LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 161, 5 July 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

La-st week the Mimieter of Justice was very earnestly wooed at DunedaVi by a deputation of women, who requested the appointment of women- as jut'ore, magistrates, and police. However, the Hon. T. M. Wilford was not swayed by the eloquent pleas. "I believe," he said (according to the (Star), "that women as patrols, but not as police, are largely going £0 help what all of you desire. I will not move a s&ngl-e finger while I am head of the Department to help you to get women po'T/ e." In thanking the Minister, .Mr Dickson, M.P., said the lad.ies would not despair of changing the Minister's views. Mr Wilford, acknowledging the thanks, said he was sorry, but he could not help it if he did not agree with the deputation's views. He was not going to be a worm. He would feel he had lost his manhood if he were to pretend agreement when he did not feel it, and he would be unworthy of his- job. He would sooner go out than do that.

Complaint regarding understaffing iithe schools under the jurisdiction of the Auckland City Schools-' Commkt' e was made by Mr Ernest Lilly, chairman of the committee, at a meeting- the other day. He said that in 35 classes the roll number was between 60 and 70 pupils, in 29 clashes between 70 and 80, in 17 b tween 80- and 90, in 14 between 90 and 100: in eight classes there were 110 pupils, and indie class there were 115. Mr Lilly said large classes were in charge of one assistant, who sometimes had the help of a pupil teacftier. The former was responsible for the instruction, and the strain was far too great. It had be n said ,by a high educational authority that no class should consist of more than .thirty pupils.

Referring to a recent statement to th e effect that the highest widowed mother's pension rat. in New Zealand i? «£s per week, the Commission of Pensions (Mr G. Fache point®;, out that the War tensions Board, can give up to 30s per Week to the \fidowed mother —solely d( a New Zealand private soldier, and the amount is increased tor the higher ranks! If the mother is partly dependent she is entitled to at ieast half thart rate. Th.re are 353 widowed mothers in receipt ol at least 15s per week. Others are receiving more.

A pathetic story was told before the First. Auckland Military Service Board on Monday, when a returned soldier applied for .sine die exemption, on the ground of family hardship- He had volunteered* when 18 years of age, and af r ter two years' service had returned home on furlough,- owing to his father's illness. The father, however, had died before he reached home. Anoher brother was also on service, and had been wounded twice. There were four other members of the family, the youngest being four years of age. His mother was at present waiting to undergo a serious operation, and expected to be in hospital iov several months. It would be impossible for her to bring up the family, now her husband was dead, on the pay of her two soldier sons.. He was therefore isking for' exemption' in order to carry on his trade as a boat-builder, and so be able to support flie family. The appeal was adjourned itntil October 31, to be renewed if necessary.

Practically the whole of the northern flaxmills are closing down for the remainder of the winter (states the Auckland Herald) about twelve mills between. Tuakau and „Ngaruawa.hia. several, at Morrinsville and on the Hauraki Fl&fnf having already ceased work. Before the outbreak of war, when prices for nemp were' not quite so hi eh as at. sent, it was cusltomary for the fiaxmilis to close down during June, -Tuly, and August, but during <th# two or tdVT6B VGHTS j tVIG IIP£LVI*?T cIOTOtVTIQ ICT hemp and the 1 ri'se in. have induced the millers to keep the mills coins: thonrrhor.it the winter as far a? possible. At present- the sii-ores are well filled v- r ith fibre, and in vw*. of the. pressure on' shipping space the millers decided to revert- to the old P^ nc " tice and close down uratil about September next. 9

An introduction to an artiole, "Repr.triatkm —dtv! PVocraet-inin'tion. Quick March; ha.?"" "'thjis- passage"ln some things the National Goverramev.it--Ims 'war-shock' of a kind to bnffV 1 rinv 'Efficiency Doctor.' The patient prescribes for itself the opiate of prooras-tinalt-i'on. After four -yw-re of war., an average sane person believes Government should have abundant evi dentce to warrant the establishment of a. '{special Department of. .Repatriation. But the 'Government turn® a blind po-1 litical eve and a plugged political ea.r to the Teasohs for action: and mumbles excuses for delay. While Ministers of the Crown preach 'Naitional Efficienry' to the . populace, they furnish one glaring example of non-national efficiency by their deafness to sound advice as to the necessity of organising .at once _ a Department of Repatriation. /Practical'y the Government says: 'We are watching and waiting til l the iob grow logger. ' Wait till the ' 20,000 returned soldiers are multiplied by three. or four, or five, and then you will tee how we shall make a hop, step, and jump, with the Seven-League "Boots of National Efficiency out of an, unholy muddW How long are this deliberate blindness and deafness to oppose reform?"

