NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8609, 20 December 1913, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

It was mentioned by Hr C. "Watson, Wien acknowledging a presentation from the pupils of Te Aro School, that since he had been headmaster there over 11,500 children had passed through the school. Detective Bailey arrested a man yesterday who is wanted at Ka.it/angata on a charge of attempting to leave New Zealand without making provision for the adequate maintenance of his wife. A railway guard named Thomas Albert Rafter was yesterday committed for trial at the next sittings o' the Supreme Court at Masterton, on a charge of indecent exposure at tho Soiway railway station, says a Press Association telegram. The postal authorities advise that the s.s. . Makura, which sailed from Sydney on Thursday for Auckland, is bringing Australian mails only. The Wellington portion is due per Main Trank express on Tuesday next, at 4.12 p.m. The following vessels are expected to be within wireless range of Wellington this evening:—Victoria, Wobble,' Maori, Makura, and Manuka. The. Rim'ataka is to be within range of Ohathams this evening. The list for to-morrow evening will 'comprise: —Victoria, Tainui, Makura, Manuka. A meeting of the poultrymen of Wellington was called for yesterday evening. There was an attendance of eight, including the - chairman, Mr A. G. Munibey. In view of the conference of poultrymen to be held in Wellington in April of next year, these present decided to form themselves into a committee, with the chairman as secretary pro tem. A programme for the conference was drawn up, to he submitted for the approval of the executive of tho New Zealand Poultrymon’s Association. An assault-at-arms, or physical drill without arms, was taken part in at the Garrison Hall yesterday morning by teams representing respectively the Wanganui and Auckland sections of the Railway Battalion. The judge. Major Hume, considered that both teams did excellent work, but that the Wanganui men had a little advantage. A team to represent the battalion at the Auckland tournament will probably be drawn from the teams taking part in the competition. A former resident of Tokoma.ru, Mr Robert Griffiths Perreau, was one of the successful applicants for the twenty free blocks of land offered to settlers in the Northern Territory by the Federal Government. Mr Perreau has written thus to a Sydney newspaper :—“ I have been allotted a 1616acre block, comprising agricultural and pastoral land, described as of an easy, undulating character, permanently watered by the south branch of the Finiss river, tho surface water of which is plentiful and good. I was the only successful applicant from New Zealand in the first ballot, the other nineteen blocks being granted to Australians, jl am taking my wife and eight children, the eldest of whom is under twelve years of age. I am thirty-seven myself, and feel that if enterprise and pluck will carry me through in the Northern Territory, I am bound to succeed.”

On Monday week the two Wellington College teams which have been selected to compete at the Auckland Exhibition senior cadet tournament will leave for Auckland. The senior squad will be under the command of E. fluke and the junior under that of ni. Porritt, who was one of the New Zealand cadet team in Canada. Both teams have been entered for several events —rifle exercise, physical drill, tent-pitching, and the athletic sports. In the first two events there will be twelve men in each team. In the tent-pitching, six men comprise a team and each squad has entered three teams. The senior team will be represented by E. Luke, C. Davis, G. Eobieson, and H. Hindmarsh in the winning events. The camp arrangements are to be attended to by the Defence Department. Free access to the Exhibition is to be given them during their six-days' stay in Auckland.

A Press Association telegram from F.ketahuna records the death of Mr Francis McAnultv, aged seventy-four. He was a colonist of long standing, and was at ono time in the police force and associated with the Defence Department.

Cards conveying tho season’s greetings, which are heartily reciprocated, have come to hand from tho staff of the General Post Office, the Wellington branch of the Marino Engineers’ Institute, the “Otaki Mail,” Gordon and Gotch Proprietary, Ltd., and the Dunlop Rubber Co. .(Wellington branch). The Karori school boys have distinguished themselves in sport during tho past year by winning three championships : (1) the junior championship in cricket, (2) the six-a-side championship in Association football—winning a modal each; and (3) tho championship o ftho schools hockey teams, in which they scored 90 points to nil—perhaps a record in school games, Tire railway excursion arrangements in connection with tho Christmas holidays commenced on Thursday, when tho third Main Trunk express, timed to depart at 12.35 p.m., commenced its running. Persons departing by tho ordinary and extra Main Trunk expresses totalled 240, of which number 100 bad booked right through to Auckland. So far the traffic on the other trains is at about the everyday level. “You will get tho inspector after you if you don’t pull up,” said one of tho American athletes to the driver of a motor car which conveyed the visitors to Riverton tho other day. “In America we have a speed limit of thirty miles on country roads,” he continued. “Oh, we can go ono better than that,” said the local driver; “wo have no limit at all.” And yet yet America is supposed to he a nation of hustlers, says tho “Southland “Daily News.” A postcard, addressed “To the magistrates and detectives of New Zealand” and bearing tho inscription, “May it please The© to bless and keep tho magistrates and to maintain truth,” written in red ink, was received at the central police station at Auckland on Wednesday. It is stated that the sender, who now lives in Guildford, England, is a lady who at ono time resided in Ponsonby road. Since her departure from Auckland nine years ago she lias never failed to send along a postcard of this kind at Christmas time.

