LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 119, 13 February 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Prime Minister stated yesterday that the Board of Trade investi"ating complaints regarding the apparent disparity between the price of wool and the price of woollen suitings. Attention has been drawn to Ibis matter bv Now Zealand woollen workers. Mr. Massey added that he did not'expect to receive a report immediately, since the board had many other important matters in hand.

The immigration and emigration returns for January show that 11127 persons arrived in tlio Dominion, as compared with 11.111 in January of last year, and I lie departures totalled 2005, as a»aiii<=t TOG last year. The excess of arrivals over departures was thus 1502, against f.1,1 in the corresponding month of last year. A total of 107 Chinese, all males, arrived last month, 'lo in AVcllington and 62 in Auckland, while the departures totalled 18, 5 from Wellington and 11 from Auckland.

If. seems to me that various sections of Ihe workers are exploiting one another." commented Mr. Justice Stringer in the Arbitration Court yesterday during the hearing of an application of Wellington brewery employees for an increased bonus of Id. per hour. Mr. J. Head, who appeared for the union, pointed out that tho previous award was made on November 2!). Tho employers si"naliscd the granting of the increase fn wages bv putting up the price of bottled beer Is. per doz. The ell'ect of this was .Hint thev wou'd make enough after two weeks' operations to cover the total cost of the increased wages for six months. Kis Honour: Who are the principal drinkers of this beer? Tlio workers themselves Mr. lteed: They orobablv drink their share. Mr. M'Culloiieh; Not bottled beer. His''Honour then made his remark relative to exploitation, and the incident closed after Mr. Rend had -aid that the most miserable wasres were Icing paid in one of ihe most ■ii/iilitiible businesses in the Dominion.

At ils meeting last night ih o Hull. Rivor Board decided to co-operate with Petono in whatever steps woro taken to entertain thePrinco of Wales during his visit.

A statement has been published in connection with the Victory series of New Zleiiliind postage stnnips that the stamps will lie on Bale for n short period only and are valid for inlirnd correspondence only. This is not correct. The stamps will 'be issued for an indefinite time, and I hey can ho used to pay the postage on correspondence for any place abroad as well as for inland correspondence, and fur any other postage stamp purpose.

"I've paid a deposit at 's land agency so that they will let me know of the first house to let," said a defendant in a tenement case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. He was a returned soldier and his homo had been purchased over his head. The new owner desired to enter into possession. Tho Court refused to put the soldier out.

Pressure of work, explained the Mayor (Mr. .1. P. Luke) at last night's meeting of tho City Council, had so far hindered the city engineer (Mr. AY. H. Morton) from'getting out his report on tho result of his observations oh his trip abroad.

"When I first came to the City Council there was a Markets Committee. When are we going to consider the markets question," remarked Councillor L. M'Kenzie at last night's meeting of the City Council. The Mayor (Mr. ,T. P. Luke) replied that the question might bo opened up at any time by the council reconstituting the- committee. Personally lie thought that the council might very well look into the wholo matter. Councillor It. A. Wright, M.P., followed with a query: How are the fish markets getting olong? To this tho Mayor replied: As soon as you can get Mr! Masscy to comply with my request and get two trawlers out from Horn* you will get your fish markets.

Mr. W. J. Poison, of Fordell, addressed a meeting of the Farmers' Ifniot, nt Christchurch upon the meat questionHe 'followed the linos of his speeches id the North Island. Mr. David Jones, M.P., who presided, paid he Wished lie could bo as hopeful as Mr. Poison that the growers would get their meet away from the Dominion this season. He was afraid that they might not get it away. Referring to iiis own altitude, Mr. Polson said it was not his intention to proceed to England with the commission already set up, Although ho had been appointed to it—Press Assn.

Consideration to the- question of level crossings was given by the Citv Council Inst night, when the council ivas asked to support a resolution from the Inverciirgill Dorough Council, bringing under the notice of the Government the urgent necessity o? providing safeguards in respect to crossings. Tho council ngrced to accord tho support requested.

In consequence of a strong report by tli,Q city traffic inspector, the City Council has adopted a recommendation of the By-laws Committee that a by-law 1)0 framed to prohibit riding pillion on motor-cycles. According to a, statement mado by the chairman of the committee (Mr. Mi F. Lnckie) at last night's meeting of tho council, it must lie obvious to anybody that the practice of doublingnp on a motor-cyclo in the fashion described was very dangerous.

