NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 50

NEWS IN BRIEF.

At tlie annual meeting of the Maniototo County Council on Wednesday last the clerk remarked that the present year concluded the County Jubilee, the first meeting being held on January 3. 1877. The Prime Minister has advised the North Canterbury Hospital Board that the Government will not subsidise moneys subscribed for the Nurses’ Memorial Chapel. Mr Justice Alpers recently declared that legislation was more rapid in New Zealand than in the Old Country. New Zealand's Parliament would put through as much in three months as the douse of Commons would do in three years. At a meeting of head masters at Wellington it was decided to amalgamate the various Head Masters' Associations of New Zealand into one federated body, with ucadquarterß at Auckland for this year. Mr Hall, of the Gladstone School, Mount Albert, was elected the first president of the new body.

At the annual reunion of South African veterans at New Plymouth on the 24th the president announced that official notice had been received that the Government had agreed to give veterans who had become qualified for the old-age pension a special South African war pension of £26 per year. New Zealand Band Sunday will be held on Sunday next. All bands in New Zealand have been requested to hold a church parade on this date, together with any other kindred associations similar to the South African Veterans' Association. The Wellington City Council on Tuesday evening discussed proposals to discontinue the present system of rating on the improved value, and to take a poll of the ratepayers to determine the method. Aftei discussion the motion was carried by six votes to four. “I know of no town with lower rates than those obtaining in Palmerston North," declared the Mayor a meeting of the Borough Council. “There may be some, but I don’t know of any," he added.

At tbe Police Court at Invercargill the other morning Frederick Warren Smith was charged that on February 17, at i’apatotara, he did kill two native birds (pigeons). The defendant, who pleaded guilty, was fined £5, costs 8s 6d, in default 14 days hard labour, and one mouth wherein to pay it. “You know this was the car that the Prince of Wales was driven about in at Hawera,” said counsel to witness «’n a Supreme Court- action at New Plymouth (reports the Herald). “And are you asking anything extra on that account?” quickly queried Mr Justice Ostler, amid general laughter. “Architectural students put in too much time in the offices cf their employers. The? do not go out to the buildings enough. Certainly their scope is confined in New Zealand, for they have no histone buildings to look to for inspiration,” said Mr S. Hurst Seager, president of the New Zealand Institute Architects, in Christchurch

A tribute to the greatness of Colonel Malone as a soldier was recalled by Captain Hartnell at the South African Veterans’ reunion in New Plymouth, when he told of General Birdwood’s selection of Colonel Malone to be the officer in charge of Quin’s Post. From one of the most critical points in the line it was transformed into what became known as an “old man’s home.'** The Children’s Court sat in the Y.M.C.A building, Auckland on Wednesday morning, when Mrs N. E. Ferner sat with Mr S. C Cutten, S.M The Magistrate cordially welcomed Mrs Ferner who, he said, had always taken a deep interest in the welfare of children. Mrs Ferner said she hoped to be able to being i mother’s viewpoint to bear in children’s cases with a wise and soui d judgment. The secretary of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has been advised (remarks the Lyttelton Times) that two or more white herons bare recently been seen on Lake Forsyth. These birds are strictly protected. At a meeting of the Owaka Progress League the following resolution was carried: —“That the secretary write to the Minister of Railways asking for a midday train on Friday, connecting with the express from Dunedin, and that a copy be sent to the Chamber of Commerce at Dunedin and to the member for the district.”

No fewer than 738,148 people are taking advantage of the facilities of the Post Office Savings Bank," said Mr Linklater, at a P. and T. smoke concert at Palmerston North. “That means that 55.48 per cent of the people of the Do minion do their banking through this department of State, it must be a record for any bank of the world." The Dominion Customs receipts for tire quarter ended March 31 were £2,147,884, compared with £1,970.836 for the previous year, and for the year e’lded March 31 the total was £8.463,536. The excise duties for the quarter totalled £197,39 7 , compared with £205,488 a year ago, and for the whole vear to March 31 the amount was £740 423.

A statement that set a number of people guessing was made by Mr Coates when dealing with the question of allotting the portfolio of Public Works, which he will be unable to continue to hold much longer. He said that the man who was wanted for the job was one who had been “way back"—a man who had travelled in the mud as well as on the best of roads. “1 earn 38s a day when there is work enough for me.” said a freezing works slaughterman when assessing his expenses as a witness in the Christchurch Magistrate's Court. This amount moved the Magistrate (Mr H A. Young, S.M.) to ask jocularly of the sergeant who prosecuted: “Did you say you intended resigning from the police force, sergeant?" St am superheating is finding much favour on the New Zealand Railways, and some of the “Q” class locomotives are being altered to adapt them to this process. Though built some } r ears ago, they were faithfluly constructed (says the Lyttelton Times), and have many years ot service before them. One “Q” locomotive already has been altered. It is at work on the West Coast, and is putting up good performances. The proposal recently put forward that the Government should prohibit trolling for trout within 150 yards of the Lake Taupo shore and within 300 yards of the mouths of rivers flowing into the lake, is reported to have been received with anything but satisfaction by the local residents of Taupo. They ray that it means a virtual wiping out of this form

of lishiug, which is especially popular with oversea visitors.

