LOCAL & GENERAL

Otago Witness, Issue 3168, 2 December 1914, Page 7

LOCAL & GENERAL

Since July (according to a Press Association telegram from Auckland) less than 4in of rain has fallen in Auckland, as com pared with an average fall of Win tor August, September, October, and November. Tho result is that tho dairy industry, which three months ago appeared to be embarking on the most prosperous season on record, is now gradually slackening, and the posi tion is daily growing more serious. No growth has been left in tho pastures, and the dairy herds are gradually becoming less profitable. Many growers report that their potato crops have been ruined by the prevailing dryness, and tho Waitemata strawberry growers state that tho drought has done such damage already in their gardens that they will have for market this year less than half the 600,000 boxes of strawberries produced last year. Over 300 men, including officials and surface men, are now engaged in the Extended mine, and 130 are employed in Ralph’s mine (says tho Huntly correspondent of tho New Zealand Herald). When work was commenced with the safety lamps, the output was small. After a day or two there was an increase, but tho total production from the Extended mine romaint abnormally low, though those who are comparatively late arrivals, and who have been accustomed to tho use of the safety lamp, are said to be doing very well. Those, on the other hand, who have been used to the naked light, are not doing as well as they did before tho disaster. The local stores holds sufficient stocks of “permitted” explosives to tide over the interval that must necessarily intervene before expected shipments arrive from the Old Country. In Ralph’s, mine tho work of renovation ana restoration is approaching completion, rTl e majority of the 130 men being employed in that work, and the minority in getting coal, the output of which is not large. An extraordinarily high tide was experienced at Port Molyncux on 18th ult. (reports tho Balolutha Free Press). itie water went over tho beach road at M'Guffog’s store and in other places--in fact, nothing like it has been seen by o’d residents since the memorable flood of 1878. Portion of tho low-lying land near the mouth of the Puerua was also inundated, but Ihe flood-lock prevented the tide affecting the Puerua, and consequently tho Otanomomo settlement did not suffer. The only reaJ damage done by the high tide, which some has described as being in the nature of a tidal wave, v.as at Nugget Bay, where important improvements to the fishermen s landing have lately been in progress. When Mr A. W. Rodger, jun., was speaking at Riverton on the Wairio railway he stated (say's the Southland Times) that a private railway could be built without a Order-in-Council. When crossing a public road the consent of the local authority was sufficient. Mr Rodger said Messrs More and Sons had only required an Order-in-Council, because one of the parties through whose land the railway was to run would not agree to sell, and an Order-in-Oouncil was necessary to secure the right of way. Mr Armstead immediately challenged this statement, and said he was willing to .give £5 to the Belgian Fund if he was wrong, Mr Rodger to do the same should Mr Armstead be right. Mr Armstead expressed complete certainty on the point, and said the railway could not have been constructed without an Order-in-Council, oven if all the landowners on the route had been willing to sell the portions concerned. Mr Rodger fell in with the proposition and expressed his willingness to raise the stake to £lO. Since then Mr Rpdgor had taken advice on the subject from Messrs Macalister Bros., who support his contention. At the Magistrate’s Court at Whangarei on 17th ult. a well-dressed boy, 15 years of age, tho son of a settler at Kauri-Ho-Hcro, pleaded guilty to six separate charges of burglary (says the correspondent of tho Auckland Herald. Accused was arrested on the previous Sunday afternoon, when ho was found in a saddler’s shop rifling the till. The solicitor who appeared for accused said that he was a great reader of pernicious literature, and that was tho cause of his downfall. The magistrate committed the boy to tho Burnham Indus trial School. The Sub-inspector of Police on 25th ult. received a telegram from Ophir stating that James William Cannon was arrested at Chateau Peak on Tuesday on two charges of sheep-stealing. Ho -was brought before tho court at Ophir and remanded on bail. For several years past a well-known figure in the competition ring at agricultural shows hi various parts of the dominion has been Miss Jessie Campbell, of Wanganui (says our correspondent), but there are probably few who are really aware of tho remarkable record of this famous horsewoman. In tho 11 years, extending from November, 1903, Miss Campbell has taken part in 397 competitions, winning no fewer than 202 of thorn. She was placed second on 97 occasions, third on 40, and fourth on four, being only 54 iimu- among the “also started.” She won 61 driving and 41 riding competitions, and won 45 out of tho 70 leaping contests in which sho took part. In tho hack classes sho secured 74 first and 36 seconds. She won 18 championships, three reserve championships, and three points prizes, and