Representations have been made to the City Council that (he ventilation of the. Town Hall should be improved. At last night's meeting of tho council ilis Mayor said that if anything could bo doiie to effect an improvement then it: would be only right for the councH to take action. ' A report on tho subicct would be obtained from the City Engineer. There wis no doitbt that during the visit of tho New South Wales Orchestra the ventilation of the hall was found to ba very bad.

Upon the recommendation of the Finance Committee, the City Council last night granted authority for the inctallntion of public conveniences iii various parts of tho city. The Mayor said tho City Engineer wrifi convinced that more conveniences were required nn<l that those nt present in lisc should bo improved and extended. The finances would bo provided out of the. loan, schedule to bo submitted to the council.

Tho City Council has decided to appoint a .woman sanitary inspector for duty in connection with tho sanitary department. The Mayor remarked nt last night's meeting of the council that tho innovation was very desirabb.

A nmti of early middle-ago came before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., at Auckland on n charge of having worked a •.onfidenco trick on a woman from whom he had obtained JCIOO, states the "Star." The allegation is that accused by largo talK and impressive manner created tho idea in the mind of his landlady at a boardinghouse that he was n man of snbstancn with a. farm of considerable value in North Auckland, while he did not neglect tho sentimental side of their friendship. Eventually, according to the police story, came loans from the lady, who possessed a fair amount of ready cash, tho departure of tho man "to look after Ms fitodk this dry weather," suspicions occasioned by his continued absence, disillusion, and a" warrant. Accused was remanded for a week.

Numerous applications have been received from, students outside of Petpno for enrolment in tho wool-sorting class of tho Petone Technical School, and the director (Mr. J. Lynskey) has received inquiries for information from other schools' where it is intended to start similar classes.

At Wednesday's meeting of the Pctone Technical School Board Managers t'ho following committee was formed to ifr'cpare, information for tho purpose of advertising the benefits of technical education :—Messrs. D. M'Konzie, D. S. Bcdingfield, 6. 'J'horndon, and Mr. J. Lynskey.

At tho meeting of the Hutt River Board last night the clerk read a ldiig letter complaining of tho continuance ol the destruction of protective works by people in search of firewood along the hanks of the river. Tho board decided to do what it could to discourage this prnciice.

The New South Wales stfi:e Orchestra on Tuesday night completed its New Zerlland tour as iar as the guaranteed concerts were concerned (says the "Otago Times"). In all, !)l performances were given. Tho total hikings for tho tour amounted to XI 1,875 ss. Six concerts were given in Auckland, the receipts being „E2G-t(i Is. (id.; in Wellington six concerts were given, the takings amounting to 1'2430 lis. lid.; Christchurch, four concerts, i£OSS 155.; Duncdin, three concerts, XIO7B 7s. Cd. The receipts for Tuesday night's performance aifiounted to X-153 15s. The largest single night takings was when the "Messiah" was given in Auckland (the Choral Society and the Royal Male Choir assisting), when the amount was ,£7BO. The largest orchestral night was in Christchurch, when XfiilO worth, of tickets were fiold. The average per concert for the Dominion was .C 383. The.ro will be no need to cail on the guarantors lo make up any deficiency.

The City Council last night accepted an invitation to join tlio Wellington branch of the Central Progress League. A suggestion for tho erection of a sports pavilion ami tlio establishment of a community centre at Wakefield l'ark, made by the dircclor of parka and rcBcvves, was reported to last night's meetiug of the City Council. The director suggested that the golf-house bo altered into a dwelling for tho custodian and that a largo two-storied sports pavilion be built near tho present dressingrooms in Wakefield Park. Ho had placed a sum on tilio loan proposals for this purpose. This extension of tho golf links will occupy all the Town Melt between Wakefield Park and Newtown Park, making a continuous area of :tSO acres fori recreation purposes. According to tlio director all sports should be combined there, making* it a community contro with golf, football, and hockey during the winter, and golf, cricket, croquet, and bowls during the summer. Tlio suggestions outlined by the director were approved by the council.

A lease of the premises lately occupied bv the Fire Brigade at the corner or John Street and Adelaide Hoad has been granted to the Wellington Milk Vendors' Association Ltd. The terms and condi. tions of tho leaso will be fixed by the Tiro Brigade Committee of tho City Council. Tim Mayor stated at last night's meeting of the council that two families had made application to reside on the premises, but a report was received that tho building was unsuitable for that purpose. Councilor M. 1). Luckie said that if tho City Council decided ultimately to take over tho distribution of iriilk hi the city tho building would make an oxtromely good distributing station.

