LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 124, 29 May 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Prime Minister, states a. Press Association message from Christchurch, will deliver a. policy speech at InTercargill on Thursday night. , , The 47,000 bales of Imperial wool which was held in the Napier stores is rapidly disappearing. Recently (says Thursday's Telegraph), tRe Port Melbourne took on board 6000 bales, and" the Huntingdon, now in the Bay, is loading 26,000 bales. The Mataka-na is expected to liffr another 6000 nex^ week, and early next month the Tairoa will load a further 6000 bales. That, will only leave 5000 bales in the stores, and an effort is to be made to load that quantity on the Tairoa. thus leaving the Napier wool stores free.

It is reported that a-n arrangement has been come to between the Forestry/and the Lands Departments by which a 'vast strip of native, bush is to be reserved on the watershed between the Waimana and Wairoa Rivers/The strip,''said to be from six to ten miles wide, starts frotc near Molu, thence to Maungapoatu, Lake Waika-remoanu, and Kaingaroa Plains and takes in the heads of the Waioeka, Wairaana, Whakataue and Rangitaiki Rivers. Travellers of world-wide experience claim that the .scenery on the Motu-Opotikl-road cannot'bo excelled in any part'of the world (statts 'Hia. Waimana. correspondent of .the Auckland Herald). When the YVaimami-Waifoa-road is former over the range, this route will provide attractions {or tourist's which will rival if not excel all others in the Dominion. The distance from Wuimaua to the Rua-kituri-road, on a tributary of the -Wai-roa.-river, is only about 34 miles, and when the Crown lands are rcudeu there will only be about live or sis miles' more required to connect the Ba.y of Plenty with Hawhea Buy and shorten the present traffic road oy about 100 miles.

"I object to Mr. Roberts getting up and making quarter-hour speeches every five minutes," said Mr. W. G.' Smith, in the Arbitration Court at Auckland. It was unfair to address the Court when the re-examination of a witness was being conducted. Mr. Roberts: "I would like to know how I can make speeches a quarter of an hour long ev«ry five minutes."

Tha proposal of Mr. A. S. Trower, of Putaruru, for the formation of a league to advocate immigration and land settlement was discussed by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce last weak. The following resolution was carried : "That the chamber gives its moral support to the scheme of forming a league or association for the purpose of focussing,pub-,lio-attention, on the urgent questions of land settlement and immigration with a view to getting the waste Government lands occupied by suitable and, if possible, trained immigrants." It is not often that the same birthday —and that an important one in the Empire's history—can be claimed by four generations in/the same family group. This unique" record belongs to Mi's. James Ballantine, of' Hepburn-street, Auckland, and three of her descendants — Mrs. H. M'Kinmey, of Wa.rkworth, Mr. Robert B. .Steele, ■at present studying forestry in Edinburgh, and her greatgrandson, Graham B. Steele, of Epsom. All four birthdays {states the iJew Zealand Herald) fell on 24th May, Empire Day. Mrs. Ballantane, who is in: her 82ud year, is still hale and hearty, while the great grandson celebrated his first' t>irthday on,Wednesday.' .

Feathered game apparently should have no complaints about the 1922 shooting season, for reports throughout the country indicate that sportsmen's "bagis" have been poor on account of the fine weather aJ?d the birds flying high. ■' The latest report comes from Canterbury. Ever since the opening \6l the shooting season at the beginning of Mayv the weather conditions have been against good sport (states the Lyttelton Times). There is still wanted a strong wind from the south, Imported: game licenses have been issued more freely this year than formerly. Larg« numbers of enthusiasts have been going out. to the lake, but not for years hae the opening been so dull. ' .

In professing his ignorance of ait at the opening of the Auckland Art Gallery Exhibition His Excellency Lord Jellicoe said he, fully recognised that very great importance and value attached to art in a new and rising couiftry, because of ite fine and uplifting effect on the minds of the people. He appreciated thoroughly the beneficial effect it ■was bound- to have in New Zealand, adding both to the enjoyment of the peoplerund to their education. The Maoris were a very artistic people, continued His Excellency. One haa only to look upon the carvings outside any of their meeting houses to realise that. Viewed the fright way,"the beauties of the human „tongue, for instance, were revealed: in quite unexpected manner, showing ■ that the -Maoris had an appreciation of art even superior, in some respects, to that of their'white neighbours.

