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Otago Daily Times, Issue 14581, 21 July 1909, Page 4

| A sequel to the rccetit theft, of brass at Port Chalmers was heard at the Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday befora Messrs D. A. Do Mans and J. Watson, 1 J.P.'s, when James Strong was charged j with receiving stolen property—to wit, 251b of brass, valued at 12> 6tl. Accuscd admitted purchasing the metal, but denied all knowledge of its being stolen. John Dee said ho sold tho brass to Strong for I Ud pei ,\b (its value being 6;1 per lb), and | told him ho could get plenty more whero fit came from. Tito police evideneo showed that Strong knew that Leo acted very suspiciously over tho transaction, and the Bonch convictcd, fining accuscd and 3s costs;' in default, seven days* imprisonment, with hard labour. We 'earn that a very dangerous condition exists at present in tho High street ■ sower. The Drainage Hoard oUieia.U recently discovered that it was full of gas, and, as it seemed that one of the gas mains was leaking, the corporation's gas engineer was communicated with. Subsequent investigation, however, up. pea red to establish the fact that the gas wais shalo gas from the private generating plant maintained by the Railway Department in its yank As no one except tho particular officials concerned knew tho location and arrangement of the shale gas pipes, the department was communicated with, but tho latter, after inquiry, wroto to the Drainage Board stating that- the gas was from the city mains, that- there was no possibility of a leakage from the railway system, and disclaiming all responsibility hi conncotion with tho matter. It is a fortnight since the gas was discovered in tho sower, and anyone who knows tho very inflammable nature of this commodity is aware that there is the utmost danger of a serious explosion. No attempt has, as yet, been made to clcar the sower, but tho Drainage Board considered the matter in eonmiiltoo last night,, and there is now a possibility of somo action being taken immediately to remove the danger. The complote plans for tho new Sanatorium for Consumptives in the Palmcrston district are now in the hands of the architect, and it is quite probable that the; will bo available at the meeting of tin board on Tuesday next. It is anticipate! that tho carrying out of tho alterations ti the buildings at present on the site am tho erection of some- additions will b', gone on with almost immediately. The new sanatorium when completed, although it will have been constructed at a minimum cost, will, according to the opinion winch has been expressed, compare favourably with 'my other similar institution in the Dominion. The road leading to th; Infectious Diseases Hospital at Lake Logan, it. has been decided by the Hospital Board, is to be temporarily repaired at a cost of £25. 'lhis should make the road reasonably passable in tho meantime, and it is hoped later on to coulo to some arrangement with the Minister of Public Works to have it properly laid down. Tho decision arrived at will provide work for a few of the ur.empioyed, . and tho Mayor will see to tho putting on of tho required men. llio matter of providing employment for the men at present out of work wan brought before tho Drainage Board last evening by a letter from Inspector Lo Cren, of die Labour Department, who stated that he had the names of 200 men on his books. The board passed tho letter on to its Works Committee, with a recommendation ■that tho request that all projected works be commenced as toon as possible rccsivo favourable consideration. In this connection tho board's engineer stated that ho required somo 35 men at once. Ho was constructing by day labour a part of tho main sower in Frederick, street as far as Clarendon street," and also carrying out tho reticulation of Clarendon street from Frederick street to Albany, Clyde, Hyde, Loith, and Grange streets. Tho cost of this work would bo some £1800. A special meeting of the Movninglon Borough Council was held lust night, tho Mayor (Mr A. 11. IJridgcr) presiding. Several matters 111 connection with tlio tramways were discussed at considorablo length in committee, and will bo still further discusscd at a future meeting. Street lighting was also tho subject of a full discussion, and it was agreed to increase the number of lights in certain streets. The details were referred to tho Works Committee with power to act. The Drainage Board at its meeting last night camo to a. decision regarding Technical School matters that is of considerable importance to young plumbers. It appointed Messrs Marlow and Christie and tho engineer a sub-committee with power to wait on tho Technical School authorities and seo whether it was not possible for the board to arrange to give oflieial recognition to passes obtained by plumbers' apprentices attending technical classes. The position at present is that no plumber can do Drainage Doavd work unless ho has been given permission by the hoard's officials, who, in giving such permission, have not in tho past attached the s:tmo weight to Technical School certificates as they might have done. It