NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

GREYMOUTH COMPETITIONS. Grcymoulh, August 3. IJio elocutionary competitions lmv« been remarkably successful. Last night tho cliuich choir contest resulted in lrinity (Anglican) obtaining 257 points and winning easily. SI. John's l'rcshvtorian choir was second with '233; mid the Methodist third, with 219. Mr Banycrlz warmly complimented Jir< C'ailzoii- on her faultier accompaniment to tho winning choir. He strongly urged Grcymout.il to send a team of speakers to the Wellington Competitions, as they would hold their own against the best ' in Australia. An enormous • audience was present last night, and crowds were refused admission. RACE CARDS. Christchurch, August 3. Alex. Wildcy, who was recently fined ,£lO and costs for having printed a race card, containing betting information, intends to appeal against the magistrate's decision. FARM LABOURERS-A BALLOT. • Christchurch, August 3. A liauot of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Labourers' Union has been taken on tho question of the submission. ot tho dispute between the union aud the Canterbury Sheopowners , Union aud others, aud has been agreed to by a large majority A meeting will be held to confirm the ballot on Monday. . , A STALLIONS BILL A r-l J j , t, Dunedin l August 3. \ A Clydesdale Horso Society of. New Zealand was formally constituted tonight, aud office-bearers were elected. Mr. Keakes, in the course of an address, intimated that ho was drafting a Bill for Parliament for the prevention of hereditary unsoundness -in draught stallions. This provided for . licensing stallions, and a yearly inspection coming in. gradually. The Bill covered'bone spavin, ring bone, side bone, navicular disease, soaring, shivering, stringhalt, and bad feet. Any dissatisfied owner would have the right of appeal to the chief veterinarian. FARM HANDS AND WOOL-CLASSERS, Duncdin, August 3. At a meeting of the Otago and Southland Sheopowners' Association to-dav, in-" dustrial disputes relating to wool-cln&eere and general farm hands were considered, and it was decided to ask the New ZeaCuud Sheepowuers , Federation to take the ixattcr up, with a view to getting & Dominion award in such cases. Messrs. Begg, J. C. Nioholls, and G. HTvonzie were appointed to tho New Zealaiid Mieepowners' executive. CONCILIATION CASES. '.. Ti r -i- ~, nvcrcarf lilli August 3. The Conciliation Council (Mr. Triggs presiding) to-day considered another • section of the dispute between'the General Labourers Union and public bodies and contractors, in the statement of claim submitted by the union, the clauses relating tto the minimum rate of wages, work in dirty places, piecework, and payment of wages were referred to the Arbitration Court for consideration. 1 Uther clauses were adopted outright or in amended form. In the afternoon the f ou pcil considered claims, made on be- ? ii S or P° ration Gasworks' employees by tho General-Labourers' Tnion. The corporation representatives, at tho outset, opposed an award being made which should apply to gas workers, as members of such a comprehensive body as t'he'Gonornl Labourers Union. They held that the conditions of the gas workers in a municipal trading' concern ,'wcro entirely different from thoso of tho bulk of the labourers who formed tho union. They were not opposed to uuionism-they favoured it strongly-but they thought that gas workers, as a skilled body of moil, should iorm a union of their own, rind get an.award to apply to themselves Jt •c \ , om niissioncr could do nothing to bring about n reconciliation, Imt expressed himself as favourably disposed to. the idea of the formation' of -a "as workers union.' The union representatives poinfed out that their object was to prevent a multiplying of unions, and thereby lessen the cost of administration. A memorandum' was prepared bv'tho Clerk "of Awards for'the information of the Arbitration Court, embodying the obV jections of the respondent borough, DUNEDIN LABOUR CANDIDATES. i., Dunedin, August 3.' At a' meeting of tho South Diineditt branch of the New Zealand .-Labour party tp-r.ighl, the following candidates were selected for the general election:— Duncdin North, Mr. A. I?. Barclay; Dunodin Central, Mr. C. W. Fisher; Dunedin South, ■ Mr. A. E. Jackson. .' BRIEF MENTION, mi. *-i * 'nvercarqitl, August 3. ■ The City Council resolved to-night to take a poll on the ■ proposal to raise a loan,of ,£98,000 for■ the instalment of a gravitation water' supply. OTAGO IRRIGATION. ' 4 a ■u i- / Duncdin > August:3.: A deputation from the Alexandra Progressive League waited on tho Hon. T Mackenzie to-day to ask that certain land in the vicinity of Ihe town, including the Alexandra and Galloway Flats, ho irrigated for the purpose of beiii2 cut up nito small actions for fruit-growing. Mr. Mnrslin (Mayor of Alexandra) said their proposal was lo tap tho Manuhcrikia liiver, which would give'sufficient water to commence on about 5000 acres. The land was eminently suited for'growing ftouo fruits. Tho cost would bo about =£15,000, und they wished'the Government to lend this sum which would bo repaid' out of the increased value of the land. The Minister said that he doubted, whether it was wise to cut up, (he irrigation scheme being devised by the Government into sections. Ho sympatluVod with the deputation, and said that,speaking generally, ho was convinced, that Ihe proposition was sound. He would do his best for them, well knowing the capabilities of the land under irrigation, and the immense advantago which it conferred in other countries.