NOTES FROM OTHER CENTRES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 20, 18 October 1907, Page 4

NOTES FROM OTHER CENTRES

, AUCKLAND. [DT TELEGItArH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] October 17. According to a labour writer, the proposal mado by a newspaper correspondent advocating a coalition between Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Massey is not being takon seriously by Unionists, though the section who advocate and support the formation of tho Independent .Political Labour League would .welcome such a coalition, as it would give a distinct impetus to their ranks, and would probably result in a distinct Labour party in the House of Representatives. A statement prepared by the Secretary of tho Auckland Harbour Board shows that the receipts during tho quarter ended September 30 amounted to £22,965 13s.', tho principal items being: rents, £4001 2s. 4d.; goods wharfage (import), £10,534 I4s. 7d.; ditto (export), £1103 l2s. lOd.; shipping wharfage, £1149 13s. lOd.; port, charges, £1434 . ss. 6d., and water supply, £1102 os. sd. Tho general account showed a crcdit balance of £25,591 19s. 2(1. On the recommendation of thp secretary it was decided to place £10,000 of the £25,591 credit at interest, the romaindor having been advanced to the loan account bearing interest. A comparative statement covering tho three quarterly periods of 1906 and 1907 shows tho income for tho former year to amount to £59,964 Bs. Id., as against £65,088 Bs. for tho latter, a total increase of over £8000. Tho chief items in which increases occurred include: rents, £201 (omitting shillings and pence); goods wharfago (import), £4090; ditto (export), £229; shipping wharfage, £398; port charges, £497; pilotage, £011; Calliope dock, £000, and storage of goods, £1118. Decreases were noticeable in Auckland dock duos, £230; water supply, £248; and Admiralty subsidy, £737.

CHRISTCHURCH. October 17. Tho enforcing of the Health Department's regulations regarding barbers' shops would have little_ effect in most of the best establishments in Christchurch. A "Press" representative on making enquiries into the methods of the hairdressers found that tho sanitary shave and tho hygienic haircut wero already tlie rule. "We use nothing but soap powder," said one proprietor, "and all [our razors and shaving brushes aro disinfected with formalin." "If I haven't a sponge in tho place," said another, "everything is done with a spray. The shelves are all marble and aro washed down every night with formalin solution. Each customer gets a clean towel that has been sterilised by dry heat." A general romark was .that people looked-for these precautions to be taken and the demand had to bo met. "The, Times," as the result of enquiries, makes the rather sweeping assertion that from tho house surgeon downwards nearly overyono employed at the Christchurch Hospital suffers from a lack of consideration for their interests. The house surgeon, it is said, fulfils to the letter the tradition that a. doctor in a hospital works practically all day. One person who kept 1 a quiet watch on him found that during a wholo'week lie spent tho wholo of his waking bouts, except about seven hours,' in the hospital itself, and that often lie did not come out of the premises all day, and that week was not exceptional..!' ""is, ' s asserted, "is''.due to the insufficiency, of,' the house medical staff. At present the nurses are working harder than usual, tho staff having been practically disorganised by influenza. Ordinarily tlioy do a day's, work of eight hours,. but 1 when sickness lessens their numbers that time is extended. The hours of the sisters in charge pf tho wards aro very long, and tlieij' wages aro from £50 to £70 a year. ; In tho caso of tho "theatro sister," who has to ; bo present at all 'operations that tako place while she is in the institution, calls may be mado upon her at all hours of tho day, and she is on duty for periods, and under conditions that would keep most men determinedly away from tlie work. It is also alleged that nurses have, not sufficient'assistance to protect themselves if' patients suffering from delirium tremens becomo' violent. Sometimes a constable is present, but sometimes none is sent. It- is said that tho administration ,of tho sedatives is often' their only'protection. The -Magistrate's Court ,at Lyttelton yesterday morning was occupied some time over an application by tho District Health Officer for an order for tho destruction of 113 cases of poultry stored in the'Lyttelton Harbour Board's cool storo at Lyttelton, on the ground that- the poultry w;as unfit for human consumption. Some of the poultry, was very bad, some doubtful, and somo looked good on a superficial examination. The manager of the firm owning the poultry said his firm liad abandoned tho whole lot to the Harbour Board for somo time. The ; temperature of tho cool chambers must have been considerably above freezing point. Th® poultry was stored ponding sale, and was intended for consumption. His firm always sold poultry on tho Government grading 'certificate, anil they had been informed that the Government grader would not put the grado mark on these cases. The poultry had been in the cool storo for from fifteen to eighteen months. The cases were intended for' export, and even if somo i proved good on being thawed they would not' bb used for that purpose. Several witnesses gave evidence,as to the undue' "gantoyness" of tlio poultry. Eventually three of the very bad cases and three of the others wore ordered. to bo retained for the purpose of -the Harbour Board's defence in-any action, and the rest, wero ordered'to b<j destroyed.: The value of the poultry was some £200. ','■■■ ; The course of tho wheat market for tho last few years has not offered farmors so much inducement as was formorly tho case to hold on to tlioir grain. ; A Waimate man, however, has just , proved that his faith in the upward [tendency of the market was justified, for oil Saturday lie sold his last , two years' orops, ten thousand.sacks in all, at five shillings a buahol. Ho. has boon offered 4s. 9d. several .times, but resolved to bang on unti' ho could got the level five shillings. Ho is said to have netted a ,profit of nearly £6000 on the deal.

DUNEDIN. October 17. Ono of tho leading baking firms says that sinco broad was raised to 7id. tliero has been a tromondous falling-off iu orders, family economising already meaning to his firm a, difference of 1000 loaves a week: If this fall-ing-off continues tho bakers' may have to raiso the price to Bd. in-order to secure a profit. There is ,some ! talk' of a tepid swimming bath being crected by the Corporation. Now that tho Ota"o Harbour Board's Empowering Bill has been finally passed tho Board will'first move in tho direction of so improving the lower harbour that the largest vessels trading .to New Zealand will bo able to conic to Port Chalmers without tho least difficulty. Tho Board hopes eventually to bring tho largest vessels 'up to Dunedin. Every ono landed at present in Dunedin means 3s. 6d. to tho importer and a profit of 4.} d. to tho Board. Twenty cases of infected walnuts from Marseilles via Melbourno wero seized and destroyed to-day. The worm that was in possession ■ of those wahmts is believed to ba hitherto unknown in this locality. ' .Mr. Androw Todd, Manager of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, has been appointed manager of the Otago Farmers' Co-oporativo Association. The Harbour Board, the Roslyn Borough Council, the. Acclimatisation Society, tlie Dunedin Presbytery, and tho Standard Insurance Company were amoncrst tho bodies represented at Mr. A. C. Bogg's funeral. Tho Rev. W. Ilowitson will attend tho general assembly of tho Presbyterian Church beforo making his trip to Victoria.