NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9957, 29 April 1918, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The third section of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1908, has been extended to include tho Cape daisy.

The Secretary, General Post Office, has been advised that legal time will be advanced by one hour in Luxemburg from the 15th inst. till September 15th.

“This man has a previous conviction for drunkenness against him, but it was practically the same old drunk, said Inspector Marsack, when Thomas Matthews stepped into the dock at tho Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning. A fine of £1 was entered against tho defendant by Mr S. B. McCarthy, S.M., the presiding magistrate.

A pleasant function, took place at “Gallipoli Batch,” Rona Bay, on Saturday evening, when Anzao Day was fittingly commemorated. The chair was occupied by Mr W. Mills, who referred to the Anzacs’ glorious record of achievement. A musical programme, interspersed with appropriate toasts, was gone through, and the function terminated with tho singing of the National Anthem.

As there has boon only one nomination—that of Mr K P. Rishworth —to fill the vacancy caused by tho resignation of Mr H. Baldwin from tho office of Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr Rishworth has been declared duly elected. An election, however, will be necessary to fill the vacancies caused by the resignations of Councillors Ward and Clendon. Tho following candidates have been nominated: —Sidney Ciendon, William B, Hardy, Charles B. Robinson, Henry A. Ward, and Albert J. West.

Mr Harry Lauder, addressing the Montreal Canadian Club, roused the audience to the greatest indignation when he repeated a story told him by bis dead son. Tho Germans had captured six men of the Black Watch. They stripped them naked, made them stand at attention through tho cold night, hi the trenches, and at dawn said "You swine, get hack to your trenches.” Then," as the helpless, frozen, and naked men stumbled over No Man’s Land, they were deliberately mown down by machine-guns. Fervent cries of anger and horror greeted

“Wien I go out of office I will be known as the most reasonable man you have ever had as Minister for hour. Yon will hold me up as a paragon,” said Mr Massey, chaffingly, to a Labour deputation on Saturday. “When we get you home again, saiu one of deputationists later, give you twelve months work hxmg up industrial legislation.

William Charles Armstrong, who has been fined in varying amount* at the Magistrate’s Court for being o fervent a worshipper of Bacchus, was unable to discard his love read found himself in the court once more on Saturday morning, charged with, drunkenness. A fine ,? f r , fs + v' va9 o aT posed by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M-, and, at the defendant’* request, he was prohibited for twelve months.

Replying on Saturday to complaints by a Labour deputation of delays m the hearing of disputes and the issuing of awards by the Arbitration Court the Minister 'for Labour (Mr Massey) stated that he could not interfere with the court. The evidence would prove, he declared, that the court worked Very well, and probably a good deal of reason could bo found for the dolays. He would, however, inquire into the matter. Whatever he could do to expedite the work would he done.

Cabinet meetings have been held practically every day, and not seldom twice a day, since Parliament rose, and there is still a great pressure of work to get through. Cabinet is to sit again to-day. A lengthy meeting of the Liberal members of the Government took place on Saturday morning, but on being approached by a “Times” representative, Sir Joseph Ward replied that he could make no statement whatever for publication.

The Auckland Society of Arts lias been informed by the Hon. A. M. Myers that the society’s annual exhibition, which will be held during May and June, does not come within the scope of- the clauses of the Finance Act imposing the amusement tax, such exhibition being exempt under section 9 of the Act. The matter of the tax was the subject of correspondence between the society and the departmental authorities in Wellington, the representations of the Auckland Society being supported by similar institutions in other parts of the Domnon.

A call for voluntary recruits for tho 41st and 42nd Reinforcement drafts was made by Major Pullen at a special parade of the Auckland Division Garrison Artillery, held in tho Auckland Drill Hall a few nights ago. Refer, once was made to the need -for men following upon the recent offensive, and the members of the two companies assembled —the. majority of whom are ,below military agei-were, asked to step forward is they were prepared to volunteer for active service, conditionally upon obtaining the cohsent of their parents. About a dozen youths signified their willingness to join the fighting forces.

Witnesses giving evidence in the various judicial courts are apparently unaware that it is unnecessary to'kiss the Bible when taking the oath (remarks the Auckland “ 'Herald 1 ’).. When the oath is administered;" and the person taking it is told 1 to speak the truth, the whole truth .and nothing but the truth,” it is only necessary to reply “I do.” The insanitary and old-fashion-ed method of kissing the Bible was dene away with to avoid the risk of. disease being spread by consumptives and others, but the other day a witness in an acute stage of ■ consumption “kissed tho Book.” The Bible in question was destroyed subsequently, but it is not always possible to tell when a person is suffering ’frdm disease. I have had an interesting talk with Mr J. M. MacLeod, the British, Consult at Fez (writes “Clubman,” in the “Pall Mall Gazette”), who is at present staying "in London for; a bnet rest. He told me that tho progress made in Morocco during the last three years, 'in spite of the war, is extraordinary... The trade of the land, which was p/actically monopolised by Germany before the war, was now passing largely to France. Our Ally, in her turn, has spent vast sums on the restoration and improvement of Moorish towns and rural districts. Under the able direction of General Lyautey, good quarters; new roads and bridges have sprung up where formerly only a, wilderness existed. The railway is another recent addition to the Moorish landscape.

Subsequent to representations made by the executive of the Second Division League( Mr C. H. Chapman, hon. secretary of the league, received the following letter from Sir James Alien, Minister for Defence: “I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 12th inst., with resolution passed' hy the executive of the National Federation of New Zealand Second Division League: “I have already indicated to the press that men are only called upon for home service who volunteer, and this creates a vast difference between them and men who ore compelled to go to the front. Some little time ago I had under review the question of allowance to the dependents of men of the Expeditionary Force who are now on home service. I decided that it would ho wise to make a clear distinction between men of the Expeditionary Force and those who had not been outside New Zealand and who might volunteer for home service. Separation allowance at the higher rate will bo provided for bona fido members of the Expeditionary Force, and the men of H.M.S. Philomel will be included.”

The need of an enlightened public opinion on the education question* was the gist of a lecture on "Our Faith in Education,” delivered by Professor T. Hunter at the Alexandra Hall, Abel Smith street, last evening. In the course of his remarks Professor Hunter said that the present inadequate schooling accommodation and the under-pay-nient of teachers with the consequent inferior type of teacher, were the result of an indifferent public. It was no Use blaming Ministers or Governments, for the simple reason that if there was sufficient public pressure the Minister Would respond to that pressure. Ho was of opinion that a £5,000,000 education vote was not too much to ask for the educational needs of this country. This country was going back instead of loading. The medical inspection was a farce considering the number of children attending the schools and the actual number inspected. The lecture was illustrated hy a number of lantern slides, showing schools and play, grounds in New Zealand and other parts of the world, also the number of children .in each class at various schools in New Zealand'. At the conclusion of the lecture a number of questions wore put to the speaker. A ■hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Profesor Hunter at the conclusion.