NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3398, 30 April 1919, Page 24

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A dairy farmer named D. Gill-was fined £2O at Wanganui for selling mdk containing 32 ner cent, of added water. The -Dunedin City Council last week authorised a special order the raising of a special .loan of. £27,000 tor tno ourpose of erecting workers dwellings. " A largely-attended meeting of the JNelson branch of the A.S.R.S. unanimously carried a resolution expressing every confidence in the present Executive* Council, as it was doing its best for the men it represented. It was explained at last week's meeting of the Dunedin City Council that the rates would be called upon for only - £4OO for the peace celebrations, the balance of the contribution of £2OOO being found .by the sity's trading departments W. The elocution judge (Mr Harold C ar *) has declared the following champion awards in connection with the Napier competitions: Ladies: Miss N. Oughton (Wellington) 1; Miss D. Stevens (Wellington), 2; Miss M. Burt (Hutt), 3. Men: J. Deer (Auckland), ■ 1- J. B. Peyman (W'anganui), 2; L. iuncn (Wellington), 3. „'„,,...• , At a meeting of Jugo-Slavs-, held in Auck- ' md, resolutions were passed urging ,all j ago Slavs to strictly oomplv with the law and to undertake national work when called in: on to do so, also praying that all war di abilities be removed-and that Jugo-Slavs b treated as friends and allies, and not considered alien enemies. j: „ The Y.W 0.A., Dunedin, has now 994. members on the roll. The average daily number of girls who take advantage. of the cafeteria is 102. The Senior Club and the educational classes are now in full swing, and £774- has been deposited by members of the Thrift Club, the number of girls saying being 534. The associations bank overdraft is now over £372. A great' national and international antisaloon conference is to be held in' Washington and Toronto at the end of May, when 500 delegates are expected* The New Zealand Alliance has given leave to attend to its secretary, (the Rev. John Dawson), who has sailed by the Niagara. Mr George H. Wilson, of Auckland, will also represent the Dominion. As a result of a police raid on a softdrinks shop in Auckland on the 22nd, 200 empty beer and whisky bottles and 12 unopened bottles of whisky were found. At the Police Court next morning Christian Christiansen was charged with sly grog- : selling and fined £4O, s and Mary Moore, charged with being privy to the illicit sale, was fined £lO. Early on,Saturday morning a fire occurred a.- Duvauchelles Pay, Akaroa, the County Council Chambers, Post Office, and a private residence being destroyed. People were sleeping in all three buildings, but they escaped unharmed.. Many •/ valuable books and maps were destroyed. The Council Chambers were insured in the Alliance for £SOO. Tho other insurances are unknown. Hakarai Temahi, motor driver at the Wairakei Hotel, was on the 24th committed for trial at Hamilton on a charge of stealing £B7 from the" hotel safe between April 5 ' and 8. Tho safe was locked on the sth inst,\ and opened on the 7th, when the money was missed. Accused went to v Taupo on tho 14th, and was flush of money When he returned. Suspicion was aroused, ■ and he was arrested. It is understood that Messrs H. D. Forsyth and J. B. Murdoch have been finally selected to visit America, „ England, and the Continent on behalf of various Taranaki and Wellington district dairy companies to inquire into the manufacture of dried milk, eugar of milk, and other dairy products. Tho appointments are, however, subject to approval by the Wairarapa and Wellington district delegates. Nine candidates were nominated for the seven seats on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board allotted to Dunedin City, as follows:—J. H. Walker, Mrs R. S. Macfie, J. W. Scurr, W. iT. Talboys, F. G.\ dimming, Mrs M. A. Jackson, Dr Win. New- . lands, Mrs M. E. Gordon, Miss Annie Mendelsohn. To represent the combined districts of St. Kilda, Green Island, and Peninsula Mr J. W. Dove was elected. In connection with the Rotorua Post Office robbery, Mr .Forrest, the postmaster, was sleeping iri*.,the house next to the office, and thought he heard someone in the house during the night. He got up, but found no one* and thinking of nis keys he looked for them and found them in a pocket in his clothes, where they usually were kept, in his bedroom. Only £22 of the contents of tho missing cash box are negotiable.