her winnings during ■dho period mentioned have amounted to the handsome sum of £llOO. In addition to the above, at the recent Wanganui Show, she won with her horse. The Count, five firsts, two seconds, and one reserve championship. Count Rene do Montaigne, of Rotorua, has been adjudicated a bankrupt (says the Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times). In a statement furnished to the Official Assignee in -Bankruptcy, debtor sets down his liabilities at £825 10s Id. His secured creditors total £550, against which is the estimated value of a security given, £I9OO. This loaves a surplus of £1350, which is the only asset. In explanation of his bankruptcy, debtor states:— “I have been in receipt of an- allowance of £53 per month from my father, which on the outbreak of war was reduced to £4O. In consequence of this, and of the war making it impossible for my father to send mo an advance against my patrimony as I expected, I was obliged to call my creditors together. I then arranged with my creditors to pay their trustees £ls per month, and on receipt of the advance referred to to liquidate the balance unpaid. I duly paid the instalments as arranged, but the mortgagee and the trustees of creditors sold the larger part of my effects. I was then asked to sign my petition in bankruptcy, which I did.” Before proceeding to the business of the City Council on 25th ult. the Mayor moved the following resolution: —“That this council desires to place on record its sense of the loss the Empire has sustained by the death of Earl Roberts, and to extend its heartfelt sympathy to his bereaved family. The circumstances attending the final endeavours by the gallant soldier and patriot in the interest of the Empire constitute a fitting termination to a long and stronuoup life, ungrudgingly devoted to his country’s best interest, and we feel quite certain that, when the history of o.ur times comes to be dealt with by the dispassionate historian, the part filled by' the great patriot that has just been called away to his final account will be given that prominence in the Empire’s roll of great men that his devoted and unremitting service merits.” The motion was carried, councillors standing. The prices of all grades of raw and refined sugar have been advanced by £1 per ton. His Honor Mr Justice Sim has granted probate in the estates of the following deceased persons : —Malcolm Macdonald, Daniel MTntcsh, Euphcmia Simpson, Catherine Gavin, Mary Maley, Harriett Louisa Adamson, John Joseph Davcis, Robert MTndoc. The manager of the D.I.C. at Christchurch has recently discovered that part of the land upon which the D.I.C. building stands has been valued under two assessments (says the Lyttelton Times), the error amounting to £2IOO. Rates and land tax have been paid on the incorrect valuation for six years. The Commissioner of Taxes has refunded the overcharge in land tax for the years 1911-12, 1912-13, and 1915-14, and the Finance Committee of the City Council recommended that a refund of city rates for the same period should be made, amounting to £ll6 2s lOd. A Press Association message from Wellington states that the arrivals in Now Zealand from oversea during October totalled 3205, as compared with 3863 in October, 1913. The departures numbered 1240, as against 1860 in October of last year. At a meeting of the Political Labour Representation Committee in the Trades Hall on the 26fcb, the question of food prices was discussed, and the following resolution was carried:—“That this committee, in view of the alarming press reports, that only somc few days’ supply of flour is in hand In the dominion, enters its emphatic protest against the apathetic attitude adopted by the Government, and at once calls on it to assume the responsibility of protecting the people from the rapacity of the holders of foodstuffs; and further calls the attention of the public to the full powers conferred on the Government by the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, passed on August 10, to seize wheat, flour, or other foodstuffs for any purpose, including “sale to the public.” A largo amount of routine business was transacted. At the mooting of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on the 26th, the Chairman intimated that Lord and Lady Liverpool would not bo able to attend the opening of the now pavilion of the Dunedin Hospital on De:ember 17, and that the Hon. R. H. Rhodes (Minister in Charge of Hospitals) had been asked to perform the opening ceremony- If the Ministei could not attend some other arrangements would bo made. At the statutory annual meeting of the County Council on the 25th ult. Or R. MacDonald, member for Toviot Riding, was appointed chairman. Cr Rose, who vacated the chair, was .accorded a vote of thanks for the able and impartial manner in which ho had conducted the county affairs during his term of office. A case arising out of the disposal of the estate of the late Adolphus Frederick Douglas, sheep farmer, of To Mahanga, Hawke’s Bay, occupied the attention of his Honor the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), sitting in Chambers at the Supreme Court at Wellington on the Zlet ult. The widow, Emily Douglas, of Hastings, claimed further provision out of tho estate for her support. The following defendants wore cited; William John Douglas, farmer, of To Mahanga; Herbert Humphries, solicitor, of -Napier; and Thomas Sinclair Roulston, law

