NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8735, 18 May 1914, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Very many people went ronnd Queen’s Drive yesterday to enjoy tho> sight of the huge breakers rolling in from tho southward. The spectacle at Lvall Bay, Island Bay, and other inlets in the vicinity was described as being a magnificent one.

The first patent slip in New Zealand was constructed at Port Chalmers, where the first dry dock (a floating structure) Was also put at tho disposal of the New Zealand shipping, states a southern exchange. The first steamer built in New Zealand was constructed at Port Chalmers, and that port at present possesses the best. docking and ship-repairing facilities in the dominion. Moreover, the salvage tug Dunedin, which is regarded as the best of her kind 1 in Australasia, has just been built at Port Chalmers. The Mayor of Port Chalmers reviewed these records when responding to a toast at the West Harbour mayoral installation.

There was a remarkable development in a case heard at the last sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Manaia. says a Press Association telegram from Hawera. Mary Couzens,' who described herself as a married woman, whose husband resided in London, proceeded against William Butler, a prominent farmer and town councillor Of Manaia, and a married man, for an affiliation order and order in respect to her illegitimate child. The case had an abrupt ending. After describing her wedding in London. stating that her husband had her marriage certificate, complainant, under severe cross-examination by defendant’s counsel, in answer to a question as to whether she would slgu a cable to her husband asking if he still had the certificate, refused to do so. and eventually confessed that she was not married. Her counsel tl ereupon threw up his brief, and the complaint was dismissed.

The finding of the Court in the Pllot-Atalanta collision inquiry was given by* Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Courthouse on Saturday morning, ■ as follows: —“(1) The Court considers the primary cause of the collision was the failure of the master of the yacht Atalanta to keep a proper look-out. (2) Although the collision was mainly due to the negligence of the master of the Atalanta, yet the Court considers that Captain Jones committed an error of judgment in not taking some steps to avoid a collision when he saw it was imminent, and the Atalanta was keeping on her course. This error of judgment was brought about by the practice of yachtsmen in Wellington harbour sailing close to steam vessels and then suddenly tacking. The Court orders! that the master and owner of the Atalanta pay the assessor £3 3s in connection with the inquiry, otherwise each party to pay its own costs.” Replying to tho criticism voiced at Friday night’s meeting of Wadestown residents, who considered their district overlooked in the loan proposals, the Mayor (Mr J. P. Lake) stated on Saturday that the amount received in rates on general account last year {from Wadestown was £I6BB, and tile amount expended out of general account on street works and general services was £I6BO. During last year there was also expended out of general account on drainage a sum of £5364. No loan money was available to * arry on the drainage work at Wadestown, but the City Council, desirous of extending to Wadestown the benefit* ol an up-to-date sanitary system, had decided to draw on tho general account for that purpose rather than wait for a fresh loan. Regarding the tramway rate, there had been about £3OO from this source in excess of th« actual shortage of revenue, as compared with working expenses, irtcresl and sinking fund. The shortage on this head was £675. the city paying everything as far as working e.vetscs were concerned. Against that, there ,was a suspense account of £634 on mg on the special rate for the v unway undertaking. The Mayor/ denied that Wadestown had been neglected, and said that tho council had not been slack in looking after the interests of the suburb.

The sittings of the Court of Appeal have been adjourned to Inday, June sth. at 10.30 a.m. The retrial of Edward Hunter on the charge of sedition will take place at tho Supremo Court to-day. Delegates representing Lower Hutt and Petono councils are to meet this evening, a-t Petcne, to discuss hospital and charitable aid matters.

Tho following vessels are expected to be within wireless range of Wellington this evening:—Maori, Wahine, Tainui and Warrimoo.

A woman named Maggie Gibson, residing at No. 4, Little Hawkestonb street, died suddenly yesterday. She nad been in indifferent health for some little time. An inquest will be held. A Press Association telegram from Westport announces that the coal out put last week was as follows; —Westport Coal Company, 9222 tons 2 cwt, coke 46 tons 13 swt; Westport Stockton Company, 1857 tons 15 cwt. Th© Prime Minister (Right Hon. ML E. Massey) is to deliver a political address in Dunedin at tho end of tho month, probably on. May 29th. Mr Massey will bo in Dunedin for some days during winter show week. The M’esley Young Men's Club, Petone, held a successful social on Friday night. Items were given by Misses Knight, Foster, Davis, Udy ,and Lewis and .Messrs Millward, Bryant, Rowe, Armstrong and Clauson. At 9 40 .o’clock yesterday morning a fire occurred in a small building occupied by Air Robert AlcCawley, advertising agent, in Old Customhouse street. The blaze was extinguished after x sofa bad boon destroyed. There wore no insurances.

