STOCKTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1935, Page 7

STOCKTON NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent.) Mrs Cummings and Misy I. Summers left on Thursday for Huntly. Mrs Cummings arrived in Stockton some five weeks ago to visit her late mother Mrs J. Summers. Miss Summers will reyide permanently in the Huntly district. The mine has worked for the past fortnight,, and will be also working this week. An application for the payment for Jubilee Day, will be here made, as some of the mining companies granted it to the employees. There were no wages forthcoming for the employees at the Stockton mine last pay. Meetings were held in Stockton and Millerton last week to place proposals’ before the public re. the candidature of Mr H. C. Evans, for the County and Hospital Board. Mr Evans, contested the Millerton and Stockton Riding some ten years ago, and received approximately the same number of votes as in the recent election. At present the population of Millerton has been seriouyly depleted, due to the depression, and perhaps some oppression. In addition to the loss of the voters through people leaving the township, a total of one hundred and twelve voters were disfranchised due ito the fact that rates and sanitation had not been paid. Denniston had a similar position to face. Two hundred or more were not allowed to vote for the above reasons. Yet, in the other parts of New Zealand in boroughs and cities, the Parliamentary franchise was exercised, irrespective of the property and rate qualification. An amendment is urgently necessary to wipe out ’this anomaly. It is bad enough in all reason to be on the dole and doleful, without being deprived of the rights to remedy the wrongs of society. A rather strange thing happened in Stockton just a few days before the election. The Secretary of the Stockton Picture Company, when in conversation with Mr W. H. Mclntyre, pointed out an alleged unfairness re. the Picture Company having to pay sanitation tees tor the service supplied by the County Council. Mr Mclntyre agreed that the Picture Coy., should not. have :to pay and told tlie Secretary of the Picture Coy., that he would sec the arrears were wiped out. This was eventually dont\ Air Mclntyre instructing the County Clerk ito erase the debit. The Picture Coy., consequently had a vote. Why should one man have the power to wipe out arrears for any body; whether a tornpany or private person? Surely this should be a question for the‘whole Council to decide? Again, there are houses in Stockton without the sanitary service. It >has never been installed ,and those houses with the sanitary (?) service had some twelve years ago to pay (thirty shillings for the two tins, and thirty shillings per year to keep Stockton sanitary. Where the refuse is dumped—on the main road between Stockton and Millerton—only about twelve yards from the roadside, is a thorough disgrace to

’tny Council. If the germ theory is s correct, and, should they be used in the next, war, ithen there it’ all the am- ; munition ready to hand! It is a real : liigh explosive factory! Lewisite is aowhere in it with this “laboratory.” • There have been thousands of pounds i spent in paying the men on the dole, who were doing unnecessary work, and ; this eyeyore and “nosesorc” should have been removed long, long ago. The pity of it all is having to wait another three years before any kind of in ; terest is such as was wit- < ncssed during the past fortnight. The i ilepression is a yure de-voter, and if it lasts much longer, elections in these ' parts will only become a farce. A deputation consisting of Alessrs R. Jack (Milici ton Al ine rs), J. Clarke (Stockton Alin cry), 11. L. Evans (Buller Central Committee), R. AlcGrcgor arid T. Grace (Millerton unemployed), together with Airs W. Walt|tm and Mrs Stanley (representing the .mothers ami children of Alillerton), mot the Alinistor of Employment and Education. and the Deputy-Chairman of the Unemployment Board (Air W. Bromley) in the Millerton Library last Friday evening. Some new arrangement will be given a trial by The Board to allow men working in the mines, who aif entitled to intermittent work, an opportunity to work their full allocation, thus obtaining some measure of justice, where, hitherto a rank injustice existed. The Alinister of Employment ytated that as far as he could see, the only remedy was to bring ithe unemployed off the hills and place them in some useful work. He said that it is useless having men unemployed in Denniston, Alillerton and Stockton if the coal companies did not wanit them, then it is useleys to stay. The same argument could be applied to all the unemployed. It is useless, Let uselessness becomes a very formidable weapon to the employing clasy — particularly when the workers are prepared to take what is handed to them. Every bondsman has, within himself, the power to cancel Ibis capacity. The question of disfranchising the workers in the Buller area, was brought before the Alinister by Alesyrs Evans and Jack. The Alinister replied that it did not come under his department, but he would hand the information over to his colleague on return to Wellington. Air AlcGrcgor, for the unemployed, pint up a very strong case. In many cases the prospector was even worse olf than tbe man on the No. 5 Scheme. With an additional chief superviyor for the gold prospectors, some payable (new reefs might be located in .’the Buller yet. Airs Watson and Airs Stanley argued well for the mothers and the children, pointing out how the wintry v- eather on 'the Coast could not be met in cotiton frocks and no boots a-nd shoes, alyo the very scant ration of milk they were able to purchase with the very meagre amount brought home by itheir husbands. The Alinister stated he had been very distressed with the sights he had witnessed yince his arrival in the Buller., children with their little toes out through The shoes, etc., but he said it was very difficult to find the money to meelt all the requirements. Airs Stanley, promptly replied: “No, but you can find plenty of money for armaments!” However, the deputation left, afiter Mr P. C. Webb had thanked the Alinister for receiving the various speakers, believing that if sympathy for the points raised by The various representatives counts for anything, “we have backed

