NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9717, 20 July 1917, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Plain-clothes Constable Triekiebank arrested a man yesterday on a charge of failure to enrol under the Military Service Act.

The dental branch of the outpatients’ department at the hospital dealt with 220 attendances last month, the fees received amounting to £3O 9s Gd.

Mr J. B. Speed has forwarded to the “Times” 5s for tho Adelaide road accident fund. This will be handed over to tho gentleman m charge of the fund. An alleged hotel thief named Michael Josenh McCann caino before .Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., yesterday morning, and on tho application of the police ho was remanded to appear on July aist.

The bacteriologist’s report to the Hospital Board yesterday, at its meeting, stated that tho value of the outride work done during the post month amounted to £75 7s 7d. Altogether 3725 cases woro treated.

Passengers on tho 8.35 o'clock train from Lower Hutt yesterday morning were somewhat surprised when the train, which is a non-stop one between Pctono and La mb ton stations, suddenly caino almost .stationary between Petono and Ngahauranga. Inquiring heads peered out of the windows of tho conches, and the cause of tile trouble was discovered to have been brought about by a. bullock taking charge of the railway track. ' Purchasing goods by means of an alleged valueless cheque was the cause of Arthur Thomas Lamb being arrested and placed in the dock at the Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges of obtaining goods from .Annie Tait, valued at £4 15s, on April 20th, and a motor-cycle from F. Slater, of Palmerston North, valued at £94 10s, on July 10th, by moans of valueless cheques. A remand was granted till July 25th, bail being fixed at £SO, or two sureties of £25.

Tho Miramar borough engineer reported at last night’s meeting, that owing to the present gas trouble, over 100,000 gallons of water bad, gone through the company’s meter without being accounted lor in any department of the works. This was due to the inexperienced hands at, present working the retorts, who used four times the usual quantity of water, without giving notice to the man in charge of the reservoir. The Gas Company expressed its regret at the occurrence. Tho ninth annual meeting of the Johnsonvillo Bowling Club was held last Wednesday evening, when there was a large number of members present. The following officers were elected for tho forthcoming season: President, Mr Robert Turner; vicepresident, Mr Finlay Bethunc; directors, Messrs W. L. Thompson, O’Neill, Harrap, Rod, and Cook: hon. secretary. Mr Aloe Morgan; hon. auditor; Mr V. A. Mills; delegate to Wellington Centre, Mr W. L. Thompson.

The quantity of stuff worth preserving that appears in “Hansard” is but a very small proportion of its contents, and is invariably recorded in the columns of the press, which may be trusted to give the people anything said which it is really worth their while to read. In short, “Hansard” is little bettor than a useless expense to the public, and its abolition would be a very seasonable and acceptable “war economy.”—Rotorua “Chronicle.”

Action was taken in the .Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., by the Inspector of Awards (Mr R. T, Bailey) against Rouse and Black, coachbuilders, for employing an apprentice without first notifving the Inspector of Factories, and against Pappas and Azalc, restau-rant-keepers, for failing to post un a, time-sheet, setting out the time when employees shall start and finish their work. A conviction was entered in each case, and the defendant fined 10s. Mr. O. C. Mazengarb appeared for Rouse and Black. On June 23rd last, while a constable was taking a prisoner to the lock-up, with the assistance of a soldier, a friend of the man under arrest interfered, with the result that the prisoner got away, and the person who obstructed the constable in the execution of Ids duty was brought before the court and fined. Yesterday Michael Francis Garrick, the man who escaped, was brought before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., and duly fined tor disorderly conduct while drunk, the defendant, when he broke away from the policeman in Vivian street, was handcuffed, and was arrested subseque -tly at Auckland. The member for Buller (Mr Colvin) brought under the notice of the Minister for Marine, in tile House of Representatives yesterday, the fact that great i„ ve uence w..s caused to '.■•rSt C' r. bj f.tdjJV ‘ ■bv C—n -R—u puit. L-rg' vf u.C'J :«i .y.r’a com called at Aes-port. bur r.a passengers were taken, fee position was aggravated by the fact that the La.ou Company had made arrangements so that no'other shipping company could step in and take passengers from the West Coast. Mr Colvin read a motion of protest from the Westport Harbour Board on the matter. The Minister replied that lie would telegraph to the Union Company asking them to endeavour to give to the people of Westport the steamship facilities that such a large district deserved.

