LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 48, 25 August 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Information has been received (says a Press Association telegram from Dunedin) that steamer communication from New Zealand to Sydney i» to be reopened at an early date.

Several complaints regarding the suburban train service are made by "7.25," who writes to The Post from Petone. One grievance is that on the 7.25 a.m. train from: Petone the railway bylaw against boarding a train whilst in motion is broken almost daily. The brief time allowed for the embarkation of a. great number of passengers is' one of the chief causes of the dangerous scramble. Youths, it is asserted, are Wie principal offenders, and they rush the smoking compartments and monopolise seats so that they may play cards. It is suggested by "7.25" that the officials should have power to remove these non-smokers to some other part of the train, so that smokers may not be obliged to stand on the platforms.

The Third Wellington Military Service Board yesterday did not view kindly an independent effort made to secure the release of two men already in camp. When the men in. question -were called they remarked that they had nothing to sajv which led the Chairman (Mr. H. J. Beswick) to make further enquiries as to the reason for their appearance.. Neither appellant seemed to understand the position, and it was eventually discovered that a number of farmers in the North Auckland district had petitioned for the temporary exemption of the menj who were both shearers. The petition was referred to the board, which very quickly decided that it had no recommendation to make. JBoth men appeared anxious to remain .in camp, andthe Chairman said to them: "You. should strongly resent any outeide interference to keep you back."

A common of tramway bylaws —standing on the centre platform of cars —is the subject of a complaint by a correspondent of The Post, who states that because of this practice Hataitai residents near the tunnel mouth find it very difficult to board the cars, even though there may be. ample room inside. "I am fully alive to the shortage of rollingstock, but if the traffic manager and inspectors would see that the platforms are kept reasonably clear, and the inside standing room used, many more passengers could be earned through the tunnel than at present." It is admitted by the authorities that this practice is undesirable, and efforts are made' to check it, .but this is difficult unless the public assist.

After considering the conditions which shall apply to the working of the Priestman grab for discharging coal, the Waterside Workers' Disputes Committee (representing the employers and the union) has recommended that six men shall be employed to trim the coal of one grab, with a minimum of seven hours' employment. Th6se six men, however, can be transferred from one grab to another, or in fact the .seven hours' work need not necessarily be confined to the grab method of discharge, the men being liable to transfer to the ordinary manner of discharge by basket. While working for.the grab the men are to be paid the trimming rate of wages, but •when transferred to working with the baskets the ordinary coal discharge rate of wages will be paid. The recommendation of the committee will he placed before a meeting of As Waterside Workers' Union for ratification.

At a meeting of boys held recently in Wellington to consider how best to help in patriotic movements, it was unanimously decided to form a Drum Band. The Mayor {Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G.) was approached, and approved of the idea," and promised to helpj the lads in, their endteavour to form and carry oa the band. Several other ' prominent citizens have also promised their support. The secretary of the band wishes ib made known that the lads will, during the next few months, be collecting with a view to obtaining the' necessary money with which to equip themselves.. Mt. Geo. F. Judd, F.1.A.N.Z., has consented to act as hon. auditor. Donations can be forwarded direct to the secretary, Wellington Drum Band, Box 336, Wellington.

In the course of a reference to flhe Australian strike and its origin in the Taylor. card system, the New Zealand Railway Review states .that there is a complete system of costing in the Dominion railways, but evidently it_ Offers from the Taylor system, since jt- has caused no trouble except in one instance. "In New Zealand railway workshops each job is given a number, and the workman enters in his time-sheet the time occupied, and the number pf the job, sometimes giving an indication of what he has had to do. For years this (system has worked smoothly, and enables the Department to ascertain accurately the cost of work, makipg comparisons between tho different shops. We remember some objectionable hustling, by setting one shop against another in building iron wagons?, but the Department wisely did not persist in it, as all the returns showed that good value was being given for the wage expenditure."

Unusually high wages are just now being earned by railway hands, enginefitters, and wharf labourers in the Northern . Territory, states the .Port Darwin correspondent of an exchange. A fitter recently received £47 Is for a fortnight's pay; another £37 18s 9d. One fitter stated recently that he earned £7 for one Sunday. The enormously high rates are being obtained under a system which pays at treble rates when a certain number of overtime hours have been worked. The cost of living is by no_ means proportionate to these extraordinary wages. Out of £245,504 received in the year just ended by 1183 men and boys, about 13vj> per cent, was put in the Savings Bank, 27i per cent, was remitted outside the Territory, 20.3 per cent, was " spent over the Government hotel bais," and 38.8 per cent, was accounted for by local living expenses.:

Mr. K. J. Didsbury, who has been a resident of the Pohangina for nineteen years, has sold his farm and voluntarily enlisted, although a Second Division man (says the. Manaw&tu Standard). During his. lengthy residence in the Pohangina Mr. Didsbury has taken a keen and active, interest .in all matters having for their object the advancement of the district, and latterly he and Mrs. Didsbury bave been enthusiastic workers in connection with patriotic matters. Mr. and Mrs. Didsbury's departure from the locality will be regretted by the residents of the district, with whom they are deservedly very popular. It is Mr. Didsbury's intention to go into camp as soon as he can adjust his affairs. Mr. Didsbury is a son of the late Mr. CJeorge Didsbury, Government Printer.

