LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2312, 20 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An announcement was made by the Prime Minister during his address at Kurow last evening that the Emden was destroyed by the Sydney (whioh was one of the convoy of the AustralianNew Zealand troopships) in consequence' of a message from the Cocos Islands being intercepted. The Sydney was'dispatched because she was tie fastest vessel. Mr. Massey also stated that after to-day &U prohibition regarding the departure of the troopships would bo removed, and the public would be able to have all details.—Press Association.

"A silly action." was the description, given by a solicitor in the Supreme Court yesterday in an endeavour to explain why his client had issued valueless cheques. His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), who was on the Bench, said ho thought it was "very clover" to get other people's money in that,way. The accused did not 6eem to bo silly at all, but his counsel seemed to assume that the jury was silly. At last night's meeting of the -Mirer mar Borough Council it was pointed out that the Fire Brigade was not,too well off financially. A subscription was thereupon taken up in the room among the Mayor and councillors, and this increased the funds by £3 10s. 1 A brief adjournment of a divorce petition wa6 requested by Mr.< H. F„ O'Leary (petitioner's oounsel) yesterday on the ground that one of his witnesses was at the moment engaged in. the Magistrate's Court. When the other divorce petitions had been dealt with Mr. O'Leary was etill anxious that the 'case should stand over a little longer. He put forward the same reason. "I suppose," said His Honour-Mr. Justico Hosking, with a smile, "there's no chance of your witness getting into gaol." Mr. O'Leary assured His Honour there was no probability of that, as the witness was a police sergeant. A few minutes later the sergeant arrived, and the case proceeded.' A deputation of Day's .Bay residents waited on the Reserves Committee of the-City Council--yesterday afternoon, with the request that when the promised bathing shed was erected upon the leach, that it would be a structure containing a shower-bath, and cubicles for bathers' clotheß which could be locked up. The chairman (Sir. Geo. Frost) promised that all consideration'would bo given to the representations of the deputation. During October ChristchurcK and suburbs, with 166 deaths (.95 per cent.) showed the highest death-rate per 1000 of population. Wellington came next with 142 deaths (.93 per cent.) j and Auckland, 78 deaths and Dunedm 54 deaths (both .82 per cent.) lovel for third place. The number of births during the month was: —Wellington, 142; Auckland, 224; Christchurch, 166; and Dunedm, 146.

Tho Prime Minister had a hearty reception from local members of the Reform Party, and was entertained at luncheon at the A. and P. Show yesterday (says a Press Association telegram from Oamaru). Mr. Massey spoke at Kurow. last night. ' .

Monday, November 30, being,-St. Andrews' Day, will be observed as a public holiday throughout the Civil Service. TJmbrage is being taken by some of tho employees of the Post and Telegraph Department _at tho inclusion in ■the notice proclaiming the holiday of the information that the holiday is' not being granted to "workmen."

The statistics for the Otaki Hospital and Sanatorium, presented to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday; showed that for the month of October fifteen were admitted, twelve discharged, leaving eleven under treatment, at the Hospital.' At the Sanatorium four were admitted, six discharged, and 25 left under treatment.

