NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8654, 12 February 1914, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

"A kind of legal, ‘This is the house that Jack built,’ ” was how Mr VVilford, in the Supreme Court yesterday, described the provisions in the statutes defining the offence of sedition. The illustration was applied to various references from one section to another that are necessary to discover the complete offence. Various tests of memory were imposed by Mr T. M. Wilford yesterday upon witnesses in the sedition case at the Supreme Court, and one of these, addressed to a member of the detective force, gave some indication of the solicitor’s own mnemonic powers. Counsel asked the witness how much he could remember of what he was about to hear, and then proceeded to recite without hesitation an historical passage of perhaps 600 words. “How much could you write of that, even, to-morrow,” he asked, at the conclusion. “I could not write very much of it,” was the response. “Medical men, in dealing with Maoris, have experienced a certain amount of difficulty, as the natives have always had a dread that the doctor will interfere with their state of tapu,” said Dr A. Challinor Purchas in the course of bis presidential address at the opening of the Australasian Medical Congress. He went on to say that a Maori will always show great reluctance to have a tumour or an injured limb removed. Fortunately for the Maoris, that feeling was gradually passing away, and there were at the present time several qualified practitioners of the native race who had done excellent work in instructing the Maoris in the laws of health, and in the improvement of their, sanitary conditions. The Salvation Army’s new maternity hospital, “Redroofs,” Dunedin, was formally opened yesterday in the presence of a large and representative gathering by the Mayor of Dunedin (says a private telegram). The hospital is fitted up iu the most approved and modern manner, and is splendidly built in the latest English style. It is enclosed in spacious grounds, from which a fine view of the surrounding country may be> obtained. The Mayor and other leading citizens enlarged upon the good work that the Army is performing, and Commissioner Richards gave a resume of the Army’s operations, and spoke with enthusiasm of the immediate prospects. The chief secretary (Lieut.-Colonel Powley) and Brigadier Bray accompanied the Commissioner. In the evening the Commissioner addressed a crowded meeting of young people in the Dunedin Town Hall.

The ■local agents for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co. Ltd., have received cable advice that in the firstclass accommodation of the Corinthic, lonic, and Athenic, single-berth staterooms are to be provided on the awning deck. These will be situated in what is'popularly known as “the bungalow,” a separate deck-house at present containing two and threeberth rooms. The Corinthic will be the first vessel to be so fitted, and the remodelling will be completed in time for her sailing from London on July 23rd, time-table date. The other vessels will he altered as they reach the Homo port. The demand for single-berth state-rooms at a- moderate rate of passage money is considerable, and this innovation should further add to the popularity of these liners, the largest in the trade. These steamers are now provided with a lounge room tastefully decorated, and an enlargement of the first saloon sitting-room and library has also been made, greatly adding to the general comfort of passengers.

At a meeting of rural workers held at Blenheim on Saturday night, it was decided to form a union, to he called the Marlborough Agricultural and Pastoral Workers’ (other than shed hands) Industrial Union. Mr J. Williams was elected president and Mr J. Townsend was secretary and organiser. About twenty-five members were enrolled. Several letters were received from threshing mills and station hands in outlying district® who were unable to attend, signifying their intention of becoming members. Steps are to he taken to form a similar body in Otago and Southland, and later on a move will be mode in the same direction in the Auckland province, with the oh j ect of bringing about an association of all unions on lines similar to the Shearers’ Association. A Dominion award under the Arbitration Act will be applied for. Mr M. Laracy (secretary of the Shearers’ Association), who has been acting as organiser of the Rural Workers Union in the Master-ton district, has now been replaced by Mr E. Hunter, who was selected by the Wellington branch for the position of secretary and organiser.

In the Martinborough Town Board district a poll was taken yesterday on the question of rating on unimproved value. The result was that 1194 votes were cast in favour of adopting _tho system, and 107 against it.

