NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9955, 26 April 1918, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand and the Empire generally, said the Hon. T. M. Wilford at the Anzac celebration, at Petone yesterday, had had to pay a big price in this world war. “'May w© see,” he added, “’that the end will he worth the price, that good will triumph, and that put of" the welter of blood and slaughter there will arise a concert or League of Nations, joined together for the purpose of settling international disputes by tribunals of arbitration and not by rushing back to the old bad days of sword and fire. (Applause.) But you can’t fight a boa-constrictor with a feather-duster. (Laughter and applause.) Though the Germans claim that before they strike they give warning you can say the same of the rattlesnake, but that does not make him any the more a reasonable domestic pet.’’ (Laughter and applause.)

Mr H. E. Holland, in replying to a statement from the “Times” Greymouth correspondent states; —“The Grey Labour Party has not asked for a. pledge, either written or vocal, as suggested by. the ‘Times.’ • At same time it is correct to say that when Mr Webb is free and again ready ,to enter politics, I should not think; of contesting any selection ballot in which he was a candidate. The Labour Party movement may be relied on to see that Mr Webb’s interests do not suffer in' consequence of the Government’s action in imprisoning him.”

The statement of accounts of the borough of Kai'ori, presented by the town clerk (Mr W. F. England) at last meeting, showed that the rates received were £2988 6s Id; general receipts £1156 17s 3d; tramway, £1544 10s 7d; debit balance, £2OB Is 9d. , - Total, £5897 15s 9d. The disbursements were: Balance forward, £269 Is 10d; public works, £2BOO 11s 4d; tramway, £1834 10s Id; salaries, £993 12s 6d. Total, £5897 15s 9d. There was a. credit balance in the tramway account of £1761 10s lOd. Tho report and statement of accounts were adopted.

The members of tho New Zealand Music Trades Association, in conference in Wellington, passed tho following resolution: “That a vote-of appreciation bo passed to the secretary of the Commercial Travellers’ Association for his invitation, by...which the members of this association were enabled to attend the meeting .addressed by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, the Hon. Mr Russell, and the Hon. Mr Myers to commemorate the third anniversary of Anzao Day. Also, the members of this association desire to place on record, their gratitude and admiration of those men who fought at Gallipoli.”

, The quarterly competition for the Osmond shield, conducted by the Wellington Miniature Rifle Association, was completed last week. The conditions of the competition are ten men a side, ten shots, and sighter. 1 Six teams, representing five clubs, competed, and a very interesting competition resulted. The result was a win for Wellington South “A”team, with Potono -Working Men’s Club' second, followed by -Wellington' South “B,” Lower Hutt, Petone ladies, and Wellington ladies in that order. Tho Wellington South Club, is to be congratulated on its win, and on tho fact that it secured also third place with the “B” team.

Argument was continued in the Court of Appeal yesterday in the case in which Alexander Colquhoun,. of Trentham camp, soldier, appealed against the decision of the Chief Justice in favour of John Cross, farmer, Masterton, in a suit for damages for the seduction of the latter’s daughter. The case was one in which Cross was awarded £1(X)0 damages by a jury at Masterton. Leave had been reserved at the trial to Mr T. M. Wilford, who appeared for Colquhoun, to move for a nonsuit on the ground that the daughter’s evidence was not corroborated as required by the Evidence ActMr M. Myers, instructed by Messrs Wilford, Lovi and Jackson, appeared for the appellant Colquhoun, and Sir John Findlay, K.C., with him Mr D. R. Hoggard, for the respondent, Cross. Mr Myers having concluded his argument, the court intimated- that no reply was so far considered necessary on the other side, and judgment was reserved.

At the fortnightly meeting of the Karori Borough Council the engineer (Mr 6. W. Brigham), in bis report, dealt in detail with work done during the year. Miscellaneous works for ratepayers amounted to £378, the nature of the works being chiefly concrete work, drainage, and excavation. The maintenance of Karori Park cost £394, as against £356 the .previous year. The increase was mainly due to the higher cost of ’ horse-feed and the rise in wages. The revenue totalled £l2B, as against £lB6, the decrease being duo mainly to smaller tees received. The number of building permits issued during the year was 18, of which five were for dwellings, throe for motor garages, one for offices, one for a shod, three for fowlhouses, and five for alterations and additions. The engineer commented on the scarcity of labour, and the continual difficulty of obtaining men for the ordinary requirements of the borough. Ho thought the shortage would be acute during the current year, and suggested that instead of trying to carry out a programme of works, it would bo better to carry on such works as may be necessary from time to time.

