NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9622, 30 March 1917, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Mr Norman Gorton (of Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd.), at tho Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon, submitted for sale by public auction tbe scroiv steamers Rutiki and Hula on behalf of the liquidator of the Wellington and Wanganui Steaui Packet Co.,' Ltd. There was a good attendance, but the bidding was unsatisfactory, and both vessels were passed in. The half-yearly cribbage tournament between the Foresters and Oddfellows was played last night in the Foresters’ Hlill. At the expiration of-the allotted time the scores were even at 45, so it was agreed to continue and playeleven tables one game each. Of these games Oddfellows won nine and Foresters two, making tbo total scores for tha evening: Oddfellows 54, Foresters 47. Since the half-yearly tournament was inaugurated, Foresters have won on twelve occasions and Oddfellows on eleven.

From, the beginning of April tbo Free Art Gallery in Whitmore street will bo open to the public on all week davs (except Mondays) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This new arrangement has been made by the Academy of Fine Arts in response to a generally-express-ed wish that the gallery should be open during the forenoon as well as the afternoon. The difficulty, which in the past hag been mainly one of finance, has heen overcome by tbo Minister for Internal Affairs, agreeing on behalf of the Government to defray the small additional expense entailed. A boy of fifteen appeared before Mr F. V. Frazer. S.M., at Auckland on a couple of theft charges, which ho admitted. It was stated that tho boy had boon at an Industrial School and bad boon licenced out to his parents in Wellington. He ran away from home and went to Auckland. 'While there he went into two or three houses by windows, and at two of tbe places committed small trusts. He had also hired a horse and gig at a livery stable in Karangaliape road, driven to Henderson and back, and then tied the horse up to a telegraph polo in Mt. Eden and abandoned the turnout. t The boy was committed to M oraroa Training Farm. Mr W. O. Riddell, S.M.,'yesterday delivered a reserved judgment in the case of Griffiths .".ml Co. v. Charles Schlitzkns (Hastings). The claim was for £7 2s 6d. tbe value of 15 cases of bananas delivered to the defendant at Auckland. When they reached Hastings the fruit was in ah unsaleable condition. The magistrate ruled that a particular brand of bananas had not been ordered as had been urged by the defendant and that the fruit passed into his possession at Auckland. Judgment was given for the plaintiffs with costs. Mr E. N. Sladen appeared for the plaintiffs and Mr A. J. Luke for the defendant.

Notice is gazetted of the cancellation of the registration of the Wellington Master Butchers’ Industrial Union of Employers. No. 186. The controlling of river currents has had considerable attention in New Zealand, and patents have been granted for effecting this inn-pose. Recently -Mr Monro, of Palmerston, applied for a patent having for its object to direct the current of rivers so that erosion of the river bank shall bo avoided. Bars supported at one end to a boom have their other ends resting on the bed of the river. .Mr Bagnall, also of Palmerston, opposed this patent, Mi Loughnan arguing the matter for Mr Bagnall and Mr Morison, K.C., with Mr Baldwin (Baldwin and Hayward) appearing for Mr Monro. After considerable argument the Registrar reserved his decision.

The use of sticks and stones by thoughtless children is sometimes attended with danger. In a case which came before the Juvenile Court yesterday, it appeared that on the 7th inst. some children were returning home from school at Khaudnlluh, and an eight-year-old boy threw a stick at a lit cJc girl. Unfortunately the missile struck her in the eye, and for some time she hud to receive medical treatment at a hospital. The hoy pleaded in defence yesterday that tile girl first of all struck him across the lace with the stick, and he acted in a spirit of retaliation. This, ps Air L. G. Reid, B.M-, pointed out, was a foolish thing to do, for .the girl might easily’ have lost her eye. Tile lad was dismissed with an admonition from tho magistrate.

An effort is being made by the Auckland Carpenters* and Joiners’ Union to have section 71 of the Industrial, Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1908, amended. At the Arbitration Court sitting on Tuesday, Mi- T. Bloodworth, secretary for the union, pointed out that present the Act provides that the award shall only apply to work carried on Tor profit or reward. “Wo have found," ho said, “that because of that section the provisions of the award arc ottenevadcd.. Persons can employ men to build their own houses, or it may tin even business promises, and because they are not in this particular trade for profit or reword they arc not bound to observe the provisions of the award. I think farmers are the chief offenders in this respect,” he concluded, and wo think it unfair, and, if possible, w-ant to overcome it.”