Strong exception was taken by the Mayor at last night's meeting of the City Council to a question put by Councillor W. 11. .Bennett with reference to the proposals recently made by llr. l.uko for various improvements in the city. "When on a visit to the south," remarked Councillor Bennett, "I mid in the papers of several schemes put forward by yourself with reference to city development. 1 would like to know, Mr. Mayor, whether these idea.-? have evolved in your own fertile brain, or whether they are recommendations ot the city engineer." "I bring before, the council my own ideas," sharply replied Mr. Luke, "and 1 am constantly reading up subjects that f think will interest the council. I consider it a piece of impertinence on your part to ask a question like that, and I am surprised at you asking if jf r- j, u ] ;o ajjoj that only yesterday he had handed to the city engineer a. work on hydroelectricity, and he very much doubted whether there was another such book in the Dominion. "I keep myself posted on all impoitant questions," continued Mr. Luke, "but whether or not I choose to bring them before the council is my business, and it is not your business tu ask a auestion like that."

The condition of the Thorndon Baths formed the subject of a complaint received by the City Council last night. The Mayor (Mr. ,1. P. Luke) remarked that the condition of the baths was certainly very bad at the present time, but nothing could be decided upon in the way of effecting an improvement until a report on the subject was received from the city engineer.

The bodies of liichard Neal and Enid 13ayly,_ who were drowned in the river on Wednesday were recovered yesterday, states a Press Association telegram from AVanganui.

The fact that the recent meeting on the Basin Reserve of the New Zealand Athletic Association realised about ,!:M, out of which sum the Citv Council received only .£l,}, was used by Councillor M. P. Luckic at last night's meeting of the City Council as an argument in favour of a revision of Olie charges for the use of the reserve. The association was charged a Hat rate of ,£ls for the dav, whereas on a percentage basis the council would have received something like A'so or JXO. A percentage charge would also operate more properlv in the case of a meeting which through had weather was not a financial success. The upkeep of the reserve was very expensive, and mora revenue should bo obtained in the direction indicated. Councillor G. Frost, as chairman ot the committee, explained that the question would lie placed on the order-paper at next council meeting, when Mib whole position would be reviewed.

Ino reason why the Arbitration Court discriminated between male and female workers in fixing the recent basic inivease in the wiir bonus was explained I >v His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer nt yesterday's sitting of the Court. The AYoUington Shop Assistants' Union (boot, hardware, stationery, etc.), for whom Mr. A. AV. Croskery appeared, asked that Hns full increase in bonus of 4s. per week for senior males apply to women as well as men. narticiuirly as tho bonus was to cover the increase in the cost of clothing and*drapery which directly affected women. His Honour, in intimating that the aonlication could not bo entertained, pointed out that the bonus nf 4s. had been made on the basis of tho increased cost of living for a man and his wifo and two children. Tho Court could not differentiate hetween married and single men. and tho single men thus cot tho benefit of this. Tho reason why tho Court differentiated between men and women was that the great majority of worsen workers were single women. The (iovernment Statistician had been asked to calculate for married men. If single women had formed the basis of his calculations the bonus would not have been lixed as high as 4s. As it was, the most that could be claimed by tho union was the increased amounts granted to other Workers. 4s. a week to adult male workers, and 2s. to juniors and femalo workers. Mr. W. Scott (employers' assessor): Single male assistants should not get more than 2s. either, but wo could not differentiate.

"I sunnose, like tho high cost of living, there is the high cost of dying," remarked His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer in the Arbitration Court yesterday, in answer to counsel's objection that tho amount of funeral expenses (X'l9. 8s 6d.) asked for in connection with a compensation claim were very heavy. Counsel for tho claimant explained that the sum rem-esented the actual amount of tho undertaker's bill, and as opposing counsel did not press the point, His Honour allowed the ainount to stand.

The local legal firms of Messrs. Treadwell and Son and Messrs. Perry, Gill, and Linklater have been appointed by the Minister of Lands to act in connection with tho advances to returned soldiers under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act for the purchase of their homes or farms.

Mr. Edwin .Tames Eeavis, who met his death at the Upper Hutt on Wednesday by falling from a dogcart, will be remembered by old residents of the city. Forty vears ago ho used to stand at the corner bf Farish Street and Manners Street with his cart, from which he sold legs of mutton at Cd, each. Those were the days when the frozen meat trado was unknown, and legs of mutton were a drug in tho market.

