NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8783, 13 July 1914, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Mrs Daniell, wife of Mr C. E. Danioll, a well-known public man and member of the 'Wellington Harbour Board, died on Saturday night, at tho ago of sixty-ono years, states a Press Association message from Mastorton. Owing to the fact that no halls aro available, the meeting of members of tho Wellington Wharf Labourers’ Union, at which the employers’ proposals, regarding conditions, etc., will be considered, has been postponed till Monday, July 20th. Belief crews for tho cruisers Psycho, Pyramus and X J hi!omel, comprising officers and men to the number of 204, will arrive in Wellington by the Arawa, which is duo from London to-morrow rooming. On Thursday 122 officers and men will leave by tbo lonic for London.

That “pence make pounds” was a fact that received ample demonstration at St. Mary of the Angels’ Church. It is a custom of this church that each member of the congregation donates a weekly subscription of Id to the paying off of th© debt upon the Catholic schools. It was announced at tho High Mass yesterday that tho revenue derived from this humble source for the last twelve mouths totalled £l3O 7s 6d.

Tho Eoyal Commission, consisting of Judge Gilfedder, of tho Native Land Court, and Mi Haszard, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Westland, which has been sot up to inquire into the question of land for landless natives, left Wellington <m Saturday for Picton. The first public sitting will be held in that town to-morrow. Evidence will bo taken in Nelson on Thursday, and tho Commissioners will return to Wellington on Saturday. Another round of the competitions in miniature. rilio-shootiug, under the Wellington Association, was fired off last Friday night between Clarkson’s B.S.A. team and Wellington City No. 1 team, Clarkson’s, with three possibles, winning by twenty points. The following were the individual scores: — Spencer 100, W. H. Ballinger 100, Morris 100, Priddey 99, Ballinger 97, Pudney 96 Franklyn 95, and 11. B. Gibbons 93; total 780. City No. 1. : Hunt 98, Isaacs 97, W. Jackson 96, Turner 96, Snelling 95, Mitchell 93, 'Svmonds 93, A. J. Jackson 93; total 760. A few minutes before 3 o’clock on Saturday morning a iiro was discovered in the promises occupied by. Messrs William Parton and Son, plumbers, in Luke’s lane. The outbreak occurred in the office, situated in a corner of the building, and spread to the factory. The brigade were in attendance, and had tho blaze under control in a short space of time, but a good deal of damage had been done in the vicinity of tho office, and a portion of the stock suffered. The cause of .the fire is unknown. The building, which was formerly Tingoy’s glass store, is a very old one. It is owned by Mr Robert Archibald, of Boulcott terrace, and was insured for £l5O in tho Phoenix office. The contents were insured with the Commercial Union for £6OO. Mr Dan Crawford addressed tho Victoria College Christian Union, last evening, regarding the. characteristics of tho African native. Professor 1 Picken presided, and there was a largo attendance. As a preliminary, Mr Crawford dealt with the wrong conception that people had regarding tho mental attainments of the African native. While be was at tho Oxford University he astonished some of fbo learned gentlemen there by tolling them that the language of bis people in Africa was the richest in tho worid, and the -verb had thirty-two tenses. Tho African" acknowledged only one God, without any equal, and in this they could teach a iosson to many university men, who had got into tho way of thinking they could argue about all subjects, oven to the most sacred.

