WESTPORT NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 8 July 1922, Page 6

WESTPORT NOTES.

(By ‘ ‘ Westportonian. fr ) Quito an exciting incident, which has escaped record in the local papers, took place last Saturday evening just below the Fire Brigade Station. The i storm water sewer was blocked and the water in the gutter had accumulated to the height of the kerbing. Some country cousins, having agreed to differ upon some matter or other, decided to settle their differences outside the Arbitration Court, and resorted to direct action. Two, who appeared, from their dimensions, to be a highlander and a low-lander, got to holds or clinches and indulged in some infighting. They did not seem to be going according to the Marquis ot‘ Quecnsbury rules, and although Don Mundy’s place of business is just opposite, and he knows all the points of the game, he did not attempt to put things in order. When the struggle] was at its height, the combatants roll- ! cd into the flooded gutter, the highlander above, the low-lander below. A friend of the party endeavoured to ex • tricatc the bottom dog from his peril- | ous position, only to find himself bc- | ing dragged into the water. Evidently the temperature of the water had a I cooling effect upon the combatants’ Temperaments, as they decided upon a draw—and withdrew. AVhilc the excitement was at its height residents were using their telephones, some ringing up the Harbour Board for the rocket apparatus, some to the Surf Club for the life-saving reel, while others I ’phoned for the police. It is notice- | able that the police do not interfere when persons are taking water in, with beer it is different! ixowever, “all’s well that ends well.” Nobody was hurt and Don Munday is said to have remarked, he could beat the whole boiling. “’9O” Free Labourers, “1913” New - Unionists! The press, whose policy is esteemed anti-Labour, are not missing a sweet morsel which has been, or is reputed to have been, written by a reputed secretary of a reputed freezing workers’ union. A gentleman who I started on the up grade in 1890 cut it out of the “Dominion” and trotting along with it, said “There you are, what did I tell you?” Another, who

became a “New Unionist,” in 1913, saw it in the “Oamaru Mail,” cut it out, and carried it in his pocket-book for his select circle. It has been published in full in our evening paper, which states that it was extracted Hum the ‘‘Oamaru Mail.” It is worthy of note that it does not accept any responsibility for the article, it does not head it, for instance, “From our Grani’.y Correspondent.” However, if the writer of the letter does exist, and he is a union secretary, to the writer’s mind, he is not much good to unionism. He docs not sign himself honorary secretary, yet he cackles about the “p : iid parasites” who are living upon the workers. No use worrying about it, for, after all, it may be an cmination from Well Fed or Liberty League. Who knows? We may expect many such. There- are Judases to-day as there were 2000 years ago; the only pity is up-to-date ones do not take pattern by the one we read about in biblical history, and go and do likeIt is stated that cows will make a feed off paint. Ernie I’atton, our local vet., has had the treatment of several who have got at paint, pots and suffered thereby. It is to be hoped, as the winter advances and grass becomes scarce, the railway, which is to be connect the East with the West, is near completion, latter jealousies are springing up. The South Island requires ail the u’;i’ iiimity possible to keep up with the North. Lot us get together if possible, and work together. It is claimed in Labour circles that ‘‘an injury to one is an injury to all.” Cannot we extend this, so that, what is of benefit to one, must be to the benefit of all. It appears no plan of the workers to uphold the tactics employed by Chambers of Commerce and like bodies, ns it has been very noticeable of late that these busy bodies aro in the habit of urging the Government to lengthen the workers’ hours of labour, lessen his remuneration, and chivvy him on to more production. A writer, signing himself or herself “Why?” has written to the local evening- paper, throwing at the heads of the reactionaries in the Borough Council, the pinions of celebrities like Earl Grey, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Airs Fawcett, etc., upon Proportional Representation. By a curious coincidence, in the “New Zealand Railway Review” is an article by Mr John Rigg

one of the most reliable authorities in New Zealand upon P.R. and who has watched with interest the practical working of the system in A.S.R.S. elections. Air Rigg goes exhaustively into the advantages of the system and incidentally mentions why some people object to it. To quote —“It is the most scientific and equitable system of Parliamentary representation which can be adopted oy any country that presumes to call itself democratic. Should proof be required, it can be found in Australia; where P.R. has been in operation for years and where it is likely to continue in operation notwithstanding the occasional outbursts directed against it by disappointed politicians and defeated candidates who would condemn any form of election which does not produce results conducive to their personal advantage.” Nuff said.