NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9042, 13 May 1915, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The following tenders were accepted at the City Council's special meeting held yesterday :—lnsulated cable, P. R. Bailey and-Co. ; gear wheels, Richardson and McCabe; overhead material, P. R. Bailey and Co. At a meeting of the City Council, held yesterday, a special order allowing the surrender of the lease of the Club Hotel and granting a new lease at a rental of £921 per annum was passed.

A novel kind of lesson was undertaken by the agricultural instructor of the Wanganui Education Board at M&rton a few days ago. A lamb which had been presented was slaughtered by a competent slaughterman, the whole procdss being explained. After the lamb, had been hung and properly dressed the instructor. Mr Grant, explained the anatomy of tne animal. The boys have attended to work on the farm and the growing of crops, and have participated in agricultural camps and had lessons in shearing, but the killing and dressing of sheep is a new phase of instruction. Very unenviable experiences befell the shooting party reported in yesterday’s “.Times'' as having been lost and found in the bush in the vicinity of Orongo-Orongo. The party consisted of Messrs J. Hamilton (Silverstrcam), Morris (surveyor, Wellington), and Blood (Christchurch). They left on a pig-hunting expedition on Sunday, morning, and made in the direction of the bush-covered hills near OrongoOrongo and Wainui. On Sunday evening they discovered that they had lost their way. They were without food and water, the rain was pouring in torrents, a biting gale was roaring among the hills, and nightfall was already upon them. They managed to construct an impromptu shelter wherein they spent a sleepless night. They wandered about dismally all day Monday. among the bush m the hope of striking a track that would lead somewhere to civilisation. Their search -was futile, however, and another comfortless night was spent in the dripping bush. The next day a search party, which had set out from Whiteman’s Valley, found, the unfortunate trio, completely exhausted and nearly at death’s door through want of sleep and food

The restriction which prevented women from landing at Samoa has been removed by the Defence authorities, save in respect to the wives of soldiers who are serving on the island.

A young man named Frederick Burton, living at Lower Hutt, was opening a bag of cabbages yesterday morning, when the knife he was using slipped and cut the ball of his left eye. Ho was admitted to the hospital, whore his injury is being attended to. It is feared that ho will lose the sight of the eye.

Captain D. Simsou, reported wounded. is a brother .of Mr H. lan Simsou, of Hawke’s Bay, says a Press Association telegram. He served with Edwards Horse during the Boer war. Ho was in England when the present war broke out, enlisted there, and was promoted to be captain in the New Zealand Field Engineers,

An interesting address on “Technical Education” was given last evening before the Technological Section of the Wellington Philosophical Society by Mr W. S. La 'Probe, M.A., director of the Wellington Technical College. The speaker dealt with the subject from a comprehensive point, drawing comparisons between the systems of technical teaching in various countries, and pointing out the many advantages of this form of training for tho younger generation. Mr La 'Probe received a hearty vote of thanks. Tho disaster in Ralph’s mine, on September 12th, is recalled by the annual report of the Taupiri Coal Mines, Limited. The death of forty-three men is mentioned with regret by the directors, and their report states tnat until tho heavy claims for compensation now before the Supreme Court have been heard tjie full loss sustained by the company cannot be ascertained. The balance-sheet shows that claims amounting to £2763 17s have already been paid, reducing the company’s accident insurance fund to £2048 Os sd. '

At tbo military church parade and memorial service to bo hold at Newtown Park on Sunday week, the local military units and several companies of tho National Reserve will be present, and most of the city bands will be in attendance. According to advice received by tho New Zealand Patriotic Society, the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F.: Massey) and tho Minister for Defence (the Hon. James Allen) will deliver addresses. All arrangements are now well in hand for the function.

A further remand until 2.15 p.m. to-day was asxed for in the Magis-' trato’s Court yesterday in the catse in which Barclay Hector, late Registrar of the University of 'Now Zealand, wa. charged with having received* from the Wellington Investment ; Trustee and Agency Company, Ltd., the sum of £1027 18s lOd on terms requiring him to account for the same to the Senate of the University of New Zealand, and fraudulently omitted to do so, thereby committilng theft. The request, which was proffered by ChiefDetective Boddam, was granted. On the application of Mr T. M. Wilford, bail was allowed in the same amount as before. At the conclusion of the installation of the Mayor of 'Wellington yesterday, Mr J. P. Luke announced that in accordance with the usual 1 custom the corporation staff would bo granted a holiday for the afternoon. Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald asked whether the concession would, extend ; to all employees,' including the tramways and che electric lighting departments. The Mayor replied that only the office staffs would got the holiday, but that in the near future the whole system of holidays would bo inquired into with a view of removing any friction that existed. (Councillors: “Hear, hear!’) Councillor W. H. Bennett took the opportunity to protest against the public offices of the corporation, especially that of the engineer’s department, being closed bn such holidays as St. George’s Day and St. # Patrick’s Day, when the ordinary business of the city went on as usual. Drains, he said, often had to remain open awaiting inspection on such days as the Tuesday after Easter. He thought that four • days’ holiday at Easter time would be quite sufficient, it was finally decided to grant the half day to the office employees. A voung man named .Michael Helm appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr W. G. Riddell, 55. M., charged with forging and uttering, a cheque for £5 3s. According to the evidence, on May 6th tho accused went to the Hotel Arcadia, saw the manager, and asked:to bo put up for a week. He was shown to a room, and (it was alleged) tendered a cheque made out to Michael, Holm for £5 3s and sighed “J. H. Gilchrist.” The manager accepted the cheque, toolf £2 for a week s board, and handed the accused £3 3s as change. The nest day, when ho presented .the cheque at tho bank, it was returned to him marked “No account.” .That evening the accused telephoned tho manager: informed him that ho was called south, and asked if he would refund the week’s board. .The manager agreed if the accused would call for it. This Helm said ho would do, hut when ho arrived, instead of getting the money, be was met by Detective J. Dempsey, who apprehended him on the charge for which he appeared in court. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed, in the sum of £75. An affair which occurred in Hankey street on tho '7 th Inst, had a sequel in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., Hugh Douglas was charged with 11) assaulting Cecil Frederick Lark so as to cause him actual bodilv harm: (21 assaulting Walter Kogers; (3) assaulting William Gregory; (4) wilfully damaging a coat valued at 15s, the property of William Gregory. Evidence was given to the effect that accused visited the house of Mrs vine Blacklidge in Hankey street and inquired for a young woman who was staying there. He was informed that she was not in by Mrs Blacklidge, who followed up the information with a request that he should leave her premises. Apparently he declined to do so and Mrs Blacklidge summoned two young men 1 , Messrs Lark and Rogers, to see that ho went. Lark went out and,, it was alleged, Douglas attacked him without provocation, breaking three teeth, and also inflicting injuries upon his neck with an uglylooking steel hook. As a result of the injuries Lark was still under the doctor’s care. Rogers and another man named Gregory thereupon wrestled with the accused, holding him until tb© police, who had been summoned, came. One witness declared that he had heard the accused say that ho would “rip them to pieces.’ Accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in the sum of £SO. On the last bharge of damaging the coat he was convicted and ordered to make good the value of the coat (15s) and was in addition fined £l. Default was [fixed at seven days’ imprisonment-. —•».