NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9041, 12 May 1915, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The case against Walter Batch and Arthur George Young, charged with arson in connection with the destruction of the AVhite Horse Hotel, Ngahauranga, will be heard in the Supreme Court this morning. “Happily for New Zealand,” remarked the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), in the Supreme Court yesterday, “female offenders are now very rare —perhaps fewer than in any part of the world. That is very much to the credit of New Zealand women.” The Auckland wireless station on top of the Auckland Post Office has been closed down, states a Press Association telegram. The authorities consider that the powerful station at Awanui, in North Auckland, which is in direct telegraphic and telephonic communication with Auckland, is sufficient for all radio purposes here. The Auckland instruments are not to be dismantled for the present.

It is usual for the Mayor of Wellington to give a luncheon, to the councillors and the corporation staff on tho occasion of his installation. This yeaJ, however, Mr J. P. Luke will donate the cost of such an entertainment to various orphanages in Wellington, and will give £4 each to the Presbyterian, Mother Mary Aubert, Salvation Army, St. Mary’s and Levin Orphanage Homes.

Fishing from the wharf is a pastime greatly favoured by small boys and others, and in Uunedm of late it has been rewarded by some good hauls. One young fisherman, however, met with a very seriods accident at Dunedin on Saturday morning, and will have much reason to remember his experiences on the waterfront. Whilst fishing off the Birch street wharf, he was swept into the water by the lines of tho Flora, which was leaving the wharf, and had both his arms broken. A fire occurred at No. Vivian street, a two-storied six-roomed dwelling, about 12.30 a.m.- yesterday. The building was owned by Mrs Cameron (now in England), and occupied by Mrs L. H. Penlington as a shop and workroom. The brigade were quickly on the scene, and the fire was prevented from spreading. The workroom was badly scorched, and the shop was damaged by heat and smoke. It appears that the occupier, early in the evening, had been using a gas iron, and probably a spark was loft smouldering. There was an insurance on the building of £6OO in tho United Office, while the contents wore insured for £SOO in the Atlas office.

second annual , meeting of the Khandallah Literary and Debating Society was held last evening, Mr J. U. Richardson presiding over a large attendance of members. The annual report and .balance-sheet were read and adopted. It was explained that the session last year was curtailed oil account of the war, but that the attendance for the ten meetings that were held averaged 31, as against 29 for the previous year. The membership in August last was 60, as compared with 39 at the end of the previous session. An outstanding feature last year was the debate with the Owl Club, of Johnsouville, in which the Khandallah society was successful. During the year ,a concert was held in aid of. the Belgian fund, and as a result a sum of £ll 10s was handed over to the Belgian Consul. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year-President, Mr J.. H. Richardson (re-elected); vicepresidents, Messrs 11. E. Anderson, A. Budd, E. Cowles, C. . C. Crump, J. G. Harkness, H. L. James, and J. G. .Smith; secretary, Mr W. Appleton ; assistant secretary, Mr E. Hobbs; treasurer, Mr A. W. Aphn ; editors of journal, Messrs A. E. Budd and J. M.' Dale; committee, Mesdamcs Hamel, Mcadowcroft, Pago and Luke, Misses Richardson and .Sunderland, and Messrs P. Josephs, R. Luke, Mcadowcroft, Burt, Evans, and J. Casey. Two claims by estate agents against the same person for commission on the sale of a property further occupied the' attention of Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yestciday. At the previous hearingThomson; Brown, and East, Ltd., real estate agents, proceeded against George William Godfrey Davies, of Karori, for £26 17s 6d. Plaintiffs alleged that under written instructions from defendant, and as his agents, they . effected a Sale to Mrs Clara Beggs of a. property belonging to defendant at Evans Bay, for ’ the sum of £875. The commission payable by defendant to plaintiffs in respect of the sale was £26 17s 6d, which commission defendant refused to pay on the ground that ho did not know which agent to pay it to. This amount was claimed accordingly. After hearing evidence decision was reserved until after the hearing of the second case, which occupied most of yesterday’s sitting. In this case J. DMartin Mclntyre and Co. proceeded against Davies for a like amount in respect to the same property. At the hearing of the first case Mr O. Beere appeared for plaintiffs, and Mr M. Luckie for defendant. Mr A. W. Blair appeared for plaintiff in the second case. After evidence had- been taken further hearing was adjourned until 'Saturday, when legal argument will be heard.

