NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10288, 24 May 1919, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The R M.S. Moana is expected to arrive at Wellington from San Francisco next Tuesday evening or \\ ednesday morning.

Civil cases to be heard before a jury will commence at the Supreme Court at 10.30 o'clock on Monday morning.

The Industries Committee of the House of Representatives sat in \\ellingto nto take evidence till 12.30 p.m. yesterday. To-day the committee leaves for Mas'terton and Carterton to take evidence in that district. Tho Wellington sittings will be resumed on Tuesday next.

The tenders received by the Harbour Board for contract 178, the Taranaki street store, were as follow: P. C. Wait, £14,455 7s Id (accepted); Jones and Cameron, £16,459 16*, and Campbell and Burke, £19,970 (declined). The engineer's estimate was £13,500.

Results of competitions in connection with the Town-planning Exhibition were announced yesterday, us follow :—Posters, gold medal, Mr H. S. Cotterill, Napier; silver medal, Mr John Mclndoe. Dunedin. Photos, gold medal, Mr S. L. Blackburn, Christchurch; lion, mention, Mr G. F. Startup, Wellington, and J. Johnson, Wellington.

The Farmers' Union Conference at Christchurch passed a motion yesterday requesting the Government to oxtend the Immigration Restriction Act in the direction of requiring all immigrants to prove their loyalty to the laws of the land and British constitution, before admission to the Dominion, and restricting visitors from disseminating disloyal documents.

As a result of tho recent drought m the north, the output of the electric power station at Wairua Falls has been seriously restricted for several months past. The Wairua river had fallen to a lower level than recorded for many years, and as a result the supply of electric power for the lighting of Whangarei was greatly reduced. Now that the drought has broken the output will revert to normal.

A representative Canterbury and West Coast deputation waited upon the Minister for Public Works (Sir William Fraser) yesterday to urge that the work at tho Otira tunnel should be proceeded with as expeditiously as possible. The . deputation was of a private character, and at the close the Minister had no statement to make for publication.

The Orepuki shale, produced a good quantity of paraffin-wax, which was a valuable product (stated Dr. MacLaurin, Government Analyst, to the Industries Committee yesterday); but there was too much sulphur in the oil. He understood that thai;' was one of the main reasons why the works were not carried on. Experiments were nowbeing made with a vi&w to finding commercial methods of eliminating sulphur. Before anything was done by way of subsidy, he "thought that research investigation was necessary.

Mr Cuddie, Director of tho Dairy Division of the Agricultural Department/produced, at yesterday's sitting of-the Industries';Committee;- a threeply white-pine board suitable for making the present rectangular butterboxles. It was very important, he said, to retain the present oblong box, if possible, as they were known at Home as the New Zealand butterboxes. The strength c-f the three-ply boards was yet to be tested, however. Packages similar to that produced by Mr Robson the day, before would bo very suitable for cheese, for' which cylindrical packages were required.

"It is very evident," stated Di MacLaurin, in his evidence before the Industries Committee yesterday, "that much greater energy in scientific research is necessary if wo are to carry on pur present industries to the best advantage, let alone to develop new industries." He recommended the scheme suggested by the National Efficiency Board. In the meantime, ho thought that Government assistance to those already engaged in research work or cn/paWe of undertaking it satisfactorily, was tho best method of proceeding. That would not interfere in any way with the adoption of the full scheme later on. It was, in fact, part of the plan proposed. In reply to Mr Voiich, he said,that he considered that the greatest necessity at present was the training of sufficient men for the u-ork of scientific research.

Two men who were recently arrested for desertion from a ship at Port Chalmers, and who were said to be aliens, approached the secretary of "the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association with a complaint. They informed him that they were, respectvely, nn American and a Canadian, and that they had both served in their national armies in France. The substance of their grievance was, however, that a Wellington weekly newspapor, in reporting their case, had stated that "they seemed moro square-headed than ordinary Yanks," and they deeply resented the suggestion that they were of Teutonio origin. They asked that tho Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association should take the matter up, and demand an apology from the newspaper concerned. In reporting the matter to the meeting of the executive of the association the secretary stated that the men wero still in gaol as suspected aliens, hut that their sole anxiety seemed to bo to havo the aspersion cast on their nationality removed.' The executive decided to take no action in the matter.

