NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 284, 25 August 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

181 TELEGRAPH—mEEfI ASSOCIATION.^ arbitration law. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. Chrlstchurch, August 24. At the meeting of the Canterbury Tradeg and Labour Council on Saturday) the proposed amendments to tho Arbitration. Act were considered. The following resolutions, among others, were passed:— In regard to Clause CO (power to refer dispute direct to Court) of tho principal Act, it was decided to ask that it bo deleted. _It was also decided to ask that Clause 59 of tho principal Act be amended thus: "That no Veference of a case be heard by the Court unless two-thirds of .the parties agree." In Part 111 of tho Bill, Section 47 was amended by making provision that every financial member of the union should have a vote for 'the election of representatives on the Court and Board.

Section 57 was unanimously deleted, and tho following inserted.—"That the Government be asked to make the bonus or premium bonus -system illegal;" Section 58 was deleted, and the following inserted:—"That the Government be urged to make it compulsory to make an award when a dispute is filed."

Section 59 was approved, and the following added: "That for the purpose of this section proceedings shall be deemed to be pending and in progress from, the date of the filing of the reference with the Clerk, of Awards until, the dispute has been finally disposed of by the Board or Court, as the case may be." Tho following, clause was added: "That any employer discharging an officer'of a union without satisfactory reasons shall'be liable to a penalty not exceeding £100." . ' . "That the Act be amended to provide that every employer of labour shall be compelled to keep a book for the, perusal of the Inspector of. Awards, the book, to bo a true record of all time worked and wages and overtime paid to each and every worker." NATIONAL DEFENCE LEAGUE. 1 —— J ■ UNIVERSAL TRAINING. Auckland, August 24. Efforts are to be made'with a view to' strengthening the membership of the various suburban branches of tho National Defence League, and' bringing- the objects of the League before the electors prior to the gene- . ral election. Suggestions have been made towards arranging a public demonstration inAuckland before election time, and during the actual campaign .all the candidates will be requested to answer tho following question:/ "Do you consider that the time has arrived'for the adoption in New Zealand of a system of universal training, for defence pf\ all boys and young men up to tho age of 21 ?'£■"'/. SNOW IN CANTERBURY. Chrlstchurch, August; 24. Tho Commissioner' of Crown Lands (Mr.. E. C. Gold Smith) has just returned from a visit to the Mackenzie Country. ■ In the course of a brief interview with a "Truth" reporter he said that though the snow had' been lying on the ground for six weeks there was still a depth of between one and two feet between Burke's Pass and Tekapo. On the flat country there was from two to three 1 . feet of snow. It was impossible' to say at present what the loss to pastoralists would be, but Mr. Gold Smith was inclined to believe that the estimates published were exaggerated; Tho loss would have been as big as that of 1895, but for the. fact that?a fortnight after the fall a thaw occurred which gave some "Black" Country (the ground on .which the snow had melted). After that thero was. a frost, and the shepherds were able to drive the sheep over the frozen snow to tho clear land. In some of the Mistake Country there been a number of landslips, and in 'everj* slip dead sheep are to be seen. , The; snowdrifts in the gullies Aave also been fatal, : and one cannot 'estimate yet how many carcasses they conpeal. The station owners will only bo able'to ■ gauge their losses when mustering and shearing takes place. The . children in the Mackenzie Country rather enjoyed]their experionce. At Burke's Pass township there were' thirty inches. of snow, and for two weeks the children could not go to school.' Instead of spending their time assimilating learning they had the time of their lives with toboganning and snow-balling. The amount , of energy they spent in making a toboggan slide would nearly have cleared the township of every vestige of snow. • . BARQUENTINE TOWED TO AUCKLAND. Auckland, August 24. The barquentine Polly, recently stranded 1 at Whangarei, was towed to Auckland, and arrived thero yesterday, with 7ft. of'water in her hold. STRIKERS REFUSED ASSISTANCE. Duncdin, August 24. At a'meeting of the Typographical Union, an appeal was received for financial aid from a body of unionists on strike. It was resolved, to endorse tho action of, the Otago Trades Council in refusing assistance to ...i-.-o), dpi;),pnitply defied tho Arbitration Court by going out on strike; LABOUR AND NO-LICENSE; ' Dunedin, August 24., - The Otago Typographical Union, holding that the liquor question ought to be excluded by organised declined to adopt the Trades Conference resolution urging the workers to vote No-License. CHARGE OF MISCONDUCT. | . Chrlstchurch, August 24. Mr. Justice Dennistou stated this, morning, when sentencing a man convicted on a charge of misconduct under tho ago of consent, that he had heard tho prisoner was willing to marry the - girl, but the girl's moth6r had. very properly refused tho offer. A very largo proportion of the desertions and divorces which came under consideration of tho Courts were caused, by the insistence, often under the pressure of tho threat of criminal proceedings, of adding to the original ' injury the even more serious one of premature and compulsory union for life.

THE OTIRA DISPUTE: Christohurch, August 24. The dispute' between the men engaged oh the tunnel works at the Otira and the "contractors, which was referred to the Canterbury Conciliation Board, and which was to have been heard at Otira on Wednesday, will not be dealt with by the Board _ for a week at least., Y.M.C.A. • Napier, August 24. At a public meeting to-night it was' de-' cided to form a branch of the,Youilg Men's Christian Association in Napier. A constitution was adopted, and a Provisional Committee appointed. NEWS IN BRIEF. Gisbcrno, August, 24. John Vickers was brought bcforo tho:Court on Saturday night, aiid was remanded to appear at Wairoa on a charge of receiving £16 10s. from Osso Jefferson, at Nuhaka, and omitting to account for tho same. •' ■ Auckland, August 24. On Friday night the Dominion Auction Mart, in Queen. Street, was visited by burg-, lars, who escaped with a considerable sum'in cash, besides choqucs and other, papers. '