Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1918. THE CLOSED BANKS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1389, 22 November 1918, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1918. THE CLOSED BANKS.

Thr Auckland, Dunedin and Palmerston North Chambers of Commerce are protesting against the closing of the banks throughout tho Dominion for a whole week. On tho facts disclosed the protests appear to be justified. Tho decision arrived at by the management of the Associated Banks in Wellington, at their meeting on Tuesday, was only made public by the advertisements in Wednesday’s papers, and, when tho banks elosed at 3 p.m. that day, they closed for the week also, tho decision being made applicable to all the branches throughout the Dominion. The public, in many instances, thus had little or no opportunity of providing against tho contingency so unexpectedly created, and serious inconvenience is being occasioned, not merely to the trading community, but to tho public generally. The statement is made that tho banks in Wellington had been working on skeleton staffs for some time, and that tho strain was beginning to tell on them, so to relieve them it was necessary to close down for some days. But it docs not appear that the Wellington conditions aro universal. Locally, wo have not heard of any severe strain being put upon tho five banks doing business in Palmerston North, for there has been very little business doing at all. And tho president of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce points out, in his telegram to the Minister of Finance, that tho worst of tho epidemic is over in that city, that employees are returning to work, and business conditions are again becoming normal. He urges that tho banks should bo reopened, and the Dunedin Chamber puts in a similar plea and urges that, if this is not possible, tho banks should at least bo authorised to open for a limited

time for the purpose of receiving deposits and cashing wages cheques. That is a suggestion which might very well bo acted upon, and it is one that, if adopted ,"would afford a certain amount of relief to the public. Employers are especially handicapped by the closing of the banks, because many of them will be hard put to it to find the cash to pay their wages this week-end, and it is against the law for wages to bo paid by cheque, except in the case of certain backblocks industries where banks are non-existent. Had longer notice been given ol the intention to close, or had the closing taken place at the week-end (say to-day), the inconvenience would have been minimised. The need for relieving , the hanking stall's is probably greater in Wellington at the present tiim( than it is elsewhere, and Wollingtonians are likely to accept the situation more philosophically than citizens in other parts of the Dominion, who arc not feeling the pinch so greatly. I’ho Minister of Finance, having given the banks authority to close tor the week, can hardly withdraw his permission to do so, although ho would appear to have acted on tho presumption that the closing, which seemed so desirable from the point of view of the Wellington hanking managements, was desirable also throughout the Dominion. Surely it would have been possiblo to meet the necessities of the Wellington position, without inconveniencing the public throughout tho country, right from Kaitaia to the bluff. [Since the foregoing was typed we learn that tho local hanks opened for a brief period this morning for tho transaction of urgent business, a relief which was greatly welcomed in business tirciwj.]

In view of flic epidemic, (ho statutory annual meetings of County Councils throughout the Dominion, fixed, by law to take place on Wednesday next, arc likely to bo postponed. It is understood that legislation to that effect will bo introduced, if it is found that such meetings arc not included in the regulations already gazetted.

When tho Citizen’s Health Committee were on their inspection tour of New Plymouth, they intimated that they would inspect the backyards on tho following day. When they did so they found the backyards, almost without exception, in a spic and span condition and thoroughly sanitary. The Taranaki News says (ho town never had such a. clean up or such disinfection. Tho schools in Hawke’s Bay have been closed until after the Now Year. If circumstances permit, they will re-open on Tuesday January 21st. In regard to Standard VI. the inspectors propose, in the case of schools already examined, to take the results of tho Provisional Examination in conjunction with the teachers’ estimate, where necessary, as a basis of determination.

In the Supreme Court at Wellington yesterday the wife of Dr, Francis Rudolph Ilotop, late of the New Zealand Medical Corps, was granted a decree nisi on her petition for divorce on tho grounds of cruelty and habitual drunkenness. r J lie Chief Justice, in granting the decree, expressed surprise that tho respondent should have boon able to hold military rank in the New Zealand Forces. The work of the Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Assistance Board is (says our Wellington correspondent) practically at an end, though the grants already made will have to be paid until tho discharge of tho soldiers concerned. The latest report of tho Board shows that up to tho end of October tho Board dealt with 18,619 applications, comprising 35.969 new cases, and 2730 recommended cases. Assistance was granted in 8828 cases, representing an annual expenditure of £267,374.

