion a special appeal will be made at every corps throughout the Dominion for eligible men and women who will bo prepared to devote their lives to the work of the organisation and go into training in the new William Booth Memorial College, now in process of erection, and which will be ready to receive the new trainees in March, 19X4. In connection with the Wellington Amateur Swimming Club, the first distance for the President’s Cup, 150 yards, was swum at Te Aro Baths last evening. Owing to tae bad conditions during the week, only five competitors faced the starter out of the' fourteen entered. The race was keenly competed, tho scratch man, A. MoCarlie, winning by a fraction in the excellent time of 66 seconds, which is well within the standard. W. Meyer (Ssecs) was second, with. G. P. Hanna (10sec) a close third. A. Crowthor (2secs) and R. J. Grimmett (9secs) also started. Representatives of tho city and suburban Methodist Church choirs at a conference in the Taranaki street schoolroom, unanimously resolved that a xViethodist Choir Union be formed. Officers were elected as follow;—President, Rev. J. G. Chapman; vice-presi-dents, tho Hon. C. M. Luke, Messrs Lynneberg and R. A. Wright; conductor, Mr H. Temple White; executive committee, Mrs Peryman, Messrs Strong and Wilton; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr C. C. Bottomley. It is the intention of the newly-form-ed union to rehearse “The Creation” for production next year. To a reporter yesterday the Mayor expressed the opinion that the City Council should appoint a thoroughly competent inspector to supervise the food supply of the city. The scope of such an inspector’s duties would cover not only milk ( but meat and other articles of food in general, extending the work of the present inspectors to its logical conclusion. The position, of course, would bo a very responsible one, and the inspector would have to be specially fitted for his duties. So far as the expense was concerned, the Mayor did not think it would be felt, as tho completion of large improvement works was now in sight, and the expenditure on them would naturally be reduced. It was certainly desirable that the whole question of the supply of food, and particularly of milk, should be considered at an early date by the ! council.

An application under the Family Protection Act was heard ‘by Has Honour the Chief Justice yesterday afternoon. The estate concerned was that of William Moriarty, draper, of Carterton, who died about two years ago. The deceased had appointed Mr J. J. Mead, solicitor, of Carterton, Ids executor, but subsequently the Public Trustee was appointed in the •'utter’s place. The testator left £ISOO to Miss Brogan, of Carterton, who was an assistant in his shop, and the residue of the estate went to two persona in. America. The present action «u brought on behalf of the widow and two daughters, who were in poor circumstances, living in the United States. The deceased left there about forty or fifty years ago to come to New Zealand, and application was now made under the Family Protection Act for maintenance of the widow and daughters out of the estate. Six M. Myers appeared for the jjlaintifl, Mr T. E. Maunsell (Carterton) for the two residual legatees in America, and Mr J- W. Macdonald (solicitor to the Public Trust Office) for the Public Trustee. Judgment was reserved.

