LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Corinth ic. which left Wellington on April 11 for Southampton, reached her destination on May 18. The vessel covered the distance in 37 days—the best passage reported for a considerable time.

To-day is the anniversary of Queen Victoria's birthday, a day which "has in the past Ijeen observed as Empire Day. This vear, however, Empire Day will be observed on the King’s birthday, June

A case of alleged manslaughter against a native named Rangi Maha occupied all day in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday, the jury bringing in a verdict of not guilty. The last of the criminal cases will be dealt with this morning, and concerns two charges of alleged false pretences.

The New Plymouth Borough Council lias accepted the tender of J. 11. Spindler of £IQO for the erection of a tramway shelter at Belt Road, subject to the debenture being taken up for that purpose, as was offered by a ratepayer of the district.

At Monday night’s meeting of the Christchurch City Council a- recommendation from the Finance Committee that the council put into immediate operation the award of the Arbitration Court in regard to the reduction of wages, was defeated by ten votes to nine.

“It is an unfortunate term and will no uoiibt be altered,” remarked His Honor Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday in referring to the word “manslaughter,” and tlrt* fact that it had a terrifying effect on some juries. His Honor thought some term such as “criminal negligence” might be substituted to meet cases in which the neglect of a person had caused the death, of another.

“Here’s a laboring man with a. signet ring upon his finger,” remarked Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington, when a defendant was pleading that he was unable to supply his wife and child with maintenance. “I would not give you a job digging my garden if you came to me with a ring upon your finger.” “It is a present from his wife,” explained counsel for the defendant. “Then let him take it off when he goes looking for work,” replied the Magistrate. His Worship made an order that the defendant should pay 30s a week maintenance. “If he does not pay up,” said the Magistrate, “bring him before me, and I will give him some work up on the Terrace.”

Denial of the impression created by a telegram from Mr. William Freeth, director <of the North Taranaki .Dairy Company, to the effect that considerable resentment was felt because the delegates in connection with the dairy pool had exceeded their authority and committed their companies to a scheme, was made by Mr. M. Wells, provisional director of New Zealand Dairies, Ltd., and chairman of the Cambridge Company, Ltd., on his return to Cambridge. Mr. Wells stated that the telegram as published was misleading. The delegates to the conference did not pledge rheir respective. companies to the scheme, but details of the proposals were being printed, and would be circulated to every dairy company in New Zealand for approval before final adoption. Now that the winter season is approaching motor cyclists should take the opportunity of having their machines overhauled. On the front page of this issue the Eltham Motor Cycle Repair Depot has a notice giving five good reasons why the machine should be taken to specialists in motor cycle work such as they claim to be. and as a trial will convince motor cyclists that they are.

The crowning ceremony in connection with the West End .School Carnival Queen election takes place in the Kawaroa Park bungalow on Friday night and should prove a very spectacular function as arrangements have been made to hold a children’s fancy dress ball in connection with it. The children are entering enthusiastically into the matter, and there is sure to be keen competition for the prizes that are being awarded. The children’s dance will commence at 7 p.m. and the crowning will take place at 8 p.m. The Mayor has consented to crown the Queen. Complete arrangements to ensure the success of the gathering have been made by a strong committee, with Mr. J. Hoskin as organiser, whilst the details pf -ae ceremonial are in the hands of the teachers of the school.

The Board of Trade has completed its invstigation of the retail price of meat in Christchurch. The outcome of this inquiry and the reduction .in wages bonus is that butchers- have decided to reduce their prices £d to Id per lb, according to cuts.

About 295 nominated inunigrants and oversea settlement passengers, including 45 domestics, arrived at Auckland by the Ruahine, which reached port late on Saturday iiight from London and Southampton. The domestics, under the care of a matron, and the other new arrivals, will be distributed over the Dominion.

