LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

; Owing to the boisAirous northerly $alo yesterday Captain Euan Dickson did not ! leave ou his return flight to Christchurch. Providing the weather moder- . ates he will leave to-day, taking a pos- , tnl mail across the Strait. Ho will stay at Blenheim for wine time giving passenger flight*. Both : tho standards and tho lamps for tho new ornamental olectnc light poles, which are to be erected at intervals along the concrete sea-wall .in Oriental Bay, aro to hand. Mr. U. Lauchlan, manager of tho electric light department, says that the contractors have made a good job of the standards, and when eacn is fitted with five 50-can-dle-power lamps tho effect should be quite good. It is Mr. Lauchlan's intention to fit! up ono of tho poles at tho Harris Street station, before they aro erected in Oriental Buy. "Aro you in earnest?" queried a member of the Hospital Board yesterday, when Mr. F. T Moore tabled a lengthy motion urging the Government to establish & State note issue department so as to facilitate- the financing of local bodies. The motion was lost, after a brief discussion. At its meeting in July the Hospital Board deputed tike chairman (Mr. F. Castle) and Mr. J. G. Petherick to 6end a memorandum to the Prime Minister pointing out the need for State assistance or a State bonus to be granted to parents of largo fnriilies with small incomes. Aftler considering a report from the chairman of the Charitable Aitt Committer, showing that inadequato .wages and ill-health of bread-winners, or their dependants, had rendered State assistance necessary in a few speoifio coses, the committee yesterday recommended the board to consider the mat. iter further before making any recommendation to the Government. Tha committee pointed out that it would noil be desirable for the State i 6 provide assistance no able-bodied 'fathers of larco families unless very strict limitations as to need and other conditions were imposed. Incidentally it was mentioned that the bonrd already had the necessary organisation through which it gave State aid w those who found their means of self-support temporarily inadequate. The matter was referred to a special committee for further consideration, i As a number of cases qf misrepresentation on the part of applicants for charitable aid relief have recently been encountered, the Hospital Board yesterday authorised its officers to institute prosecutions in future cases of this nature. It was mentioned thati it had recently been discovered that one recipient of relief had a weekly income from various sources of £6 12s, In addition to this sum, iihe woman received of £1 Bs. per week from tho Charitable Aid Committee. During July, outdoor relief was given in 112 cases by the committee, compared with 91 cases in July, 1919, and 5t casou in July, 1918. The_ daily average number of persons receiving relief last month was 378. In nil 1201 rations were distributed, and .£293 was allocated by way of cash grants. The last meeting of the Wellington District Repatriation Board was presided over by Mr. M. J. ReaTdon. Twenty-one applications for loans for the purchase of furniture were declined. Six loans for assistance in the financing of businesses were approved. In two 'instances it was decided to subsidise the wages of disabled men -undergoing training in trades, and it was also resolved to pay the fees and allowances of nine men receiving instruction iu technical schools and colleges. The following nominations have been received for the offices to be filled at tlm annual meeting of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts:—Vice-president, Mr. W. A. Bowring; council, Messrs. If. E Anderson, A. Bender, E. Murray Fuller. J. A. Heginbotham, E. W. Htfnt. A. S. Mitchell. H. Linloy Eiohardson, R.D.A.. Dr. J. Allan Thomson, Dr. W. Fell: hon. treasurers, Messrs. H. E. Anderson, A. Morpeth. During June and July seventy-seven land agents' licenses were issued, and of these seven were to land agents in Wellington. A regulation published in the Gazette and now in force reads as follows:— "Any person who loiters in a. post office or telegraph office shall be liable to a fine not exceeding | £5, and any person found so loitering niay- be ejected." Tho Management Committee of tno New Zoalaud Tennis Association has been in communicating with Mr. M. Henry Marsh, Sydney,. regarding, ;a suggestion made by him that he was prepared to arrange for "a. New South Wales team to come to New Zealand at the end of tho present year. This offer has been accepted and Mr. Marsh has been requested to give the New Zealand Association some idea of the number likely to compose the team, particulars with in. ference to matches and dates of matches desired, whether it would be possible tu include ladies in the team, and generally for such information as will assist the Management Committee in furthering the proposal. A conference of members of governing bodies, directors of technical colleges, and supervisors of manual training is to be held in Wellington on September 7. Tho return of the Railway Working Account for tho period from April 1 to July 2-1, as published in the Gazette, shows that the revenue derived from the North Island lines totalled ,£1,139,083 Os. Bd., as compared with ,£1,004,227 2s. Bd., and from the South Island ,£830,876 17s. Bd., as against .£753,465 As. 7d„ the total being .