LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 246, 12 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A remit will be submitted to (he annual conference, of chambers of commerce proposing that the postmasters of Ihe four chief centres of New Zealand should be made ex-officio members of tiie councils of (he chambers of commerce concerned. This suggestion is being made in view of the many occasions on which questions concerning mails and telegraphic matters of moment to the commercial community crop up al. the meetings. Shortly after ~ o'clock last night a motor-car proceeding up Willis Street had a narrow escape from a serious accident. The car was being driven alongside a tramcar. Ahead there was another motor-ear, but stationary, and drawn up outside the Empire Hotel. The tramear was slightly ahead when this ear was reached, and in Irving t<> puss 1,.-tween (lie narrow' gap between the stationary car and the tramoar tho moving car struck (he former. Luckily very little damage was done to either ear. Three ooutisel were engaged in a ease before the Court of Appeal yesterday. For tho three counsel, 74 legal volumes adorned the tables—an imposing array of legal wisdom. Needless to say,' all "the authorities were not need.

"We are all endeavouring io provide adequate wages and decent conditions for workers.” said Mr. Justice Frazer, in the Arbitration Court in Auckland, "but we cannot ignore economic facts.” The remark was in reply to Mr. A. O’Neill, advocate for tho Ironworkers’ Labourers’ Union, who was endeavouring to show cause for an increase in labourers’ wages. It had been stated by an employer that machinery produced in the Dominion had to compete with imported manufactures. and if wages were increased tho price of local manufactures would become higher than the price of imported articles. Mr. Justice Frazer said these conditions had to bo considered in framing the terms of any award. Tn legislating for workers care had io be exercised not to legislate industries out of existence.”

The New Zealand League football team returned from Australia by tho Uliniaroa, which reached Auckland last night. —Press Assn.

A letter was received from the Nelson Chamber of Commerce by the council of the Wellington Chamber yesterday asking if anything was being done in connection with recent regulations as io tho amount of benzine allowed to be storert. The letter pointed out how extremely awkward and costly it would be to dairy farmers and others to be kept on such short commons. Mr. C. M. Banks detailed the steps that had been taken by the 'Wellington Automobile Association, which had n three hours’ consultation with the Minister, in the course of which every aspect of the case was gone into. Mr. F. Bowden said that the'Act gave power to. local bodies to make by-laws, and when such by-laws conflicted with the regulations under the Act, the bylaws were to prevail. The trouble was that in some cases the by-laws were not adequate. For instance, there bad been no by-laws made in Wellington relating to the storage of benzine since 1908, and they were hopelessly out-of-date, lie suggested a conference between the Government, the local bodies, and the insurance company authorities. It was decided to communicate with Nelson advising that chamber of what was being done here with reference to the regulations.

"The amount of good food that finds its way into the refuse bins of many public institutions 1 is amazing,” said Professor Helen Rawson, of Dunedin, in giving evidence before the Hospitals Commission. “It is duo in tho first instance to lack of skill in supervising stores and in calculating the amount of food required, but it is also true that care is required to prepare palatable and, digestible made-over dishes, and rather than take tho extra trouble, tho inefficient cook will discard the food unless the waste is being carefully watched. Tho waste of food through wrong methods of cooking and the dissatisfaction throughout the institution when the food is badly cooked are a challenge to the authorities in charge.’’ She had seen instances where the waste of foodstuffs bad been shown to equal (he salary of a skilled food supervisor.

George AV. Lawrence, manager of the Motor Wrecking Company., was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning with carrying on business without having a second-hand denier’s license. It was explained on behalf of Lawrence that he bought second-hand and damaged cars, which were taken io pieces, and ho did not think it was necessary to take out a license. As, however, the police thought that he should have such a license, ho had taken ono out. Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., who heard the case, convicted and fined Lawrence 10s. and costs.

