NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13738, 2 June 1913, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The vital statistics for tho month of May were: Births 23, marriages 7, deaths 15.

The annual meeting of the Nelson Licensing Committee will be held at noon to-day. '

A general mooting of tho Navy League will bo held at the Institute at 5 p.m. to-day.

A special meeting of tho Nelson Football Club will he held at the Commercial, Hoi.el ■ this evening at 7.30 o'clock.

Tho Nelson Citizens' Band, in conjunction with Mr F. N. Jones' magnaphone, gave a most enjoyable concert in the Botanical Reserve yesterday afternoon. In spito of the 'cold day thero was a good audience

Mr P. Wells, a former from the Croixelles, met with a painful accident yesterday. He was killing a sheep and the knife slipped, resulting in a severe gash on his thigh. lie was placed in a motor launch and brought to Nelson in the afternooiij where ho received medical treatment.

The Citizens' Band wishes to publicly thank Mr Thos. Cawthron for his most handsome donation towards the Band's funds.

After being idle for several weeks, with great loss to both owners and men, tho Puponga coal mine is again in full swing, and the first cargo to reach Nelson since the trouble arrived on Saturday. Tho mine, we aro informed, will very shortly be working up to its full capacity.

In another column will be found an announcement with regard to tho Trocadero private hotel, Wellington. This house is centrally situated, and is now under new management, Mr A. E. Hardcastlo, woll and favourably known to many Nelsonians, being in charge. Particulars as to--tariff, etc., will bo found in the advertisement.

"Nurses are not very easy to get now, and it is quite evident to the Department that there is a dearth of nurses," remarked Dr. Valintine (In-spector-General of Hospitals) at a meeting of the Christchurch Hospital Board.

A shopkeeper, who had been for some years in business in a North Island tcnynship, being annoyed by the opposition of newcomers, put up a sign— "Established in 1889," rather priding himself on the reputation which his store enjoyed for so long a time. The next day his rival across the street burlesqued his sign in this way —"Established in 1913. No old goods on hand."

"The excess of drunkenness in Auckland is, to a groat extent, due to the lax manner in which some of the hotels bars in the city are conducted. Sufficient precautions are not taken to prevent the serving'of already inebriated individuals with more liquor." This statement was made by Inspector McGrath during the hearing of a licensing prosecution in the Police Court. Ho added that he intended to make every endeavour to bring all such offenders to book.

A Waihi resident and his wife had rather a sensational experience on Sunday, when returning from a drive to Waihi beach. They wore entering the town about dusk, when a woman suddenly rushed to the trap. She had a revolver in her right hand, and she ordered the man to stop, threatening to shoot if ho did not _pull up. The man immediately pulled his horses up, and the woman called out: "Is that you, Norman r"' The reply was in the negative, and tho woman imemdiatejy rushed off.

Tho musical section of this community will no doubt avail itself of the opportunity which will present itself this evening of hearing a, Chopin recital, with biographical sketches, delivered by Miss Kompthorno. Long study, including two years sit the Royal Academy of Music in London, has equipped M'lks Kompthorne with a

knowledge of this great master, amongst others, Avill should prove highly instructive to tho large number of people which it is confidently expected will be present at tho Druids' Hall. Tho greatest compositions of Chopin will bo rendered, a list of which is advertised -in this issue. The performer's ability is unquestionable. Press comments upon Miss Kenip-thorne's-playing and capacity to lecture have been of a highly flattering nature. An Alaskan contemporary ,_ in a glowing review of a Chopin recital given in that portion of the world, remarked: "The player proved that she possessed great power of touch as well as clearness and delicacy, tho magnificent left hand passages being rendered in a highly effective manner. The last part of this number was the etude in G flat nmjor, one of Chopin's most brilliant compositions, which is played almost entirely on the black koys." Mr T. Houlker, whose splendid1 baritone voico has been hoard at so many concerts of Into, will contribute several items to tho programme. The box plan is open at Bogg's.

The offices of the solicitors practising in Nelson, Mbtuokaj and Takaka, will 'be closed to-morrow j the King's Birthday.;

It is reported that a well-known Wellington business man has drawn first prize in a big sweepstake in Australia.

A Greymouth telegram states that owing to unfavourable replies from a monetary point of view it has been decided to abandon the proposal to form a West Coast court at the Auckland Exhibition.

A sitting of the Railway Appeal Board will be held to-day at the Magistrate's Court, commencing at ten o'clock. The Board consists of Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M., Messrs J. Gray (representing the Ist division), aiid P. Gainson (representing the 2nd division). Mr M. Dennehy, of Wanganui, will appear for the appellants, and MiDavidson for the Department. There are several cases set down for hearing and the proceedings may last two days.

A. homing pigeon belonging to Mr. Joseph Difon, of Masterton, which, was liberated in a race from Christehurch two years ago, returned to its loft on May 18th. _ Another bird that was in the federation race from Parcngarenga in January hist, returned on May 22r.d. From appearances the birds had "been detained, and probably had thoir wings cut.

According to a Timaru telegram an outcome of the recent trouble over the wharf work was the prosecution on Saturday of a young man -named Murphy for violently assaulting C. S. Brewer, because from tho accused's point of view Brewer was a "scab." Counsel for defendant said tho latter was not a wharf worker. Tho row, however, began with the defendant inquiring, "Are you one of those 'scabs' ?" Tho" Magistrate remarked that the large attendance at the- Court indicated that the assault was more than an ordinary squabble, and he imposed a fine of £5 and costs 265, or fourteen days' imprisonment, half tho fine to gotowards the complainant's medical expenses (which the defendant promised to pay). The complainant's nasal 'bone way broken.

A man named Eden, the owner of a car plyin;- for hire, was charged at the Timaru Magistrate's Court on Saturday, says a Press telegram, with driving on a public road by night without lights. The case was dismissed on a piece of delicate evidence. Eden is alleged to have been on the wrong side. He met a motor cycle with a light, and to avoid a collision suddenly turned the car right round, upset it, and was pinned beneath it. Tho charge was dismissed on the evidence that he told the cyclist, who came to his aid, to put out tho lights for fear that the petrol would bo fired, and he be burned with the car. They were then/mt, however. Another witness said that the insinV of the bottom of the kerosene head light was smoked, as if with burning for a while when upside down.