NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10082, 21 September 1918, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The spectacle of a well-developed leek lying in the gutter at the entrance to Kelburn avenue yesterday raised thoughts in the mind of a "Times" man which are not too deep for words. "Waste of food means defeat" is stamped by the National Government on all letters passing through the Post. Office. Now, this leek was a well-grown specimen, and must have been .at least three inches in circumference. .It would have provided a good meal, along with bread and butter, to a full-bodied vegetarian, and two meals to one of spare habit. Yet there lay the leek, unregarded and soiled, despised and rejected of menl It had cost labour to grow, but no one was willing to take .it home. Surely no AVelshman saw it lying neglected in the gutter, or he would have blushed for shame that the emblem of gallant little Wales should meet a fate 60 undeserved. It is related of Thomas Carlyla that when walking through London he was in the habit of picking up bread he saw lying on the streets and putting it where it could be picked up by some poor person. He belonged to a race who were taught that to: waste food is a sin—a moral lesson that is noty apparently, inculcated in New Zealand. That anybody, should wantonly waste food at a time like this, when so many human beings are starving for it, is inexcusable, and - should be .made a crime. Surely during time of war at least a by-law could be passed making it an offence to'throw wholesome food into the gutter to be trodden down by the passers-by.

The boy newspaper vendor in the streets of Wellington is a unique specimen'of his calling.' For the'most, part he never thinks of mentioning the paper he has to sell, but indulges in all sorts of Indian war-whoops , which are so suddenly screeched that -sisitors' are often on the verge of ". jumping out of their skins." When an agonising cry proceeds from the neighbourhood of "one's elbow one is naturally taken by surprise. In fact, it is ashock to tho system. It generally takes the form of something like "Yura Ayah I" in a violent up-key which threatens to wrench the Vocal chords of the rancous assailant. In other cities newsboys are content 'With announcing the paper they represent with an addition as ! to some leading feature in the journal. But the Wellington newspaper' boys have their wonderful cries which mean nothing and are a disturbance to the average pedestrian. No wonder we have so few good male singers in New Zealand, which, on account of its wonderfully moderate climate, should produce vocalists in plenty. In the school playground everywhere where the youth assemble] there the same distressing yells and screeches may be heard: Probably they may express the militant spirit which is abroad, but away from the front of the enemy they are quite unnecessary. It is hard apparently to suppress the exuberance of our youth.

; The 39th Mounteds -have arrivod at a port of call. "Health good, and discipline excellent."

Aoting-Sub-lnspector Emerson informed the court yesterday, whon the driver of -a' vehicle was before the court for driving on the Hutt road at night without lights, that so inany'complaints had been received by the police that a mounted constable had been placed oh duty on the road each night to catch offenders. .•■■"■■'

Sir James Allen (Acling-Prime Minister and Minister for Defence) stated yesterday that ho regretted to announce the death in hospital at Home of Sister Tubman, one of the nurses who accompanied the: 40th Reinforcement. : The cause of death was apparently the same as in the case of the many soldiers who died as a result' of the.epidemic on tho transport.

The mother, of a lad who was fined by Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday for failing to. attend drill, appeared in court after the case had been disposed of and asked the court to reduce the fine' on account of her poor circumstances. The Bench was informed through Mr J, O'Shea, city solicitor, that the woman had lost a son at tho front and had another son serving tho Empire. The magistrate gave instructions for the officer who had charge of the case to be communicated with, and he would make a reduction in the fine.

A statement has been made by a conference of local trade unions that employers were refusinK to meet their employees to discuss wages questions. At a meeting of tho Trades and Labour Council it was stated that employers were advertising for men in Australia and offering higher wnges than those paid to local men. In face of this the employers wore refusing to hold a. conference to consider any increase to their employees- It was decided by the council to refer the matter to the management committee of the council to go thoroughly, into tho matter. _

A Press Association telegram from Invercargill reports that the Government has acquired a farm of one hundred acres in the "Whiton district, for experimental, purposes. ~-....