Regulations for deer shooting in the counties of Featherston and Wairarapa South (Ifaurangi Reserve), and in Hie counties of Hutt, Wainui, etc., appear in the Ga-.etto issued last evening. The regulations provide that red deer may be taken or killed in the period from April 1 to May .11, both days inclusive, and the license ' fee is fixed at SS. No licensee will bo permitted to kill more than four stags and six hinds; no stags carrying antlers less than ten •points may 'be killed.

According to a notice, in tho Gazette, Leraitd Street, Wellington, is exempted from tho street-widening clause of the Public Works Act.

The designation of the Telephone Office and Bureau at Tiraumen has been changed to Jloulbrooke. The bureau was opened on Juiy 30 last year.

"We have got to realise that horses' linvo not vet been eliminated from our midst, and wo must recognise that wo have got to nrovido for them," remarked Councillor W. IT. Beimel t at last night's meeting of the City Council, in speaking to a recommendation of the Bylaws Committee, that conseut be granted for the erection of u stablo at Tiilbirnie Crescent. In the present case, stated Mr. Dennett no material harm would be done bv letting the resident in question Hwild Iho stable. A divergence of opinion was disclosed onion; the councillors as to the efficacy of allowing ihe erection of stables in tho city, and among tho opnonciits of tho present nronosal was the Mayor. On being put to the vote the recommendation was carried by 11 votes lo ;i.

Owing to tho central position of Wellington many ex-Imperial soldiers and Bailors have applied for and received assistance from the Wellington War Relief Association. Tho annual report of the executive mentions that inter-Governmen-tal' arrangements are now practically completed whereby cx-linperial Service men of the calibre necessary to ensuro (heir immediate absorption into the industrial and agricultural life of the Dominion will bo accented by the New Zealand Government; the Imperial authorities will provide cost of transport, assistance bv the Overseas Committee having been n'lrendv authorised to the "Stent of half a million. The association is in communication with the Overseas Committee. London, and with the Immigration Dcnartment, Wellington; but it seems obvious that there will bo a very heavy increase during the next eighteen months in claims for assistance, both direct and indirect, from ox-Imperial Service men.

An application for permission to run donkeys on the Lvall Bay beach for amusement purposes was granted Inst night bv the City Council, subject to tho animals being restricted to a particular area and to suitable arrangements being made regarding cleanliness and stabling. In order to minimise the risks of fire in the native bush at Williams Park, Day's Bav. the Citv Council has decided to'close the grounds to the public at 8 p.m. The Director of Parks and Reserves reported the completion of survey, ami also that the lire-break'at the northwestern boundary had been cut for a disianco of 45 chains, and promised iR) bo very oll'ective. The work of completing tho fire-break was boing pushed on, and when completed should prevent all danger from outsido fires.

The cost of living will, intimated Mr. Justice Stringer, yesterday, be furtherre. viewed at the end' of March next by the Arbitration Court, in terms of the revised figures covering the previous sixmonthly period, which would be prepared by the Government Statistician. All the indications were, remarked His Honour to (he Court, that tho increase would be found to be still higher, and in that case the present bonus of 4s. to nil workers would be further increased.

Tho Citv Council last night adopted suggest ions from tho Director of Parks and Reserves witb references to the seclion at Harrison Slreet. Brooklyn, held in trust i)>v the council for a public hall site and reserve purposes. The section is at present occupied bv the streets do nartment as a depot for screenings, and ill so a few buildings in connection with their work. Tho public library and fare brigade station also occupy a portion of the frontal of the re-'erve. The d.'feclor reported, inter alia, "there is no ooubt that if levelled and sown down in grass, with trees and shrubs planted around the boundaries, and pleniy of seatine accommodation nrovided. this could be made an ideal rest nark for younir and old. the nresent btiildinz would, howevof. require to be shifted elsewhere before anything cnuld be done to imnrove the reserve on the lines suggested." The • suggestions were adopted, and it was resolved to remove the structures, which did not comply with the terms of tho trust.

At a meeting of the North Island Poultry Association dates for shows were approved of as follow:—Hourly, May 27 and 2S; Waikato, Winter Show, June 2, 3, and i; New Plymouth Winter Show, Juno 10 and 11; Whangnrci, June. 10, 11, and 12; Palmcrston North, June 23, 24 and 25; Poverty Hay, June 25 and 26; Gisborne Canary Club, J unci 25 and 2G; lfuwera Winter' Show, July 7, 8, and !); Ohnkunc, July 14 and 15; Wairoa (H. 8.), Julv M and 31; Auckland Cage Bird Club, July 30 and 31; Onehunga and Taihupo dales were held over.