With regard to the Parapara iron ore, Dr MacLaurin, giving evidence before the Industries Committee yesterday, said that it laboured under tlie twofold .disadvantage of containing too much phosphorus for the acid hearth process and too little to produco basic sla.g as a by-product. At the present cost of coal, and at the rajte of wages obtaining in New Zealand, ho considered that pig-iron could not bo produced here to commercial advantage for a considerable time. He held that tho Government should take over tho Parapara leases and conservo tho iron ore for future generations. ' He knew that tho committee had received other evidence to tho effect that the" production of iron from Parapara ore was now commercially possible. Private companies had also received reports to that effect. Tho Taranaki ironsand had been found to be not bo good for the production of steel as was generally supposed. He favoured, however, the calling in 'of British or American experts to "advise ns to the possibilities of both the Parapara ore and the Taranaki ironsand.

George Purdon, a young man, appeared before Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., .yesterday charged with the theft of two boxes of margerine, valued at £4 16s, the property of George Thomas and Co. Ho was -remanded till May 30th, bail being allowed in a sum of £IOO, one surety of £ICO or two of £SO each.

Mr P. J. Morgan, Government Geologist, in giving evidence before the industries Committee, on Thurs day, stated that the oil prospects of the "lire Valley, Marlborough, were not very great. Owing to an inadvertence, the word "not" was omitted from the report in yosterday'i> issue. ■

The War ItcJiof Association ha:» re ceived the following letter from ontof its applicants, the wife of a soldier recently returned from active service • "My huxbsind has now got temporal") employment at Government Buildings as night-watchman. I thank you inosl Kindly on behalt ot my family to; your kindness during my husband's absence at the front. I also wish tithank your lady visitor for her kind attention."

Notice has been 1 given by Mr J. Hutchison of his intention to move at the next Hospital Board meeting^: — "That an instruction he given- to tho board's solicitor that in all future drawing up of leases, a clause be inserted limiting it mandatory that, in the event of a lessee discontinuing the occupation of any property "of tho board, that a complete surrender he made to the board, the board's valuer to be empowered to ascribe compensation for any improvements made; and further, it be clearly defined that at 'the completion of the aforesaid, the lease or leases in question be put up to public auction."

The need for greater accommodation at the Otago University was urged upon the Minister tor Education on Thursday by a deputation from the Otago University Council. It was stated that unless the buildings were extended a number of students would have to lie shut out, and deprived of the opportunity of qualifying' for the medical and scientific professions. In ,1-eply, the Hon. J. A. Hanan stated that before expressing an opinion ho deemed it necessary to pay a visit to Dunedin, so that he might see the conditions under which students were working, and inquire into the nature of tho proposed extensions. He hoped to be able to visit the South Island in a. week or two.

Norway, states the "Scientifio American," intends to help out the restoration •of the devastated part. of France, in the front zone, by planting a belt of Norwegian forest trees. Much enthusiasm has developed for the scheme, and it is intended to begin the work immediately. The scheme comprises the planting of 250 acres annually, for five years, and the money is streaming in to Consul Heiberg, at Uhristiania.' The idea is to send a forestry party of about 50 Norwegians, fully equipped -with trees, tools, tents, and stores, so as not to impose the slightest burden on France. The tentative zone for planting the belt of trees is from Ardennes towards tho Belgian frontier, behind Arras, where there formerly was fine forest; but action will be taken in accordance with the desires of the ■French,

The executive of, the New,,. Zealand Counties' Association lieldT'iti annual meeting on Thursday at ' the Hutt County Council office. The question of holding & special conference for the purpose of considering the subject of the control of the main arterial roads was discussed. It was decide'd not to hold a special conferlnce, and that the ordinary conference should be held during the coming Parliamentary, session at a date to be fixed later. Several counties and other local authorities raised the question of the introduction of the Victorian system of road control ; and, with a view to , obtaining first-hand information, both from the point of view of < the local authorities and from that of" the State, it was resolved to request the president of the association (Mr Jull) to visit Victoria and report,'■ for: the guidance of the conference, upon the system in operation there.

"Tho Americans have recognised that the child untrained or uncontrolled either in work or play is usually destructive in habit, and in later years tends to become a menace to the community," Mr C. J Parr remarked at the Town-planning Conference. "He often develops into a larrikin and adds to 'the criminal statistics. Without supervision, play is uncontrolled and leads to unruliness in children and to tho destruction of the playground. Hence, tho children's model playground, properly supervised and equipped with swings,' slides, sandpits, wading pools, assumes a wider importance than' merev a place of recreation; it becomes the nursory in which good citizenship is cultivated. In London and British provincial schools, children are admitted to the school playground after school hours until dusk, and encouraged to use its appliances and indulge in play under the guidance of a trained supervisor. In Franco also a similar system prevails. In laying down any guiding principle for the establishment of playgrounds in New Zealand, then, wo must accept it as v. sine qua non that paid and permanent supervision is necessary." ..

