LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 199, 11 May 1918, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A' Gazette Extraordinary issued yoster. diiy contains the mines of 200 First Division Maori reservists drawn in tho recent ballot.' Tho men belong to the Waikato and northern districts. '.'There is practically no work offering in Wellington for 'general, labourers," said an official of the Labour Department yesterday. "Some tradesmen, however, are in demand." •\ boy of foil" years was knocked down by a motor-ca".' at I lis interaction of Willis and GhuzncoSlrccrs 'a«t evening and .suffered severe injuries to his thigh and head. The hid, who in a son of C'onstable Al'Calliun, i.'f l'diMiinki Street Police Station, was taken to ''Vclliuglon Hospital. "When people ask for an extra tram. car for litis or. that service," said the Tramways Manager (Mr. W. 11. Morion),

"they cannot he aware of the cost. Do yon know Hint it, takes £\M a year to keen u car going? That was tho cost when I last went into it. but it most lio more than that now." Thiil;' cost included everything—intsreot on capital cost,, repairs, new wheels, repainting, lights, repair* to trolly heads, wages of motormaii, conductor, car-cleaners, etc. In rush hours just under a hundred cars arc employed on all services in ■Wellington, so that if the lound figure is taken its'the ear strength of the Wellington service, tho running; cost amounts to ,£120,000 per annum,

"Ho said Ilia l , it was flic : Jnverpool way of fighting, and. that if ho went down this soldier v.uld do (lie same.. He made nu bones about it, and seemed quite pleased,' 1 remarked a police officer in the Magistrate's Court yesterday in referring lo a seafaring man named John Thompson, who was charged with griev-. ously assaulting John George, a uniformed returned soldier. Several civilians who witnessed the assault testified that while George was standing outside the Cecil Hold tho accused approached him from behind, and gave him a knock-out blow. The soldier fell, nml Rs he lay on the footpath the accused kicked him twice or thrico on the face, inflicting painful injuries. Thompson's explanation was that inside the hotel hn had been roughly handled by the soldier and some of 'his friends/ and when ha. saw his antagonist on the street he decided.to "get a littlest Ins own back." Ho' did not know that George was a returned man—lie. had no distinguishing badge—and he was sorry on this account. 'The accused, who was inclined to be truculent, offered in Court lo go outside and light one.of the wilmsses with whom ho had ju.4 concluded a verbal battle. iV sentence of three months' imprisonment was imposed, raii-oner to bo handed over to his ship's officers on a vessel .bulling some three wcelu hence.

Facilities were given to men in.- the military camps to obtain absent, voters' permit* in connection with the Grey byelection. The writ, winch was issued yesterday, is returnable within twentyone days.

"I should like to beg of mothers to let nothing, induce them to let 'heir little girls take part in any -ntertninment where from the nature of the case the attractions of the performance are a consideration." state? Miss Pulling, headmistress of the Auckland Diocesan High School for Girls. "The dances and recitations and dramahc situations in which it amuses grown-up people to' see little children take pert, re often terribly quick to destroy their simplicity and teach the beginnings <f. self-con-sciousness and-: poi'tness. It involves the health, nerves, modesty, and charm of the girls. I know the heads of other 'Auckland schools feel with me,.that we see tho beginnings of harm earlier than parents do, (and that we are fo blame if we do-not sound the faming.-'

An Order-in-Council was gazetted yes.terdav, establishing a Dunedin coal trade district and setting up a Dunedm Coal Committee, consisting of Messrs. B. Lee, A. V. Brcmner, A. J. Allen, and A. rJ. Johnston,

The annual meeting of the Officers' Institute was held at the Garrison Hall, Buckle Street, last night. A report on the work of the past year was submitted by tho committee and approved. Oincers were elected for the ensuing year. Eresentiitions were made to Captain \V ills and Captain Pryor in recognition of thenservices in conducting topographical classes. The proceedings were largely informal.

In the Court yesterday an action was brought by the Society for the. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals against a youth named Norman Hicks for cruelly abusing a horse. Mr. H. E. YVebb.prosecuted on behalf ot the society, and Mr. J. Scott represented the defendant. Evidence was given that Hicks cruelly beat with a piece oi fenc-ing-wire a horse which ho had been riding. ' Blood was dripping to the ground from the horse's body, the blows from the wire having drawn blood in four or live places, leaving ugly cuts, the affair took place in Eiddiford Street.Hick's story was that (ho animal was a "dirty brute," and, as ho had no whip, wire 'was the onlv tiling to make him join fining Hicks JCS. with costs ,£1 Bs. Gd., the Magistrate, Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., commented that if the horse was a "dirty brute," the defendant, -was "dirtier." No good purpose would be served bv sending Hieks to gaol, although he could be sent there witrout the option of a fine.

