NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10614, 12 June 1920, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

A decided drop in the price of pigs 'S reported from Taranaki.

The total loss on the New Plymouth tramways since they came into operation in Id]G, after allowing ior deproe.iatiun and renewals, is £I3,GST.

Tho Pov. Professor Hewitson, convenor of tho Presbyterian Foreign .Mission Committee has received an anonymous donation of £IOOO for the Presbyterian Foreign Missions Emergency Pund.

A sperm whale found stranded on the beach three miles from North Brighton (Christchurch), is 04ft long, and has a girth of 24f1. Negotiations (says a Christchurch correspondent) are 'proceeding With a local soap-mak-ing firm for the ipurchnso pf tho oil.

Tho hearing of charges against Steven and Co. and TV. J. Jjove, at Dunedin, in regard to the sales of free wheat, was concluded in the Supreme Court yesterday, Mr Justice Sim saying ho would take time to, .consider his decision.

A passenger was being- fitted _ into the second sent of the dc Haviland aeroplane at the Mnkaraka racecourse when a friend standing by remarked: ‘•'Keep your eyes open up there, George, and see if you can’t bring down tho cost of living.”

The retail price of fresh eggs in Ashburton (says the '‘Guardian”) has been reduced fropi Os to 2s Gd per dozen, Fresh eggs in Ashburton have never touched 3s during any previous winter, the record price last year being 2s Od.

As a result of the high velocity of Vhe south-west gale in Christchurch recently, a. remarkable sight was seen on Marshland road. A row of 25 giant trees was levelled to tho ground, the uip-ended roots and earth forming a solid wall some eight feet high.

A remit from the Stratford Borough Council asking that the Government I bo asked to take the necessary steps to make Saturday afternoon a. universal half-holiday throughout tho Domiuioiij was supported by tho Makara County Council at its meeting yesterday.

A deputation comprising, members of tho Makara Memorial Committee waited on tho Makara County Council yenterday, asking the council’s permission to erect the proposed memorial obelisk to fallen soldiers on a portion of tho unused road at Makara, near the Anglican Church. The council granted the request.

When defending a case in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, counsel, in describing an article of food which was stated to be unfit for human consumption, said the* article did not smell, and, therefore, did not Speak for itself. “In tho circumstances it could not have been so screamingly bad,” added counsel.

A case was mentioned in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday in which David ami Edward Anderson wore charged with selling a 251 b hag of flour to Ernest James Smith at an unreasonably high price. Tho price charged was stated to ho 7s Gd, and as counsel for tho defendants was unable to appear, the case was set down for hearing oil Thursday next.

The Wellington Painters’ Union, at its quarterly meeting, resolved to protest to the Government against the City Council’s proposal to abolish workers’ concession tickets. The meeting expressed no opposition to an extension of the concession to other workers, but was very strongly opposed to the withdrawal of existing privileges.

Councillor E. Windley, chairman of the Mfikara County Council, at the monthly meeting yesterday, moved: “That the amending’ motion of May 12th, which fixed the rate of roadmen's wages at 13s per day, he rescinded, and that the wages of all road employees be at the rate of Tie per day until further notice.” Tho motion lapsed for want of a seconder, Councillor Bowler remarking that, in his opinion, the men were being well paid.

During the hearing of a ease in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, SubInspeetor Emerson stated that there were a number of aliens in tho Dominion who had failed to register under the Aliens Act. The persons in question Were not enemy subjects, and, being members of a nation that was an Ally of Groat Britain, they were under the impression that they Were exempt from the provisioiin of tho Act. Suoli an impression was erroneous, and prosecutions would falloV? if the aliens in question did not apply for registration.

At a special meeting of the tramways committee, it was decided to recommend the Dunedin City Council to purchase 12 new cars at a cost of £4250 each, The pre-war cost of sirailar_ cars is said to have been about £ISOO each. Tho committee will also recommend the purchase.,of two electrical equipments and trucks to enahlo the corporation to build two cars in their own sheds, and a report will ho prepared by the manager and engineer on the alterations which will he necessary to the car sheds with a view to undertaking this w.ork'Mn propertyfitted workshops.

The device used by nil old man of 80 ns a means of xxtUing -an end to his life mas described to a coroner’a jury at Sheffield (England). 'The man was 1/oUis Rpoak, who for the past IS years has been an inmate of the workhouse. Jlis body was found in Eeclosjdl Woods. It was stated that partially sunk in tbe groiind was a metal ease, from which the barrel of an old ton cannon protruded, and from all indications it is presumed that after filling this barrel with powder and shot. Speak ignited the charge with a piece of lighted paper. The evidence nhowe'd that the old man was usuedly cheerful, and (he. jury, in returning a Verdict, of “Suicide,” found there was m> evidence of the state of the mind.

Reserved judgment Was given in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morn ing by Mr IC. Rage, S.M.. in the case in which .Benjamin llouldey and tleorgo Smith were charged with removing gravel from below high-water mark on the beach at what is known as the “run-round” near Island Bay. The magistrate said that he had. viewed the locality, and from the expert evidence that had been (submitted ho was satisfied that Jim material bad boell removed from above highwater mark. The informations would Ik.' dismissed. Ho desired to point out that the onus of proof lay with the defendants, and care should be taken to see Unit sand and gravel was not removed froln below high-water mark.

No fewer than four big cargo liners urc fixed to load frozen meat and general cargo at various New Zealand ports for Now York. The vessels are the Surrey (now loading at Napier), ihe Durham, liororata, and Somerset.

Mile. Vollond, a young avia ti e who gained her plot's certificates - at the Caudron school, went to Pans to buy au aeroplane. After making In purchase she gut into the machine and flew home to Lc Crotoy, covering the 125 miles in SO minutes.

The board considering the demands made by the Locomotive Engineers,' Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association will probably conclude its sittings today. Everything is now in readiness for hoairing the Railway Officers’ Institution in support of the claims of its members.

Three hundred pounds per head was demanded by p shipping company from the Q.ueenidand Government during the recent shipping strike for the proposed transportation of three lepers from Cairns to Brisbane. The Government accepted the offer, although considering it too high.

The Hokitika water supply is reported unequal to lire prevention requirements in the summer months, and the ‘‘Guardian” says that a longdeferred loan proposal for town improvements is said to bo again under discussion, and this scheme might well include a provision for increasing the town water supply.

About £76 in cash .and £lO in cheques were stolen from the office of Johnson and Cooper, auctioneers, on Thursday afternoon (says a Press A

Boctatkm telegram, from Rotorua). A clerk went out for a few minutes, leaving the safe open, and when ho returned he found that the cash-box had been stolen.

During tho past week 2S applications were made for work at the Government .Labour Bureau; of this number 19 wore accepted. Fourteen men were sent to Government contracts, and live agreed t.o take private jobs. Four applicants were assisted bv reduced fares. Seven of the applicants for the week ware returned soldiers.

“The local fire inspector apparently thinks that the Licensing Committee has no jurisdiction with regard to those lirc-cccapcs. ’’ said the chairman of the Lyttelton Licensing Committee, when tho improvement of fire-escapes in a hotel wag under consideration. “We wish to correct that -misapprehension. The committee is especially given power by statute to deal with tire-escapes, and we arc not going to surrender that power.” ,