HERE AND THERE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1425, 16 August 1917, Page 34

HERE AND THERE.

The Hon. J. D. Connolly, who has been appointed Agent-General in London for West Australia, arrived in Auckland on a short visit last week, accompanied by his wife and family.

Mr. Frank Meadowcroft, president of the Kelburn Bowling Club, has been entertained by the members previous to his departure on a business trip to England. He intends only be’ng a fortnight in the Old Country.

Lieut. James Mills, only son of Sir James Mills, chairman of the Union Company, who was reported missing after the Nieuport engagement, is now reported a prisoner of war at Karlsruhe.

Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Mennie have returned to Auckland after a visit to Australia.

The death occurred in Christchurch on Monday of Mr. George H. Whitcombe, head of the well-known printing and publishing firm of Whitcombe and Tombs, at the age of 61 years.

The death has occurred of an old resident of Patea, in the person of Mr. William Jackson, at the age of 78 years. • • * • Dr. Scannell is acting as medical superintendent at Te Waikato Sanatorium, Cambridge, in place of Dr. Boyd, who has 'gone on active service. * # * * Mr. Edward Atmore, of Wellington, has been appointed manager of the Alliance Assurance Company at Napier. * * • • The largest flying boat ever built has been launched at Lake Keuka, New York. It carries twelve persons. • * * ♦ Commandant L. Bouju, Dr. A. Michaud, and a number of French officers from Noumea, paid a visit to Auckland last week.

Mr. Gordon P. Robertson, formerly of Blenheim, who went Home for the purpose of joining the Royal Flying Corps, is now a Government inspecting engineer (with the rank of lieutenant) at an aeroplane factory in England.

In consequence of the conviction of the landlord and barmaid for perm'tting treating., the Liquor Control Board have ordered the Yorkshire Grey Hotel, Portsmouth, to be closed from June 4 till the Brewster sessions next April (says an English paper).

Mr. Justice Simpson, Chief Judge of the Equity Court of New South Wales, has been given leave of absence prior to his retirement, owing to failing health. He entered the legal profession nearly 50 years ago, and has been on the Supreme Court Bench for 28 years.

Mr. W. Downie Stewart, of Dunedin, who returned from the war some months ago suffering from acute rheumatism, has gone to Sydney to consult a specialist.

The Wellington Acclimatisation Soc’ety ’is weeding out some deer from its Paraparaumu property, and permission has been obtained from the Minister to sell the meat. The proceeds are to go to the Red Cross funds. * * * * A request was made to the Defence Minister by Mr. T. M. Wilford in the House of Representatives that a monthly report be published for the benefit of the people in New Zealand from the two generals commanding the New Zealand Forces. In asking this, he quite understood that any confidential information could not be made public, but any details that could be given would be of great value to the people who had relatives and friends at the front. Sir James Allen replied that he thought this could be arranged.

The death has occurred of Mr. W. C. Walsh, an old identity of Poverty Bay. He was born in Auckland in 1847, and was for a time on the Australian goldfields. He was also engaged in mining at the Thames in the early days, and took part in the Maori War in the chase of Te Kooti.

Mr. Richard Teece, late general manager for the Australian Mutual Provident Society, has been appointed a director of the principal board, in place of the late Hon. F. E. Winchcombe, M.L.C., who met his death by exposure after the loss of the P. and O. steamer Mongolia, on which he was a passenger.

Giving evidence before the Military Appeal Board in Napier, a station manager said an employee for whom he was appearing, and for whom he sought exemption, was “a marvellous man. It would take ten men to replace him.” It subsequently came out in evidence that the man got the munificent sum of £BO for keepingforty thousand acres in the Pohue district clear of rabbits.

“Thames is not done by a long shot,” said Mr. H. Lowe, Mayor of Thames, during the recent jubilee celebrations in Auckland. Of the £8,000.000 the field had produced, over £5,000,000 had come from 10 claims. Could it be said that in the million and a-quarter acres lying between Thames and Coromandel all the gold had been taken out? He was convinced that it had not. When the bush on those hills had gone there would be an opportunity for the prospectors. He held that there would then be unearthed far more gold than had been unearthed at Thames in the past. # sje The war expenditure for the year ended March 31st, 1917, as set out in the annual report of the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces, amounted to £ll,344,523, including pay of troops, cost of transport, supplies, equipment, relief moneys, and all maintenance or other charges in connection with the war. as well as the administrative expenses of the National Efficiency Board, Munitions and Supplies Board, Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Board, and Discharged Soldiers’ Information Department. The total war expenditure up to March 31st, 1917, with advances outstanding, amounted to £23,337,475. * $ * * The “Taranaki Daily News” says: Prior to her leaving New Plymouth last week, Miss Kelly, barmaid at the White Hart Hotel, who was convicted