The annual report of the Police Department contains tho following re* mark by the Commissioner of Police (Mr J. Cullen): —“Section 4 of tho Licensing Act,. 1903, defines a ‘public bar’ in licensed premises, l but it is very doubtful whether 20 per cent, of the present licensed premises have a public bar as defined by the Act. In most cases the doors which originally opened immediately from the bar to a street have been built up, with the result that nearly all bars now open into a passage in the hotel premises, and have no door opening immediately on to a street. The police do not object to tho view of the bars being shut off from tho street—-indeed, it is better that this should he so—but as certain offences may be committed in a bar which cannot be punished so long as they are committed in one not opening on to a it may be well to amend the definition of public bar to mean ‘any place In any licensed premises in which liquor is sold or kept for sale.’ This would cover private as well as xiublic bars. Judgment, was delivered by His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir llobort Stout) on Saturday in the case of the Public Trustee v. William Murray and others, an application to the court to interpret tlio will of David Ousitai* Murray/, who left a small estate “upon trust to be invested until Mary McNab and Ethel MoNab, my nieces, daughters of Frederick and Ethel McNab° of Mosgiel, attain the ago of twenty-one years, when I wish my estate to bee divided equally between them, share and share alike.” When ho made his will, and at the time of his death, ho had two nieces, daughters of Frederick and Ethel McNab, but neither of thorn was named Mary McNab. Ono was named Ethel May McNab, and tho other Janet Frances McNab, Who, was usually called Fanny. The will was made on January 31st, 1913, an’d tho testator died on December Ist, 1913. It was shown that bo had a niece named Mary Ann Ellen McNab, but she died in 1901, when she was eleven years of age. The testator know of the death of this niece, who would have been twenty-three years of age at the date of bis will. Ho was on affectionate terms with his sister, Ethel McNab, and her family, and know the two'nieces, Ethel May and tho ono called Fanny, who were twins, born on May 30tb, 1893, and therefore not twenty-ono years of ago when ho made his will. The question, said His Honour, was whether the court could say that tho half of the estate could go to Janet Frances McNab. The testator knew the family well, but seemed to have been inaccurate in naming his nieces, as tho full names were not given* His Honour cited a number of authorities m support of his ruling that the misnaming of a legatee or executor was not sufficient to disentitle ths legatee, and decider' that the Jiieces Were entitled to divide the property. The Public Trustee was allowed costs according to the regulations of his office ,and the other parties were allowed costs £lO 10s and disbursements. Mr J. W. Macdonald appeared for the Public Trustee, and Mr D. M. Findlay for tho defendants.

The Arnhura, which left Wellington on Saturday for West Coast ports, is now equipped with a. wireless apparatus.

A wireless message received last night from tho Arawa, en route from London, reported that tho vessel is expected to arrive hero at 10 a.ni. to-mor-row.

Tho Manuka, with English and Australian mails, which left Sydney last Wednesday, arrived at Auckland at 1.40 p.m. yesterday. Tho southern portion of tho mails will reach Wellington hy the Main Trunk express this afternoon .

A unique collection of portraits of the Governors of Now Zealand, from Lieutenant Hobson down to tho prosent day, is possessed by the Auckland Racing Club. Some lime ago tho club gave tho Auckland City Council permission to take photographs of tho paintings. These reproductions have been finished, and in a few days will he hung round tho room where tho council moots.

The heavy weather on the _ West Coast is still 'continuing to dislocate shipping; Word received from Westport and Oreymouth yesterday reported that owing to heavy sens neither port was workable. Tho Mapourika is now fixed to leave Westport at midday, to-day for Wellington direct. As the Mapourika will not ho able to leave Wellington to-night for Picton, tho Patoena, to sail from Wellington at 9 o’clock to-night for Nelson, will call at Picton erf route.

Tho old Opera House was crowded last ©veiling, when an industrial rally was held under tho auspices of tho United Federation of Labour. Tho proceedings were enthusiastic, and culminated in cheers for tiro success of the conference. The secretary of 3? education, Mr P. H. Hickey, was in the chair, arid the speakers were Messrs W. Richards (Auckland), J. Thorne (Christchurch), A. Rosser (Auckland), R. Semple (Wellington), and W. E. Parry (Palmerston North). The addresses dealt with the present positron and future prospects of Labour, and were followed with much interest.

