LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 56, 30 November 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from Suva, that the Niagara left on Monday for Auckland. She carries 291 bags of mails for Wellington. A burglar ransacked a house at Karori tho other evening while the occupants were absent. The house had been left secure, but entrance was gained by tho simple though risky expedient of breaking tho leadlight in the front door, which enabled the lock to be turned. When the people of /he house ■ returned they found that the contents of every drawer had been strewn over the floors and that a considerable sum of money was missing.

A very pronounced thunderclap, accompanied "by vivid lightning, occurred at Tauranga at 10.30 o’clock on Saturday morning. The lightning struck an old bluegum tree about 60ft. high growing on tho property opposite tho Bellvue Boarding House. Tho tree was scarred for almost the whole length of its trunk. Hundreds of splinters and branches wore knocked off and hurled as far as Camcron Road, afbout 50 yards away. Fortunately no one was by any of the flying splinters. A new house is being erected on the eastern, side of Cameron Road in a line diagonal with the tree, and one of the carpenters engaged on tho building came within the sphere of tho lightning track, and was struck on the right arm, which was numbed for some little time. He suffered no serious ill effects, however. The pane of a window on the western side of Bellvue House was shattered, and a man in tho backyard felt slight effects from the lightning. Two boys also had a narrow escape.

With regard to the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Wellington Master Butchers’ Association lias resolved that all shops of members of the Master Butchers’ Association will be closed on December 26 and 27 and January 2 and 3. “Tho cancellation of tho Allied war debts would be tho best thing in the world,” said the Hon. A. M. Myers at a Commercial Travellers’ gathering at Auckland on Saturday. “If this scheme were carried out, the United States of America and Great Britain would, of course, be losers, but this would be compensated by a gain to the whole world. The world to-day was one economic unit, and poverty in one country must necessarily affect other countries.’’ Mr. Myers also said that banking matters and the stability of exchange could bo improved by co-operation. Tho investment of money within the Empire should be encouraged. Questioned in Christchurch whether the proposed school of forestry should bo located in Auckland or Canterbury, Professor D. H. Campbell, of Stamford University, California, said he had not yet sufficient data to express an opinion on that point. However, he considered that the work of conserving forests and of afforestation was so important, that two schools could be well established, one in Auckland and one in Canterbury. Of one thing he was sure, and that was that in Canterbury there were merMully qualified to conduct a forestry school.

Tho work that is being done by tho Prisons Department at its camp at Erua, near Waimnrino, is referred to in favourable terms by tho .Mayor of Auckland. who has just visited tho camp in company with, some of the members of the City Council. Ho states that excellent work is being done both in roadmaking and sawmilling. A party of English residents who are enjoying a personally-conducted Cook’s tour of Australasia will arrive in New Zealand in January. Tho party will be in charge of Mr. Sellars, formerly of the local staff of Messrs. Thos>. Cook and Sons, who at one time played representative Rugby football for Wellington. The New Zealand Council of the Amateur Athletic Association has been granted tho use of the Basin Reserve for the purpose of holding a eports meeting there on January 28. Permission ilias also been granted to have-the running track surveyed in order that tho times of the 100 yards sprint and 120 yards hurdles might bo recorded. The status of accountants was mentioned by the Hon. A. M. Myers on Saturday at tho commercial travellers' farewell" to him at Auckland. Air. Myers referred to the high standing of accountants in England and elsewhere, on ac count of their ability to deal with figures on a national basis. He thought the Commercial Travellers’ Assueiati m might add to its activities and endeavour to secure a higher status end rate of remuneration for New Zealand accountants. i

Some little time ago a proposal to hold an investigation into tramway management in Wellington was discussed by tho City Council cn the suggestion by some councillor's that improvements and economies in the service might bo effected. This investigation was undertaken by the Tramways Committee, which has commenced its work this week. Later on. a report will be furnished the council.

The death of a centenarian. Mr. Mackie, who foughf in Hone Heke’s war in 1845, is reported from Whananaki, near Hikurangi. As nearly as can be ascertained Mr. Mackie had passed his 10;>th birthday. Ho was actively engafjd on tho side of the Europeans at Kororarekn in 1845, and was at Ruapekapeka when the pa was stormed and taken on January 11, 1846. Mr. Justice Sim has given judgment in the case in which Rona Springall claimed .£485 17s. from tho New Zealand Express Company, as damages for the alleged loss of portion of a trousseau, which was said to have been stored by the defendants. In finding for the defendants with costs. His Honour said ho was satisfied that no goods had been pillaged whilst tho packages were in the hands of the company, and he described tho claim as fraudulent. Mr. P. W Jackson appeared’ for the plaintiff and Mr. D. R. Hoggard for the defendant company.

Mr. Forbes Eadie, of Auckland, has (says tho “Herald”) been appointed organiser of the National Progressive and Moderate Labour Party.