Mr John Hutoheson, of Wellington, who is interested in the local manufacture of asbestos, slates, etc., in giving evidence at yesterday's sitting of the Industries Committee, said that at his previous hearing lie had asked for no tariff protection for their products. Since then, they had found that, while New Zealand was sending a committee round investigating what industries should he developed, Australia was doing things. The Commonwealth had imposed a 'duty of HO per cent, on British asbestos slates and 35 per cent, on others, including New Zealand, thus treating New Zealand as an alien. This protection had induced three very large companies to set up big plants with imported experts, and they were deliberately dumping slatos in New Zealand. One of his company's provincial ageuls had notified them that he could no longer handle their slates as ho could get thorn so much cheaper from Australia. I'ho companies in tpiestion were selling sJates at £44 per thousand in Australia, but quoting tliem at £26 per thousand f.o.b. Sydney for New Zealand. His company h:d approached the Minister for Customs, who had expressed sympathy, but said there was no chance of die tariif protection being given by *he present Parliament. That meo*rc a;-<lelay of 18 months, by which time his little business would be "under the daisies." Mr Luke and Mr Horrisby, M.P.'s, suggested that the difficulty referred to would bo met by legislation on the lines of the Canadian law against dumping. The chairman: "Australia is certainly treating us very badly."

The Postal authorities advise that the mails which left New Zealand on April 7th arrived at London on tUo 20th inst.

The New Zealand an& ftirican Company received telegraph!; advice from Dunedin yesterday that the Westmoreland's pumps are holding the leak in the vessel. " ,

Publication of the Coal Commission's report will bo considered nl'tew the report has been before Cabinet* which will probably be about the middle of next week.

. At- the next meeting of the Hospital Board Mrs Ailkeii intends to move: —"That a previous minuto of the board (on February'"-21st; 1918) abandoning the public health committee bo rescinded." '•■"";

"You say that your children are.wiUi friends. Who are they?" said Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday to a -leiendant at the Magistrate's Court., "i'hcy are in a receiving .home, .and I take it that they are with friends,".replied the. accused.

|' Regulations regarding engineering bursaries, gazetted this week, provide that if the holder has to live away from home he will receive £SO a year in addition to college fees, and if he has to travel more than four miles daily each way to attend the classes be will receive the actual cost of travelling up to *lO a year: It is notified, for •general information, that, in accordance with the wish of the King, His Majesty's; Birthday will be observed this year on the actual date, June, 3rd. His Majesty desires that, in the." matter of ceremonial observance, unless peace is signed in the meantime,., the precedent of last year .should be .followed in all respects, viz., .flags shbu}d.,bo flown, but no dinners, reviews, salutes, or other celebration should: take place.

The distillation of oil and tar from, slack and coal dust, and the cniildig of briquettes from the refuse was a matter well worthy of- investigation, stated Dr. Bf acLaurin; - - Government Analyst, at the sitting of the Indußtries Committtee- .yesterday. I.ho trouble in regard to the briquettes was that tho pitch used as a-binder was so expensive. He demonstrated 1 i.hat sample briquettes produced would not stand* much handling.

It is understood that'R. A. Saunders, theatrical manager, has issued an information against Franklyn Smith, otherwise ' known as Franklyn Devon, for alleged' Jalse .pfetence.sS. This is reported to be the outcome of the entertainment' given by "tow Kun," which led' to a disturbance in the- Grand Opera House on Saturday last. A summons has been issued, and the case will be ventilated in the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday next, May 28th. ~ .., ,""' ~-v

At various times Supreme Court judges have emphasised - the need>for an effective deterrent against sexual offences. In sentencing, £i youth in the Sujireme Court yesterday for indecently assaulting a little girl, the Qhief Justice said he had noticed what Mr Justice Stringer said recently with regard to flogging. Never during his .20 years on the bench had he (Sir Robert Stout) ordered a man tb be flogged, but if the lives of little 'children were to'bo jeopardised owing j)eing. rattacked by scoundrels; he would have to take into serious consideration applying the law with the utmost! rigour. It was mentioned "by'His Honour that in dealing with seXtfal "cases'* ton jurors had always done itiheir duty when the evidence was clearly placed before them.

