LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 91, 17 April 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"I have every reason to believe that the surplus I previously announced will be exceeded, and from every standpoint our finances are in a very satisfactory state," said the Prime Minister yesterday in Christchurch.

The Mayor of Dunedin in a statement of the financial result of the Corporation's year states that the trading departments' profits were £59,974, compared with £45,370 last year, the electric department heading the profits with £27,288. The Mayor (reports the Press Association) stated that since 1917 the cost of many of the services had risen from £77.000 to £117.000. Tho gas price per thousand feet would be, reduced to 6s 3d in June, compared with Auckland's rat© of 8s 2d. and Christchurch Ba. Dunedin was „ the only oentre operating its tramways on minimum tare of one penny, and tho electric charges to consumers were vastly lower than those of Wellington and Auckland.

A New Plymouth radio amateur had the misfortune to have one of his maste broken by a squall last week, and has sines been without an aerial. On a recent evening he happened to remark that he had on many occasions heard such stations at Awanui without using an aerial This was laughed at; it was unbelievable to a party present. However, our amateur went hame, says tha "Taranaki Herala," and, using for an aerial a few foet of insulated wire hung on one wall of a. room, switched on his set. He immediately picked up the car-rier-wave of tl» Auckland broadcasting station quite loudly, and was able to get sufficient to distinguish the various, musical items. One valve only was used, with home-made honeycomb coils. To ■broaden the tuning a .001 Blocking condenser was inserted between the output of the primary variable .001 condenser and the_ primary coil, .fine'tuning being accomplished by inserting a screwdriver in the cores of the coils.

At the close of the business of the Petone Borough Council last evening the Mayor, Mr. J. W. .M'Ewau, said, that the year s work must be considered most satisfactory in the interests of .the town. Two big questions had been satisfactorily disposed of—the long-standing gas dispute and' the question of the allocation of the football grounds. As already pointed out, an extra £2000 over the estimates had been well spent on providing work for unemployed and general improvements. The maintenance work in the borough had on the whole been better carried out than in past years. He thanked councillors for the help received from them, and congratulated the staff on its efficiency and courtesy. Councillor Brockelbank added his praise of the work of the staff, as did also Councillor Anderson, who intimated that he would not be standing for the office of councillor. Councillor Pere remarked that the next council would need to deal with the question of finance in a more conservative manner.

Replying to criticism of the- housing scheme of the City Council, Councillor J. Burns, at a meeting at Hataitai last evening, stated that the Public Health and Housing Committee of the council appointed to deal with this matter was 'up against it' from the start, for everything at the initiation of the undertaking was at peak prices, but the local body was forced by publio opinion to take some action in order to some extant to relieve the housing difficulty. He gave details as to cost and terms, and added that in the case of the 22 houses which had been built, he was of opinion that the owners could sell at a reasonable profit to-morrow if necessary. As to the financial aspect of the matter, and after alluding to the purchase and disposal of stock, he said from the point of view of the council, the scheme was almost paying its way. He added that at the end of February last the position ■was as follows .-—Receipts, loans raised, £20,000; deposits on purchase, £2104; instalments, principal and interest, £3329; rents and insurance, £970; repayments, £1050; advance from District Fund, £4677'; total, £32,182. fcxpanditure: Land purchased, £2099; expenditure on material, construction, etc., £30,----033. Mr. Burns said the approximate value of the land £2000 was a low estimate; stocks sold last month realised £500, and the estimated value of the stocks on hand was £2000.

