NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10815, 3 February 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

“You don’t get ‘guineas’ until you reach the professional stage,”, said MrF. K. Hunt, vS.AI., at the Lower Hutt court yesterday, when a male witness (a mechanic) 'mentioned a certain number of guineas as the amounts to which he claimed to be entitled for “costs and. expenditure.” Like northern resorts, Queenstown is reported to have been the yeeno of an exodus of .tourists last week when hints of the railway enginedrivers’ strike was in the air. One visitor in the custom of spending a vacation in •Queenstown about this time every" year states that it is seldom (he has seen such a small number of people there. There is stated to fie a considerable number of tailor® and tailoresses out of employment at the present time. A falling-off in the demand for tailormade clothing is not unusual immediately after the Christmas holidays, the union secretary said, fiut it was the first season that he could remember in his experience where there had been practically no overtime worked. The only reasons he could give for the position were the present cost of tailormade suits and. the published statements that a reduction in price could ho looked for. The monthly meeting of the Hutt Riven- Board was held last evening. The following were presept:—Messrs W. Strand . (chairman), J. Mitchell, S. Clendon, and J.' Brasett. The, solicitor to the board (Mr E. P. Bunny) outlined the legal position, of the board an respect to its agreement with the Railway Department regarding the railway siding to Kingdom’s river beach.. Mr Bunny said that the Railday Department acquired tihe beach by proclafaiation, there was litigation, and the owiier of the heaoh received 'compensation. Under the agreement the department had the right to remove 20,000 loads of gravel from the heaoh over a period .of ten years. A discussion took place ori the purchase and use of the dredge on the Hutt liver. This is reported on page 5 under a separate heading. In Trerithaani Camp routine order's the following G.iH.Q. instruction is published for the information of all concerned: —“If by reason of the exigencies of the service it is necessary to retain on duty one statutory holiday- :uw member of the New Zealand forces, permanent or temporary, ’ til© commanding officer of the individual. concerned may issue equivalent leave provided such is exhausted within 14 days of the statutory holiday for which it is the equivalent.” The camp commandant desires that strict attention be paid to tin's instruction in the future. It is inevitable that forfeitures, both of annual loa.vo and statutory holidays, will occasionally occur, hut it will be the duty of the officers responsible to ensure that such forfeitures are not allowed to fall unevenly upon any" member of the under their command.

The Wn trrsiflo Workers’ Athletie Club intend liolding a big athletic display as a welcome to the crew of the H.M.S. Chatham. It was ascertained yesterday that the members of the Knurl Gum Commission have been appointed, but the personnel will not be made known for several days yet as the consent of the appointees to act on the commission 1 has not been received. Twelve .copies of a notable picture illustrating tho surrender of the German fleet have been secured by the local branch' of the Navy League, and they are to be-.framed for presentation amongst the twelve schools possessing the largest league membership. The efforts to have the Dominion represented in Ixmdon ,by suitable wreaths on Trafalgar Day were eminently successful, Wellington’s contribution, which bore the legend, “The flowers on this wreath were gathered in Wellington, New Zealand, on July 29th,” being the centre of much admiration. Wreaths from other parts of the Dominion wdro also prominently displayed. Potatoes, it is reported, should be cheaper this year. Offers are being made for delivery in April, May, and June of potatoes at £5 per toh free op board at South Island ports with sacks in. This is equivalent to Is 3d per 28 pounds, plus freight, and all distributing charges. It does not follow, however, that at £5 per ton they could be retailed in the shops at lod for 28 pounds; but they should be much cheaper than they were last year. There were 28 fewer births in Auckland during last month than in January, 1920, the figures being 276 ‘ as against 304. The number of marriages also ehowed a drop from. 203 to 192. In January of last year 36 marriages were performed by the registrar, and there were three less during the first month this year. The number of deaths during the month just closed was 117, an increase of 16 on the number during the previous January. A Devin resident who has just returned from a visit to Hawke’s Bay, Taupo, anH Taranaki, states that the stock markets there are considerably depressed. In