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Grey River Argus, 21 November 1919, Page 2

We are informed that a deputation fi-Qm the Timber Workers Union waited on Mr Glover (President of the New Zealand Waterside Workers Federation) on Wednesday night last, in Greymouthj when matters in connection with non-un^on labour being employed at a couple of sawmills were fully discussed.

His many friends will regret to learn that Mr iL. A. Jtsourke." wno lias been ill jtoj some time, took, yesterday, a serious turn, Tendering his recovery very doubtiul. Me . rallied yesterday afternoon, but at the latest his condition was most serious.

A permanent job at £4 5s per week must be* considered by some as in the nature gf a "plum." An employer at Petoue recently advertised for a "handy man" at the above wage and received, the next day over 60 replies from applicants, the majority being local men.

The electors will look in vain through the reports of speeches delivered by the Prime Minister at Waiuku and by the Leader of the Opposition at Winton (says the Otago "Daily Times") for any trace of a line of demarcation between the parties respectively led by them that is so clear and destinct as inevitably to throw the parties respectively led by them into conflict with each other.

According to Admiral Jellicoe's recommendations, the cost of Australia's naval commitments yearly would work out as follows: — 1920-21," £3,973,880: 1921-2, £3 : 960,000; 1922-3 £5,348 6«*---1923-4. £5,486.013; 1924-5. £5,378!473| 1925-6, £5,933.833; 1926-7 £6,278 593: 1927-8, £6,052,733. By 1925-6 all the vessels required under the proposed scheme would be Provided. In 1927 the Australia would be 15 years old, and the programme provider ior her replacement in 1928.

The regular meeting of Ct. Concord. No. 4355 A.0.F., will be held thifc. Friday evening at 8 o'clock

Stockton coal export last week amounted to 3334 tons.

In connection with the . forthcoming general election, Mr P. C. Webb will address the electors of Buller at the times and places stated i n our advertising columns.

Westport Coal Co., output last week — 8285 tons of coal, and 55 tons of coke. • "

The manufacture of casein is sliortlv to be commenced at the Mauriceville dairy factory.

London Bridge is crossed every day by 110,000 foot passengers and 2,2000 vehicles.

As the general election is fixed for December 17th, the electoral rolls will close about, the end of next week, when the writs for the election Avill be issued. Electors may enrol at all post offices.

The itinerary of Mr T. E. Y. Seddon's campaign in connection with the forthcoming general election, is announced in our advertising columns.

Carpenters are in strong request in Masterton at present. Good men' have been offered as high as 22s 6d per day.

At the wrestling tournment in the Auckland Town Hall. Arthur Powell (Auckland) defeated W. Evans, of Frankton, for the Heavy-weight Championship of New Zealand" in two straight falls.

Mr E. H. Andrews. Chairmnn of the Canterbury F<-'nmtion Board ar rived.in Greymouth by last, evening's Otira exnress. He will visit Hokitika during hi s stay on the West Coast.

A Press wire from Oamaru states that at the South Canterbury Methodist Synod the Rev. A. N. Scoter, was appointed district representative to the Dominion Conference nn etx t February.

A giant ox weighing 3190 lb, standing 18 hands high, with a girth of 11 ft, was to be seen for the first time in Christchurch at the show.

It is intended to plant Douglas pine next year on the borough reserves which were denuded of pinus insignis last winter to supply the fuel-hungry town (says the Ashburton 'Guardian""*. Douglas pine, when it * grows up,i^ cuts into what is known as Oregon timber.

The Prime Minister, replying to a question, stated that, with the exception of two departments, from which information was being awaited the rates of pny of casual and temporary hands in the service had been reviewed as at April 1. •

A settler in the Uruti district with a small herd of 28 pedigree and grade Jerseys, including six two-year-old heifers, averaged for the past month 9601 bof milk per head, with a 4.8 test an average of 461 bof butter-fat per cow* (reports th e Taranaki "Herald").

The Timaru bowling team expect to reach here on December 29tK. They play the Greymouth Club on the following day and leave in the evening for Hokitika, playing Hokitika on New Year's Day. They also play matches at Reefton and Westport, then to Nelson, Blenheim and home again via Kaikoura and Christchurch.

Mr W. H. Buic, of Masterton. has obtained a splendid return of lambs from his stud JRomneys (reports the Wairarapa "Dffoly Times"). From 380 ewes he obtai^ed^ 500 lambs — one of the best stud .percentages recorded in the Wairarapa.

Mumps has been prevalent throughout the whole of the Auckland district (says the New Zealand "Herald"), and all schools have been affected more or less. One day about 100 pupils of one suburban school were absent owing to the malady.

