LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 183, 29 April 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An interesting jihase of tho present industrial nnrtet which is being felt throughout the Dominion was alluded to bv Sir A James Allen in his address lo members of tho New Zealand Club yesterday. Kecciilly, he said, he lmd asked a friend of his, n-lio had had the opjiorlunity of taking stock of the workingnien in America why in many respects they put in a better day's work than was in many cases performed in New Zealand. Sir James Allen added that the answer was llitrt Hie reason lay in the fact thiifc ih America there was no class distinction. There was not the sam;, fight on account of class between rtV'ployers and workingmeli as there was in Nen Zealand. The .Americans would tight liko anything for a betterment of conditions, but once this was .'ettled they felt no animosity towards - their employers. Sir James Allen expressed his opinion that down, in tho bottom of the heart of the people of New Zealand there was no real class distinction. There were some, however, who imagined there was class distinction. "Let us," he concluded. "clear their imagination as quickly as possible."

"Since 1834 tho Wellington Harbour Board has written off nearly half a million in depreciation!" said Sir. Maurice Cohen, at yesterday's annual meetin; of the board, when advocating a diminution of the amount set down for depreciation 'in the annual statement of accounts.

At the meeting of tho Central Chamber of Commerce last evening the chairman (Sir. C. SI. Luke) said that the motor lorry would, in his opinion, play a greater pail in the commercial life of tho comimiiyty than it had done in tho past, and if they had had a sufficiency of such vehicles nnd good roads a strike of railwaymen, such as they were now experiencing, would not disturb them.

AI last night's meeting of tho Ifai•warra householders several speakers complained of children having to walk from Ngahauranga to Kaiwarra to attend school. It was stated that the Railway Department had refused .to ismio tickets to the children lo travel, and as a result they had to walk to school in all weathers.

Sir. A. Leigh Hunt, speaking at the annual meeting of the Central Chamber of Comrtierce last evening, said that members would be pleased to hear that the chamber was tho second strongest in New Zealand, the Auckland chamber being in the lead.

In a short dissertation on work in his epeech at the Now Zealand Club's luncheon yesterday Sir James Alien remarked that during the last few years he had put in a very trying time. Ho had, however, come through the strenuous period of war work with better health tlan he had enjoyed previously. "In my judgment," he added, "the best thing to secure good health is to go as fast as you can. lam not going away to 'go slow' in ray new position." In acknowledging the remarks of Sir James Allen, the chairman of the club (Mr. W. M. Page) said t.liat they were pregnant with food for thought. Sir James AlIpii had put his finger on the right spot. Work pointed the way not only to health but to prosperity as well, and he hoped that the Minister's utterance would do much to dispel the disinclination to woric that existed in New Zealand today. '

The Wellington Land Board met yesterday and was engaged the whole day in committee dealing with applications for land. It is expected that routmo business will be transacted to-day.

The fortnightly meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held last evening. The president (Mr. F. Meadowcrrftl was in tho clini". The inspector's report' dealt with several cases of cruelly to horses, dogs and fowls. Subscriptions received amounted to .£9 12s. 6d„ including £\ Is. each Vcitch and Allan. Mr. C. 15. fialiriiy Gear -Meat Co.; .£l, Miss Bucler, Hiliitahi School; 155., Miss A. White, Jfnstcrton School.

The meeting of Berhampore householders last night carried a resolution urging the City Council to erect danger signals in the vicinity of schools, so that motorists might slow down on seeing them.

Tho hearing of argument in -the case brought by W. H. Grove and Sons. Limited, fruit merchants, of Auckland, against the Union Steam Ship Company, was continued in the Appeal Court yesterday. It will go 011 again to-day.

The average weekly wage of casual labourers employed by the Hai'bour Board during tlic past year worked out at J!3 Ms.

"Other countvips are seeing the necessity of it," said Mr. J. Glover at the Brooklyn School Committee electi.on last night, in speaking of education, "but New Zealand seems to be getting l into the background in the matter."

At last night's meeting of tho Berhamporo householders tho following resolution was passed"That this meeting wishes to point out the great necessity for increasing tho staffs of schools, so as to avoid as much as possible the largo numbers in some of the classes of most schools."

"I think the education authorities should be beyond political control," remarked Mr. F. Bennett, headmaster of Berhamporu School, at the annual meeting of householders last night. "Edue'ition is one branch of the national service that should be on its own, and at the head of t'lio education system we should have an educationist." At the present .time any member of Parliament could be appointed Minister of Education, and although he might do his boat he could not bo expected to do as well •is one who had an intimate grasp of educational problems.

The popularity of the Prime Minister has been demonstrated in a marked manner by the enthusiastic receptions accorded to him at his various public appear, ances in Auckland during the visit of the Prii.co of Wales (says the Auckland "Herald'' of Tuesday). . When driving through the streets 011 Saturday Mr. Mossey was vigorously cheered. Yesterday these evidences of good feeling and appreciation of the work of tliei Prime Minister were renewed when lie appeared among the large public assemblages of the day.