NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Milk vendors, the milk supply committee of the City Council and the farmers concerned will meet in conference next week to deal with the question of a regulated milk supply to the. city.

Evidence given in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court shows that it is a habit of some persons to pick up a bicycle somewhere in the city, ride it half-way home, and then drop it in the river, ’A witness stated that while emploved on the drainage works ho had fished ont no fewer than four bicycles from the river.

Councillor J. Fuller has given notice to move at the next meeting of the City Council the following motion; —‘‘That the tramway committee l»o asked to report as to the merit of extending the present Brooklyn, tramway terminus to the vicinity of Taft street, and also as to the approximate cost of the work.”

The constitution of the Tramways Appeal Beard is now complete. Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., is president, and the two elected members’* are Mr J. R. Palmer (for the City Council) and Motorman M. J. Whalen (tor the tramway employees). . The elected members hold office for three years from yesterday. An important conference of heads of departments was held in the Public Service Commissioner’s office yesterday to discuss the question of the care of departmental property, such as office furniture and similar equipment. After hearing the Commissioner, a committee was set up to go into the matter and to evolve a scheme, to be submitted at the earliest possible dote. What is claimed to be an excellent hematite for painting purposes lias been found 'at Waihou at the bottom of a swampy creek on Air John Borrie’s farm, states the Auckland “Herald.” A Government analysis of the material has been made, and this shows the chief ingredients to be 4.11 per cent, of combined water and organic matter, and 91.63 per cent, of ferro-oxide, the latter being equal to 64.18 of metallic iron. - A curious growth of mushrooms may he seen in an engineering shop in Dunedin just now, says the “Evening Star.” The floor of the shop is laid down in asphalt, and has a thickness of fully three inches. Yet despite so stony an obstacle, several mushrooms, from two, to three inches in diameter, have forced themselves up into the light of day. The asphalt- in the near vicinity of the mushrooms looks very much as if a pick had been at work, and it seems hardly credible that the tender and succulent mushroom possessed such a forcing strength as is displayed.

The monthly meeting of the Technical Education Board was held last evening, there being present; —Messrs D. Robertson (chairman), G. Frost, J. Smith, D. McLaren, J. P. Luke, W. Allan, and W. H. Field. The balancesheet showed receipts £lO2l 19s lid (including capitation £699) and expenditure £937 16s Bd, and a credit balance on February 27th of £2Ol I7s Id. Accounts amounting to £Bl3 Os 6d were passed for payment. A gift was received from Mr A. Leigh Hunt of a set of plans of the engines of the s.s. Devon, wrecked at Wellington Heads. It was decided to hand , the plans over- to the engineering classes, and to send a letter of thanks to the donor. , ; •An 1 excitable little . woman named Minnie Blown pleaded not guilty in tho Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., to a charge of being.an idle and disorderly person. In giving evidence against tho accused, Detective-Sergeant Cassells said he had seen the woman with Chinamen. Accused interjected: ‘ ‘ I’ve never been with a Chinaman in my life. Don’t tell lies, or I’ll blow your head off!” It was stated by counsel for accused that she was leaving shortly for Taranaki. After hearing the evidence, the magistrate decided that the lady must defer her proposed visit to Taranaki for a month, during which time she will remain in the Terrace gaol.