Although the Feathorston military camp . has been m operation only a little over twelve months, much has been done to beautify the grounds surrounding the main entrances, the, hospital and the dental hospital, and the flower hods already put down have had the effect of adding greatly to tlfP general appearance of the camp, Iho main difficulty in the past has been fn procuring the necessary bulbs and plants fof the- extension of the scheme, but gifts have reached the camp from time to time. The Camp Commandant specially expressed his gratitude to Messrs Cooper and Sons, nurserymen, of Wellington, for a generous donation comprising many thousands of anemone, ranunculus, narcissus and sweet pea plants and bulbs. These are now being planted, and it is expected that the camp gardens will present a fine sight in the coming season.

A very massive piece, of forged steel construction woik is at present being carried out for a Wellington firm by Messrs Stevenson and Cook, of Port Chalmers (states the. - ■■ ‘Otago Daily Times”): Ibis’ consists of a largo hydraulic press of 640 tons capacity, and having a working pressure of 40001 b to the square inch. The complete machine, with pumps and intensifier, will weigh .some twenty tons. All the castings and the ram are of solid steel, and the boring of those involves the use of very modern, machinery, and also of considerable engineering skill. The press- is similar in many respects to that used for forging shells, and though the makers, do not know the purpose for which it is intended, it is conjectured that it is for use- in connection with the manufacture . of roofing tiles. Designs for its construction were called for throughout New Zealand. A soldier at the front writes: “To form an idea of what one- feels like after a few days of wet weather lighting on the Somme, just think of a Taranaki cowyard at its worst, after, say, six weeks’ rain. ’ Multiply the result eleven times, then roll in it, taking special caro to rub it well into your hair, eyes, ears, mouth, and rifle. Take a day’s rations and stamp them well into the mixture also, and use a newly-emptied benzine; tin for drinking purposes. Carry a nice hefty load—for instance, a bag of potatoes—through it all day, being sure to fall down every minute and a-half, and consider yourself buried several times by shells that are too close for comfort. Continue treatment for some days, being careful not to wash or shave during the period. You can then realise what the cablegram moans when it is reported that tlie weather interfered with the operations. It was reported to the Dominion executive of the Xew Zealand Catholic Federation, this week that the field service fund has now. reached a total of £IO3O. The following further grants have been made; Chaplain-Captain Moloney, hospital ship, £SO; ChaplainCaptain Segrief, 23rd Reinforcements, £10; Chaplain-Captain McDonald (with the N.Z.M.R.), £25. In acknowledging the receipt of this amount, C haw ain-Cap tain McDonald says; “This generous movement of the federation meets a long- felt want. The Catholic chaplains alone seem to bo without a fund, with which most othei denominations h.ave been providing their clergy at the front. . . . The mounted boys and self feel grateful to the federation for its generous thought of us. I have taken an opportunity at church parade O? impressing on the Catholic boy the splendid work of the Xew Zealand Catholic federation.” One of the sights of TTentham Camp is provided by the lines of the Field Engineers, who occupy the original lines that were set apart for the Artillery unit when the camp was first opened. The Engineers have placed their tents on ground that slopes away on each side, and thereby efficient sur face drainage is obtained. Tbo tents are a considerable distance apart, and the ground allotted to each has a neat border of stones, which have been whitewashed. There are well-defined paths in this section of the camp, and all are beautifully kept, while the men have vied with each other in cultivating and decorating their particular plots. Outlines of flags have been made by the manipulation of coloured stones, flowers are making their appearance, and in a short time fawns will spring into existence. At present the lines have a very pretty effect, and when the work that is now being undertaken by the men in their own time is completed, it will be one of tho most attractive features of the camp-

The Secretary. General Post Office, lias been advised by the International Bureau of Telegraph Union that legal time is advanced one hour in Franca ami Algeria from March 24th to October Till, and in Italy from April Ist to September 30th.

Tho following are the values of the principal exports of Now Zealand produce from the Dominion during the week ending Tuesday. March -’7th:— Butter. £'27,007; cheese, £70,4.59: lamb, £78,600; mutton, £70,542; otlvoi frozen meat, £35,674 ; grain and pulse. £158; hides and skins, £26,534 ; kauri gum, £825; phormiuni tonax, £4121 tallow. £15,158; timber, £3039: wool. £441,202.

‘•St is' estimated that some twe thousand of our members have gout to the front,” said Mr F. T. Evans, chairman of the Canterbury Rugby Union, at tho annual meeting of that body this hveek. That was a great record. The majority of those men had gone because they felt it was their duty to do so, and because ( ho German nation was not playing the game.