The representatives of tho school committee.* throughout the Dominion, now in conference in Wellington, are to meet ilie Minister for Education (the Hon. J, A. Hanan) to discuss vanmis matters at 2 p.m. to-day.

Thomas Holden, who "as charged with failing to provide his wife "'tft adequate maintenance, had Ins case udiouined till Monday next by -Mr \V. G. Riddell, S.M., yesterday. Bad Was allowed in one sum of £-30, or t"<> sureties of £2o.

During the month of June tho Charitable Aid Committee gave daily outdoor relief on an average to 20!) persons, and the number of rations granted amounted to 615. as compared with 101!) in 1915. and 564 in 1916. Cash grants totalled £'42, and the children directly maintained by tho board lor the month cost £2l.

For tho month ending July 10th, 99 cases of infectious disease wore treated at tho Wellington Hospital. Of this total Micro wore 12 scarlet fever cases, 7S diphtheria, one enteric fever, five tuberculosis, two blood-poisoning, and one cerebro-spinal meningitis ease. In 1916 the cases treated in the corresponding month were 95.

The Hospital Hoard having been advised that the land proposed to he obtained from the Government is not suitable as a diphtheria- ward site, propose to alter the present fever ward and make’ it suitable for tho treatment of cases of diphtheria. A new scarlet fever ward is to bo built on the top of the hill fronting the town bolt, and the consent of the council having boon obtained, the formation of a road giving access to the proposed building is assured.

Argument was heard by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., yesterday, in the case of Christopher Hobbs v. Ellen Jano Rccsby, for possession of a tenement at Lower Hutt. The promises were occupied by defendant under an agreement to lease, and Mrs Hecsby counterclaimed for damages for unlawful disturbance to her possession by the plaintiff. Decision was reserved. -Mr Bunny appeared for the defendant, and .Mr I*. AV. Jackson for the plaintiff.

Of the 7S cases of diphtheria treated at tile Wellington Hospital last, month-, 57 were admitted from the city, two from Karori, six from Lower H'att, three from Koputaroa, two from Shannon, two from Ngaio, and ono each from Scatoun. Poiono, Herctaunga, Paraparaunni, Porirua and Ohau. Mr JlcKiwan asked if any reason could bo given why so many cases were admitted from” tiro cit-yi the number being about equal to one per thousand of the population, whereas Potono had only ono diphtheria case from an approximate population of eight thousand. Mr Luke replied that Petone must bo a healthy place to live in, a remark with which Mr McEwan agreed. A claim for .wrongful entry was heard by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., yesterday afternoon. The case was one in which. William Phillips claimed from A. T. Munn the sum of £lO. The facts adduced were that Phillips went into camp in April last, and handed possession of stables which he rented from the defendant to his brother. Later Munn alleged that there was a nuisance, and took possession of the premises. The existence of a nuisance was denied by priluliil- The Bench held that Phillips had abandoned the promises when he went into camp, and gave judgment for defendant, with 21s costs. Plaintiff was represented by Mr E. M. Boeohey, and the defendant by Mr P, V- - . Jackson.

LA. collision between a motor-car driven by John Timotliy Foley, barman at the Cricketers’ Anns Hotel, and a motor-cycle ridden by J. Oraigie, Government fruit inspector, resulted in J. T. Foley claiming from J. Craigie the sum of £4 for damages alleged to have been done to his car through defendant’s negligence when riding a motor-cycle on the Happy Valley road on April 28th. The defendant coun-ter-claimed for £25 from plaintiff on similar grounds in respect to the driving of a motor-car and £l9 as special damages. Mr IV. G. Riddell, S.M., after viewing the scene of the accident and hearing a considerable amount of evidence, adjourned further hearing until this afternoon. Mr J. J. McGrath appeared for Foley, and Mr V. R. Meredith for the defendant.

