NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9721, 25 July 1917, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Constable Cunningham, of the Mount Cook district, arrested a seven-teen-year-old youth yesterday on a charge of theft from a Chinaman’s shop. Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., heard a case yesterday in which Peter and Mary MoWhannell claimed the sum of £5 (is 9d for rent due and damage to a tenement. After hearing the evidence judgment was given for plaintiff for £3 13s 6d, with costs £3 8s Bd. “As to the eloquent speech of Sir John Findlay, the hen. member for Hawke’s Bay,” said Dr Thacker, M.P. for Christchurch East, in the course of the Addross-in-Reply debate, “any words of mine would bo merely buttonholes where bouquets should be strewn.” (Hoar, hear.) The Hon. Mr Buddo . has asked the Minister for Railways the following question in Parliament: —Whether, as railway goods-sheds are practically empty at present, he will take steps to remit the 2s per week storage charges when farmers are disappointed in obtaining shipping space, which at present is insufficient, and steamers run irregularly P The new' title given to His Excellency the Governor, was, he supposed, given in recognition of A'e— Zealand’s services in regard to the war, said Dr Thacker, M.P., in the House of Representatives last night. But that new title meant that a great many coils of gold braid would be distributed, and the more gold braid the more red-tape. (Laughter.) Gold braid did not make,, brains, but brains were what was wanted. (Hear, hear.) What was described as a distressing case by Mr H. F. O’Leary came before Mr S. E. McCarthy, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. A youns woman named Sarah Ann Cassin was charged that on October 13th, 1915, being then, married, she did go through' a form of marriage with one Charles Quinney. Ooairijsel stated that the accused had practically lived in gaol for the past tivo years, and was anxious to get her case dealt with. Defendant was a stranger to Wellington, and had no one to go security for her. He suggested that she should be allowed out in her own recognisances, on condition that she reported to the police twice daily. SubInspector Dew, in applying for a remand, said he had no had being granted on the terms outlined by Mr O’Leary. Accused was allowed bail in a sum of £SO in her own recognisances, and ordered to report herself twice daily to the police. The war has left its mark deep in the annals of the year that is just past feaid Sir James G. Wilson, in his address' to the Farmers’ Union yesterday). The whole of our business arrangements as well as the outlook of our lives has been changed. The feeding and clothing of our men-at-arms have been the first thought of those in power. At Home the whirr of machinery making munitions of war goes on ceaselessly day and night. Everything has given way to winning the war. The food question there is causing the greatest anxiety, and farmers are breaking up land which has not been ploughed within the memory of man, to grow -wheat and food for the people. There the position is somewhat different from ours, because of the greater danger at Home of their supplies being cut off. The submarines and the j mines are making it more and more difficult for the full supply to bo kept up; but Mr Lloyd George, with his usual vigour, which he seems able to throw into everything he has to deal with, has so impressed the people with the necessity, that a great movement is on foot to supply the needs of the nation. Farmers there have been offered 8s a bushel for wheat and for two years after a somewhat lower price. Hero we are in somewhat a similar position.

The builders and general labourers’ dispute originally sot down to como before the Conciliation Council on July 26th lias been postponed till August 6th.

In response to its request for musical instruments for tho use of soldiers in camp the national committee of the Y.M.C.A. has received the gift of u valuable ‘ banjo with music from Mrs Montague, and of a flute from Mr Smith of Makara.

When the name of Joseph Keen was called in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Sub-Inspector Dew stated that the defendant had been arrested the previous day in a helplessly drunken condition, and- was unable to appear in court. He was remanded for a week for medical treatment.

The member for Grey Lynn, Air Payne, Dirt the following question to the Defence Minister in the House yesterday; —-Whether it is true that tho staff of General Godley are practically all Englishmen, whilst that of General Birdwood are all Australians; and, if so, will ho insist upon New Zealanders going upon General Godley’s staff, so as to give New Zealand officers the opportunity of learning the working of tho general staff routine?

Tho Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr H. Baldwin, protesteo, on Monday night, against the action of tho Government in calling upon tho borough to clear gorse off its property, while tho Government had land covered with noxious weeds which were spreading all over tho borougn. Councillor Brassed raised tho point that tho council had never declared gorse a noxious weed in Lower Hutt, and in view of this it was decided that tho engineer uso His own discretion in future as to whether ho should cut down gorso or not.

