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Evening Star, Issue 19661, 14 September 1927, Page 6

Tho Lyall Lay (Wellington) tea rooms were burned to the ground early this morning. It was a .six-roomed woollen budding, owned by Airs A. Rowell, believed to be residing at Napier, and occupied by Mrs Christie. Tho building and contents were all destroyed. Tho insurance on tho former was £l,doo, and on the furniture £l.lOO. —Press Association. Tho selection of Dir C. A. Magncr, of To Kowhai, as its official candidate far Raglan was confirmed by a conference of the Central Executive of the Cmintry Party <it Hamilton. Several oilier names wore considered. A Wellington Association message stales that' Detective Win. Robert Cooper resigned from the New Zealand I’d lice Force on Monday, and. was discharged, tho cause being his assault on a seaman, Henry Mornington Smith, who was awarded £.15 damages against Cooper in the Magistrate's Court. Prior to that ho was lined £2 lor the offence at a private police inquiry. Ho there admitted beilg previously fined L.i for assault. Commissioner M‘.Uvency said to-day that he would not tolerate such conduct as Cooper’s in the force under any circumstances.— Press Association.

The screening of the picture ‘Palestine’ at the Town Hall, Auckland, last nmht was lorbiddcu at the last moment by°tho Department of Internal Affairs. Permission had been granted, provided the local inspector was satisfied with the arrangements made. It is staled that the inspector expressed dissatisfaction with the operating box, but agreed at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon to permit tho screening on this occasion. The manager was thcrelore greatly surprised when, two hours biter, a telegram from Wellington forbade tho screening. It is stated that the operating box to which exception has been taken had been passed by the department’s inspectors on numerous previous occasions.—Press Association.

At tho meeting of tho Otago Expansion League last night the emurman (Air S. B. Macdonald) mentioned that no fewer than ISO of tho 300 schools in tho Otago district were now interested in afforestation work. This, said Mr Macdonald, reflected the greatest credit upon tho departments concerned.

“ No reference has been made in the annual reuort regarding tho new Post Oliice,” said 31 v S. 11. Macdonald in tho course of his address at the annual meeting of the Otago Expansion League last evening. “This does not mean that the league ami the other associated bodies have given up the chase. Wj are for the moment resting on the pledge given by the Postmaster-Gene-ral and the Prime Minister that the building will be proceeded with. The unfortunate tightness in the national finances is tho reason for the delay. This will be relieved with a return of hotter trading prospects, and ero long t. 1 -) much-desired and eagerly-antici-p .'d building will bo erected. _ The subject is not dead; it is only deferred for the moment, and when Vac necessary funds are available will bn put through. Our friends aud allies are with ns in pressing for this muchrequired facility at the earliest possible date.”

An interesting lecture entitled ‘ Explorers of the Sky ami Some of Their Modern Successes ’ was delivered by Mr J. C. Begg at last night’s meeting of the astronomical section of the Otago Institute. Mr Crosby Smith occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of members, who listened with interest to Mr Begg’s account of his personal experiences at many of the astronomical centres of the world. He dealt with new departures in the science in England, Itns.sia, and South Africa (which was swiftly becoming an astronomical centre for the Southern Hemisphere). The secretary of the Shipwreck Belief Society acknowledges receipt ol £ll4 18s IGd, received from the Union Steam Ship Company, being amounts collected on the following steamers: —Mamma, £lO 2s Ifld; Manuganui, £0 18s Id; Mocraki. £7 2s 4d; Mnheno, £1 Os 6d; Tofu a, £8 10s 8d; Aorangi, £OB Os 4d; Tahiti, £lO 2s Del; Niagara, £22 los ‘4d; Makura, £7 0s 2d.