“There were a number of strikers in the carriage,” said a witness at tho Upper Hutt Court yesterday, “and they were pretty hot stuff. Tho language that was being used was very thick, and it would have been dangerous to strike a match for fear of an explosion.”

It has been ascertained that the unoccupied house in Clyde street, Island Bay, which was destroyed by fire on Tuesday night, was insured in the Commercial office for £350. The adjoining dwelling, which was damaged to some extent, was covered in the same office for £SOO. Both houses were owned by Messrs Loarney Bros., of Te Aroha.

“Tho Kenuedys,” a musical combination of considerable ability and favourable repute, arrived in. Wellington by the Maunganui from Sydney yesterday. It had been intended to open the tour of New Zealand in this city, but as dates are not procurable just now the company will play the South Island first, returning to Wellington and the north later. This is the first visit of “The Kenuedys” to New Zealand. The members of the Auckland athletic team, who have returned from Australia, were introduced by Mr A. A. Marryatt to the meeting of the Council of the. New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last evening, and were given a welcome home by Mr A. Davies (chairman) and Mr J. C. Cusack., The team went north by the express last night. An interesting fiscal comparison was utilised by Mr T. M. Wilford in, addressing the jury in the sedition case at the Supreme Court yesterday. He said that he might tell an audience that the amount paid in land tax in one year by the owners of millions of acres was £728,000, and that, on the other hand, the total sum paid in duty upon tobacco, used so largely by the working class, was £600,000, and his object in so speaking might be to create. dissatisfaction, but it was not probable that he would be run in for sedition.

■Christchurch city, as the biggest customer of the Government for electrical supplies from the Lake Coleridge generating works, has been for some time engaged in the consideration of supplies to local- authorities, and to-day a conference will bo hold with delegates from the suburban local bodies to discuss the position generally. There have been efforts made by some local bodies to deal direct with the Government and take control of the supply from the Government mains (says the “Lyttelton Times”), but th 6 city’s ideal is that, while the outside business is not desired for profit-making, the linking up of all the suburban areas into the one Christchurch supply will be of great benefit when the city extends and embraces many of the suburban areas now independent. Reference to the experiment® for the treatment of cancer by, the application of radium was made by the Hon. R. H. Rhodes (Minister for Public Health) at the inaugural meeting of the- Australasian Medical Congress. The Minister said that the time might come when it would bo necessary for the State to initiate a radium, institute for the treatment of cancer. However, the development of the research had hardly progressed far enough at present to warrant New Zealand entering into experiments in cancer research on anything like an extensive scale. The Dominion must he guided by the experiments of older and wealthier countries. “But,” remarked the Minister, “once they are past the experimental stage, and what proves a cure has been discovered, it will be our duty to procure that benefit for tbs people of this country.” Still another requisition has been received by the executive of the Wharf Labourers’ Union from members who desire a meeting of the union to he called. The signatories intimate that at the meeting they intend to move, under rule 16, “for the removal (1) of the president, (2) the vice-president, (3) til© secretary, and (4) the five or less members of tho said union forming the remainder of the executive, upon the grounds that the requests requiring the calling of special meetings of the union have been persistently ignored, portions deleted or rejected, and each of the said officers have been guilty of disregard of duty and the wishes of the majority of members and have failed in their duty as members by refusing to carry out tho resolutions passed at a legally-constituted meeting held at the Skating Rink on Saturday, February 7th.” The examiners of tho Inspection of Machinery Department held examinations recently at Auckland, Christa church, Dunedin, Gisborne, Greymouth, Half Moon Bay, Hamilton, Invercargill, Napier, Nelson, Palmerston North, Stratford, Timaru, Wanganui, Wellington, and Whangarei. Candidates sat for the following classes of certificates: —First-class marine engineer, second-class marine engineer, third-class marine engineer, river engineer, marine engine driver, and engineers of auxiliary powered vessels other than steam (both for sea-gong and river trade), extra first-class engineer, first-class stationary enginedriver, second-class stationary enginedriver, locomotive and traction-engine driver, winding engine driver (for mining certificates), and electrio tram driver. Of tho two hundred and nineteen candidates, one hundred and seventy were'successful. The members of the Victorian Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the manufacture of bricks and the cost teethe consumers paid a visit to Sydney last week, looked over tho State brick works, and took a good deal of evidence. Mr Sydney Hutton, the manager of the State brick works told the commission that, although during the last financial year there had been a lass of £I6OO, the price charged being 30s per thousand, the Government had saved between £7OOO and £BOOO, representing tho difference between the price paid for the State-made bricks and that which would have been paid to private, manufacturers. It was shown that there had been a great demand for Statemade bricks outside, hut it was only the surplus, after the Government Departments had all they wanted, that were sold. It was not the desire to make a profit at these works, hut to give the Government the opportunity to construct its own works as cheaply as possible. At the same time, it was acknowledged that it was only a State concern that could be run on such lines. The private brickworks had not, it was asserted, suffered any loss through the establishment of tho Government works, a fact that was due to the rapidity with which buildings were being put up, and the increasing demand for bricks.

