NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10687, 6 September 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Tho Wellington Grand Lodge of Oddfellows has been advised that the meeting of the Grand Lodge of Australasia will be held in Dunedin, commencing on October 20th nest.

According to a judgment delivered by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., when a newly-bought motor-car is damaged, the purchaser is liable, though an agent of the vendor is giving tuition in driving to the owner.

The executive of tho South Canterbury Farmers’ Union passed a resolution that the Government be asked to fix the price of wheat for 1921-22, and that the crop price should bo fixed before October, to give full time for the preparation of tho land.

Reference to average attendance in public schools ■ is made in tho education report. Taken as percentage of the average weekly roll, the attendance was 00.3, a record, the previous Highest being 90.1, in 1914. Otago and Wellington share honours for best attendance. Distance of country children from, school prejudices attendance but in this respect New Zealand compares very favourably with other Eng-lish-speaking countries.

"It is like musical chairs," said counsel in a tenement case at the Magistrate’s Court. The plaintiff in the action applied for possession of a house which she had purchased, but this the defendants declined to give until they covild move into a house which they hod bought. The tenants in this instance also were waiting for a house they had purchased to be vacated. "Wf> will get out when they get out,’’ v/as the way in which tho position, of the defendants was summed up.

“Valuing is a matter of opinion, which -is subject to two tests,” said Mr E. C. Cntten, S.M., in giving judgment in an action. “The first test is, what the property will bring if put upon the market, and the' second, what it will return if held.” He added that there might be special circumstances of a temporary nature, which would result in the property bringing a very high price if put upon the market or in property bringing, a large return, which it might be necessary to. put on one side when endeavouring to ascertain the full v«lue.

When the recent increase in freights between New Plymouth and southern ports was announced it was anticipated that noithern freight* would also go up before long. It is now announced that an increase, in the charges for freight carried by the Northern Steam Ship Company’s steamers has been decided upon. The manager (Mr C. Ransom) has stated that it had been necessary to raise the rates owing to the increased prices the company has to pay for coal, stores, etc., and also on . account of the 'continual demand for higher wages from the employees. The new rates were only a little higher than the old ones, and varied somewhat. It is understood that the revised charges came into force on September Ist.

“It was held in a case in New Zealand that a woman whose husband was continually, d a y after day, week after week,- making groundless charges of misconduct against her, and thus rendering her miserable, . had sufficient cause to leave his house,” His Honour Mr Justice Herdman said in the Supreme Court. “But when a woman marries a man she marries him for good or ill. Mere fits of temper, - threats of suicide, petulance of manner, rudeness, are not sufficient reasons to justify a woman in taking that step. If they Were, women would bo leaving their husbands every day in the week, and this court would have a busy time listening, to petitions for dissolution of marriage. The sanctity of the marriage tie must be observed.”

There is at the Central wharf, Miller’s Point, one of the largest single packages ever landed in Australia (says the “Sydney Daily Telegraph”). The carriage charges from London exceeded £I2OO. and the primage dues in Sydney were nearly £200., In this package are the fittings and spares of ’ the Shorrt flying boat which was purchased by Mr Ldbbeus Hordern (on the occasion of his recent visit to England) for. the Aerial Company, Limited; of which he is the managing director. This machine, which 'frill carry 10 passengers, it fitted'with two 375 h.p. Rolls-Royce “Eagle” engines, of the same typo as those used in the Vrokers-Vimy used hy Slir Ross Smith in' his London-Melhourne flight. The Shorrt flying boat has Ji flying range of 800 miles, and it is the intention of the company to use this machine m air flights to' Auckland and Papua, and a regular Darwin-Sydney service wall be inaugurated at an early date.

A Palmerston North brick manufacturer recently stated in an interview that he could not "turn out enough bricks to build * chimney" on m count of the shortage of coal. Inferior coal could be used up to a certain point, but for finishing off, coal producing a fierce fire, each as Newcastle, or good Westport does, had to be used. \ t present the trade had to rely mainly upon the Government for the Newcastle product, large quantities of which had been imported into the Dominion. When storting their importation scheme, the Government had agreed to keep 85 per cent.' for the railways. They had failed to keep only this quantity, and as far as the trade was concerned the result was that the brick-making industry rcceiy, ed only 5 per cent, of the importations. This margin did not allow them to carry on at full pressure, and the brick output was greatly reduced. In concluding, ho stated, that them only hope of regaining, their normal output was hy obtaining a ‘good supply of steaming coal.

An interesting statement regarding the diseases which require exclusion from school of children is contained in the latest issue of the South Australian “Government Ganette.” Not less than five weeks from tho beginning of tho complaint is fixed as the period during which a child with whooping cough cannot attend school. A contact who has not had whooping cough is debarred for 21 days, hut a child who has previously suffered from the complaint is not regarded as a contact. A suspected sufferer must stay away for one week. After the appearance of tho tnonslcs r&sli & child cunnot sttcnd school for two" weeks, and tho minimum period of exclusion of a scarlet fovor patient is sixweeks. A child affected with diphtheria has to bo kept at homo for three weeks and until there are no discharges, Dut with regard to typhoid fever, tho patient has to recover strength after convalescence before ho-can bo readmitted to his class. The same applies to influenza. After suffering from tuberculosis of tho lungs and larynx, smallpox, or favns. the'patients harm to produce medical certificates that they arc freo_ from the trouble before the ban is lifted.