The Hokitika Savings Bank has, states a Press Association message, resolved to invest £5000 in the war loan. The Hokitika Borough Council has re* solved to invest £2000, subject to legal authority.

Difficulty in obtaining supplies of rails is likely to delay projected improvements and alterations in the Wellington 'tramway system. The' United States Steel Corporation, .which heads the list of American munition firms, is npt rolling any tramway rails this year. One of the works iwhich will have to be postponed in consequence of this, is the alteration of the curves round the Basin Reserve. The ground has been cleared and the fence set back in readiness, but as a specially heavy, type of rail is required to bear the strain on the corners, little further progress can be made until the end of the -war releases the metal industries for other work.

The Public Service Association has decided to affiliate with the Workers' Education Association, the amount of contribution being left over for later determination.

Some person with a tender conscience and an objection to Sunday cars has forwarded to the Tramway Department the sum of Is as conscience money for occasions on which he has walked through the Kilbimie tunnel when cars were not running and on Sundays,, as he disapproved of travelling in cars on that day. '..-'•.

The annual chess match by telegraph, Wellington, v. Otago, fourteen players ; a-side, will commence at 6 o'clock sharp this evening. The local team will play in the club's room, V.M.C.A. Building, Willis-street. Those interested in the game and desirous of seeing the play .may walk in without knocking. The match -will be continued next Saturday ■evening.

A piece of commendiable work has I just 1 been completed at the Hataitai |. School .grounds by the local Be&utifica^ j tion Committee. TJie school site, which ! occupies a prominent position facing Ha- j; taitai and Arawa roads, has been thoroughly trenched and planted with selected shrubs. The operations were carried out under the direction of Mr. M'Goldrick, and the creditable appearance of the work done by the committee has excited favourable oomment in the locality.

To-day's sitting of the Magistrate's Court was presided .over by Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M. . Clara Algar, who was charged with drunkenness, pleaded hard for a chance, stating that she had two sons at the front, and that the third was going into camp shortly. The Magistrate imposed a penalty of £3, the aJter.native being seven days' imprisonment. William Dolan appeared to answer a charge of stealing tobacco valued afc £6 9s 9d, the property of a person or persons unknown. He was, remanded for •one week. . Triviai jealousies and dd3papagi"Dg references to Australians a±e> eepr.jc2.ted by a correspondent wfeo wrues to Th« Post regarding certain i<efor£nees- in Parliament concerning Australian affairs. The correspondent regrets "iJiat much of tiaa criticism by crrilians and others is quite unjustified, and refers to the good opinion held by returned soldiers, ■who are alt proud to }»ye boeii ansociiiijd with the brave AnstesJians.' Lajvish hospiiJity, the writer p-knis ojt, has show«ed on mai of this country who at various times have passed through AustraEa.

An inquest -was held before Mt.li. G. Reid, S.M., to-day, concerning the death of Mrs. Kathleen Yiotet AHLea, whose body was found afe her hoo* at 26, Bolton-street, on Thursday morunij'.. The deceased was 41 years of age, ano her husband, Saddler Eobert Allen, of the 15th Battery, N.Z.F.A., sth E-ih-forcements, ie at present at the front. She also has a eon serving in Fiance. The evidence of Dr. W. K. Fyffe, who made the ppet-morien examination, ~*as that deceased died of syncope duo to a .; weak heart coupled «i& asthma. A .verdict to that effect was returned. '

The new boots of ckaing m connection with cbenuste' sbope. have rasttitel in a slight falKng-off in the takings in cast establishmetfts, bat the general opinion is that tbe public will speedily get accustomed to the new cbtK&acns, aid adjust their times for jjwking purc&stsds acooivlingiy. "It is (juita refresiang to 1-e able to get home a'- 6 o'clock in fcbo eveaing," said oob Accost. "People hardly realise the sferjin it has ataa.^ been on us working such long (hours." .Since its inauguration the mgbt ptispe(nsary m Cambridge-ter/Bce has proved to be quite a boon to many people.

Reference to town-pkwiiing was made by an Otago deputation which waited on the Hon. G. W. K-usselT tine -vnmb. The Minister stated that his Department had kept in close touch with the town-planning movement, and instructions had been given for -the preparation of a Bill dealing with the matter. The measure would practically cover the proposals contained in the Bill of 1912,' and would have incorporated in it all the latest ideas in town-plan-ning. He proposed to introduce the Bill this session, but if it contained any contentious clauses further discussion on it would probably be postponed until next session.

During the course of the discussion on \ the meat question at the Trades Council this week a speaker expressed the opinion that the upward tendency of the price of meat was not justified by the present economic position. It had, been suggested that freezing space could be extended indefinitely, but this was not the case, as it was impossible to secure machinery for freezing purposes, and this fact would show that we were close to the limit, so far as the extension of freezing space was concerned. The meat companies, it was contended, were closing the market by increasing prices, and supplies would simply pile up on them. It would be much wiser to lower prices and stimulate local consumption, thus relieving pressure on freezing space, and maintaining th« market. . :

Sergt. J. S. Willcocks, through inability to attend meetings, and Mr. A. A. Stichbury, who has been transferred to Napier, have resigned from the executive of the Public Service Association. Mr. E. F. Hawthorne has been elected to fill Mr. Stichbury's place.