NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 19293, 11 July 1924, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

FROM ALL PARTS OF THE DOMINION.

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. Favoured by teachers. (Par United Press Assoaation.| CHRISTCHURCH, July 10. . Mr J. C. Pradhoe of Christchurch, who fn April last issued voting papers to school teachers with the object of ascertaining their views on the two questions submitted, announces that the following are the resuks as certified by Messrs EL Holland and J. Russell Brunt, Justices of the Peace. (No. 1.) In favour of repealing the words in the Education Act “and the teaching shall be entirely of a secular character.” 608: against the repeal 363. (No. 2.) In favour of a uniform plan of Bible reading in all State schools on the lines set down in the voting paper, 530; against the plan 354. COURT OF APPEAL. INTERESTING CASE. WELLINGTON, July 10. The Court of Appeal to-day considered the appeal in Bolton versus Knight, a ease ran<<naxing from Wellington, but of general interest. The appeal is against the judgment of Mr Justice Salmond, who decided that an occupier of land is liable for a nuisance affecting his neighbour, notwithstanding that the cause of nuisance was created by his predecessor in title. In this case the nuisance complained cf was the collapse of a retaining wall against which accumulations of artificial earth had been banked for the purpose of levelling the ground of the upper occupier. The retaining wall having collapsed, the artificial earth came through and did damage on the land of the lower occupier. Decision was reserved ROYAL SHOW, NOT FOR OTAGO. CHRISTCHURCH STANDS FIRM. CHRISTCHURCH, July 10. The Canterbury A. and P. Association to-day dealt with a letter from the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Committee with respect to the Royal Agricultural Show, which is to be held in Christchurch next year. The letter requested that the Association should waive its claim for the Show in favour of the Otago A. and P. Association, if that body, which had not yet been approached by the Exhibition Committee, was prepared to enter into the necessary arrangements. The request was made in view of the desire of that the Exhibition should be made a financial success. The Chairman, Mr R. M. D. Morten, said that the first Royal Show was to be held at Palmerston North this year, and the second was to be held at Christchruch next year. If the Association was to allow the Otago Association to hold the Royal Show next year, it would mean that no Royal Show would be held in Christchurch until 1929, because in 1926 the Show was allotted to Invercargill and the following year to the North Island. After a brief discussion it was decided that the Association regretted its inability to aeede to the request. DAMAGES FOR SLANDER. COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND SCHOOL TEACHER. CHRISTCHURCH, July 10. Statements allegedly made by the Chairman of the Kirikiri School Committee in regard to a school teacher’s character, were the subject of a claim for damages to the extent of £4O at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when Elizabeth Affleck proceeded against Edward Lassen, of Oxford, farmer. After hearing evidence, the Magistrate (Mr H. Y. Widdowson), said that the question was whether there had been a conspiracy, or whether the slanderous statements were made. The conclusion he had come to was that there had been slander on the part of defendant. It was a very contemptible action of defendant's and the amount of claim was very small. Judgment would be given for plaintiff for the nd’ amount claimed, together with costs. BREAK WITH ALLIANCE. UNIONS TAKING BALLOTS, WELLINGTON, July 10. It is stated that since the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants severed its affiliation with the .Affiance of Labour other Labour organisations have been considering the advisability of taking a ballot on the question. Recently it was announced that the Freezing Workers and Allied Trades’ Federation had resolved to secure an expression of opinion from its members on such a breakaway from the Alliance, but the result of the ballot has not yet been dvlared. It is also stated authoritatively that the New Zealand Amalgamated Society of Engineers and Metal Workers has issued ballot papers on the question of severance from the Alliance. If the two organisations named decide on severance the Federation will comprise eight organisations—namely, the seamen, watersdera, miners, drivers, tramwaymen, storemen and packers and timber workers. BURGLARY AT BLENHEIM. TOBACCONISTS SHOP ENTERED. BLENHEIM, July 9. A daring robbery took place at Priddle’s hairdressing saloon during the night, the thief abstracting about £8 in cash contained in a tin cash box. It is apparent that the marauder was in the billiard saloon at the rear of the premises last evening, and took the opportunity to remove a portion of the plate glass from the Louvre. Presumably he returned after the place was closed for the night, and made an entrance to the billiard room by means of the Louvre. Once in the billiard room, a short handled spade, used as a fire shovel, was pressed into service to force open the door leading from the hairdressing saloon to the tobacco shop. Inserting his arm through the ventilator, the thief released the lock of the tobacco shop slide and stole the cash. The box was thrown on the fire left burning in the billiard saloon, but the tray apparently re- * moved with the contents. Later. A young Australian, Victor Charles Hugo Greaves (26). was arrested at Renwicktown and charged with the crime He pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court, Wellington, for sentence. SOLDIER SETTLERS. HAURAKI PLAINS GROUP GENEROUS REVALUATION. AUCKLAND, July 8. The soldier setdera on Hauraki Plains at Torehape, Kangawhera and Patetonga have been advised that the Revaluation Board has greatly reduced the prices of their sections. Each case was considered separately, but the general reduction appears to be about 50 per cent. In extreme cases the prices have been reduced from £lB to £5 per acre, the average reduction being £7 an acre. The Dominion Board has also recommended that arrears of rent be written off, and rent remitted for from two to four years, and that the Land Board grant bans.

