LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 13680, 14 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Borough workmen are at present engaged in tarring and sanding the footpaths in Rridgway Street. The Land and Income 'Tax Department gives notice that returns of income must he furnished not later than Ist June.

The New Zealand Laud Values League, which has branches in the four centres, has decided to join the United Labour Party. The latest organisation to join the ranks of the United Labour Party is the V\ eilington Cooks’ and Waiters' and Hotel Employees’ Union, with branches at Wanganui, Palmerston North, and Napier. Idle Union brings SUO members to the party. Good progress is being made with the erection of the Education Board’s new offices on the old Collegiate School site, Avenue. The brickwork is now making a good showing, and it should now be only a comparatively short time before the building is ready for occupation, with the new offices, the Technical College, and the Infants’ School, the Board will nos ess one of the finest blocks of buildings m town.

Messrs 11. S. G. Harper and A. A. Gower, J.’s P., gave judgment for plaintiff in the following undet'eude dcivil cases at the Magistrate’s Court this morning: —C. E. Mackay v. John Lynch, £2 14s fid; McGruer and Co. v. Mary Tansey, £5 11s; R. C. Earle v. Peehi Akitoro, £18; Royal Cycle Co. v. T. Arnott, 15s; Baggett and Potts v. James Mclnnery, £l6 7s 4d; Grove and Co. v. Wm. Sexton, £2 8s 6d; J. A. Thomson and Co. v. L. Jacobs, £l6 ]2s fid; Allcoek and O’Connor v. Helen Robertson, £lO 9s sd.

The resolutions issued in circular form by the Palmerston North Chamber o) Commerce, supporting the compulsory military training scheme, and which have been dealt with by most of the local *iodics in the district, formed part of the business at the meeting of the Wanganui East Borough Council last evening. The Mayor moved that the letter be "received," but several councillors thought that the Council should go further, and Cr. Luxford moved that (he Wanganui East Borough Council heartily endorses the Palmerston North resolution, and commends tin Minister's stand on the enforcement of the scheme. This was seconded and carried unanimously.

A number of people assembled at Port Chalmers yesterday afternoon in expectation of seeing the sti amor Wairoa start on her voyage to the Auckland Islands in search of the treasure supposed to he lying in the wreck of the ship General Grant. The unexpected happened, however, and it gradually became known that a writ of attachment had been issued by the Vice-Admiralty Court, restraining the vessel from sailing ponding a settlement of claims against her. The writ was issued at the instance of Messrs Stevenson and Cook, Port Chalmers, and it is understood that the amount involved is about £4OO. The managing owner has left for the Bluff, and it was impossible to get into communication with him.

Members of the Timaru Harbour Board yesterday waited ou the Minister for Railways and complained of the shortage of trucks and shunting power on the wharves especially, and of the insufficiency of shed and yard accommodation. Air J* Craigie, AI.P., added complaints as to the inconvenience of the road to the goods shed crossing the shunting and train starting vard. The Minister said that after visiting Christchurch and Timaru he saw that the truck-building programme must he revised. He intended to put an end to that complaint, and would probably have trucks builr, outside the department. He suggested that the Harbour Board follow Auckland and Wellington, and provide the facilities for working the wharves. He would consult his responsible advisers on the whole of the matters submitted to him. To provide the facilities asked for everywhere within reason was necessary for the development of our resources, but it would mean borrowing. He hoped those who asked for them wou'd not accuse the Government of frenzied finance if it borrowed to meet their requirements.

Costs arising from legal advice am 1 attendance in flip Mewhinnev v. Mewhinney divorce proceedings, recently decide 1 by tlie Court, were the subject of a case heard before Mr. Justice Cooper at Wellington. Plaintiffs (Messrs Gray and Jackson, solie’tors, Wellington) claim Mint defendant (Oliver Mewh.nncy) was indebted to them to the extent of £251 os. 2d. Mewhinney, in his statement of defence, said he had obeyed the order for rav by aim of his wife's navfv and par*" costs,, but declared that the decree nis : was made by consent of the parties, and not on the merits of the ease. He denied that he was indebted to the plaintiffs i the sum of ,£254 sa. 2d., or in any sum whatever, consequently he repudiated their bill of costs, which he declared vow excessive and exorbitant. For a further defence, he said that plaintiff’s client we not successful in his action, which wa mainly of the custody of the children, and which carried almost entimlv the wlnh of the expense. He also alleged that t..e case was not fairly or properly conducted nor tlie expenses nronerly or rmsonabl incurred, and that had the plaintiffs ma t proper investigation and enquiry, thev ■would have seen that there was no possibility of ultimate The casr was not concluded when the Court' rose fox the day.

