NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11306, 4 September 1922, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

An apprehension that Stewart Island might he occupied by a hostile force which would threaten Australia and: New Zealand was raised by the “Southern News” in 1862, When tidings arrived in New Zealand of the American Civil War. The news arrived here on February 21, 1862, eigh-ty-seven days after the outbreak of war. This was one’of the many interesting parts of early history in Otago which Mr 0. 8. Owen included in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Dunedin' Chamber ot Commerce. Who tne party was that it was feared would occupy Stewart Island was not made dear.

“If it is an offence for a Magistrate to bribe a witness, Mr Poynton, S.M., is liable to be arraigned) (save the Auckland “Star”). A tiny lad of six years was called to give evidenced in the police court. “Bring him up here,” commanded the magistrate, and when the little fellow was led lip to him on the bench he asked: ‘Do you like ohooolate?” An emphatio nod of the head was followed .by Mr Poynton producing the delicacy and the child's nervousness disappeared as if by magic: Then be answered the few questions put to him loudly and clearly, after promising with all the solemnity possible to a child to “speak the truth and nothing hut the truth.”

The following story is told by Mr T. P. O’Connor, M.P.: —It was during one of Parnell’s triumphal processions through Cork oity, of which he was the member, at the end of the great session of 1881, when he and his party had fought a tremendous fight against a Coercion Bill for six lofig weeks, and had done many other remarkable things. A lady rushed out from the crowd at one spot where there was a momentary pause owing to the vast size of the crowd, and threw to Parnell a large muffler. The muffler Was snowy white, but, alas I there were a few threads of green through it. Now, among the many superstitions of Parnell was a hatred of the colour green. Green, he always insisted, was an unlucky colour; sometimes, with a smile, he used io say to his friends that he believed most of the misfortunes of Ireland had come from the fact that ahta had adopted so unlnoky a colour as green. He and I travelled to London after the meeting and at Euston he insisted on presenting me with the muffler, whioh gave me great comfort for many a day afterwards.-

Mr G. McNamara, of Wellington, assistant-secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, was in Danne-1 ■tirke last week arranging for temper-1 ary premises for the post office operations during the erection of the new I building. j

“It is bad advice to sav we should value our vacant sections low in order to induoe population,” said Mr W. H. Winsor at a gathering at Spreydon, Christchurch. “As a builder, it has been my experience that the higherpriced sections are the ones that sell quickest. Double the price and they go off like hot cakes.”

On Thursday a large haystack standin<r in a paddock at Hawera, at the back of the railway engine-shed, was destroyed by fire. How the fire originated is not known, but it is thought that the stack had been in existence too long for spontaneous combustion to be the cause. The owner estimates his loss at £l5O.

When Greek meets Greek. Thus a witness of Gaelic extraction in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth last week concerning endeavours to obtain a reply to telegrams and letters to a land agent. “He sent him a long wire. —cost three and sixpence—and they had to Day for it at the other end; and he told them to ‘please reply to future correspondence.’ ’’

The waste of time incurred through hearing by-law cases in which the defendants plead guilty was commented, upon by Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court, Christchurch. Mr 'Wilson said he thought it was a pity that in such cases the summons should not he endorsed with an admission of guilt. If the law were amended to that effect it would save the time of both the offenders and the police.

Quoting an authority at Auckland Supreme Court, counsel was making a point about the sufficiency of an address for service and to emphasise his point was referring to the size of towns quoted. In* one instance . the name of. Cork “Cork,” said His Honour, “that is the place where, a number of people have been killed lately, isn’t it?” Counsel smilingly agreed.

A new railway engine of the Pacific type has been completed at the foundry of A. and G*. Price, Limited, Thames. It is suited for passenger, trains on'the Main Truhk service, be-i ing similar to the engines imported from, England, and is the second to be turned out at Thames. The first engine is running between Frankton Junction and Auckland, and the new one will he despatched to the Wellington district. The type is distinguished py the round itenders. .

Under the .heading of “Trade . With Germany,” Mr Owen stated in his presidential address at tho annual meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Oommeroe that some were trading with Germany, exchanging sovereigns for paper marks; whether for their goetl, time would show. It should be remembered, however; that every operation of this kind helped to bolder up Germany, and delay a return to the .healthier state of finance which, was greatly to he desired.

Asked by Lady Luke at the sitting of the V.D. committee qt Dunedin if she thought modern fashions rather tended to increase immorality; Dr Emily Siedeberg sajd _ she thought tho fashions were an index. The mental condition, she added, was. at the bottom of the fashion. If morals were better, then dressing would. be better., tn reply to a question regarding jazz dancing, the doctor said .that tho few dances she Had seen seemed to be quite free from any suggestiveness.

