News of the Dominion

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 13, 27 March 1912, Page 4

News of the Dominion

Bunday Trams. THjE Auckland City Council has decided to obtain the opinion of the City Solicitor on the application of the Tramway Company for permission to run a continuous Sunday tram service. A Great Need. “There is a great need for the keenest interest in Auckland's new building scheme,'’ says the annual report of the Auckland YM.C.A. “The best kind of charity is that which teaches a man to help himself, and this is what we find constantly practised in the Y.M.C.A. Is there any institution which better deserves a rich endowment than the Y.M.C.A.? By giving £lOO per year the directors of the Y.M.C.A., with the association equipment, can employ a boys’ work director to work every day in the week for the training and uplifting of our coming citizens. It ie the opinion of the directors that the greatest need of New Zealand associations is national supervision. A national secretary could consolidate the whole work of the Dominion, and help some associations with their present problems. In view of this fact the directors will heartily support a proposal now on foot to engage such a man.’’ Endorsed. The Otago branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants has endorsed the action of the conference in approving Professor Mills’ unity scheme. The opinion is held by the branch 'that under the scheme the danger of being involved in a strike is not real. Testimonials. The value of “testimonials'’ given as regards accused persons.during the course of their trial was the subject of some remarks by His Honor the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) at Gisborne. Ho pointed out that it had be :i stated that the accused, who was then being tried, was honeet and industrious. “But,'’ Sir Robert said, “all accused persons are held to be honest until they are once convicted, If a jury is going to acquit a man the first time he is charged because of his good character, then they' might, perhaps, find him not guilty if he were charged with a second offence, on the .same grounds, and so on.” His Honor added that the law would not allow the Crown to call a single tittle of evidence regarding an accused person’s character during the hearing of a case, and if a jury were to be asked to acquit a man because of his character they might just as well close down the administration of justice. Research Scholarships. Some time ago the Government offered scholarships to be utilised by students going in for original research. The scheme is now to be governed by a research board for eat-h university, consisting of the professors of natural ami applied science. The regulations provide that as soon as any parson is entitled to a research scholarship, the Minister for Education shall nominate an expert in the particular branch of research concerned to be a member of the board for the purpose of assisting in its supervision of the work of the scholar. The <■ holarships, of which there are to lie one each annually for the four universities, are to be tenable for four years, ami to be of the value of £lOO per annum, together with college lalsiratory feee, cost of speial apparatus, and of special books required for the purpose of research, and actual travelling fares or cost of transit while the holder i- engaged on the work of research. Rumour Discounted. A rumour to the effect tii.it there will lea shortage of local supplies of butter for the winter months with consequent i igli prices ami panic, ie discounted in authoritative quarters. It is pointed out that an auspicious season lias been enjoyed, and while the dairyir-g period is tapering off the mild summer has induced a good finish. Shipments abroad will soon cease, and an ample supply for local requirements was beiieved to Is- in store. It is not anticipated that the South Inland will be reduced to the necessity •f again this year making a call on Auekland cuppliea.

Press Association Conference. The delegates to the annual conference of the Australasian Provincial Press Association, which met in Auckland at the beginning of last week, left for Rotorua on Thursday by the morning express. After spending a few days in and about Rotorua, they went on to the Waitomo Caves and the Wanganui River. Then most of them proceeded to the South Island. Methodist Union. The secretary of the Union Committee of the Primitive Methodist Church reports that the voting received from the whole of the stations in the Dominion in connection with the vote of members of that Church on the basis of union taken by instruction of the last conference resulted in 1477 vot4s being recorded for and 260 votes against. Both Churches having approved of the basis of union, the committee of the Primitive Methodist Church will meet in Wellington on April 3rd to take the necessary steps for securing the consent of the British conference to the union, which it is expected will be consummated next Released. Two lads, undergoing imprisonment at the Lyttelton Gaol for refusing to take the oath of allegiance, were liberated before the completion of their sentence. Two others, who had served their terms, were released at the same time. Deadly.