The existence of a case of typhoid at Lower Hint has been reported to the local borough council by the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoard. A regulation is gazetted whereby managers, agents, and officers in the State coal mines offices are brought under the provisions -of part 3 of the Civil Service Act. 1905 The following vessels are expected to he within wireless range of Wellington this evening ;—Maori, Wahiuo, Victoria, and Niagara. The Rimutaka will be within wireless range of the Chat-hams to-night. The Hospital Board yesterday received Christmas greetings from His ■Worship the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) and Mrs Luke, accompanied by a donation of £3 2s towards providing comforts for the patients. Amended regulations under the Edu cation Act, as to the organisation, inspection and examination of public schools and the syllabus of instruc tiou, are published in a supplement to the “Gazette” this week. A deputation from the Society of Friends will wait on the Prime Minister at Government Buildings at 10.30 a m. to-day with a memorial from the main body in Great Britain in relation to the Defence Act and peace matters. It is notified in last night’s “Gazette” for public information that after January Ist, 19X4, it will bo necessary for the country of origin of goods to be shown on all prime and warehousing entries presented at Customhouses throughout New Zealand. At the Drill Hall this morning two companies of Railway Engineers representing Auckland and Wellington will compote in an assault-at-arms. Tho' judge will be Major Hume, R.N.Z.A. Tho result of tho competition will decide which, company is to represent the engineers at the Auckland tournament. Wireless telegraph stations atAwanui (North of Auckland) and Awarua (near Bluff) are now open. Attendance for commercial business is limited at present to 6.30 p.m. to midnight daily, but a continuous listening service for distress signals will bo observed. The rates are the same as at the Wellington wireless station. On Wednesday, at the house of Mr A. A. George, the South Wellington Cricket Club held a winding-up meeting, followed by a progressive euchre party and musical evening. During the gathering, Mr F. Laws presented Mr Georg© with a handsome oak secretaire on behalf of the club. . Mr E. Burton, secretary, was also made tho recipient of a presentation. Reporting to the council on the number of stray cattle in Lower Hutt, tho special committee set up for the Purpose stated that in their opinion toe small fines inflicted have been quite inadequate to check the nuisance. Soma of tho offenders had been before tho court as many as six times, and no doubt found it cheaper to pay fines than for grazing. At tho request of the High Commissioner for Now Zealand, the London County Council Education Committee decided recently to take into their service, on the “unattached” staff, for one year, a lady teacher from the Dominion who wished to go to England for that period and secure a position in an infanta’ ochool. The committee agreed to pay £9O for the your, in view of tho special circum-stances—-the usual scale being £6O. A young Maori named Abraham, from Taihape, was sent to theHawkeaoury Agricultural College, Now South Wales, and in his first year worked himself up to a place amongst the first ten in a large class. Principal Potts has expressed himself as very much impressed with the boy’s character. Abraham was a member of the agricultural class of tho Wanganui Education Board, and early next year several boys taking this course under Messrs J. Grant and Banner are to go to Hawkeshury. Passengers who intend to leave Wellington next week for Lyttleton are advised by the Union Company to endeavour to go south before Tuesday, as the Maori (to sail on that day) and the Wahino (to leave here next Wednesday for Lyttelton) have their passenger accommodation already heavily booked. It is suggested that as there will be only the Maori and Wahino maintaining the ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton, intending passengers who are able to do so should go south at tho earliest opportunity. The fire brigade was called outlast evening to a three-roomed cottage in Tonka grove, off Cuba street, occupied by Alexander Campbell and owned by Mrs Neal. Tho fire started in the front room. Mrs Campbell was putting ,up some curtaips when they came into contact with tlie flame of a candle which set them alight. She endeavoured to beat out tho flames, but was unable to do so. Tho house and its contents were badly damaged. The contents are insured in the Phoenix office for £IOO, but last evening the insurance on the building was not ascertainable.

The proportions of deaths per thousand of population in the four chief centres in November were as follows: —Auckland 0.87, Dunedin 0.78, Wellington 0.75, Christchurch 0.62. The deaths in November were 223—a decrease of 32 as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths males contributed 123, females 100. Fifty-seven of the deaths were of children under five years of age, being 25.56 per cent, of the whole number; 44 of these were under one year of age. There were 65 deaths of persons pf 65 years and upwards in the four chief cities and their suburban boroughs, as against 02 in October. The total births in the four chief cities and their suburban boroughs amounted to 617, against 635 in October. In compliance with a requisition signed by a majority of those concerned, the following hours for the closing of chemists’ shops in the city of Wellington are gazetted:—ln the case of shops observing Wednesday as the weekly half-holiday, at 8 p.m. on Mondays, ' Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and at 9.30 p.m. on Saturdays; and in the case of shops observing Saturday as the weekly half-holiday, at 8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, ana Fridays; excepting that on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve the hour of closing shall be 11 p.m., and that on the Last six days immediately preceding Christmas Eve the shops ordinarily closing at 8 p.m. shall close at 9 p.m. A proved cure for Dandruff is found in Virginian Hair and Scalp Food. This remedy is recommended by Mrs Holies ton, 256, Lamhton quay, and has become remarkably popular. *.