A pile of “junk” consisting of bicycle wheels, old lyres, frames, saddles, and such, as well as several complete bicycles and numerous bicycle, tools, constitute the haul made by the detectives a day or two ago, when they gob on the track of some juvenile cycle thieves. A number of iho machines had been taken apart, reassembled, and otherwise altered so as to make identification difficult. A good deal_ of ingenuity was displayed in tins direction by the budding young criminals, but most bf tho material naa, after much ucmlhiy, been identified by its various owners. A small outbreak of fire in a loft at the rear of a shop at 47 JTinces street was quickly extinguished by the brigade last evening. The alarm was given at 7.10, Mr H. A. Hogg, jeweller, occupied iho shop, which was only slightly damaged. The proposal of the revised Customs tariff to admit groat organs free, though not prompted from Dunedin, fits in with our arrangements, since the great organ for our new Town Hall will shortly bo shipped from England, One of the Dunedin land and estate agents says that he has had more money tendered him for investment in mortgages during the past month than in any previous month of his many years’ experience, As our people have the means, and need more houses, ho thinks that they are sure to start building freely before long. Indications of such enlivening are already observable. One of the hindering causes, in his judgment, is _ the enforcement of severe conditions in the subdividing of land. What with the dedicating of streets and the grading and the drainage requirements, the setting aside of parking areas, and so on, no owner Ot land can venture on a cutting-up scheme with any certainty of profit. A Wellington Press Association telegram states that a storeman, named Harold Grace, aged thirty-one, was to-day committed for trial on a charge of having broken and entered the premises of W. J. Gaudin, coal and grain merchant with intent to steal. Accused, an employee of the firm, was discovered on the premises on Sunday by one of the principals.

Tenders for the work of diverting tho Eyre River into tho Waimakarin and making a cut to flood waters from going through Ivaiapoi wore received 'at yesterday’s meeting of tho Waimakariri River Trust, and that of Parkinson, Ltd., a Wellington firm, was accepted, tho amount being £9,427, which is lower than the estimate of tho resident engineer who allowed .a sum of £IO,OOO for tho work. —Christchurch Press Association telegram.

AH the members of tho Otago Land Board attended tho monthly meeting this morning and faced a gigantic order paper, which will take a two days’ sitting to clear. Fifteen of the items relate to tho question of whether there should bo an increase in the renewals of temporary licenses to occupy Crown lands: there were thirty-one appeals by holders of pastoral country for permission to burn tussock; and Mr J. M'Donald (clerk) also laid before the hoard a perfect sheaf of offers of a personal nature, involving questions of rentals and finance. Tho latest addition to the Ofago Early Settlers’ Museum is the memorial presented in 1903 to Mr James Samuel by the congregation of Anderson’s Bay Presbyterian Church, of which he was one of the founders forty years previously. The memorial is a very fine specimen of art-work, embodying a testimonial and photographed, the members of tho first Kirk Session, namely, Bov. J. _ APNanghton, ami Messrs W. Somerville, J. .Patrick, W. H. Mackav. F. King, and A. W. Morris. ....

Travelling in July to New Zealand from Australia Edward Charles Townsend, alias Neville, aged twenty-eight, met an Auckland lady, whom ho married on arrival in that city. Ho lived at a fashionable hoi cl, paying with a valueless cheque. lie deserted his wife at Franklon, going to Wellington and putting up at the Grand Hotel, whore lie stole a hoarder’s binoculars, some clothing, and a cheque honk, and another's suit. Ho paid the licensee’s wife with a valueless cheque for £ls ami went Foulli. Ho was arrested at Christchurch, and in the court here to-day was sentenced to nine months’ imprisoiquent. He was also remanded to appear at Auckland next week on a charge of issuing a valueless cheque there. —Wellington Press Association telegram. The mayor (Air W. R. Taverner) called his Civic _ Committee together yesterday to consider the entertaining of the warships’ officers ami men, and it is thought that tiio arrangements decided upon will meet with the approval of tho visitors.

