NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11045, 31 October 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The action in which the Commandant of Tfentham Military Caffip (Lieuten-ant-Colonel PoWles) aiid the Canteen Committee of Feat hers ton and Trentham are Suing Thomas Balfour Mason, ex-manager of the canteens,, fof £1251 I4s lOd, alleged to have mine astray through mismanagement of the canteens, wa4 continued before-Mr Justice Hosking oh Saturday morning. The hearing was adjourned till a date to be fixed. A bill intituled Animals Protection, aiid Game is ndiv before Parliament, two items of which deal with the coursing of hares and the shooting of pigeons from traps (says the annual report of the 51P.0.A.). Yolir committee is endeavouring to have these two forms of “sport” prohibited. They .are also watching with interest the effort of the British. Parliament to deal with the question of “performing animals,” says tlie annual report of the S.P.O.A. The mystery surrounding the movements of Daniel Develin, a swagman, who disappeared from Tattersall’s Motel, Wollongong, recently, has been solved. Develin has told, the police that he awoke at 8 o’clock in the morning and found blOod OvOr the sheets and in the basin. There Was also a cut 3in long behind his left ear. He believes that he feli out of bed while asleep, and thus sustained his injuries. He left the hotel because he thought he would have to pay for causing the meSs, add struck out towards Waterfall. After going a few miles he became fatigued, and, .When found, was in an exhausted condition. During the hearing of the civil case at the Supreme Court in which the commandant of the Tkenthatn Military. Camp, Lieutenaftt-Colonel C. G. Powles,. and the Canteen Committee Of F eatherston and TrenthUm ate buing Thomas Balfour MaSoft, ex-mana-ger of the canteens, for the recovery of £l2fil 14b lOd, the major portion pf which Was alleged, by the plaintiffs to have gone astray by reason of Mason’s wrongful of fraudulent mismanagement of the canteens, Mr Justice Hosking made so me comment. “It seems to „ me,’ ’ Said Sis Honour, ‘‘a most Speculative action, I do not sOe the least ittaiention of any fraud on the part of this man.” Mr O. Beere is appearing for, the plaintiffs, and Messrs A. Gray, K. 0., and R. Kennedy for Mason. The afforestation of waste spaces is a most important phase of the forestry campaign in New Zealand, explained Mr.W. Pearson, organiser of the New Zealand Forestry League to a “Times” reporter, and one in which the individual citizen can actively assist the cause of forestry, while it is an established foot that tree-planting can be made a profitable enterprise. Facilities for procuring young trees for planting at reasonable prices are provided now both by the Government Uufseriea and by private nurserymen. The prices quoted herein for the Government trees apply also to private nurserymen, whose association, has agreed to sell at the same prices aa the nurseries of the.“ State Forest Service. Trees are supplied as Pile-year seedlings, one-year seedlings With one transplanting, and two-year with one transplanting. Interesting details are contained m the Forestry League’s pamphlets now being issued.

It is stated that the liberation of trout means the death-knell to -whitebaiting in the Buller river. The Pahiatua egg circle consigned 540 dozen eggs to Wellington one day last week. The Wairarapa Hospital Board has received the sum of £7283 in Government subsidy since April. Palmerston north fruitgrowers state i tlia Monday’s gale will mean a loss of hundreds of pounds as manv of the trees have been stripped of bloom. The police closed six side-shows at the Wairarapa show for playing games of chance. Sir George Hunter, M.P., has unveiled, at Norsewood, Hawke’s Bay, a memorial to soldiers who fell in the late war. There was a large gathering at the ceremony. Information to hand by mail from New York points to the possibility of higher prices rulin'* for cotton goods, owing to the fact that the raw material was almost double in price at the' beginning of September than the rates ruling few months ago. At present the steamer service on Lake Wakatipu is being conducted by two old vessels, the Ben Lomond and the Mountaineer. “Tlie pride of the lake,” as the Earnslaw may be termed, has been undergoing renovation and painting, and presents an imposing appearance. She may be recommissioned at the beginliifig of next month, but it seems more likely, that it will be December before she is again on the lake in service. Our “go-slow” friends of the West Coast coal mines are beginning to squeak about the imported coal causing unemployment among them (says the “Wairarapa Standard”). They are Evidently beginning to view “go sW” in quite a different light to that which they did, When they bad the consumers crying out. for. firing in cold Winter weather. The boat is on the other leg now, and “serve them right,’’ We say. Spine amusement was caused at ah election meeting in Auckland this week, when a man assked a question about pensions for “epidemic widows.” The candidate said he did not know the exact amount of the pensions, but would find out what it was.