Milliivry Bargains to-morro\v. All onr imported .models to go at 12s Cxi. all this season's.—The Auckland CIOUI- - and raperv Co.* ,

Trathen's Sale.: Ladies' untrimmcd felt hats, usually 6s 6d to 12s 6d. Sale price at 2s 11.*

You'll enjoy turning- our piles -of remnants over. jNFos, ma-tter what you want you'll find it there and At your own - price.—The Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.*

Blankets at Trathen's Sale. Now is the time to buy.*

Remnants to-morrow. Burrow among tli• ■ remnant tables to-morrow. Soiled sheetings and calicoes, crepe de chine, Jap silks, Tweeds, T'aft'ita silks, all to go at cost price.—The Auckland Clothing and Drapery/Co.*

L/adies' Warm Winter Coats at Trathen's Sole. Prices 19s 6d, 22s 6d, 29s 6d, 39s 6d, 59s 6d.* .

Get vonr winter Hat to-day. A 1 our beautiful imported models ranging from 25s to .84s, to b» fired out tomorrow at 12s 6d. —The Auckland 'Clothing and .DTapery 'c-o.*

"N O IUTBBIN G Laundry Hoi p <• •' lights every honsewiTe. Is 3d sufficient for sevi n . weekly faxnil> washings.—T. Pettit

' 'How are the girls turning out as telegraph messengersinquired l a Dominion reporter of the Superintendent of Telegraphs (Mr Talbot. "Much, very much better, than expected. They are smart and attentive to duty, and in these times, when it is simply impossible to get boys, the girls aiv answering splendidly. Mind you, we are looking after them well. I have forty girls at work in Wellington, and so far ttave not refused any that look at all suitable for the work. Their n< at '■•osiume has been much admired, and everyone says how well they look. The girls start at 15s a week, and, in addition we provide them with a, dr.ss, overcoat, macintosh, cloth halt, sou'wester, and leggings, so that they are always well protected in all kind** of weather. The experiment has proved quite a success. No girl messenger is employed after 5.30 of an evening, inde.ed, th. greater number get a.way at live o'clock. Only boys ' are employed of an evening."

According to the New Zealand Locomotive Engineers' Journal, the depletion of the locomotive x-unning staff—caused by resignations and enlistments—if becoming a more serious matter than some people seem to realise. There are few cleaners entering the service, and those who do so are in a year or two called to the 'colours,' so it seems a waste of time taking them on at all unless exempted from military duty. _ This system, of course, is going to hit the man in charge of a locomotive very hard because there will be no trained men io assist him in his work in running the train. When we get back to a normal state of affairs it will be found that locomotives will be manned by_ firemen who have had no practical training, and this will place a great load of responsibility upon the engineer. The inevitable of such a state of affairs will be very' serious accident, and, as usual we expect, the engineer will be called upon to 'carry the baby.' Ther have been object lessons given all over the world,-of placing unskilled men upon a locomotive, and many homes have been plunged into deep mourning, and the State has. had to shoulder huge compensation claims. The depletion of the swiff on our railways in the locomotive. department has got far below the safety line, and if not taken in hand soon will prove to be irrecoverable."

Mr J. Aiarrison Jones, of Dunedin, returned last week from a trip Co America. When he arrived at San k raacisco on April 1 he was somewhat disappointed to see enormous crowds of eligible- men about the streets and the theatres, and it was a bit disquieting ,to learn that the Western States wero not at that time taking the war very seriously. It was a long way from California to France, and the Wt sterner* seemed to 'think that the .doings 1° Ea " rope did not concern them very de*p, ly. The difference in the temper the people was very .marked as he journeved east.. There the Americans were very much in earnest. Many Yorkers of varying shades of political opinion were expressing themselves, not as a matter of politics, but as a question of the honour of the country, that President Wilson should have gone, into -the war when the Lusitania vvsjsunk. By the time Mr Jones had got back to "the Western,. States he found that the Eastern influence had effected the people—their attituae was quite changed, and they were as much in the wai* as the iN cw Yorkers. Travelling through those Western States, one now hears not a word in opposition to thi* national policy. The universal feelin* there and right through the States is one of admiration of they splendid stand that tho Allies are making against odctp and friendliness towards Or eat Britain and the people are at one in the hope and belief that there will soon 'be ernou.gh lAm-eilican so-l-d'i <rs -on the Western front to turn the 4 tide.