£1,975,959 18s. Id., as compared with £1,757,692 12s. 3d, The expenditure on North Island lines totalled £798,730 18s. 9d., as against £601,733 6s. 4d., and on the South Island £874,551 os. lid., as against £500,120 13s. 5d., the totals being £1,473,281 19s. 3d. and £1,101,853 19s. 9d. respectively. The consent of the Government has been secured by the following local bodies to raise the amounts stated against each:—Gisborne Borough . Council, £120,000; Te Awamutu Electric Power Board, £15.000; Makerua Drainage Board, £100,000; Dargavillo Boroudi Council, £41,000; Rodney County Council, £1.14,000; Napier Borough Council, '£20,000- Havelock North Town Board, £19.941; Christchurch City Council. £17,000; Grey town Borough Council, £14,000: Blenheim Borough Council. £10.000; Kirikiriroa Pond Board, £0000; Hobson County Council, £3000; Eketahuna Borough Council, £2250; Franklin County Council. £2100; Waimarino County, £1300; Masterton County, £1000; Waitomata County, £600; Whangamarino Tioad Board, £500; Auckland Citv. £22.800; Devonpnrt Borough, £17.500', Wnina County. £12,000; Manukau Couiu ty. .felOflO; Helensvillo Town Board, £7000; Akaron- Borough, £3850; Akaroi Coimtr, £3000; Waimarino County, £1300; niktirangi Town Board, £1000; Waimakariri-Ashley • Water Supnly Board, £1000; Mangawarn River Board, .£650; and Otamatea' County, £300. Amendments of the scale of fees under the Divorce and Matrimonial Act, 1908, and tho fees under the Judicature Act. 1908, in the Court of Appeal are published in the Gazette. The Hospital Board has decided te make arrangements with the bandmasters of tho various bands to have a roster prepared (if suitable to them), with a view to having at least one performance given specially by each band on Sunday afternoons (luring the year. Tho band concerts are much appreciated by the inmates and tho visitors, whose donations are subsidised by the Government. J. A. Creighton, a married man, residing at. Lower Butt, while assistins in the removal of a wheel off a carriage at tho P-etone Railway Workshops, had his leg broken just above the ankle, through tho wheel slipping and falling upon him. First aid was rendered by Dr. Hislop, and the natient removed to the Wellington Hospital. The work of erecting two 40ft. steel girders occupied agaiig of men at the Harris Street electric lighting station yesterday. Theso two girders are to support the new western wall of tho re. arrange,:' part of tho power house (along a line formerly traversed by.the old mn::i Hue), anil will also be used to support tho two now boilers, which are shortly to to eraifod tfem

Tho Hospital Board yesterday decided to accede to the request of the trustees of the Wellington Hospital Convalescent Fund to transfer the trust funds to the board. The fund was established in 1870 for tho purpose of (15 aiding deserving cases discharged from the hospital, but without means of subsistence; and (2) to' build a convalescent homo for hospital patientb at some place near Wellington. I;i recent years fcho interest has been expended by donating- £20 to ,the Convalescent Home, Oriental Bay, mid'adding the remainder to the capital, which now amounts to over ,£7OO. The present trustees (of whom the medical superintendent and the midtron of tho Wellington Hospital nro exofficio membersl desire to relinquish their trust, and they, feel that in nsfc. fug tho board to act as trustees iJioy nro placing the funds in the handii of those who are most fitted so guard thi> interests of convalescent patients. It will be necessary ib obtain the sanction of 'the Supreme Court before the trust can be transferred. Judgment upon a preliminary quc<w tion of law ju the case of Edward Bund and Sidney Samuel Gilbert Cornor against George Dorne, was yesterday delivered by the Chief Justice (Sir "kooert Stout). All that the Court was asked to decide was whether, in tho social case stated by tho parties, the plaintiif would bo entitled to specific performance of a certain contract relating to the salu of land. His Honour discussed at length the plea of mistake entered by the defendant. Dome said that, ho had made a mistake, and he contended that even if it were a uni-lateral mistake it was ono of the class that was a defence to n claim for specille performance, ana that all tho plaintiff could claim would be damages. After quoting authorities upon the question of uni-lateral mistaito, His Honour said: "I am of opinion that were specific performances refused in this action, tiro later cases I have quoted would bo treated as over-ruled, and i. new rule would be laid down that would, in my opinion, result in great hardship." The Court's answer was therefore in favour of the plaintiff, A decree nisi was yesterday granted by the Chief Justice (Sir Eobert Stout) in the undefended divorce case of William Arthur Fountain v. Esther Annio Fountain. Petitioner stated that he married the respondent in England in 1890. Ono child was born of the marriage. Petitioner , came out to New Zealand in 1900, on the understanding that his wife and child 'were to follow when he had obtained settled employment. He repeatedly wrote letters addressed to his wife, and also posted to her money and presents; but he never received any reply. His- Honour,.- after hearing the evidence, held that' desertion had been proved. It "was reported at yesterday's ing of the Hospital Board 'that tho Chief Justice had decided thati Mrs. M. J,. Joll's bequest of ,£SOO be invested with Iho Publio Trustee and the., fund bo accumulated with a view to iiS being augmented, so that some day the purpose of the trust might be carried out and an institute for the blind established in Wellington. It is now definitely established (states a Gisborne Press Association message) that the steamer Kia Ora was twelve miles off Gable End Foreland from noon on till G. 30 at night. She then steamed to northwards to East Cape, and there can be little doubt that this was the steamer 6een from Rototahi. Station. Tho Kia Ora was at Tokomaru Bay loading on Friday, then the storm came up and she put to sea, cruising about off Gable End on Sunday undei easy steam. No whistle was blown. The Management Committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association is recommending that the dates for the New Zealand Championship Meeting be January 1, 3, and 4, 1921, and that tho meeting bo held at. Auckland on grounds to bn recommended by tho Auckland Association