LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20507, 11 June 1930, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Twenty-four charges, mostly alleging breaking and entering and thofi 1 at suburban shops, were preferred at Christchurch against Leslie Charles Burke, Albert William Stanley Porter, Edwin Harold Gunther, Norman Edward Prince, and Reginald Oscar Stewart. Three indictable charges against Burke, Porter, Gunther, and Prince relating to offences at Rangiora were admitted by the accused, who were committed for sentence.

Legal argument was completed yesterday at New Plymouth, and Mr Justice Blair reserved his judgment on the originating summons involving the liability of tho Crown, as mortgagee, for rates in the Inglewood borough.

A lire .discovered in tho, early’ hours of the morning in a block of sample rooms situated in William street, Masterton, completely destroyed the room in which the outbreak occurred, together with samples the property of Messrs G. Adess and Co., Dunedin. Tho stock of Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen in an adjoining room was slightly’ damaged by smoko and water. , Tho building, which was occupied by Mr R. V'. Hatch and owned by the James Macara estate, was covered by a policy of H,200 in the Standard Office.' At the invitation of the Mayor of Pahiatua (Mr Wilson) a large attendance representativp of tho local bodies and the farming and business community assembled at the Borough Chambers and accorded tho member for the district (the Hon. E. R. Ransom) a civic welcome. Speeches congratulating him ,on his appointment as Deputy-Leader of the Government, and eulogising his past services, were made. Mr Ransom, in reply, said with reference to his new portfolio, that of Minister of Lands, that people had previously expressed the view that they would like to see him handling this portfolio. Ho really believed it was the most important of all, as the development of land was tho major question in New Zealand to-day. He firmly believed that tho development of tho country was the only solution in absorbing the unemploy’ed, and assisting all other industries and' commercial interests. After all, 90 , per cent, of tho wealth of the dominion camo from the soil. Tho Minister later received numerous deputations. That changing conditions have made it impossible for employers of taxi drivers to continue in business under tho terms of tho present award was the contention of Mr W. Hayivard (proprietor of tho Rink Taxis) when applying to the Arbitration Court at Christchurch for either exclusion'from the ■ provisions of , the award or tho bringing in of a skeleton award. After evidence had been beard the court suggested a conference of the interested parties and the submitting of a scheme approved by all. Failing this ; the court would give its reserved decision.' Mr Hayward said six-sevenths of tho Christchurch taxis were free of the award restrictions, being either operated on tho share or hire system, or by owner-drivers. The other seventh were being run under award conditions, and ho had found this impossible. He declared that share drivers worked such long hours that they were often unsafe as drivers. Evidence was given by several drivers under the share and hire systems of the low earnings for long hours. It was stated that as many as sixteen to eighteen hours were worked daily for from £3 to £4 5s weekly. Tho New Zealand private hotel employees’ award has been filed. It provides Cor forty-eight hours a week, and some minor departures from the expired award have been made on the lines of corresponding provisions in tho licensed hotels’ award. Tho court has uot confirmed the reduction of lodgers from sixteen to ten as agreed at the Conciliation Council, His Honour remarking that the court could not do so until the persons affected had been properly cited and had an opportunity of being heard. 1 Power is reserved by tho court to reopen the matter on the ‘application of any party.