Reserved judgment was given in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the case in which Blundell Bros., Ltd., proceeded against Fitzgerald and Pearce, motor dealers, for £7 10s, being balance alleged to be due on an advertisement contract. The plaintiffs inserted the first advertisement on October 31st, 1913. and continued it in correct form until May 28th, 1914, when, owing to a printer’s error, the words “Victor Tyres,” essential to the notice, were omitted from the defendant’s advertisement and placed in that of a rival firm. Later the mistake was pointed out to plaintiffs, who, in the corrected advertisement, made- another mistake in substituting ‘Tnvicta Tyres” for “Victor Tyres.” ’ This continued for two days, when defendants wrote, cancelling the contract. Plaintiffs, however, saw defendants, explained hoW the mistake occurred, and agreed to twelve extra insertions to make up for the erroneous ones. His Worship commented that it was not clear whether defendants agreed to this offer. They did not reply to plaintiff's letter, but had since denied liability for the remainder of the amount due, on the ground that plaintiff’s mistakes’ through neglect amounted to a breach of contract, giving them the right to rescind. Mr Riddell quoted authorities to show that before a contract could bo rescinded there must be evidence of an intention to refuse to carry out the contract. Defendants, for this reason, were not justified in regarding the contract broken by plaintiffs in such a way as to give them the right to rescind. Judgment was entered for plaintiffs for the amount claimed, with £1 16s coats. Mr H. F. von Haast appeared for plaintiffs, and .Mr T. Neave for defendant*

The count in connection with the poll for tho Council of Education, which closed on Monday evening, will bo taken after 0 p.m, on May 18th, to allow jiosted ballot-papers from other parts of tho Dominion to coma in. The election is being conducted by Mr F. K. de Castro.

The recent line weather has had tha effect of brightening employment conditions on the wharves, but work cannot bo described as plentiful for waterside labourers. A number of smalt coastal vessels have been laid up, and this has not improved prospects for tho winter.

During the week ended May Bth, 73 applications for employment wore re-, ceived by tho local branch of tho La-, hour Department. Fifty-four of thosa { came from general labourers. Thirty.; one men were placed in Government; employment (21 labourers, 10 carpenters, and 4 Belgian miners), and 28 ia private employment. Thirty men are shortly to be sent away to public works in tho country, but very few married! men are offering for those positions. The unseasonable cool weather that prevailed last summer was rosponsibl® for a loss of £45 on tho two corporation baths at Thorndon and To Aro during the year. There was a loss at Thorndon of £2Ol and a profit at' To Aro of £156, which would have been much larger had there been longer spells of hot weather. The Thorndon baths are not now patronised so extensively as they have been in forme* years. 1

The Hon. James Allen (Minister for Defence) informed a “Times” repre» sentstivo yesterday that ho had twic« cabled to tho Imperial authorities osk« ing if they would accept the servicer of a number of New Zealand mechanics to relieve the pressure on the factories at Home, but so far he had received no reply. Mr Allen stated that he had received many applications from mechanics for service in the Old Country, and he hoped to continue to receive them.*

Mr Cardston, who has been waiting upon the various sports bodies with a view to the selection of a candidate for the Queen Carnival, paid a visit last night to the executives of the Wellington Football Association and the Wellington Swimming Association to urge tho advisability of the sports bodies nominating a lady as their official candidate. A meeting of representatives from football, hockey and other sports will bo held--to-morrow morning to decide upon tho action to be taken.

Members of the Courtenay place Congregational Church have begun to make provision for the removal of the. church from its present site and the erection of a new building in a. more suitable locality. This is indicated in the twenty-seventh annual report, which has just been issued. The report shows that the church membership stands at 127 and that the attendance at the Sunday services has considerably increased. The finances arc reported to be in a satisfactory condition and the missionary interest of the church has been well maintained.

There is tense feeling in the General Post Office over the employment in the Postal Department of men of Gorman or Austrian parentage. Yesterday matters developed towards an early climax when a member of the mailroom staff made a signed report that a foliow-employeo, of Austrian parentage, had commented callously upon the fate of the victims through the sinking of the Lusitania. - When other members of the mail-room staff learned of the incident they called a meeting and intended to deal summarily with the- supposed offender, who, however, stoutly denied having made the statement alleged. Better counsel prevailed, and no violence was Used. The matter has not ended, for certain of the G.P.O. employees, it is said, have expressed _ their intention to refuse to work with men of German or Austrian parentage. It is pointed out that a certain official occupying an important position in the G.P.O. is of German parentage,, and there is a feeling that in view of'.the nature of his duties the Commissioners should transfer him to some other post