One who was formerly an officer on the Arethusa training ship, whose headquarters are at 164, Shaftesbury avenue, London, W.C, 2, England, says: "Nowadays one, hears so much qf the training of 'Tommy' that the training of 'Jack' is apt to be overlooked. The tremendous responsibility resting on our Navy, and the heed to repair the waste of human as well, as other material, are so vital that the public requires to be occasionally reminded of the existence of the Arethusa. I know from observation the incalculable good—mental, physical' and : spiritual—wnich the boys derive from such training. -If the public onlv realised the importance of the work they would dip deeply into their pockets in support of the same." An appeal is being mado from headquarters for funds to support the training • ship:

At the invitation of the Wellington Education Board, a conference of representatives of the■;; various : isehool committtees of the Hutt Valley was held at the Lower Hutt on Thursday evening to consider the' question of secondary education. "'' A' lengthy 'discussion took place in regard to the site for the proposed secondary scho.ol, soma spoakers favouring a site on the Wilford settlement, while others claimed that the Perry estate was an ideal site and more centrally situated for the district to be served. On the motion of Mr D. McKenzio, : the following motion was passed:—"That this meeting calls on the board to establish a high school in the Hutt Valley." .Mr T. Forsyth (ohoirman of the Education Board), who presided, thanked. tile meeting for its expression of opinion, and said the members of the board would, as soon as possible, visit the various propsed sites and como to a decision, and he hoped that, with the large-amount secured by the member for the district for education, the building would soon be erected. He advised those interested .to get the Minister's promise in writing as soon as possoble.

The shortage of'coal in Napier has become so acute that the position is intense, and there is very little prospect of supplies being available in reasonable quantities this winter (states the "Daily Telegraph!'). The Government is controlling what little coal is available, and that is conserved for the .use of freezing works, which are,full of Government meat that must be kept frozen to save waste. There is no household! coal' available, and the winter* will hate to be faced without coal. Fortunately, 6«me of the merchants havo a- fairly good supply of firewood on hand, but the price is high, and consumers «ro not prepared to pay the cost ,at-...pre-sent. One merchant told a '.'Telegraph" reporter that a few years ago he was able to purchase firewood loaded on the trucks at 'Js per. corti, but now the prico i.i 555, and the supply unsteady and difficult to get. in order to try to augment Napier's supply nt least two dealers'are .'at present in Wellington seeking to impress on the Government the a.bsoluto need that exists for coal The three local meat works are short, and the majority of householders are" on short commons, and, unless the Government provides a plentiful supply in the near future the difficulties will become intolerable.

An Order-in-Council has been gazetted giving the Egmont County Council authority to raiso a loan, of £SOOO, and the Auckland City Council authority to raise a loan of £165,000.

When George Waterman was charged before Mr F. IV. Frazer, S.M., yesterday with stealing a razor, three shirts, and two pairs of socks, valued at £2 Is, the property of John O'Keefe, the police asked for and were granted a remand for one week.

" r ' "The home is not in the grandeur ol the building, but in the spirit of the people who live in it." observed a woman at the Town-planning Conference yesterday. "Yes," said Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., a little later, "but the spirit is determined by the economic environment of the people."

On Thursday night at 9 o'clock an alien named Joseph David Holder escaped from the Featherston Internment Camp. The escapee, who claims to be ai Swiss, is described as being 27 years, of. age, sft 7in in height, dark complexion with dark curly hair," and grey eyes. He speaks good English, So-far he has evaded recapture. .

In the course of his reply to a Fetid' ing deputation yesterday, the 1i0n...J. A. Hanati (Minister for Education) stated iihat the Education Department was calling a conference "of instrucxtvs, teachers, and experts for the purple of considering a scheme for putting agricultural education on an improved footing. The conference is to t>o" held in Wellington at the beginning of nex< month.

"Unfortunately, our municipal adrninistrators in the past have failed to realise the importance of park space*, and the result is that in most of our cities there are not' nearly enough recreation reserves," said Mr OV J:-Parr, M.P., at the Town-planning Conference yesterday. "Moreover, -it is saf» to say that in almost every 'city the ■park spaces- are unevenly or badly distributed; Modern town-planning principles required that within half a mile of every dwelling there should be a publio 'reserve*'f6r"'the recreation of every citizen and liis family. A number of small, open parks of from'one to .ten acres in extent are more useful -'as breathing spaces than a large"park ; such.as a city belt, which is often miles away .from those who wish to use it. In saying this, I do not wish to depreciate the large park, which, as I shall show, has its special uses. But the right principle is to bring the parks tr the people and not have them so fa! away from the population as to br practically unusable."