Among the passengers from Sydney yesterday by the Maunganui was ,Signo< N. K. Truda, violinist, of Brisbane, who is on a visit to Wellington. Tho following vessels will be within wireless range of Wellington this evening:—Victoria, Maori. Waliine, Maungauui, and Willoehra, and (within range of Chatham Islands) Star of Ireland.

St. Patrick’s College commenced thd first term of the new year this week. As tho students come from all parts of the Dominion, some little delay is occasioned in starting tho school routine, but the classes were in full working order yesterday. A little child about two years old„ while playing in Aro street yesterday! morning, suddenly ran in front of an. approaching tnamcar driven by Motorman J. Hcrlihy. A prompt application of tho brakes brought the oar to a standstill within a few inches of tho child. The presence of mind displayed by the motorman undoubtedly saved tho child from serious injury.

Official notification was received by tho Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last evening that at tho Athletic Park, Wellington, on December 26th, 15. R. Caughey, of Ukiah, California, put the 161 b shot a distance of 44 feet 3 inches. The certificate was accepted, and it was decided that the record bo scut on to tho Australasian Union for recognition as equal to the existing record. A fifteen-year-old boy named Stanley Bullick, residing at 30, Devon, street, came to grief while riding rbicycle yesterday. The kid fell from the machine, and struck against a coal cart which was standing in the roadway. Alter receiving attention by Dr Mackiu the lad was removed to the hospital, where late last evening he was reported to be sleeping comfortably.

Tho defendant in an assault cate hoard at the Upper Hutt Court > ester day, in reply /to counsel, said that he had desired to quieten the plaintiff, and so knocked him clown with Ins open hand, but did not nurt him. The Magistrate, in delivering judgment, said that he believed the defendant, and that be did effectually quieten the plaintiff, who was much th« weaker person. “I desire to correct a misunderstanding in the reports of my observations to the Grand Jury in a case fop failure to keep proper books of account,” said Mr Justice Denniston at tho Supremo Court at Christchurch on Tuesday. “Fraud, although its absence would be an element in the punishment of such cases, is not essential to the offence. The offence may be committed without any moral wrong.”

At a meeting of tho Early Settlors' Association it was suggested that Wellington’s next anniversary should ha celebrated on lines similar to those in connection with tho jubilee of. tho West Coast. It is proposed that there should be three days of celebrations (January 22nd, 23rd, and 24th), and that tho attractions should include;—• Harbour excursions, picnic at the Hutt (the first homo of the majority of tho pioneers), sports meeting, special concerts at the Town Hall, publio luncheon to tho pioneers, exhibition of early photographs, and curios, etc. A meeting to set up a special committee to carry out tho arrangement# will bo called shortly. It was suggested that possibly tho carnival committee could arrange to hold their 1915 carnival in conjunction with the celebrations, the carnival to commence on Monday, January 18th, and run for a week. Special efforts are being made to induce citizens to treat this week as a real carnival week.