LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 288, 31 August 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from San Francisco that Hie R.M'.S. Tahiti, which left San Francisco on August 26, for AVellington, carries 912 bags of inail for New Zealand, including 634 United Kingdom, and 145 parcel iweptaclss.

A Gazette Extraordinary issued last evening revokes as from to-day the Order-in-Council fixing the maximum price of butter. "A man who misconZucts himself with a married woman can he sued for damages, whether the husband applies for a divorce or not," remarked His Honour Mr. Justice Salmond in tho Divorce Court yesterday. Speaking nt a later stage, after having consulted authorities on the point, His Honour said: "My observation relates to the English Divorce Act. A husband may sue for damages ' without any petition for any divorce proceedings. Our Act is somewhat different. You cannot sue alone for damages. You can sue for damages and judicial separation, however.”

Recently Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., had occasion to write to the Acting-Minister of Railways (Hon. D. 11. Guthrie) respecting the delays that were halting the 5.25 p.m. train from Thorndon at Johnsonville. Mr. Wright has received a reply from the Acting-Minister stating that the delays were occasioned by the putting on of cars and by the lifting of loads nt Johnsonville, but an arrangement had been made whereby the assisting engine as well as the train engine would do part of the work, and an improvement had been effected which would obviate the late running of the train referred to. The case of William J. Byrne (Mr. W. Perry) against Richard Ingram Low (Mr. J. J. M'Grath). a claim for .£2OO for alleged breach of contract, was decided by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday. The plaintiff was nonsuited with costs totalling Jill 35.» There was a coun-ter-claim for £24 145., which was struck out. Security for appeal was fixed at the amount of costs, Jill 35., plus JHO 10s.

The chair used by the chairman of the Bank of New Zealand at board and general meetings, is an interesting article of furniture. It may bo remembered by some of the older residents of Wellington that when the barque Inconstant touched on what is now known as Inconstant Point, in tho entrance to tho harbour (eastern coast), the vessel was brought into Wellington in a sinking condition, and beached at Te Aro. She was sold by auction, and purchased by tho late John Plimmer, who brought her round to tho beach, which the head office of the Bank of New Zealand stands, then the rocky foreshore of Lambton Quay, and in those days only referred to as "the beach.” Ho perched the old vessel up with beams, "docked” her with spoil from across tho road, and with a superstructure on top, she was used for many years as a warehouse, and a very comfortable, roomy, and weather-tight warehouse the hull made. Gradually the foreshore was reclaimed, and "Noah’s Ark” found itself beneath the level of the road. Finally it was filled in. The hull was not even remover! when tho first bank was built, for when tho excavations were made for tho foundations of the present building tb.e hull of tho old barque was exposed, and it wn= from those timbers that the chair referred to was made. The sentiment attached to the chair has found cxpro-s.iion recently by the addition of a brass plate, on which is inscribed the following words:—"The oak of which this chair was made was. part of tho barque Inconstant, which ' was stranded non- Pcnc.arrow Head on August 19. 1859. and was aftsTwniv’s used by Mr. John Plimmer ts a warehouse known as 'Noah’s Ark.’ on the site where the bank now stands.”

'Tho following tender, (received for Harbour Board contract No. 185, supply and delivery of electric lumps, has been accepted. Messrs. Robert k. Walls and Co., Ltd. (accepted), £555 2s. 6<L Other tenders were received from Ihe Premier Electrical nnd Engineering Co., Messrs. A. Beal Pritchett, Ltd., AV. J. Lane Electrical Co., Ltd.; Turnbull and Jo2.es, Ltd.; Lawrence and Hanson Electrical Co.. Ltd.; British General Electric Co., Ltd.; Arthur D. Riley and Co., Ltd.

“New Zealander” is the nom do plume of a Wellington resident who has sent to the Mayor a cheque for £5 for tho Lord Mayor of London’s fund for tho relief of the famine-stricken people of Russia. Tho donor would not allow his name to ba divulged.

A special meeting of the new Technical College Campaign Committee was held in tho Mayor’s room yesterday morning. It was decided to invite small subscriptions to the fund in order to keep this important work going. The cnso is considered to bo one of urgency, as it would mean a big set-back if the work were to be discontinued altogether. So far the campaign to raise money has only been fairly successful, but the committee is not losing heart, and every possible effort is to bo made to continue the erection of tho now college.