Mr J. Ross Thomson, general secretary of the New Zealand Section, Theosophical Society, will deliver a public lecture in the Theosopliical Hall, Marion street, to-morrow evening at 7 o'clock, entitled. "The Life Story of the Soul."

The Railway Department announce that in order to prevent through passengers bv mail trains being inconvenienced, on Monday next, the • Welling-ton-New Plymouth and WellingtonNapier mail trains, up and down, will not stop at Te Horo. Otaki or Manakau.

A wharf labourer named Neil Sorenson was riding a bicycia near the Central Fire Brigade station yesterday when he was struck bv a lorry and knocked to the ground, a wheel of the vehicle, passing . over his stomach. He was taken to the hospital, where ho was found 'to be suffering from internal injuries. The injured man is 30 years of age, and lives in Hopper street.

An interesting souvenir of tho' destruction of the German warship Emden is now accessible to the public in the form of Mexican silver dollars. These coins are precisely in the condition they were when recovered from the burnt and shattered wreck. The dollars are being sold at h guinea eaoh, the proceeds being placed to the credit of the Royal Australian Navy First Families' •■ Relief Fund. Application for these souvenirs should be made to the Captain-iu-Ch'arge,. H.M.A., Naval iistablishments,..-Garden- Island, -Sydney.

Entries for the forthcoming musical and elocutionary competition are now coming freely to hand from all parts of the Dominion, aiid a successful festival is assured. The judges in the various sections will be:—Mr Harold Gregson (Auckland), ,'music; .Mr.":J. F. Mori, tague (Auckland), elocution;. Mr Mackenzie Forbes (Wanganui), ' Highland dancing: and Mr Bert Boyle (Wellington), fancy dancing. Competitors are reminded that entries close on Monday, September 30th,- and entries may be made at Messrs Chas. Begg and Co.'s music warehouse, or posted direct to the secretary.

A- rumour ran round the .town yesterday, that a. hospital ship was arriving to-day and that.'the hotels.would, be closed under ;the new regulations; With the close Sunday in view, involving two days of dryness, knowing ones proceeded at once to make provision for the week-end- Bottles galore, from the large-sized" chemical* jar -to the square gin, were rushed to-"the hotel t'o : be filled. , Then the news filtered but later "that' 'the "hospital 'ship waa not to", arrive nntil Monday, and blessings were, poured, upon the National Government which, creates- all sorts r of inconveniences o'li the plea of military necessity. ■ ; '.'..*''"' "'',".'''■"*'

A pleasaht-loofong,, fresh-eomplejrion-ed girl of 21: v years o£ age," who had' been thrown, on her own since she was quite came befor* Mr F.'. V. Frazer. 'S.M;. yesterday on a charge of stealing a; quantity of dies' clothing valued at £l3 16s, the property of Gertrude,.Nind. ; Acting-Sub-Inspector jifinersoh' - informed the court that .the girl, -whose name is Kathleen • Ward. r 'loslP ; her -'mother -and father a.number of years ago', and was an only child.'- .At 1 t"he : age 0f,.15/years she had to go to work in order to keep., herself. About" a month, ago she came to Wellington''"from thV South Island and accepted if position with Mrs Nind, of Courtenay place. '."Last -Tuesday she decided to leave' her " employment almost on the spur of the moment, and took the articles- mentioned on the, charge-sheet., with .-her. The.._accused confessed' her; guilt,,o'n a. ' statement_'to : Constable."Black',' aiid.. could.."giv.©; ito reason.for her sudden lapse.'' The girl, .who had previously.'borne "a good character. . and .convicted. an<l ordered to come up for sentence when called upon oh condition that, she remains in a Salvation Army Home ■until a suitable situation is found for her.