conversation with graziers and breeders, he was informed that lambs were the best class of 6tock to handle just now. The export companies were buying up freely, and it was expected tliat there would be heavy shipments of this class of meat sent away from the ijominion this season. The estate of the late Mr William Wood, of Christchurch, merchant, who died on January 15th, has been sworn for purposes of probate at under £280,000. The testator has made a bequest of £IOOO to Christ’s College, and another of £250 to the Girls’ Friendly Society at Christchurch. Both bequests are free of death duties, and are unconditional. Air Wood was a, pupil of Christ’s College from IS7I to 1874. The executors are Messrs B. B. W.ood, son of the testator, and C. C. M. Ollivier. The Dunedin “Star” reports a sharp earthquake as having occurred in the city and adjacent districts early on Friday morning. It lasted six or seven seconds, and a minor quiver followed. The apparent direction was from north to south. Buildings were sensibly shaken, and crockery danced on shelves, but so far as can be learned no damage was done, and the telegraph officers report that tlieir apparatus and lines were only momentarily affected. Port Chalmers and Green Island felt the shock quite as severely as, if not more so than, Dunedin, and at Wat* liola the shock was accompanied by, a heavy detonation. The advdsableness of having one central office in New Zealand is to be con-, sidered by the Dominion branches of the Navy League. While he was in England recently, Colonel Campbell, president of the Wellington branch, was spoken to about such a proposal by Admiral 'Uopwood, the head of the league, who thought that all communications to headquarters, London, should come through the channel indicatedIn speaking to the lo*»J executive about the matter, Colonel Campbell • said that the suggestion need/ not necessarily involve the appointment of any staff or the holding of any building. Colonel Campbell, Colonel Roberts, and Mr R. Darroch - have been deputed to bring down a report of the subject. The Napier “Daily Telegraph” celebrated its julbilee on Tuesday last. Established on four page sheet, it was printed on a hand press and for the requirements of a, population of some hundred souls. To-day, it is a pretentious newspaper of eight pages, and twelve on Saturdays, and is produced by . the most modern methods—four stereo plates on Fester rotary presses—and circulates not only in, Napier hut throughout the whole of the Hawke’s .Bay district. A special jubilee number of the “Daily Telegraph” included a facsimile of the first issue besides on attractive four-page supplement giving many photographic illustrations of Napier as it was fifty years ago, and as it ia to-day, and relating the story of the birth and development of the newspaper and the growth of the town of Napier and district of Hawke’s Bay. Tlie last issue of the New Zealand “Methodist Times” is the jubilee number of Methodist journalism in New Zealand. The first Methodist journal was published'in Christchurch on. January 31st, 1871, under the title of the ‘‘New Zealand Wesleyan,” the first editor being the Rev. A. R. Fitcliett, now Dean Fitchett, of Dunedin. From a monthly, the paper became a w’eekly id 1884, with the new title of the “Now .Methodist,” and for nine years was conducted by the present editor, the Rev. W. J. Williams, who resumed charge of it again in 1913. For some years the identity of the journal was merged with the “Outlook,” hut in 1910 the distinctly denominational “Methodist Times” again made its appearance. The jubilee number contains a number of articles, several contributed by former editors, reviewing the histoiy of Alethodist journalism in its relation to the work of the Church and the community generally. How they deal with “shirkers” in tho Groat Republic is stated in a number of the well-known New York, journal—“ The Outlook.” Ono, Grover C. Bargclolil, the son of a wealthy family, did not respond to the f -draft law,” as it is called in. the> United •States. He ovaded detection, but was at last caught, and this is the “Outlook’s’ ’ comment: —“This unpleasant creature was a reckless driver of automobiles and an amateur aviator. Probably sympathy, with' the German cause rather than physical cowardice was the compelling motive in his flight from service. In any case he made his decision ; nqw lie will have, an opportunity to take his medicine, for (bis lawyers haying failed to keep him out of a military court) he was recently tried for desertion and sentenced to live years’ imprisonment, forfeiture of itlll pay and allowance, and a, dishonourable discharge from the army. The dishonourable discharge acts automatically to deprive him of his citizenship upon his release from confinement. He will probably lose the right to vote, or bold office in a country which he refused to servo.”