- “Well, I know. any Way,” the questioner called Outsj“l married one myself.” He went on to say that the pension was reduced, whereupon someone interjected: “That was where you fell .in.” LoUd laughter followed this retort. Mr W. Garner, Palmerston North, secretary of the New. Zealand Veterans’ Association, applied; to the Minister for Defence for railway concessions to be issued to the delegates travelling to the conference, which is to be held in Palmerston North next Tuesday (writes the ‘•Times” cor re A pondenf). The Minister’s reiply stated that “it is regretted extremely that railway passes cannot be provided by the Defence Department for use by the delegates attending the annual meeting of the association.” In moving a motion at the Masterton Chamber of Commerce, Mr J. B. Keith Spoke strongly regarding the constant amendments. td> Acte of Parliament, and the difficulty which a lawman had in. following the trend Of legislation. i It was 13 years since the last consolidation of the statutes, and many important Acts had been frequently amended during that peripd. Mr Major; referred to the system of annotation in vogue, Wliicli made the amendments clear, hut he admitted that the general public COuld not be expected to keep in touch with all the changes of the la#. As , showing the activity of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty te Animals, and the splendid work of the officials, the following oases were dealt with during the past year Working horses whilst lame 58, working horses with sores 34, horses destroyed 27, Illtreating by flogging, etc. 10, Overloading 6, underfeeding 7, -working without shoes 15, without shelter 7, skin diseases, lice, etc. 5, ill-treating cattle 15, ill-treating sheep 5, all-treating pigs 4, 111-treating fowls 12, ill-treating dogs 10, ill-treating cate A, dogs destroyed 4, cats destroyed 10, goWs destroyed o, a total of 238. Seventeen cases of gross cruelty were brought before the court. It is the. opinion of men with many years’ residence in Southland behind them that the country has never looked better than at present in all their experience. The pasture is green and thick in meat parts of the province and the stock appear te be in splendid Condition. This happy state Of affairs is attributed.to the lengthy Spell Of warm weather -which so far has been relieved by refreshing rains at the opportune time. It may be said that there is a super-abfindahoe of feed, especially so because farmers ate seeking rather to decrease than increase the number of their stock just now, arid acres of turnips going to waste ate not an uncommon sight. A sly dig at Scotsmen was indulged in by Rabbi Goldstein, at the welcome to the Rev- J- Lamb Harvey at St. Andrew’s Hall, Auckland. The rabbi said . lie had lived in the immediate Vicinity of St. Andrew’s for 41 ■ years, and during that time it had been llift pleasure and privilege to know the leaders of St. Andrew’s. He Well remembered the Rev. David Bruce. “He was, said Mr Goldstein—“ Well, he Was what some might call a tough Scotchman. But the Jews can be tough. Let me tell you that we have a congregation in Aberdeen. And if a Jew can live in Aberdeen. . . he was adding, but any further remarks were drowned in laughter. The annual report of the Society bathe Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states: “Your otxfiMiiittee has to teport another year of useful work and successful progress. The society has steadily carried: out the double purpose, which it ever keeps in view, of enforcing the law for the protection of •animals, and promoting by all possible means the growth of an enlightened public Opinion on -the subject. Special attention has been devoted to the teaching of the young. Branches of the S.PiO-A. Junior League have been formed in a number of schools iu the Wellington district,, and their total membership now exceeds 600, while applications are still coming in ' from otliens eager to join. The losses sustained by Manawatu nurserymen and fruit growers on account of the recent gale run into very considerable sums, says an exchange. One fruitgrower, who expected, to clear about 100 tens of plums at Christmas time, states that tho fruit, which was half-grown, Will probably not exceed half a ton, resulting in a loss for that crop alone of between £4BO ahd £SOO. The violence of the gale stripped the trees of fruit, buds and leaves, and in some cases tore the bark from the trunks, While Others Were uprooted. Serious damage was also occasioned te his hothouses through the breaking of glass and the injuring of the plants. Formerly there was a high belt of trees round the property, but they were recently out down by order of the local authority.

