NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10281, 16 May 1919, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Minister for Public Health ("he Hun. G. V.. Russsel'.) stated yesterday ta a "Times" reporter that as a result of the Hoyal Commission oil the Influenza Epidemic having taken the unusual and unconstitutional course ot forwarding its report direct to the Gov-. *:iio>r-Genoml, instead of sending it through the Government, the report had not yet come to hand, and consequently nothing could be said in connection with it.

A statue to the memory of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, is to be erected in Auckland. The entire cost of providing the statue is to be defrayed by Mr J. M. Mennie, who made the announcement at the last meeting of' tho St. Andrew Scottish Society. Mr James Craigie,. M.P. for Timaru, is to lecture on Robert Burns on the next anniversary of tho poet's birthday.

An amusing incident, illustrative ot the unwillingness'of many landladies to uccept girl boarders, occurred recently in Dunedin. A young girl interviewed a prospective landlady, and was informed that the house was full, and that she could not be accommodated. Feeling suspicious, she went to a slot telephone box, called up the same house, and, assuming a gruff, manly voice, repeated her request for lodgings, indicating that she belonged to the male sex. She was at once accepted, and cordially invited to move in at once

When Charles Edward Rossiter R<uddiek appeared in the dock in, the Supreme Court yesterday in connection with the alleged theft of a five-seater Ford motor-car, the property of E'.. S. Baldwin, he made a rather extraordinary request. Addressing the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), the prisoner said that, when arrested he had in his possession £37 2s, and asked for the return of the money for the purpose of engaging counsel. His Honour regarded the application as a rather imludeut one, pointing out that the money was part of the proceeds of i'ho sale of tho stolon car. However, if accused could show good reason, he -would bo provided with counsel. Ruddick was remanded till this morning.

The instructional courses in physical training, musketry, Infantry drill, and machine-gun drill for cadet and territorial officers and non-commissioned officers are drafting increased attendances at Trentham. As compared n"ith 53 who entered for the hrst fortnight's course held in January, KBU are attending the sixth course which was started this week. These 280 officers and non-commissioned officers are drawn from all parts of the Dominion ; they are mostly cadets, and one unit—the Otago Boys' High School Cadets—-has sent forward no less than 30 of its non-commissioned officers for instruction. Of the total, over 100 have expressed their preference for the physical training course, with a. view to improving their health, and at the same time qualifying as instructors for their respective units.

On several occasions in recent years ■Supremo Court judges have emphasised the danger, of'jurjeß>takmg'dnto priount .in, certain, cases,, the..principle of the law. This"usually occurs in regard to cases concerning marital infelicity. A case of this variety came before -the Supremo Court yesterday. Sir P. W. Jackson, who appeared for the accused, brought evidence to show that his client had had considerable provocation, in that his'wife had had illicit relations with another man whilo he was away at. the front. The Chief Justice severely rebuked counsel for introducing the principle of justification. The law laid down that there could bo no justification in such cases, and his Honour considered that if this rule ivere departed, from the result would be disastrous to civilisation. Mr Jnckson: ''lt has happened in England." His Honour: "I don't care what has happened in England. Many tad things have happened there as well as in New Zealand." Mr Jackson hastened to explain to the court that ho had no intention whatever of pleading the ""unwritten law."

A rather peculiar occurrence in Manners street on the evening of May 4th was inquired into in the Supreme Court yesterday, when Khristian Henry Jensen appeared to answer a charge of assaulting Gcorgo Basan so as to cause him actual bodily harm. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) was on tho bench. Mr P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr H. FO'Leary for the accused. Mr W. Appleton was foreman of the jury. Tho evidence called for the Crown showed that there had been a feud between Jensen and Basan. On tho date in question Basan was standing in Manners street when Jensen came up and struck him a violent blow, and Basan's nose wias broken. Basan stated that he did not know how he got the blow. He remembered receiving the blow, but know nothing further until he found himself in a ohemist's shop. He did not know whether Jensen ihit him or not. For the defence, it was shown that there had been bad blood between tho <uooused and Basan in consequence of the latter alleging that Jensen had informed on him in connection with a recent court case. It was submitted that Basan struck tho first blow, and that Jensen only defended himself, ifter a short retirement, the jury returned with a verdict of guilty of common assault. Sentence was postponed ■till Saturday.

The importance of the Government’s decision to open up the pumice areas of the North Island for soldier settlement was emphasised by Mr E. E. Vaile at Auckland on Tuesday. The Reporoa estate comprises about 30,000 I acres, and approximately half of this area, it is stated, is to be handed over to the Government Forestry Department, leaving about 15,000 acres available for settlement. In regard to the suitability of the pumice land for soldier settlement, Mr Vaile stated that the fertility of the land under proper treatment ' had already been proved. Dealing with the financial aspect of settling the pumice lands, Mr Vaile said the price paid for Reporoa averaged £2 19s an acre, and other unimproved or partly improved land in tho neighbourhood could be purchased at prices ranging from 25s to 37s fid an acre. Mr Vaile said the old prejudice against pumice country was disappearing,' but numbers’, of people who had not tested the possibilities of pumico country still held it. In view of what had been clone at Matamta this was somewhat extraordinary. The Matamata estate, which was very similar country to Reporoa, was acquired a few years ago for £2'‘lss,an acre. It was now carrying a largo and prosperous population, and the value of the land had advanced to £SO and .£<3o an acre. He added: “I can honestly say that any returned soldier who allows himself to*be scared off by the ghostly prejudice against piunico lands is standing jrery much in, his fIWB light.”- •

The following vessels will be within wireless range -of Wellington to-night: ■ —Maori, Mararoa, Pateena, Monowai, Manuka, Atua, Tainui, Willochra and Carpentaria.

