NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 184, 2 May 1929, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

Attention was drawn by a correspondent yesterday to an advertisement over the signature of Mr. A. Cook, secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, urging men not to accept work at the Kotemaori tunnel until further notice. It was stated that the men on the job were earning from 28s. to 30s. a day, but the secretary of their Union apparently does not think this sufficient. Unless we are mistaken, Mr. Cook has been one of the most active of those demanding that the shall find work for the unemployed. Yet he urges men to abstain from applying for work at which they can earn practically double the rates paid to ordinary labourers. It is a very strange thing, in these times of scarcity of work, to find a Union secretary acting in this manner. Certainly it is not likely to prove helpful to the unemployed.

Orchestral music in Wellington has always had a hard struggle for existence. In recent years there have been added to its embarrassments the competition of the radio and the gramophone. These new rivals, however, have created a much wider range of popular appreciation of good music. Latterly, too, there has been evident an increasing popularity for orchestral music, as most gramophone record dealers will testify. Upon this rising appreciation, and extended public field, it may be hoped that the efforts of those local enthusiasts who have organised the new Wellington Symphony Orchestra will be securely established. The movement is worthy of every encouragement from the public. Its success, of course, will depend very largely upon the merit of its performances. That established, the orchestra should be an admirable asset for the musical culture of the community.

There has been considerable discussion, and some protest, over the new railway crossing at Park Road giving access to the industrial area at the south-eastern end of the Hutt Valley. The Railway authorities, replying to the demands for a ramp, state that with the opening of the new road from the Pipe Bridge to the Day’s Bay Road near Howard Point, the present road will carry very little traffic. Further, as the new line will carry industrial traffic only, trains will be comparatively few in number. This no doubt is true. At the same time, there is a responsibility upon the Department, or some other authority, to see that the crossing is made as safe as possible. Those acquainted with the vicinity testify that, for traffic coming from the bays, visibility is quite satisfactory. From the Pipe Bridge direction, however, it is distinctly bad on one side of the road. As things are at present it will be impossible to see a train approaching from the sea end unless the trees obstructing the view are cut down. The removal of this obstruction may not be within the authority of the Railway Department. If it is not, then steps should be taken to obtain whatever authority may be necessary.

Wellington citizens were very emphatic yesterday in marking their approval of the services of Mr. Troup as Mayor. At time of writing the final figures of the polling are not available, but with a majority of over 5000 and only a few returns to come there can be no question of the decisiveness of Mr. Troup’s victory. At the previous election, when Mr. Troup was making his first appearance as a Mayoral candidate, he defeated Mr. C. H. Chapman by 12,446 votes to 10,318. On this occasion he has increased his total vote substantially, while his majority has considerably more than doubled. This must be regarded as a highly satisfactory outcome of an election in which there was a good deal of misrepresentation of the work and actions of the outgoing Mayor and Council. The City, indeed, is fortunate in securing the services of Mr. Troup for another term of office. As this is written, the figures of the polling for the election of City councillors are not complete, but on appearances the Labour-Socialist group, in spite of their election activities and organisation, are not likely to make any material gains. Three of their number, Messrs. Chapman, McKeen, and Semple, are well in the running and may be returned. Two ex-members of the Council, Mr. R. A. Wright (who served on previous occasions both as Mayor and councillor) and Mr. T. Forsyth, appear to be fairly certain of election, and there can be no doubt that they will strengthen the Council. However, the final figures may appear in our Late News pages of this issue. Of the contests outside Wellington the Mayoral election at Christchurch will excite most interest. There the retiring Labour-Socialist Mayor, Mr. Archer, met a formidable opponent in the citizens’ candidate, Mr.' Hayward. At the 1927 election Mr. Archer won the Mayoralty against Mr. Agar by 19,147 votes to 8646. On this occasion his vote fell away yery largely.