The price of pork has been reduced in Alasterton to 30d per pound. It is expected that reductions in the price of beef and mutton will shortly follow. A meeting of clerks of local bodies throughout the Wairarapa was held in \ Alasterton to consider the question of I salaries and other matters of interest, j A Waira,rapa resident who recently j visited Napier stated that there was j an abundance of benzine at Port j Ahuriri, the stores being filled with j it. The price for the best brands was ' 34s per case at the stores. Wellington College has re-opened for the new term, and up to yesterday i about 320 “new” h_oys had enrolled—a record. The attendance at the cob lege this term will be well over 700 * —another record. m The secretary to the Padntors' I nion stated yesterday that the month of Jan- i nary was the slackest one of the year in respect to omjfloynient. The trade had, however, settled down, again after the holidays and there was a good demand for journeymen. Some uncommon advertising matter appears on envelopes now and then. One letter which was received at the “Timaru Herald” office • recently bore on the back of the covering the interesting information that “The Devil's jpass-key is burnished with women's souls.” A picture of the gentleman’s head decorated the text. Air Alex. AVyllie, electrical engineer, of Auckland city, has spent the time since his arrival in England on an inquiry .into the latest systems of electrical generation and supply, and has now completed plans for the extension j of the city electric stations. Tench . s \ will be called for m in a week.' Tho scheme will involve'an expenditure of £500,0001 | . Reporting' to the Palmerston North | Borough Council, the engineer (Air J. j R. Hughes) estimated improvements to j the water supply w.ould cost £18,350, including a new steel supply main, additional amount for coagulating plant (in excess of loan already sanctioned), nnd additional filters, etc. The council decided to hold the matter o\ er fpr the present. Potatoes should soon be cheaper, Offers are being made for delivery in April, May, and June of potatoes at £5 per ton free on board at South Island ports with sacks in. This is equivalent to Is 3d per 2S pounds, plus freight, and all distributing charges. It does not follow, however, that at £5 per ton they could be retailed in the Slops at 15d for 28 pounds; but they should be much cheaper than they were last year. It was the intention of the Hutt River Board to utilise a dredge on the river for the purpose of securing shingle for commercial purposes, and at the same time to straighten the channel. The dredge was purchased and partially.erected, but when a proposal for <a loan, to facilitate the project, was placed before the ratepayers it was turned down. Several members of the board resigned, and with one exception a new board was elected. It is not expected that the inland Waterways Rbj’al Commission—which has been appointed mainly to inquire into the practicabilty of the AucklandManukau Canal proposals and interconnection between the Manukau and the Waikato—will arrive in Auckland, and begin taking evidence till about the end of March. * In the meantime the chairman of the Commission, Air W. Ferguson, C.E., engaged in Wellington, with the secretary, Air A. E. Briggs, getting brought up to date various plans and other data which were prepared some years ago for a similar Commission, whose proceedings were intlrrupted by the .outbreak of war. • At the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North the Stipendiary Alagastrate .made an order against Joseph Gardiner for payment of 30s per week towards the maintenance of hri wife. Gardiner, who is now stated to -be conducting a jiu-jitsu school at Martinborough, has been for nine yeans a showman. His wife stated in evidence that the real name of Gardiner was Gertenbeyer. He had been earning about £3O at each show he attended, but he pocketed the money himself and dissipated it in poker schools and other forms of. gambling. iHe left her in October .