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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 994, 25 March 1909, Page 20

The efforts made by the Citizens’ League to prevent a bye-election being held in connection with the vacancy in the City Council, have been crowned with success. Last Saturday the three nominated candidates formally gave notice of withdrawal from the election, so that an item of expense said to be over £lOO will be saved to the city. The thanks of ratepayers are due to the three gentlemen who withdrew their names from the contest. In a few weeks time the election proper for City Councillors will take place, when it.is anticipated there will be record entries.-

A great dish at Egyptian harem feasts is that of a lamb roasted whole. After the manner of a nest of Chinese boxes, each smaller than the other, the lamb is stuffed with a whole turkey, the turkey with a chicken, the chicken with a pigeon, the pigeon with a quail, and the quail with a becafico, the smallest bird known except the humming bird. The lamb is roasted over a slow fire until it is almost ready to fall to pieces.

The inmates of the Albert Hotel were given a surprise visit by the City Fire Brigade one evening last week. It transpired that some foolish person had telephoned to the Central station that a fire had broken out in the hotel. As there was not the slightest cause for the alarm, the hoax is regarded seriously by the Fire Board who have offered a reward of £5 for the conviction of the person or persons who sent the message.

Mr. Charles D. Grey, who was recently elected Mayor in place of Mr. A. M. Myers (resigned), has definitely stated that he will again stand for the position at the Mayoral election next month.

Dr. Dunlop, a man of Scottish origin, and at one time a senator of the United States, clearly holds teetotalers in contempt, because he inserted the following paragraph in his will: — “ I leave my silver tankard to the eldest son of John, as the representative of the family. I would have left it to old John himself, but he would have melted it down to make temperance medals, and that would have been a sacrilege.”

At Christchurch last week in the Magistrates’ Court Ella Regan, an old offender, was sentenced to six months imprisonment for sly-grog selling. Fred Anderson who was also concerned in the case was fined £5O.

Hop-picking is in full swing at Mr. F. Trask’s gardens. at Stoke, which present a busy scene every day with the small army of pickers at work (says the “Nelson Colonist”). Already about thirty bales have been gathered, and picking is expected to last about a fortnight longer. The crop is a heavy one, and the hops are of exceptional quality. It is anticipated that the yield from these gardens will be about sixty bales.

To-day’s story: A man was before the magistrates charged with being found drunk on licensed premises. A witness stated that he and defendant sat talking together for some time- — Magistrate (to witness) : Did he talk quite rationally?—Witness: Oh, no, sir; just like you and me are talking now.—“ Daily News.”

From Napier it is reported that a practical joke, which might have terminated fatally, was played upon a young man named Frank O’Shannesy, of Taradale, by a young woman. It appears that O’Shannesy, who is well known in musical circles, was trying over some songs at a boardinghouse. After singing one he was asked by the young woman if he would care for a drink of hop ale. He took the cup offered him and drank nearly all the contents, which proved to be sheep dip. O’Shannesy at once mounted his bicycle and rode to a doctor’s, where

he collapsed on arrival. Another doctor was called in, and after treatment the sufferer was brought round.

The British expenditure on intoxicating liquor totalled £161,000,000 in 1908, and £167,000,000 in 1907.

The many friends of Mr. Daniel Sheedy, proprietor of the Brian Born Hotel, Greymouth, will reget to hear of his death, which took place at Greymouth last week- Deceased was a native of Kilworth, County Cork, Ireland, and came to New Zealand in 18 60, and settled in Greymouth i i 1865. He leaves a w dow, two sons and four daughters, one of whom is a nun in the Sister of Mercy Convent. Christchurch.

In a recent sly-grog case heard at Gore, there was very strong feeling against the informer, who was taken from the courthouse to the railway station by backways, escorted by two constables.

At Taumarunui last week Mr. Cullen, S.M., fined a man named Cameron Bell £3O for sly-grog selling, and David Coleman was fined £3 for introducing whisky into a Maori Kainga.

