TELEGRAMS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 March 1914, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

ll'EB PItESS ASSOCIATION. I NEW ZEALAND'S TillltST IiNCItEASINU. Wellington, This Day. The- annual statement ol Hie New Zealand drink bill for 11) lo lias been furnished by the Temperance authorities. It gives a total of £4,1?j7,G53, made up oi spirits, £1,753,5 ; J8; wine, £294,112; imported beer, £{30,7(3-); New Zealand beer, £2,000,420. Fot 1912 the total was £4,081,Ki2, and the increase thus is £50,491, but taken per head of the population the amount drunk last year was £3 14s per head against £'-i 14s IHd in 1912.. The quantities per head w.ork at: spirits .78 gallons; wines, .181; beer 9.209. The statement points out that the amount spent on liquor would pay the' total railway expenditure plus interest on the cost of railways, and leave enough to pay sick and funeral benefits of all the friendly societies in New Zealand. For a household of five persons the average yearly expenditure i: £18 10s. '

A SFDDEN DEATH. Marton, This Day. A single woman, named Man Tricker, aged 50, dropped dea<i from heart disease, while walking across a paddock to her neighbour's house in Bulls. Not returning home last night a searH, party went out and found Hit body early this morning. An inquest is unnecessary.

1{ AIL WAY MATTERS. Napier, Tliis Day. The Chamber of Commerce resolved to circulate all the Cham bers throughout the Dominion with a view to urging on the railway authorities the necessity <■ arranging a sale of railway tick. . in the town instead of compel! „

travellers to crowd round a sn: ticket office; also pointing on the absolute inadequacy ol t porterage at many of the princip stations like Palinerston. Another matter to be brought umlc. the liailway Manager's notice is the matter of workers! tickets. These are issued to Hastings for 2s fid weekly, but a worker travelling to Whakatu, where the freezing works are being erected —four miles shorter distance—has to pay five shillings.

ALLOWANCE TOO SMALL. Auckland, This Day. A discussion took place at tinf.'ity Council lust night on the ><>bject of unauthorised expend i ture, one councillor having , given notice that the council had nearly reached its legal limit and warning the council that he personally would not be responsible if the fund was overdrawn. The Mayor said the council was allowed £20 a year for unauthorised expenditure, which was quite inadequate for a big , city like Auckland. If members of (lie Council were held personally responsible for expenditure, which could not be reasonably avoided, it would lead to the driving , off of men out of public positions. They gave their time year after year to the citizens, which was surely enough without being , called upon to put their hands in their pockets to pay for courtesies to distinguished guests, and for matters of interest to The citizens. He thought there should be. legislation to increase tlie amount ;illowed for unauthorised expenditure, and to indemnify the council against' "tags" for pasf expenditure of this kind. The council resolved to interview the Prime Minister on the subject during his next visit to Auckland.

AN ILLOGICAL VERDICT. Napier, This Day

Judge Edwards to-day heard argument in the Deck v. lieed slander suit for a new trial. Thv judge described the verdict giving Deck ,£IOO damages as illogical and inconsistent. He reserved his decision on t'ho qu •-- (ion of non-suiting plaint ill, b'lr said that if he did not grant that he would certainly order a (rial. FIRE IN VVELLIX(IT«!\. Wellington, Tki.i Day. Albout two o'clock this iuu.niii, , .; a h're occurred in a house in Mortimer Terrace, occupi ir! hy Mr J. Glol)e, commercial' duvcller, and his wife and child. Mr (ilobe and tlie child escaped with difficulty. The flames spread to an adjoining house occupied l> v Mrs Liardet ;ind both houses were lot.-illy destroyed. There was no insurance on Mrs LiardcCs furni--I'ire. The owner ofhofTi houses i* Mr Coper, of Paliialua. In-MM-αnces are not available. CHILD'S BODY POHNI). Auckland, Tliis JJay. The dead body of a newly-born female infant; was found in .i dress basket, floating off Ihe (Queen's wharf. The child ha<i evidently been strangled as a ;ii('cp of tape was lied tighily round its neck.