"Everyone;, expect* that the boys of this school will faithfully carry on the traditions of 'parent school,'1 paid Lord Jellicoe, when opening • the nev» Mount-Albert Grammar School at Auckland. "Tradition is one'of the greatest things in a school. Such a great deal depends on those who lay the foundation of a school—a great responsibility is theirs. I would like you boys to start this school with the very best traditions of the old Grammar School—emulate them and try and beat them.if possible.; They will have a great influence on your future life as citizens, and on the future life of the community. Build up character, for it is of the greatest importance, ind one of the most : important functions of a school to develop. I do not think that New Zealand boys are 'lacking in character. It is essential for good citizenship and Empire building. The good vvprk of the pionafers of this country must be^an incentive to you. Well did they /do their work. You have a grand little country,-and jt ig up to you to develop it in the way they started it." (Applause.) An opinion that the flax. industry of New Zealand is doomed to extinction was advanced by Mr. Donald Qraht, a prominent Bay of Plenty farmer, in conversation with a Manawatu Standard representative. In support of his con* tention ho stated that in his own district hundreds of acres of good flax were being burned off in order to convert the swamps into fanning land. . On account of the ruinously high freight* the millers ■were not able to offer land owners more than 2Ss a ton for green flax, and with such a small return offering, farmers were not going to keep good swamp land^ for the purpose of growing the'fibre. In order to pet a heavy fibre, the fllx must be allowed to attain a four to five years' growth. Flax was being cut in the Manawatu at about three years, but this did not return a heavy weight of .fibre;:,; In short, there was not enough money in the industry, and on this account some of the mills in the Bay of Plenty were closing down and many of the flax swamps were s 'being burned off. The;' same conditions, as far as he could gather, prevailed 'throughout .the whole of the Dominion. '•'. . . .

The suggestion was put forth at the annual meeting of the Leys Institute by Dr. T. W. Leys that the City Council should do something in the way of inducing boys to come off the streets at night and spend thejir evenings in congenial surroundings at recreation rooms similar to the one established 'at Ponsonby by the institute, which had proved so successful (reports the Auckland Star). He suggested that three rooms should x be established in various parts of the city, with books and games, under expert control, for the instruction and amusement of boys. The plan had met with much, success in America. "For years past we have worked on the plan generally followed by the Boys'. ClubFederation in America," said Dr. Leys. "We have kept an open door, showed no discrimination, and have had someone in authority. This is a fine climate, and it is natural that the boys should want to so out. I think that the council could perform a very useful service in this direction.'} Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., who heartily supported Dr. Leys' remarks, ijaid something should bs done for the boys who would be the future administrators of the country.

The scenic beauties along the route from Kofcorua to Gisborue made a great im-. pression on Professor W. T. Goode, formerly of Manchester, University, who is touring New Zealand. To a Lyttelton Times interviewer he said that, from Eotorua to Whakatane the country was singularly beautiful. To him, who had seen .none of the primeval bush in New Zealand, it was a sort of revelation. It reminded him very forcibly of the tropical jungle of North Queensland, though without the fleshy, big-leaved tropical ■plants. The, second day's trip from.Whukatane to Opotiki was tamer, because the bush N had been routed out for dairy farms; but the trip was a great foil between two beautiful trips, that to him' were two of the finest runs of mountain and forest scenery that he had seen anywhere in the world. The beauties of the third day's trip, from. Opotiki to Motii, crossing three of the ranges, was worth trumpeting round the whole world. Tta beauty was something extraordinary. Hi.-; only prayer waa that they .»*bul:l never get anything in the way of a i;"l----way or a bush-whacker through the district, ' for to do =o would be to commit murder on the bmlv of New Zealand Uauty.

Resident* of Vogeltown and Morning' ton, with the loca^ Municipal Electors' Association, are' interesting themselves in a proposal for the erection of a new hall. It is^expected that the work will be proceeded with at an early date. Among other requirements of the districtis attention to drainage, particularly, it is stated, near the new school. A meeting of about 20 local suppliers to the Wellington city milk supply was held in Levin on Friday to consider matters in connection with next year's •winter supply. Mr. Bertram, manager of the Wellington Dairy Farmers' Union, was present, and. after discussing . the 1 position (states the. Chronicle),i it was. decided to meet the management of the city supply in about a fortnight's- time and go into the matter. ~^r Mr. A. J. S^oat-h introduced in the United States House of Representatives a resolution directing Mr. Hughes, Secretary of State, to immediately inquire from the French Government' regarding a report that the French military, court in Damascus ■ had sentenced Charles, Crane, a former" American Minister to China, .to. twenty years' imprisonment. The State Department denies the report that Mr. r Crane was convicted. '•The, u^e of'schools and scholars for. raising money is growing, and unless tha practice-is checked it will lead to exploiting tlie schools," the executive reported to the annual meeting of tlie Canterbury School Committees' Association. "It wastes time in school work, and it encourages all classes to. make: appeals- to the seHools. There ■is suffi.'-'' cient drain on ..the -scholars ' an4 : their parents An regard to improving schools and school grounds without their beings asked to support outside bodies."

