LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19433, 20 October 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Someone on mischief bent has been knocking the tops off the palings of some front fences on Durie Hill. The subifrban residents who have thus suffered are trying to catch the vandal.

The dredge Kaione leaves this week for Wellington to undergo an overhaul. When she returns she will resume dredging in the floating basin, land the spoil will be pumped on to the foreshore near the Soap works. Pipes for this purpose are now being placed in position.

An unusual application came before the Auckland City Council, when Mr C. Baker, in la letter, suggested that the name of Grey Street should be changed, as he found diffieutly in letting houses there through the name being unpopular with tenants. The Council “received” the letter.

At the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning Percy W. Benson, for failing to attend drill, was convicted and fined 10s and costs 7s. A conviction for a similar offence was recorded against J. T. Hoad, and he was ordered to pay the expenses (amounting to two shillings) in regard to the service of the summons.

The capital of the company which is to be formed in Auckland to start a new evening daily paper in that city is £300,000. Mr. E. C. Huie, managing director of the “Christchurch Sun” is to bo managing editor of the new company, fcnd it is understood that he will take up his residence in Auckland very shortly. The company’s project includes the purchase of the Christchurch “Sun” at roughly £lOO,OOO.

The appeal issued by the Wanganui City Council to ratepayers recently requesting them to meet their obligations in regard to the payment of rates has met with a good response, although there is the sum of £58,000 still outstanding. This figure is indicative of the fact that not one-third of the total rates have been collected. It will be in the interests of citizens generally to make a point of paying rates by the date stipulated, October 28 next.

Yesterday afternoon a cyclist named Harold Young, of Matai Street, Castlecliff, was knocked over in the Avenue by a motor car driven by Mrs Brown, of Kai Iwi. The injured man was taken to Kitchen’s Pharmacy, where he was attended by Dr H. D. Robertson. Later he was conveyed to the Wanganui Hospital, where he was found to be suffering from shock and abrasions to his legs. He was after wards able to return to his home.

“I am not a mother —no, I’m not! But I would be if I were a woman?” said Mr F. N. Bartram, in confidential tones during his speech at Grey Lynn. “But, I am the father of four mothers, and the grandfather of a lot of children. I’ve been in New Zealand 30 years—keep that in the back of your mind,” (Mr Bartrain’s fist descends on the table) —“and they call mo a paid agitator from England! It’s not being an agitator that matters. What you are agitating for is the thing.”

The Maori Elections will be held on Tuesday, November 3, the day before the General Election. It may not be generally known that there is a section in the Legislature Act which provides that: “It shall not be lawful to sell or supply to any Maori, any intoxicating liquor on the day on which any election is held for a Maori Electoral District, and every person who commits a breach of this provision shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds.”

R. Rat an a, for having in his possession a gun that was not registered, was convicted and ordered to pay costs 16s at the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Senior-Ser-geant Lopdell stated that the gun had been the property of a native who had died, and it had come into the possession of the defendant, who did not know anything about the responsibilities of registration. The gun seemed to be somewhat of community property at the Kaiwhaiki Pah.

A Wanganui resident, who has jus*, returned from an extended tour of the Hawke’s Bay district, stated yesterday that the country from Dannevirke to Gisborne is looking very dry. On top of an unfavourable winter, hot weather has come and prevented the grass coming away as well as usually. Rain was required all over the district, and more particularly round about Hastings. The stock were not in the best of condition, and the informant considered that, viewing conditions from all angles, Wanganui farmers were faring better than those in any of the districts through which he had passed.

All sorts of noises are associated with election meetings, but it is very seldom that snores are hetird at a lively kind of meeting such as was addressed at Morrinsville by Mr C. E. Macmillan, M.P. About half way through his speech loud snores from near the front row nearly drowned the speaker’s remarks. A most reputable citizen, seated languidly and with eyes closed was lat first blamed, hut those audible signs of sleep were eventually traced to a lonesome Maori, who had wandered into the meeting, thinking perhaps, that the usual picture was in progress.

“The City Council is concerned about the footpaths and knows that the cause of the footpaths being in a state of disrepair is largely attributable to abuse at the hands of builders.” This observation was made by Inspector Geo. Fear at the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, when R. W. Bull was charged with permitting carting over a footpath without first adequately protecting it. The inspector pointed out that the damage was done in Jones Street, and it was necessary to bring the case to impress upon builders the necessity for protecting the footpaths, which were often left in a dangerous state. The defendant was convicted and fined 10s and costs 7s. A similar charge was preferred against Alexander A. Sharp for failing to protect the footpath in Glasgow Street. The defendant pleaded guilty, but pointed out that while only three feet of asphalt had been damaged by his workmen, the City Council employers had destroyed ten feet consequent upon laying gas and water mains. The Magistrate said that damage by carting bricks over a footpath was avoidable, but it was unavoidable where mains had to be laid. The defendant was convicted and fined £1 10s with costs 7s. in tw— 1 - """" 1 1 ■ ~ 11 •