A new telephone system will be in working order in Timaru in about a month’s time. Under the new system a subscriber wishing to communicate with another subscriber will not require to ring up the exchange; by the mere act of removing the receiver from its hook he will indicate to the exchange that he wants to be put in communication with a subscr.ber; the number of the subscriber wanted will, of course, be given to the exchange by the subscriber desiring to be connected. The exchange operator will then notify the second subscriber by ringing a bell near the second subscriber’s telephone. This system will be shortly installed at Invercargill.

Burglars removed the safe from the Empire Hotel, Inverell, N.S.W., and secured £6OO in money and valuables. They threw the safe into the river after rifling it.

At Palmerston North last Friday Frederick Hope, porter of the Royal Hotel, was charged with having attempted to burn down the hotel. Accused was remanded for a week.

During the progress of the big fire at Palmerston one night last week more excitement was caused by the curtains in an upstairs room of the Royal Hotel several chains away suddenly bursting into a blaze. The outbreak was quickly extinguished.

Under the new Licensed Victuallers Act, barmaids in South Australia have to be registered and the limit of time for applications from those already in the trade to serve after the end of the present month is now closed. No fewer than 353 applications were dealt with, and 321 were granted certificates.

The returning officer for Manukau, Mr. S. J. Brookfield, has completed the official count for the Manukau Licensing Committee election, and has announced the following totals:—Dr. W. G. Scott, 2016; W. Westney, 1998; G. H. Fleming, 188 7; J. Flanagan. 1875; D. Hattaway, 1855; John Rowe, 1848; D. Neilson, 1818; D. McLennan, 1792; A. R. Harris, 173 8; A- W. Gordon, 1693. The total number of valid votes cast reached 3775, while 82 were informal. It will be seen that Mr. Rowe, who headed the list of defeated candidates was only seven votes behind the lowest on the successful no-license ticket.

Cheap “beers” were obtainable at Waitara on Regatta Day. According to the Taranaki Herald the licensee of one of the three public-houses in the town, unlike his fellows, had not sub-

scribed to the regatta funds. In an attempt to enlist the sympathy of the public, the other two hotels bore large placards, bearing the name of the secretary to the Regatta Committee, announcing that the houses had subscribed to the regatta funds. So the licensee of the remaining hotel made a counter move. He placarded his hotel w.th the announcement. “ All Beers Fourpence,” with the result that he did a roaring trade.

It was reported from Waihi last week that there is some liklihood of a petition being circulated for signature throughout the Ohinemuri licensing district, to be subsequently presented to the Prime Minister and Parliament, asking that legislation be introduced to cause a fresh licensing poll to be taken in Ohinemuri, or that the present licenses be allowed to continue. The petition will allege that a great revulsion of feeling has taken place s nee the local option poll was held, and that the carrying of no-li-cense in Ohinemuri is prejudicial to the best interests of the district. It will also emphasise the fact of the occurrence of some irregularities at the recent poll.

At a special meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council, a sum of £220 was voted to the Returning Officer in connect on with the recent licensing committee election. Mr. Geo. Crosby strongly objected to this course, stating that on behalf of the ratepayers he intended to carry the matter further.

In the Paeroa Court last Friday, the Collector of Customs, charged R. G. Lewis, hotelkeeper, of Waihou. with having knowingly withdrawn beer from an 18 gallon cask without first defacing the beer duty stamp. Defendant pleaded guilty and was fined £3 and costs, 12s.

The investigators are said to have found m the corner of the scullery, set into a cement base, a copper still With a tin cover. From the head of the contr.vance a long pipe or “worm” led to a large water trough, and was fitted to a tap underneath. The still, it is alleged, was in full working order, and contained ten or twelve gallons of liquid in process of being converted into what is alleged to be wh.sky. In an adjoining room was discovered a barrel of spirit, said to be whisky, and two casks containing what is said to be material for the manufacture of whisky. The two men were arrested, and the plant and material se.zed by the detectives. The spirit has been handed to the Public Analyst, who will examine it, with a view to discovering what it contains.