LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 160, 1 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Amongst the arrivals >'rom Homo due early this month, probably about April 5. is BrigadiM-General Richardson, who is coming back to tins Dominion to tako U|, special work here. The Mayor intends to tbiider him a civic welcome on hid arrival, but details cannot bo arranged until tlio Mayor, ihrough tho Minister of Defence, can get into touch with General Uicha.rd.-ou by wireless. Mr. Luko's desire is that the welcome shall take tho form of a publio reception at night in the Town Hall, in order that the people who fiud it difficult to attend during daytime might have an opportunity ot' being present.

"A man must respect himself before ho can expect Jiis family (o respect iiim." remarked Mr. I 1". V. I'mzer, S.M., during the hearing of a maintenance ease til; the .Magistrate's Court yesterday. "No family is iikely to look up to a lierauibulatiny whisky bottle."

Tho 'Minister of Defence bus rec-cived the report, from tho commission set up to deal with tho question of tho release of those objectors to military service who had refused to bear arms on religious grounds. Sir - James Altai said ycslerdav that there were still some t|uestions in'connection with the report to bo considered b.v Cabinet, and until they had been dealt with ho could not say what the effect of tho report had been.

Tho fee fixed by the College Governors for primary pupils at the Girls' Collego is J23 3s. not por term, not per annum its line, been stated.

A Press Association message from Auckland, states that tbe police raided a suspected "two-up" school at Deyonp.irt yesterday afternoon, and m spite of precautions taken by the gamblers 111 the way of an elaborate system ot scouts, succeeded in securing the names of about thirty participants.

Tho amount of wages earned by waterside workers is a subject in which a good deal of interest is evinced, especially at the present time when agitation is being raited for increases. Some light was thrown 011 the subject at the Magistrate's Court yesterday in a enso 111 which a watprsido worker, was prosecuted for having allowed payments due under a maintenance order to fall intoarrear. Patters were produced by Mr. P W. Jackson which showed that the defendant's average earnings were JM 7s. per week. Defendant said that 110 man 011 the waterfront averaged _ M a week over tho wholo year. Id his oivn rase 110 contended tlmt he did not average more than .£3 15s. per week. This man is the highest-paid man 011 the waterfront," said Mr. Jackson. He has earned over .£?, which is the largest amount That has been paid to any man on the waterfront. Of course, lie does not get that every week. Defendant said that men engaged on freezing work oil the waterfront were 111 receipt of the highest wages, and he had not done any of that work for five years. Ho persisted in denying that he received M 7s. weekly. "There is a good deal more shipping arriving from the Old Country now," said Mr. Frowv aud that means more work. Hie wharves are always pretty busy now. 1 know that there used to bu periods of considerable slackness, but that is,not.the case t'<:-da.v, and has not been so for some time."

Tiicro has been a considerable falling off in the number of sailing vessels arriving at Auckland from America during the last two -months. Between January 1, 1918, and February -1 of this year 4 fioUiu" vessels of various rigs arrived from America, two being from New York with general cargo and the others Irom San Francisco with case oil, luinber, etc. The last sailing vessel to arrive from •tmerica was tho barquentine William Olson on February i. .As far as can be gathered only one sailing vessel is at present en route from America to Auckland, although there is a, steady traffic from America to Southern New Zealand ports and -Australia.

A deputation of ratepayers in the Karori Borough, consisting of Messrs. H. E. Dryden, J. Caughley, P. Shalders, W. Tustin, L. 1?. 'i'ingoy, A. Hewett, D. Dickie, A. Hogg, and A. DennisonProude, waited upon Councillor \\. Skegg, of-the Karon Borough Council, at his residence, to ask hinifto allow self to consent to nomination for the Mayoral chair of tho borough. Councillor Skegg said that he would require a little time to consider the matter, and » he were able to make satisfactory arrangements in connection with lus business lie would in all probability accede to the request. •