“Some really concerted action, should be taken by public bodies to stop it,” was the comment of Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday when counsel for the defence in a. case of alleged manslaughter said it was a common practice to drive drays at night without Jights. “Only last session,*’ continued His Honor, “I had occasion to try a similar case in which a young man was -killed by the shaft of a gig. Some action should be taken, and it would be worth the expense to save human lite.” In the course of his summing up in the case —an instance in which an occupant of a motor-car received fatal injuries through the collision of the car with an .unlighted dray—His Honor remarked that driving without lights at night ’was a source of very considerable'danger.

An unusual position has arisen in regard to tenders for the new university building ut Auckland, the architects (Messrs. Lippingcoat and Bilson, a Melbourne firm) having attached to the specifications conditions foreign to those obtaining throughout New Zealand. Builders and contractors placed their views before the architects and the University Council, but were unable to get general conditions substituted for the new ones. The Builders’ Association executive had passed a resolution staling that builders are advised not to tender for the university buildings under the conditions at present attached, but io make their tenders subject to general conditions of contract at present existing between the New Zealand Institute of Architects and the New Zealand Builders’ Federation, as agreed to- at. the conference qt Wellington in February, 1910. The fact that false and ridiculous statements concerning the British Royal Family were being made by so-called former British subjects among the peoples of the East, in accordance with carefully-planned Bolshevik propaganda, was commented upon by Mr. W. Wolford Bidwell, F.R.G.S., in the course of a chat with a representative of the Auckland Star. The statements were so absurd, he said, that they could not possibly carry weight with Europeans, but as they were made by naturalised British subjects among uneducated people, he considered them to be somewhat pernicious. In two instances that came under his notice the propagandists were Jews who had been naturalised in Australia. One was eventually arrested in Japan, after being deported by the Chinese authorities. Three months ago, Mr. Bidwell was in Harbin, where, he- said, these stories were rife. The King was depicted as weak, despoiled of power, and wielding no influence in the affairs of the country. But tHe more scurrilous of the attacks was reserved for the Prince of Wales, who was described as depraved and vicious with a wealth of unpleasant detail. It is Mr. Bidwell’s opinion that aliens desiring naturalisation should receive a “more careful scrutiny in the colonies.

One of the jokes of the week was the account of the men who hang round the Wellington wharves, get free meals in steamer forecastles, and then complain of the food (remarks a writer in the Auckland Star). The type, I suppose, is widespread and eternal. There is an old picin Punch depicting a tramp receiving a ration at the rectory door, and grumbling about the thinness of the butter on the bread. He can get better at the workhouse. I know of a case in which a recipient of charitable aid sent back groceries and rated the grocer for sending her such poor quality. There is also a wonderful story that a well-known theatrical manager tells of a New Zealand town— Dunedin, I fancy. I think the play was “Beaucaire;” at any rate, it was a very wet night, and the audience was small. Noticing a man hanging about the entrance, the manager asked him if he would like to go in “on the nod.” When the show was over the stranger came to the manager’s room to thank him for hie hospitality. “That’s all right,” said the manager. “Hope you enjoyed it.” “Oh, yes, fine.” The stranger lingered. “Well?” queried the manager. “I say,” said the stranger, “what about the tram fare home ?”

Mr. E. C. Shepherd, a pioneer settler of the Waikato, who returned to Auckland recently from one of his periodical visits to his old district, says he is full of admiration for some of the young fellows who are making the best of a bad job and sticking to their land. “Take it from me,” he said to an Auckland Star reporter, “that the men who stick to their land are- going to come out on top.” Land went far too high, but the pendulum has swung in the other direction, and now it has gone too low. Despite the slump, many farmers are still making farming pay, but they have to work hard and use their brains as they have never done before. Land will again rise in price to its proper* level; it won’t stay at slump prices. In • the old days the people passed through many slumps, when there were absolutely no markets at all, and when the , very bottom seemed to have fallen out of the country, but invariably after a few years of hardship •and severe toil the man who stuck to it and worked his land always reaped a full benefit, and to-day in their old age they are the most comfortable people in the land.