Some 2100 acres of settlement land in Waimato County and 194 in Eflesinero County of tlie Canterbury hind district. 1437 in Makowai Settlement, and 076 in the Fairfield Settlement, Wellington Laud District, and 1571 in Waipawa County, Hawke’s Bay Land District, have been set aside for sale or lease to discharged soldiers under special tenures; while 1327 acres of settlement lands in AshJjnrfbn County, Canterbury Land District, and 4558 acres of Crown lands in Patangata County, Hawke’s Bay Land District, have been set aside for soldier settlement under oidinary tenures. The number of children in attendance at the Worser Bay schools has so increased that additional a coon - modation is urgently needed and in this respect a letter was received at last night’s meeting of tho Miramar Borough Council from tho Education Board asking whether/ the Miramar Town Hall was available for letting. In asking the council’s terms, tho writer stated that the hoard would provide all the furniture necessary and would require the building during school hours from Mon day to Friday each week, with an hour each day before and after school time. _ A reply is to bo sent hy tho council that it is prepared to let the hall at an annual rental of £7B.

On Tuesday tho Mayor of Wellington (Mr J. I*. Luke), the city engineer (Mr W. H. Morton), and Mr Evan Parry, chief electrical engineer, Public Works Department, in addition’ to visiting tho Tramway Board’s power station and car sheds at Christchurch, visited, tho destructor and municipal electrical power station, tho municipal baths, and the '.factory where tho municipality is converting kerosene tins into oxide of iron. In the afternoon the parly visited tho Lake Coleridge sub-station at Addington,- Tho following day they made a trip to Lake Coleridge.

There is every indication (states au exchange) that tho non comprising the Soldiers’ Settlement at Oroawharu, near Takapau, are of the rlgh* material. All - the blocks arc show ing striking evidence of the determination of the settlers to bring their allotments to a condition of productivity as speedily as possible. On every block a nicely-finished residence has been erected. Tire buildings, though unpretentious in appearance,, are of a substantial character; J and 'have 1 been built with a view to enlargement as time and fortune warrant. Most of the soldier settlers are suppliers to the adjacent butter and ohoesc factories, and it is abundantly apparcnl that this settlement at any rate pro mises to turn. out. in every way a sue cess.

A tribute te tho sportsmanship at the British nation was paid by Air B-, T. Evans in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Canterbury llugby Union this week. Hud‘ it not been for the sporting proclivities of the British, said Mi .Evans, Britain would have “gone under’ long ago. There was no doubt that those proclivities had done much to chock tho aspirations of the Germans. On tho playgrounds of tho puhhc scluwls was taught a code of honour which could 'not be obtained anywhere else. That .might, be a big statement to make, but it was nevertheless true, and the Gormans themselves acknowledged its truth. The British code of honour was a thing which was absolutely wanting in the German nation. Had the Germans had such a code, added Mr Evans, he was sure, the present war would never have taken place or at least it would never have been ’fought out in such a beastly manner.

A well-known Southland farmer, who is in a position to offer an authoritative opinion on the farming position in the south, makes a rather disturbing statement of agricultural affairs m Southland, states the ‘Otago Daily Times.” This farmer has an estate of over 3000 acres, and he states that this year, owing to the shortage of labour, he has not been able to put in any oat crop at all. and that the outlook for the winter feed, despite the fact that he has an area under turnips is very bad. One plot of 100 acres has had to he given over to the weeds because no men are available to work it. live teams have been waiting for. the past 10 months for teamsters, but none have been forthcoming, and the horses have now had to he turned out. This farmer stated that at a sitting of the Military Service Board at Invercargill the inspector of factories said that plenty of men were awaiting farm work. He rang him up next day. and asked for nine men—he was prepared te pay up to Xss a day. with keep, for men for particular classes of work. He got two men, and has since telephoned up this inspector daily for more men, without any result. He has also communicated with the inspector of factories in Dunedin, but has been unable to get one man. In Southland, the farmer points out, they must have winter feed, and he says that the position is now serious, and must become increasingly so as tho months pass; He further asserts that the Military Appeal Board is not paying dye attention to the pleas put forward by farmers, who are first and last producers, and states that one of the biggest producers in Southland wbo appealed the other day bad his appeal rejected. In many cases the owners of farms have simply had to lock their gates and leave their farms. The speaker went on to say that another farmer who appealed was asked if he had advertised in the papers in an endeavour to secure a man to take his place. He said he had advertised in the Southland papers, without result.