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Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 117, 14 April 1930, Page 6

“I am satisfied that the Government is in a perfectly healthy state, said Mr Atmore, Minister of Education, when addressing a deputation at the Huntly Town Hall. “There will be ample opportunity,” the Minister continued, “for us to carrj’ out our policy. • When the present Government took office it did not have a majority of the House, but since then its measures . have had the : support of the House. Nothing has happened, in my opinion, to cause that state of affairs to be reversed, and I cannot see why we shall not be able to P ro ' ceed with the remainder of our policy which was endorsed by the public at last election.” 'lf you realise that you are not adequately insured against fire loss the Mercantile and General Insurance Co„ Ltd., is a New Zealand Company with all its capita! invested in New Zealand and thus can assure you prompt settlement. R. W. Priest, Times Buildings, Broadway, district agent. —Advt

An aeroplane - piloted by Captain Boldt arrived in Palmerston North yesterday morning. Just after 10 p.m. yesterday, the Fire Brigade were called to a rubbish fire in Boundary Itoad.

The Minister, of Public AVorks will arrive at Foxton early on AVednesday afternoon, and will visit parts of the Manawatu River which are giving trouble.

The AVaikato Hospital Board collected £20,436 from all sources during its financial year. This represents an increase of £2705 compared with the total for the previous year. Eleven of the aeroplanes which competed at the Auckland Aero Club’s pageant.at the Mangero Aerodrome on Saturday took part in an aerial picnic to Russell- yesterday. Eight of the machines left Mangero and three left Hobsonville.

In the general notes attached to his monthly report to the ManawatuOroua Power Board, the chief engineer, Mr AV. A. AA’aters, mentions that the following new shearing rate has been adopted by the Dannevirke Power Board:—Minimum monthly charge 2s 6d per ll.p.- or portion thereof with electricity at. 3d for the first 80 units per month; 2d for the next 120 units per month, and ljd all over 200 units per month. AVhen the matter of sheathing work was being discussed at the annual meeting of the Moutoa Drainage Board, the chairman 6aid that it wasnot generally known that white pine specially, treated lasted in the ground equally as well as totara. He had recently been shown some white pine sleepers which had been placed in the ground in 1909 after being treated with creosote. AVhen they were taken up a short time ago they were found to be as sound as the day they had been laid.‘

Strong objection to the action of the Alliance of Labour in declaring “black” the committee investigating the operations of the AVorkers’ Compensation Act has been taken by the Petone branch of the Amalgamated Engineering and -Allied Trades Union of Workers. The union also charges the alliance with inconsistency, and points out that on a previous occasion it appointed representatives to a committee set up to deal with unemployment without reference to the industrial movement.

In his “News of the Month,” Mr AV. A. AA’atere, chief engineer to the Mana-watu-Oroua Power Board, stales that the first of the turbines for the AVaitaki power scheme was landed at Timaru recently. The turbine runner, weighing 21 tons, or an “on truck” load of 25 tons, was conveyed by rail to the site of the works. Several bridges on the Kurow branch line had to be widened to allow of the transport of this piece of machinery. Additional turbine parts of a total weight of 100 tons were sent to AVaitaki at the same time. There was a touch of humour at the monthly . meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday during a lengthy discussion on a trivial dispute between a settler and the council, as to the division of the cost of the re-erec-tion of five chains of fence. The council offered to provide the posts and the settler concerned offered to pay half the cost. After the point had been debated for half an hour one councillor asked: “By the way, what is the dif--ference between the two offers?” “Oh 1 About two battens as far as I can see,” replied the chairman amid laughter. The council eventually decided to give wav.

Use of the department’s plant on a rental basis as an alternative to a reduction in the present rates of pay is the proposal the Minister of Public AVorks, Hon. E. A. Ransom, is submitting to the co-operative parties engaged on the construction of the Tawa Elat tunnels. Consideration was given to the proposal at a meeting of the men at Johnsonville yesterday morning, when a resolution was carried expressing dissatisfaction with the Minister’s suggestion. The Minister’s suggestion arises from the request recently made to him by a deputation from the workers for an increase in the prices they were receiving.

Protests were raised at the Farmers’ Union meeting at New Plymouth against some of the provisions of the insurance in vogue in connection with the Workers’ Compensation Act. Several members enumerated the-disadvan-tages and risks of accidents not bein" properly covered by insurances througn the present arrangement, whereby varying classes of work were covered by different policies, it was decided to urge the underwriters’ association to innovate a scale of insurance covering farm labourers comprehensively. It was considered that such a provision would facilitate the employment of labour on farms. In the course of an interesting address delivered by Dr. H. ltanston, of the Trinity College of the Methodist Church, in Auckland to the Wesley Guild, the Professor gave impressions of his tour in Great Britain. He expressed the opinion that the most powerful preacher in at the present time is Rev. Dr. W. E. Orchard, of Kingsway House Congregational Church. Dr.- Ranston mentioned that he had listened to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosmo Lang, the Archbishop of York, Dr. Temple and Dr. Dinsdalo Young. The last, lie said, drew large congregations by his appealing and arresting preaching-

Reference to the controversy over the cost of the Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Board is made by the Mana-watu-Oroua Power Board’s chief engineer, Mr W. A. Waters, in hie “News of the Month.” The responsibility of power boards in supporting the Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Board was discussed at the last meeting of the Auckland Electric Power Board, lie states. The general manager (Mr R. H. Bartley) stated that the expenditure of the Registration Board amounted to £2140, and the income to £942, leaving a balance of £ll9B to be collected from the supply authorities. The Auckland board’s proportion was £199. The opinion was expressed that the matter was wrong, in principle. It was decided to pay the amount under protest and to refer the matter to the Power Board’s Association.

Educational activities in the Palmerston North primary schools and those of the surrounding district will be reviewed at the. annual meetings of householders called for to-night, whenthe committees which have been in office during the past year will give an account of their stewardship. Programmes of work for the welfare of the schools will be discussed, and committees will be elected from the nominations which have been received. At this centre ballots for the positions will be necessary at the Central, Hokowhitu, West End and College Street Schools. Where there is no competition for the office of committeeman, it may safely be assumed to indicate general satisfaction with the retiring committee. These bodies should ue regarded as important factors in educational life. They are expected to exercise their discretion in all matters appertaining to the welfare of the children and they are looked to when financial support is required for the accomplishment of any desirable object. Their functions are .those calling for the highest degree of interest and commendation, for upon them rests no light responsibility. The meetings this evening should be largely attended by householders and a lively interest taken in the welfare of the schools. ' "