NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10641, 14 July 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

It is announced that the value of the estate left by the late Mrs M. A. Williams, of Wellington, has been eworn at under £IOO.OOO.

A special meeting of the Hutt County Council was held yesterday, when a resolution for the purpose of raising a. loan of £6OOO for a water supply scheme at Packakariki was passed.

The response to the public appeal or subscriptions to the “Save the Children’’ Fund has enabled the Mayor of Whangarei to cable to the High Commissioner £395 10s on behalf of the starving children of Central Europe.

A speaker at a meeting at Greytown last week' stated that the same six engines, which were in use twentyseven years ago, are still doing service on the Bimutaka line. They had had now boilers, and extra fittings, but were otherwise identical, and the speaker contended that it was not a bad record.

An old man named Patrick Cavannp;li strolled into the Magistrate’s Court yesterday and interrupted the proceedings by making it known that he desired to offer the magistrate a little explanation. Cater, when the same old man was giving evidence, he informed the cross-examining counsel that he had said enough, and was not in the box to tell lies.

Prior to his Lord Liverpool commissioned Mr W_. A. Bowring to paint his portrait, which represents a fine piece of . work. It shows His Excellency in the uniform of colonel of the Rifle Brigade. The picture has been taken to England. Mr Bownng has also just completed a portrait of Mr Gavin Hamilton, who was private secretary to Mis Excellency.

During the hearing of a motion before the Full Court yesterday regarding a sale of native land, counsel, in supporting the motion, contended that all the parties, of whom there were 197 should ho joined. Mr Justice Chapman renlied that if that were done it might suit some parties—but not the owners of the land.

The Hon. M. Cohen, M.L.C., while speaking at the conference of the Dominion School Committees Association yesterday, remarked that the Question of the size of school classes really depended upon the struggle between the Minister for Education and the Minister for Finance. He was not optimistic ever the likelihood of classes being reduced to 40 or 80 m solo charge schools, as urged by the delegates.

An Invercargill' linn of hatters recently landed a case of hats, for which it had been waiting for some considerable time. The case arrived by the Zealandio, and waa railed to Invercargill, being duly delivered. The firm being short of the commodity, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the case, but its hopes of replenished stock soon vanished when the case was examined. Every hat was gone, and all that was delivered was a sound case.

What might have been a nasty accident on the Terrace yesterday afternoon was prevented by the presence of mind of the Rev. Robertson Orr. Iwo horses attached to a loaded express standing unattended, suddenly took fright and started to holt. At the imminent risk of .being crushed between the moving vehicle and a standing car, Mr Orr ran after the runaways and soiled their heads eventually bringing'them to a standstill at the foot of Bolton street.. A. third vehicle, a motor-car, moving in the opposite direction, completed the possibilities .of what might have proved a nasty mixup.

A meeting of the New Zealand Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ Federation was held yesterday, when delegates were present from Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, Palmerston North, Wanganui and Wellington. An apology was received from Invercargill. Various amendments to the rule# were agreed to, and matters of importance to members of the federation were dealt with. The. Wellington union was elected the executive for the ensuing year. Considerable enthusiasm was displayed during the course of the proceedings, and delegates were highly gratified at the volume of work transacted

Work in the Extended coal mine at Huntly, which had been suspended for some time, was resumed by tho miners yesterday morning (states a Press Association telegram).

A good deal of petty thieving has occurred in tho Levin district during the past few months (says the “Chronicle.'’)* but lately settlers have another reason for complaint in tho loss of quantities of wire, which have been stripped from their fences.

The shortage of timber was referred to by a. builder the other day. He stated that it was almost entirely duo to the falling off in production. In America, ho said, the output per man weekly was 3000 ft. whereas in New Zealand it was only 200 ft.

In an order for possession of a tenement yesterday in the Magistrate’s Court, a man stated that lie was living with his wife and three young children in a three-roomed house, which was damp and for which he paid 30s per week rent.

A party has left Napier for Kaiwaka for the purpose of proceeding with tho permanent survey of the East Coast railway. The permanent survey extends for about 14 miles at present. It is anticipated it will take about 18 months to complete the survey of the line.

That the Telephone Directory should have incorporated with it a Trades Directory has been an objective of the Wellington' Central Chamber of Commerce, but the Secretary of the G.P.O. has now notified the chamber that the request cannot be agreed to.

A most enjoyable social evening and dance was held by the members of the A to H section of the fchorus of the Wellington Choral Union, in the New Century Hall, Kent terrace, last night. During the evening a euchre tournament was held, and dancing was indulged in, and musical items were given by various members of the union. Towards the end of the entertainment, supper was provided by the ladies on tables, artistically arranged. It was agreed upon by* all those persons'present that the evening was one of the most pleasant ever given by the union. The following were responsible for the organisation of the entertainment; Alesdamos Fortune, Hempter, Hayes, and Bolt, Alessrs Cathie, de Camp, Burley, and Ayeon.