NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8652, 10 February 1914, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The rebearing of tho charge against Bamuel Thompson, of taking part in a riot, will be proceeded with in the Supreme Court this morning. Judgment will be delivered by the Chief Justice this morning on a summons by the defendant in the libel action of the “Now Zealand Times” versus the “Dominion,” calling upon the plaintiff to furnish further particulars as to tho claim for damages.

The system of gas-making at Miramar by vertical retorts has been bo satisfactory that the directors of -the Gas Company have ordered a second unit of the plant. This, when erected, will enable the whole of the gas to be Wade at Miramar and the city works to be closed down and dismantled, state tho directors in their annual report. The usual crowd of week-end inebriates formed a sorry procession at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. The first was an elderly woman named Christina Lawson, who was filled 1.00 and costs, in default three days’ imprisonment. Five first offenders were convicted and discharged. Frederick Kingan, who has been undergoing medical treatment, was fined 10s, in default forty-eight fiours’ imprisonment. A first offender, who had also had the services of ■a doctor, was similarly dealt with. In the course of a case at the Supreme Court yesterday the question ol now long it would take to grow a moustache which would servo as ■£ mark of identification was introduced. His Honour the-Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) confessed that he had never had a razor on his face in his life. A remark on the same subject was made by the foreman of the jury (a man of fair complexion), who stated that he could go without a shave for a week and still b® considered elean-shaven, whereas another man might show as much growth in twelve hours.

The art of printing in colour has for many years been the study of inventors and recently several important improvements have been devised. Mr H. Baillie (chief librarian) has just received and placed upon the tables of the reference department of the free library, Victoria street, a description of new colour printing apparatus invented by Mr J. A. J. Hayes, of Letchworth, England, which is said to be an interesting development of the art. The invention has not been patented in New Zealand, and the description referred to is available to everyone interested in tho subject.

An estimate has been prepared of the probable attendances at the divisional camps to be held this year. The figures are: —Auckland district camp at Hautapn, 4540 men, 1400 horses; casual camp, 420 men, 200 horses; Wellington district camp at Takapau, 5666 men, 1574 horses; casual camp, 781 men, 194 horses; Canterbury district camp at Kowai, 3490 men, 1030 horses; casual camp, 630 men, 110 horses; Otago district camp at Matarae, 3694 men, 1000 horses; casual camp, 1231 menj 215 horses. In connection with the Wellington camps, it is estimated that the following supplies will he required:—Bl,2solb bread, 97,5001 b fresh meat, 16,2501 b butter, 40601 b cheese, 30501 b tea, 20301 b coffee, 16,2501 b sugar, 05.0001 b potatoes, 16,2501 b onions, 16,2501 b jam, 81301 b oatmeal, 4070 gallons fresh milk, condensed milk as required if fresh milk not available, 1 tin per S men per diem, 20301 b. salt, 1131 b pepper, 48001 b flour. Fuel:—6 tons coal, 238,0001 b wood, 13601 b candles. Forage:—97,soolb straw, 2700 bushels oats, 96 tons oat-sheaf chaff, 48 tons hay, 12 sacks bran.

The tally-clerks’ dispute is to come before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr P. Hally) this morning.

The civil sitting of tho Supreme Court has been adjourned till Monday next at 11 a.m. It is proposed to hold a riflo meeting in Wellington on Easter Monday for Territorials, senior cadets and others in X'o. 5 area groups. A young man named Roy Patterson, son of Mr John Patterson, of the Telegraph Department, Invercargill, was drowned while surf-bathing at Bushby Beach on Sunday, says a Press Association telegram from Oamaru. Arrangements for the annual reunion of tho 7tli New Zealand Contingent are now well in hand. Advice has been i-eceived that a large number of the old regiment from different parts of tho Dominion intend to be present on the 24th inst., and everything points to n most successful function.