AVhen permission to ask General Synod’s consent to the sale of a certain piece of land was sought at tho sitting of the Wellington Diocesan Synod yesterday, Mr. E. AVhitcombe (Pahiutua) said that Wellington property had a tremendous rising value, and it must bn only on very grave consideration that sales should take place at the present time. Just now he did not imagine the Synod could got free sales of land, or let easily on building leases. Rates were very high. AVellington had an immense future. If New Zealand lived at all, this city would double in size, and the central part had great prospective value. Another speaker said that now there was a slump in property, and if the land in question required to be sold it should have been sold a year or more ago.

An amending award concerning tho wool, grain, and hidos stores employees In the Wellington, Dannevirke, Hastings, Masterton, Napier, and AVaipukurau districts was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday. It provides for casual workers and workers in oil stores. Tho former are to he paid not less than Is. Ud. nn hour, .and the latter 2s. an hour. Both workers are to be paid a bonus of 2{d. an hour.

Tho conditions of service, pay, allowances, etc., of officers of tho Australian Air Force are stated in a small pamphlet issued by the Commonwealth authorities. Officers are graded in two lists: (I) General list; (2) quartermaster’s list. Tho general list includes nil officers of the flying staff, administrative, medical, and technical branches. Tho quartermaster’s list includes all stores and clerical officers. Applicants for commissions in the general list must be between tho ages of 18 and 35, nnd in the quartermaster’s list between 18 and 45. The permanent air force will eventually bo composed of (a) officers holding permanent commissions; (b) officers holding short-service commissions; and (c) officers seconded from tho Navy or tho Army for short periods. Tho pay of officers is shown under two heads: (a) Active pay, and (b) deferred pay, which will be paid to an officer when he leaves the force. Under thc-o two headings respectively; officers of the general list will receive the following rates per annum -.—Pilot officer, £328 10s. and ,£36 10s.; flying officer (or observer officer) on appointment, X-119 15s. and .£45 12s. Gd.; ditto, after two years in substantive rank, .£456 ss. and .£54 155.; flight-lieutenant, .£529 ss. and £73; squadron leader on appointment, A 620 Ids. and .£B2 2s. Gd.; ditto, after five vears in substantive rank as such. £Gm and £9l ss. Tn addition to the rates of active and deferred pay stated, free quarters fuel and light, rations and servant are provided; otherwise, a daily allowance is paid. The Second Division of the Court, of Appeal will not meet until 10 a.m. on Monday next.

The first graduation ceremony in Auck-_ land since 1912 was held yesterday. Professor Thomas conferring Hie degicre. Among tho speakers was Hie. Ihnj. ’ ■ Parr The proceedings were ot a eheeiful character, but entirely free from any kind of disorderliness—l’ress Assn. The following orders for trout fry and ova from the Rotorua hatchery have been received this season by Mr. !■’. Moorhouse Conservator of Inland Fisheries:— Westland. 100,000; New South Wales, 000.000; Gisborne. sn,(ioil; Wellington, AIIO'OOO: East Const Society, 200,000; tnr.inaki. 70.000; Tasmania. 30,000; Napier, 100 000- Fiji. 50.090; Opotiki, 100,000 (try); Tongariio National Park, 100.000 (fry). There are others to come, lint the numbers have not yet been definitely fixed. The orders for Tasmania and Taranaki have been fulfilled.

Explaining the non-appearance of the display of meteors which was predicted for tho end of last month, Professor JI. W. Segal' writes in the "Herald’ : The expected star-shower did not eventuate If appears from literature recently nr-j-ived (hat if hardly expected in consequence of later observations am! calculations. Thus "Nntiu-e, of May J2< says:—‘Cornel I’on.s-W in necke has been deviating from the predicted path with unexpected rapidity, and the following revised orbit, Ims been deduced from observations on April 12, 16, and '26. ■ • ■ If will bn noticed I bat the perihelion point is now placed well outside tho earth's orbit, which makes the occurrence of a meteor shower somewhat doubtful.’ ’’

At the Marlborough Poultry Show, held in Blenheim on Friday and Saturday, Mr. R. M’Whirter, of Petone, won the utility and fancy championships in Rhede Island and Reds. Six birds were exhibited, five first’, ono second, two specials, and two championships being obtained.

