LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20253, 14 August 1929, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

' -fr - --r ' i At the lust meeting of the Junior Red Cross Committee of the Joint Peace Time Council (Red Cross Society and Order of St. John). Sister Kirkpatrick’s report for July was considered. Regular health talks had been given during the month to classes at Archerfield. Columba College, St. Clair, Kensington, Forbury, High Street, and Caversham Schools, and the committee was pleased to note that some exceptionally well-illustrated health books had been prepared by the children at-these schools. Examinations in home nursing had been conducted at Columba College and Archerfield, and members of the combined group had also been examined. The results were very gratifying. Sister Kirkpatrick had given Jhnior’Red Cross talks to four separate classes at the High Street School, and it was hoped to form a circje as soon as all tho classes had been addressed. At Musselburgh School forty pupils attended a meeting of the Junior Red Cross Circle with the object of devising ways and means of raising funds for a first aid cupboard. A series of vocational guidance talks was given by Sister Kirkpatrick to senior girls in primary schools, the subject chosen being ‘Nursing as a Profession.’ Members of secondary school groups of the Junior Red Cross spent a delightful afternoon at tho Returned Soldiers’ Convalescent Homo at_ Montecillo, they were entertained by the matron. I

Tho Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce last evening decided to advise the Government that Palmerston North importers considered that an additional duty of at least 5 per cent, should be placed on all American goods imported into New r Zealand, so long as the importers wore given reasonable notice or tho increase. The resolution was tue result of ft discussion on the recent doubling of the primage duty. The investigations showed that_ as the result of comprehensive inquiries there was no great opposition to the added tax, as it did not affect tho cost of living to a degree likely to occasion concern, and the secondary industries were not likely to be adversely affected. An unusual case, the first of its kind in North Auckland, was heard in the Waipu Court. Frederick Brook was charged under section 24 of the Child Welfare Act Amendment, 1927, with having had unlawful intercourse with a girl, a ward of the State licensed to the accused’s wife for domestic duties. The magistrate (Mr G. N. Morris) stressed the fact that the drastic nature of the penal clause was not generally known, and requested wide publicity in order to emphasise the serious character of the oii’cnce. Brooks made a frank admission of the facts, and was lot off light!v with a fine of £ls.

At a meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery the opinion was expressed that church property came within the tho scope of earthquake relief. A notice was received from the clerk of the Westland district that the damn go to church property was at least £SOO, but the Relief Committee considered that the church had no claim on the funds. A speaker said that Presbyterians had added their subscriptions to the central fund on the understanding that relief would he granted wherever dam-' age had been done. It was decided that letters be written to th Mayor of Christchurch and the nresideut of the Vrcshvt'erian Advisory Committee drawing their attention to the fact that the claims of the church were not being recognised.

A visit was paid to the Auckland .Grammar School by Mr T. R. Bavin (Premier of New South Wales), who was a pupil of the school from 188 G to 1889, and was a contemporary of the head master. Mr J. D. Mahon. Mr Bavin, addressing the boys, said that as a result of his observation and travel he had come to the conclusion that there was no place in tho world where a youth had a better chance than in Australia and New Zealand. Ho referred to tho importance of the spirit of fair play, emphasising the motto, “ Play the game,” insisted on in the secondary schools of the Empire. The visitor was cheered by tho boys. Thanking him lor his visit, the bond master expressed the wish that he would go on from success to success and be granted good health to continue the great work he was now doing. Mr Bavin sailed for Sydney by the Makura last night.

The wages and general conditions of employment in tho printing trades other• than typographers engaged tho attention of the Conciliation Council at Wellington. The assessors on the council were appointed from the principal publishing houses in tho dominion and from the federation of the workers. The application was made on behalf di: the employees engaged in the various branches of this industry throughout the dominion, and included a request for an increase of wages and annual holiday leave, a decrease in the hours of working, and other minor improvements on the present award conditions. Tiie business was taken in committee, and at the conclusion of the day’s proceedings the chairman announced that considerable .difficulty was being experienced by tlie parties in arranging suitable adjustments in respect to the clauses relating to the hours of work and the rates of wages. He, however, was of the opinion that before the termination of the conference the representatives of tho parties would be able to come to terms on these points. The other items would not present much difficulty.

The District Highways Councils throughout the dominion have recommended that over 2,000 miles of road should be declared main highways, according to a letter received by the Waikato County Council from Mr F. W. Furkert on behalf of the Main Highways Board. Mr Furkert says this mileage comprises about 60 per cent, of all the secondary highways. The councils had disregarded the advice to limit their demands. The , board was unable to adopt any substantial part of the recommendations, Tho Waikato County Council resolved to prosecute drivers of motor lorries carrying excessive loads or speeding. An inspector was recently appointed to watch the heavy traffic. Members spoke strongly of tho damage done to the roads.