The number of inmates at the leper station in Fiji is at present 240. A monstrosity in the shape of a four-legged Indian runner duck has ! been produced at Hamilton. An Auckland paper points to a fact not generally known, that chicken-pox is a notifiable disease. It is expected that Australia will be represented at the band contest to be held in Wellington in February. Tlie Secretary, General Post Office, has received advice that legal time in Belgium was restored on the night of the 25th-26th inst. “They do with visitors to California as we do with our wool—cultivate them,” stated Mr C. E. Daniell, in his address to the Masterton Chamber of Commeroe. “Yes,” interjected a member, who appeared to speak feelingly, “they also shear them!” (Laughter.) Some time ago the Wairarapa Hospital Board purchased some linoleum from the Slilitary Supplies Office at Featherston. This was later found to be considerably damaged, and it has flow been resolved to ask the department to refund the purchase-money on the linoleum being returned. When asked by a. Masterton “Age’’ reporter whether there . was any change regarding the produce outlook, Mr J. C. Cooper, managing director of the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Company, replied: “Iso, absolutely none at all. That is the present position of things.” A grandfather was called upon to show cause, in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court, why he should not be ordered to contribute towards the maintenance of his soft’s child. The S.M. declined to make any order. He said he required the fullest proof that the father of the child could not pay, before a grandfather was called upon to do so. Afl. Ohau farmer informed a Levin '■‘Cthroniele” representative that from his experience of the railway lately fie did not wonder that people were diverting their business to motor-lor-ries. lie recently got a ton afid a half of oata for fowl feed, and the railway charge from Wellington was 5 per cent, of the cost of the oats, or an addition of threepence per bushel on What he paid for the grata. ‘‘l do not think the great rank and fil@ of railwayimen will have to meet any retrenchment,’ ’ said Mr M. J. Mack, gendral secretary to the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants at a gathering of railwaymen in Auckland. He stated that he came from the “hub of the universe,” and heard nothing about retrenchment there, but fovtad outside that some people seemed to have it engrained in their system that retrenchment was imminent. There is Httle improvement regarding unemployment in Masterton, particularly ift the building trade, at which a gdod many are desirous of obtaining work. Although shearing has Commenced at some of the stations, it hue not made much impression, but it is hoped that when, the freezing works open next month the situation will improve. General labourers are also finding considerable difficulty in obtaining employment. “Some months ago a Commission was set up here to inquire into the high cost of living, and after long and care ful deliberation they found that the only trading concern making excessive profits was the butcher’s shop which is controlled fey the Crown Estates, that is to say, a Government monopoly.” Scran a letter from the Chamber of Commerce at Apia, Samoa, which was read at the Auckland Chamber’s Meeting, alid the joke was evidently Much appreciated. A correspondent writes to a contemporary: "Oi» hears a gobd deal these days of the prices obtained for New Zealand produce. From an advertisement published in a Palmerston paper, dated August 10th, 1895, I quote the following prides advertised by a Palmerston butchery, and place in parentheses the present-day prices: Leg of Mutton, 2d lb (7d); iom of mnstton, ltd (sjd); side of mutton, lid (4fd); prime rife beef, 2Jd (6d); rump steak, 4d (is): prime dairy-fed pork, 4d; roasts beef, 2d and lid' (fed and 6d).” A soldier’s wife obtained an order fOr the restitution of conjugal rights at the Auckland Supreme Court (writes the “Times” correspondent). She was Louisa Everett (Mr Towle), who stated that sh’e was married to Gunner Albert Frank Everett in April, 1918, in England, and that ten days later her husband sailed for New Zealand. She had paid for the Wedding and had received no maintenance from Everett. She came out to the Dominion and lived with him from February, 1921, until May, 1921, when he left her and refused to return. In official quarters the unemployment situation in Palmerston North is regarded as eminently satisfactory. These are at present only two names on the “Waiting list” at toe local office erf the Labour Department, and these are a fortnight old. The only callers at the bureau are transients, who invariably seek fresh fields if unplaced. .Locally the demand for labour apparently Is just about in keeping with the sulpply, except so far tts milkers are concerned, there being some inquiry from employers for this class of labour. About 10.16 o’clock on Saturday night the occupants of a large hotel in the city were startled by a loud crash and the sound of falling glass. An investigation revealed the fact that a man, who had been walking on the iron roof of the kitohen, had railed to notice a glass skylight, and when he stepped on to it he fell through on to the kitchen table, a distance of about 14ft, The impact broke the table, whieh, in turn, saved the man from serious injury. Beyond a cut on one arm he seemed none the worse for his adventure. A man who was working in the kitohen received almost as great a shook as the one who fell. It is understood that the accident was due indirectly to the wiles of that mischievous imp Oupid. The fact that insurance claims paid this year by the Seuth British Insurance Company amounted to over £130,000 more than last year was mentioned by the chairman of directors, Mr George Elliot, at the annual meeting of the company. These underwriting losses were largely due to claims arising, not from the act of God, he sdid, but from the act of common thieving. Until a year ago, it was rare for a shipper to insure against his goods being pilfered, and the premium charged for such insurance wan nominal, because those through whose hands the goods passed were honest men. To-day their ranks contained very many to Whom nothing appeared to he sacred, So that shippem had been impelled to insure against theft of such unhandy articles as cases ortinachinery, carcases of mutton, and hales of wool. The value of goods stolen while in transit from supplier's warehouse to buyer’s was almost incredible, and, as a matter of fact, the premiums charged for insuring this risk had far from covered the losses,