A case presenting some interesting features was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday by Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., when James Hopkins Grunr was proceeded against under n City Council by-law for smoking in an auction room where foodstuffs were kept. The fads of the case, which were' not disputed, were that tho defendant was caught smoking in the AVellinglon 'Fruit and Produce Kxclinngc. He was one of a largo crowd of persons iii-nttemlunce .at the "mart-that day. On behalf of the prosecution- Mr. J. O'Shca. City Solicitor, said that the real object of the nylaw was to prevent spitting, and as most .miokors expectorated, it' was sought by banning smoking to prevent spitting, which habit was. in such surroundings, a' menace to tho public health. J. l or tna defence Mr. H. V. O'Leary stated that His client was one oE many smokers who ji'l not expectorate. He merely smoked, and it could not be contended, in view of the City Solicitor's explanation, that he had done any harm. Mr. 0 Lear.y (liiestioned whether tho by-law could slniul His AVorshii) said that ho would take lime to ronsider the whole matter, and ho would i'ive his decision at a later date.

Wellington is not tho only place which fo;ls aggrieved about tho matter of its hosiiital levy. A letter from the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board announcing a levy of .EG27 10s. lOd. on the Spveydon Boroiish Council for the current yeaiy and'containing a statement of receipts and expenditure for the year was'tlie. subject'of a lengthy .(.iscitesion nt AVednesday" night's meeting of that Tho"town cl*rk announced that t'.'i* 11117-18 tow on. Spreydon !.ad been JS3O 10s. 7d. 'The Mayor :Mr. W. il. Wiusor) complained that trio council had no direct representation in the.. board, yet tVtevhad to pay the va-y big con-, iributio'n aslotl for. Councillor Gahagan moved: "That, we consider vrhere possible further additions to the Hospital buildings should be deferred until after the- war, and that tlie legislation necessary should lie pushed through to enable the Hospital Hoard to borrow money for building purposes.'*.' The M.iotion was carried. The matter t-f the payment of the levy .was, referred to '.ho Finance Committee.

The "Southland Times" states that Constable .Carroll 'recently accosted a voting lad with a pea rifle and cartridges, 'and, as both had been secured without the issue of a permit, he was charged under the War 11 emulations at Kivcrton on Tuesday, before Mr. G. Cruickshank. This/led to another lad, who procured tho 'cartridges, the shopkeeper .who sold the cartridges,' the person who gave the rifle to ..the boy as,a birthday .present, and the shopkooner who sold the rifle nil liimi" charged with contravention, of the War Regulations, in which it is necessary to get a permit., from the local constable to purchase o'v deal with the articles mentioned. Defendants pleadert guilty. The constable stated that all wero frank in their admission of the facts,'and ignorant of the regulations. All were convicted' and ordered .to pay 7s. costs. Tho rifle and, cartridges wero returned to the owner.

Forlv-one mr.n applied to the \\ollhhtton Labour Bureau for work this week. Twenty-one were placed, and most of the twenty who were not placed arc general labourers. ,

The tiuartorlv meeting of the Public Servleo Superannuation Board .vas held on Thursday, Mr. .1. H. Kichardson presiding. : Eleven contributors, retired under section 35 of the Act, by reason or a"e or length of service, were graiiten aflo-vanccs totalling JCI7S9 17s. per annum, and eight Cdntriliutors, retired as medically unfit for duly, were Eranloil annual allowances aggregating jsni us. Eighteen widovs and thirteen children wore granted tho statutory allowances, amounting to JM93 per annum. I»o board declined to grant a retiring allowance lo one contributor, whom it was sought to have retired as medically unfit Of throe contributors medically reexamined it was resolved to continue the allowances in two eases, mid in the other caso the board resolved to ask the Public Service Commissioner to . hud suitable employment for Hie contributor. In consequence of retirements under section 35 of the Act, accrued compensation lo the amount of .KIS2 Bs. 10(1. became a liability of I lie superannuation fund, and n corresponding relief to the Consolidated Fund.

Frederick Emanuel Simmiss was brought before Mr. Justice Ilosking m the Supreme Court yesterday morning tor sentence. In February last the prisoner wns convicted of the theft of a motor-car, but wns released from custody on certain conditions, with which he had fniled t(,comply, lie was sentenced to two years reformative treatment, to commence nt (he expiration of a term of imprisonment imposed, unou him by a Magistrate,

T ',"K^;.»y» The Court of Appeal has' adjourned to Friday, May 31.

A Press Association me-sage from Christdiurch states that Count von Luckner, Licitcuuiil Kircheiss, and their servant wero removed from Jlipa Island oh. Thursday night, and sent north by the ferry -steamer, to bo 'uterued at Matuihi Island.

Tn the Magistrate's Court yesterday the Union Steam Ship Company, lor whom Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared, was charged with having employed an nnrcrlstered reservist. Counsel explained that the reservist, when being engaged-by the master of one of the company's steamers, was asked if ho had enrolled, and he had replied that he had lost his enrolment certificate. It was perhaps careless of the ship's officer not to have verified tho man's statement, but the company was most particular ir: the matter, and had issued strict instructions to the officers in connection therewith. The minimum fine of .£2O was imposed, with costs, by Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M.