During his reply to the farewell addresses made to him at Gisborne, Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., who has ..beep transferred to Wanganui,: referred to the good feeling which existed between himself and the Mauris on the East Coast. “On one occasion only,” • he said, “did I, have any fear. That was when I went on to the football field at Ruatorea to see a very important, match. I had left the very hope of the side in the lock-up at Waipiro Bay, and I was not sure how they would take it. They behaved, however, like tie good sports they always are.”

A wagon, laden with iron, drawn by three horses, ran amok in Brighton road, Parnell, on Wednesday evening, and crashed into a house at the corner of the street. The house was damaged, the verandah and ! two front rooms being partially wrecked, whilst two ot the horses were badly knocked about, one of them losing an eye. The driver jumped off when the team. got. out of hand, just before the collision. Tho cause of the -accident is said to he the snapping, of a rope used as a brake, the wagon bolting downhill. The driver strove desperately, reins in hand, to divert the team into Lee street, where he leapt ’from the vehicle, but the bar attached to the leader became unfastened and the horse swung to ope side. The other horses then crashed through the paling fence and across the verandah into -the front of the house.

“Those with large families who depend on a weekly wage have had a very hard time even when in constant work to make both ends meet for a long time, past, and what must it be for those who are not in regular employment?” was what was said by one of ,the loading social workers in Auckland. “On that day two cases had come under notice where one family was composed of eleven children and another eighteen. aad : in neither case had any' of the older children been able to help their parents very much, heoause of the reducing’ of hands*in the 'places Where they worked. When the families are so large very little separates their ages, and the mother’s! duties in oaring for them, especially in regard to preparing the meals and 'Washing the clothes, makes it imperative that the older girls of . the family have to materially help their "mother.” “Big families are the hope of the British race,’’ continued, the social worker, ‘ ‘and unless wo endow motherhood we ore going to fall off and have families of one or two.”

A very strange incident took place at Paeroa last week. Mr Mark Anderson, employed by the Public Works Department, and residing in- one of the Government huts near the bank of the Waihau river, acquired, the methodical habit of substituting a newspaper for a table cloth, and as one paper got soiled be placed another on top, repeating the process until such time as the substitutes got too bulky. He then replaced them by others. During his last general dean up the soiled paper was rolled up in a bundle and oast in the river. Anderson suddenly recollected that amongst the/ discarded newspapers were seven £6 notes, and also Ilia post office bank-book. He searched the river bank for a distance of about three -miles, and eventually gave up all hope of finding the money. On the following evemingjjfr W: Hons, employed by the Public vVorks Department, saw wliat appeared to be a notebook and six pieces of paper floating in tbo water on the other side of the river. These lie secured, • and they proved to be the post office bank-book and six £5 notes. With the result that Mr Anderson is once more in possesion of all his £5 notes with the exception of one.

No sittings of the Supremo Court were held on Saturday. The hearings will bo resumed to-day. -

When Mr Martin Power, of Danne virke, left London, a few weeks ago, mutton was selling at Is 6d per lb, and drapery was 60 per cent, above prewar prices.

Fat lamb buyers aro commencing to operate in the Levin district, and a sale just made at 25s per head gives a good indication of values (says the “Chronicle”).

Mr Martin Power, of Dannevirke, who recently returned from a visit to Europe, states that German manufac tured goods were freely entering England and were being 6old at high values. He says that a German piano which cost 90 guineas f.o.h. Hamburg realised 240 guineas in London.

In the divorce case in which George Fitch petitioned for dissolution of his marriage with Ellen May Fitch it was stated that the husband, at her Tequest made prior to the parties coming to Wellington, had transferred to her merely the furniture, and not all his property, as alleged.

A rather peculiar position is reported to have occurred on some of the farms in the Levin district wiiich are situated on the etony belt running down from the high country in the vicinity of Tararua road. The absence of rain has rendered the ground so dry that ploughing has had to cease until the next fall of rain, softens it.

“If that isn't the test of love, I don’t know what is,” said Mr Slipper at the Wanganui Supreme Court, when Ivy Murant, who pleaded guilty to theft of jewellery at Taihape, came up for sentence. Mr Slipper’s remark referred to a young man who wag pro. sent, and wanted to marry the prisoner. His Honour said he had given the matter careful consideration. The prisoner had had a, warning a year ago, when she was given probation for theft, hut it did not have the desired effect.' He was not satisfied that the proposed marriage would. assist her reformation, and she would be sentenced to twelve months’ reformative treat, ment. _ The prisoner sobbed bitterly on receiving the sentence.