Tho Arbitration Court was yesterday asked to decide whether under clause 30 of the watersiders’ agreement the number of men constituting a meat gang stowing in the hold included men on stages in the hold delivering meat by chutes to the place of storage. The question was argued by Mr AV. H. G. Bonnett (manager of the A\ ellijiigton Cooperative Waterside Labour Employment Association) and Mr. J. Roberts (secretary of tho Waterside Wort-ers’ Federation). The Court reserved its decision. At a meeting of tho Eastbourne Borough Council held on, Friday evening it was decided that the subscriptions raised bv local residents for the purchase of Norfolk pines to beautify the borough could bo more profitably spent in the autumn. It was therefore agreed to postpone the planting until May next.

A slight improvement was reported yesterday in tho condition of James Doogan, the young man who was injured by the Potone fire engine on Saturday evening- , A copy of the fifth annual report of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association was forwarded to LieutenantGeneral Sir William Birdwood by the Rev. AV. Walker, president of the association. Sir William Birdwood has written from tho hindquarters of the Northern Command, fdurree, India, expressing thanks. Ho’adds: —"I am so glad to” have had an opportunity of reading this, for, as I am sure you know, 1 still, and I hope always shall, take the greatest interest in all that concerns my old comrades of the N.Z.E.l 1 . for I think wo may take credit for the fact that we were indeed true comrades in war, and will always remain so in peace. AVith kind regards and good wishes t» you all.”—"Sun.” The competitions aro with us once more, and record entries aro responsible for a lively state of things at the Town Hall. Competitors of all ages and both sexes thronged the corridors and contributed largely to 'the make-up of the large audiences at tho day sessions throughout yesterday. Tho judges of music and elocution (Messrs. Gordon Lavers and Bertram Flohm, of Sydney) commenced work promptly at 10 a.in. yesterday, but as both gentlemen employ somewhat deliberate methods, Hie sections could not be kept io time-table, with the result that it was late last evening before they finished their day work. The entries we/yerv lieavy, aiid as about 90 per cent, of tho.te nominated wont "to the post,’ tho judges hud a real hard day. The arrangements generally are excellent. Tho secretary (Air G. AV. Jenner) has left nothing to chance, and now he has been accommodated with a roomy office upstairs he is able to carry out his duties under better conditions than was tile case two years ago Mr. AV. P. MticLaclilan and the “ev A.' E. Hunt efficiently carry out the duties of stage managers In the two nails. Tf 50 per cent, of the young people encaged in these competitions develop tote singers and elocutionists, Wellington should be well provided for in tho future.

No offers to lend money at six per cent, to finance housing in Christchuich weie reported at the meeting of the special housing committee cf the Christchurch City Council. Tho committee, in consequence, decided to refer the question again to the council with tho suggestion that a. meeting of business men, especially factory owners, should be convened to consider if companies and employing numbers of workers would house them, and thus release other dwellings for the occupation of persons now seeking homes. An official mission to tho UrcweraCountry, comprising tho Hon. A. I. Ngata, M‘P Mr. H. R. H. Balneavis, and Mr. J.'Knight, of the Lands Office, who aro empowered to negotiate with tho Natives with a view to consolidating the interests of the State and the Natives in the Urewera, returned to Auckland on Saturday, and reported progress to tho Minister of Native Affairs, tho Hon. J. G. Coates. The Minister stated afterwards that the progress made was satisfactory, though it would be unwise to say more until the negotiations regarding Lake Waikaremoana were completed. These negotiations ; would receive consideration at°AVairoa, Hawke’s Bay, on September 8.

An instructive and valuable paper on "Samuel Butler,” who is perhaps- best known as tho author of "Erewhon,’ was given at Dunedin last week by Mr. D. IT Rogers. In his address Mr. Rogers traced Butler’s very Interesting connection with the early history of Canterbury As a sheepfarming pioneer in the early days on tho famous Mesopotamia. station, which he himself named, this rich-gifted but eccentric scholar quickly amassed as much money as would servo his purpose, sold out, and returned to England, never to visit Now Zealand again. Butler’s close but rare friendships, his achievements in literature, in painting, and in music woi’o all critically reviewed, ’ and the secret of bis success attributed largely «o his uncompromising honesty and sincerity. The impression was left of a man of great brain, but isolated and narrow in sympathies, and just falling short, of being a very great, man by the selfishness of his outlook on life.