The "ioca! trade unions/are very hap., py in their :: new home" in street. At present the.new Trades 'Hall- is.-<x Labour building, in every" sense-of th'o word. Every union Secretary., if he la riot immersed- in the business pf hia union, is hard at work putting the finishing touches to his own particular, office. The - hammer.rinEs out merrily throughout the day, arid .the - secretary on the floor below is not •one' "vyhitt alarmed if .he bears'-a terrific''bump on the ceiling above him, but calmly on with his.work.- knowing that the. man on the next floor is merely putting his house in order. Yesterday when a "New Zealand' Times" reporter called on the president of the Trades and Labour Council, he was told that-be would be lQund..."out. in:.the. gardenJ.!„ Srire enough tKe gentleman in question was found hard at work in his shirtsleeves putting the' garden in order with spade and shovel. While the Labour official leaned on his spade and wiped the perspiration from his brow, he told the reporter "what was doing." A more pleasantly unconventional and practical person it would be hard to find than a trade union official. 71

The case of Bannatye and Hunter, Ltd.. v. John William Ball and Matthew Guthrie' (trading as tho AngloAmerican Music Company) came before the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court yesterday. Tho plaintiffs claimed £322 10s 3d for the sale of packets of "Little Wonder" gramaphohe records. The defendants raised tho point as to whether all royalty rights in connection .with the records had been obtained, and claimed that the sale implied a warranty. When the position was found to be unsatisfactory, the defendants offered to return the goods. For" a breach of warranty, they counterclaimed: for £322 10s 3d., Mr' T. Young appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr A. W. Blair for tho defendants. In opening the case, Mr Young said that the dispute would centre round the question as to whether the records required copyright stamps and whother the purchaser took them without a copyright warranty. "Was tho contract in writing?" asked Sir Robert Stout. Mr Young replied in the negative. "I cannot understand," remarked His Honour, "a contract" not being put into writing. Half the litigation, so far as business men are concerned, arises from their trusting, to their memory.." Mr Blair stated that it was contended that there were fifty-six of the records subject to copyright. Mr Young replied that tho plaintiffs admitted only eighteen. The case was not concluded. There will bo another sitting of tho Supremo Court to-day.

„ .The trial of W.« A. D'Oridant t>j court-martial on a charge of making a false accusation against his superior officer was concluded yesterday morn* ing... The court then adjourned to consider its verdict, which will be forwarded on for confirmation.

The Kaiser, before embarking on hia wild expedition of world conquest,, recognised the crying need of reformation, not only in things apertaining to the State, but also in the literature of modern Germany. Tile present epoch i» great, for he has made it so. The literature likewise should be great. Herein is much work, more work than the War Lords can accomplish in a century. The wish has been expressed constantly that the music of "Hell Dir im Seigeskranz" ("Hail to Thee in the Victor's Crown") should be altered, as it is the same as the tune to which "God Savo the King" is sung. In recent days when the Kaiser had something less annoying than the present offensive to occupy his mind, &■ committee of prominent Germans was formed, and invited contributions from poets and musicians. Although over 3200 efforts arrived they were all de« clined with thanks. Hundreds of poems and pieces of music 'have been submit, ted to the Kaiser himself, but none have reached the desired standard. It is surprising that in face of those failures the Kaiser does not set himself the task, for however bad the result might be, •no one would dare to say His Majesty's effort did not reach the requited let el.

Messrs.... Baldwin and,. Rayward, patent attorneys, of .215-217, Lambton quay, Wellington, report that recently they acted as agents in filing the following applications for letters patent of New Zealand:—G.__ Dixon,. Auckland, improved hat hook; H. L. Murray, Palmerston, improved apparatus for weighing commodities; J. W. Hamilton, Liverpool, sterilising cereals, nuts, seeds, and the like; W. G. Charley, Murrumbeena, steering . gear 'for motor-cars; W. Scholes, Wellington, improved motor spirit; 3. A. Sargent, Normanby, improved socket for electrio light globes; F. W. Bureill, Seddon, staging for feeding sheep at haystacks ; A. Guy, ."Wellington., apparatus for measuring produce; M. Grainger, Mount Albert, suspending .garments; T. H. Gyton, Clifton Hill, preventing tyres from skidding. Send for "Inventor's Guide," post free.

The. annual draft of pedigree Friesian jnilking Shorthorn* and Guernsey dairy bulls.bred at'the ; Weraroa State farm will be offered for sale on Wednesday, October 2nd, by the> New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency in conjunction with Messrs .Dalgety and Co. ....• .. ' .-<■.