FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 118, 11 February 1908, Page 9

FROM OTHER PAPERS.

"There arc somo people in the community to whom children are amongst tho. articles labelled 'not wanted,' " said Dr. Robertson, addressing the meeting in connection with infant life protection at Government Mouse, Auckland, oil Saturday, says the locnl'"Herald."' "At the hospital'," tho doctor continued, "we constantly come across children who aro scarcely out of the institution before, they are in again. Advice is given, hut'it is not taken. The children are simply not wanted. Such eases are not rare in the Auckland Hospital' now," ho declared. "J. would like to see tho State tako care of such children as these. , We, tho' doctors, seo sufficient to show tliat ; it is necessary to-relievo certain parents of their responsibilities for the sako of the children." This severe indictment was uttered impressively, and moro so,, probably, since Dr. Robertson had the Prime Minister among his listeners)

A. passenger bound for Melbourno by tlio Warrimoo, leaving Port Chalmers, found out that there is a decided objection to people leaving the Dominion who i'orgct to pay up lines and costs incurred in court proceedings (says tho Duncdin "Star"). Whilo this irresponsible' tripper (accompanied' by some lady friends) was proceeding' l from town ill a trap, a policeman with • a warrant was searching tho steamer" and closely scanning all tho passengers who disombarked from tho last train, bailing in his quest, the constable was going up the stroot when tho trap came bowling along, with' 'a malo occupant bending down getting his bag'gago, togother.' The policeman had-known of particular attention to luggage under • siiniltir circumstaiipes. ■Ho stopped tho ' trap, I and presented an order for freo board 'and lodgings at. tho nation's' exponso until tho dobt was paid. The passenger was indignant. : Ho was in a hurry to catch tho : boat, and would .call',ill at tlio Blulf and' pay tlio account. The. policeman was not taking-any "Blufl"— lie wante'd cash. "What aro you going' to dp. about it!"' (inquired his fair companion, as. tlio .steamer's hell warned lagging passengers'to loso no timo in getting oh board. Ho did tho only ; thing that could' ensure his obeying the ' boll—paid'- tlio" debt—and mado his way! to s tho shipi; poorer in pocket hut richer : in' tho" experience-' that certain obligations .ennnot'bo ignored.

Quito a feature of-Mr. Briico's ricont addresses in Dunedin (says' a'-'Southern' Ex-' iOhauge) was his'appeal to thoso of Caledonian raco to cultivate' tho tnsto for what 'lie termed "tho priceless legacy'of. incomparable Scottish; song.V /When' ho spokq"' of .a/lady ■friend in district who/' although' born in New Zealand, oncouriiged' her daughters' to sing and play Scottish songs; tlio feeling' aiid approval "of tho audiences» ''found '-'reiit''in ttcairty applause, particularly : when' ho.'gave 'oxpressioirto tho hopo that her .example ivonld bo' 1 followed by tho of tlio Caledonian'raco in New Zealand; •>.

i 'Work'at -tho new dcck at Port .Chalmers, is going an apace, and 135 men aro engaged directly and indirectly 'in' • flushing tho. last'' section,' which is 176 ft.'' in : length. Only 'a small portion of excavating remains to' be dono; (adds tho Dunedin "fcitar"), with the exception'of driving tho tunnel through' to tho pump well at tho power station,' which is not oxpeeted to bo of an arduous naturo. A second section is boing erected to facilitate tho concreting, of. which there will bp somri ;2ft. ' on' tne bottom thin ,'in tho othW sectiousi on 'account' of tho hard, rocky' foundation: ; Although tho 'dock will only accommodate vessels of '500 ft, •' in '• length, tho' approach 'to tho' dock, in ; heavy concrete, accounts for the : balance of -its total length' of 560 ft.-:'. -' Of this : total.-380ft.- is now com-' pleted; arid. represents' tho most difficult'part ■of tho construction,vas it, includes' tho entrance,' with"its. sill,- water inlets, etc.,- and also all tho steps hud timber; slides' with tho exception, of ono combined set closo to tlio tapered-off inner end of- tho dock. A fine' bit of work in connection, with-the ontranco is tlio polished stono facing against- which tho caisson rests, '. All tho parts aro now oil tlio job, and tho , caisson,•, when put together, wi 11 vory. much' ■ resemble. cargo barge, only that tho sides draw iu : from tho bilgo' upwards, until at -, tho ' ' top tho deck forms "tho footpatliuof communication, 10ft. wide,- between tho; respeotivo dock' heads; This lloating : gato. -,- will bo -, 72ft.. long, • and 'sharp at'- both •ends: i >:'-Tlio;'stents' anil keel will bo covered 'Hvith 'grcen-hoart' timber, \yhich rests against, tho .polished" stono facing, thus -rendering-I tho , dock.' watertight when pumped out. ; 't' tr

Tho stewards' stand,; at tho ' Goro racecourse, toßflther.;- with 'tlio /'accompanying r'arigo of oifices,! .luncheon,- weighing -anil' Prcs3' rooms, narrowly osoaped-• destruction by lire ono day last-week (according'to tho "Southland News"); While at work in tho Press room a : reporter, aftor lighting his pipe; l apparently dropped a ' lighted" match into a crack iii tho-flooring', and defb the'room, Tho other "reporters, .who.- had;';.concluded •• their labours for'tlie fciiiip, 'indulged in a friendly conversation boforo adjourning, and remained indoors longer than usual. ' On rising to de-part,-'ono of them noticed that a hol'o had bean burned in tho floor, and that tho-galo, 'Which-'beats'with great force on that angl6 of tlio building,,. was driving tho flro witli blow-pipe action into the heart of tho lower timbers. ' Tho prompt application of a'Small supply of water speedily removed all danger,' but had tlio occupants loft the promises according to custom, a serious firo must havo resulted, as tho room'is not ofton opened by.outsiders; and a few minutes would havo sufficed to set it completely ablaze. Tho forco of tho wind prevented smoko being observable, and a lire thus given an unusual - opportunity of extending. '

•?.' Tlio" NcVZealand' Postal .Department is nothing if not ' progressive, .and' after experimenting with, many methods of cancell: ing 'and ■■date-stamping the postal .matter whiclv gcies through' ''its* bands, from tho old hand method, to tho . latest'"; anfl 1 'fastest, niaohiricry tho World could, produco, ; tho Secretary*-of.-tho Department,- Mr.' Robert'soii, 'invented' a device which . possessed advantages over anything yet : produced (says ; 'tho ''Lyttolton 'Times"),.' Tlio 'cancelling, i machines at' present installed at . Christchurch, ■imder Mr; Robertson's patents, are capable of- dealing with five, hundral letters a minute,'but improved machines are shortly to be installed, which will, ho faster," and which will entirely preclude tho possibility which at present exists of a date-stamp partially missing an, envelope.,Tho now machines will not inscribe a row of horizontal , lines on tho.envelope, but its rotary die will hold dato. stamps, set mo'ro ; closely than on tho old machines,' so that .most' letters will ho date-stamped in two placcs,'and no' letter can possibly, bo 1 missed -.altogether. ..,

. "In. my; opinion,", said a' tailoress, to an "Otago 'Daily Times" reporter,, : "there is not tho demand for. labour to tho extent that :is ,now. being. mado out. As for tho assertion that 2UOO hands , aro., required, throughout tho Dominion, my query is, 'And how, many of those at present in employment aro to be displaced to'mako room for tho ■20002',■ Another''phase--/of ; tho question is that if these 2000 haiids are to be brought into tho Dominion and given . permanent, employment tho local girls..will, in tho,event of a slump in trade, simply. have to drop out : and seek ; worly elsewhere. ~ The possibility of. such a contingency arising was borno out by. 0110 employer when ho said that present conditions' might chango,. and that present. employees .would, in such a case, suffer. As to the sliortapo of female labour as i compared with what'it was a foiv years ago, it, is duo to other and more favourablo conditions, such as clerking and typewriting, having been opened .to youiig ',women; Employment; is to ,bo had in other directions now,: and in more congenial, surroundings, and in. consequence the ranks of tho factory hands aro undergoing perceptible diminution." .' \

''Mr. T, Mackenzie, M.P, for Waikouaiti," saysa Southern exchange, "will open the •pre-sessional campaign at Waikouaiti in' about three weeks. ,It was.l Mr. Mackemiio's intention to address his constituents at an earlier date; but a multiplicity of engagements has stood in tho way. Mr. Mackenzie's' public utterances are never ojrijrbly devoid of interest;, but on this ocoasion his remarks will be more, than usually'noteworthy from'the fact that lie has recently mado public his intention to east in his political lot with tho Government. This will necessitate sin' exposition of tho standpoint and intensions of the member for Waikouaiti."