LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 33, 8 August 1921, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Principles upon which the Arbitration Court works in regard to current wage demands were stated by his Honour Mr. ■Justice Frazer in the; Arbitration Court at Christchiirch on Friday. "Both sides irrtist recognise that there is an economic limit," said his Honour. "The best we can do is not as good as the best wo shall be able to do in five years' time, perhaps. That is why we have to be so specially careful now in watching both sides. We don't want to see wages brought down to anything like a low rate. Still, the upper limit has a tendency to be kept in its place. -It is 1 rather hard to increase that limit as things ar« now. We quite recognise that the prosperity of the country is bound up with the physical and social welfare of the people. You can't have a prosperous community with people living below, the subsistence line. But, of course, we must always keep an eye on the upper limit, which depends on the financial and economic limit, which we canlt control."

Whether doctors' certificates possess any real value in a Court of law, has been questioned at times, and recently it was stated in the Supreme Court that the evidence of the doctors themselves was far more satisfactory than the production of a medical certificate. The point cropped up again fn a case at the Magistrate's Court this morning, when Mr. J. J. M'Grath raised a. mild protest against a doctor's certificate being put in. "A doctor's certificate is unsatisfactory," said Mr. M'Grath. "The doctor ought to be here." "A doctor's certificate is n6t always unsatisfactory, surely," observed opposing counsel, Mr. W. ,Perry, The Magistrate made no comment.

In these days, when unemployment is an absorbing topic for conversation and press comment, and when the (Government is des]W,tching squads' of, unemployed who have no desire to work to-talie part in various public operations (except the completion of the South Island MainTrunk line and other Marlborough needs), any suggestion whereby more men may be usefully employed, and the great army of out-of-work lessened, will be welcomed (states the MaHborough "Express). The local Celestial market-gai'deneivs have set an admirable example to -New Zealand agriculturists in this respect, for they have dispensed with the common variety of scarecrow, and employ one of their aged countrymen to guard a patch of newly-sown garden. At this : occupation John has worked patiently and conscientiously for the ' past week. Comnrencmg with the lark, and ceasing only at sunset, he has belaboured A kerosene tin with might and main, much to the discomfort of the feathered depredators, and the annoyance and chagrin of in the neighbourhood !

The improvement of a triangular piece' ttf land at the junction of Karori-road and Garden-road is sought by the North' land Progressive Association, Which recently suggested that the ugly clay banks at the oorner should be. planted with climbing roses. The City Council's' teply, sent by the Town Clerk and read at a meeting of the ns.socia.tioh on Satin-- ■ da.y night, is as follows :—"I have to inform you thafc.it is reported that the area is unsuitable for climbing Toses, put the council will be prepared to plant shrubs at the expense of your association,, subject to provision being made for upkeep of the area for the first five years.^ Please lefc_me know if your association will agree, to the above, when the Director of Park* and Reserves will be instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost." Some amazement was ex* pressed at the proposal in the letter, and it was not accepted. It was thought that tho upkeep of the area would be a, trifling matter for the council, seeing that the patch is but a. small one, and situated across the road from the Botanical Gardens, where a staff of gardeners is constantly employed. The\ opinion was Also expressed that unless the area were tended, it would quickly be covered a«jaiTt with blackberry and fennel, as is most of the vacant land,in the caro of the City Council in the ngig'hhood of Northland.

The fish market in Auckland is practically bare at present, owing to tlie prevailing stormy weather, preventing the trawlers from working, and there is no prospect" of adequate supplies until the weather moderates (says the New Zealand Herald). Two of the.City Council trawlers returned during this week with small catches, which Were absorbed immediiately. The weather has also had the effect of reducing the supply of whitebait, and, although' the season opened last Monday, only a few tins "of the fish have been received from the Waikato Heads. The Maoris, unlike the Europeans, will not trouble to fish if there ( is no prospect of their efforts being substantially rewarded, and. so adverse weather conditions mean a cessation'of the supply. Picking operations of the oysterbeds have also been interfered with by the rough weather,. and, although no dealers have.reported to the depot they are sold out of oysters, yet there is short supply. An average of 450 sacks are received each week in fine weather, and of these about 75 per csnt. ar£ sold locally, and the rest shipped to country and southern districts. The inland towns of the Auckland "province are supplied as fai as possible, and ii.lso ports as far south as Gisborhe and Napier. , At present the .pickers are engaged at Russell and Rangitoto, from which, a"shipment is expected on Monday. There is still a great demand for small packages, and customers file in continuously to buy paper packages of oysters.

