NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9248, 15 January 1916, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

His Excellency the Governor has received a telegram intimating that His Majesty tno K.ng has been graciously pleased to approve of the convalescent home for soldiers at Rotorua being called "King George the Fifth Hospital." The-Auckland Operative Bootmakers' Union, , comprising 400 of the 1300 unionists in the New Zealand Federation of Operative Bootmakers, has decided to hold a ballot to decide whether Auckland shall secede from the federation.

During the early hours yesterday morning, tho city fire brigade received a crll to the Harbour Boards workshop, near the Glasgow whart, where a number of old wooden blocks stacked in the yard were found to be on fire. The outbreak was soon extinguished. Very little damage was done, but had the fire not betm discovered in its incipient stage, a serious conflagration would probably have resulted. The origin of the outbreak is not known at present. After a break for the' holidays, route marching will be resumed tomorrow morning, when a start will be made from Boulcott street at 9-30 sharp. The route will be via Brook, ivn and through Happy Valley to Island Bay, and home. These marches have proved very popular, over fifty men taking part, but there is still room for anyone desirous of joining the marches. Next week a party is being organised to walk from. ttreyto,wn to Otald, via Mount Hector, and anyone who would like to make the trip should be. present at . tomorrow's marob, when final arrangements will be made, -' ■

The "Railway Review',' says:—"We are puzzled to know what the Kailway Department means by dismissing men from the workshops, and adver tising for men in the public press. Does anybody know why they do it? Bow many paople control Railway Department policy ? Surely it is not Mr JSiley alone who the pace. We have ltj The General Manager is forgetful! Ho can promote several sorts of policy with cheerful abandon, all in the same week, and he follows the Biblical injunction never to let his left hand know what his right hand doeth! He s'gns his 'policy' letters to the A.S.R:S. with his right hand !. If anybody else can urovide a more plausible rolution, let him try 1" In the. report to be presented to shareholders of the Welliagton Trust, Loan and Investment Company at the fortyrthird annual meeting, the directors review the operations for the year 1915. They show that the sum to the credit of profit and loss on the year's working, together with the amount of £2353 is brought forward from the previous year amounts to £14,972 13s 4d, from which £5625 has been paid as interim dividend. The directors recommend that a ■ further dividend of £5625 be declared on the paid-up capital for the half-year ended December 31st, 1915 (making 9 per cent for tne year), and that the balance, amounting to £3722 13s 4d, be carried forward. The directors retiring by rotation are Messrs C. H. Izard, J. P. Maxwell £.nd Dr A. K. Newman, who, being eligible, offer themselves for' re-election. lho auditors, Messrs G. P. Powles and Ernest "W. Hunt, offer themselves for jef lection. I

Two possessors of prohibition orders who were palpably under the influence of drink presented themselves to Mr Cooper, S.M., with much volubility at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. "1 plead guilty, but J. have been punished twice already for the same offence," explained George Murray when arraigned. "I've served seven days twice now for the "one offence, and now that I want to join the- military service the police prevent me." "The statement is quite incorrect," interrupted Sub-Inspector McEinnon. "The accused was previously convicted on the evidence of Sergeant Wade, who found a bottle in his pocket. This is another case." Constable Anderson was put into the witness-box, and, producing a full bottle of whisky of generous proportions, related that he had discerned it protruding from accused's pocket. • His excuse was that he got it for a Christmas-box. " No," exclaimed Murray,- "1 never had that iu my life. It was a flask. I have never indulged in sly grog-selling." "I don't think the man is sober now," said the magistrate. "Yes, perfectly sober," insisted Murray, who was, without further ado, fined 40s, or seven days, "What! Another seven days for the same offence?" he muttered as he left the court. "Can 1 appeal?" The other case was that of Michael O'Brien, who was charged with having, on December 15th, in" defiance of a prohibition order, obtained liquor from some person unknown. He pleaded not guilty, and asked for a remand for five days. "What for?" asked the magistrate. "To find proper witnesses. I have witnesses here, but they are no good. JL want my wife and cousin." "I will remand the case till to-morrow," said the magistrate. "And you better come here sober," he added. "Sober!" said O'Brien. "Surely I am sober

