LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Minister of Defence has authorised the sending of one officer to Staff College; Camberley, in 1924, but none in 1923. The vacancy will be filled by competition within New Zealand between officers on the selected list. The examination will ■be held id February, 1923.

An impromptu concert, given by commercial travellers from the balcony of the Club Hotel, Westport, last'evening., oil behalf of the dependants of the victims of the surf bathing tragedy at Greymouth, was attended by a large gathering of. citizens, arid realised £7*2.

A hew complaint is afflicting New Zealand, according to Mr. F. W. MacLean, president of the Society of Qivil Engineers. He calls it "Hydroeje'ctritis." He remarked at the conference yesterday ore the extreme interest that was being displayed in electrical mutters.

A man named Walter George Burton, who .was before the Court yesterday on a charge of threatening behaviour, made a second appearance before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., this morning, to answer a more serious charge—that of breaking and entering the warehouse of George and Doughty, Victoria-street, about th<> 21st January, and stealing therefrom 2li pairs of toots Valued at £21 15s. On the application Of Chief Detective Kemp,Burton, who was represented by Mr. 0. C. Mazengarb, was remanded for one Week, bail being fixed at £200, with two sureties of £100 each. •

Although it was not strictly an industrial topic. Auckland delegates to the conference of the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand spent some time yesterday afternoon in stressing the importance of the Main Highways Bill being placed on the Statute Book. "The worst roads in New Zealand are situated in the Auckland provinde," remarked Mr. 3. Findlay, one of the Northern delegates. Mr. W. Dearsly (Auckland) was under the impression that the Highways Bill had been passed last session, but it was pointed out to him that the Bill was not yet law. The conference decided to urge the need/ for constructing main arterial roads throughout the Dominion.

Instructions have been issued by Defence Headquarters regarding the election of the Executive Committee of the Dominion Rifle, Association. The order states:—"Each Officer commanding command' will submit to General Headquarters by the 15th March, 1922, the names of selected representatives, from his command to be appointed to the Executive Committee of the Dominion Bine Association for the year 1922-1923, viz.: —(a) One officer of the' New Zealand Military Forces nominated by the 6.C. command; (b) one rifloclub official nominated by the • rifle clubs in the command. It is desirable that both representatives should have had experience in the late war."

'The question of an adjustment of values where mortgagors find there, obligations, pressing heavily was discussed by the Auckland Law "Society. A motion was proposed : "That a special meeting consider recommendations made^ by a committee of, members of -Parliament; suggesting that the Government take steps to cope with the serioua position in which mortgagors, especially farmers, have been placed bf the fall in values of farm produce, arid that, the society suggest means of coping with or alleviating the position." The mover said that if atiybody could find a, remedy it was the Law Society. He submitted that an at r tempt to find a remedy should be made} even if by legislation, and the cßmbined moral suasion of the profession, might do a great deal of^ good. Other members deprecated Government interference, and the mover accepted an amendment : "That the.matter be TeferVedi to the rcouncil.ol the society to take any.action' it thinks fit, whether in the direction first suggested or by tirging the Government not to interfere.'' The amendment was carried.

Speaking at the Pharmaceutical Conference, at Auckland, the chairman (Mr. F. Castle) said that although it was not the duty of the Pharmacy Board to provide educational facilities, it was the desire of members of the society to have education of the best character brought into being, fie added : "Seeing that the qualifying examinations for the pharmacy diploma include in addition to an examination in general knowledge, examinations in- special subjects, viz., chemistry, botany, materia medica, and pharmacy, and such other subjects as might be added from time to time, it is obvious that the provision of education--al facilities for tuition in these special subjects in their application to pharmacy is of very great interest to members of the society." A change was necessary to meet the progress in the practice of pharmacy, and the development would be on specialisation lines. Pharmacy had become a separate factor in the healing art, and he would Say advisedly that it had hot made very much change in the standard of qualification. It had made some advance, but -not like other callings, as, for instance, dentistry. It was for this reason a central school of pharmacy was wanted, and that x the -subjects of pharmacy should be made university subjects.