Inglewood residents are reminded of the euchre party and dance, to be held in the Town Hall to-morrow night. Proceeds are in aid of the Soldiers’ Memorial Fund. Excellent arrangements have been made, and a large attendance is hoped for.

The following winter apparel for men is attractively priced at the Melbourne, Ltd.:—Roslyn grey sweaters 14s Cd, heather all-wool overshirts 10s 6d, grey wool knitted waistcoats 16s 6d, grey coat sweaters 17s Cd to 29s 6d, navy Pet-one flannels 9s Cd, “Doctor” flannels 10s 'Gd and 12s Cd, grey all wool knitted socks Is 9d.

No sickening unhealthy sud steam pervades the house where “Fairy Wonder” Dry Sbap is used. Only luke-warm water or water from the tap need.be used, depending on your own comfort. For perfectly washing clothes without injury in half the usual time with half the usual labor, no known means compare with the results of using “Fairy.” Of all grocers.

Create an atmosphere of Nazol about you, so that you constantly inhale it. It is undoubtedly good for Coughs, •a-’rxi/ia Rnra Throats, etc.

‘‘The old lady has been blind for 27 years, and bed-ridden for the last twelve months,” said a witness in giving evidence at a Wellington inquest. Deceased was 80 years old.

There have been no. further cases of typhoid notified to the Health Department since Friday. There have been no further developments at the Auckland hospital. The situation at the Mental hospital is unchanged. “Travelling through Britain,” said Mr. D. Buchanan at Longburn, “I found that very little New Zealand butter and cheese were to be seen outside London.” Why, he asked, could they not ship their produce direct to some Scottish port, because in Glasgow cheese was quoted at 100 s tb 108 s, and Loudon cables quoted 80s to 85s for the same article? So why should they not send their produce direct to the consumers? To get the best price they must do this. An interesting exhibition of billiards, was given in New Plymouth last night by Mr. W. Abotomey, New South Wales professional chainpion, who played a match against Mr. W. Birch at Howlett’s saloon. The match was 600 up and Mr. Birch received 200, the match ending: Mr. Abotomey 600,. Mr. Birch 247. The visitor gave a. clever display, making some big breaks. His last visit to the table was brilliant and he made 209 unfinished. Mr. Birch was unable to strike form.

From the opinions expressed by employers it would seem (states the Auckland Herald) that the cut in the cost of living bonus ordered by the Arbitration Court does not promise to bring about a very material reduction in prices. In some of the southern centres it is contended that it is absolutely impracticable to pass on the 5s cut in wages to the public by way of reduced prices, and some trades are not making the cut in wages, preferring ro wait an opportunity to make new agreements with their employees. In Auckland the employers in various tradeshave been meeting to consider the position, and having come to the conclusion that the 5s drop is not sufficient to warrant a general reduction in prices over thfeir whole output, have agreed to lower the prices of several articles in order to slightly more than cover the bonus cut. The laundry proprietors discussed the matter and agreed that it was impossible to make a general reduction in prices which would compare with the cut in wages: They therefore resolved to reduce the prices charged on collars by an amount calculated to give the public the benefit of a little more than the wages drop.

Catalogues for eales of pedigree Jerseys on account of Messrs. J. Hale, S. J. Sutton, and A. L. Hooper, may be obtained from the auctioneers, Newton King, Ltd., at all branches.

A preliminary announcement of a clearing sale, to be held at Waitar-a Road on Tuesday next, on behalf of Mr. R. Aroa, is advertised.

A euchre party and dance is being held iff* the Hillsborough Hall to-night. The catalogue for the New Plymouth Jersey Breeders’ Sale is now in course of preparation, and ivill be ready at an early date. Breeders * have responded most liberally to the call for entries, and a catalogue of 82 head will be submitted. This is nipde up of 54 2-year heifers, 10 yearling heifers, 16 cows and 2 bulls, and the quality on the whole will be quite up to the excellent standard distinctly in evidence at previous sales held on behalf of local breeders. Quite a number of animals are to be sold without reserve. Advertisements will shortly follow.