AUCKLAND ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 777, 29 March 1910, Page 8

AUCKLAND ITEMS.

INEBRIATES' HOME. EFFECT OF THE NEW ACT. (By TeleeraDh.—Soecial Oorrescondentl Auckland, March 28. Referring to tine Inebriates' Home established at Pakatoa Island by the Salvation Army, the "Star" states:— "As soon as men began to be sent to the place from the south a complaint •was raised in Auckland,' chiefly by those who had subscribed funds to establish . the place, and' the complaint, in due course reached the then Minister for Justice (the Hon. James M'Gowan), but.nothing was done by the Government. The result is that men are still being sent to the island from every part of New Zealand. It has since been a frequent ground foi protests by everyone concerned in Auckland that these men should be discharged in this city frequently . to remain a permanent charge on the district, in some way : or other, for not all the cases' end in enres. The discharged ones are given' a passage back to their port of origin, and enough money to tide them over the journey; but they are not on the way by constables, and there is nothing to prevent their alighting at the first station at which their train stops. Not unfrequently something of the kind happens. Another ground for complaint is that the place has been so freely patronised by other guests that there is now frequently, no room for patients from Auckland. This difficulty' is sure to be accentuated very soon, because the new Act gives magistrates much wider jurisdiction in dealing with habitual drunkards. Under the old Act .the definition of ah habitual was that he should be. four times convicted within nine months.' 'Now an habitual is not so technically defined, and any man who can be proved to be in the habit of drinking to excess may be sent down. 'Also a man may be committed for breach of his prohibition order. It may. fairly .be expected that the number of candidates for places in the reformatory . will be greatly increased, and as the institution is always full, or almost.full; even now it is very unlikely." that the drunkards committed from Auckland' will find room there. Mr. Kettle, S.M.,' has frequently . raised, the question in Court. " It is not claimed for the institution that, it reforms everybody who enters it and stays 'there for a term, but many of the inmates have not after release relapsed into wastreldrunken ways again, so that the reformatory does in fact make for. goodJ Mr. Kettle is anxious that the good work should not be impeded or interrupted, and he thinks that either more accommodatioL Bhould be provided here or other reformatories established for men from other districts."

A RAILWAY'ANOMALY. A Pokekohe correspondent discloses to one, of the Auckland dailies a curious railway anomaly. He writes as follows:—"Until just '.recently I always paid ss.' id. for' a second-blasß return from Pukekohe to Auckland, which • is at the rate of Id. pe'r.'mile, together' with the'usual terminal charge for issuing a ticket; but a friend of mine informed me that by taking a return to Papakura from Pnkekohe, and then, an--other return from- Panakura- to Auckland (which is within the suburban area) I would save Is. 2d., so I determined, to try the experiment, and after putting the Railway Department to' the extra trouble of issuing two tickets inI was carried to the city aid back for 4s. 2d., as against the usual charge of ss. 4d. I will therefore advise afl-my'friends in : the Waikato to take advantage of the sub-fares as far as Papakura and thus ; save Is. 2d. on a second-class and 2s. 4d.. on a first-class ticket." KAWATJ TO BE CUT UP; Kawau Island, which is one of the best known of the holiday resorts in the vicinity of Auckland,; is to be shortly cut up by the present owner CMr. A. J. p. Farmer) into suitable lots, both for those who want a small area for a summer residence, and also for those who want to engage in farming. The island, which was formerly the home of Sir George Grey, is a perfect paradise - in miniature, abounding in lofty hills, deep bays, splendid beaches, with good fishing and shooting, and in fact everything that the heart could desire: The 'island embraces about 8000 acres, and the owner's intention is to cut it up into sections from one to 2000 acres, every section having a water frontage. Kawau since the opening of an accom-. mpdation house has been.year by year increasing in popularity, some' of the excursion Bteamers taking nearly 1000 people for a day's trip. Surveyors are now making the necessary surveyß, and in a few weeks the plans-will be ready. '.The-first portion ot the island to be sold will be about 250 acres embracing what is known-as Vivian Bay. Already a settler has purchased five acres, there, and intends building' a residence forthwith. This harbour is of easy access by motor launch from Mansion House Bay,, to which there is even now a steamer three times a week.

..:■■.-A. HAKBOUE INCIDENT. 1 A launch party had a little more ex-, citement yesterday than was expected when they set but in the morning foi a run up the Waitemata. When near Wallis Point 'the 'launch was brought to anchor, it being the intention to land and have dinner ashore. As the tide was too low to permit of. the launch being- taken alongside the pier at the point, a start was made to row some of the party on shore in a dinghy, and it was while this was being done that what might easily have proved a fatal accident occurred. By some means a young lady, named Miss Katie Gifford, had the misfortune to fall overboard, whereupon Mr. W. D. Lysaght (traffic manager for the Auckland Tramways Company), who was rowing, promptly jumped in to the rescue. As there is a very strong current at Wallis Point it was, soon evident that Mr. Lysaght, although a fairly good swimmer, would have all his work cut out to reach the nearest land after getting a grip of the young lady. Therefore, Mr... 8,. Shepherd (a school teacher of Hamilton) also plunged'in to the assistance' of the other two. The water where the accident occurred is about 20 feet deep, arid appears to' have a strong undertow, and as both, gentlemen were encumbered with all their clothing, including . boots, the work of rescue'was rendered more difficult, but after a sharp,, short struggle the three landed safely on the nearest rocks. Mr. Rid.deD, who resides near Wallis Point, took the drenched launchers to his residence, where they were most kindly treated, and furnished with dry clothing. '