The problem of dealing with the rabbit pest, which has presented serious difficulties hitherto, both in New Zealand and Australia, appears to have been solved by a resident of Auckland, Mr. H. Currie, who has carried out some experiments with such success that he has patented his process, and we understand it bas met with approval by the Agrinilperiments. The destructive “influence'’ is poison of almost any kind, the secret being in its “ application.” Poison is applied to some particular food which attracts rabbits in hordes where they are at all plentiful, and they devour it ravenously', with the inevitable result. In one experiment, where rabbits were not very plentiful, he killed 120 at the first trial. 120 at the first trial. Many Disciples.

Wairarapa possesses a native “tohunga,” or priestess of witchcraft, who claims the power to cast out devils, heal the sick, and perform sundry other miracles. She has already established a reputation, and has a number of disciples. Hymns are sung whilst the tohunga performs her ceremonies. The chief medicinal agent employed is brandy, which is prescribed both externally and internally, and as the treatment is not exactly distasteful, the number of patients is daily increasing. The ceremonials frequently extend throughout the night, and a choir has been formed to assist with vocal and instrumental selections. A Deficiency. A statement of the working expenses of the Wellington tramways for eleven months shows: —Revenue, £127,140 1/9; power supply, £9,016 7/11; working expenses, £90,923 17/2; power supply, £3 934 4 1. Estimated capital: charges on tramways. £34,724 16/3; on power supply, £4,367 10/9; net surplus, £2,406 1/5. This shows a deficiency of £2,575 19/3 as compared with returns for a similar period of last year. A Country “ Picnic.” The fanners living in the vicinity of Beaconsfield Village, near Timaru, have been accustomed for some years to hold mixed sports meetings in a paddock on Boxing Day, the sports including some gallops and trots for local horses. The prizes are provided by sweepstakes. The races were not advertised, but it had become an understood thing that there would be horse races, and recently two of the managers of the last sports were prosecuted under th® Act of 1909 for holding an illegal race meeting. For the defence it was contended that thia was a sports meeting, not a race meeting, and that there was nothing more in the races than if the men agreed to try their horse* in reaiTling Borne point across a paddock. A conviction was recorded, without a penalty.

Betting and Football. The bookmaker peril at Rugby football matches, mentioned at the Wellington Rugby Union lately, also exists at Christchurch. Mr. F. D. Kesteven, a vicepresident of the Canterbury Union, says the rule in the question of betting at football matches is a dead letter. Bookmakers frequented the grounds, and betted quietly without hindrance. He did not think the evil had gained much headway In Christchurch, and thought the Union would take early measures to suppress it.

Wandering the Streets. At a meeting of the Dunedin Education Board a motion was passed affirming the desirability of the Board being assured that all children of school age were receiving efficient instruction, and a committee Was appointed to report as to the best means of attaining that end. In 'the course of discussion it was asserted that a number of children of school age were wandering about the streets. The question was raised as to what was to be done in regard to private schools, and i't was stated that the Board would have to investigate this matter in order to ascertain if efficient instruction was given. Auckland Exhibition.

The Exhibition Committee has appointed Mr. Geo. Elliot (president of the Chamber of Commerce) to the position of president in place, of Mr. B. Kent, who resigned when it was decided to, hold the Exhibition on a site at the Domain. Air. W. R. Holmes is retaining the position of secretary. The date of opening has been fixed for December 1, 1913, find the Exhibition will extend over three month,A, or longer if found advisable. The Government is to be asked to donate a cash grant of £2006 towards the cost of the venture, and it is expected that citizens will guarantee an aggregate of £5OOO. New Cable Route.