is now proposed that a pass gained by a student of plumbing at the Technical School shall carry with it the Drainage Board's competency certificate. In the past the beard's officials liavo conducted those examinations, and (lie school has granted tho certificates. Under the new system, if it comes into operation, tho board and file school will collaborate in the issue of the certificates. It is claimed on behalf of the apprentices that owing to board regulations they at present labour under somo disadvantages, insomuch that until they are fully qualified tradesmen they are not allowed under any circunutanccs to actually assist in any plumbing work being carried out under the Drainago Board, and that, as they may do litt' more than looic on, the only practical experience they can gain is that obtained under what are almost ideal conditions at tho Technical School. The Parliamentary Union met last night in tho Victoria Hall, the subject of discussion being Mr J. W. Munro's State Note Is-ue Bill. While members generally fought shy of the expert issues involved, they approved in Ihe main of the prin-, cipie, and expressed regret at the absence of the Opposition. Messrs MacManus, M'Carthy, Stables, and Mack took part in tho debate. Tho leading points of the bill are as follow:—The Government is to have sole power to issue paper money in suitable denominations, such money to ho accepted as legal tender. For the purpose oi defeating a conspiracy to depreciate the face value of State notes it shall bo lawful for tho Government to demand thai all rates and taxes and all money recoverable by the Government must bo paid in State notes. Government shall have power to pay out Siate notes in settlement of all demands upon it. The act is to bo administered by a commissioner, who is answerable only to Parliament. Oil tile coming into force of the act all bank charteis or privileges shall cease, and all enactments relating thereto bo void. At the next meeting a motion will be brought forward approving of Iho Government's offer of two Dreadnoughts * to the Imperial Government, and a lively debate is expected. Inspector Le Cren, of the Labour Department, in a letter to the Drainage Board last evening concerning tho unemployment question, gratefully acknowledged tho efforts that had already been mado by tho local bodies to find work for men in distress. The board had. ho said,, engaged a number, and tho Mayor of Dunedin, within a fortnight, had contrived to take into the sorvico of the corporation no loss than 117 men.

The Hon. Dr Fie.dlay (Attorney-general, Minister of Justice, and Acting Post-lnastor-gencrai) and Mrs Fimllay, accompanied by Mr K N. Ci. Poulton (private secretary), arrived in Dime-din yesterday afternoon by the first express from tho north. This moriiing Dr Fimllay will receive a deputation from the Dune-din L'i-W Society protesting against the abolition of the Stamp Oilier and tho changes proposed to bo mads in connection with the collection of duties on deceased estates. To-night, at tho Burns I-lall, Dr Fimllay will speak upon " The Now Ideals of Modern Democratic Government, Death Duties, and Prison and Oilier Reforms," and other, subjeeis. He will leave for luvercargill to-morrow, and will return to Dun-din on Friday. Ho will deliver a leeiurc in the Burns Hall on Fruity evening in aid of tho funds of the Froebel Club. Yesterday tho Hon. Dr Findlay received a cablegram from tho Eight Hon. Sir J. CI. Ward announcing his arrival at Sul'z on Monday. Our Cromwell correspondent says tho plans of the proposed subdivision of the Morven Mills and Kawarau Runs woro submitted at ,'i meeting at Cromwell of delegates from tho dilfercnt centres on Monday, and were considered satisfactory, It wa.s resolved to recommend that several blocks (about one in four) bo offered by auction. A remarkable case camo before Mr Bartholomew, S.M., at yesterday's sitting cf tho Police Court. It arose out of a charge of vagrancy preferred against one Thomas Quilliam, in that ho did wander abroad and solicit alms. Tho accused' made some rambling and remarkable statement, and at length tho magistrate decided to remand tho man in order that a mediai,l examination might bo held into his condition. The man claimed tho protection and friendship of Mr Marshall Hall, K;C., of England, " who was staying at the Grand Hotel and was giving him money," and said further, in reply to police evidence that no did no work, that ho worked on tho wharves doing " boatwork." Sub-inspeoior Phalr said, as the case drew to a conclusion, that he believed the man was shamming, as he had been remarkably quick in bis answers when interrogated in the Police Station, but was remarkably slow in the court. A special meeting of the committee of tho Society foi tho Promotion of the Health of Women and Children was hold in tho Town Hall yesterday afternoon. The business was to arrange for an illustrated lecture which Dr King has kindly consented to give for tho benefit of tho society on August 19. Those present wen Mrs Hosking (in tho chair), Mesdaiues Joachim, Tiieomin, Leslie Harris, Allen, T. K. Sidey, Miss Gow, and the secretary. Ape*logics were