A party will leave Wellington for Greytown to-day (says our Otaki correspondent) under the guidance of Mr Hugh Girdlestone, a Government surreyor, who will be accompanied by Major Hume and three others. It is improbable that Mr W. H. Field, who has always displayed a keen interest, will be able to accompany the number. The object is to meet a party of Greytownites, and leave there at 6 a.m. on Sunday for a climb of the Tararuas, via a new route, and one much favoured by Mr Field, to Otaki. Instead of going from Mt. Reeves into the Tauherenikau river, and from there to' Mts. Omega and Alpha to Mt. Hector, they will go via the main ridge, which eaves the necessity of crossing the river. The trip will take about three days, the party being expected to arrive in Otaki on Tuesday. Should the weather continue fine a pleasant and profitable trip should result. • In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. before Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., a Chinaman named Geo Guie was charged with assaulting Kathleen Von Cant, and also with being an idle and disorderly person. Cross-ex-amined by Mr J. F. AV. Hickson, who appeared for the accused, Kathleen Von Cant said that she did not lay the complaint, hut Detective-Sergeant Cassells did.' She had been living with, accused for three years. On the day in question accused .came home drunk and struck her. During tho course of the proceedings Inspector Hendrey said that he would not allow any Chinaman bo heat a white woman without taking steps to prosecute him. There was q'aite a number of white women living with such men as the accused. This case was only a sample. The Magistrate held that the evidence was against the accused on the first charge. He would he fined £5, or one month’s imprisonment. The second charge was dismissed.

Late yesterday afternoon a little occurrence took place at Lyall Bay .beach, which showed that its) caretaker (Mr AV. Minifie) must be a man of many parts. The caretaker was engaged in clearing the southern end of the beach of the seaweed which always collects there after a southerly, when his attention was drawn to a party of two young men and two women, who were misconducting themselves in front of the ladies’_ shed. The men were partially intoxicated, and in addition were smashing bottles on the beach. Mr Minifie got the male offenders into his office and requested their names and addresses. Instead of complying, they incontinently attacked him. But the caretaker, who is not totally unacquainted with the noble art of self-defence, rose to the occasion, and in a few seconds the two bellicose inebriates were reduced to a more humble state of mind. It is understood that prosecutions .will follows v

The price of fresh trout has been reduced to sixpence per pound at the Municipal Fish Market. A big demand has set in, and at present the market doing twice as much business as it did this time hist year. The failure of a New Plymouth debtor to add exchange to a cheque for an amount sued tor, hd the solicitor for tho creditor to sue for the six : pence in the court on Tuesday. Judgment was given for this small amount, together with 5s court costs and 5s solicitor’s fee. An election of a member of tho Johnsonvilie Town Board will take place on the olst hist. The vacancy has been caused by the resignation of Mr H. W. Lawrence, P.C.S., who has taken this step as a protest against the quality of the water and the manner in which the water supply has been managed. A Java-u exhibition will be bold at Famarang this year, and tho fact makes a kinematograph film of a trip to Java of some interest. Tho picture is at present being shown in Auckland, and will in due course .reach Wellington, where a private- exhibition will be given. The film was photographed by Mr J. F. Hurley, who accompanied Dr Mawson’s expedition as cinematographer. The Government promised some time ago to contribute £40,000 out of the £IOO,OOO required from local bodies for their share in the cost of constructing the Hint road. Tho City Council has not yet done anything in the matter and the Mayor (Mr J. P. Lukri does not believe that any steps will be taken until official intimation of the grant lias been received from the Government. A most unusual case is being heard at the Supreme Court, Hamilton, before his" Honour Mr Justice Cooper, who has sitting with him two assessors. The case is one in which eight natives who live at Kawa, near To Awamutu, are claiming from the Kawa Drainage Board the sum of £ISOO ns damages for tho destruction of an eel pa (or weir), on land owned by the natives. The natives claim that the drainage works of the hoard have put an end to the supply of eels. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr D. G. A. Gocpcr, S.M., tho Inspector of Awards proceeded against W. E.- Green, baker, of Newtown, for failing to keep a wages and overtime, book. The inspector, it appears, visited tho defendant’s premises and asked to see tho book. Between the period of February 29th, 1913, and December 20th, 1913, theroi were no hours entered for the employees. He pointed this out to Green and told him it was a breach of the provisions of the Act. The magistrate held the cffc-nco proved and fined defendant £o, with court’costs 7s. Rather an expensive way of getting rid of Hie unwelcome overplus in the ranks of the family felines was selected the other day by some indi--vidual out Newmarket way, says the Auckland “Star.” Investigating the cause of a block in a man-bole tho boro'agh workmen found- in a service pipe a neat paper parcel containing three muoli-dr,owned kittens. It took three days to remove the stoppage, and the cost was £3 12s—“£1 4s per cat,”, as the Mayor remarked, when referring to the matter at the council meeting on Thursday evening; A meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was held on Friday afternoon, Mrs G. Ponsonby presiding. There wore- also present Mesdames Hadficld, A. A. Corrigan, Chatfield, J. P. Luke, Misses Steward and Denton. A number of cases which hall -been investigated were reported upon; others are being attended to. The following subscriptions were acknowledged with thanks: —E. W. Mills and Co. £1 Is, Mrs J. W. Massey 10s, Mrs Sprott £l. Storer, Meek and Co. 10s Mrs Marshall 10s, Wellington Woollen, Co., Lid. ss.