Notwithstanding the cold fact that winter with its chilly blasts and cruel rains, is approaching, coal in Wellington is either too scarce or the coal merchants have' adopted tho “go slow” policy. But lot the frosts come, there is one consoling fact, Wellingtonians are not alone, hut have companions in misfortune. The coal trade in Otago is extraordinarily brisk, and probably is better for the miner and mine-owner than it has been for many year*. Each colliery is far behind with orders, although working at the fullest pressure available. There is. of course, a dearth of experienced hewers and shiftmen. The principal cause of the abnormal demand upon the provincial output is the acute shortage of coal in Oanterburv—a, shertogo which has been exnfirlaacßii there for some time. It is anticipated that tho operations of the pew Coal Board, whose control comes into operation next month, will, ’f anvthinct. accentuate the present difficulties as to distribution of supplies. _ So far there appears to ho no immediate prospect of an increase in the local prices of household coal, hut there is talk of levelling up prices to some extent. and it is possible that before the winter is over the rates for certain coal supplies will bo increased.

Plain-clothes-Constablo Black arrested a man. yesterday on a charge of theft of an automatic pistol, valued at £5, from premises in -Manners street. In connection with the same affair a well-known alien was arrested on a charge of receiving stolen property, namely, the pistol referred to.

In connection with certain allegations made regarding the non-recording of the religion of arrested persons on the court charge-sheets, it was ascertained by a “New Zealand Times’’ representative that although the denomination of the persons charged is withheld as stated, yet a complete record is kept by the authorities of _ the religion claimed by every individual brought before the courts.

A visitor to Masterton was yesterday discussing the advantages of Esperanto. He wound up a most interesting little conversation by remarking • “There is one manifest advantage, and that is that members of an Esperanto Club can purchase their whisky at a discount of ten per cent.” He is not yet aware that his remarks were being ..ddressed to the chairman of the No-License League.

There was an early sitting of the Magistrate’s Court yesterday over which Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., presided. Two first-offending inebriates «ere fined in small amounts. Annie Doherty, who had been before the court for drunkenness recently, was fined £l, in default seven days’ imprisonment, for a second lapse. Leslie London, a seaman on an oversea vessel, who absented himself from his vessel without leave was ordered to bo placed on board his ship and to pay the expenses incurred ■in bringing him before the court.

According to Captain, von Sulzmamn, the military correspondent of the “Vossische Zeitung,” the Germans will never consent to lay down their arms until “enemy statesmen and leaders stop slandering, vilifying, and libelling us—until, in other words, the words ‘Huns’ and ‘criminals,’ as applied to Germans disappear from enemy newspapers. Until then there can be no peace, for a peace signed while we are still looked upon as barbarians would be merely am armistice. A full recognition of the equality of the great and noble German nation everywhere upon God’s footstool must first be impregnated in the hearts of our enemies.”

Prom time to Cline reports are received by the police that military shirkers are camped at various places i.: the bus.i. In accordance with information received a posse of police and military officers proceeded by motorcars from Carterton on Tuesday to a scrub-outting camp 40 miles away, where a number of workers were examined, but of the party only one man, ,tho camp cook, was found to be evading military duty. He was handed over to the military authorities. The motod-car surprise party comprised Constables MoHolm and Gregor, of Carterton; Constables Phillips and Penson, of ‘ Masterton; Captain Roberts, Lieutenant Drew, and several staff sergeant-majors.

The following is vouched for by a Wellington soldier just returned n*om the front. ,A soldier who was terrorstricken with the roar of guns and the sickening sights, of , slaughter, decided on drastic stops to bring,about his removal from the danger zone. He calmly removed one of his boots, and, pointing the muzzle- of his gun at one foot, blew off two of his toes. He replaced his boot, and reported as wounded. The army doctor who dealt with the case decided that there was only one solution to the problem of a mysterious bullet that could blow off two toes and at the same time leave the boot covering the same jniraculouly intact. The imprudent young soldier found himself back in the trenches several months later, having served a sentence of sis months’ imprisonment in the interim.