received from Mrs Wa'ker, Mrs W. A. Moore, Mrs Edmond, Mrs Jackson, and Mrs Gallaway. / In tho Magistrate's Court on Monday, before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., the civil action between Anthony Coory, a Syrian .merchant carrying on business in Walker street, and Antonio and Jacob Idour, Syrian hawkers, was concluded. Tho case, a, claim for debt, involved the question of a partnership, and had been partly heard tho previous week. Counsel yesterday addressed the court, Mr D. Cooke (for plainti(f) at length, and Mr I-rwin (for defendants) briefly. Tho Magistrate said that in view of all tho evideneo put before him he ruled that a partnership between father and son had commenced in January of 1907. As for the claim for novation, that should have been specially pleaded before the question of whether or not i. t had been proved could bo considered. Mr Cooko thereupon elected to take a nonsuit, and judgment was entered up for defendants, with costs, totalling £4 18.;, against plaintiff. On Mr Cooke's application tho ease Hannah Mansoor v. Antonio and Jacob Idour was adjourned till August 24. 'The School Commissioners of Ota go liavo decided to vest sections 2 and 13, block 111, Wrcy's Bush, in the Southland Beard of Education, which body will use tho land as a school site. • Tho application made by defendant for a. rehearing of the civil action D. G. Gunn v. D. D. ■ Macdonakl was brought before tho magistrate (Mr 11. Y. Widdowson) yesterday morning. As there was no appearance of the applicant tho application was struck out. Mr Irwin informed tho court that ho understood that the case had now b:sn satisfactorily scltlcd, and that no further proceedings would bo taken in connection with it. At a meeting of tho Teachers' Superannuation Fund (fays a Press Association telegram from Wellington) it was reported that the .amount to the crcdit of the fund was £192,733. Retiring allowances woro granted in four cases, and allowances wero made to four widows and seven children. A Christchurch telegram states that Thomas Long, who made some sensational utterances when before the Magistrate's Court last week in answering a chargo of being found on premises without lawful excuse, came before Mr Haseklen, '5.11.. yesterday. Long had stoutly maintained that a female witness for the prosecution was his wife, but tho woman on oath denied tho statement. The case was adjourned to give Long an opportunity to find proof ot marriage. Yesterday Subinspector M'Grath produced a certificate of marriago between Long and Melamc Lebeau in 1902. Mr Ilasclden said the certificate was hardly sufficient, and askod how lie was to conpect the woman with it. Sub-inspector JPGraih said that, if necessary, he. would produco the woman's admission. Mr Ilasclden said, even if Long was married to tho woman, it wou'd not give an excuse for breaking into Moody's house, but as the accused had been in custody since the arrest no further punishment would bo inflicted long said ho went to. Moody's house for food, and Moody offered for £10 to take the woman away and marry her. To-day- being Arbor Day,, all Government offices will be closed.

A new and perhaps significant development that lias taken pi wo in connect ion Willi tho friclion 111 a I at present exists in tho coal trade, between oolite of tho individual coal mnchaiily, tlio Coal Jlerclinills' Association, and Iho Coal 31;nn.owner?' Association is that tlio Coal Company lias reduced tlio cash price oi its coal as delivered to customers from the retail yard from 35s to 3h per ton. This means that, it will bo sold at a figure Is less than that paid for State coal. r-hould still further tend to complicate matters, n nd sonio interesting developments in the eoal trade, generally arc not unlikely in the near future, Mr J. R. Triggs, Conciliation Conimispioner, was in Dunedin yesterday, lie will leave by (ho first express this morning for Core, wliero ho will bo mot by (ho assessors from both sides appointed to act in connection with the dredgers and sluicers' industrial dispute, Messrs J. C. Thomson, and W. Scott, as representing tlio employers, also Lave for Core this morning, and will bo joined tluro by Mr 11. F. Necs. Mr Triggs is expected to teturn to Dunedin oil Thursday night, and will then go on to Chrislchurch, but will return to Dunedin in time to hear the engine-drivers' industrial dispute, set down for hearing hero on Wednesday, August. '1. At a special committee meeting oi the Hospital Hoard, held last night, Mr J. JI. Walker (chairman) and Mr 11. L. Tapley submitted a report on their vi-it to Christchurch to interview the Minister of Public Health on certain matters aliecting the acceptance of patients to the !o:al Infectious Diseases Hospital. The board expressed its pleasure with the report, and accorded a. vote of thanks to Messrs Walker and Tapley, being of the opinion that their mission had been fully justified. Tho board now hopes that the interview held with the Minister will result, not only ill a saving in expenditure, but in a better lindcrslanding as lo what arc to bo taken into the institution, • The Drainage Board's engineer has reported