The death in mid-Pacific of Caplain Bidemand, 53 years of age, chief.officer of the American baroiientnm Mwaril May, from San Francisco, was reported locally yesterday. An internal disorder kept Captain Bidemand in the sick-room for two or three weeks before Ins demise, which occurred on March 15. the remains wore buried at- sea the same day An ironical circumstance in connection with the death of Captain Bide-' mand is that Captain Petersen was recuperating after an attack of influenza when 'the Edward May left San Francisco early in January, and the owners of tho ship placed Captain Bidemand on board so that lift could take com"mand in tho event of Captain Petersen having a relapse. Captain Petersen s health greatly improved during the voyage across the Pacific, but by a strange trick of fate Captain Bidemand,fell sick

and died. Wellington lawyers—and their clientsare complaining about the long delays that are taking place in getting iitlw through the Land Transfer Office in ivellin»ton. "It was not so bad," said cue ■lawyer, "before the war, though many would not accuse the office of being in haste, but the delays that are now taking place are too serious, and in some cases arc hindering business concerning the transfer of titles. We are now getting out titles that we put into the office m August or September last, and from c-ur experience it seems hopeless to expect to get a transfer through in less than six months." His Worship tho Mayor acknowledges t.ho following contributions to tho Mayor's Patriotic .Fund: Amount previously acknowledged, «i*6838 15s. od.; DiA K." Newman, =£15; Charles Catlue. £10; W. F. Barraud, £3; Mrs. I'. bujey, ■£» "s.; Messrs. J. O. Shorland and U>., <81 Is.; "J. 8.," XI; T. B. Mason, £1; total, iC6871 18s. sd. .

At yesterday afternoon's meeting of tho Finance and Tramways Committees of tho City Council the final arrangements re.J uia'cle respecting administrative mutteiu in connection with tlie City Engineer a trb abroad, which commences as J rom to-morrow, when Mr. W. H. Mortoni is to leave for Auckland. The Mayor iMi. J p. Luke) said he was sure that those officers who had new responsibilities thrust «pon them would do all in their power to carry on tlie services oil which Wellington depends during the absence oi their much-respected and ■well-loved clnei.

A-very interesting point came before the Native Lund Court sitting at Mastelton on Thursday (says an exchange). \reta Mahupuku, well known m the V. ai'rarana, died during the epidemic and left a will devising all her property to an ildopted son, Wi Tamaliau Mahupuku It appears that tlie adopted son is a European, who was taken by Areta win lie was quite a baby, and that Aieta. in 11)03 applied for a Judges certificate, which was granted, and she regis em the child's adoption in the Native Laid Court. As the law stands now a Maon cannot adopt a European tillld, e'thei in the Native Land Court or the Ma.,is trate's Court. The will was not objected to, but it was submitted that, the European could not take the native j 3l "* deceased. This depended on whetherl he adoption was valid or not. , lie : 1 ing argument Judge Jones decided n ™t« Maori could riot, according to Maon ® torn, adopt a European child, and there heine no valid adoption the bequest of tlie native lands must fail. There was noquestion as to European lands oi' personnlh- The total value of the estate is about JEIO.OOO, of vh i. c l'/® OOO , J jK®f, B tlie native lands. Meoaia. J.liomp.o.i, Moran, and Kobinson represented tho respective parties intoicstcd. , A "barracks" will be started at Scots College AUramur, to-day, wilder the scheme ' initiated by Lieu I L Sleemaii. the banatks, unicn will continue until I'ridoy, will be under the direction ol Captain W. M. "ell. Commander No. 5 Group, assisted b> Lieutenant Thompson and stall. i) A waterside worker named W. Ellis, residing at 28 Queen Street, tell down a hold on the steamer Moana yesterday alternoon, ynd received an injury to his head, which necessitated bis removal' to the Hospital. He was admitted lo tho institution at 4.10 p.m.

A Press Association messago from Chi'istchureh states that (the reservist, Arthur Mnssoy, who was found guilty by court-martial 'on Saturday of failing to pnirndc fur medical examination, 'ivas sentenced. to twelve montlis,' imprisonment.

The circumstaiiccs of (he death of o lLarried woman named llosainond Davidson. who was fouuddead in her homo in Rodrigo lJoad, lvilbirnie, on Saturday afternoon, wore investigated by the coroner. Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., yesterday. Sergeant Wade appeared for tlio police. Evidence was given by Dr. \V. Kington Fyffo, who :nade a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased, that all tlm organs, including tho brain, showed great congestion. The cause of death was a c|ot. on tho brain. Dealli must liavo occurred suddenly. Olive West brook, of 338 tho Terrace, said she knew tho deceased very well', and last saw her on Wednesday, March 2G. Deceased lived apart from her husband, was about 12 years of age, and had ono son. With the exception of a jiuin in the back, deceased never complained of being unwell. Lately she had lived by herself- Witness went out to see deceased on Saturday afternoon, and receiving no answer io her knocks, oneucd tlio door, and snw the woman's body on the floor of the kitchen. Conswiblo Joss said ho removed the deceased's body to tho morguo, Deceased appeared to hnvo been dead for eorao time. A vordict was returned in accordance with tho medical testimony!

A meeting of friends and supporters at Mr. J. P. who is offering himself for re-election as Mayor of the city, was held last niglit in the Masonic Hail. Mr. J. Hutcheson being in the chair. Committees were appointed to further the candidature of Mr. Luke, ;p)d other routine business transacted. It was announced that Mr. T. Lislo had been asked and had consented to act as secretary to the ecotion committer. A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that John William Iveny, who was arrested on Saturday for petty tliett from u shopfrunt, was found to have .011 him a ' revolver loaded 111 every chamber, the bullets being of the expanding "Dumdum" variety. He was not known to the police, but told 11 tale of having come to the North Island fro 111 the South t>oiao time ago with c£'lCo(l, which lie said he had gambled away. He said he had ljcea a butcher in Uunedin, atui eiuua to Auckland about Christmas time tvith <£200 in gold and .£57 in other .money, but had lost it nil following races, being eventually stranded after 11 race meeting ot Wellington, and had pawned Ins watch to get his fare back to Auckland. The revolver was carried in 6elf-protcction, lie said, though he could not exjilain why he required special protection of (hat kind. The accused admitted the thefts and the unlawful possession of the firearm, and was remanded for a iveek for medical obserra'.ioli. The following subscriptions and donations to the 'Keturned Soldiers' Clubhouse Society received during February are acknowledged by the secretary, Jlr. W. G. Callender:—Subscriptions: Bristol Piano Co, employees, il; Smith aud Smith. Ltd., ,£1 Is.; Busy Bee Club, 10s.j Miss Pegg, Jl; C. C. Holmes, <£10; J. MacDonnld. .£5; "5.D.," £i; Mrs. G. M. Scales. ,£1; V. Riddiford, £5; Mrs. Dalrymple, .£'. l ss. (id.; Bell, Gully, Bell, and Myers, ,£>. Donations; Mr 6. Gillon, £2 lis. The' balance-sheet of the Kelburn-Ka-rori Tramway Company was before the Finance Committee of the City Council yesterday afternoon. Under an agreement entered into some years ago it was iaid down that, if the time did arrive when it was considered necessary to make the company's line a part of the city tramway system, tho city would not be usked to pay more than 7 per cent, on the original capital involved. Hence the production of the balance-sheet yesterday.

The first outward and visible sign of the amalgamation of Wellington city with Onslow borough will manifest itsell on Thursday evening nest, when the Mayor of Onslow (Mr. J. 11. Dale) and Messrs. Gardiner and \V. Appleton, lata of the Borough Council, will take their places at the City Council table. Onslow formally becomes part of the city from to : day (April 1), that arrangemc-nt being necessary in order to uvoid financial complications which might arise if the union were consummated at any time other than at the end of the financial year, i'or the purposes of the elections on April 30 the Onslow roll ia now part of the Wellington city roll. An officer of the Labour Department yesterday stated, that employers wlioso businesses come within the scope of th» Shops and Offices Act will have to observe the statutory half-holiday for tho second week in April en the day of tho licensing poll (Thursday, April 10), instead ot on the usual day. Occupiers of factories are required by law to afford each employee a reasonable opportunity of recording his or her voto with no deduction troui pay if tne time taken does not excecd one working hour. Last month was the second month in which Wellington was able to show it clean sheet as regards bankruptcies. In llarch, 191S, there were five bahkruptcies. For the first quarter of the current year there was only one petition in bankruptcy filed, wnile in the corresponding quarter of last year there were seven. The month of April, 1919, promises to be one of many important events locally and nationally. In the first instance, recent cable messages have informed the public that the signing of the preliminary peace treat}' by the Central Powers —an event that is bound to ba celebrated with pomp and circumstance throughout the British Empire and in the countries of England's Allies—will probably take place. In the scheme of our own national politics the liquor referendum, to bo put to the people on April 10, is ail event of considerable moment, and is already creating wide interest in every city, town, and hamlet in tho Dominion. April 25 (Anzac Day) will always be regardwl as one sacred to tho memory of the brave boys who took the great chance on the shot-torn shores of Gallipoli—their real entrance into the greatest of all wars. Wednesday, April 30, is set down for the election of Mayor, City Council, Harbour Board, and Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Another event of some importance from a military point of view at least will be the arrival here in a week or two of Brigadier-General Richardson, the officer who many may 6till remember as Master-Gunner Bichardson,' of the E.N.Z.A., and who by bis energy, enthusiasm, and brains has risen to hu present high position.