English and Australian mails which left Sydney last Wednesday by the Manuka, arrived at Auckland at 11 o’clock yesterday morning. The southern portion of the mails will reach Wellington by the Main Trunk express about 4 p.m. to-day. A painful accident befel Mr Edge, chief officer of the Taviuni, which arrived at Wellington yesterday afternoon from" Lyttelton. During the passage a door jammed the first finger of his left hand, making an ugly gash, which exposed the bone. On arrival at Wellington Mr Edge,was attended by Dr. Pigeon. * The entries for the winter show under the. auspices of tho Otago A. and P. Society total 1444, as against 1297 last year (states a Press Association telegram from Dunedin). The principal lines' are:—Factory cheese IC6, farmers’ butter 117, merchants’ exhibits 125, roots 108, grain 80, fruit and honey 95, school gardens 30. The tender of Messrs Taylor and fledges, at -£1239. has been accepted .by the Public Works Department for the erection of the new telephone exchange at Masterton. The following tenders were declined:—H. H. Knight (Wellington), £1449; F. King and Son (Masterton), £1497 10s; Ooradine and Whitaker (Masterton), £1560; Boss and Mason (Masterton). £I6OO. Members of the Wellington Savage Club) attended in strong force at the ’Masonic Hall, Boulcott street, "on Saturday night, when) Sir Joseph AVard was installed as chief savage with all the appropriate ceremonial. An excellent programme was provided bv the members. 1 Tho guest of, the ceiling was Brigadier-General Ellison, staff officer to General Sir lan Hamilton. The reticulation of No. 2 section <Sf the Petone drainage scheme cost to March 81st, £3096 10s 4d (estimated £2103 8s 6d); septic tank £2722 2s 6d (estimated £2726 4s 6d); delivery mains. £4155 Is 8d (estimated £4049 8s sd); No. 1 pumping station, £923 Is 7d (estimated £785 4s 6d) ; No. 2 pumping station, £2ll T4s 6d (estimated £161). The'total cost above the estimate amounted to £1365 2s 7d. The amount already distributed in pages on the construction of Petone’s sewerage scheme, to the end of March, totalled £4574 16s 6d. Of this sum C 534 8s 2d represents the amount paid In wages to the workmen, over and ibove tho ruling rate. By resolution of tho council they receive Is 4d per hour (usual rate Is 3d) during the summer months, and Is 5d por hour in the winter. “It is the first time I have ever li*3n w-f. re the ‘beak,’ ” was the unusual remark of. a defendant at _ the Auckland Police Court last Friday, when ho was offering a number of reasons why he should not be fined heavily for exceeding tho speed limit. “I did not catch your remark,” said Mr Frazer, with a suspicion of a smile. “I said it was the first time I have ever been before tho Bench,” replied the defendant with perfect composure. Complete-success is reported to have attended the trial run on Saturday of the petrol-electric motor railway carriage turned out recently from the Petone workshdps. The carriage, which will accommodate about 60 passengers and is operated from one end like an electric . tramear, runs very easily, and with an almost complete absence of vibration. It can be started without jerk, and is. altogether a most comfortable vehicle to travel in. The electric current is generated by n six-cylinder petrol engine, but the drive of the car itself is by electric motor. Saturday’s trial run was made under the supervision of Hr Jackson, of tho Railways Department, and Mr Blackley, of Turnbull and Jones. The carriage was taken from Petone as far as Upper Hutt, and then down to Wellington. For part of the journey, a heavy railway carriage was attached as a trailer. The load was taken without difficulty, and there was still an ample reserve of power. The heavy southerly which raged during the past two days considerably hampered .Wellington shipping. Tho steamer Joan Craig, which sailed from Wellington at 4 p.m. on Saturday for Lyttelton, was compelled to put back to the stream au hour and a half later. Tho vessel resumed her way at 6.30 a.m. yesterday. The Pateena, instead of crossing Cook Strait on Saturday night, remained at Picton until daybreak yesterday, when she sailed for Wellington. Sho had a rough passage, but arrived in port at 10.35 a.m. yesterday. All vessels which arrived from south yesterday reported high seas and a moderate gale. Tho Arapawa, Wakatu, Huia, Opawa, and Kiapuni were unable to leave Wellington, and will sail to-day for their various destinations. The Aorcre, which left Pateo early on Saturday morning for Wellington, was sheltering in Titahi Bay yesterday. The Kennedy, which sailed from Tarakohe at 0.3 U p.m. on Saturday for Wellington, is probably sheltering in tho Sounds.: Tho Kamo, which left Greymouth at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday for Wellington, is also probably sheltering. The wairau was barbound at Blenheim yesterday. At midnight last night tho wind was blowing a moderate south-easterly gale, accompanied by heavy r&iu squalls.