The filling-in of what are known as the “shell holes” on the roadway through the Seatoun tunnel, and the application of a two-inch pad of asphalt to both the road and the tramway track have been completed. It looks as though a very good job has been made of this troublesome causeway, which has been the bane of vehicular traffic of all kinds for the last two years. A gang of men is at present employed in trueing up Dixon Street in preparation for an asphalt 'surface for this road, which has to stand th e heavy traffic occasioned, in the main, by the biff motor lorries, which bring the milk to the clearing station every day. Tho application of a permanent surface to this street 'will ba greatly appreciated by the business people of that busy locality.

According to the City Council advertisement of some weeks ago payment for rats (at 3d. per head) extends up till to-day. Since tho announcement that there was a price on the head of all rats delivered to the corporation yards, at Clyde Quay, only 173 have been delivered and paid for, which is a rather disappointing return. Incidentally, remarked a city official, it is a commentary on the times. Wellington is alleged to have swarms of rats and sereral .hundred unemployed men. With a. little industry and cunning quite a decentwage might have been mado by hardup men if the inclination had existed. Whether ths council is prepared to continue to offer a bonus for every rat saught remains to bo seen. In the meantime it is understood that the examination of any rats caught will bo undertaken by the Bacteriological Department (in the Wellington Hospital grounds). Tho City Council sGta ft of inspector’s is still urging on householders' and factory proprietors the necessity of making ever possible attempt to clear their premises of rats. The City Council offices in the Town Hall will" bo closed as from 11.30 a.m. to-day (St. Andrew’s Day}. On account of the half-holiday the meeting of the Reserves Committee has been postponed until to-morrow afternoon.

It is astonishing to learn .what, a number of men there are in Auckland who, according to their own statements, never average more than £2 per week in their earnings (remarks the * Star )- Ope man informed Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., that ho had not done a stroke of work since last April, having been unable -o act a job. He added that ho had lost money several times in coming io town in answer to summonses issued by Ins wife. One married woman told a thrilling halo about getting, out of the window at night and spending .the rest of the night m a stable; but she failed to impress tho Court sufficiently to get a separation order. The reason given bv one husband for not paying maintenance to his wife was: “Sue earns more money than I do.” Asked if his real object was to get clear of his vffo, ho replied quite frankly:. “It is ridiculous to keep two people tied together ■"hop they cannot agree.” One woman when naked if she took alcoholic liquor sharply answered, “Only when my husband pours it out for me. I drink it to oblige him. I have told him often I could do without it.” The number of applications made last week for employment at the Men s Employment Bureau of tho Labour Department totalled 223. Of these, 201 were *■>!• heavy and 22 for light work. the lai gee t class applying were labourers, who totalled 138 (127 heavy and 11 bght). Of the remainder eleven were farm'hands and ten were cooks and stewards.

A first offender Tor insobriety who was mulcted in the sum of ss. at the \Vhangarei Court on Friday probably congratulated himself on the security affouled by his temporary incarceration in the police cells (says tho Auckland “star”). When an inventory was made of his effects after being lodged in the cells ("hopeless”), the collection m tho hat. while including some old rags, etc., revealed that he was tho possessor ot over £lBl. Among his wealth was a £lOO note, a £5O note, and others of lessor denomination. The man s dress was in no way consistent with his amount of wealth, but it was ehcitc’l that he was tt gumdiffger. who had lei the further north with over .£2OO. The minutes of the Australasian conference, hold in Sydney on October a and 7, wore considered at the last meeting of the council of iho New Zealand Boxing Association. It .was decided to -ommunicate with the other parties to the agreement the council’s opinion that, in view of amateur boxing being practically non-existent in Tasmania, at the present time, and as Tasmania had forfeited its right To conduct the 1922 championships, jiiext year« fcnampionships should be held in Melbourne, provided that VictoTfa had complied with tlie resolution passed at the conference, that its application f6r admission be forwarded to the secretary of the New South Wales Amateur Sports Club on or before October 27 last; that, in the event of that application not having been received, tho 1922 championships bo held in New Zealand in terms of tno resolution agreed to on October 7. The following nominations hav- been received for the vacancy on the Victoria CoTlego Council;—Messrs. W. IT. L. Foster D. W. Lowe, and 11. A. Parkinson.

Mr. n. W. Hudson writes from Auckland correcting the Press Association report of some remarks made by him at the Chamber of Commerce Confcrenco in Christchurch on November 24. Tho report was of a discussion upon the question of giving preferential treahnent to depositors unable to withdraw their money under the moratorium. Mn Hudson was reported as saying, "that the proposal would prejudice depositors, and defeat the object in view, and that no commercial firm would accept deposits upon such a basts.’’ What ho said wlis, that the proposal would prejudice the borrowers, since commercial firms would hesitate to give credit to n concern holding money on such a basis. He was also reported to have agre<*. “that the depositors should have the right to demand an amendment,” but explains that the word amendment should read "audit "