In view of the fact that a number of, animals were some time ago transferred from the Aramoho Zoo to Onehunga, says the Wanganui "Chronicle,” it is interesting to note that the marine suburb of Auckland has never taken kindly to the presence of these animals. Complaints on the part of residents in. the vicinity of the Zoo of the roaring of tho lions, and other matters in the earn© connection, were reflected in a. by-law adopted at tho last meeting of the local Borough Council, which will have the effect of making “it unlawful for any person to keep within the borough for show or exhibition or profit any animal, reptile or bird which is wild by nature, save and except in the case of any travelling- circus or menagerie, which may bo licensed at the discretion of the council to rerfluiu in the borough for a period not exceeding seven days.” Opium again figured on the chargesheet of the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. A young, respectable-looking Chinaman named Dong .Sing pleaded “not guilty” to being found in possession of opium suitable for smoking. Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., was on the bench, and Mr J. F. W. Dickson appeared for the defence. Mr MacLaurin, Acting-Collector of Customs, prosecuted. Sergeant Dew in his evidence said that he was one of the search party that raided 140 Taranaki street. Accused came in while the police were there and sat down on a sofa. When defendant got up witness found a tin containing opium where he had been sitting. Witness was positive that there was no tin of opium on tho sofa before tho accused cam© in, because he was particularly on the lookout for such tins. Counsel contended that possession had not been proved, but the magistrate held otherwise and fined accused the sum of £5 Is, in default one .month’s imprisonment. Costs of appeal were fixed at £7 7b.

Before leaving for the north, Earl Grey invited Commissioner Richards to meet him at Thorndon railway station. His Lordship, who was accompanied fcy Major-General Godley, discussed a number of interesting matters with the commissioner, and evinced a lively interest in all that he was told in regard to tho work of the Army in New Zealand. The commissioner, who previous to coming to the Dcmmi.cn, was in charge of the forces in South Africa, reminded Earl Grey that ho had been the means of giving to the army a large estate in Rhodesia for agricultural purposes, .and pointed out that a large measure of prosperity w-as attending tho which, among ether things, was yielding 1400 hags of mealies (maize) per annum. A stratum of lime had been discovered, which enabled three kilns to be run. The revenue derived from the estate paid the -.-xpenses of the greater part of the native work in Rhodesia, which was a most important one and involved increasing responsibility. Earl Grey, who expressed much satisfaction at this information, paid a tribute to the work of the Salvation Army, and incidentally stated that the New Zealand Government seemed to be using the organisation in a mors effective way than was the ease in Australia. General Godley also spoke in high terms of the Army's work, and pointed out tint the Dominion was the first of the colonies to appoint Salvation Army chaplains tp tht> military forces.- .. -•