In consequence of the explosions that have been occurring recently in coal used for domestic purposes, the deputychief inspector of explosives, in conjunction with the technical representative of Nobel’s Explosive Company, made an inspection of the State and other mines on the West Coast. The conclusions arrived at point to the fact that most of tho explosions that have recently occurred in the domestic use of coal may be attributed to the presence of stone in the coal, the stones sometimes bursting with some violence and throwing portions a distance of 18ft. It is possible, however, that in one or two cases the explosions were caused by explosives, but all possible precautions have, in their opinion, been taken at all times to prevent a recurrence of this class of explosion. It has been decided that the regulations nude' - the Coal Mines Act should be amended, with a view to ensuring a thorough search'for explosives in the case of unlired shots. The proposed amendments have already been put in operation in the State mines.—AVcllingtou Press Association telegram. Tho Alornington and Jlaryhill Katepayers’ Association held its sixth monthly meeting on Alonday, when there were present Messrs Coiigaltou (chairman), Patou, Dawtou, Jell’s, Kenton, Thomson, 31ciklcjohn, and LyLllc. lie the complaint regarding tho unformed road in Glen avenue extension, a letter was received from tho City Council stating that a gravel part had already been formed, but a sum _of £l5O was to ho spent in tho coining year for the forming of a road in that area. Discussion on the proposed Mornington tram extension occupied the major part of ilio evening, and it was definitely decided that, a deputation of ratepayers await upon the council. Several complain!s were received regarding the overhanging hedges in various parts of Glen avenue, especially tho hawthorn growing along the oast side of Glen avenue extension. The secretary was instructed to report the matter to tho City Council. The ease was conducted at the Magistrate's _ Court yesterday afternoon, in which Blackmorc and Weir (Mr W. L. iMonro) building contractors, claimed from D. P. Wilson (3ir .)._ S. Sinclair), licensee of tho Kay View Hotel, tho sum of £lO2 7s !)d for extras in regard to a contract, being for goods supplied, plumbing work done, and commission on a sub-con-tract. For the defence, Mr Sinclair stated that tho defendant had paid £65 into court, and contended that that was quite sufficient to meet the liabilities. As a matter of fact, defendant bad suggested that a plumber should bo asked to arbitrate concerning the dispule. One of tho plaintiffs had agreed to that course, but tho next tiling the defendant know about it was that ho got a summons. Fart of the account was correct. Some of the items were admitted to_ bo extras, hut tho difficulty to ho decided was which were extras and which were not._ The method adopted in tho computation of labor was nothing short of scandalous. The defence claimed a considerable reduction in the account, and contended that what had been paid into court represented a fair settlement. Decision was reserved.

For spectacles that soothe the eyes consult V»’. V. Stunner, D. 5.0.1., U.A.0.C., 2 Oclasron. Our business s exclusively optical. [Aclvt.'l A iboicp will 1)0 hold in tbo Coronation Ball. Ft. Kilda, on Saturday next. The Bohemian Orchestra of six instruments has been specially engaged. Those who intend silling fur Iho December examinations of the University of New Zealand arc not Hie 1 that applications most be in the hands of tbo flegistrar, Wellington, not later than October 1. Sen tbo advertisement' ro Douglas Bernstein's liquidation stock on page V.—[Advt.] .A concert wilt bo given in the Allen Hall. Otago University, on Saturday next, at 8 p.m., by the newly-formed University Stringed Orchestra, under the direction of Dr V. K. Galway. Full details arc given in an advertisement in this issue. Jfr A. F. Cbeync lias been appointed by iho liquidator to dispose of Douglas Bernstein's stocks of drapery, Dowling street. In the list of prize-winners in connection with the Commercial Travellers and Warchousemoii's Association “ Big Day ’’ art union, which was published in last night's issue, the sixtli prize appeared as No. 10,866. The correct number should read as No. 10,886. Tbo ticket 10,886 was the only one to drayr two prizes. There is sure to be a full bouse for tbo Male Choir concert to-night. Seats in the pit wore being reserved this morning.