WOUND IN THE THROAT. STRANGER FOUND IN STREET. WELLINGTON, July 9. Dennis Lynch, believed to be a stranger to Wellington, was found last evening in Mercer street, covered in blood from an apparently self-inflicted wound in the throat. The hospital authorities consider be has a good chance of recovery. The man stayed at a hotel in the city on Monday, but on going yesterday to reengage the room, he found someone else had taken it in the meantime. His subsequent movements till he was discovered in the street are unknown. FARM FERTILISERS. MINISTER RETURNS TO THB ATTACK. WELLINGTON, July 10. Hon. W. Nosworthy, in a statement, regrets the injustice done to Mr Harding, manager of the Farmers’ Fertiliser Company in assuming that he was connected with the new Farmers’ Party, but reiterates his statement regarding Messrs Ross and Duxfield, who are prominent members of the organisation which complained of high prices, both being on the directorate of manufacturing concerns. The Minister says it is idle to deny that be had brought pressure on the companies to effect reductions in selling prices. The Government had done its part to help lower prices for raw material, and to secure a corresponding reduction in the selling price. After perusing the company’s balance-sheet the Minister says that what concerns him was the price the farmer had to pay for manures in order to wipe off the losses of the company due to serious mistakes during the erection of the works, and also to enable it to achieve a substantial profit. Another aspect of the matter was the action of the manufacturing Company in refusing to allow wholesale purchasers to sell below a scale of prices to farmers. STREET STANDS. A HINDU MONOPOLY; CASTE BIDS AGAINST CASTE. Every quarter it is the duty of the Chief Inspector, Mr L. S. Drake, to sell by auction the right to occupy the street fruit stands of Wellington, which are only applied for as a rule by Hindu residents. The other afternoon the rights for the July-September quarter were sold in the usual way, fifteen stands realising £241 2/6, as against £147 13/- for the corresponding quarter last year. The bidding was spirited. About thirty Hindus were in attendance and, on the surface, they were a quiet, smiling lot who seemed to be on the best of terms one with the other. It was the bidding which showed that there was something more than met the eye. When it came to the sale of the Bowen Street stand bidding commenced at £4 10/-, and rose at one bid to £lO and then at another to £3O, and was finally knocked down at £53 5/—a weekly rental of £4 2/- for a back street comer. When the next stand, near the dispatch office at Lambton Quay, was put up there was another thrill, for the bidding jumped from £5 to £35 in one bid, then to £4O and £45, and was finally kocked down at £5l 10/-; just about £4 per week rental. The last stand at Rintoul Street did not induce a bid. ‘Keep it for the council” was the advice given by one native of Bombay. Seeking some light on the subject of street commerce, a reporter approached one of the Hindus. “Do all these stands pay at these prices?” was asked. “Pay! No, not many. Too high. Indian against Indian; too much all time no good. Winter cold.” In reply to further questions, he said: “Last time I pay £5 10/- for Vivian Street and make nothing; just leeving. No penny profit. Indian against Indian. They buy not to make money, but to keep other fellow out. Seven castes, yet all come from Bombay. Gujeret, it is so silly,” and he spat to show what he thought of the folly of his countrymen. GOLDEN WEDDING SEQUEL LICENSING CHARGE FAILS. A convivial evening held at the Empire Hotel, Greymouth, on June 14, to celebrate a golden wedding had a sequel at the Magistrate’s Court last Monday, when the acting-licensee, Mrs McKechnie, was charged with exposing and selling liquor after legal hours. Mr J. W. Hannan appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Senior-Sergeant McCarthy said that Mrs McKechnie held an order from the Licensing Committee giving her control of the hotel during the absence of her husband, the licensee. At 9.45 p.m. on June 14, Sergeant Fryer and a constable were admitted after some delay by Mrs McKechnie, who informed the sergeant that she was giving a social evening to a friend and other invited guests on the occasion of the friend’s golden wedding. She invited the police to go upstairs and see for themselves. They found a num her of other residents there. Liquor was on the table. The police point of view was that there was no question of Mrs MeKechnie’s bona fides, but the police were not aware of the function until they ; entered the premises. In