At Saturday’s Conference of the United Federation of Labour, Mr it. Semple \yas elected organiser, there being no other nomination. The political programme adopted seta forth that the Social Democratic Party is the political expression of the United Federation of .Labour, and therefore the conference endorsed the whole constitution of that , party. The conference strongly recommended to workers to render all possible assistance to political candidates nominated by the Social Democratic Party at the forthcoming election. It was decided that the question of linking up with the Australian Federation of Labour bo the first order of business at the next conference.' The British Association reception committee have received the names of eleven visitors coming from America for the mooting in September., Four of those are authorities on the subject of agriculture, and one, Mr Bailey, is the chairman of the Roosevelt Country L.fo Commission of the U.S.A.; and so one of the best men that could bo obtained'from the States on the subject of agriculture. Dr. Davenport, who has done work of great importance in experimental biology, evolution, add eugenics on similar lines to Professor Bateson, president - of the- Britisli, Association in Australia, and Mr L. J. Briggs, will also be in the party. _ In the opinion of members of the Agriculture Department in Wellington, though the hand is small, it could not be bettor in quality. Professor McLaurin (formerly of Victoria College) was asked to get as many agriculturists as he could from America, as only one was coming from England. Several indications of ancient Maori occupation have been found by Messrs Medland Bros, on ■ their property on Gioat Barrier Island during the draining of a largo swamp upon which they are engaged. They recently found a strange vegetable of the calabash family, which they presume, from_ the fact that the swamp is a very ancient one, must have been buried for a very long time, probably, centuries. It was found embedded in clay at a depth of 4ft 6in below the level of the swamp. 'When first unearthed the skin was of a bright yellow colour, but on being exposed to the air for a time became shrivelled and dark. The seeds resembled. grains of maize, and though they were fairly well preserved they were lifeless. No vegetable of this variety has been grown on the island within the recollection of the oldest resident. At intervals along a mile of drain, burned stones, such as the Maoris used in their cooking have been found buried in the swamp.

Matters arising out of the distribution of the estate of the late William Moriarty, storekeeper, of Carterton, were adjusted in a judgment delivered, by His Honour tho Chief Justice (Bit Robert Stout) in the Supreme Court on Saturday. Bridget Moriarty, aged seventy-two, of Nevada, 8.5. A., widow of tho deceased, and three daughters applied for maintenance out of the estate. The deceased left £ISOO to Miss Brogan, who was described as a grandniece, but was not ono, although a faithful employee. Two of the daughters were married, but the third, Mrs Purdie,' Was a widow in .poor circumstances. His Honour ordered that Mrs Moriarty should receive £SOO in a lump sum, with which to purchase ah. annuity, the sum to be charged against tho legatee’s bequest. Twenty gu.neas costs were allowed. To Mrs Purdie His Honour awarded £2OO and costs, and to the two married daughters £IOO each and £lO 10s costa, these amounts, to bo charged against tho residue of the estate.

A decision which will assist the Public Trustee on the question of costs in cases arising under section 424 of the Native Land Act was given by the Appeal Court on Saturday morning. On June 29th the court gaVe a judgment which had the effect of upholding an appeal against the decision of Mr Justice Chapman in the case of Ropata Ranapiri and Aknhata Ranapiri against the Public Trustee, in which His Honour decided against the plaintiff Ropata, who had sold a piece of land belonging to Meropa Tima (a native woman who had become insane) to provide an income for her maintenance, and who claimed after her death that the proceeds of the sale passed -to. him and his, son under the will. - In the Supreme Court the judge allowed both parties their costs out of the fund; when the Appeal Court’s judgment was delivered, Mr 0. H. Treadwell (who appeared for the appellants) applied"” for costs for his clients as against the Public Trustee, and Mr J. W. Macdonald (solicitor to the Public Trust Office) applied for costs out of the estate. The question was reserved, and on Saturday the court decided that, in the circumstances. both parties were entitled to costs, Sir Treadwell being allowed part costs <m the lowest scale, amounting to £l7 17s.

The following vessels are expected to bo within wireless range of Wellington this evening: —Wnhinc, Warnmoo, Arawa, Maori, and Arahura. A married man named Charles h leming, aged forty-six, ’who resides in Douglas street, and is a bricklayer by trade, was admitted to tho hospital at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday as tho result o* having broken his right leg below tho knee. Tho injury was caused by a mishap while ho was following his occupation near tho gasworks. Enthusiasm for Arbor Day is manifest at Eastbourne, where the local Beautifying Society is organising a big “working bee” to do much good planting work on Wednesday. ' Tho society desires to do quite twice as much as was accomplished last year and in calling upon residents for assistance says “Do this for Eastbourne.”