under the anti-shouting law and fined £5, with loss of employment for six months, was presented by sympathisers with a purse of sovereigns, amounting to £44. The subscribers felt the young lady had been unjustly treated, her conviction being due entirely to the unsupported evidence of a man subject to inebriation, who was picked up insensible by the police on the afternoon of the day when the alleged offence was supposed to have been committed. Representations on behalf of the young lady are being made to the Government in connection with the matter. * ❖ * * Lieut.-Colonel Bernard Myers, on whom (along with other members of the New Zealand Army Medical Service) has been conferred the distinction of a C.M.G 1 ., was born at the Thames, Auckland, and was educated at Wellington College and Auckland Grammar School. He subsequently took up the medical profession, and obtained his M.D. at the University of London. At the outbreak of Avar Colonel Myers was practising as consulting physician in Harley Street, London, and immediately joined the R.A.M.C. Afterwards he was offered and accepted the posit on of superintendent of the Walton-on-Thames Hospital, and following upon his successful management of this hospital he was appointed A.D.M.S. in the N.Z.M.C. Colonel Myers, who was recently mentioned in despatches, is a brother of the Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister of Munitions, and of Captain Leo Myers, of the K ng’s Royal Rifles. *. ❖ * * The Australian Prime Minster. Mr. Hughes, in Sydney recently made a passionate appeal for recruits, and he hinted at the possibility of conscription in the event of Australia failing to ma ntain by the voluntary system its position in the 'firing line. In the course of h's appeal Mr. Hughes said: “Oh, workmen of Australia, you to whom all privileges have been given, who work the shortest hours of any workmen in the world, who have your holidays, and complain if you have to work an hour overtime, there are men who every day for three years have endured more in one single hour than you have ever endured in all your lives. We ask you to hear the call of your brother across the sea, the man who has gone out to fight for you. Shall you not now at any rate for a brief season, take his place, and allow him to come back for a spell to this favoured and sheltered country, which we call Australia, so that you at the end of the war can say. too, “I have done my duty; I have not dishonoured my mother nor my country?” “During the time the soldiers stood at attention whilst a high staff officer passed by, their dinner plates were so covered by flies that it was impossible to see what else was on the plates.” Professor Kirk (says the “Lyttelton Times”) quoted this incident during the present war as an instance that the authorities did not take the fly nuisance seriously enough. He added that the military authorities were beginning to -realise that flies could kill men, but did not seem so sure that the men could kill flies. ❖ ❖ * * Visitors to Cambridge can be assured of the very best accommodation at the Mason'c Hotel, now under the capable management of Mrs. C. A. Tully. This hotel is centrally situated in the business part of the town, and contains 30 rooms. The drawing and sitting rooms are cosily furnished, while the bedrooms are well ventilated and comfortably situated. A spacious dinng-room, capable of seating 60 guests, is most up-to-date, and the table is sumptuously supplied. The domestic arrangements are under the personal supervision of Mrs. Tully, assisted by a capable staff. Nothing but the very best of liquors are kept in stock, and commercials and travellers will find in the Masonic Hotel all the comforts of a well-conducted hostelry, while the sanitary arrangements are all to be desired.

Mr. Phillip Kingcome Watty, an old colonist, who arrived in New Zealand just prior to the Maori War, died at Frankton, Waikato, recently. He came of a well-known family in British naval and mercantile affairs, being a nephew of the late Rear-Admiral Sir John Kingcome and of Admiral Fitzroy Shanks.

For the fourth time Mr. J. RHooper, the well-known cue:'st, has successfully negotiated the barriers and secured the coveted title of billiard champion of New South Wales, and he also holds the title of amateur champion of Australia, which he won in 1914. Last month he defeated Mr. George B. Shatter in a game of 3000 up, in Sydney. The game was played in live sessions of 600’ each. In the opening session, Hooper ran out with a lead of 225 from his opponent, his best break being 105, and his average cue 17.7 points. In the second session Hooper captured the century twice, and finished with a lead of 556, his average being 31.10. Shatter displayed fine form in the third session, scoring no less than 787 points as against 599 by Hooper, whose lead was reduced to 368. Hooper, however, carried off the fourth session in brilliant style, finishing with a lead of 669, with the excellent average of 21.86.

The final session was productive of some fine play. Shatter put up a nicely-compiled break of 100, which Hooper replied to with 172. The latter eventually won by 866, his total of 3000 being obtained when Shailer had reached 2134. Throughout the game Hooper averaged 18.84 and Shatter 13.28. Hooper, who is an ex-Auck-lander, is well-known throughout New Zealand, and news of his fourth victory in the New South Wales billiard championship will be received with no small degree of pleasure.