At the municipal electors' meeting at Hataitai last evening; attention was drawn by an elector to the fact that at the present time the Kelburn tram system was taxed to its utmost. The speaker asked Councillor H. D. Bennett if he had any idea what extra amount of expenditure would bo necessary in addition to the £45,000 for tho purchase of the line, to enable it to carry the additional passengers by that route, if the scheme were carried out. In reply, Councillor H. D. Bennett said the line would have to be electrified, and if the company had to do it, it would mean further capital expenditure, and citizens might rest assured that that capital expenditure would have to be paid for by the city later on when tRe line was taken over by the city. But that was not the main point. It would Save to be electrified as soon as the Mangahao system was installed. With regard to the increased traffic, in the first place, if the council found that the traffic was more than the system could carry when the line was improved it would be the council's duty to go on with the second proposal he had referred to. He thought they would find that once the system had been brought into the city's activities, the city would immediately begin to construct, a second track from Manners street; either that, or be satisfied with the Raroa road proposal. Before Mr. Cable went to England, the Tramways Committee gave him instructions to get the necessary data for increasing the capacity of the line. The latest machinery and cars would be employed, and that would be done at very little cost. It would not, he thought, be a matter of many thousands. As soon as the line was taxed sufficiently in respect to its carrying capacity, it would be the policy of the council to provide a second line.

The inspector of the Lower Hutt Borough Council reported to the council last evening that although over 400 cars passed through the borough going to the races at Trentham on Thursday and Saturday last, only three exceeded the speed limit. '

I Tiio New Zealand Council of the Amateur Athletic Association decided last evening to take steps to reorganise the Olympic Council with a view to having New Zealand adequately represented at the Olympic lames. Several members considered New Zealand was lagging behind when she had athletes worthy of being sent overseas. "If returned as Mayor, will you reduce the tram fares for those of us who are residents of Miramar ?" asked an elector of Mr. Wright at his Miramar meeting last night. "You know, an election is coming." "That is so," replied Mr. i Wright, "but if I make such a promise ! it might be construed to be bribery, and T have to be very careful." (Laughter.) At^ the Lower Hutt Borough Council meeting last evening the Mayor's action in writing to the Queen candidates expressing the council's appreciation of their efforts was endorsed. The Mayor also thanked Councillor M'Bain (chairman of the Gala Day), the council staff, and all those who had worked so hard to make the gala so successful. At a gathering of directors and staff on 4th May, the Bank of New Zealand Wai Memorial Tablet will be unveiled. The tablet is' a- handsome bronse plate, on which are engraved the names of officers of the bank who served or fell in the war. The plate is centred in a very fine marble paiiel, flanked by marble columns and surmounted by a Grecian pediment. It is erected in a niche in the main entrance of the Wellington bank.

"'You are the boss of the city, therefore we have to blame you," remarked an elector at Mr. Wright's Mayoral election meeting at Miramar last night when voicing a complaint about a district matter. "That is a popular mistake about the Mayor," replied Mr. Wright. "The Mayor has only one vote in the council; he cannot do what he likes." A Mayor had a casting vote in the case of a tie, but a tie did not often occur. Very often resolutions were carried against tho Mayor.

"New Zealanders are the most polite people I have ever met," said Dr. Armstrong Smith, Chief European Organiser of the Save the Children Fund, in the course c-f a chat with a "Manawatu Times" representative. "If one seeks the aid of a New Zealander to reach his destination, the latter not only directs but actually" goes out of his way to put him on the right track, and even when one is returning and happens to meet the same person, he kindly inquires, 'Well, did you find the place all right?' " The appeal which was recently made by the Southland League to have Bluff placed on the same footing as the four main ports so far as immigration is concerned has been sympathetically received by local bodies which *have agreed to co-operate with the leagu* (says the "Times").' The league, has now recei\ted a letter from the Hon. G. J. Anderson, who stated that he would make representation to the Minister of Immigration to have the league's request given effect to. The Minister of Customs (the Son Downie Stewart) has advised the Taranaki Chamber ,of Comßwrce that the Government Statistician will visit New Plymouth this week to inquire into a complaint regarding the compilation of port statistics, states the "Taranaki Herald." It was pointed out to the Minister at Awakino recently that practically all the exports from'Tarannki ports were rcr'eaitetf to : Wellington! whereas under the old system each port was credited with its own exports, even though they, were transhipped to'a main port. '

Opportunity will be afforded sports representatives at the meeting to be held in the Chamber of Commence to-morrow evening, to state their requirements as far as playing grounds are concerned, and what they consider should be the policy of the City Council in the development of the reserves. There is also the question of centrally-situated tepid swimming baths, which is engaging the attention of the Swimming Association, and also of a committe of the council at the present time. The meeting is being called by the New Zealand Sports Protection League, and Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., has agreed to act as chairman.