a winner.” Air N. Aldridge met with a rather painful accident on Thursday, while following his employment on the locu staff of the Stockton. C'oal Coy. He was taken ito the Westport Hospital in the after Dr. Simpyon had made his as comfortable as possible for the twenty-five mile journey. A trained nurse was also in attendance on the journey. Air Aldridge is suf-

fering from a fractured right thigh and lacerated wound in the left elbow.

In their match against Granity, Rovers, on May 4th, Stockton won by 17 points 'to nil. Stockton forwards played a top-notch game and gave the visitors very little chance of scoring. With the forwards playing so well, the backs should have come into the picture much more 'than they did. The team needs some good inside backs.

Stockton ladies’ hockey team visited Ngakawau on Thursday, to play a competition game with Ngakawau. The game was a rather tame one. Ngakawau had too much experience for the newly-formed Stockton eleven, winning by six goals to one. The Stockton players did not adapt themselves to their respective positions, but wandered all over the field.

Sitockton rugby team, at home on Saturday, had Alokihinui as their opponents. Alokihinui appeared much the heavier sidq. but again the Stockton forwards gave a rather scintillating display, so that eleven points was registered ere the whistle. blew for half time. As Stockton were playinf with the grade in their favour in the second half, it was expected The score would increase. However, neither side Uicgistercd any jpointsj in the second half and the game ended with Stockton winning by eleven points t 0 nil. Stockton travel to Denniston next Saturday to play Rivals. This will be a pretty stiff proposition for the visiting team, but if the weather is fine, a good display of football will be witnessed.

A meeting -of Ngakawau Aliners’ union was held in the Stockton Hall on Jubilee Day, to listen to the report of the National Council deliberations in Wellington; also the offer of the coal owners to restore five per cent, to the employees of the mines. According to various reports in the press it appears as though the major portion of the unions accepted the offer of an agreement for eighteen months, and a five per cent, increase, but the five per eent. increase will not give the emp vices a half of the iten per cent, taken from them in 1931. A worker earning £1 per day prior to the 1931 cut, would after the cut be receiving i»s> per day. A five per cent, increase on the present wage of 18s will only give the worker a wage of 18s Hl 3-lod I the percentage had been a half of the origuial reduction of two shillings then the increased rate would have been IDs, and when the other half comes along, the original rate of £1 would be received. The report was adop.ed and Ngakawau employees decided to contribute their quota to"ards .he expenses of a miners’ delegate visiting Russia i n 1936- also a unaummus vote wa.s recorded in favour Of affiliation to the Friends of the Soviet Union. The National Secretary dn’iA “ cLa S a >. 1 .will take over the ou.ies of organising secreatrv-treasur-?r immodmtely O n salary and travelling expenses. The position will be one of a trial for a few months, and it satisfactory T will be extended so I effort can made solidnrG 1 g le!>^ol degree of organised sobdanty amongst the miners than has existed tor some time past. Mr L. Morganty, Secretary o f the Agakawau Union , • ‘ “ a P ;l! ‘ l 'nt in the Buller Hospital. SeiA'A 7 • laS bCen eJccteil P r ° leni senern ''" g ’« nbfro 1 ’' if' E . lb . ott has feocn discharged ti 'orn.Z ’ and iS D ° W 0,1 the ™ad co complete recovery. lhe Stockton Womens’ Institute brought before the Minister of Employment. the question of not being allowed facilities to travel to' various bnnctions wuth the buses, due t. o the one Tra >m»orl Board against Im 1 ’ men ‘fe crs for ordering a bus on these consecutive occasions b If a war comes along. no doubt the do “ri J l’T’, tUte wiU be expected to do their bit ’ towards helping, par ti. inm-'t IU ° S I mrt in i‘ih - l , talvln g it leading pait m 'he organisation.