NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10897, 11 May 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The quarterly report of the Soldiers’ Committee of the Otago Patriotic and General Welfare Association states that at the present time there is a total of 120 in-patients and 214 outpatients under treatment at the var lous hospitals in Otago.

The compensation case of William James Cload v. the Petone Borough was called on in the Arbitration Court yesterday, and Mr Evans, one of the counsel engaged on the case, asked for the matter to be stood down because there were prospeots of settlement. Mr P. J. O Regan, who also was concerned with the matter, said it was practically certain the case would be settled by agreement. The court might be asked to enter judgment.

A comparison of the deposits in the Savings Banks of New Zealand with other countries reflects great credit on the Dominion, according to the view put forward by Mr L G Watkins at the Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday. While the deposits per head of population in Australia totalled £26, and in America £l2, they aggregated £d7 for evdry man, woman and child in New Zealand, or £IBO per household.

“This time to-morrow I shall he dead and buried,” declared the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke), amidst laughter, at the. reception to Dr. Hertz yesterday afternoon, in introducing the —ayoreleet (Mr R. A. Wright). Mr Wright took exception to this statement There was plenty of work for Mr'Luke yet to turn his hands to, work which was perhaps of greater importance than that he had performed during his lengthy office a® Mayor of the city He hoped to see Mr Luke in a still more exalted position than that of Mayor.

“Each town I have visited has its own way of showing honour to a visitor and extending a welcome,’’ remarked the Chief Rabhi, Dr. Hertz, at the civic reception tendered to him yesterday. “Wellington is doing this in a very dignified manner but there iaone particular town where I was somewhat ( well-known at which, when I was announced) to arrive, there .were so many people came to the station that the police had dlfficnltv in keeping the crowd hack. The policeman in charge remarked: ‘There has been nothing like it since the coming of Harry Lauder.’ (Laughter.) When this jyas told me, naturally, being a poor ecclesiastic, I had to ask, in my ecclesiastical innocence, ‘Who ia Harry Lauder ?’ ” (Loud laughter.)

On Sunday a number of excursionists who went across Lyttelton harbour for a day’s outing experienced heavy showers of hail and "sleet.

Owing to the largo number of visitors expected from all over New Zealand on or about July Ist, when the Maori faith healer, ihatana, will visit Temuka, the natives of Arowhenua pa are organising weekly socials ana dances in order t.o raise a fund to assist in catering for the visitors.

The loading of the Admiral Oodrington at Gisborne is proceeding elowly, the desire to put a second gang at work not yet having been achieved on account of the shortage of lighters. It is anticipated, however, that Messrs Richardson and Co. will'shortly be in a position to supply a few extra lighters and give them a chance of trying two gangs.

Two tramcars, the one a Remuera car approaching the city, and the other a Royal Oak car turning to Broa’dway, Newmarket, from Khyber Pass, Auckland, crashed almost head-on at the points opposite the Newmarket Post Office. Both cars .were damaged as a result of tile contact, but neither the jnotormen nor the passengers suffered any injury.

A meeting of > the Producers’ Committee will be bold in Wellington today. It will be in camera. A report from Mr A. E. Alabin, who is in Melbourne, on behalf of the Government, will be read; aka the proposals rela-, tive to' New Zealand’s position if attached to the British-Auatralian Wool Realisation Association, will be further considered.

At a meeting of the Tauranga Light Railway Committee, the secretary explained the present position regarding the proposed line to Mamaku. A petition was now in circulation at Mamaku for th® formation of a railway district, and would also be circulated at this end with the same object. It was resolved to alter the name of the committee to the Tauranga-Waikato Local Railway Committee.

The Auckland “Herald” correspondent at Rotorua states that on account of unemployment and the financial stringency and the consequent decision of the Government to stop all buildings except those for which contracts have been let, and which are absolutely necessary, the erection of a new blue bath (swimming bath) and other projected works at Rotorua has been postponed indefinitely.

A returned soldier named Donald Robert Ritchie, who, joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1916, died at Trentliam Military Hospital on Sunday. Deceased had no relatives or known friends in Wellington, and we have been asked to request returned Boldiers and others interested to- attend his funeral, which will leave Wilson’ s mortuary chapel, John street, at 9.45. a.m. to-day, for Karori cemetery.

Tariff revision was again referred to by the Central Chamber of Commerce at its monthly meeting yesterday, when consideration was given to a request from the Canterbury chamber to refrain from participating fur--ther in the tariff controversy, and urging the appointment of a Royal Commission to review the incidence of small taxation. The chairman (Sir A. L. Hunt) said the associated chambers had already requested the Government to appoin t a commission to consider the whole question of taxation before the next session of Parliament. The meeting decided not to commit itself to any definite action .in the meantime.

