AUCKLAND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 511, 19 May 1909, Page 11

AUCKLAND NOTES.

':'- |BT• IltMßAPa.—oipßCtAr, 'CORRKSPOrinXRT.I.-.' . ■'■■>:^ :■'.' '.'■"':..->. ''-;■: -, Auckland, May 17.' v >A peculiar "case'earae und&r notice in'Aucklahd at-'the'Police;'Court.:'..'A man who-had been :fined.the previous, .day for drunkenness ■ again appeared.:'He:stated that he had felt sick'oh leaving iho police cellsj-'aritLthe police had 'immediately locked; him, up: again, .and brought."him.:■■ before''theCourt/'on:- another, charge of .drunkenness. The evidence ef the police l wasthat accused;* who was shaking all oyer at the/time of his release, was not in a fit condition:to he set atjiberty, and before he,had left.thestation precincts.ho was rearrested. ; The Magistrate: stated that in the! circumstances,'there- was: .no; charge to lay • against ''the .'.man.;'.; However,' he had :had a' free night's, accommodation: and should feel grateful to 'the'police-l'for :prpvcnting him from getting : into,' harm's '■ way. The : man stated thathe /'was: ■-."'..'''., "-.■;'-'■-... /Mr. J. T. 'Stevenson, F.Pv.A.S.,:states that the.'sun-spots have/already passed, thecentfe of,the sun, a'nd : there is now,littlo prospect of .any.greatimagnetic,disturbances. Tho sun-, spots Should,'•-: ho says, shortly bo, at their minimum: period,: and according to some scientists this may. cause a drought. .-"...Mr.. Stevenson thinks: tliat;Auckland. ,is:quite safe, humanly, .'speaking, from earthquakes,: Only two. shocks .of : any severity, he says,' have been felt .here in 40. years.; ::.';'■'■: .:;■■. -:".■';.' ' ;v; ',/May:iß. : ..:. At the '.hearing/of the dispute in the butchering trade .before ..the,. Conciliation Council- in. Auckland the prosperity of the business came' under debate. Mr. J. Marks, one .of- the employees' assessors, stated, that the employees had been making more under, the old. award than the employers,': Mr. S. Wing said; that whenever ho-went to the theatre'he found .a:few butchers in the dress circlo'.','■'.-.:Mr.\ll;'.Salmon said the masters would' have to;pass the increase,caused- by the concession. of the, men's demands on to the public; "The.employees did not agree with these contentions, and challenged the masters to'produce'their: balance-sheets. There was a noticeable influx of people to tho main thoroughfares, Auckland on Monday wearing an unusually animated aspect.. This is:largely to bo'attributed to the theatrical "boom" that has now set in. Also, visitors are., beginning to arrive from country district's for tho A. and P. Association's winter exhibition, which opens nest week. In'connection with matters theatrical,- the booking for tho'Melba concorts.ond the J. C.Williamson Royal Comic Opera Company's season has been continuous. At 4 p.m. on Monday the stream of concert-goers and theatre patrons was'still-flowing into the box ofllco for tbo first. Melba concert. The whole of the scats in tho dress circle had been reserved, tho first five rows at a guinea each, thorost at half a guinea. All the orchestral stalls wOro sold at a guinea each, and .five, rows of the ordinary stalls wcro reserved at half that fee. Tho booking for the second concert was almost equally heavy, and it is anticipated that ultimately not only will ovcry seat'bo taken, bub that many would-be patrons will bo disappointed. The five shilling scats (unreserved) for tho first concert wore offered for sale yesterday, and-fully half woro sold.: As regards tho opera company, tho box plan showed that the oponing night's houso would bo a'"bumper" one, as if proved, whilst for the whole week- the booking was vory heavy. The plan for .Meynoll and Gunn's'Pantomimo Company opened to-day, and hero again the booking was exceptionally heavy. It is probable that a hospital will be erected at Rotorua shortly for tho benefit of the Maoris. A site Jias already been agreed upon.• : - ' '