NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3489, 25 January 1921, Page 41

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Otago Education Board declined to supply the committee of the Tokomuiriro District High School with a complete first aid outfit in cases of accidents, as most schools provide their own outfit. The appeal has been dismissed with costs of Colonel Malone, M.P., who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and bound over to be of good behaviour for a year on a charge of treason arising out of an inflammatory speech at the Albert Hall, London. The Otago Education Board has decided to pay one-third of the £IOO raised by the George Street School Committee, Dunedin, for the formation of a swimming pool in the Voodhaugh Gardens. As the pool is not on the board’s property, a subsidy cannot be claimed from the Government. The offices of the Lower Hutt Borough Council were broken into on the 191 H, and the sum of £340 removed. An entrance to the building was gained by breaking through the front door. The safe from which the money was taken was, however, evidently opened with keys which were lost a few days ago. Apart from the removal of the money, papers and documents in the office were taken. A statement prepared by the city valuer on the rateable value for the Greater Auckland area at the present time shows another substantial increase in values for the past year, the figures having jumped from £1,252.618 to £1,388,758 in 12 months, exclusive of the Grey Lynn area, the rateable value of which now stands at £100,510, bringing the total valuations for Greater Auckland to £1,439,268. At the Wellington Court on the 21st inst. Mossan Hampton and Charles Malin were each fined £l and costs for gambling in a railway carriage. Frederick Makin was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for desertion from the Woodarra and Patrick O’Callaglian, alias James Stewart, an ex-Weraroa Training College boy, was sentenced to three years’ reformative detention on three charges of theft from dwellings. The Magistrate sentenced John Millar, a licensed carrier, charged with stealing a trunk entrusted to his care, to three months’ imprisonment. Complainant, at the Wellington railway station, handed his belongings to accused to deliver at an hotel. They failed to arrive, and the property was subsequently found at accused’s residence. The Magistrate said that thefts by licensed carriers would pe punished most severely in the future. A focal milkman (states the Manawatu limes) relates that Iris usual early morning round was enlivened on his daylight visit to the home of a customer, when ire found the lady of the house, who was one of the last batch of English war brides, coolly and nonchalantly hanging out the family linen, after a strenuous morning wash, attired in a becoming costume, which was a replica of that in which Miss Bleibtrey won the world’s championship. Exclusive of troops of the Expeditionary Force, the number of immigrants arriving in New Zealand in the first 11 months of 1920 was: —Males 21,907, females 18,771; total 40,678, of whom 3729 were assisted immigrants (reports the New Zealand Herald). In the same period the number of emigrants was:—Males 16,264, females 13,696; total 30,960. The excess of arrivals over departures for the 11 months was thus 9718. For the corresponding period of 1919 the total number of immigrants wa*. 17,466, and the total number of emigrants 17,435, ari excess of arrivals over departures of 31 only. At the Wellington Court John Clancy, a seaman on the Port Nicholson, was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment for disobedience of orders on the high seas. John Lawrence Sullivan pleaded guilty to charges of forgery of railway consignment notes and theft, and was committed to the Supremo Court for sentence. Patrick M'Kibbon, a young man with several aliases, the chief of which was “Dr Clayton,” pleaded guilty to charges of forgery and false pretences and was committed to the Auckland Supreme Court for sentence. It was explained that accused was already awaiting sentence on two other charges, while siiil another remains to be preferred against him. Burglars entered the Lower Hutt Borough Council offices and stole about £SOO. The strongroom was entered evidently by means of a key which had been lost a day or so previously. The office safe in the strongroom, containing a sum of money, was also apparently opened by one of the lost keys. The strongroom was considerably disturbed, papers and books being strewn over the floor. A table and two chairs were taken from the office into the strongroom, probably to enable the burglars to reach the high shelves. The burglars left a considerable sum of money iu a roller-top desk in the town clerk’s private office. The desk had been opened, but the money was overlooked. This money was held in trust by the town clerk and not connected with the borough funds. The plucky action of a Gisborne Maori boy, Colin Ria, 13 years of age, was responsible for the prevention of what, but for liis prompt assistance, would almost certainly have resulted in the drowning of a little girl recently. It appears that about 4.30 o’clock that afternoon, a number of children were playing op the river bank, near the stockyards, when a little girl, the daughter of Mr and Mrs E. Frances, Customhouse street, fell into the river. As she was being carried seawards bv the ebb tide the Maori boy clambered down the piles with a rope and managed to secure the child and pull her up on to the bank. Had the boy not caught her before she drifted further out into the stream and towards the entrance, adult help would have arrived too late to have been of amuse. The child, fortunately suffered no serious ill-effects from her immersion. For some years past Mbs Tillman, of Marion street. Cnvorsham, lias entertained at afternoon tea carlv in the year a number of elderly ladies of her acquaintance. This year a dozen were able to accept licr invitation, two arriving in invalid chairs; but intimation was received that a number of others were too frail or were under the care of a medical man. and were unable to be present, including Airs Mnmi. who is 93 years of age. Those who attended appeared to enjo'- themselves very much in a quiet way. Mrs Tillman presented special prizes to rite oldest and youngest present. Tn all. 14 sat down to tea. including Mrs Tillman and Mrs Really (wife of the Rev. Mr Ratty, of the Cavevshnni Presbyterian Church). The ladies look forward with the keenest interest to the annual reunions, and .appreciate the thoughtfulness of Mrs Tiltman in giving them an opportunity to meet

old friends -and exchange experiences of Hurly days.