Some remarks oil what is good and what is not good for children in sehooj were made by Mr. H. E. LongwOrtTi (Director of Physical • Education), in answering- a question after his address to teachers at New Plymouth on Thursday (says tht> Taranaki Herald). There was certain furniture, in the schools Which he would say "perhaps was not desirable, but the best had.to be made of it. It was wrong to make children fold their arrtis at the desk; folded behind would be all right if the children did not tire and droop forward in consequence. I*o sit with the hands in the lap was perhaps the best attitude. A child _ could n6t "sit up straight" all the tinie During a long lesson it was better to let the children rest theh' elbows on tile desks than to mukt, them fold their arms. The speaker also advocated the giving'of corrective exercise every quartet-hour in a Mont,, lesson, the exercise to bo such as sitting- up straight and seeing- how high the head could be raised. \ tendency to chuckle oil t!ie part of some of the teachers ■ft-iis noticeable when Mr. .Longwortli tbld a questioner that it would be a good ifiea for the children in ths infant department to bring a mat with' thorn avid be allowed to lie down at times. Mr. .Loiigwoi'Ui. was quite serious, /however.

Mr. Justice Hosking left by the midday express to-day for Palmerston North, where he will open the quarterly eriminaland civil sessions of the Supreme Court to-morrow morning.

While driving a horse vehicle along" the Hutt-road, Mr. Henry Cooper, a veterinary surgeon om the staff of the Gear Meat Company, fell, on to the road and sustained a broken arm. He was removed to the Hospital. Mr. Cooper is a married man residing at Wadestown.

As notified in our advertising columns, members and friends of the Tararua Tramping Club are holding a' social »yening to-mor.row night, at 8 p.m., )in the Conference Hall, Dominion Farmers' Institute. . Addresses of interest to trampers will be delivered by Messrs. S. C. Giiford, M.A., and J. Myers, F.E.S.,'and musical items will be rendered by members and friends.

The conditions in Queensland at the present time appear to be very bad. Mr. A. D. M'Leod, M.P., who recently visited that State,' in a letter says :— "Along the banks of rivers, close to •coastal and inland towns, are to be seen scores upon scores of humpys and shacks, built out of bags, old tins, a.nd branches of trees, occupied by strong, healthy men who are out of work. The Government is serving out 'rations to them twice a day, and many of them to not appear to ba worrying, much about their position."

"I don't suppose the music from pianos is appreciated in Scotland-—they have so much better music," said Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the course of a case at the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch. Mr. Wilson added that perhaps pianos were like violins, appreciating in- value as they grew old, this remark arising out of a statement by one witness that a piano bought twen-ty-five years ago for twenty-five guineas was to-day worth £50. "What make is this piano?" the witness was asked. "It's a London and Liverpool," replied the witness. "Sounds more like an insurance company," commented the Magistrate, amid laughter.

Seven inebriates came within the clutches of the law on Saturday. Of these, fiv« were first offenders, and four were allowed out on bail in > the sum of 10s each. None of the four an6wered their names at the Magistrate's Court this morning,, so Mr.-F. K. Hunt ordered that they should have their bail estreabed. The remaining first offender was fitted ss._ John Joseph Burke, with two previous convictions, cheerfully admitted having indulged to overflowing again on Saturday, ajid was fined £1, in default throe days' imprisonment. Elisabeth Kilminster was fined ss, in default twenty-four hours, and was fined 10s for committing a breach of her prohibition ordei.

A new badge has recently been added to those which the observant boy scout may hope to "win. This is the Artist's Badge. The test is to draw subjects.:— (a) From memory (to state on each' drawing when- and' where the object drawn was seen); (b) from sight; (c) from imagination. The memory test is intended to develop the power to carry mental pictures of essential things and to draw them convincingly. The night test is to develop the power of thoughtful observation of structures and their functions, the power to decide which parts are essential, and ingenuity in in* venting suitable touch and treatment for ea'clrpart selected for' representation. The imagination test is intended to develop readiness of resource in using stored up mental pictures for inventing means to meet new requirements ana emergencias. ■--• •