LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 5 August 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

, The small steamer Nile is being kept ■on the Karamea run until after the Karamea mail contract is let in about a fortnight's time. This assurance has been, received from the Prime Minister by the Mayor (Mr J. H. Harkness),, (says the Westport "Times"). Reference was previously made to the National Earthquake Relief Fund mounting rapidly, yet being drawn on so sparingly, that the Central Committee was proposing to put the money out to interest, which action has since been taken (says the "Westport News"). Now, comes another proposal from Wellington, evidently born of the belief that the fund is outgrowing the needs, for "something in the nature- of a National Emergency Fund so that anything over from the fund .... can be put into a National Fund and invested by the Public Trustee." If restoration had been hastened —and goodness knows there is ample room for it—the fund would have been heavily drawn upon and people would not be talking of investing "anything over." Is it not time that a public meeting was called in. Westport to discuss the whole question with a view to placing the administration of relief j and restoration on a more practical foot-1 ing." ■ :

Addressing the* jury in a case in the Supreme Court at Auckland, counsel for the accused protested against the unfairness of the prosecution examining his client as to his criminal record. He appealed to thei jury to dismiss the. record of the man in'the dock from their minds. "If that man had not gone into the box no one would have mentioned that lie had previous convictions," remarked Air Justice Ostler in summing upj "and you would have been entitled to assume that the accused man a man of good character, and a man to be judged accordingly. But if a man gives evidence and holds himself out as a man of truth, it is right that a jury should know the character of the person they are asked to believe." His Honour added it was because of that that counsel for the Crown was allowed to examine accused as to his record, after he had made application to do so in legal phraseology that the jury did not understand. The reason for-the application being made in that way was to avoid the case of an accused being affected by reference to his record in the ordinary circumstances.

British typewriters have again been successful in securing the contract, fo supply all New Zealand Government departments. The Imperial Typewriter Company's tender lias been accepted for the ensuing year, the same firm having fulfilled the contract in the past year. It was the machine manufactured by this firm which called forth the recommendation bv His Majesty the King at the British' Industrie? Fair in 1927. The contract will involve the supply of about 200 typewriters in the year.

The yellow, red and blue centenary fair to'be held in the Salvation Army Citadel and Young People's Hall, will commence next Wednesday at 2.30 p.m. The Rev. Mr Sivyer is to conduct the opening of the sale and the same evening an excellent programme is to be given by tho combined Presbyterian choirs.

Alfred Gould advertises an auction sale of roofing iron, sashes, doors and building material on the site next "Mail" Office, Bridge, street, on Friday next at 2 p.m. Must be cleared before Trathen's sale ends—woollen dress goods, winter underwear, coats, frocks, hats, blankets, etc.*

The attention of National Tobacco Growers is drawn to the dates of meetings advertised in this issue.

To-morrow and all this week Tra then's famous sale bargains.*