Milk coupon-thieving is particularly prevalent in Wellington at the present time, and is not confined to any particular" locality. The latest district from which complaint of this contemptible typo of thing is made is Taitville. The police are exercising every vigUance to try to check the depredations of the conscienceless sneak-thieves, but owing to the widespread nature of their operations prevention or cure of the trouble is pro\* ing difficult. A correspondent ("Milk Ho! 2 a.m.") writes to "The Post,' suggesting that to give householders some protection from the "sneak in the dark "' milk should be delivered in the day time between 1 and 5, p.m.

Councillor Dempsey congratulated the officials of the Lower Hutt Borough Council last evening on the excellent balance-sheet presented for the year ended 31st March, 1923. The council had lived within its income, and the incoming council would have a clean start. The Town Clerk's department had been well managed, and the report was very satisfactory. ' The Mayor said lie wished to place on record his appreciation of the prompt manner in which the balancesheet had been got out, and he congratulated the Town Clerk (Mr. Eames) and his staff. Councillor Hobbs stated that it was the first time in his recollection that the balance-sheet had been presented before the council went out of office. A vote of appreciation to the staff was recorded on the minutes.

Four healthy-looking young labourers —George Herbert John Seppings, Leslie Thomas, Henry Harper, arid Peter Joseph Carroll—appeared before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day , charged with secreting themselves on board the steamer Tainui on her voyage from England. According to Sonior-Sergeant Lander, the accused had worked well on the boat—after they had been discovered. They were given good characters by the officers, and had taken the necessary oath of allegiance. "The trouble is," remarked the Bench, "that if I treat these young men leniently, it will only encourage others to do the same. However, convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. If you don't behave yourselves you will be brought up on this charge and you'll get a month's hard labour."

The balance-sheets covering the two meetings at which the American athletes appeared in Wellington were presented to the N.Z.A.A.A. Council last evening by the Wellington Association. For the first meeting the expenses were £199 '4s Bd, and the receipts £555 5s 9d. Tho expenses of the championship meeting were £295 5s 7d, and the receipts £701 Is Id, the net amount contributed by Wellington towards the cost of the tour being £761 15s 7d. It was resolved to thank ths, Wellington Ceijtre for the very able manner in which the meetings had been conducted and for the exceedingly satisfactory financial results. Appreciative reference was made to the care taken by the centre to keep expenses down to a minimum. The council also placed on record its appreciation of the support given to the meetings by the Wellington public and Press.

To-morrow is the last day of -grace for the payment of telephone rentals.

The value of the buildings erected during the last year in the Petone borough reached the large total of £50,879—a record for Petone.

A peat fire, which broke out over three months ago in a swamp on the Pukekohe Technical High School property, is still burning vigorously, (says an exchange).

. The Mayor of Lower Hut£ (Mr. W. T., Strand) reported to the council last evening that the Cenotaph had been completed, and the unveiling ceremony would take place on the afternoon of Anzac Day. The Postal authorities have received advice from San Francisco that- the -R.M.S.^Maunganui, which left San Francisco oh tire 13th instant for Wellington, has on board for New Zealand 1412 bags of mails (including 966 from the "United Kingdom) and 679 bags of parcels. At the final sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday in reference to' tha claims of country journalists' dispute, a complete settlement was arrived at on the basis of the present award as regards wages and hours. A few minor conditions were inserted, and the agreement was referred to the Arbitration Court for confirmation, the award to date from Ist May next. . A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that the Council of Christian Congregations last night considered a motion by the Rev. J. Paterson urging (a) abolition of, the oath of. allegiance, or its amendment, explicitly allowing for the rights of conscience to God; (b) the reinstatement of "A. W. Page as a master of the Boy's High School, a position from which he was excluded for failure to take the oath." The motion was not seconded, and , the council decided on the voices to pass to the next business.

