LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16561, 9 June 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

As elderly man, Edward J. Drtrmm, pleadod not guilty in the Police Court yesterday before Mr. E. C. Cutton, S.M., to committing a breach of the additional War Regulations by saying: "If England had not had a ' two power navy thero would have been no war. England caused the war. A man was better in Germany than ho was in this country, as Germany was a freer country." Tho offence is alleged to havo taken place at Papatoetoe, about four months ago. On tho aoplication of Chief-Detective McMahon, hearing of tho chargo was adjourned until Monday.

The scarcity of shipwrights v r.s brought under the notice of the First Auckland Military Service Board yesterday in an appeal for exemption of a member of the Auckland Shipwrights Union. The appeal was supported by the manager of the Union Steam Ship Company. Tho secretary of the union, giving evidence, said the company had mado repeated applications to nim for men, whom he had been unable to supply. Of about 90 members of the union at the beginning of the war about 40 had gone to tho front. The board adjourned the case until Wednesday for inquiry.

The dispute filed by the Taupiri Coal Mines Company will come beforo a conciliation council on Monday. Other disputes set down for hearing are the plumbers and gasfittcra (Hamilton) en Thursday ; shipbuilders and boatbnildcrs, June 21 ; cement-workers (Whangarei), June 27; restaurant and tea-room employers, July 3. The Auckland Gas Company and the Auckland tailors' disputes, which were set down for hearing this week, have been adjourned to a date to be fixed by the commissioner. The conciliation commissioner, Mr. T. Harle Giles, during the past three weeks, has dealt with various disputes filed at Gisborne. In the Poverty Bay and county general labourers', Gisborne painters and decorators', and the carpenters and joiners' disputes full settlements were arrived at. Partial settlement was reached in tho hotel-work-ers' dispute, and evidence in the gasfitters' dispute was heard.

The intention of the Government to " resume " 2j acres of the Harbour Board's property on the eastern side of the harbour was mentioned by the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Mr. R. Burns, at yesterday's meeting of the council of that body." It was agreed to defer taking any action in tho matter pending the coming visit of the Minister for Public Works.

The flour trade between Auckland and the Islands was referred to at the meeting of tho council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. On the motion of tho president, Mr. R. Burns, it was resolved to ask the Government to issue permits to New Zealand millers to send flour to the Islands on their agreeing to replace tho quantity sent away with flour from Australia should they bo called upon to do so,

The supplement issued with to-day's Herald contains a number of special articles on subjects of current interest. Tohunga writes under the heading " Battling For the Baby," while " The Two Kaisers" is a Bubject dealt with by Lieutenant-Colonel A. A. Grace, N.Z.P.A., Res. Other contributions are :—" Love and War," by Frank Morton "National Service For Women," by Mrs. Leo Myers; "Mixed Musings," by J. Giles; and " Nature Notes," by J. Drummond, F.L.8., F.Z.S. A number of cartoons and a photograph illustrative of the war a.re other special features of the issue.

A coronial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of George Shepherd, who died at the Auckland Hospital on Thursday, was held by Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., yesterday. Mrs. West, ot No. 39, Nelson Street, said deceased arranged to board at her house on Saturday. Later in the day, on returning from an errand, she found him at the foot of the stairs in an unconscious condition. Witness secured the aid of two men, who carried deceased to his room. Subsequently Dr. Drier ordered his removal to the hospital. Dr. Bews, senior-resi-dent officer at the hospital, who gave evidence regarding deceased's admission, said ho was then semi-conscious, a condition in which ha remained until his death. A postmortem examination revealed congestion of the brain, and to this witness attributed death. The inquiry was adjourned until 10 a.m. on Friday. The police have made inquiries as to deceased's relatives, and it is believed that he has a sister residing at Matawai, near Gisborne.

There was an excellent attendance at tho Arts Society' a exhibition yesterday afternoon and evening. Two more sales of pictures were made, bringing the total up to 19. The exhibition will be open this afternoon and evening. In the afternoon tea will be. dispensed, and thero also will be a sale of home-made cakes, as well as a musical programme.

In connection with an appeal heard before tho Military Service Board on May 31, inquiries were made by Major Conlan, military representative, at the Labour Department in regard to the number of sheet metalworkers available. In a reply received yesterday, the Department stated that all the linns in Auckland employing such workers were sborthanded. Inquiries had also been made in other centres to obtain a worker to replace the appellant in question, but without success. Hardware firms in the city had also adverted throughout the Dominion, but without response. The appeal was adjourned sine die. the chairman remarking that the obtiiiiiiiK? of such reports from the Labour Department would assist the board very materially in coming to decisions, as well as expediting the hearing of cases. Major lonian stated that it was deairable that the employers of appellants engaged in allegedly essential industries should approach the Labour Department to obtain a report from the inspector, as to whether or not a particular man is essential to tho industry. The Labour Department had received instructions to make all such inquiries, and to assist the Military Service Board by furnishing the necessary particulars.