The magisterial inquiry into the" matter of the fire whioh destroyed the grocery store of C. E. Browne, 53 Taranaki Street, in October last, was re- : siuned yesterday morning before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M. The evidence given was mainly of a formal nature. One of tlie witnesses, James Ferguson Laing, manager of the merchandise department of Messrs. W. and G. Tuvnbull, ( stated that his firm had supplied goods to Mr. Browne, and subsequently on not receiving payment had threatened proceedings. Early in September he had visited Browne's shop and. estimated the stock there as worth about £60 or £70. This was exclusive of- a few things under the counter. Witness reported that the stock was clean, in good order, and well looked. after. The inquiry has' not been completed, and will bo resumed at 11 a.m., on Tuesday. A. woman was arrested'by Deteotives Abbott and Dempsey yesterday on a charge of stealing a jewel-box and the jewellery it contained, of a total value of £4 os. She will appear in the Magistrate's Court this morning. An old man named John Turner died at the Ohiro Home yesterday. His body was removed to the morgue, and l an inquest is to be held on a date to be fixed. Travellers on roads in the Onßlow Borough will welcome the recommendation of the Public Works Committee of. tho Onslow Council, adopted at last night's meeting of the council, that the roadmaa cut down broom on the Gorge Road where necessary for the convenience of traffic, and tnat the 'ovniors of any trees or shrubs overhanging tho road be called upon to trim them back. In the Divorce Court yesterday, His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking was asked by a solicitor if he would request members, of tlie Press to omit certain objectionable details in the reports of a case thon before the Court. \ "Oh, no," said His Honour, "I won't do that.. They never publish that sort of thing. In ail my experience, I've never known of it being done." A report presented to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday showed that during October the Health Inspectors had investigated 62 cases of infectious diseases, as under (1913 figures are given in parentheses) Scarlet fever, 23 (35); diphtheria; 6 (3); tuberculosis,', 16 (14); enteric fever, 5 (6); chicken-pox, 12 (29); blood-poison-ing, 0. (3): totals, 62 (90). Some time back a Jack Tar off the H.M.A.S. Australia deserted from that warship and made his way to New Zealand. For a time he led the life of a oivilian over here, but after a period the feeling to do his duty to his King I and country overcame him, and ho went to the nearest police station and gave himself up. Yesterday the man-o'-warsman, whose name was Alb'ert Edward Joy, appeared before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court, and was charged witli deserting from the Australia. Inspector Hcndrey explained the facts as above, and stated that it was evident that accused wanted to do his duty as a man. Joy was remanded to November 27, so thnt word might be received from Australia. The' statement .was mado to a representative of tho Sydney "Telegraph" by a well-known Sydney doctor, who had just returned from a visit to England, that tho Highland claiis woro being got together again for the first time. for over ono hundred years. Tho Macdoualds, M'Loads, Frasers, Mackcnzies, and other great clans were again hearing the call of battle.

The Advisory Committee to tho Macartliy Trust lias already considered tho various applications for grants, and have formulated tlieir recommendations, fo is understood tho Trust will iroofc when tho Primo Minister (Right Hon. AV. P. Massey) rotmns to "Wellington, after which tho allocations for t,!ig .vfiU ba wwomicoi, _

Politeness is a strong oharaoteristio of the male population of Wellington which patronises the tramcars. According to a Sydney visitor who was a passenger on one of the Nowtown cars yesterday, the occasions on whioh a gentleman gave up his 6eat to a lady on the Sydney cars were few . and far between. In the rush hours in Sydney" a man might give np his seat, and have to stand all .the way from the city to Bondi or Coogee, whilst late-comers may i be smart enough to pop into the seat he had given up in a spirit of considerateness. That was so often ■ the case that men had to revise their ideas on chivalry, and once they Secured 3 seat they invariably stuck to it until they reached their destination.

The following are the' results of tht "lectrio wiremen's certificate examination, held at the Technical School this ; mouth: —Passes — Theory: i; Arthur Joseph Church, Harold Johnson Cook, Charles M'Kirdy, ■ Rohillia M'Leod,' V "chard Allan Wiechern, George Bilderbeck, William Henry Boyes. Practice —Charles M'Kirdy, Rohillia M'LeocL Allan Wiechern, George, Bilderbeck. Certificates —Arthur Joseph Church, Charles M'Kirdy, Rohillia M'Leod, Richard Allan Wiechern, George Bilderbeck. An unusnal charge was preferred against a, seaman named Hy. Burling in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, morning. The charge was that of "being a person suffering from a contagious disease and liable to quarantine did quit the scow Maroro at Blackball." On the application of. Inspector Hendrev he was remanded to appear at Havolock on November 21. The Finance Committee of the Hospitpl and Charitable Aid Board, after further considering the matter, again recommended at the board meeting yesterday that it could not see its way clear to release Messrs. Barber and Co. from the contract-into which they had entered with the board for the supply of meat for its institutions. Mr. F. T. Moore moved an amendment that the board meet Messrs. Barber and Co. to the extent of ten per cent, of their loss during the plea-sure of the board. Mr. H. Baldwin opposed such a step. The firm, he saia, had been realising the 'full estimated profits for the first five months of their contract, and it was -unreasonable, for them to pocket those profits and want the board to share any loss on the remaining term. He contended the war ha'.l not been responsible for the rise in the price, 'llie amendment was lost on a division, the voting being nine to fivei ago,inst it, and the committee's recommendation was adopted. Court of Appeal judgments will be delivered this morning in the following cases: —Ridd Milking Machine Co. v. Simplex Milking Machino Co.; Bat-t-ersby and others v. Wheatley and othfers; M'Lean v. Miller;'and the Hermann arid Wcger Manufacturing Co., Ltd.,. v. the Mangaone Oilfields, Ltd.