as followst—"I would like to mention that the last time King Edward road was scavenged tho mud was deliberately swept into our mud-tanks and sewers. It is impossible to intercept mud from tho towers when such a scandalous practice is persistently carried on by the city engineer. There litis been complaint after complaint ninilo over this subject, and Ihc board is simply defied. When the mud is swept into the sewers it costs the ratepayers 15 times nioro to removo it from there than if. would to removo it from the road surface." The matter was discuss?tl at- sonio length at last, evening's meeting of tlio board, and was finally left in the hands of a Mib-committee to interview tho corporation officials and see whether arrangements which will better harmonise with the general scheme of work each body has in hand could not be made. The chairman of the Electric Power and Lighting Committeo (Mr J. 13. Shacklock) informs us that the statement of income and expenditure in regard to the disposal of electric power and light during tho quarter ended Juno 30 shows a credit balance of over £800, which must bo considered eminently satisfactory. A Palmers ton North message states that at a meeting of tho Agricultural aud Pas(oral Association yesterday tlio report on the National dairy show disclosed a profit of £300 upon it. A conference between the master plumbeis and the Drainage Board, relative to tho board's proposed new by-laws, will be hold on Wednesday, 28th inst. Many of tlio objections offered to tho by-laws have been settled at conferences between (he master plumbers and Mio board's solicitors, but as thcro still remain in dispute a few matters affecting tho policy of tlio board it has been thought desirable that tlio latter liody and tlio tradesmen should meet on common ground and endeavour to arrive at a. final aj-grcenient. Tho Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children has obtained a good footing in Napier. At tho first annual meeting, held last week, it was stated that £286 14s had been received in donations and 5s subscriptions of Members. 'lho Plunket nuiso had attended 200 babies *nd paid 1174 visits, and had been supplied with a bicycle, an olliee, and a weighing machine. In four weeks 62 babies were brought to the office, some of them from as far away as Daunevirkc. Moreover, the muse is boarded for nothing at one of the principal hotels. She is lo stay there as long as she pbasas, and another hotelkeeper offers her a homo on the same terms for six months. In tho course of his speech to-night Dr Fimllay will deal fully wit'li tlio defccts of tho New Zealand death duties system, showing its inequalities, and he will indicate. the, directions in which, for the purposes of revenue and to allow of a better distribution of wealth, the system should be improved. utf. Mr James Goodger, of Cromwell, li.i 9 written pointing out that, in our report of a recent meeting of Tlios. Leslie's creditors, it was stated that "tho assignco rci-l tho following letter from Mr James Goott.ner." Jlr Goodger wishes it mado clear that ho did not send the letter to the assignee: it had been handed to liini by M.r Irwin, who was then acting for bankrupt, and for whoso information it had been written. AiTono requiring any kind of instruments for correcting (loiermily or artificial limbs, with rubber feet ur hands, can get them from (!. l'aiemm. 7:1 lving sueel, orthopedic mechanic to .Dunedin Hospital.—Ailvt. Space will not permit us to do more than mention tlut tho cheapest blouse flannelette at the price is lo be obtained at Jlollisons'— 23 pieces fancy blouse" tlannelettcs, tijd per yard.—Advt. Wo iccomiueiid for watch, clock, and jewellery repairs A. J. Shaw, 13 liailrny street. Absolutely tbo best in Dunedin.— Advt. The savins of a penny or twopence in eonie instances is, no doubt, worth considering. but we are convinced thai, the woman ot siverago intellect, particularly those with refined and cultured tastes, would not think of buying a hair pad stuffed with dyed wool and various xuliliieli because it was 2d chcapcr than a real geiiuino hair pad throughout. The "Belgravia" (registered) pad is manufactured by A. JI. llemly. hair specialist, and is guaranteed puro hair throughout, obtainable in all colours; Is. Even- pad is brand;:! " Bclgrnvia"; tako no others. If your draper doesn't stock it send for it direct, ]x>st free uuyivhere.—Advt. To cope with '.lie growing demand for liieliclass jewellery, Messrs G. and T, Young/of ES Princes sheet, are specialising in making np articles to customers' own using only tho finest quality stones, and guaranteeing lho best workmanship. Designs prepared ii required.—Advt. For Influenza tako AVocds' Great Peppermint Cure. Xover fails. Is 6d and Us Gil — Advt. For G;1 it is now possible fo buy a bottle of "K.P. Fluid"—tho reliable disinfectant used in public hospitals, etc. Guard against prevailing fevers by a plentiful use oi K.P. Fluid in your kitchen, bedrooms, aud outhouses.—Advt. Who is Peter Dick?—Tho most reliable Watchmaker and Jeweller, opposite Coffee Palace, Moray place. Duuediu. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt.