FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 204, 22 May 1908, Page 8

FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Something in the naturo of a small revolution took place at the Secondary Schools Conference on Friday night, says the "Lyttelton Times." Tho first business dono was the arrangement, with much circumstance, many resolutions and not a few amendments, of a constitution. Among other things, it provided that each member should pay ten shillings for ovcry vot-o exercised, some having tho power to exorciso votes on behalf of staff Ijjiey represented. Early in. tho conference, the rules having been appealed to, the secretary went round and collected the subscription from each member, somo of them having to pay pretty dearly for their, three or.four votes. * The last motion.to - come on. was ono by Mr. J. W. Tibbs, that tho chargo for any school represented should not exceed 20s. . By leave of tho conference, he substituted another to the effect that tho contributions of principals should be 10s., and of assistant representatives ss. Thus far. bo was heard smilingly, but tho conference shrieked with laughter when he,added: "And that the resolution bo made retrospective." An hour's work was undone in. a moment, for.the motion was carried with, scarcely a dissentient murmur. Then someone woke'up.to the fact that the secretary, with remarkable ■prescience, had left, tho conference some little time before, and tho mover of the motion -was left looking in vain for.his ten ; shillings. t

The Diinedin "Star" says that the hulk Cincinnati, now undergoing repairs in the dry dock at Port Chalmers, demonstrates, the durability of-oak. This old .craft foundered on the Spit on arrival at Port Chalmers with a cargo of coal in 1863. It is fair to assume, from tho-fact of her carrying coal, that sbo was of- cousid-erable antiquity at that time. After being floated off the Spit she was taken to Port Chalmers, where; she has dono duty as a coal hulk ever since. .An augur hole bored belo\{-. the water-lino shows that' tho oak timber ill her bottom is as good to-day as when it was put there.

In his,speech at Coal Creek,' Dr. Chapplo compared. tlio readiness and rapidity with which political grievances were- redressed' by Parliament.j in Now Zealand, with the tardiness of reform in the Old. Country (says the "Otago Daily Times"). He instanced the Dog Bill passed while he was in England s last year, tip till .then' every doj* was entitled to. one bite. A- worker, might have a gentleman's dog help himself,to a meal from his calf, and though ho might be laid aside from , work and unable to earn, and have medical fees to pay as. well,'the victim could not recover unless lie. could, prove .that the dog had previously dined on a similar delicacy to the knowledge of. its owner.' It took, all the pomp : and .circumstance of ,the British House of Parliament'to remedy that' anomaly after generations of "injustice.

The calm that, usually, characterises . the Magistrates Court on "civil days" was ruffled somewhat on, Monday, and subsequently the. work delayed for some time, by the action of tlie 'Crown, solibitor, says, the "Christchurch Press." While iu the midst of defending a case, ho asked the Magistrate' to adjourn'it, as Mr. Justice Denniston had sent for him in connection with a rather important case. Mr. Bishop said it .was a very extraordinary' application, and he/did not see why his Court should be subordinated to another; Cotort solicitors should see. that , their work was properly arranged. Counsel opposing (Mr. Russell) agreed to" 1 the adjournment, aiid Mr. Bishop gave way. Solicitors ongaged in cases lower -down the list,, on the presumption that. Mr. Russell's case would last an hour, had drifted out of Court, and consequently, not .one case out of the half-dozen alleged'to be. defended could be proceeded with. . V -The . Magistrate expressed himself! as -"Very.'annoyed • with the whole business.",. ,

The decision of the Government to establish female labour bureaux in each of the four centres of the Dominion has-been received with something • akin to. consternation by local labour agents, , whoso business is [principally associated with female, labour. The recently-amended 'scale' - of charges, it is contended, has in itself been sufficient to cause a serious diminution in business, to an extent, in ' fact,' as .to ' cause four'agencies, to discontinue .business-Within.tho last few months. The latent decision of, the Government, local agents regard as certain to prove distinctly- disastrous to them. The scarcity of female, servants, causes business to be limited enough as it is, without their having to face such opjiosition as is to be set up. j Protestation on their part they consider quite useless. —"Otago Daily Times." Ono hundred pounds per acre is tho highly remunerative return/ which some fruitgrowors in the Auckland province ha.vo reaped, from their orchards : this season. De t spite' the fact that the crop has been a phenomenal one, extremely high prices have prevailed throughout the season, and apples have averaged between 10s. and 14s. per case. '•