Votes" fur church women with the right t'O hold church office was approved by parishioners at' an annual church meeting held at Whakatane on Wednesday night (states a Press Association message).

Steps are being taken to form a Progressive Association in tho Onslow district. A committee has been, formed to draft recommendations, and the district is to be canvassed in order to interest residents in the scheme.

Captain Charles McArthur, or V. Ellington, and Captain Walter Manning, formerly master of the Maori, now retired, have been appointed to act a* nautical assessors at tho magisterial inquiry concerning the wreck of the Queen of the South to bo held to-mor-row. Mr Cooper, S.M., will preside.

The conference between representatives of employers df waterside labour and delegates from the waterside unions of New Zealand was reopened yesterday morning and concluded in the afternoon. An arrangement was arrived at by both parties subject to the approval of their principals.

No firemen were procurable yesterday to fill the nine vacancies in the crew- of the Maori which has been held up at. Wellington since Wednesday, evening. It is anticipated that the necessary men will be obtained to-day, and tho vessel will be able to sail this evening for Lyttelton. The Mararoa arrived at Wellington yesterday morning, and sailed in the evening as usual for Lyttelton.

The finding of a district court-m.-u----tial, held at Trentham Camp on May 7th, having been confirmed by the Commandant of the .forces, is now promulgated. Private Thomas Barrett' 71499, late C. Company, 36th Reinforcement, for deserting His Majesty's service, was sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for twelve months, and he was also ordered to suffer stoppages of pay, amounting to £4 12s Id, for losing his equipment, clothing, and legimental necessaries.

A return received by the Defence Minister shows that ou May 3rd the strength of the Expeditionary, Force in France was 163, and in the "United Kingdom 19,553; while the number of patients in hospital in the United Kingdom was 1769; and the number of married men with wives and families in the United Kingdom was 1321. The number of nurses and Red Cross workers to be evacuated was 185; and the total number of members of the forces evacuated from England to New Zealand since the signing of the Armistice was 24,823.

A witness'iti'an assault ; case in the Supreme Court yesterday caused considerable amusement by his childish simplicity. In the course of the crossexamination by the Grown Prosecutor, the witness was questioned with regard to a statement made by him to a police sergeant, "Did you not make that statement?" asked counsel. "Well. I was not on my oath,", was the simple and apparently sincere reply. Counsel: "ifou told a-, lie because-you were not on your oath?" "fitness.• "I wanted to shield my "'Brother."' "His Honour: "Arid so you told a lie." Witness (with slight emphasis): "But I was not on my oath."

Last evening Colonel G. F. C, Campbell (Coasv Defence Commander), Lieu-tenant-Colonel J. L. Slenman, I.G.S. (Director of Military Training;, Lieu-teuant-Coloncl Standish, K.N.Z.A., Colonel J. Ksson, and Major Sim inspected the'■- oth Regiment at Buckle street Barracks/' •• Colonel Campbell commended the regiment on its appearance, and said .he regretted to inform it that it would have to part with Major Sim. the commanding officer. Major Sim, who has held the position for tno past four years, expressed regret on leaving the regiment, and stated that those tour years would live long in his memory. At Captain Bell's request, three cheers w*re given for Major Sim, and the parade was then dismissed.

"To a great number of people there cannot be a good tramway system which does not provide a seat for every passenger," says the traffic manager of the Wellington tramways. "I do not think such a. service exists, because the typical tramway situation is that the "majority of people want to ride in certain limited periods, morning and evening. If facilities were provided to carry all passengers comfortably, /nth a seat for every passenger, those facilities Svould be idle the greater part of the day. In fact, tho position in Wellington at the present time is that.one-fifth of our present rollingstock can be"*proiitably used in service •inly four hours a das out of eighteen, but in those four hours we could do with many more cars. Obviously, then, If a greater standard of comfort has to be provided, the cost to the passenger will be proportionately greater. Whether tho charge be by way or a universal fare or our present system is immaterial. At the present time 1 know of few things commercially that can bo got for one penny which equal in value tho service given on a tramcar for that sum. In saying that' 1 am not referring to Wellington in particular, but to tho Dominion generally."

Last evening, in Godbor's rooms, Cuba street, a largo number of early settlers gathered together for the purpose_ of indulging in a round-table discussion and to consider the matter of erecting a suitable memorial to those colonists who first landed at Petonei The president (Mr C. E. Jenkins) said he was pleased to see such a large gathering. The committee had to consider two items—firstly, the advisability of erecting a monument' to tho memory of the early settlers at Petone, on' th© beach; and secondly, that of the tinuation of the journal first issued five years ago, but since discontinued owing to the war. The president said it surprised him to know that out of the whole number of early settlers not one could give him any idea of tho exact landing position at Petone. Ho suggested that if a monument was to be erected it should be placed on such a place as the Tinakori Hills, whore it would be seen by all ships coming into Wellington. In his opinion, no more praiseworthy work could bo carried cut than this. Those to whom ho had spoken on tho subject wero all of the opinion that an everlasting monument on the hills, near the, wireless station, would be much better than placing one on the beach at Petone, where it v.ould not be seen by all visitors tio Wellington. Another suggestion was i-liat a memorial be placed in the vicinity of the main railway station. Both points would be dealt with at the r>--\c meeting, when tho now committees and officers would bo elected. Mtr ttcdwvd Captain Vine, Mr George Jones, end Councillor McKenzie then i-.:li:'ej ninny experiences and adventures during their jearjy. life ja tho .Welliiuiton, district.