Mr P. Fraser (national organiser of the Social Democratic party) will give an address on "Some Problems of the War," at the Esperanto Hall, Lambton quay, to-morrow mgnt. A Press Association message from Fahiattfa spates that the Tararua Dairy Company has decidl i to communicate with Mr Cuddie respecting the making of rennet in the Dominion, and the urgency of taking immediate action to formulate a scheme whereby suppliers may be encouraged to savo the calves' internals nest soring. The danger of an early shortage of rennet is fully realised by the directors, in view of the fact that the centre of Europe, and Poland in particular, whence* the raw material is extensively produced, is seriously affected by the war. The Post and Telegraph Department has sent 766 men to the front and has 123 men waiting to be called up, stated the Postmaster-General (Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) yesterday. Out of the number sent forward, 27 have been reported killed, '/ missing, and 43 wounded. Eighty-eight specialists of he department have been sent forward /or special work and are receiving half of their civil pay. One lady of the department has joined the nursing service, and sis others have enlisted and aro waiting to be called up. The department will be sending this week .some thirty-three skilled wireless operators, who will be required for special tvork.

A charge of furiously and negligently riding a bicycle in Lambton quay was brought against a lad named Arthur Kirk, at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The result of his action was stated by a constable to have been that he knocked an old lady over and caused her to burst "a bloodvessel. Mr James B. Speed, an eyewitness of the occurrence, gave a positive assurance that the lad was going at a rate of at least ton miles an hour. He made no attempt to lessen his speed, as ho overtook a tram and endeavoured to race past it. The defendant said he was only going about seven miles an hour, and the accident was the fault of the old lady, who stepped off the footpath immediately in front of him. In reply Un a question ;by Mr Cooper, S.M., he said his wages were £1 a week. He was ordered to pay medical, police, and witnesses' expenses, amounting altogether to £3 6s. He was allowed a fortn ght to liquidate the amount.

A young man named ltobert Uaktey was charged at the Magistrate's Court yesterday with having, on the night of December 27th, trespassed on the premises of Annie Thomas, in Ghuznee street, and refused to leave when requested. Mr Hincimarsb appeared for the accused, and entered a pie* of guilty, With the explanation that his client had been misled by one who had already been dealt with. Sub-Inspector Mckinnon stated that on the night.in question two men went to the house on the plea that Mrs Price, another occupant, was to be paid some money. Columbus made offensive overtures, to. Mrs Price, anti when called upon to quit, resolutely refused to do so. Two men had to be summoned to eject the pair, and one of the women, who wag in a bad state of health, ,was very much upset. "Columbus said he had some business to'do." remarked Mr Hindmarsh, ''and my client simply*accompanied hiin." "But when he sawthe position of matters," said Mr Coopar, "he ought to have kicked Columbus but of the house." "He does not appear to have said anything rude/' pleaded Mr Hmdmarsb. "Commbus cause the trouble. lie app/aars to have done wrong, but Columbus , led him. into temptationIt seems to havj ben a'case of mit>adventure, owing to a misunderstanding, and probably drink." The magistrate abruptly closed discussion by administering a fine of 40s and costs (19s). An odd-looking trio of men faced the magistrate at the City Court yesterday on a charge of carrying on the business of hawkers on-.. December listh without a, license. They answered to the names of John Stewart McDonald, Edward Poynton, and William James Smith. The first-mentioned was about half the size of the other two, and seemed cut out tor an eccentric comedian. In piteous tones he told a tale as if he wore the victim of a tragedy, .tie had ventured to the city from Touherenikau in a hard-Up condition, not havir>g indulged in hawking for twelve montns, and he hactyoniy given the other two a hand in pushing the vegetable barrow for one day. Poynton explained that he had lent the other derendants his. barrow, and he was following them up so as to be paid as soon as they had sold sufficient vegetables. Smithj it appeared, -when challenged by Constable Mall in Tennyson street, assured him that be had seen Inspector Doyle,, and been informed that he need not bother about a license until a*ter the New ifear. .This turned out to be a falsehood. Each of the defendants was fined £1 and costs, in default three days' imprisonment, McDonald being allowed sevej. days to find wie money. A case of alleged cruelty to a dog was brought against Ernest Jackson, a resident of Hall street, Newtown, by Inspector Henry, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in „the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr D. M. Eindiay appeared for the prose 7 cution, and Mr P. W. Jackson for the defence. According to the evidence ot a girl of ten named Amy Campbell, whose parents are neighbours of the defendant, she s&w him, on the 12th ult., throw three bricks at a little black and tan terrier belonging to Mr* Howard andftn the keeping of Mrs Northam. The third brick struck the dog, causing blindness in one eye and a sore on a hind leg. Its condition five days afterwards was such that the inspector had to shoot it. The suggestion made by the prosecution for the defendant's action was his antipathy to the owner of the dog because, he had been summoned for trespass. The defendant absolutely denied the offence, and said he knew nothing about the dog being injured until he received a summons. The incident was supposed to have occurred on a Sunday, and his practice was to go fishing on that dayv In cross-examination, he would not positively say that he was fishing on December 12th. He admitted that on July 24th last he pleaded guilty to drunkenness, and he also was charged with trespass. Mr Cooper, S.M., said that in view of the conflicting evidence and the youth of the principal witness, he did not think the .testimony sufficiently strong for a cokvictiohl Th&re- was a sufficient element of doubt in his mind to enable him to dismiss the charge. , I