A contention on the part 1 of emr ployees that they should be represented when there, was any redistribution _of labour by employeds, following the introduction of new machinery, _ was voiced at the Conciliation Counic.il yesterday (sates the Auckland Herald of Tuesday). This contention was raised in connection with the dispute between: the Auckland Tailor eases' Union and* employer's.' in' reference to a claim by the employers that they should have the right to introduce whatever machinery their business might- require, and to subdivide labour in. any way they might deem 'necessary. There was a strong divergence of opinion ■ between the parties on the matter. The Hon. J. T. Paul, advocate, suggested that an industrial council, comprising representatives of the union, and employers, should be appointed to consider the question. ' Such a committee, he said, would bemore likely to reach a solution satisfactory to all parties than if it were to the Arbir trati'on Court for a decision, for the committee would consist of experts, thoroughly conversant with the matter. He cowsidiered the chairman of such a committee should have a casting vote. The employers' representatives agreed to the proposal before a meeting of the employers-concerned, and the council agreed to adjourn further consideration of the dis-pute in the meantime. . ' '

Last night, Thursday, July 4th, at the annual G.E.S. anniversary service the D'ean of "Nelson opened .his remarks <by- calling attention to our Ally's great day of the Declaration -of Independence, signed in 1776. Taking for his text I Cor. 9> 19 > the D'ean : pointed out how P ei "-f soykil independence incluTua graciousness of speech and manner, there being a vast difference between civility and. s civility, and that it could' not be separated - from service which,' -indeed, has permeated all nature; life's very liasis is-' the law of mutual service, s. Tviice being inseparable fr-om life and determined by its dbject, our D'ivine Maister Himself being our perfect pattern, and'-"giving us the noblestidea of life. The Dean also referred to the beautiful motto "I serve," of the Prince of Wales.

At the evening service of 'St. John's Methodist phurdh on Sunday evening next Mr W. J. Salkeld will sing the solo "Behold, I Stand at the Door."-

Velveteens, shretings, serges, calicoes all odd lengths to be picked up cheap at our remnant sale.—Auckland Clothing and Da-apery Co.*

Real hand-made Indian Lacei.--, fall at Special Sale-prices.—Trathen's Sale.*

Our millinery must go. No matter what the original price, all our model hats are to be shot out at 12h 6d. — The Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.* J

ETderdown Quilts are marked at bar gain prices.—Trathen's Sale.*

No matter what it is marked you can;demand any model Hat from up tomorrow at 12s 6d'.— The Auckland Clothing and Drapery Co.*

At 'Neale and Burst's premise®. Har-dy-street to-morrow (Saturday); 'Messrs J. Benson and Co.. the weM-known auc-

tioneers of Wellington, ■\vill offer many li useful and valuable bargains from a.n \ assigned stock, which is being sold ; there without reserve. The sale will be ! ; conitdnued throughout the day. Being the last and final salie ito-ihorrpw, one can look forward to seeing the balance of the stock slaughtered, as) there " iis = no reserved price on any single article, I

A canvasser for patriotic funds, writing to the Christchurch Press, says : A friend has told me that, on th&. \vliole, it is better to go collecting in a town than in the country; events are possibly more varied. One day, while in a train, she requested a subscription from an elderly man, who declined on the groulid that he had nlready given; * "but," he continued, indicating a lady at the other end of the car, "my wife has not, you can ask her for something," and accordingly the request was repeated. "Here is half-a-crown for you," replied the lady, "but I have never seen that man before." Back went this energetic collector to the man. "That lady is hot your wife, and you must give me ten shillings for telling me such a story," and it is to be said for him that he gave her the ten shillings promptly; and within a month the lady and he were married. Perhaps he had the happy ending in view all the time really, but certainly he took a curious way to it.

Writ'nr to his nncle, Mr He". Waik er of his experiences from Palestine when wounded recently, Sevgt. Ken. Walker stated that it took him ten davs to get to hospital , ; During that tinv he sampled a number of modes ot travelling, firstly on stretcher with blanket carried bv six men, then a camel, then car. The journey further included train, transport waggon an-, motor ambulance. "A !<"'■ of it was not too pleasant, as vou may imagine. '

■ Tt is not generally known that iindei the War Regulations the consent of the Finance Minister must be obtained fore a Company can increase its capital and sell shares. We ha\<e ob tained the necessary permission to place a limit d 1 number of pur shares, and wish to point out that in order to =eo.nre the b ncfits accruing to sharehoTaers in this successful co-operative company early application is necessaij_ to secure shares, as once the number fixed by the Minister is reached it. is doubtful whether any more will be available for some time. If you cannot call, write, or 'phone 631. —Th' Cash 'Drapery and General Importing Coy., Ltd-, bridge street, Nelson.*