-tost, taking all her rings, which he had pawned. The London correspondent of the Christchurch “Press” reports that Air Alexander Crabb, New Zealand Produce Commissioner in London, left in December for New York, where he would represent the interests of the New Zealand Government and the freezing companies concerned at the official, survey of moat stocks sold the Imperial Government to American firms, who have made certain claims in regard to quality and grading. Having the confidence of the Alinistry of Food, Air Crabb was to assist it so far as possible in settling any claims-, that may be allowed. . While in the States he will also make some inquiries regarding the situation. The Auckland Prices Investigation Tribunal rarely experiences any difficulty in * obtaining the required information from persons applied to for evidence concerning values in connection with cases of alleged profiteering (says the “Herald”). The tribunal experienced its first refusal of information on Alonday, when the head of a dressmaking firm in the city, when asked to give evidence concerning the value of an article, declined to have anything to do with the co.se. The tribunal intends summoning her under the provisions of the Board of Trade Act to appear at its next meeting and answer any questions.put to her. Failure tp attend will render her liable to the penalty provided for contempt of court. Tbe Mayor of Invercargill (Air John Stead), who has returned from a holiday at the southern lakes where he met a number of Australians, stated to a reporter that he had been struck by the seething discontent with ‘the New Zealand Tourist Department prevalent amongst these overseas visitors. They told him, he say’s, that all the communication they could get from the department officers was of very little use to them, especially in regard to tlho southern lakes, and the railway officials were often much more fully conversant with what they desired to know. He also heard it freely commented on as strange and unsatisfactory that the Tourist and Railway Departments were not conducted as one. Referring to the protest of Hie Hataitai Alunicipai Electors’ Association against the City Council’s determination to proceed with the constru-etion of a new road up the Orongorougo Valley before the completion of the water tunnel frtnn AVainui is in sight, the *ayor (Air j. P. Luke) stated that the construction of the road was es- '■ scritrial to. the construction of the tunnel. It had been recognised all along that a road had to be constructed in order that the necessary machinery and other material needed lor the boring of the tunnel could be taken to the other side of the range. The first proposal was that the road should go over the range, but after an inspection <>f the locality the alternate route up the Orongorougo Valley was decided upon.

A youth named Arthur Edward At kinson was arre-trd at Palmers! or, North yesterday on charges of unlawfully taking a motor-car, and having stolen a gold watch, the property of A. C Gallon, Alnharawa. “Wc can’t do anything with refer* rneo to the appointment of the new Public Trustee till we have a. fairly fail meeting of Cabinet. and that, I think, will not he for a week or more,” skited the Prime Alinister to a “Times’’ representative yesterday. The Conciliation Council met at £nlmerston North to consider the Wellington engine-drivers’ dispute. An agreement was reached regarding hours, hut not wages nnd overtime, and unless the latter is settled at Wanganui or Napier, the dispute will go to the Arbitration Court. The overseer of works (Air F. Kershaw) to the Hutt River Board, in his monthly report stated that b© bad diffieuitv in securing sufficient men t© carry out necessary work. Members of the permanent staff, he said, had lefn when the slaughtering season commenced. Fat stock are coming forward freely for the Hast Const Freezing Company’s works at IVhakatanc. Lately 140 head of beef and between 600 and 700 sheep have been put through daily. Unless the cargo of meat is lifted within the next fortnight the works will have to cense killing operations until space is available. KaWn Point, near Baldutha. is at present the scene of an interesting industry. the preparation of kelp bags in which to pack the mutton-birds secured during the coming “kill.” Kaka Paint, it appears, is the principal centre of the kelp-hag industry* the groups of rooks which stud the beach-line forming the lvest-known ground for the partioukir form of kelp used in the mutton-bird harvest. In consequence, there occurs at this time each year a forgathering of Alnoris. who. with the resident natives, are daily to be seen busily manufacturing the receptacle© for the succulent mutton-bird. .