At a sitting of the Supreme Court this morning, before His Honour Mr Justice Chapman the hearing took place of a case in which Martin Bendixcn sought to claim from E. H. Crabb the sum of £2OO, for alleged damages. Plaintiff alleged that defendant so negligently drove Jus motor car on the Ixmgburn-Rongotca. road on the 10th July that he van into the plaintiff, who was riding a motor bicycle, and injured him. Mr H, Gilford Moore appeared for plaintiff, and Mr H. R. Cooper for defendant. After heating the evidence of both sides, his Honour gave judgment for defendant with no costs. A visitor to the town on his way to Wellington stated that whilst waiting in the queue outside the inhalation chamber in Manchester street, Christchurch, ho was robbed of £6 from his hip pocket. Ho was not awaro of his loss until some time later, when ho had occasion to use money, so evidently the theft w'as committed by an expert pickpocket. The matter has been reported to the police. It, should serve as a warning to others attending the chamber to bo, careful as to their money and other valuables. Fine weather has come just.in time to save the .strawberry crop in the Auckland district, .states the Herald, and growers now expect to overtake the loss they sustained by tho violent weather experienced a few weeks, ago. A leading fruit merchant staled on Saturday that a few hours’ rain would now be very welcome, as the plants were beginning to feel the need of it. As showing the rapid advance due to good weather, he mentioned that 130 crates were received by his linn on Saturday, us against 30 received for the same day last week. Amongst the most loyal of the Indian princes is the Nizam of Hyderabad, upon whom King George, recently conferred tho title of his' Exalted Highness, and'also tho rank of Lieutenant-General. His contributions in money exceed, £1,000,000.; He is 'maintaining tho best soldiers in hisl employ at tho front, and has placed his own sword at the disposal of the King-Emperor. The Nizam is in the prime of life. So sure a shot is ho that if a servitor stands several hundred paces from him flinging bottles up in tho air, his Exalted Highness’ bullets never miss them.

“After all this time of trouble and sickness is over, there should bo some organised effort in the community to train a largo body of young men and women in ambulance and nursing work,” said Mr W. Manson, secretary of tho Auckland Workers’ Educational Association, “so tlrat should anything of the kind Over occur again wo shall not experience the present fatal dearth of trained help,” Referring to tho heavy toll that has been taken of the working classes during tho last few weeks, he said that conditions would have to bo made more tolerable for tho working man, and stringent precautions taken to ensure that no landlord exacted rent for any house unfit for habitation, as investigations of the past two weeks had shown many of them to be doing. A kitchen has been established at the Rotorua Technical School, which lias done

good work in providing food for families suffering from influenza in private homes. Diet for the invalids has been supplied to St. John’s Hall Hospital, also the Isolation Hospital, as well as the Sanatorium and King George V. Hospital. The District School has been commandeered for Maori patients from Ohincmutu, and the Whakarowarewa caretaker’s house has also been converted into a temporary hospital. With regard to the latter place tho Maoris refused to be taken there. Tho reason given was that two caretakers had died in that house, and one had been removed in a dying condition. Although it is years since these events occurred, tho Maoris hold it unlucky to go there. Maori superstition had to be respected, therefore tho furniture has been removed to Whakarcwarewa Hall, although it lias not the conveniences that exist at tho other building.

Referring to the impossibility of securing girls in sufficient numbers to meet the demands for domestic workers, tho annual report of the Labour Department states; “The war lias, of course, accentuated the difficulty, but. the problem is sure to remain after the war is over. ■ A suggestion by way of solution is the establishment of communal kitchens in some of the chief centres of tho Dominion, which would, if tome enterprising people would take the matter up, certainly prove advantageous to many classes of the community, as has recently been shown by the institution of communal kitchens in England, as well as in other countries. The total cost of a general servant, which is £1 10s a week or more, including her board and lodgings, would pay 8 per cent on £IOOO, so that if a number of householders residing in one neighbourhood were to combine in such an undertaking by taking up a few shares each tho expenditure of the few pounds involved would soon repay tho outlay. In these kitchens, too, a proper training in (he art of cooking could bo acquired.” Tin* forests of the Caucasus aro estimated at, 12,000,000 acres, chiefly in the Black Sea territory, which is at tho rate of nearly twenty acres to each inhabitant. The forests ol Western Siberia have been scarcely explored, hut they are stated to ho 200,000,000 acres in extent, more than half being in an absolute stale of nature.

Complete supplies of disinfectants and medicated soaps arc sold by Collinson and Cunninghamc, Ltd. Carbolic acid soap is specially good—ten per cent is Calvert's carbolic and glycerine; priced only sixpence a large cake. —Advt. For sprinkling disinfectant about the house, drains, yard, and sickroom there is a little device to insert into the neck of a bottle. With this little aluminium sprinkler you can easily disinfect quickly and efficiently. Price only one shilling each, to fit any bottle. Collinson and Son; lysol, Is.—Advt. For amiability and economy values speed along to Watson Bros., Ltd., and load up with “Golden Rule” Soap, “Golden Rule ' Candles, and “No Rubbing” Laundry Jlolp. Thun sing oil the way home.—Advt.