Owing to the shortage _of coal, gas is again being rationed in Masterton (states the ‘ •Times’' correspondent).

The “Times” correspondent states that cheese factories throughout the Wairarapa and Forty-Mile Bush are receiving very high offers for their outputs.

It is said that generally sheep are in poor demand just /now and prices are inclined to decline. There is also no big demand for cattle. —Correspondent. '■ *■

The steamer Ahadesa. which arrives at Wanganui on Sunday frxxm Sydney direct, loads 61,000 carcases of mutton, and 5000 boxes of butter, one of the largest loads lifted from the port.

“I don’t want to make promises,” said Mr R A. Wright, M.P., at the smoke concert of the Amalgamation League on Saturday evening, '‘because, like chickens, they; come home to. roost.”

“If wo have been a long time from home,” said Mr J. P. Luke, M.P. (Mayor), at the Miramar Amalgamation League’s smOko concert on Saturday, “we have eventually ‘got there’ and there is really no place like home.” (Applause.)

"There is no city that has a greater future, or will expand atld have more ado-junto room for expansion than the city of Wellington/’ said Sir J. P. Luke, M.P. (Mayor), at the smoko concert of the Miramar Amalgamation League on Saturday.

“When a man contends that he is adhering to a principle, whether he bo right or wrong, if he: is conscientious, he is a true sportsman and to ho admired.”—Mr R. A. Wright, referring to the Mayor of Miramar at the smoke concert on Saturday evening.

“I do congratulate Miramar upon the excellent position they have put ’themselves in. They are joining a very rich party.”—the Mayor (Mr J. P._ Luke) at the last meeting of the City Council, referring to the amalgamation of Miramar.

The. gas pressure at .Auckland was much better on Saturday night and yesterday, the company having secured 500 tons of coal from a Japanese steamer (States a Prets Association telegram).. It is hoped with the aid of supplies arriving, to resume normal pressure to-dny.

The most extraordinary snap ever made was presented 1 by the late Czar of Russia to the French nation. Made of gold and studded with jewels, it, was designed by a skilled Russian engineer. Its value is supposed to be about £150,000. This map measures 40in alo'ng each side, and is framed with slattwmloured jasper. . The sea is represented by pale marble, and the cities and towns by precious stone!)

At a meeting of the Otago LabourCouncil a.: motion was carried: “That this council heartily endorses the action pf tile New Zealand Labour party in supporting the decision of the British Labour movement to set up a Council of -Action for the purpose of preventing ■ war with Russia and to bring about peach between Great Britain and the Soviet Government. - ’ — Press Association.

“Who bids for the mare f” ashed the poundkeeper at. the Carterton public pound. ! “Three!” ‘came a laconic ejaculation 'frbhl” ft ’bystander. t'Three?” repeated the poundkeeper, a look of horrified surprise oil his face; “three what?” “Pounds,” came the response. ‘‘Oh, right,” said the vendor brightening up; “bid away,’’—and then undei his breath, “I 1 thought the beggar meant three bob.”

Recently the Minister for Mines wrote to the Motor Union with refer, enco to the proposal that the Government should make}the payment ,of bonuses with the, object of reducing the cost of motor spirit. The Minister asked whether loans to assist persons producing motor spirit Would not meet the case. The chairman of the union somewhat sarcastically remarked that a reply to, ' the obvious waft being asked. .

A - -further; increase in the price of Capstan anc] Three Castles tobaccos is expected when the next consignment comes to hand. 1 A well-known tobacconist informed a “Press” representative that the increase would probably make the price of a Ifoz tin of Capstan tobacco Is 7d or Is.Sd, and of a Backet of Three Castles tobacco Is 9d. However, as the weight had been -reduced, it was possible that the price of Capstan tobacco would not be altered.

In an unusual'divorce suit heard at Christchurch it was stated that the respondent (the husband) was an epileptic, hut petitioner did not know that at the time of ,tlio marriage. The acts, of violence complained of by petitioner were due to respondent’s, occasional epileptic condition. When a woman married a man she took him with all his faults, for bettor or for worse Petitioner was morally justified in leaving her husband, but as he was / not' responsible -for , his violence, she was not justified in law. The wife's petition was then’ withdrawn, but the husband was granted a divorce on the grounds of desertion.

In connection • with the tercenten- . ary, celebrations now being held in Wellington, and throughout the Dominion, it is interesting to recall the fact that the Mayflower sailed from Leyden, Holland, on September Ist, 1620,' with the Pilgrim Fathers who, after exile in- the Netherlands in order to escape the persecution of the Puritans in England, went to America to found a colony. She - sailed finally from Plymouth, England, on September 6th, with 74 men anid 28 women, who. made a final landing at what is now the city of Plymouth, Massachusetts, oh 11 December 21st, 1620. John Alden, immortalised, by Longfellow, was the last male survivor of the Pilgrims, whose landing is celebrated in America ns Forefathers’ Day, on December 22nd.