A deputation, of Dunedin manufacturers waited oil the Minister of Customs (the Hon. W. D. StewaTt) relative to his proposed visit to Australia in connection with a reciprocal tariff. It was pointed out that in many industries Australia was, or threatened to become, our greatest competitor, and in her protection policy had shown utter disregard for the Dominion; the present desire for reciprocity being purely self-interest. It was submitted that, iri regard to goodis manufactured in the Dominion,1 the tates imposed should not be lower than those now obtaining under the third schedule. The deputation expressed the hope that the Minister would make satisfactory arrangements by allowing Australian lines-, not manufactured here, entry on favoured terms, in exchange for ai similar conces'siori to selected Dominion products. The deputation emphasised the point that it wanted the same terms as Australia. The Minister; in reply, dealt with,the question of whether the treaty would remain in abeyance While being discussed in the Dominion. It might be possible' to bring into force tentatively then by allowing time for consideration until it was finally adopted. Much of the Minister* reply was treated as confidential.

"Auckland shoulders a lot of blame for all conceivable things—political, commercial, and otherwise. A symptom of the last-mentioned variety is available. The coal is heaped upon the fire by no other than a man who i« a chemist, and might be expected to know exactly.what to do quickly to cure his own bodily ills," remarks the Auckland Star. Mr. F. Castle,chairman of the pharmaceutical Conference, opened his address by making the serious pronouncement that he had developed an Auckland cold. Later, Mr. Smith, of Auckland, studiously expressed regret,that Mr. Castle-had brought a cold from Wellington or picked it up at Te Kuiti or somewhere oil the way np. But Mr. Castle, a Wellingtonian, was determined to fix on poor old Auckland, and later said he was sorry he bad failed to make himself heard well owing to his cold. 'I am going to put it down to Auckland,' he averred, 'and I am not going to let Wellington get the blame. It is quite a distinct Auckland microbe, lam sure.' Anyhow,-Mr. Armitnge, the bacteriologist, was going to give them -an address, and he would ask him whether Auckland had developed a particular kind of throat bacteria."

Last night's Gazette contains details of the Minister's interpretation of the Customs Acts in relation to specified articles'.

A report placed before the Wellington Hospital Board, yesterday afternoon Stated that a test regarding motor spirit consumption was made with the Austin motor ambulance by the City Corporation expert. Three pints of spirit were used for a distance of 5.6 miles.

. A ferry service, a modei playground for children, and ii paddling pool, are at present the chief needs of Seatoun and Worker Bay,, as outlined ,by Mi. A: W. Partoil, president of the Seatoun and Bays' Progressive Association at its annual meeting last evening.' Mr. Parton said that there were facilities at Worser Bay for a paddling pool. The pool would be a great boon for the children, and the association should see that they got it.

"We are going" from bad to worse as far as the Macarthy Home is concerned/ remarked'Mr. J. W. Sutler at the Wellington Hospital Board meeting yesterday afternoon, in drawing attention to the small dumber of children accommodated at that institution. There was a possibility he thought that the board wbiild heed to consider the question' ill clbsing the Hbnie: At the present iirtie the weekly cost for keeping children there was iibdut £5 per head.

A i-ecomineilctatioii has' bee'ir.jriade to the tTnited States Government by Mr: David Wilberj the local Consul-Genefalj to increase the quota of permitted immigration from New Zealand into the United States from 50 per amluni to 1050; In makirig this announcement yesterday, Mr. Wilber stated that in his opinibri the ( quota from Australia* should alsia be increased. Since the last New Zealand quota had been Exhausted, he had carefully considered the matter, and wished to say that New Zealaiiders were a highly-desirable type oi immigrant, ,and that it would be in the interests of America to have the quota increased.