Not for the past twenty-five years has the water in Lake Rotorua been at so low an ebb as it is at present, says the Rotorua “Chronicle." This is due to tho dry weather of the last four or five months. A proposal which will bo placed bo* fore the Prime Minister (Right Hon* IV. F. Massey) when he visits Motucka early next week is that tho Government should give prizes for the best samples of New Zealand apples for export. Orange and lemon trees in Otaki give promise of yielding some very fine crops, and although tho oranges, as yet, arc small, they uro numerically large. Tho Otaki climate is especially suited for the growing of citrus fruits, and several residents are inclined this season to plant numbers of trees. It is reported that- contagious mnmmitis is again somewhat prevalent in Taranaki. Some farmers, it is stated, are threatened with heavy losses by this disease getting into their herds. In onq case a farmer is likely to havq to condemn eight or nine cows, worth about £ls each. The matron of the hospital desires to acknowledge the following gifts : Illustrated papers, Mr Phillips, “A' Friend,” Dr Holmes and Mr Bradley j books, Church of Christ Endeavour Society and Mr Gray; babies’ clothes, Anonymous. Children’s Hospital.— Flowers. Wellington Girls’ College and Mr Herbert Baillie; books, Church of Christ Endeavour Society.

The South Canterbury teachers who left recently for Canada were very hospitably received by the educational authorities of Vancouver and Winnipeg. From news received bv friends it would seem that the travellers had a somewhat unceremonious initiation into tho mysteries of a Canadian winter. They were landed from the steamer at Vancouver into three feet of snow and a very high degree of frost. Tho Bluff “Press”, states- that tho Rev. J. Sharp made rather touching reference on a recent evening - to tho old' habit of putting threepenny bits into the church plate instead of sometiring’ more valuable. “If ipo only had prohibition, wo would have florins and even half-sovereigns,” ho said, “instead 1 of threepenny bits.” Ho * then added cautiously, and with a heavy sigh, “not that we’re not only too glad to get the threepenny bits I” (Loud laughter.) Barefooted and very much in need of water and soap, a small boy, nine years of age, arrived at the police station last Wednesday evening in company with a constable, states tho "Auckland “ Herald.” It transpired that the boy and his brother, two years older, had absented themselves from their homo land school since Friday. They had apparently visited their home in their parents’ absence to secure food, but bad slept under houses. The boy was sent back to his parents, his brother liaving already gone home. An am'using mutilation occurred in a Press Association cable from London the other morning, according to the “Hawke’s Bay Tribune.” It read; “Prior to the Cabinet meeting, Messrs Birre-11, Redtaond, T. O’Oonncr, Dillon and the Devil breakfasted with Mr Lloyd George, and had a conference lasting an hour and a half.” We aro not informed of the result of the consultation with His Satanic Majesty. Probably the fifth seat at tho breakfast table was occupied by Mr Devlin. “ This builping. is. .absolutely,, unique as far a® tbd Dominion is concerned,” declared Captain T. H. Dawson, at the annual meeting of the College Rifles Club on Tuesday night. Captain Dawson was referring to the club rooms, says the Auckland “ Herald,” whichservo both as such and as a drill, hall for the Auckland Divisional Signal Company, into which the old volunteer ■ corps has been merged. The company, Captain Dawson claims, is the only one which drills in a building which it owns, and for tho full cost of which it has made itself responsible.

Yesterday Mr H. Atmore, M.P. for Nelson, received a telegram from the Nelson branch of the Reform League inviting him to attend and take a seat on the platorm at a meeting to he addressed by the Bight Hon. the Prime Minister. Mr Atmore replied that if able to cancel previously-arranged engagements he would be pleased to he present, and would be pleased to take half tho evening for 'the_ purpose of attacking the administration and xmlicy of the Government; or failing that, to meet any other Minister on a Nelson platform. A little forethought is an excellent , thing, but it is remarkable how this necessary quality is lacking in some people. This is exemplified by an incident which occurred at To _A.ro baths yesterday, when an andividual who should have known better went in for a “dip” without taking the precaution of removing his set of artificial teeth. Tho result was obvious. During the course of his natatorial exploits ho took a dive into deep water and came up l spluttering without his teeth. Although he dived for nearly an hour in the hope of recovering tho molars his efforts wer© futile, and eventually, nearly blue with the cold, he left for the dressing rbom a sadder but a wiser man as far as teeth are concerned.