The Victoria, Moeraki, Wimmcra, and Aiawa will probably lie within wireless range to-night. In Wanganui, at 0 a.in. to-day, the thermometer registered .Vi and the barometer 30.46. The bar was smooth.

The Dunedin Fire Hoard are importing a second first-aid motor engine, costing £IOOO, from Dennis Itros,, of Liverpool. Mr F. P. Talhoys, manager of tlie Wanganui tramway service, lias received a (otter from the Public Works Department sanctioning the use of double-deck trailer cars on the local lines.

At the last meeting of the Wungaiui Agricultural Association it was decid'd io hold the animal show on the 13th ano 14th November, conditionally on thi ilanawatu Association holding their slmw m OetoGer 3!st and November Ist cm 2nd.

The (iovernment has decided to appont i Commission of Impiiry into the eonoi am of the Civil Ser\iee. Speaking to a ‘ost representative yesterday, the Prciniei ■a;<l the personnel of the Commission has! ’°t ye( been decided, but it would lie inioaiieed at an early date, and would oininenee investigations without delay.

Messrs John Lomas (Secretary of Labour), F. Rowley (Deputy Chief Inspeeto) of 1- aetories), and Woburn Temple (Artdiiteet for Workers' Dwellings), have returned from Wanganui, where thev have K'ea examining applicants for workers' dwellings. The Department has secured a considerable area of land for workers' dwelling purposes at Wanganui, says the Post.

The Wanganui Philosophical Soeietv will hold a special meeting on Mav ,30th, when tlie Hon. R. MeNab will lecture on “Old Time Memories of Cook Strait ’’ On June 10th Mr H. F. Stnrge, M.A., will give an address on “Industrial Conditions and Social Progress, while at the meeting on July Bth, Mr Thos. Allison will lecture on “Mount Ruapehu” (ilnstrated hv lantern slides), and Mr 11. 14. Watson, M.A. on “Fdneation in Japan.”

The funeral of the late Mrs W. Hall, whose death occurred at the hospital oii Suudav, took place this morning, and was largely attended. Amongst those present were many members of the Druids’ Lolgc and a number of tramwavmon (fellow enployees of Mr Hall). The floral trilures included wreaths from the Druids and tramwaymen. Mr Hall returns thanks in another colufnn for the many kindly tokens of sympathy extended to him in his bereavement.

The 'Wanganui .Schools Committee is anxious that every square foot of the fine grounds of the’lnfants’ School should be conserved for (ho exclusive use of the children. With (hi send in view the committee, at its meeting last evening, unanimously carried the following m<> tion; “That this committee is strongly averse to any portion of the grounds of the Infants’ School being subdivided for any other purpose; and that the Education Hoard bo urged to refused authorisation,”

The following extract from the “Labour Journal” just published shows that immigrants who have recently arrived have been readily absorbed. “The oversea boats, Corinthic and Remucra, were met as usual, advice given- to the new arrivals, ar>d departmental address cards distributed. It is pleasing to say more girls found their way to the office than usual. Fourteen out of the twenty-five domestic workers who arrived by the Corinthic were placed in employment by the office. They were a particularly capable class of young women, and almost without exception had f lu> requisite training for domestic work.” Colonel Hughes and Dr Porritt yesterday afternoon visited the Putiki Rifle Range, where it was proposed to hold the Territorial camp. The doctor stated that the ground in its present state is fit for the camp, hut would he too wet if it came on to rain between now and the time the camp was pitched. In view of these circumstances it lias been decided to hold the camp op some vacant sections at the top of Smithfkdd Road, adjoining Messrs Freeman R. Jackson’s accommodation paddocks. The defence authorities had been granted the use of the Horough reserve next to the Recreation Ground, but it lias been decided to hold the camp at Smithfield, as it is considered better work can be done there. A sad accident, unfortunately attended with fatal consequences, occurred at Patoa on Saturday afternoon to the six-year-old son of Mr and -,.rs J. Boyle. It appears, says the Press, that the little fellow had climbed up on the copper, containing a quantity of almost Iwiling water, in order to reach some marbles on a shelf above, and in getting down he placed his hand on the copper lid, which slipped away and caused him to fall into the water, his body being badly scalded. The unfortunate little fellow had sufficient presence of mind to scramble out almo 6 t immediately, and his cries quickly brought his father on the scene, who at once saw that his son was serious hurt. Medical aid was at once invoked, Dr Simmons arriving in a few' minutes. After an examination of the patient ho advised his removal to the hospital forthwith. Dr Harvey was also called in, but despite all that medical skill and attention could do, the little sufferer passed away shortly after midnight. The greatest sympathy is felt by all for (he sorrowing parents in the bereavement that has so suddenly fallen upon them.