Tho unusual 'behaviour of Samuel Muirs, a corporation employee, on Thursday evening, resulted in his appearance at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with stealing a wheelbarrow, the property of tho City Council. Inspector Hendroy asked leave to withdraw the charge, saying that he was satisfied the man was not a thief. Accused was employed by tho corporation, and was observed on Thursday overling wheeling a cask away in a barrow. When stopped and questioned, he gave a fictitious name and address; but afterwards he gave his correct name. It was understood that the man had no intention of keeping the harrow. ‘ Tho magistrate (Mr J. S. Evans, 8.M.) gave permission for the charge to be withdrawn. The half-yearly meeting of the Petone Fire Board was, held at Petone yesterday afternoon. ..There were present :—Messrs Mothes (chairman), Kempthorno, Anderson, Findlay, McEwan arid Smith. A statement of the board’s finances was submitted, showing a credit halvuco at the bank amounting to £ll6, after providing £2-1 J2s 8d be meet sundry accounts The South British Insurance Company complained of the brigade’s delay in attending a fire in Nelson street, and the superintendent explained that the delay was caused through the person who discovered the fire running to the firo station, which is some distance away, instead of giving the alarm from the alarm box in the street. It was decided to cancel the contract for erecting electric alarms at the firemen’s residences, and to leave the matter in the hands of the local members of the board to mako other arrangements. It was resolved to call for applications for a permanent fireman at a wage of £2 15s per week and free quarters. The restriction of a man’s liberty, because be owes money, unless it be ordered by a court, is not permissible; but an excited old man who fastened himself to the coat-tails of an embarrassed young man in Melbourne on Saturday week apparently thought otherwise. There followed a tug-of-war, which, not being a sport usually practised in the city streets, soon caused a crowd to collect. The young man was palpably, out for a day at the races. His clothing was stylish, his boots shone like mirrors, a cigar was between bis teeth, and a pair of field-glasses hung from his shoulder. The pair struggled violently—the young man to get away, and his captor to hold him. The old man hung tightly to the other’s coat-tails, exclaiming. “He owes me money. 1 have got nothing, and he has got hundreds.” It was explained by a constable that the proper course was to take the debtor to court. This reasoning, however, did not appeal to the aggrieved man and he retained his hold, with the result that the constable had to intervene, and release tho captive. Without wasting a moment, the racegoer, thankful for his liberty, ran towards the railway station, and was soon out of sight. A youth named Albert Carnegie, aged nineteen years, was charged yesterday at the Magistrate’s Court with assaulting a railway porter at Trentham, and with altering a railway ticket with intent to avoid payment. Mr H. F. O’Leary appeared for the accused, and entered a plea of guilty on the first charge. Evidence was given to the effect that the youth bought a full ticket to Trentham on a race day, and on the guard’s request for tickets produced a half one. Tho youth reached the course, but on attempting to board a train returning to town was told that ho would not bo allowed to travel on the half ticket as ho was over twelve years of age. Accused then struck the official. Tho accused said in bis evidence that his mate bought the ticket, and he was certain that he did not cut it himself. When questioned by tho guard he became excited and struck him. Witness thought that when selling racecards they were allowed to travel at naif-fare, Remarking that trie pract.ce of youths cutting tickets would have to bo stopped, His Worship imposed a fine of 10s on the charge of assault, and on the other charge the youth was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. A proved cure for Dandruff is found in Virginian Hair and Scalp Food. This remedy is recommended by Mrs Rolleston, 256, Lambton quay, and has become remarkably popular. *