The Petono Borough Council will meet on Monday, and Councillor Findlay has given- notico i to move:— (1) “ThAt the foot-crossings at present) upon the Hutt road be removed; (2) that a by-law regulating the speed of motors within the borough he drawn up and brought into force as early aa possible; (3V that an addition he made to the building by-laws giving the engineer power to refer to the council applications for the erection of all buildings, which in tho opinion of the engineer are unsightly or likely to be objectionable to adjoining premises, and that the onus of issuing the permit rest with the council/' Councillor Townsend has given notice to ask tha gas manager “the total cost of the shipment of coal per s.s. Alexander, giving cost of carting, and trimming, etc., at gas works, and proximate difference in cost as compared with railing.”

Fishermen, amateur and otherwise, should take warning from a case brought by tho police in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Three Italian fishermen, Antonio Mazzolo, Salvo Stagnaros, and Antono Mazzolo, wero charged with drawing a net containing fish on to dry land, and also with taking four soles, all less than nine inche# long. Each defendant pleaded “guilty" to. both charges. Inspector Hendrey said that the three accused were fishermen at Rona Bay. Complaint had been made to the police, and as the result Constable Simpson cautioned the men* For some time past almost a nuisance had been caused by undersized fish being left on the beach. The present proceedings were taken as a consequence. On the first charge a fine of £l, with costs 7a, was imposed on each defendant, and on the second merely a conviction was entered, _

At 7.35 o’clock last evening tho fire brigade received a cull to an outbreak at H. Lester’s motor gar,ago in Vivian street. Tho flames, which bad not got a big hold, were extinguished before any serious damage was done. At tho annual mooting of tho Taranaki District, Manchester Unity, 1.0.0. F., held at Eltham on Thursday, says a Press Association message, a resolution in favour of the consolidation of tho sick funds of tho New Zealand branch was carried by a substantial majority. With flue weather, it is anticipated tho Island Hay gala this afternoon will prove a great success. Tho Mayor and several members of tho City Council are expected to attend, and the Highland Pipe Hand and South Wellington Drum and Fife Band will play at intervals during tho afternoon. The following vessels are expected to he within wireless range of Wellington this evening;—Victoria, Wahinc, Navua, Maori, Westralia, and Ulimaroa; and within range of the Chathnms Knight Templar and Waimana. Vessels within range of Wellington tomorrow night will comprise the Maitai, and Hawke’s Bay, and within range of the Chathame Knight Templar and Westralia.

A meeting of the Workers’ Dwellings Board was held last evening, ■when member,; of they hoard met applicants for workers’ dwellings on tho block of land purchased by tho Government some time ago at Taityillc. Tho board approved of seven applications, and arrangements wore made for proceeding with tho plans and specifications of the buildings. Tho Labour Department lias authority to erect three more houses on the land, and applications for tho buildings are now being rose ived.

Tho outlook for labour during t-lio ensuing slack season is not too, bright. Tho offer of the Government to find employment for 60 men on co-opor.a-tivo works will relievo some of tho immediate pressure, and already ten men have been sent to tho construction works at Oliakuiio; - but that tho position is becoming acute is shown by the fact that about 65 watorsiders and 200 others are out of work, and tho number of the unemployed is increasing. In a statement as to tho position, Mr 0. G. Farland, secretary of the old Waterside AVorkcrs’ Union, said that the indications were for a sevoro winter for tho workers. A largo amount of extra labour was brought into Wellington during the strike, so that with tho resumption of work there was not sufficient employment for all who required it. Something more would have to bo done than was contained in tho Premier’s proposal, and unless adequate provision was made for tho employment of theso mou, tho position would he a serious on. Under ordinary conditions a large surplus of labour was to bo expected between April and May, but at present the state of was abnormal. It would become necessary to find work for two or three hundred men when the handling of the season’s wool ceased, and men who had been engaged in grass seeding would soon be looking for frosh jobs. In regard to wharf work, Air Farland commented on the system of engaging labour at different places, and remarked that the better system, about which so much had been hoard, had not been_ brought into operation. Two more batches of men will ho despatched to tho railway works early next week.