‘‘Sell the public coloured water flavoured with sugar and charge an impressive price and you will get hundreds of testimonials,” said Mr F. K. Hunt S.M., in the Auckland .Police Court, when it was submitted that a mixture of sulphuric acid and water had effected many cures for goitre. “We know the public weakness, added the magistrate. “It will attribute recoveries and cures to anything it has been paying for." A correspondent writes asking whether there is anything in names (says the Wanganui Herald), and points out that ever since the Power Board decided to name the Okoia sub-station “Blink Bonnie" the power and lights have been doing nothing but blinking ever since. . 3 adds humorously that the Power Board should carefully weigh the effects of any more of these change-overs in names.

The GUborne Harbour Board’s dredge Kama, ir. making an excavation for r,he diversion of the river in connection with the harbour works, has achieved results which are claimed to eclipse the best work of cny si mi liar vessel in New Zealand. During two months’ operations the Korua removed over. 100,000 tons of spoil, the bulk of which was papa rock. At present the vessel is maintaining an average of nearly 1500 tons per week. The total on one day reached 400 tons. At its annual meeting in Wellington on Thursday, the Aard Motor Services Association discussed the overseas tourist traffic in New Zealand, and at the conclusion of the conference a deputation waited on the general manager of ihe Tourist Department with a view to the co-operation of both the Tourist Department and the motor services generally in the overseas advertisement of the attractions of New Zealand.

Some doctors hnd a habit of putting the name of a chemist at the top of their* prescriptions, said Mr Clyde Carr at Wednesday's meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. No doubt, he said, they “got a cut out of it.” The board, he considered. should protest against this. Members agreed, after a very short discussion, that the matter was not the board’s business.

Hitherto it has been the custom of police constables when escorting prisoners from one part of the Dominion to the other to do so in plain clothes. A recent circular stipulates that the escorting in future must be done in uniform, and that the constable must travel back to his station in uniform. In regard to mental patients the constables may travel in mufti, according to the circumstances.

Nearly three months after being posted. a letter addressed to a Palmerston North resident a 1: “Rangitikei street. Palmerston North.. Northern Territory,” has reached the addressee. Probably the sender had in mind the town of Palmerston in Northern Territory. Australia. Having reached that town a Postal official discovered that Palmerston North was in New Zealand, and wrote across the envelope the words, “Try Northern New Zealand.”

At Mokau, near Whangaruru, on the coast, between- Whangarei and Russell, was buried on May 6 a Maori warrior, Renea, mcna Wetere or Remo. The funeral took place in the presence of about 100 Maori l>eople. including visitors from Waikare. Deceased, who ed four davs previously, was 102 years of according to Maori records. As the coffin was lowered into the grave a Native, stationed on an adinoent hill, fired a salute of 21 shots with a gun. The women then indulged in the old-time tangi. The duties that fall to the lot cf a tramway? conductor are both manifold and varied. Tbe other afternoon kite Dominion road terminus reseml led a lake of moderate size (says, the Auckland Star), and when a tramcar reached there two ladv passengers reTarded the outlook with alarm. The conductor, however was equal to the occasion, and with a chivalry that would r.i.ve done credit to Sir Walter Raleigh of old. he came to the assistance of beauty in distress. He made two trips to the sidewalk, on each occasion carrying one of tie Indies on his back

A beautiful white crane has been seen during the past few days in the Temuks district (reports the Timaru .Post), and it is well that sportsmen should know that these birds are protected and that anyone destroying them is liable to a henvv penalty of €25. The bird, which is quite tame, would h<» an easy prev for a man with a gun. and has probably come from the rookery on the West Coast Periodically a lonely bird appears in this district, but more than on4>hay not yet been seen. Mr Denis Kehoc telis an amusing story that happened at Ruatoria. a township containing 90 per cent, of Maoris (states Ihe Bav of Plenty Times). “The Intruder” was billed to be presented in the local hall, and the show eventually opened to a crammed house, about 3 per cent of which were Europeans. The majority of the Maoris could not understand English, nor the entertainment, and fhev displayed their feelings accordingly, so after the second act the play was stopped, and an unrehearsed musical comedy was substituted, which “went over” splendidly. An unusual sight witnessed at Lyttelton recently was the funeral of a lascar member of th* crew of the steamer Sussex, who died while the vessel was on her way there from Wellington. As the coffin left the ship, the deceased man’s messmates sang a chant of mystic meaning, its significance being known only to themselves. The funeral procession then proceeded to the cemetery, where one of the crew conducted the funeral service according to Mohammedan custom, including the singing of dirges and the performance of many symbolic gestures.