clerk, of Hastings, executors of the will; Katherine Jean Douglas, William Gordon Douglas, Francis John Douglas, Janet Margaret Douglas, and Denys Maxwell Douglas, infant children of William John Douglas; and Colin Douglas White, Stanley Gordon White, Eila Jessie White, and Zena Maud White, infant children of Edith Maud White, a sister of the deceased. It was stated that the estate was worth £150,000. Mrs Douglas was left a handsome residence, which had cost £4OOO or £SOOO to build, and which involved a largo annual expenditure for upkeep. As against this she received only £3OO a year under the will. By consent of the parties, an additional £7OO a year was allowed her during her widowhood. Wc arc requested by the Rev. P. B. Fraser to state that while he refused to give the Presbyterian General Assembly the name of tho student who wrote the thesis to which reference was made in the course of the discussion on the 25th, he offered to hand the original document, containing the name of the student, to a committee of tho Assembly. It is not often that a wedding is performed while troops arc actually on active service. The wedding of Captain A. Loftus Tottenham, provost marshal with the Expeditionary Force at Samoa, and Miss Nation, was solemnised at the. Church of tho London Missionary Society at Apia. Captain Eastwood, A.D.C., was best man, and Colonel Logan gave the bride away. The ceremony was performed by the chaplain of tho forces. Captain E. E. Malden. It is interesting to note, says tho Pull-thro’, the organ of the Expeditionary Forces, that tho ring used on this happy occasion was made by tho Now Zealand Railway Engineers, a brand now English sovereign being used for the purpose. Tho Auckland-owned barquentino Ysabcl returned to Auckland on tho 21st ult. from tho Friendly Islands (says tho Herald). The Ysabcl left port on September 16 with a full cargo of provisions. It will be remembered that the Ysnbel’s cargo was intended for the residents of Tonga, who were reported at the time to be running short of the necessaries of life. Although hor shipment was needed the steamer Navua, which loft Auckland two days after the Ysabol’s departure, carried a sufficient quantity of foodstuffs to last tho inhabitants of the island group for some time. On tho Ysabel’s arrival at Niuafou, however, Captain Ross found that stocks of food were \ery low, and a largo quantity of the vessel’s cargo was landed there. ‘Captain Ross reports that the copra crop generally is plentiful, but unfortunately the market is depressed. The Ysabol brought back a cargo of copra and fruit. An unusual licensing case, the first of its kind hoard in New Zealand, was dealt with at a recent sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, Tomuka, when a young man, not in any way connected with the business of the hotel, was charged with supplying liquor, in the Winchester Hotel, to a youth under 21 years of age. A month ago informations against the Winchester Hotel licensee and barman, for supplying the youth in question, were dismissed, on tho sworn evidence of a witness that ho had ordered tho drinks from the barman and handed the liquor to the youth, who was standing behind him in such a position that the barman could not reasonably bo expected to see him. Tho police thereupon laid an information against tho witness, calling upon him to show why he should not be convicted under section 205 of the Act, which provides that “any person supplying liquor to any person in breach of section 202, shall be liable to tho penalties sot forth in tho Act.” The defendant pleaded guiitj entering tho plea that though ho “shouted” for the youth, the latter was almost an entire stranger to him, and he had no knowledge of his ago. As the case was the first of tho kind heard in New Zealand to tho knowledge of the magistrate (Mr V. G. Day, S.M.), a conviction was recorded, and defendant ordered to pay court costs. A hemiplegic patient, Harry Hallinan by name, who has been in the Napier Hospital for the last two yours with tho lowerhalf of his body completely paralysed, is at present rejoicing at the results of the recent earthquake. r lho shock so affected his nervous system (says tho Daily Telegraph) that ho has recovered the partial use of the leg which was tho more seriously afflicted of the two. After having been helpless for two years the patient’s condition is fi,uch as to give him unbounded pleasure. Tho case is an interesting one, and Dr Gilray and his staff are , watching it closely. Tho improvement may be only temporary, but there are faint chances that it may continue.