Survey work is now in progress for carrying the new Pacific ruble across the Auckland isthmus. The cable is to be a direct one from Sydney to Auckland, and will come ashore on the West Coast at Muriwai. The route now being surveyed will bring the cable overland to Riverhead, and thence to the Ponsonby reef. At this point the route will again be underground from the bay at the end of Curran-street, via Jervpis-road, to the Three Lamps, where connection will ba made with the existing underground conduits. As the route from Muriwai to Riverhead must be trenched so as to put the cable underground, it will readily be understood that there is a big amount of work involved, including many miles of trenching. Auckland Y.M.C.A.

At the 56th annual meeting of the Auckland Y.M.C.A. reports received indicated that the movement was forging ahead, and all. departments were on a satisfactory basis. The election of officers for the year resulted:—President, Mr. A. C. Caughey; vice-presidents, the Hon. G. Fowlds, the Bev. W, E. Gillam, Dr. Knight, Mr. Wesley Spragg, and Mr. J. W. Stewart; directors, Messrs. W. E. Bush, B, Buttle, G. M. Fowlds, E. E. Grimwade, H. G. Fountain, Floyd Harrop, T. F. Hill, T. Miller, H. E. Paeey, R. L. Stewart, James F. Barry, j. H. Barker, and A. Mill. Air R. B. Gelston was re-elected as hon. treasurer, Mr. S. Barry as secretary, and 1 Messrs. G. A. Buttle and T. E. Montgomery as auditors. Control of Agriculture.

Sir George Clifford, president of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, has put forward a suggestion that instead of the Agricultural Department being left in the hands of the Minister of the day, the best men available should be selected as a board of control to regulate it.. The highest results as a business undertaking would then be produced. Sir George said his idea, which would perhaps be regarded as Utopian, was that this Government Department, ably officered as it was now, should be under the management of non-political commissioners, who could devote trained intelligence to the work, whose whole abilities should be at the service of the agricultural community, and who should be responsible for the wise expenditure of the sum which Parliament might entrust to them for their almost paramount purpose. Above all. these men should be Independent of the political wrangles which were part of the constitutional system of the day.

1 Seddon Memorials. When Mrs. Seddon was In England, she saw the model of a life-size statue of the late Premier being prepared by the well-known sculptor Sir Thona«f Brook, for the New Zealand memorial to be erected in Wellington. The model was not far advanced enough to judgd of the ultimate appearance. The pn Helens, Lancashire, the house in whieli the late Mr. Seddon was born Is quite a centre of interest, and a marble tablet) appears over the door setting forth thd fact that it is the birthplace of the Nevj Zealand statesman.

Takapnna Ferry and Tram.

' (The suggested acquisition of the plant Bwned by the Takapuna Tram and Ferry Company by the ratepayers of the Takapuha Riding of the Waitemata County Council was discussed at the Council meeting last week, and Mr. H. H. Adams Ijvas granted permission to take a poll. The legal aspect of the purchase will alsb <be investigated. The proposal is io borrow £76,000, and ratepayers within The boundary of the Devonport Borbugh and the Oneroa Creek will vote. At a recent trial ballot taken the scheme (was approved. o nestion of Cost.

In connection with the apparent failure to establish workers’ homes at Terrace End, Palmerston North, the Advances to Workers’ Department has issued a Statement as follows:—“Regarding the tost of these dwellings, the Department States that in the particular instance Quoted, the information given to the Applicants was that the approximate cost Of erecting a house in wood in Palmerston, exclusive of section, drainage, fencing, artificial lighting, and administration, would be £286, the amount mentioned to him. The architect’s subsequent estimate of the total cost of the dwelling, when decided upon with the applicant, was £286, as quoted, plus drainage £lO, fencing £26, lighting £7. extras required iby applicant £4; total, £333. The lowest tender received was £334, but this tender was subsequently withdrawn, on account of the illness of the builder, and the next lowest tender was for £374. To this amount required to be added as above indicated, £75 for the section, and 2J per cent administration on £374 9/7; total, £458 7/. The Department obviously cannot guarantee that the lowest tender available will not exceed the architect’s estimate.”