Speaking in connection with the Ad-dress-in-Reply debate in the House of Renrcsontatives last night, the At-torney-General made an effort to atone for a rather uninteresting address by an oratorical outburst at the wind-up of his speech. He saw a happier and brighter universe after the war, and soared higher as he spoke of a century ahead. “Why, a hundred years hence”—said the Minister, impressively pausing—“ You and I will bo rotten/’ unfeelingly observed the member for Grey Lynn. One of the speakers at last night’s meeting of the War League, Mr J. PFirth, remarked that it had been suggested New Zealand was being called upon to do more than it could afford, lids, he said, was absolute nonsense. Those in the trenches should not. bo loft in the lurch, and reinforcements must bo forwarded so long as they were available. Mr H. F. vonHaast expressed a similar opinion. No matter how infinitesimal the assistance of New Zealand might ho, he remarked, it must be continued to the last man who could be sent forward. The national committee of the Y.M.O.A. has to acknowledge the following contributions to its war funds: Mr A. M. Smith, Napier, ,£5; Mrs M. E. Wilson, Eltham, £1; WanganuiWaitotara Patriotic Association, £35; Mrs F French, Wellington, £6; Taihape and District Patriotic Society, two months’ donation, £SO ; Messrs N. Nelson and Son, Wairoa, £2O; Mrs M. Matheson, Fernside, £2 10s t>d; Mr E. J. Collins, Porangahau, £2 2s 6d; Hawkers Bay War. Relief Fhnd, £7O; Miss A. Fitzgerald, Wellington, £1; Messrs Alcock , and Co., Wellington, £11;. Mrs Matthews, Wellington, £1 10s; Plunkot Nurse, Danncvirke, £1 Is.

'Several ■ remits.wore received by the Farmers’ Union Conference yesterday in favour of ’ the suspension of territorial camps and cadet training during the period of tho war. It was pointed out that boys whose services were most '■valuable at present on depleted farms had to abandon their, work to attend useless drills which did not take more than twenty-five minutes. One delegate stated that it looked as if tho system was kept up merely for the sake of training officers, who were “strutting about the country and who would bo of much more service at tho front." The remits which came from Hawke’s Bay, North and South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland were agreed to.

The South Taranaki Shipping Co.’s steamer Hawera, which had such a severe buffeting, as was reported in Monday’s “New Zealand Times,” is detained at Wellington in the meantime, as she is still leaking. Mr Grainger, general manager of the company, will arrive at Wellington to-day from Patea' to decide as to what arrangements will be made for repairs to the vessel. As the Wellington patent slip will be occupied by the refloated barque for about another month, it is probable that the Hawera will go to Lyttelton for repairs. Although there is some damage above the water-line, the main trouble is located forward on the garhoard streak close to the keel.

A serious accident befell a man named A. Wilding, a fireman on the Pateena, last evening, through which he had his left foot severely crushed. The vessel had just arrived alongside Jervois quay from Picton, and was manoeuvring alongside her berth when Wilding jumped off tho vessel on to the wharf. He landed on tho edge of the wharf with his- left foot hanging between the structure and the steamer, -with the result that it became jammed. Wilding extricated his loot a moment later, and it was seen that bo was badly injured. He was carried aboard the vessel and attended by Dr Pollen, who arrived on the scene. The injured man was taken to the hospital by motor ambulance and admitted for treatment at 10.40 p.m. The solo of his foot was burst open for a length of about four or five inches.

Great was the outcry at the Farmers’ Union Conference yesterday against the butter-fat levy. “It is the most unheard-of thing in the history of our politics,” said Mr G. W. Leadley, the vice-president. “It is absolutely unconstitutional. _ A fundamental principle ot the British Constitution is that no tax should be levied unless it is sanctioned by Parliament, and this was never submitted to Parliament. I know the decision of the court, but it is playing with words to say that it is a levy and not a tax. To the people who have to pay it it is certainly a tax.” “That was the opinion of the Chief Justice,” interpolated a delegate. “If,” continued Mr Leadley, “the Minister for Agriculture can deduct Ifd per lb, what is there to stop him from taking 6d if he considers the exigencies of the situation demand it, and if he can penalise the dairyman he can also deal with other producers.” A'resolution of protest was carried against “ a special tax upon one of the hardest-worked sections in the community," and restitution was demanded.