Canadian apples are finding a ready sale in New Zealand. It is hoped to. find a market for New Zealand apples in Canada so that there will be reciprocity in_ the on seasons. It is hoped to receive the lost apple trade with the Argentie.n and some New Zealand growers are again making inquiries into the possibilities of trade

Next year the meetings of .th e Westland Land Board will be held on the following dates :— January 21-, February 18th, March 18th, April 21st May 19th, June 16th, July 21st, August 18th, September 15th, October 20th, November 17th and December loth

In a case recently heard at Rewene (Hokianga) it was proved that a man charged with burglary had violently assaulted the owner of the premises, had engaged in a desperate struggle and bitten off the nose of one of the men who came to the rescue. The accused (Joe King) was committed for trial.. £

Farmers who were fortunate enough to have turnips for sale this year are reapina a harvest. Amongst sales made lately, it i s understood that Mr Duncan M^Lenan, Dumobin (states th e Tapanui "Courier"), has disposed of a 30-acre field of swedes at £15 per acre. In Southland farmers living near towns and who have been selhW swede turnips to residents keeping cows have been making up to £50 pe r acre; £12 10s per acre for eating off i s th c highest price paid in the southern province where the winter has proved exceedingimTi and in conse <l«eHce feed has not been scarce

The Far Eastern Fleet, the report states should be provided by Stow constituent parts of the Empire, including Great Britain, for which It Is of vital necessity, and that there should be the closest co-operation, with unity of direction m war, between the various squadrons composing that fleet It is assumed that it will be composed'of: — H battleships of modern tjpe 8 bat-tle-cruisers, also of modem type 10 light cruisers, 40. modem destroyers, 3 flotilla leaders, 2 depot 6 hi Ps for destroyers, 36 submarines (excludi — tnose stationed i n Indian waters) 4 submarine parent ships, 4 aircraft earners, 12 fleet minesweeper^ 1 lame seagoing minelayer, 2 fleet repair ships

Correspondence ls passing hetween New Zealand and Australia on the subject of timber prices, it being alleged that a remarkable discrepancy exists between the prices ruling in the Dominion and the Commonwealth It is said that ordinary building 'timber which costs 26 S per 100 ft i n New Zealand, can v.be purchased i n Sydney as low as 16s per 100 ft, and price lists are being exchanged to enable the real position to be ascertained. Rimu i s i n big demand in. New Zealand, and large quantities of that timber have,, it is said been shipped to Australia. Heart \f kauri, which is growing scarcer (Band scarcer is stated to be selling- cheaper in Australia than in New Zealand. A New Zealand "Times" representative was informed that heart of kauri had been sold as high as 80s per 100 ft in New Zealand, while the price in Australia was from 40s to 508 i

Writing from San Fran-.-.rco under date October 14, Mr J. H. Gunson (Mayor of Auckland) states that all the vessels bound for Australia and New Zealand are crowded, and the earlier ones were fully booked up before ever he and his wife landed at San Francisco. Big premiums, he adds, are bein<£ paid for passages One man was offered a round sum and his hotel expenses until he coiild secure a passage by a later boat if he would transfer his right to a passage by a boat that was just leaving. _.

An exceptionally large number of applications under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act have' been dealt with by the Otago Land Board during the last few days. The following particulars show the. number of applications considered and the various amounts involved : — Town properties, 39 granted, amounting to £20,550; 3 declined ; one held over ; and 21 left in the hands of the commissioner. Rural properties. 15 granted, totalling £26,---56 5; 5 declined ; 8 left in the hands of the commissioner. Six applications {or stock and implements, etc.. were granted, the amount involved in these being £3200.

Those present to witness the track work at Riccarto n one da v lately had the pleasure of seeing the greatest mile gallop done at Riccarton for many years, if not since the course was constructed. Carrying B. Deeley, and on the outside of the course proper Gloaming, with shoes on, cantered round until nearihg the mile jjeg. Jumping off (says "the "Press"), he ran the first furlong in 11 3-5, two in 23 4-5, three in 35 1-5 and four in 48 4-5. Running on strongly against a northeast breeze, the Welki gelding raced past , the winning post in the phenomenal time of 1.39 2-5 having run the last half mile in 50 3-5. It is possible that Mr G. D. Greenwood's fine galloper, could not have gone any faster, but he was not ridden out as Deely sat still on his mount all the way.

A propo_sal introduced by a delegate at the last conference of the Dominion aFrmers' Union, that the Government be recommended to drop the poll tax ia order to induce an influx of Chinamen into the country for the purpose of supplying domestic labour, was referred to by Mr R. Semple in his address at Newtown, Wellington. Mr Semple said that he had received from the delegate in question a copy, of the resolution, with a request that he should sxr^prt the proposal. The. speaker havx done more than receive it, for he strongly objected to the introduction of Chinamen ,to compete against the native girls of the country, who were demanding a decent living wage, and some of the decent things of the world, to which they had a perfect right. Mr Semple also deplored the fact that the Government favoured the introduction of Chinese labour for the working of the products of Nauru Island. Wherever "slave laour" had been introduced it had left behind it an immoral stench that it took years to eradicate; and a trail of crime, disaster and filth. The Government had in its mind the idea of cheap labour and was in the habit of thinking in terms of dollars.