An example of what may possibly occur in connection with the enforcement of the regulations in respect to the admission of enemy-made goods into the Dominion was mentioned by the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Mr. R. Burns, at a meeting of the council of that body yesterday. He said that by error two or three coils of German rope were sent to an Auckland firm in an Island consignment some time ago. The Collector of Customs refused to allow the rope to be landed hero, and it was sent back to the Islands, but when it arrived there a similar embargo was placed upon it, and the rope again found its way back to Auckland, only to be once more refused admission. What ultimately became of tho rope is not known.

The electrical department of the Wellington City Council, states a Press Association message, has imported a life-saving device, called the lung motor machine, for pumping oxygon into the lungs of anyone suffering from suspended animation through_ electric stock. Experts state that death is not always instantaneous as the result of shock, and that the early use of this machine may pave the life of persons who come into contact with a live wire.

As a plea for granting an increase of wages to registered assistants in chemists' shops, it was urged at the Arbitration Court yesterday that the men thus styled were properly qualified chemists, and often—as also did the unregistered assistants, that is, men who had not passed their examinations— up presenptione without direction from a doctor. It was stated that some of the public preferred to go to a chemist to get medicine made up without consulting a doctor. "I should sav it is very unwise for the public to ask an unqualified assistant to make up a prescription on his own account," said Mr. Justice Stringer. " Many of the unregistered men are fully as competent as the qualified men." replied Mr. Mortenson, secretary of the union, and have been engaged in dispensing for 16 and 20 years."

The schedule of Luigi Mateljan, gumdigger, of Awanui, who has been declared bankrupt, shows liabilities to unsecured creditors totalling £158 18s, and assets nil. In his sworn statement the bankrupt states that he arrived in Auckland from Dalmatia in March, 1914, and, in conjunction with his brother-in-law, opened negotiations for the purchase of some land nt Silverdalo, but in his absence on a trip North the place was sold. He then went to work on a farm at Waitakere, and while there, he states, he was induced to sign a document that he did not understand. This apparently held him liable for certain expenses incurred, consequently a judgment summons had been obtained against him. Bankrupt was now gumdigging for a fellow countryman at the rate of Is a hour.

" What is the reason you have not qualified?" asked Mr. Justice Stringer at the Arbitration Court yesterday of a chemist's assistant who wns giving evidence in an industrial dispute. " Perhaps lack of brains or energy, or perhaps lack of time," wag the reply. The witness went on to say that after an arduous day's work in the dispensary little, inclination or timo was left in which an assistant could study. The handicaps on study imposed by vho present conditions of work were reflected in the fact that in tho Auckland Province there were about 70 registered chemists' shops, employing about 150 assistants. Witness was of the opinion that not more than sir or ten of the latter number were fully qualified. There was no inducement for men to go to the expense of studying for examinations, but if a higher rate of wages were offered an inducement would be created. Higher pay would also serve to ' attract a more suitable class of men to the profession. For some time there had been no wooer schools for men to study, and they had had to seek out coaches, often at great trouble and expense. Tho present facilities for studying at technical schools ■were not altogether satisfactory. Tho Pharmacy Board was composed of chemists, who wero responsible for setting tho examination papers. The tendency was for the examinations to be made harder, tho object being to form a close corporation and prevent competition from assistants.

Several affiliation cases were dealt with by Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. An order for separation and maintenance was granted Wilhelmina Lawson from her husband, Peter Lawson, maintenance at the rate of 10 weekly being allowed. An order for the payment of 15s a week was made against T. J.'. L. McGovern. An application by I*. J. Cburchard, for a reduction in the amount of his wife's maintenance money, was dismissed.

The macistrate, Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., and counsol engaged in the case yesterday paid a visit of inspection to the Arahura in connection with the civil action, Archibald Clark and Sons, Ltd., v. the Union Steam Ship Company, Ltd., and Huntly Diyden, master of the Arahura, a claim for alleged damages to plaintiff's goods which were carried by the steamer Arahura. The rase is set down for final hearing on Friday, .Tune 15, at 11.30 a.m. Captain Dryden is still in chargo of tho steamer Arahura.