LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 16998, 21 March 1919, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At a meeting of the National War Funds Council at Wellington yesterday the Minister of Internal Affairs, wh.o presided, said he felt justified in asking the council to increase to 100 the number of bursaries immediately available for returned soldiers. The council endorsed the proposal. The officers of the council, with the assistance, of Mr Seymour (general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association), were directed to make a preliminary examination of the 120 applications already received. The chairman said it would be open to any patriotic society either to supplement the bursaries offered through the council or to establish bursaries of its own. The council discussed the position of men who had nofc,returned in time to apply for the bursaries now offered, but who would arrive in the near future. It was resolved that further bursaries should bo offered as soon as the financial position of the council was assured.

Further expressions of dissatisfaction with the wages paid to freezing works hands, the first intimation of which was reported from Horiotu (Auckland) on Wednesday, was made at tho Westfield works yesterday, when a section of the men employed in loading meat for an overseas vessel struck for higher wages and improved conditions. In the afternoon a meeting of employees was held, when it was explained that the strikers were not supported by the Freezing Works Employees' Federation, and tliey were adTised to resume work, and leave their dispute to the conference in Wellington next months. It is understood that two delegates from the Southdown Works, who attended the meeting, gave the assurance that the Southdown men had agreed to continue working on the present terms, and leave a settlement to the conference. The men at Horiotu have also agreed to resume work pending the conference.

At a meeting of the Otago Hotel, Restaurant, and Boarding-house Employees' Union the following resolution was "carried:—"That this meeting of hotel employees view with indignation the attitude of the Prohibition party in their unjust attack on a body of workers who, bo that the stay. of visitors in either hotels or boarding-houses may be made as pleasant as possible under the circumstances, attend late and early to the public who are compelled to travel eit-heir on business or pleasure. This union of hotel employees resolve to use their influence by assisting in every possible way to defeat the objects aimed at by tne Prohibition party and the Efficiency League in the forthcoming election." Speaking to the- motion a member remarked that this was a poor reward for the 250 members of the union who had left to fight for their King and country, and members ought to feel proud of their union, for out of a membership of 276, 250 had responded to the call. A large number would never return, and this was the gratitude of the Prohibitionists." Several ladies remarked that this was no time for dissension when the hearts were wrung with the loss of the loved ones who had gone to fight for them, and the few who remained had now to fight for a bare existence.

On Tuesday evening, at a special meeting of the Women's International League, Mrs Beck, of Wellington, gave an interesting address on 'Prison Reform.' Several necessary reforms were outlined, and the abolition of solitary confinement was advocated. She said that curative rather than punitive methods must be adopted in order to bring about reformation. The fact that a considerable number of boys graduated from industrial schools to prisons was surely an indication that all is not right with our present reformatory svstem. The president (Miss M'Garthy) thanked Mrs Beck for her helpful address. The league then adjourned to the Bangor Tea Rooms for the remainder of the evening. Mrs Beck is one of the three women candidates for the Wellington City Council. Numbers of Indians are arriving in Auckland. Tho Niagara and Makura, which arrived last week, brought a number, but the Island steamer Talune, which arrived from Suva yesterday morning, had 25 on board. The majority of these men have served their time in tho Islands, and are trying fresh fields. They will make their appearance in. the streets of Auckland in due course.

Regarding the political outlook the Wellington correspondent, of the 'Auckland Star' wires;— There is a feeling abroad that there will be unparalleled changes in the personnel of the House of Representatives at the next General Election. To begin with, it is expected that two, or even three, of the Reform Ministers included in the National Cabinet will not •seek re-election. Sir William Fraser and Sir James Allen have said almoEt as much to their intimate friends, and the story that Mr Massey will go Home as Resident Minister in London still persists. Then, on the other side, the Hon. T. M. Wilford is known to be well-disposed towards an extensive European tour, and not particuliwly enarnored of tb? lif*» of a Minister of the Crown in, a National Cabinet, with litih scope for enterprise and none for initiative. As for tho private members, not an unusually large number of them are retiring voluntarily, but the disabilities imposed upon them by the party truce are likely to cost many of them their seats.

Practically a deadlock haa been reached between the Wangairai Borough Council and the Wanganui Fire Board in connection with the latter refusing to pay £5,000 fer the present- fire station and it B probable that the matter will be tested §1 the Supreme Court by way of an originating summon*. One of the councillors has summed up the position thua: " The Fire Board have the horns of the cow arid the Borough Council the tail, and it Loks as if the legal profession are going to get the milk." At a combined meeting of the City Council and the >t. nikla Council Or X H. Hancock was reappointed to the Ocean Beach Domain Board. At a subsequent meeting of the City Council Ors fcna.-mock, U' ■• n. ai"l the Mayor were appointed members of the board for a period of three years. At an iuquest at vVelhugion on the body of Robert Hayward Fisher, who died from injuries caused as a result of being knocked d»wu by a motor car on Monday, the coroner said the evidence ihowed the necessity of drivers taking the utmost care when passing trarrieais. The drivers rmut have their cars under auch control that the;/ could pull them up *bena\e? anv vjlftuiaut of danger presented itself. In the circumstances he proposed to bring in aa open verdict — that the deceased died from injuries caused • through iiehic knocked down by » motor car.