"This wife desertion is becoming too common," remarked Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when counsel for a man named Oliver Rowland Randall Wiggs, charged with deserting his wife in New South Wales, made application for _ a reduction of the original bail, _ which was fixed at £100. Mr. P. Levi made the application on behalf of accused? aud, when it was refused, asked, that it be renewed. Wiggs was remanded foe a week.

- Already the young ladies at the Government Printing Offioe have made and) 1 dispatched a case of clothing, valued at £50, for Belgian childrefi. Now the staff of the office is holding a sale of flowers on Saturday nest. _ Lady employees, with badges, are going to bombard the City on Saturday afternoon in the interests of the Belgian Fund, and Mr. Wallace, .of Messrs. Thompson Bros.; and Mr. Jacobs, of Messrs. George Thomas and Co:, have oonsented to auction. Hoovers at street corners' on Saturday night. Flowers for buttonholes or table decoration purposes axe asked for, and the lady ployees will make up. For the convenience of sympathisers coming _in by train persons authorised to_ receive flowers will be stationed outside tno main entrance from 7.30 to 9 o clock on Saturday morning, or flowers and any greenery may be left with Mr. L/. Campbell, care Type Store, on Saturday morning. The hon. secretaries are i Messrs. Alf. Feldwick, Government Printing Office, Wellington, and Herbert Carter, Hautaha Square, Lower Hutt.

An amusing episode ooonrred in connection with tho Belgium Fund street collection at Auckland on Friday. One of the attractions on the lorry .from which Miss Carrie Moore was collecting was a psfc lamb, tho property of a local troop of boy scouts. During the collection . at Shortland Street, when the attention of everyone on tie lorry, was focused on the crowd, the lamb was left to its own devices. It promptly looked about it for something to eat, and a mild sensation was caused among the collectors when it bewms known that th&lamb had disposed of all the sandwiches on which the party were to lunch, and had nlso chewed up a bunch of sweet poas and £2 10s. worth of Belgium buttons. "May I tell vou in a simple parable what I think this war is doing for us. asked Mr.'Lloyd George towards the end of a recent speech. ' I know a valley in. the north of Wales betweenl the mountains and the sea—a beautiful valley, snug, comfortable, sheltered by mountains from ?11 the bitter blast. It was very enervating, ond I remember how the boys were in tie habit or climbing the hill above the village to have a glimpso of the great mountains in the distance, and to be stimulated: and freshened by the breezes which came from the hill tops, and by the spectacle of that valley. We have been living in a sheltered valley for generations. We have been too comfortable, too indulgent, many, perhaps, too selfish, and the stern hand of Fate has scourged us to an elevation where we can see' the great everlasting things that matter for a nation—the great peaks of honour to had Duty, Patriotism, in guttering white—the great pumaclo of Sacrifice, pointing like a _ rugged finger to Heaven. Wo shall aescend into the valleys again, but as lone as the men and women of this generation last they will carry in their heart? the image or these great mountain peaks, whose foundations are not shaken though Europe rock and sway "in tko convulsions of the great war."