Feeling that their into rests are at stake, if not that their very existence is threatened, by certain signs in tho political horizon, tho chartered clubs of. New Zealand are combining for mutual self-protection. Delegates from every club —from Auckland to the Bluff —are gathering in Wollington, and to-morrow will form a deputation that will wait on the Prime. Minister and lay their views before liim.

Tho rapid growth of Auckland and a more efficient system of chocking, has resulted in a marked increase in traffic returns for six months ended June 30th, says a Press Association message. Tho number of traffic licenses issued was 9532, and the amount paid in fees was £4343, as against 7036 licenses and £2318 in fees for tho corresponding period of last year. The licenses issued in respect of motor-propelled vehicles increased largely, but tho number of licenses issued to cab-drivers and van. men decreased by 24 and 64 respective* ly.

A fireman named James Nugent, oft the s.s. Flora, was picked up in Lambton quay about <5 o'clock on Saturday evening, arid taken, to tho Lambton quay police station. Later, however, his condition indicated that ho had suffered somewhat severely from a fall, in which ho had struck his head on the ground. Dr Henry was called in during the night, and ho ordered the man’s, removal to the hospital, where he was received at 3 o'clock yesterday morning- On inquiry last night it was ascertained that ho was slightly hotter, -and that his condition was not regarded as serious.

On tFriday evening at Johnsonvilla there was an; interesting debate betwee the members of the Owl Club and the Khandallah Literary and Dobating Society. The subject of discussiou was:—“That the present compulsory military training system in New Zealand is desirable.” _ Messrs Hall, Ferguson and Steele affirmed the ■ motion on behalf qf the John&onvillo Club, while Messrs Budd, Aplin and. Appleton, of Rhandallab, took the negative. Mr Johfi S. Barton judged the debate. The decision was given in favour of tho IChandallah Club by 241) points to 229. Much local interest was created in’ this debate, and a return visit is to;be paid by the members of the Owl Club shortly. '

Lecturing on “Sun Spdte and Solar Physics,” Mr Joseph Taylor expounds his - own original discoveries concerning the structure of tho sun, and the cause of gravitation, demonstrating each point by practical experiments and diagrams, as well as by numerous striking and original lantern slides. The lectures have proved very popular in Auckland, Palmerston North’ and other centres, and represent tho latest conclusions of physical science relating to telescopes and solar physics observations. . The Cawthron Solar Physics Observatory comes m for interesting treatment. Bctli scientists and tho general public will doubtless be deeply interested in Mr Taylor's, lecture at the Town Hall this evening. 'A lecture will be given in the concert chamber, Town. Hall, on July X4th at 8 p.m. by Dr Hardwick Smith, medical superintendent of tho hospital, and a member of the Council of tho Eufenics Education Society, on “How to dve.’V The lecture will "deal, at some length with the groat importance of. tho. physical health of its people to any nation, which is eager to take a leading part in the life of the world. The responsibility of parents in the trainIng of their children will he pointed out, and an opportunity for free discussion of tb© subject will b© given after the lecture. This lecture is one of the series of free public lectures arranged each winter by tho City Coum cil. 1 '

Mr Dan Crawford, P.R.G.S., was greeted yesterday by large audiences, who followed with much interest tho heart-reaching messages of tho famous missionary-explorer. In the afternoon a mass meeting for men was held, and under the title of “ Thinking Black ” the lecturer gave an enlightening exposition of the negro point of view. The Prime Minister presided, and tho gathering was a thoroughly representative one. An after-church mass meeting attracted an attendance that crowded the Town Hall last evening. Professor Pickcn occupied tho chair, ministers of various denominations were on the platform, and musical items, were rendered by the Central Mission; Band. Mr Crawford’s address, entitled “ The Nearest Place to the Bottomless Pit,” was on spiritual as well as practical lines, and during tho course of his remarks ho gave some striking instances of the power of conversion. Further meetings will be held to-day and to-morrow. The subject for this evening, “ The White Angel of Central' Africa,” refers to tho missionary's wifei and her noble work.