The question of the proposed alteration of the time that the Main Trunk express loaves Auckland for Wellington was raised in the House of Representatives yesterday by MV V. H. Reed, M.P. for the Bay of Islands. It was rumoured, said the bon. member, that it was proposed to change the time that the express leaves Auckland from 9.10 to 7.10 p.m. Such an alteration, he pointed out, would hit the North Auckland people very heavily, as the mail and passenger steamers from the north reached Auckland at 7.80 p.m.; and if the change were made, they would bo detained in Auckland twenty-four hours before proceeding south. The Hon. W. H. Herrics (Minister for Railways) replied that no alteration had been yet decided on; and the matters the bon. member bad placed before him would have very careful consideration before a decision was reached.

Mr G. Witty, M.P.,*-, called the Prime Minister's attention yesterday afternoon to the fact that a rumour was in circulation that sonic of the 17 insulated shijis that had becu promised to come to Now Zealand by the end •of September nest were to be diverted from the Dominion. Air Massey replied that no information to that effect had reached him ; and he had bad official communications from England within the last day or 'two in regard to shipping. He might say that the Imperial authorities were not particularly hopeful in regard to keeping going the number of ships required for the Australian and New Zealand trade; hut he had no information about any of the 17 ships he referred to the other day being diverted from New Zealand. “I saw a- paragraph in this morning’s paper,” said Mr J. Vigor Brown, M.P., yesterday afternoon, “that the Board of Trade apparently have now no regulation fixing the prices, wholesale or retail, of butter. Is that correct ?” he asked the Prime Minister; “and are the butter factories now allowed to charge any price they like?’' Mr Massey replied that a; butter was ■ o'i ,w lower uric- - tiian the ;> . . . ' Beaid <>.; ■■ ;■ • ire-; ■ ■ new wiry. 1); , ■ -,io iv. v ' being sold wholesale at is 3d and Is 8d was being charged retail in Wellington. and people wanted to know where the difference in price came in. At different shops in the city the prices were Is 6d, Is 6jd, Is 7d, and Is Bd. (Hear, hear.) He asked the Prime Minister whether he intended to allow that sort of thing to go on or to stop it R Mr Massey said that inquiries were being made into the matter, and lie would make a statement on it in a few days.

Messrs .1. G. Anderson and R. AV. Sroti. M.wont south last night, by the ferry eteamer.

,V youth seventeen year, of age was arrested yesterday by Detectives Torrance and O’Connor on a charge, of theft of razors.

A scheme to provide for uniform school books free for the schools of the Dominion was asked for in the House yesterday by Air T. A). AVilford of tho Minister for Education.

The provision by the Alinister for Education of financial assistance for the work of the Workers’ .Educational Association was asked for in tin House yesterday by -Mr 11. A. Wright member for AVelUugloa Suburbs, The Minister for Munitions has been asked by Air T. AV. Wilford in thr House for the introduction this session of an amendment to the Old Age Pensions Act providing for the doubling of the present old age pension during the war.

The amendment of the law so as to allow Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards to borrow money for building purposes, instead ol having to make a levv every time improvements ■ l ' required was asked for in the Houso of Representatives yesterday by Alt AA’itty, member for Riccarton.

As a. result of the trouble at tho gasworks and the curtailment of tho gas supply city shopkeepers are stiff having electric* light installed, aiiu electricians are experiencing a bust tinio. Even householders tv ho use thn humble gas-ring' have discovered tho cheapness of the small electric-coo.\ef ■with current supplied at a special price for culinary purposes. The Minister in charge of the Board of Trade has been asked by Mr Dkcy, member for Taranaki, ■vvlnut is the picsent position of the butter levy—namely, whether dairy factories cease to pay tho tax on aU milk supplied smoo Juno 30th, 1917; and whether all subsidies on butter sold for local con** sumption cease from the same date.

