NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1926, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Unemployment and Distress. The opinion that unless private finance in New Zealand is controlled more economically there.will be no hope of a reduction in unemployment miring the winter months was expressed by the Hon. A. D. M*Leod in a speech at Papakura last evening, states "The Post's" Auckland correspondent. Ho was fully aware that to say not half of one per cent, of the workers was unemployed offered but little sympathy, but the mere fact of their being out of work was not serious. It was serious, however, if a man was out of work and out of pocket at the same time. Too much of the outcry against the unemployment difficulty had been directly associated with politics and not with the problem itself. A Milker's Adventure. Heralded by a red streak of flame, a ball of fire, about 12ft in diameter, burst with an ear-splitting, nerve-rack-ing report some little distance from a Moutoa settler on Sunday -evening while he was milking in his cowshed, says a Press Association telegram from Palmerston North. The waiting animals were greatly, frightened and fled to the end of the paddock they were in. The settler states that his cowshed, which is situated on a sandhill, was not affected, but a cup containing separator oil in a nearby shed was shattered. Profitable Shows. A most successful year's working is disclosed in the annual report of the Wellington Show Association. The attendance of the public at the 1926 Winter Show and the Industrial Exhibition,, it is stated, exceeded the most sanguine expectations; it was estimated that over 130,000 persons visited the exhibitions. The revenue from door takings was shared between the Manufacturers' Association and the Show Association in agreed proportions, the Show Association's share amounting to the satisfactory sum of £2862 15s lid. The quality of the stock exhibits was very high, and the executive was still sanguine of eventual success attending that department of its 'activities. As a^result of an energetic canvass during the year, about 350 new members were secured. The balance-sheet shows a surplus from the year's activities of £3055 17s 4d. Education Board's Accounts. After remarking in his political addross last night that thu Religious Exercises in Schools Bill seemed to revive the "Upper House,* and saying that if the measure had passed, its opponents in the Lower House would have stayed till after Christmas to fight it, Mr. P. Fras?r, M.P., referred to a local education matter. An item of £3000 had appeared on the Estimates for a special grant to the Wellington Education Board, he said, and he and Mr. E. M'Keen felt they were entitled, to know all about the auditors' investigations before voting money to square the accounts of the board. They had made a fight, and secured the right to see the file. The board had had its accounts squared in 1918 and 1919, and since then things had apparently got jumbled up again. Mr. Eraser said that he and Mr. M'Keen were examining the file in connection with the matter, and if it became necessary to make a statement on the subject, they would do it. Coming Through It Well. "You can take it that England is absolutely sound," said Mr. B. S. Sown tree, managing director of Eowntree and Co., Ltd., York, England, who is a passenger by the Niagara to Sydney. Mr. Eowntree, who is a keen student of social and industrial conditions, said that, considering the, unrest and difficulties, it was a marvel that England was coming through it all so well. The pressure of depression had forced employers "on to their toes." They realised they had to turn out high quality goods and were doing it. There was a strong feeling in England toward trade with the Dominions. On the other hand, the English people did not fail to appreciate what the Dominions, and especially New Zealand, were doing in the direction of trading with Great Britain (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). Mr. Eowntree is on a world business tour. He will visit Australia and then India and the East. "I am a firm believer in the principles of firms going round to their brandies and seeing things for'themselves," ho said. "It is so much more satisfactory." Ministers and Unemployment. When discussing the attitude of Ministers to the unemployment problem, in his address in the Trades Hall last night, Mr. P. leaser, M.P., said that a Minister of the Crown had recently told a man to go into the country to accept work. The man had five children, and the Minister said that the wages being offered wore good. When the man asked what they wore the .Minister replied that they were 30s a week. (-Laughter.) "Any person who talks that way has not the slightest idea of the home life of the working people," said" Mr. Eraser. "From a Government whose Ministers talk like that what can we expect?" The Churches and the Masses. "It is true to say. the gap between the churches and the masses is as wide as ever it has been," said the Eev. Joseph W. Kemp, minister in" charge of the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle, who returned by the Niagara on Monday after a seven months' holiday visit to Great Britain and America. '' There is one pleasing feature about England and Americafin this respect, and that is the large number of young people being drawn to the churches. In Vancouver, for instance, I preached before an audience of young people from 16 to 25. Although only short notice was given over 1000 were present." During his tour he preached over 100 times. He found the people in England more roligious than the people of America (states the "New Zealand Herald"). There were very few preachers in America who could draw and hold the people. England was also suffering from a dearth of good preachers, but more people went to the cHurches. Many services were broadcasted both in England aud America. This was a good thing in many* ways. The New York Federated Churches broadcasted a family service from 7.45 to 8 every morning, and this Had a good effect. One large church in Chicago, however, had stopped its services being broadcasted. It was found that jazz music and light entertainment was sent over the wires after 4' the services, thus taking away any good effect the latter might have. The Government's "Monkey" Tricks. The contention of the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) that the Eeform Party is still as young and virile as ever, was replied to in humorous vein by Mr. P. Eraser, M.P., in a political address at the Trades Hall last night. '"We are living in a time of great inventions and advance in science," remarked Mr. Frasor, who added that he had been reading about how old people were being made younger by means of monkey-gland treatment. "It seems to me that the Minister has been experimenting in that direction," - added Mr. Fraser. "Certainly the Government has been performing some monkey tricks with the affairs of this country. Perhaps 'Coueism' has captured the Minister, who thinks that, although his party is getting aged, and through being too long in power shows some signs of tottering, by saying 'Every day in every way we are getting younger and younger,' the party will get a new lease of life. I am not so sure about that,'.'!

Sessions of Parliament. Short sessions of Parliament in which the business is put through under high pressure were condemned by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., in the course of a postsessional address last night. "The usefulness of Parliament demands that reasonable hours should be worked, and that the time of the session should extend over a longer period," said Mr. Fraser. "After all, the people of the country- havo a right to expect the business to be done in a reasonable and common-sense way, and that whatever time is iuecpssary—sis, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven months— should be devoted to' tho transaction of the business." The Confident Party. A well-known minister stated recent- I ly that ■ brides are the better writers j while signing tho marriage register. He also says: "Don't you believe all this nonsense about the bride's trembling hand. ,It is the man who has the 'wind up,' and he always makes a mess of it. The woman, on the contrary, takes hold of the pen with one hand, gathers up her draperies with the other, signs in a business-like fashion; then throws down the pen, as much as to say, 'That's that!' So vigorous were some of tho girls in tho signing .that they crossed my fountain pen nibs, and-1 am seriously considering charging the church with the cost of new ones.". Degree for Dairying. "The Post's" London correspondent, writing on Bth September, mentions that England's youngest university, which became constituted on 4th August when the Beading University Act received the Eoyal Assent, signalises its new status by establishing a degree of Bachelor of Science in Dairying. This is believed to be the only degree of its kind in the British Empire. The degree crowns the work of the British pionoers of dairy research work, who endeavoured by tho foundation of the British Dairy Institute in Beading many years ago to place British dairying on a sound and scientific basis, equal to that of nations considered to be preeminent in this branch of knowledge.