LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It -will take *a lot of explanation to Convince the public that the department or the Cabinet had not in view an increaso in the tolephono charges, remarks the ' Wairarapa Daily Times.' Apparently there was some trepidation regarding tho manner in which the long-suffering public would take an increase—hence some "kiteflying " was indulged in. The proposal to raise the fees was met with a storm of protest from ono end of the Dominion to tho other. Tho Government has s|rong evidence- that any increase -in telephone charges will bo 'exceedingly unpopular; thorcforo we can now rest assured that there is not much likelihood of any substantial increase.

An inspector for the Health Department discovered at Petono last week a father, a mother, and six children inhabiting one room "with uso of kitchen." The childron't n»os ranged downwards from eight and a-half rears. The living room was 12ft by 12ft. and tho inspector declares that it contained throe double *bcds. The Meat Producers' Board sat continuously at Wellington during last week under tho chairmanship of Mr David STonw, M.r. A vory amount of correspondence, both from within and without New Zealand, was dealt with, and tho future activities of tho board were exhaustively discussed. It is stated that tho foundations of a sound progressiva policy have been laid. Tho hoard had a meeting with representatives of tho snipDin-' companies, and discussed_ tho possibility of an early reduction in certain rates and freight, also methods >y which tho hoard can co-operate with tho snip: Din* companies in securing improved motliode and lower costs in tho loading of produce in New Zealand.

The annual report of tho Gwcora Indue trial Union of Employers states that dniino- tho last few weeks the flatter ot tho revival of tho Dominion Federation of Grocers has been touched on by the Auckland Master Grocers' Union.. Althoiifh the executive of tho Wellington Union was at present acting as the controlling Dominion body, it raised no objection to Auckland's efforts to bring about direct representations if the trade considered it desirable. With tho declining prices tho trade is subjected to heavy IbsVs and these conditions will continue for perhaps another year. Tho report proceed'' • " Tho Totail trade throughout tao country will expedite the bringing about of new conditions by adopting a drastic method and cutting its losses. Ihe greatest struggle in the world's economic history is now being undertaken, almost unconsciously, in a great effort to break'-a vicious circle. The pre-war standard is at hand in almost all articles of common use, but a complete return cannot bo achieved till Labor in its turn participates. A rearrangement of tho cost of tho worker's output must be brought about before new conditions can be established."

Robert Dasler, a laborer, of Sydenham (Christchurch), has been arrested on a charge of manslaughter of EdwaTd Samuel Darreli, who died in the Christchurch Hospital on March 13. At tho inquest on Darreli early in tho week it transpired ■(■hat tho deceased was found lying at tho back of tho Opera Houso on tho evening of March 6. Ho was arrested for drunkenness, but was subsequently admitted to the Christchurch Hospital. There ho complained that he had fallen and hurt his head prior to his arrest. Dasler has stated to tho police that he and tho deceased had an altercation on the afternoon of March 6, after which blows were struck.

An epidemic of thefts of cash boxes prevails in Auckland. Recently a solicitor's offices in one of the Queen street buildings were visited. While two of the staff of Mr J. F. Hosking, barrister and solicitor, were at work in twq separate looms, an intruder entered the main office, opened a small door in the counter, and removed a cash box containing about £36. It is stated that the offices of two other solicitors were entered and thefts committed on the same day. On Thursday a clerk employed, by a well-known Auckland solicitor delivered a _ cheque at the ■wrong office. On discovering his mistake the clerk went to the office, and asked for its return. A lady clerk told him that while she was in the office the cash /box, containing tho cheque ae well as eorae money, had been stolen.

The protest of fhe Thomdon branch of the A.S.R.S. against high prices ruling for school books and refjuisitos, especially secondary school books, already given publicity in the Press, was before the Wellington Education Board last -week in a letter. Mr C. I. Harkness agreed that the cost of school books was a very serious item, and the railwaymen were justified in their protest. Ono of the difficulties was the transfer from district to district, which compelled railwaymen to buy different books in different districts. Mr E. H. Penny pointed out that authors of school books sometimes gave then." lives to tho ■work, and they should not bo robbed oi adequate remuneration by sweated prices.' Mr Wright, M.P., doubted how the board could help much in the ease of railwaymen transferred. Tho Chairman said it was not nowtruo that education could be free from primary school to university. Bursaries were not now sufficient to cover the increased fees charged in the universities and tho increased cost of books. This was a much bigger question than tho mere cost of school books. It was decided, on the motion of Mr I. Moss, to reply expressing the full sympathy of the board, and to forward tho letter of tho A.S.R.S. to the Minister with the support of tho board, anl also to advise tho branch as to what the board had actually done in connection with stationery.

An appeal on behalf of 18,000,000 starving Russians was made at the Rotary Chub's weekly luncheon by Mr E. C. Cuttan, S.M. Ho asked members to subscribe to a fund of £IOO toward the cost of bringing a member of tho Society of Friends to Auckland from Australia to . lecture on the condition of tho people in Eossia. This lady, said Mr Cutten, had been working among the staa'virirr Russians smce 1916, and tho Society of Friends had been feeding 150,000 people thero. He suggested that the best way to attack Bolshevism was by winning the hearts of the starving p oo . p l 0 . This would undermine and kill tho whole system of Bolshevism. According to tho 'Katipo,' tho official organ of tho Post and Telegraph Officers' 'Asaodation, tho members' ballot as to i whether the association will link up with the AJbanco of Labor is to bo held not later vhan tno end of tho month. The Secretary of tho Post and TeWraph Department (Mr R. B. Morris) has issued a memorandum to all members of the association requesting them to bo particular In recording their votes either ono way or the other M it is only by doing so that the real feeling 0 f tho association can bo ro corded. It was recently announced that the Min- ' J^" 0^0 " liad accepted an offer by Mr Stanley Warwick, of Wellington, to give in the public school brief lectures oil pronunciation. The offer followed on thei controversy regarding the existence of a twang in the speech of New Zealand children. At the last meeting of the Wellington Public Schools' Awintant Masters Association a, motion was earned protesting against tho- attitude taken up by Mr Warwick in connection with tho alleged existence of "twang." Tho meeting was also unanimous in protesting against tho Minister's attitudo_ in recognising an unsupported declaration from an in-responsible source, and expressed regret that encouragement had been given to any such statement. Replying to a question on tho subject 3ast week, tho Prime Minister said ho certainly could not recommend tho New Zealand Parliament to provide a very largo sum of money for experimental air jwrvices. The airships had made some wonderful journeys; but they had not yet reached tho stage of development when regular communication between Britain and Australia and New Zealand by eir would bo a practicable proposal. The leoord of recent accidents was an an&wer ,io any claim of the kind. A fact to bo remembered was that an airship making ihe journey from Britain to New Zealand or Australia could not have summer ©cra- '.■. lotions on both sides pf tho world.