It is estimated that there will be 500 Seventh Day Adventists in camp at New Plymouth during January. No fewer than 109 deaths occurred in New Zealand last year from whoop- | ing cough. Unemployment is increasing in and around Auckland. There were 150 names on the department’s unemployed register at the end of last week. It is stated that 1029 deaths from cancer were reported in New Zealand last year. This represented 8.50 per cent, of the total deaths recorded from all causes. Pocket-picking is reported to he in evidence in all parts of the Dominion at the present time. It is said that light-fingered gentry from Australia are the chief operators. The unveiling of the Burns memorial, which has been erected m the Auckland Domain, has been fixed for November sth. The ceremony will be performed by tSe Prime Minister. In the course of an address in Masterton, the Rev. Dr. Pinfold said: — “Marriage is honourable, and should not be dissolved easily, lightly, or wantonly. The present state of the divorce law in the Dominion is' not a credit to us.” Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P., states that be is going to bring the matter of the preservation of the native meetinghouse at Papawai under the notice of the Hon. A. T. Ngata, Maori member for the district. It is believed that a gang of experienced burglars is operating in Christchurch at the present time. Three attempts have recently been made to blow open safes with explosives. A clergyman recently made the somewhat startling statement that champagne parties are being held by the young people of Dunedin night and day. Inquiries made by a reporter failed to 'produce any evidence to substantiate this statement. At the Press Conference in Honolulu, which has just concluded, there were 200 delegates, representing fifty States and countries. They were tendered a brilliant reception in the famous Moans Hotel, and a message of encouragement from President Harding was conveyed to them. The last instructional camp for senior cadets is now being held at Trentham. and, upon its completion, there will be refresher and instructional camps for members of the N.Z. por- | Manent staff. It is hoped that, as the result of the cadet camps, each company will soon possess an efficient inafcfnctfional staff. The motor-service stations in Gan Francisco impressed Mr C. E. Daniell during his recent visit. He stated that at one station he had paid Ilk for petrol, and when he returned to Auckland he had had to pay 80s 6d for a similar quantity. In addition, the San Francisco service-station tested his tyres, eto., without extra oharge. “Can a revolutionary measure introduced to Parliament by a (constitutional) member’of Parliament, designed to benefit the majority of the people for the common good, although destroying ancient prerogatives, hed escribed as disloyal ?” was one of the unpunetoated questions hurled at the Hon. G. W. R-ussell at his Parnell meeting. “You pay your money and yo utakes your choioej” replied Mr Rassellj amid loud laughter. In an article which appeared ta Friday’s “Times,” the list of recipients of New Zealand greenstone presentation pieces supplied by Messrs W. Littlejohn and Son., Ltd., was incomplete. A member of the Pioneer Chib draws attention to the fact that'Lady Jelliooe’s name was inadvertently omitted. Her Excellency received three presentation pieces during the last visit of the H.M.S. New Zealand, all of which were supplied by this firm. Pickpockets were again doing good business at Newtown Park on Saturday, when the Labour Day sports were being held. One lady was relieved of a sum of money, and several complaints of similar losses were made to the police during the afternoon. In two instances, men reported that they qould feel a hand at their hip pocket when the crowd assembled to see the lady footballers presented with the shield. In each case they were unfortunate in not locating the undesirable fey reason of the pressure of the Crowd. “The Reform Party members are too olannish. They remind one of a mob of merino sheen; when you start to muster merino sheep they all rtin into a mob in one corner. That is exactly what the Reform Party does. If there is a storm ta the House they all gather together and confer with one (mother, and.no matter what has been said in this House, after two or three minutes with their masterful chief, the Prime Minister, all is quiet again; oil is on the face of the troubled'waters, and all is well. The members of the party cannot vote as they wish.”—Dr. Thacker, .Christchurch. By astounding daring, a thief made a haul of £42,000 at the Bordeaux branch of the French Treasury, in a hall crowded with depositors. The cashier of a big bank was standing at the desk to nay in £41,000 (over a million francs idn bonds and £IOOO in bank .notes). ( The money and hoods were in an attache case, which he laid on the desk at his side while he filled in the deposit slip. It was while he was engrossed in this task that the thief, . who must have been following him since he left his own hank, whipped away the attache case and bolted for the door. A hue and ary was raised just as he gained the street, but, although everyone near joined in the pursuit, he escaped with his haul.