the circumstances, they had no option but to bring the case before the Magistrate. As regards the exposure of liquor, the bar was admittedly not open. “It seems to me that if the police bring such licensees before the Court, it is more persecution than anything else,” said Mr Hannan. If the police, did not accept the explanations of licensees at the time, why did they request explanations? “I don’t think there is any necessity to call Mrs McKechnie to give evidence,” remarked the Magistrate. “She gave her explanation to the sergeant at the time.” He held that Mrs McKechnie had a common law right to entertain her friends if she so desired. On the facts he did not think it possible to convict. The charges were dismfissed. READING FOR INVALIDS. APPEAL TO BOOK BUYERS. Suffering in all its phases from the scarcely conscious infantile paralysis patient to the adult of mature years, the wreckage of war, is represented at King George V. Hospital, Rotorua. There is more than physical tragedy in these latter cases. Men utterly deprived of bodily mobility, with memories of hardships undergone and with a grey outlook for the future, have spent months in the institution, and face the prospect of spending many months more. Almost their sole solace is literature , books, magazines and illustrated papers. The public in the past have been very generous and thoughtful in sending supplies and it may be some recompense to the donors to know how greatly the gifts are appreciated, and how eagerly the patients look forward to consignments. There are thousands of city men and women who buy, almost daily, some book or magazine, read it, and cast it aside. With a little thought and trouble they may forge further links in the chain of love and charity, wrapping up the books and posting them to the King George V. .Hospital, where they ace so desired.

DEARTH OF CLERGY. SOME POSSIBLE CAUSES. The question of the dearth of clergy was dealt with by Bishop Sprott in his charge at the opening of the Wellington Anglican Synod on Tuesday. Bishop Sprott said: I do not think it is at all realised by our people how difficult it is just now to obtain suitable clergy for our parishes. The fact is, there is a wide-spread dearth of clergy. One obvious cause of this, as far as the Church of England is concerned, is that large numbers of young men who would now be entering the ministry were killed in the war. But this is not the whole account of the matter. Even before the war the number of candidates for the ministry was decreasing. Many reasons have been given for this; but I myself think the chief cause is to be found in the vast unsettlement of beliefs so characteristic of our time. “We live in an age of upheaval, and in every department of human life old-estab-lihsed beliefs, principles and institutions—social, moral, political, as well as religious —are being questioned. To these unsettling influences the young are specially sensitive. They lack the experience of life which, in the sphere of religion would enable them clearly to realise and rightly to estimate the alternatives to Christian faith which are being presented to them. As a consequence they are tossed hither and thither between incompatible views of life —its meaning and purpose, and are not sufficiently sure of themselves to make an irrevocable choice. It is a condition which merits the utmost sympathy and the utmost patience.” A WOMEN’S CLUBc LIBEL PROCEEDINGS THREATENED. For the past fortnight, a large section of the feminine population of Wellington has been chiefly discussing recent proceedings in connection with one of the women’s clubs. It is stated that the Committee of the club wished to get rid of one of its prominent members, and with that object in view a meeting of the club was convened by circular. At this meeting strong differences of opinion were ventilated, and it is now understood that the question at issue will be further ventilated inCourt. At all events, a prominent legal firm has been consulted, and a writ claiming £lOOO for alleged libel in a circular issued to members, is likely to be issued. If the case does come before the Court, it promises to be unusually interesting, whatever the result may be. Quite a number of the most prominent women in Wellington are members of the club. LABOUR PARTY. TALK OF A SPLIT. It was whispered in political circles yesterday (states Saturday’s New Zealand Times) that all was not well within the ranks of the Labour group in Parliament. It was said that Mr McCombs was not at all pleased with the party, and that he was about to discontinue occupying the same room as the other members of the party. It was said, also, that