Tho Defence Department staff held its annual picnic at . the Lower Hutt recreation ground yesterday. There was a largo attendance, and sports, including a cricket match, pleasantly occupied tho time. Two rinks were put nt tho disposal of the department by the Hutt Bowling Club, and enjoyable games were played. A large sum has been written off by the Wellington Gas Company as being the difference between the ordinary price of coal and that of coal ordered from overseas during the strike. Since tho beginning of the year £3OOO has been set usido towards meeting this year’s losses in respect of such coal, much of which is still to be delivered to the company.

“ I cannot understand why kodaks were not used by the police,” said the Chief Justice yesterday, in referring to a question of personal identification connected with a strike riot. “ Perhaps it was because they were not instructed to use them. In other countries they are used very largely. 1 have read an account of a French riot in which they were used. They have a small camera which can he operated from the waistcoat pocket.” Scholarships have been awarded by tbo Wellington Education Board to the following candidates for class “A” junior board scholarships:—Frances E. Fossetto, Clyde Quay School, 499 marks; Thelma A. Barr, Clyde Quay School, 498; John C. Beaglehole, Mount Cook Boys’ School, 497; Myrtle D. Anderson, - Girls’ College, 496; Kathleen N. Hueston, Girls’ College, 496. The above-mentioned scholars are next in order of marks to those who have already been awarded scholarships.

The case of the undesirable immigrant who cam© out to New Zealand by the s.s. Kaipara from Montreal was mentioned in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. It will be remembered that the young man landed at Auckland, and his peculiar behaviour on the voyage out mad© it inadvisable for him to become a resident of the Dominion. The magistrate (Mr B. W. Burton) decided yesterday that before he could definitely order the man to be sent hack whence ho came he should have all the papers and evidence relating to the case before him. The case was therefor© set down for to-morrow. Matters in connection with the forthcoming Salvation Army Territorial Congress move apace. No on© but those in actual touch with affairs (says the “ War dry ”) can have any .conception of the multifarious details that have to receive the most careful and minute attention at the hands of these responsible for their successful execution. The programme is an extensive one, and embraces several important meetings, also the opening of the William Booth Memorial Training College, and the new maternity hospital. Over 300 officers and soldiery will visit Wellington for the congress. The latest district to adopt the system of rating on unimproved values, is Mongonui County, in which a poll was taken on the 27th ult., when the ratepayers decided by 134 votes to 115 to levy the rates on unimproved values. The Land Values League is moving to have polls taken in a number of other districts shortly, including Martinhorough, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. The league, moreover, in-tends-to arrange a number of meetings in the larger centres within the next few months to promote dismission on the general question of taxing the unimproved value of land.

A serious accident happened yesterday morning to a man named H. Malin, employed at Messrs E. W. Mills and Co.’s warehouse, on Jervois quay. He was working in the magazine portion of the basement, and by some means he became pinned between a case of sheet-iron and another case which had overbalanced. Dt Hislop Was summoned, and the man was found to have been crushed about the chest. He was removed to the hospital, where he lay insensible for some time. It was feared that his condition was critical, but on inquiry last night it was ascertained that the patient showed an improvement, and had recovered consciousness. , He sustained internal injuries as a result of the pressure on the chest.

In the forty-fourth annual report of the Wellington Gas Company, which was issued yesterday, the directors congratulate the shareholders upon the steady growth that has taken place in the sales of gas. They state that during the year only sixty-five chains of new mains wore required to be laid, as most of the outlying districts had been reticulated in previous years. Six hundred and nine new services have been laid and 927 gas-cookers fixed in the company’s district. The plant lias been maintained in an efficient state. The ordinary shares all became,fully called up £lO per share on March 16th last. The half-yearly dividends on the 5 per cent, preference shares were paid in June and December, and an interim dividend at the rate of 6 per cent, was paid in August on the ordinary shares. •The directors now recommend a furthei payment of 5 per cent., making a total dividend of 10 per cent, per annum on the ordinary snares. The profit and loss account shows a balance of £40,537 10s 3d, from which the directors have placed to suspense accounts; For retort settings and renewals, £1250 (raising the amount to £3500); for liquidating losses arising through coal purchases, £3000; for part cost of dismantling the Tory street works, £2000; total, £6250. This leaves a _ profit (after payment of the interim dividend in August last on the ordinary shares and the year’s dividend on the preference shares) for the year of £34,237 10s 3d, from which it is proposed to declare a dividend that will absorb £11,789, leaving an amount to be carried forward of £22,498 IQs 3d. Messrs D. J. Nathan and H. Beauchamp retire by rotation, but, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. No other nominations have been received.

