WONT PAY UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 542, 20 December 1928, Page 6

WONT PAY UP

COLLECTING COUNTY RATES £5,147 STILL OWING Out of unpaid rates amounting to £9,007 owing to the Waitemata County Council at the end of last March, a balance of £5,147 still remains unpaid. This was shown in a detailed statement submitted to the Waitemata County Council by the clerk at yesterday’s meeting, showing the difficulty experienced in collecting outstanding rates. “These payments were recovered only by hard work, involving a vast amount of correspondence, searching titles, issuing summonses and Court work, which was entirely carrie* out by the office, saving legal expenses,” stilted the clerk. “Since the date of balance 139 summonses have been issued and even now many defaulters have not paid. It is not the practice to prosecute anybody, but many ignore all appeals to pay, or to arrange to pay. Many try to get over the threeyear limit and then claim the Statute of Limitations. Of the amount outstanding I have judgment for £1,075, and this is secured to the council. “I propose to sue eventually if no results are forthcoming. Many will not pay unless they are forced to, but the work of recovery is steadily going on, and summonses now set down for hearing involve £1,475. There is also the fact that the council is paying 7 per cent, on its overdraft, which might be liquidated by payment of outstanding rates.”

A New Zealander In Sydney Town

(THE SUN’S Special Correspondent) Peculiar antics on the part of the Southern Cross the other Sunday morning attracted my attention to such an extent that every time the giant machine dived across the top of this 12-storey building, I craned my neck from my seventh-floor window. The plane was flying so low that one could easily see the occupants. The noise was terrific. There was anything but a peaceful Sabbath feeling in the neighbourhood. These swooping descents above my head continued with regularity every 20 minutes or so. The explanation of this erratic behaviour on the part of the Tasman flyer was due to the fact that Kingsford Smith and his partner, Flight-Lieutenant Ulm, promised on one occasion to take the girls at the Atlantic Union Oil Co. for a flight. They went up in batches of eight. It seemed as if the machine followed the same swooping course on each and every occasion. However, I dare say, the girls enjoyed it. Society of Artists Sydney Ure Smith, of “Art in Australia,” has been elected president of the Society of Artists, that exclusive little body which plays such an important part in Sydney’s art life. George Lambert, A.R.A., and Norman Carter are the vice-presidents. The council will include John Lane Mullins, M.L.C., Will Ashton, John Moore, Howard Ashton, Adelaide Perry, Arthur Murch and Alfred Clint. The veteran Julian Ashton remains life vice-president of the society. Nipponese Romance Sydney, at the moment, is admiring the daintiest little Japanese bride she has seen for years. A happy romance was disclosed when the Mishima Maru arrived during the week from Yokohama. Among the passengers were Mr. and Mrs. Ishiguro, who are on their honeymoon. The husband is a well-known member of a. Japanese wool firm in Sydney. For eight years he has been in Australia. Some time ago he returned to his native land and brought about the ideal ending to a life-long romance. Cricketing Family

As becomes the mother-in-law of the captain of the Englishmen, the prospective mother-in-law of a possible member of the Australian eleven, and the mother of the New Zealand captain, Mrs. T. H. Lowry should—and does—know something about cricket. On arrival by the Niagara this week, accompanied by her husband and two daughters, Mrs. Lowry criticised the Australians for not selecting Arthur Richardson. Dr. Bettington and Otto Nothling for tho second test. Bettington, of course, is Miss Marion Lowry’s fiance. New Zealand Senator

Arthur Rae, one of the old Labour stalwarts, who has been returned to the Senate, is a New Zealander. On his arrival from the Dominion he worked on the railways, and eventually accepted office in the Shearers’ Union. For calling out shearers at Hay lie was sent to gaol. For some considerable time he has been prominently associated with the “Labour Daily.” The New Zealander can look forward with pleasure to a £I,OOO a year billet, which will last until he is Henry Hayward 111.

Henry Hay-ward, the New Zealand cinema king, lias been in indifferent health, I am told, ever ; ince lie arrived from Auckland some months ago. At the moment he is recuperating at Blackheath, in the Blue Mountains.