when Mr McCombs who is out of Wellington at present, went away the Labour Party declined the offer of a pair for him. Another part of the story was that Mr Jordan was somewhat discontented, and that it was possible he would not continue in general agreement with his colleagues. As Mr McCombs was not in Wellington he could not be referred to on Friday evening, but Mr Jordan was approached. He said he was not aware of any discord. Mr Jordan admitted that some of the party took exception to his recent statement that there was no leader in the Labour Party. Mr Jordan said he stuck to that statement, and proceeded: “ There is no split in the party. There is complete unanimity on matters of importance, though on minor matters members have their individual opinions. I said that on matters of detail I recognise no leader, and I will say that Mr Holland does not fill the role of leader, but of chairman of the Parliamentary Party. He fills that position satisfactorily, in that before he speaks for the party he consults its members, “ I certainly would not allow any man to make a statement committing the whole of the party unless I previously gave my consent. I represent Manukau, and I certainly will not hand that over to any man unconditionally, or to any body of men. In the Labour Party there is complete harmony in striving for the uplift of the great mass of people.” Other members of the party also said there was no split in the party, and that, if necessary, a pair would be asked for for Mr McCombs. Mr McCombs was not at home yesterday, but Mrs McCombs, commenting on the above statement, said: “You may take my word for it—it is a lot of rubbish!” Subsequently a reporter saw Mr McCombs, who said: “I cannot improve on Mrs McCombs’s statement that the report is a lot of rubbish.” CHAMOIS HERD. ESTABLISHED OVER WIDE AREA. During recent years, the chamois imported to New Zealand through the influence of the late Emperor of Austria, Franz Josef, have increased in numbers in the Hooker and Tasman Valleys, at Mount Cook, and now are often seen by climbers and by tourists who visit the mountain huts. There is now evidence that they are spreading to other parts, and have actually crossed the main divide. Writing from Waiho Gorge on June 25, Messrs Graham Bros, state: “It is interesting to note that during the season one chamois was seen on the slopes of Mount Moltke, and later on the footprints of four more were seen on the Bird Range below the Aimer Glacier. This is an indication that the chamois herd liberated at the Hermitage some years ago are spreading and establishing themselves over a wide area. ’ SUNDAY FOOTBALL. SAILORS STOPPED AT PORT CHALMERS. Sailormen evidently have the goodwill of a number of Borough Councillors at Port Chalmers. It appears that up to the past month or two the crews of vessels at the wharf have always found the Port Chalmers recreation ground a delightful place for a quiet game of football on Sunday. The police, recently stopped the practice. At a meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council one of the Councillors moved that the seamen be allowed the use of the recreation ground on Sundays, and in the discussion which- ensued, inquiries were made as to who had instructed the police to interfere. The information was not supplied. One Councillor was very emphatic in putting the case for the seamen. He said that they were huddled up on board ship all the week, and although he would not stand for Sunday football matches, he saw no reason whatever why they should not be permitted the mild recreation of kicking a football about on Sunday, as they had always been in the habit of doing. Other Councillors were sympatheticThey did not want to stop sailors’ football, but felt uneasy at the thought of actually permitting it. A suggestion to seek the advice of the Municipal Association as to the Council’s jurisdiction in the matter of Sunday games was agreed to as a way out.

THE PAGEANT LOTTERY, CHIEF JUSTICE’S WIFE WINS £350. In connection with the Citizen Soldiers’ Pageant held at Wellington a few months ago, there was an art union, in which the first prize was a number of gold nuggets of the value of £350. The lottery was drawn on the evening of June 21. The number of the winning ticket was 20876, but as there was no name on it, the executive was unable to announce who had won the prize. All that was known was that the winning ticket had been sold by the Committee of the “Mary Queen of Scots” candidate. The winner turns out to be Lady Stout, the wife of the Chief Justice. Lady Stout produced the ticket on Saturday morning, and claimed the prize, which will now be handed to her.