LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 242, 7 July 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

. The report of the Trade Commissioners who accompanied the Parliamentary party to Samoa will be presented to Parliament shortly, stated tho Prime Minister in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The appeul by the Minister of Education .to the people of Wellington, and especially of Kelbum, to subscribe funds for tho purchase of the Dolores Block for n playing area for the Kelburn •School, was mentioned by Mr. Luke in the course of a speech in the House yesterday. He did not agree Chat the Minister ought to ask for the right to put schools on the Town Bc!t. "You have no more right," said Mr. Luke to the Minister, "to ask the. City Council to put schools on the Town Belt than you have to propose to put scltoof.9 in the Domain or on One Tree Hill! in Auckland." As to the proposal for the purchase of Dolores Block, he urged the Minister to find sufficient money to buy Hie whole nren. He, ns Mayor, had asked the City Council lo find some part of the funds, but without success. He asked the Minister "to p'.ay the game" and buy all tjie sections. The Eastbourne ferry steamer. Duchess completed her overhaul, and is to bo taken out to-day for a trial run. If this should prove satisfactory the vessel will bo put in commission again within the next two or three days. The following motion was carried unanimously at the waterside workers' meeting yesterday—"That this stop-work meeting of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, after hearing the delegate? from the Broken Hill mines explain the conditions being endured by the workers of that district, pledges itself to do its utmost to enable the miners at Broken Hill to win more humane methods of industrial conditions, nnd, incidentally, to the working class of the world."

At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington pistrict Synod, a notice of motion was tabled by Mr. G. Shirtcliffe heartily thanking the Messrs. Riddiford for then, generous gift of land for, the Samuel Mnrsden School at Karori. Six Chinese arrived from the Eastern Pacific Islands on Sunday by the Talune. The total number of Chinese who have arived at Auckland since the beginning of the year is now 395.—"New Zealand Herald." Tho shortage of timber was referred to by an Auckland builder the other dav. He stated that it wn» almost entirely due to tho falling oft' in production. In America, he said, the output per man wccklv was 3000 ft., whereas in New Zealand it was only 200 ft. The police roport that a man named Frank Casey was found dead in bed at 6 Alma Lane yesterday morning. The body was removed to tho morgue, and an inquest will be held. Tito price of bread is the subject of n letter from the secretary of the Wellington Master Bakers' Union, who points out that the statement published yesterday that Palmerston bakers are charging Gd. for the 41b. loaf is obviously incorrect. Tho new uniform price throughout the North Island is Gd. for the 21b, loaf over the counter and G{d. delivered.

"The worst blot on the city nf Wellington is an area in Te Aro flat," said Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North) in the House of Representatives yesterday. "The City Council! would pull down those houses to-morrow and reconstruct the area, but there is nowhere lo put the people. Families arc double-banking now in small houses, and it would l>o a crime to put these people out on tho streets and make their position oven worse than . it is to-day." Mr. W. (i, Biddcll, S.M., gave reserved judgment yesterday morning in i'hr Magistrate's Court'in the case of the South Island Maori Land Board v. Kia Horomonn. The defendant was paid -Cll Bs. sd„ but she was not entitled to the money, there being another woman o! the 6ame name who was really the one to receive it. The money was paid to the defendant by mistake. The Magistrate decided in favour of the plaintiff Board with ,£3 costs. Ho held that the general principles with, tegard to the payment of money by mistako applied to the case under review, and that defendant must refund the amount paid to her. Tho New Zealand Miners' Federation Conference continued its deliberations throughout yesterday. No statement was made available for the Press. The conference Bits again to-day. By the Treaty of Peace with. Germany, a New Zealand Clearing Office for enemy debts has been established, and the Public Trustee h>- bean appointed Controller.

The fortnightly meeting of the Societv for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals wns held lust evening, Sir. V. Meadowcroft being in the chair. The president •gave a general outline of the handsome bequest to the society of the Into Mr. 1). Piercing, of WaveTley, for the information of those mcmben; who were unable to be present at the special meeting lately held to consider the conditions attached to the gift. Mrs. S. Mariuont was appointed collector for the society vice Mis. England, retired. Appreciation was expressed of the. services Mrs. Enji'oud had rendered to the society as collcctov for so many years. The inspector's report dealt with several cases which he had attended to.

The Manawatu County Council advocates giving magistrates "extensive powew to deal with motorists who exceed the speed limit, «nd at last night's ineeii/ig of the Miramar Borough Council a letter was received to that effect. The latter urged that drastic action should he taken, and suggested that when a conviction was recorded the driver should lose his license. It was also suggested that the fine for such an offence should be increased to .£IOO. The. letter was received.

. A movement has been set on foot among the residents of Miramar to link up with the city, and a letter was received by the Miramar Borough Council last night, asking that a poll be held, Tho letter also stated that a deputation would wait on the council, but the deputation did not attend last, night's meeting.

Tho work of the Repatriation Boards is beginning-to show sensible signs of diminution. As the result, an order has been received 'by the Wellington Repatriation Board to reduce tho number of meetings from one a week to one every fortnight. In tho country districts boaril meetings are to bo reduced to ono a month.

An appeal has been filed in tho Supreme Court against t.ho decision of Mr. El Page, S.M., relative to a prosecution against the No. 1 Municipal Milk Supply Company for alleged failure to deliver milk to a resident of Kelburn. The main point at issue was as to whether the milk should lie delivered to the customer's house or to a point specified as a suitable one by the distributor.