"I want you to notice this,” said tho Rev AV. G. Mo nekton, in the course of a sermon at Auckland on Sunday evening. "The world is living-in a state of fear. AVe do not know what we aro afraid of, but it is quite easy to see that the whole world is afraid of something. There is an underlying fear of revolution, there is an underlying fear of other countries. No matter where you go, you find it; it is there. Now, there was the same fear over Europe at the time of the French revolution, beloie what was called tho industrial revolution. Power in those days was in the hands of the landed classes. In England tho tenets of the French revolution made no headway, nor did they in certain divisions of France, where the landed classes felt they had a duty Io their tenants to protect them and look after them. They were spared. Now look at Russia. Their landed classes recognised no duties at all. The Grand Dukes looked upon the peasants as serfs or slaves. They were not spared. The Russians tried to put in place of the rule of tho landed classes the rule of the labouring class, and it failed. Tho freedom of Italy was accomplished not by olio man but by three: Maximes; Garibaldis, with the Army; and Cavour, the brain of the movement. If we are to free tho world from tho thraldom of terror we must have all three working—the Maximes, tho Cavours, the Garibaldis. Tho Russians failed because they thought their Garibaldis could do it without the others.” —"Star."

No light has yet been thrown on the mystery surrounding tho disappearance of tho well-known Auckland solicitor, Mr. A. E. Skelton, who has been missing from his home at Ladies’ Mile, Ellerslie, since early on Saturday, August 20, says the "Herald.”

At a meeting of combined Labour Party branches in AVellington, held last night in the Trades •Hall, a resolution was passed condemning tho action of the education authorities in victimising Miss Weitzel, a young student at Ihe Training will intervene to prevent such unneees-

Mr. Robert Brown, a Ladbrooks farmer, recently lost four young cows, valued at £lOO, as a result of their eating certain hay. The cows all died within half an hour. Mr. Brown ascribes tho death of tho cows to the presence of atropa belladonna in tho hay. This weed is more familiarly known as "deadly nightshade.” A valuable cockatoo, a family pet, lost its life in tragic circumstances at Avonside on Friday night, or early on Saturday morning (says a Christchurch exchange). The bird, which had attained tho ago of 27 years, and which was a good talker, was, as usual, placed in an outhouse. In tho morning a member of the family, on entering the outhguso to get his bicycle, missed the bird's greeting, and, looking inside the cage, ho saw ihe cockatoo lying dead with its head off. The body was quito bloodless. A ferret is blamed for tho killing, it being surmised that it managed to squeeze itself through the bars of the cago and thus reach the bird. Teachers’ salaries are paid by cheque by tho Canterbury Education Board, and in order that teachers situated in remote districts should receive their payments promptly, the cheques are sent out before the due date. Cashing the cheques before the usual date dislocates the smooth working of the system, and the secretary of the Education Board, in a recent statement, emphasised that teachers must not cash their, cheques or pay them to any firm which expected to negotiate them, before the due date. The following business was dealt with at the last meeting of the Wellington District Repatriation Board: —Business loans declined, 9; deferred, 1; referred to Ministerial Board, 1; wthdrawn, 2. Furniture, loans granted, 24; declined, 4; deferred, 2; referred to Ministerial Board, 4. Subsidised wages, granted, 4. Training allowances, granted 4; fees granted, 1; fees declined, 2.

At its meeting on Monday evening, the Pctone Borough Council, passed the following resolution: —“That this council has learned with regret that the Lower Hutt Borough Council, after .inviting this council to confer on the subject of becoming jointly interested in the Petone gasworks, has decided to erect separate works, and now draws the attention of the Board of Trade to the position which has arisen, seeing that this council expresses its willingness to give the Hutt Borough Council joint control of its gas-producing plant, and sell tho Hutt Borough Council gas at a nominal profit over cost of production. That this council considers the establishment of two gas plants witKn a small area an economic blunder from a Hutt Valley point of view, and hopes tho Board of Trade will inter vent to prevent such unnecessary expenditure of municipal funds.”