The Wellington Trades and Lftbout Council has nominated Mr L. M. A. Rearden as its delegate to the Federation of Labour's , Conference on Conscription.

The Xew Zealand United Master Bakers' Conference concluded its deliberations at Auckland on Thursday, jays a Press Association telegram. The following motion, to be forwarded to the Premier, was carried:—"The NewZealand Master Bakers' Association Conference rcgifcts that tho Government reimposcd the duty on flour, and that in so doing did not determine the price of wheat, thus allowing the marKet prico to be inflated by farmers and speculators. Since the romiposition of tno duty flour has frequently advanced to the extent of £2 in five weeks, 'lho conference, therefore strongly urges the Government to remove the duty on flour and fix the price of wheat for tno incoming season within reasonable limits in order that flour may not bo sold at exorbitant prices." A Canterbury man, writing to th» "New Zealand Times," complains that he came to Wellington to join tho expeditionary forces, in response to the appeals for men, and was informed, after he had passed the medical examination, that he would not bo wanted until February Bth. He had left his employment, and had brought his wife ,

to Wellington with him. A reporter who made some inquiries regarding t'he Mse yesterday was informed by the aiilitary authorities that the man should have enlisted in his own district, where the shortage of recruits was much more acute than in Wellington'. This district was now engaged in filling up the lists for tho 13th Reinforcements, due to enter camp early in February. The authorities added that rather than cause hardship they w-ould take the man into camp on Tuosdaj next if lie wished to join the infantry,

The manner in which rules and regulations are disregarded by motor-car and cycle drivers on Lambton quay is patent to all pedestrians, and it was not surprising to hear from Sub-Inspec-tor MoKinnon in the Magistrate,s Court yesterday that numerous complaints have been made to the police authorities on the subject. Consequently a sharp eye is now being kept open for offenders. Several were dealt with by Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., at yesterday's sitting of the court. Patrick Griffin, who was defended by Mr Willis, was charged with passing a stationary tram in a motor-car at a greater speed than four miles an hour. It was oxplained by counsel that the tram was at tho intersection of Cuba and Manners streets. -Seeing no passengers get off. the defendant drove slowly.up, and thinking the car was waiting for the pointsman he was under the impression that he was entitled to pass the car. While he was doing so an inspector and a boy alighted from the car, the boy being knocked over. A fine of 5s and costs , (17s) was inflicted. A charge was brought against Joseph Zachariah of having, on December 9th, driven a motorcycle at the coi> ncr of Willis and Manners streets at a speed of more than four miles ah hour. It appeared that a lad who happened to be: crossing- the thoroughfare wai knocked --over, but not seriously injured. A fine of 20s and costs was inflicted.

An extraordinary instance of official bungling resulted in a niobt unpleasant incident in Palmerston on Wednesday (says , the Manawatu "Standard")." Some months ago a- wellknown local'young mau. volunteered for : active service, and went .into camp. After undergoing training, the effects of an old injury made themselves felt, and after a period of siok leave, during which a serious operation was performed, he -was discharged early in; November as being unfit for military service. Since then he has been recuperating. .., On Wednesday he arrived at Palmerston from the country, intending to proceed to , the Wairarapa. Judge of his astonishment when he was almost immediately arrested by the civil police at tae instance of the Wellington authorities on a charge of desertion from the forces. The police, who, of course, . had no option but to obey their instructions, handed the young man over to the local military authorities after he had been m. their custody a short time. His discharge was, unfortunately, in Wellington, whither it had been sent attached to an application for a position, but by means of the telephone any doubt as to tho existence of the document was 6et at rest, and the local military authorities speedily restored his liberty to the victim of somebody's carelessness. It is presumed, adds tho "Standard," that a deserter of similar name wag sought for, and. that .a. mistake waß made by whoever gave the order for the arrest.