A puttie lecture on "Prophecy” will bo given this evening at the Newtown Library by the Rev. Wilfrid Williams, 8.A., 'superintendent of the Anglican Maori Mission. The lecture is to be given under the auspices of the Pre-Mil-lennial Advent Association. The Rev. S. Beckingham wilk preside.

Three cases of scarlet fever and one each of pneumonia and tetanus were reported in the Petone health district during the month of June.

A remit from the Newtown Committee placed before the School Committees’ Association last night w-as as follows: — “That tho Newtown Committee desires to bring under the notice of your association the inadequacy and unsuitability of the desks used for the upper classes, particularly in Standard VI, girls and boys. Many of these growing children are uncomfortably crarajied, to the detriment of their health and lessons. The present desks havo been in use a good many years, and from age need replacing, apart from being too small.” It was stated that the Newtown School was unfortunate in having old furniture. The position is that we spend a great deal of money teaching our children how io grow, and then wo place them in these desks and make them knock-kneed and bandy,” said one delegate. Mr. T. Forsyth (chairman of the Education Board) stated that the board had given a great deal of attention to the question of school furniture. Expert opinion seemed to favour tables and chairs in place of the old desks, but a change of this kind would make it impossible to accommodate all the children without enlarging the schools. The board could not reasonably ask for a large extension of school accommodation in order to make space for tables at the present time'. The board was getting information from experts regarding school furniture, and in the meantime it. could not hasten the change. Ono delegate mentioned that he had used tho Newtown School furniture when 'he was a boy, and he had not suffered physically. The remit was adopted.

“The heavy rains experienced over the week end from July 2 to July 4,” stated tho borough engineer (Mr. E. A. Gumbley) in his report to the Lower Hutt Council last evening, "and tho resultant big increase in volume of the streams on tiie western side of the borough, caused a considerable amount of debris to be brought down by them. This resulted in partial blockage of tho storm water sewers provided, and consequent overflowing. A certain amount of inconvenience was caused to some residents of PhaTazyn Street aud tho Hutt Road, but no damage resulted beyond several small slips in the Normandale district. The catch-pit at the lower end of the Norraandnle gully was filled, but it is now being cleared. Fitzherbert Creek was seriously blocked, and this also is now being cleared. In consequence of the flood in the river, the flap-valves at the discharging ends of storm-water sewer’s closed, with the result, that flood water backed up in stonn-water sewers; however, very little inconvenience was caused.”

The vexed question of school stationery and books camo before the council of Hie AVellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday in the form of a letter from the Auckland Chamber which did not favour Government intervention in such supplies. The chairman (Mr. M. A. Carr) said that ns the Education Department was entrusted with the whole of tho control of State education, he saw no reason why in the interests of economy and uniformity, tho Department should not supply school books and stationery. Air. C M. Banks dissented from that view, on the broad principle that Government trading was not favoured bv the chamber Ho assumed that there would not bo a great deal saved, ns ho supposed the Government would call for tenders .01 supplies. On the other hand the action of the Government in supplying books nnd stationery direct would, he felt sure, be the ruin of many of those small businesses generally found in the> of big schools. On his motion the Auckland protest was supported.

Some comment was made at the meetin" of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday on the matter of benzine regulations being applied to kerosene. It was stated that; the Harbour Board officials had asked that the „d flag be flown when kerosene was being loaded, which was quite a new thin" It was further said that tho harlmurmnster had prohibited a steamer coaling on the ground that she had load of kerosene on lx>ard. He had been asked if ho classed kerosene as benzine and replied in tho negative, but he had said ho had the right to say whnt were dangerous goods, and he classed kerosene ns such. This made it extremely awkward for vessels which had to coal when hey could. It was resolved to eommnnicate with the board regarding the matter.