"There is..,no ( doubt that damages ara an efficacious' remedy for nervous, trouble," interjected Mr.' Justice Stßnger, _in the "course, of examination1 of a plaintiff in taVconiperisation case atvtha . Auckland Supreme Court. 'Plaintiff had" detailed how her nervous system had been, deranged by the accident, and de-' fendant's counsel was cross-examining her. ,aa to what part the; civil proceed-* ings' played in her malady. He sugj gested that the sufferer would be much ; relieved when ..the , case, waa over, but j his Honour went a step further with / his trije remark. - ■ . . ' / "What do you want with a new policy when everything is going' .so well?" ijniilingly asked Mr.'Mwsey when an inquiry was made.on tlie subject of the railways, by. a pressman to-day (states a Press Association message from Christ-, church). The Prime Minister said he thought that later on an officer or a representative would be appointed in each island to keep moving all the time, and - to let Wellington know of any griev-'----ances and their possible remedies. Such officer could get, into' direct touch with the people who used the. railways. The appointnient might be .made when Mr. M'Villy and his officers got back to WellingtonI.'; .

An interesting table appears in the latest issue of the "Abstract of Statistics" dealing with the number of industrial disturbances in the Dominion for' the twelve months ended 31st December, 1921. According to the information given there were 77 disturbances, the number of workers affected being 10,433 and the total loss in wages £90,477. In ' the coal mining industry there were 37 stoppages, the loss in wages to 4972 , workers being £40,332. Men engaged ii^ connection with shipping and cargo working were responsible for 23 dis- ' turbances, atid 4704 workers lost £46,321.' in wages. In all other industries there were 17 disputes, the number of workers being 757 and the loss in wages £3824.

: Lord Jellicoe can always be trusted to rise to the-occasion, no matter whether, it be a naval engagement or an art exhibition (remarks the. New Zealand Herald).. After affirming, his "colossal ignorance of art;*" in a speech at the Art Society's conversazione ion Friday, he added:-'.""But, a hurried glance through. this catalogue has showai me that I an» qualified to criticise at least two of the exhibits. One is the picture of the 'Irons Duke.' Well, that is a subject I certainly do kno\y something about, so I mays bo able to offer i.he artist an opinion when I have seen it. The other is in tha architectural section, being a drawing of the new university buildings in Government House grounds. I feel com.petent to offer a few remarks on "this matter also, as it is one of particular interest to us." The climax to the first offer of criticism was both amusing and unexpected, for when His 'Excellency fresently stood face to face with I'Thti ron Duke" he discovered it to be a very excellent caricature of Lord Jellicoe himself (,

Does thjt system of piece-work in'art industry tend to make men antagonistic ,to one another? According to Mr. A. S.Everndon, the.industrial representative of the Victorian Amalgamated Society ofc Engineers, it does'.. In fact (says a'Melbourne paper), if Tii^ statement in the Arbitration Court can be. taken as his firm conviction,' piece-work does / even more than antagonise men one towards the other—it degrades them. From being respectable wage earners, they apparently deteriorate into veritable moneygrasping machines. "It takes away tho 'manhqod from- ; the man, who is really opposed to the inim next to him," Mr. Everndon told Mr. Jiistieo Powers. "It breeds antagonism .'and discontent, and ~ I say that the ■ employers would loose more by the introduction of piece-work than they would gain.". The A.S.E. is, opposed to' the• introduction of this system, but Mr. jßverndon further told Mr. Justice Powers that they, had had in many cases to-; "protect members front themselves." He admitted that there were.ii fe^y men, but they, are in a. small mm<#ity,>. who liked piece-work. Ho • did riot know of any engineering firm in Australia; "outeido the Broken Hill steel works, which employed the system. No man should be forced to accept any system which he was against. Mr. Maughan, who appeared for the Adelaide' Steamship Company, referred to the miners and their, piece-work system, to. which Mr. Everndon replied that the miners conducted their own affairs, and the engineers wanted to do the same. The position might be different altogether with the men who were working underground. Why surfacement should be "degraded'1 by «piece-|ivork, white underground workers find it beneficial, is a question Mr. Evorndon did not answer. Shearers are piece-workers, yet they work on the surface, and do not 'feel "degraded" or even antagonistic to _, one another., s, , The London Daily Express's Berlin, correspondent says that twenty-five million women in Europe are doomed to perpetual spinsterhood, says a cable message. The male population is 230 million alld the female 250 million. "The Return of Alfred"—an exciting novel by tho author of "Patricia .BrentSpinsteV' Price 6s per copy—or posted —6s 6d*Kirkcaldie and Stains, Limited.. —Advt. ' ' ~ - I New arrivals to Wellington should bo < promptly, .informed of the wonderful labour-savins and perfect cleansing qualities of No-Rubbing Laundry Help, to avoid wasting money on washboards. J. M. Porter, agent for No-Rubbing.— , Advt. ■'■ . . *-7. > The .'well-dressed man demands three essentials in. his suit—fine quality ma- i terial, smart cut and workmanship,, his own ideas built right into the finished-. article.'! Repeat order after repeat order speaks.-Tor our success. Call and inspect our materials • £5 ss, £6 6s, £7 7s, and; £8 Bs. Fowlds,' Manners-street.—Advt, British and, best. Ceregen, the great nerve food, restores nerve and brain energy. Rich in proteids- All chewiO' eeli Ceregen. £- f I *tv '"f. V't A/. ? / ) ■ ■ ■ ; - ■