Ths recent theft of a. motor-oar from a parking place in the city resulted in the appearance, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day, of two young men, Frank Goodall, alias Walter Frederick Goodall, alias Walter Frank Goodall, a mechanic, and Frank Edward Evans, a labourer, charged with stealing the motor-car,' valued at £700j the property of Albert Enfield Bamsden,, A remand until Friday was granted, Chiof-Dctective Kemp intimating that a further charge might be preferred against the accused. ,

In answer to a question' at his Mayoral election meeting at Miramar last night, Mr. E. A. Wright, M:P., stated that practically no money had been docked from the City Council's permanent employees on account of wet weather since the council had reached a decision to withhold payment for wet weather. The elector had asked whether the council would refund to its employees the amount of money stopped from their pay on account of wet weather. Mr.. Wright's answer was that as nothing was taken away there was nothing to return. "Here we are bringing athletes across the sea for the benefit of a sport being penalised by this absurd tax," stated Sir. S. G. Dean at .a, meeting of the N.Z.A.AiA. last evening, referring to the amusement tax. He said it was scandalous that amateur sports bodies, who were doing their* utmost to produce tho beet iii the way of sport, illould have to pay such large sums as they did to the Government. The amount of tax paid in connection with the two meetings at which, the American athletes appeared totalled over £100. The chairman (Mr. A. T. Davies) said he thought the tax would "fizzle out" next session. • Wandering stock is the subject of a complaint by a correspondent ("Disgusted"). The writer states:—"l haves to drive.round the Queen's Drive almost every day, and there are some:very na*ty, bends on this road between Lyall aJidl Island Bays. On more than one occasion I have narrowly missed running into cows. Is there no poundkoeper k>r this district? I have seen the cows Walk through what is supposed to be a .fence — a few rusty wires and in some places no wires at all. Surely these farmers ought to be made to put proper fencing up or they should not be allowed to keep cows. If my car runs into and injures any of them, or if any of my passengers get injured by an accident caused thrcjugh them, I will be blamed for driving at excessive speed."

In discussing the work of the Reserves Committee, of which he is chairman, Councillor W. J. Thompson stated today that children's playgrounds had been given consideration by the committee on a number of occasions, but, like many of the other proposed improvements, bad suffered through the too-liberal use of the pruning knife when the estimates for the year were being considered. The committee decided some time &&>. as a matter of policy, that two or rhi eft"central playgrounds should be'formed w'th suitable apparatus, also a piaygromid en the same lines, in every suburb. , It was hoped that this might I*B giver elfeet to during the coming year.

The question aa to whether overseas artisans would hold a monopoly in >few Zealand, or whether the Dominion wimld be able U> produce its own by pecuring more apprentices, was d.'s'ius^ed at a meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association yesterday when a special report was made on the proposed Apprentices and VocatibnaJ Training \Bill. The matter was considered in committee, but prior to this Mr. L. T. Watkins, presi-" dent, said it was not in the hest interests of this country's industries that their future should depend on workers who were imported. If it Was made imperative for every suitable employer with, say, three employees to have an apprentice, skilled men would be trained here. Unless the problem was attacked seriously there would be no solution. Ha hoped that the Bill would not have a ,political tinge, and he would not like to see it used as a ground for no-confidence motions.

A young man appeared before Mr. F. IC. Hunt, S.M., to-day, on a charge of stealing two postal notes valued at £1 Is and two letters, the property of the Federal Club. Chief-Detective Kemp stated that between 22nd November and 18th December several ietters were missed from the club, at which the accused was employed. When accused was interviewed by the detective he admitted the theft. The young man's previous character was good. Counsel for defendant (Mr. J. O'Donovan) submitted the case was one in which the provisions of the Probation Act might be appjied. The Magistrate remanded the case until Saturday.