Marketable fish are in great abundance at present, the season being favourable far the infliix df fuh to the Hauraki Gulf (reports the ltew Zealand Herald). The supplies coming into the Auckland market are larger than they have been in any previous ..February for the past five years, and the fish is reported to be further inside the gulf than usual. Trawlers are operating \ p'rincip'iilly between KawaU and Tiri Islands and Cape Colvflie. The hot weather, while1 if brings an increase in the supplies of fish, is accompanied also by a diminished demand. Consequently, retail and wholesale prices are particularly low. Smoked fish is selling retail at 6d per lb, and fresh fish, principally snapper, at 3id per lbi

"We don't begrudge those province* which have hydro-electricN power; we say, 'more power to them,'." remarked Mr. F. W. Hills (Auckland) in moving at the Industrial Corporation's Conference yesterday afternoon, that the Government be urgeJd' to proceed with the development of hydro-electric power simultaneously in all piirts of, the-Do-minion. Mr. Hills urged that the matter shbiild be prdssed, so that the' primary and secondary industries might nave every advantage in competing with foreign countries. While . not desiring to be parochial, Auckland delegates sought the support of the representatives of other provinces in seeing that their district had equal advantages with other parts of the Dominion. The motion was carried.

Jelly-fisK. are teeming, in the waters of Auckland Harbour and Hauraki Gulf at the present time. The phenomenon is a regular yearly occurrence* countless myriads of the creatures coming into shallow waters during the hot' weather of February and March. The beaches are frequently strewn With dead jelly-fiSh. Vessels coming into Auckland report having literally ploughed their way thr6ugh shoals of jelly-fish, while the fishing industry on the Thames mud-flats has actually been hampered owing to the impossibility of the fishermen lowering their nets into the shallow water. Consequently (states the Auckland Herald) no supplies of flounders are*reaching Auckland from Thames. Trawlers are not affected by the.phenomenon, owing to the fact that the trawls trail at the ocean bottom while the jelly-fish frequent the upper sea layers. >

''It is admitted that the detrimental effect of a. decline in -produce prices is felt by settlers generally, and the fact that some of our soldier settlers are now in financial difficulties cannot be taken as an indication that the lands settlement repatriation scheme of the1 Government is a failure;" said the Minister of Lands to-day. "Sonic 6i» our old-established "settlers who in normal times would .be regarded as being in a sound position financially <-tre to-day in difficultiea, and they have not the advantage of. being able to appeal t5 a sympathetic land board for postponement of their dues and for bthef concessions to tide them over. In that respect the soldier is in a much ntere favouiable position. The Government policy is to give every man a chance to niake' good, and as is conceded by the Setiifried Soldiers' Association every consideration is being given to assist the men. over this period of depression. The general method adopted is to postpone the payment of rent, free of interest."

The recent spell of clear, fine weather has added greatly to the enjoyment of all holiday-makers, more " particularly those who have been visiting Tongariro National Park, where the weather is ever the dominating feature of, a holiday trip. Ever since the opening of the season^ the Government hut at Whakapapa has been in occupation, visitors to the Park during the last few weeks having had ah exceptionally happy and diverting time. • Among those recently,at the hut was a party of lddies from Martoh, each one of whom achieved the triumph of climbing Ruapheu's higest peaks. The weather was perfect for mountaineering (states the New Zealand Herald), and starting at four in the morning) the party reached the top well before mid-day, reaching the hut again about four in the afternoon. Each member of th« party, although suffering severely from the sun and snow-burn, inseparable from mountain climbing, expressed herself as delighted with the. trip, which was accomplished much more easily than had been expected.

A "settling down" process is going on quietly in connection with farming properties; purchased at boom-time prices. The Eltham Argus knows of one instance in which a farm was sold at considerably over- £100 per acre. The occupier finds that he cannot possibly pay the interest on such high-priced land. The vendor has no desire to go back and work the. farm himself, so he has come J. 6an arrangement the practical effect of which is that the occupier now holds the farrti on terms that has reduced his purchasing price to £67 per acre, at which price he may "pull through.'' Similar negotiations are on the tapis in connection with other farms and may be brought .into operation about June or .July. It i« nothing but arrangements of this kind that will save some farmers from having to go back on the land and themselves work properties they thought they had disposed of. It is possible that, in some cases interest on land sold lfiay be on a sliding scale, varying in accordance with the.price of butter-fat. It is beyond all shadow of doubt that unless mutually satisfactory arrangements are arrived at there will bo numberless "fiittings" from Tnrannki farms. In many cases the men \vlio sold their farms are well tip in years, they are too old to resume farming and they must compromise with the mortgagors.