“The hotel accommodation in New Zealand, ' especially at our tourist resorts, is the worst in the world, and visitors from overseas have said they would never come here again,” declared Mr L. G- Watkins yesterday at the Central Chamber of Commerce, in discussing a proposal from the Westland chamber that the period between licensing polls be extended from three to nine years. Mr W. T. Cotton, a member of the Hutt Valley Licensing Committee, said there were hotels that were maintained. solely as “drinking shops.” After further discussion, it was decided to take no action on the proposal from the West Coast-

Men have been known to lay a wager on almost anything (says the “Southland Times”), but the bright idea of a local shopkeeper seems to have a claim to originality in this respect. Yesterday morning while attending to the wants o£ a young gentleman, the presence of a perambulator in the shop attracted the shopkeeper’s notice, and with it came the huppv thought which provided a number of people who happened t;o be in the vicinity of the store at the time with a great deal of amusement. Turning to the customer he suggested that he was not “game” to place a young lady assistant m the perambulator and -tfheel her for a certain distance along the street. Probably to his amazement the customer readily accepted the challenge. 'LTje young lady was duly ensconced in the perambulator, wheeled along the street and returned to the shop. She apparently enjoyed the joke,, and so did the onlookers who saw it.

A discussion took place at a meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association with reference to the embargo on stone fruit trees from Australia. A letter waJ read from the Minister for Agriculture stating that nothing could he done at present, and that the Director-General of Agriculture would shortly make inquiries into various matters in Australia. Air J. Longton complained of the Government’s dilatoriness in dealing with the matter. The chairman, Mr F. W. Cone, said that the fruitgrowers were up against the nurserymen, who were pulling the strings to suit their own ends. Another speaker stated that occasionally the nurserymen failed to sell plants up to description. He had bought some pear trees described as locally grown, but after eight years he discovered that they were Australiangrown. After further discussion, it was decided to send a letter protesting against the Government’s action in connection with the matter.

The members of the Auckland Tramways Union have had under consideration during the past few days the offer of the City Council, made through the public services committee, as a counter-proposal to the men’s demands. The term of the agreement undpr which work is at present proceeding has expired, and the men asked for an inorease in wages amounting to 3d per hour all round. The committee, which had been given power to act, _ offered an increase of Id per hour, with a- further increase to some of the men engaged in special occupations. The municipal elections intervening, the public services committee automatically went out of office, but at the fust meeting of the new council, its reconstitution was effected under the name of the electricity and tramways committee. This committee will continue the negotiations with the union. In the meantime the latter has decided to take a ballot of all its members on the question of the acceptance or rejection of the offer Sf Id an hour increase. 'lt will be some days before the result of the ballot wifi be known.

The Arbitration _** on: 5 will sit at Auckland, on TLursr tv: /une 33th, and a sitting of the eo> i ns Gisborne will be held on Mondaj, aiay SGtJi.

During the moi.-hs of March and April not a single death occurred in the Master ton, i»u y-own or Pahiatua hospitals.

A British Friesian cow, the property of Mr Holt Thomai, has, slates “The Sphere,” yielded o'er 2.5C0 gallons of milk in less than ia year, this constitutes a new milking record.

Four building permits, of a total value of £430, were issued by the Hutt County Council from April 12 th to May 10th, the fees collected in respect, of the same amounting to £1 os.

A portrait published in a recent issue of “The Sphere” shows Miss Millicent Woodward, champion typiste of Britain, typing from dictation and blindfolded at 150 words a minute.

disaster will he reviewed on Thursday, May 19th, when claims for the compensation of relatives of men who lost their lives in the "wreck will be heard by the Court of Arbitration

A farmer who sent a hide to Auckland for sale was somewhat surprised when he was called upon to pay fivepence to square the account. The price realised just left him that much out of pocket.

Mr M. W. Welch was allowed to take his seat on the Hutt County Council yesterday, put without jxtwor to vote, pending the decision at the Magistrate’s Court whether or not he is a. county ratepayer and thus entitled to be a member of the council.

The hearing of the application for an interpretation of a clause in the \V ellington’ Boilermakers’ award, in connection with which serious trouble was threatened recently, has been -<et down bv the Arbitration Court for Sat rrday, "May 21st.

An officer of the Defence Department is at present in the South Island supervising the erection of temporary wooden crosses on the graves of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who were buried at Christchurch, Dunedin, Timaru and Ashburton.

Two young men, ohe named Stormont and the other Stanley Cleal, were injured on Monday afternoon while piliving football, and were taken to the hospital ,‘tfor treatment. Stormont had a dislocated shoulder and deal strained a tendon in the foot.

The thermometer readings in the Dominion yesterday ranged from 63 at Cape Maria van Diemen to 42 at the Nuggets. At Auckland the reading was 59, Wanganui and, Napier 56, New Plymouth and Wellington of Greymouth 51, Christchurch and Dunedin 53, Bluff 49.

William John Bird, aged 45, missing for a fortnight from Shelly Beach (Auckland!, is now believed to have been drowned. The police ace searching for his "body. The man was of a roving disposition, so no anxiety wa3 felt by relatives until the end of last week.

Owing to a defect in -the steering gear a. motor-car “bolted” in Dower Kymonds street, Auckland, and eventually crashed into a tramway centre pole. The radiator of the car was bent and broken beyond repair, anil part of the overhead fitting of the tramway pole was dislodged.