The unfortunate position of children of many settlers in the backblocks who have not the opportunity of obtaining nn education was brought under tho notice of the Minister for Education in the House yesterday by Mr Anderson, member for Mataura, who asked whether the Minister _ would provide a reasonable increase in the absurdly small amount of capitation granted for household schools? Tho cost of furnishing in the various offices of tho Efficiency Board was the subject of severe criticism in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr Witty, member for Hiccarton. He stated that the furnishings of ono set of offices in Christchurch had cost£soo. Mr T. K. Sidoy has also moved that there be laid before the House a return showing tho cost of furnishing the various offices of the Efficiency Board. Tho Hon. Mr Buddo moved in tin House yesterday for a return showing what decorations, orders, or medals have been issued to our military forces, combatant or non-combatant, irom the declaration of war to date, as follows: (1) The orders or medals issued to commissioned officers as per rank, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, ofn* cers doing non-combatant service, and to the staff doing non-combatant service, for services at the various fronts; (2) tho decorations, medals, or orders issu-id to officers and staff for service in the Dominion as per rank and for same period.

Queries still continue to be fired at the Ministerial benches in tho House by tho member for Grey Lynn. Yesterday he asked tho Minister for Labour whether he will inquire into the victimisation of certain miners, alleged to bo still carried on, by tho Waihi gold-mining companies? In a note Mr Payne states: “It is vindictive anti unpatriotic in the extreme for these companies to victimise workers during war-time, when working men are risking their lives to protect the property of these mining'' companies and the property of other property-owners in the Dominion.”

A motion by Mr J. S. Dickson (Parnell): “That there ho laid before the House a return showing—(l) Who appointed the census officers in Auckland; and (2) the number of census officers appointed in '.Auckland, and tho date of appointment,” was agreed to by the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Dickson also wished to know the religious denomination that each officer belonged to, but tho Prime Minister pointed out that tho department had no knowledge of the religious denominations to which- officers belonged, and that part of the motion was struck out.

A well-attended public mooting at Foxton, convened by the Mayor, unanimously resolved that tho Borough Council suggest that tho Harbour Board should approach the Government to declare a beautiful piece of native bush, just outside the borough, part of the board’s endowment, as a scenic reserve, to be vested in the borough; also that the Government be asked to grant the board an endowment in lieu of same. Messrs W. 11. Field and H. G. Ell, members of Parliament are to be asked to visit the bush. The meeting also passed a resolution urging the general manager not to alter the present railway timetable for Foxton and Palmerston.

The annual report of the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Company shows a decrease of 20,060 sheep, 42,800 lambs, and 3104 cattle slaughtered, in comparison with the previous season, owing to the high price of stock and the difficulty of obtaining freezing space. The result of the year’s operations has not been so satisfactory as would have been tho case under normal circumstances. The balance on the profit and loss account, after providing £BOOO for depreciation and reserve, and for income tax, stands at £3249 5s 9d„ which, together with the balance, brought forward from last year, the directors propose to allocate ss follows : A dividend of 6 per cent, on the paid-up capital, £5224 16s 2d; balance to carry forward, £383 10s 2d.

The favourable consideration of the question of granting a reduction of the period of State control in the case of young people committed to industrial schools whose conduct has been, reported as satisfactory, was asked for :n a question put to the Minister for ■.docut.on in the House of Reprcsenord.iy by Air Glover, mem':for Auckland Central. Another o the same Minister which by Mr Jennings (Taumarunui), whether, in view of the pressing need for a custodial institution being established for the confinement of lowgrade feeble-minded children and adults and those cases which are not considered suitable for mental hospitals, the Government will take the necessary steps to provide such an institution ? Donnelly’s Hair Restorer.—A real tonic. Cures dandruff, stops hair falling. Chemists, stores, hairdressers, 2s 6d. Donnelly’s, 65, Vivian street, *