Auckland—the queen city of the north—where the interest is guarded with commendable jealousy, will be immensely pleased to read of the following instance of ignorance of the northern capital's locality from as near home as Brisltane (remarks the Wellington Evening Post). A letter received by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce bore the following inscription:—“To the Director. Wellington, and Auck In ml Chamber of Commerce, Wellington. New Zealand.” Wellington may be responsible for having a zephyr occasionally. but it can’t be held to blame for the above! Oysters will soon make their appearance on Auckland menus, for the season in Auckland will open on June 10. From reports received there is every prospect of a most successful season (says the Star). The various beds throughout the province have been inspected during the last few weeks, and the o iters are verir

plentiful. Last season nearly 8000 sacks were obtaiued, this being a substantial increase on the previous season, and it is expected that this year the number will be equalled, if not passed. The oysters this season will come from the beds at Russell, Whangarei, the Great Barrier, Coromandel, Kaipara, and Hauraki Gulf.

“The day of the six-wheel lorry is coming,” said Mr W. Iggulden at a meeting regarding a weighbridge in Masterton. ‘These lorries, carrying eight tons, would probably not be so hard on roads aa four-wheel lorries with a load of four tons. The reason was that in the latter the weight was practically all on the back wheels, whereas with the six-wheel lorry, the weight wa<* more evenly distributed. At the conference of secondary school teaches in Welingtou on Thursday, a remit was carried urging the University Senate to revise the syllabuses in history and geography for m triculation and junior university scholarship examinations, so as to bring line with modern requirements. The mover declared that history and geography were the ugly sisters of the secondary school curriculum. “We had to leave New Zealand yesterday,” writes Mr Zane Grey to Mr A. H. Messenger, of the Government Publicity Department, “which certainly was a wrench, a queer feeling, an one quite unprecedented foi Zane Grey, but you were all so nice and kind and so helpful that I look forward to my next visit. This morning I saw tbe East Cape, and said goodbye to your laud of long daylight.” Mr Grey’s book upon his New Zealand trip will be entitled “New Zealand, the Fisherman’s Eldorado” (reports the Wellington Evening Po-t). and, judging from some of the proofs which have already come to hand, it will be one of the finest advertisements New Zealand has ever had.

Keserved judgment Bv Mr Justice OstW at Hamilton on Friday last, delivered in an action brought by Dvne3 Fulton, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company. again«t English and Luxford. accountants. Hamilton, for £IOO damages for alleged breach’ of contract. The case arose out of an address given at Matanei by Mr *Fulton. This resulted in defendant bringing an action which was settled on condition that the terms he keot confidential, but which it was alleged the defendants had disclosed. Defendants counter-claimed for £IOOO for an alleged shuFar breach. Judgment was for the defendants on the claim, with costs, expense, and disbursements. On the eounter-cln : m defendants were granted £1 damages, defendants to pay their owu costs.

“This vonng man’s record seem* to show that he is a ver? consi tent shirker from military drill. He was tw‘pp fined last venr for f ailin<r to atfpnd drill,” remarked Mr A. M Mowlem. S.M.. in the Wellington Police Court in regard to a youth who failed tc pot in an appearance to a n swer a charge of failing to attend drill. “It is perfectly **sident th f d such a reung man ought not to exercise any of tho O'dinary civil rights,” continued hi« Worship “However, he will be giver one more chance. Should he come before me again on a simihr charge he will be deprived of hi* civ»l rights for a considerable period He W'M he fined £5 and costs.”

An instance of grit and determination in one of the recent immigrants from the Old Country was told by n resident of a small country township in Taranaki thp other day (remarks the TTnwera Star). TTe said that some short time ago one of these immigrants, a Scotsman, by the way. arrived at the country store one day. having tramped over fiO miles in search of work. A job was found for him, and his employer says that though he lias Ind no previous experience, and was actually employed .in a factory at Home, his work would have shamed many a New Z“nland farm hand. He is now doing quite well, and h°s been able to bring his wife and two children to the locality where he is working. Tim kindness of neighbours, too, is evidenced in the incident, for when they knew thp family was coming they all took part in helping the young man. The incident is very pleasant to hear about in these days when so much of the reverse is reported.