LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 47, 21 January 1913, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ail interesting sidelight on the amount, earned by registry offices in the Dominion per a utram tu connection >. ,t;i tiif employment of labor was thrown by Mr E. J. Carey at the Conciliation council at Wellington the other day. Ho stated that departmental returns showed that between £3OOO and £"4000 a year was paid by people in search of employment to private registry olficesi tho workers could not afford to pay such an amount, and if employers would take advantage of tlie union office to engage labor they would get better satisfaction and both Baltics would s-ive money. '•ls ii a fact," asked a delegate at the Teachers' Conference at New Plymouth. "that the Minister for Education h:u just appoiuted a physical expert for schools at a salary of £600?*" "It i< quite correct," replied the chairman. "It is almost equal to the In-spector-General's salary." Jho secretary remarked that what was more there were two inspectors to be appointed under the director with salaries commencing at £230 and with the addition of travelling allowance. Various delegates commented that £6OO was considerably in excess of the highest salary paid in" the teaching profession, and were of the opinion that it afforded good grounds for asking for more. "We want," says the 'Taranaki Herald,' "a steady influx of people with a moderate amount of capital, who can afford to buy small farms and improve them and procure tho best dairying stock obtainable. There is a handsome living to be made out of an ordinary 100-acre farm in this district if the farmer is not overburdened with mortgages and has sufficient capital to farm on proper lines. Canada cannot offer, anything better to the man of moderate means who wants-to make a pleasant home for himself, and the Government would be doing a good thing for the country if it could induce a few thousands of that class of people to come here." The prison who sat on a cask of gunpowder smoking and then knocked out tile hot ashes on the cask was a paragon of wisdom compared with i Wellington youth, who was engaged bv a motor-car owner to clean up the ear and do odd jobs about the promises. He was accommodated with 'i room in the garage, and in order to be quite comfortable as he read hi"penny shocker," states the 'Dominion.' he ('.ragged in a case of petrol and set his candle, otherwise nprotected. oil tlie top. Had he dropped to (deep and allowed the candle-shr.n;> to Irarn right down, there would prihablv have been trouble, as there were several other cases of petrol fphte handy, but he happened to be discovered at his literary pursuits and vas summarily dismissed.

For some time past a musty and unpleasant odour on the second floor of the new Covernment buildings has been the subject of comment by the officials located in this portion of the premises (states an Invercargill Press Association telegram). An official while traversing the passage unexpectedly put bis foot through the floor, and after an examination had been nvado it v/a* found that a verv severe attack of dry rot had set in. The floors of the various rooms were tested, and the same complaint was discovered. In almost every room signs of dry rot were evident, and the linoleums have since been lifted and carpenters employed to raise the parts thus affected. In one room practically the whole of the floor, composed of IS in red pine, will require relaying, while the joists in places also show signs of decay. Lack of ventilation appears to be the cause of the trouble. Napier's record wool sales have produced much rejoicing, Says the 'Telegraph':—"There w.ss fun it the railway station this morning amongst the woolbuyers. A very pleased squatter, who had apparently been up all night, rejoicing over the good times, was endeavoring to extend his personal and sincere thanks to the visitors for their generosity in buying his clip. In the middle of a big ring he stood, with arms extended, eyes glowing, and mouth wide open. Every time he got u few words out the buyers commenced one of their popular choruses, 'Here we are again.' As soon us a refrain was re-ached the appreciative one would try to squeeze in a word or two edgewise, but bang went the refrain and ho whs drowned again. When the train steamed out ''gain the buyers' friend commenced to talk to the onlookers, but even they would not tolerate him, and he was left in his solitude." There is historical as well as prophetio warrant for expecting that the present year will be a fatetul one in the history of the nations (says the 'New Zealand Times'). It is pointed out by a contemporary that in the past, as the l.'ith year of a century occurred. Europe has seen a great turning point in her affairs. Four hundred years ago, 1.313, saw a gallant Ring of Scotland and the flower of Scottish nobility perish on the stricken field of Flodden. Three hundred years ago, as the date came round, Germany was in the opening agonies of the Thirty Years' War. Two hundred years ago, 17i:j, witnessed the signing of tho Treaty of Utrecht which put a period to the hard-contested war of the Spanish Succession, and proved conclusively to that theatrical "Grand Monarque," Louis XIA'., that the Pyrenees and many other o!*?tac!es t<. French ambition did after exist. One hundred years ago, 1813. sav the battle of Leipzig, and the deliverance <>r Europe from the domination of i'ranee and the iron rule of Napoleon.

At a time like the present, when the dignity of the firemen on a steamer is being impressed upon shipowners, it is of interest to look back (says the Auckland 'Star') and see how the position of the workers has improved in New Zealand since 1846. Here, for instance, is a copy of. an advertisement that appeared in the 'New Zealander' of that year:—"Three of my hired servants being absent from my employment without leave, anyone employing them without leave will be prosecuted with the utmost rigor of the law." In this connection it may be mentioned that the first strike occurred in Auckland in 1848. It was amongst the Maoris working at road-making. The authorities had deducted from the Maoris' wages the cost of the rations supplied, so they went out on strike, claiming that thev were not slaves, and should be treated as white men. Over 200 Maoris went out but even in those days there was a minority of 40 who remained at work. The wages paid the Maoris was 9s per week.