The Westport Coal Company's Millerton mine last week established a new record for a day's shift—l44l tons.

The Soitth [slarid Council of Concilia- | tion will meet oh 28th February to hear the Lyttelton watersiders' dispute, and on Ist March to hear the Christchurch shirt, white, and silk workers' dispute, under the tailoiesses1 award. In ,reply to a question at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the' Wellington Hospital Board, the acting-chairman (Mr1. J.; W. M'E-tvah) stated that some of the doctors on the resident medical stuff who were resigning were goingHome for .farther experience. "There is no need to ask where Auckland is,", remarked a Canterbury i delegate at the Industrial Corporation's Conference. "Auckland delegates al- . ways make it pretty plain that everyone else khowß what part of the Dominion they come" from.". Regulations for deer-stalking in the counties of Hutt and Featherstpn (Wairtui), Akitio, Featherstbri, and Wairarapa (South (Haurangi Reserve), Taihape, Tararua Forest Reserve, Waitaki, and Lakes district were gazetted last night. . The South African Journal of Industries states': "Australia (did New' Zealand have opened in the West Eiid of London a restaurant and store wherein everything sold is, as far" as possible, produced in those Dominions. The venture seems to be proving a great success." / An old woman named Annie Mason has established a -new record, although it is not altogether One to be proud of. She was charged at the Magistrate's Court tti-day with having mitde use of obscene language, and Sub-Inspector M'Namara said that in his thirty years', experience he had never heard language of such a vile nature; The Magistrate (Mr. F. K. Hunt) also commented on the language. "A fireman would get a riibhth f6f this," he said. Mr. Hunt" fined Mason £5, in default one month in gaolj and allowed her a week in which ■ to find the money.

Substantial reductions in wages are asked for by the employers in the claims filed in the Auckland hotel.. and restaurant workers' dispute, which i» Bet down for hearing on Monday next before, the Conciliation Commissioner Mr.. T.- Harle Giles (says the Star).; En the case of -waitresses, it is suggested that the starting wage for the first six months hi lOs per week, which is 24s 6d ie'ss than the existing payment. In this1 particular section the wages per week for waitresses, housemaid-wait-resses, housemaids, relieving maids,ffantryniaids, . linenm&ids, bar-attend-ants .(females), and . laundresses is": set out' ds follows:'—Firsi. six months, 10s; second, 12s 6d; third, 15s; fourth, 17s 6d; fifth, £I;'sixth; £1 2s 6d; and thereafter £1 ss. The current wage for this class of worker is 34s per week, cbmnieflcing, from the date of engagement. Tjrilike the,existing award there is nd provision iri the hew claims for pastry-cooks. .. ■ '

A report in the Dunedin Evening Star recently credited to Mr. Justice grazer, President of the Arbitration Court, with haying stated at the hearing of a case that there were only three qualified electrical engineers in Dunedin. Mr. J. v Orchjstpn,- local hon. secretary of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, on reading this, wrote drawing his Honour's attention to the fact that there are 92 members anfl associate members of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, in the Dominion, all of whom are entitled to the designation of "electrical engineer." The Registrar of the Arbitration Court, in an official reply, states: 'The statement as to there being only three - electrical engineers' fully qussiifie'cf in NeW Zealand was not made by his Honour, but by'Mr. L.F. Evans, who appeared for the Electrical Workers' pnion. It is. possible that some cbnfusion may ftttve been caused by the fact that the application before the Court was on behalf of the 'electrical workers,' who *c electricians in the popular sense, noti elec- , trical engineers. I do' hot^now if the three, persons to whom Mr. Evans referred hold some exceptional qualification, and their names were not mentioned. "The dis'ciiSsio'n tfa's onlt incidental, and arose out of the Court having complimented the employers and the union on having decided that in Otago the term of apprenticeship should not be reduced as in other districts, tlif-Court beine of the> opinion that a. apund technical education was most/desirable. "■