There were large crowds of Maoris at Manutuke pa, Gisborne, when Wiremu Kata, the “Miracle Alan,” continued to hold council. Several patients were brought to Ratafia and marvellous “cures” are said to have been effected. All the patients are Maoris as Katana does not deal with pakehas personally.

On Sunday morning the Rev. B. D. Ashcroft, .of Tinui (Wairarapa) was tiding to a service at Mangapnkeha when he wak overtaken and passed by a motor. His mount, an old racehorse, immediately set off at full gallop iu pursuit of the car The saddlegirth snapped, Air: Ashcroft was thrown, and picked up unconscious.

The Wellington Jewish Social Club’s new clubhouse will be officially opened next- afternoon by tbo Chief Rabbi, Dr. Hertz. The building, which has recently been erected inGhuanee street, is a two-storied structure with a billiard room and social rooms. The Jews of Wellington have liberally contributed towards the cost of the building.

The report presented by the ranger to the Hutt County Council yesterday showed that during the month he had seized 54 head of stock, and had a case pending at Ohaki Alagistrate’s Court to-day. He pointed out that at Paekakiriki the railway fence 'needed repairing, where a beast belonging to one of the railwaymen had got through the fence to graze.

Lawrence Bowles, a boy who was seri- . injured a few days ago owing some blasting powder exploding, died at To Puke. The lad’s clothes caught fire, severely burning parts of his body. An inquest was opened, and adjourned after formal evidence of identification had been given. The deceased was iu the employ of the Farmers’ Union Trading Company when the accident occurred.

The achievements of Mr Harry K. Eustace, tfce noted African big game hunter, in securing a series of remarkable pictures of the larger wild animals in their native habitat are such as secure for the film “Through Jungle Wilds,” a unique place among the great productions of the film world. The unfolding of this magnificent series of pictures demonstrates the fact that as hunter and explorer, and as a man of nerve and action, Mr Eustace has worthily maintained the high traditions of those who have preceded him, but who have not been privileged to bring back to civilisation so tangible a record possessing such high educational value.

A brief discussion upon the muchdebated subject of the site of the new Wellington Girls’ College took place at last night’s meeting of the .Wellington Industrial Association. On the motion of Mr L. Watkins, a resolution ' was carried urging that early :>nd definite action be taken by the authorities to Bettle the site for the new 'college. The chairman, Mr C. J. Ward, deplored what he termed the ridiculous talk that had been going 'on about the moral danger of placing the college near the present boys’ college. The mixing of the sexes, he pointed out, was common in England and America, and the children met nowadays in so many kinds of sport that it was absurd to protest against the mixing of the sexes. As far as mixed bathing was concerned he was accustomed to frequenting the beaches, and he very rarely saw anything that might offend the susceptibilities of any person. Mr vVat kins: “If people are going t-otake up the attitude of advocating the separation of the sexes they will have to have the males in the North Island and the females in the South.” Anothem member jokingly referred to mixed families.

There are at present 27 inmates in the Buchanan Home at Greytown.

The papulation of Lower Hutt is 5723 (2793 males and 2930 females). The population in 1916 was 4893.

' At the meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board this afternoon the election of chairman for the ensuing term will take place.

A Press Association message states that the population of New PlymoUith, according to the recent census, is 11,391. which shows an increase of over 30 per cent, since the previous census.

'Following is the return of patients at the various hospitals under the jurisdiction of the Wairarapa Board, for the month of April:—Masterton Hospital, admitted 51, discharged 43, remaining in at April 30th, 65; Grevtown, 28, 22, 17; Pahiatua, 14, 13, 17.

The request, “Step inside please,” was unheeded by a tram traveller named Arthur Alderson on a tram recently, and the latter came before Air F K. Hunt, S.AI., yesterday on a charge of standing on the platform after being requested by the conductor to move, which constituted a breach of the by-laws. As there was an element of doubt as to who was to blame, the case was dismissed.

. The installation of Mr ft. A. Wright, M.P., as Alavor of "Wellington will take place at the City Council-Cham-ber at noon to-day. At the conclusion of the ceremony the new City Council will meet in committee for the purpose of appointing the various sectional committees. The committees will begin their duties without delay, and in all probability the first regular meeting of the City Council will take place on May 26th. Fortnightly meetings will be held thereafter.

Inquiries made yesterday show that the several hundred tons of railwav rolling stock recently landed in Auckland were for the Publie Works Department ; not, as had Been supposed, for the Railway Department. Exactly what has come to hand is not known at present, but it is believed that there are one or two small locomotives for construction woiks and perhaps the bogies for some trucks that are usual ly manufactured in the Dominion. This is probably part of the consignments which have been on order for a long time, in some cases the orders having been placed since before the war.

An interesting exhibit was on view at last night’s meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association in the form of a number of pairs of locally-made ladies’ kid gloves. The articles, which were of neat finish and very attractive in appearance, were stated to have been manufactured in the Dominion from New Zealand leather which had been tanned in the country. They could he sold much cheaper than imported gloves, at about 15s per pair for the ordinary short article, and 21s for the longer variety. The chairman stated that the manufacturing company had secured the -services of _ a French expert in the manufacturing process, and of an English tanner.