The Government estimate, presented to the "Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on 24th, provides for a gross expenditure during the, year 1919-20 of £97,847, less estimated receipts other than subsidies and levies, £28,430, leaving £69,417 to bo found. Of this amount £38,115 is apportioned among the local authorities, while tho amount due to the board by way of subsidies from the Consolidated Funds is

placed at £31,302. A bazaar in aid of the Dean Carew memorial fund was brought to a closo at Greymouth on the 26th inst. It realised the magnificent sum of £4OOO. Great enthusiasm was shown when tho results were announced. The memorial will be an un-to-date brick boys' school. Many parishioners were deeply moved at the splendid response of all classes to perpetuate tho memory of the late beloved parish priest. During a discussion by the Otago Harbour Board on the subject of a State-owned fleet of vessels, Messrs Galbraith and Tapley defended the shipping lines at present running to New Zealand, and pointed out that the charge of exorbitant rates, was quite unfounded, as these had been fixed by tho Imperinl Government. The whole question collapsed when it was pointed out that Stateowned vessels would not pay shipping dues, and harbour boards would thus practically have no revenue.

The establishment of a chair of agriculture was urged on the Board of Governors of Canj-erburv College by a deputation comprising Messrs David Jones (president of tho Canterbury Farmers' Union) W. A. Banks (chairman of the Educat ; on Board). D. Bates, and T. D. Boag. The dernira.tion was favourably received, but the poi it was raised ns to over-lanninsr with the Canterbury Colleen. Eventually a committee was appointed to arrance a conference with the governors of the latter collece to see how far both bodies could co-oneralo In tho matter. There is much speculation fn Wellington in regard to the nolfHeil future. Many

th" part.n«»rshin lv»H"cen Mr Mn.=«°v and Pir Josenh Ward will continue until •he close of the next session, while others

believe Sir Joseph will retire from the coalition before the session, and when Parliament meets may move a want of confidence motion. The new party of "Progressiveness" is acting without the consent of Mr Massey, but they are tied to their chief until the dissolution. There are so many possibilities in the present position that all speculation is mere guesswork. Tho continuous rain on Monday, 21st inst., caused floods in some districts. Owing to water being on tho railway line at M'ftab's, nearly three miles north of Gore, the early express from Invercargill was delayed on tho 22nd, and reached Dunedin 40 minutes late. A considerable part of the Stirling and Kaitangata Hats were submerged by the giving way of the temporary repairs to the embankment near Stirling. The Kaitangata branch railway was flooded. The bulk of the water soon subsided, and the railway line was open again on Thursday. Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., gave judgment on the 24th in the test oase against the Strand Buildings (Ltd.) of selling icecream containing less than the required' percentage of milk-fat. He said he had arrived at the conclusion that there was nothing to rebut tho evidence of the Government analyst. A fine of 20s and costs was inflicted in the case of the Strand Buildings (Ltd.), amounting to £5 Is 6d. A similar fine was imposed in the cases against the Bodega Company and White and Co., the costs being £1 12s 6d. It was intimated that an appeal might be lodged. There was a fin© gathering of old sol; diors in the Brydone Hall on tho 24th at an enjoyable reunion and smoke concert. Major Lampson, in proposing the toast of "The Army and Navy," said they had among them representatives of tho navy and the Australian army. The service brought manly men together as nothing else could h*ve 'done, and the comradeship cemented on the field . was the most oherished amity any man could have. Colonel E. R. Smith responded. The Mayor proposed the toast of "The Returned Soldiers' Association," and Lieut.oclonel Moir, in responding, reminded the Mayor and citizens of the many speeches they had heard about nothing, being too good for tho soldiers. The returned men wanted those who "had made those speeches to back up their words by deeds. He called upou the public to assist them in building" a soldiers' club. Some said this was a luxury, but he asked them if the soldier was no* entitled to some luxuries.