To-day the Mayor and members of the City Council will pay their annua! visit to Wainui-o-mata waterworks. To date 956 connections have been made with the Lower Hntt borough water-mains, and 830 connections with the borough sewerage drainage. The following vessels are expected to Ih? within wireless range of Wellington this evening;—Maori, Wahino, Maitai, Maunganui, Victoria, Wcstralia, Delphic, Star of Ireland, and Star of India.

Post Office square presented quit© a military appearance last evening, when the six companies comprising the sth Regiment, headed hy the regimental baud, marched into Waterloo quay, where they were put through various manoeuvres. Afterwards the regiment marched back to tho barracks via Lambton quay and Willis street. Messrs G. E. M. Anson and R. Eady were last night granted licenses to run motor-’buses on the streets of the Lower Hntt Borough. Councillor Dawson asked for more information in regard to the ’buses to be used, and said he was of the opinion that a license should not be granted until the council ascertained the routes to be served and the quality of the vehicle.

A fresh panel of jurors was sworn in at the Supreme Court yesterday, to deal with the criminal cases coming forward this week. Several jurymen were excused on various grounds —live for business reasons, two for deafness, two on account of being over tbo age of sixty years, on© for having served on the grand jury, and one through absence from borne. Beside cases already dealt with by the court, the Hutt Borough Council is investigating seventy-two more cases of motorists who are alleged to have exceeded the speed limit in the.Hutt. Since April last 189 names of owners, whose cars travelled at more than twenty-three miles an hour over the borough streets, have been placed on tho books of the council. Mention was mad© at the Hutt Borough Council meeting last night of the small fines inflicted in cases where owners of stock were brought before the court for allowing cattle to wander, especially in cases where there were previous convictions. A councillor asked it the magistrate could not be changed, and was informed that a change would take place shortly. A case mentioned in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday was that against Henry Martmdalo, who is charged that on or about December qrd last he published ,a document which contained notification on behalf of Scott and Martmdalo as to betting on horse races to be run at Auckland on December sth. There is also another charge of publishing a document containing a notification as to betting on horse races that were to be run at Wocdville on December lOth As there was much urgent work on hand when the case came up for hearing, it was adjourned till u o’clock this morning.

A South Wellington oorreopoiwlent signing himself “D. and N. W. Radway Oo.,” writes giving some interesting particulars with regard to a trial run from Luxton (London) to Crowe (Cheshire), at which town 21,000 men are employed by the locomotive department, and where the works and station combined cover 138 acres. The train, with a load of 434 tone, left London on a recent Sunday at 1.30 p.m. and despite three serious checks and u.rtop of five minutes outside Crewe, reached its destination (100 miles away) in ICB minutes. The same engine recently completed a trial run with an ordinary train, the 141 miles from Crewe to Carlisle, through the mountainous country, being covered in 142 m.nutes. “This,” adds our correspondent, “is almost as good as the daily runs on the London and North Western’s system from London to Liveroon]—2o2 miles in 215 minutes. It is slightly better than the run .on tho me Hue, Eustou to Oarlislc / nonstop, 300 miles in 350 minutes, through a difficult country in many parts, as well. It is certainly am improvement on your crawling New Zealand Main Trunk ‘express,’ oven on the flat from Manakad to Palmerston North.”