LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16704, 23 November 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

The proper instruction of apprentices -was the subject of a good deal of discussion during the hearing of the ironmoulders' case at the Arbitration Court yesterday. The statement was made by the union officials that the majority of the engineering shops in the Auckland district' gave their apprentices practically no! tuition. Some bright exceptions were mentioned, such as those of Messrs. A. and G. I Price and Fraser and Sons, where every! apprentice received full wages on being released lrom his indentures. Mr. Power, representative of the employers, asked the secretary of the union (Mr. Adam Phillips) [ why, if the training of apprentices was neglected, there had been no prosecutions of employers for non-fulfilment of their obligations. The answer was that apprentices were not members of the union, and that the enforcement of the terms of indentures was considered a matter for parents rather than for the. union. Mr. Justice Stringer said that under industrial! awards the unions had full jurisdiction to prosecute for breach of awards and neglect to teach apprentices. A remittance of £20,000 in connection with the "Our Day" Red Cross appeal I in Auckland will bo sent to England I almost immediately. This fact was an-1 nounced yesterday at a meeting of the j local Joint Committee of the British Red! Cross and the Order of St. John. The' remittance will be composed of £10,000,1 representing contributions in connection I with the " Our Day" appeal and the ordin- j ary revenue for the month of October, i and the £10,000 received from the Citizens' Committee. Half the remittance will be placed at the disposal of the British Red Cross Society, and the other £10,000 _ will bo 'allocated through the same society to the Red Cross institutions of the allied countries in proportions yet to be determined.

An outbreak of fire occurred shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday in the City Council lamp-lighter's room in the City Market. The fire brigade quickly subdued the flames. The damage was very slight. The question of exemptions in connection with the Auckland retail soft goods dispute will be considered at a meeting of the Conciliation Council this morning. The hearing of the dispute wil bo resumed on Monday next.

A special meeting. of tho Stanley Bay Ratepayers' Association was held on Wednesday night, Mr. W. G. Urquhart presiding. The question of the Devonport Borough Council's attitude towards the Stanley Bay Park scheme was discussed at length. The appointment of Messrs. Wight, Kalangher. and Jones to act in conjunction with four members of the council to further the scheme, was confirmed. Disappointment was expressed that Mr. Smith, as a Stanley Bay member j of the council, had not been appointed as' one of the Borough Council's representatives on the committee. It was decided to recommend Monday next as a suitable day for the Joint Committee to meet ; also, that the Stanley Bay representatives of the association ascertain the Borough Council's attitude towards the park scheme in general, act as seems host in tho interests of the subscribers and of the people of the borough, and r.cport to the next meeting of the association. The question of holding a public meeting to explain the position was deferred, pending the result of the conference. The opening of the yachting season has been postponed indefinitely, on account of the large number of enlistments of yachtsmen. Crews have been greatly depleted, and it is stated that few, if any, cruises will be held in the Waitemata tins year. A chair, suitably inscribed, presented to the Light of Manukau Lodge by Mr. D. Leslie, of Onehunga, in memory of his son, Bro. Sergeant Roy J. Leslie, a member of the lodge, who died of wounds while returning to New Zealand, and was buried at Tahiti, was unveiled by Bro. Sir Frederick Lang, M.P., at the lodge, on Wednesday evening. Prior to unveiling the chair, Sir Frederick Lang read correspondence from the Governor of Tahiti, in which His Excellency notified his intention of having a monument erected to the late soldier s memory. AS an examplo of the long hours sometimes worked in the boilermaking trade, a witness in the Arbitration Court stated yesterday that on one occasion he worked continuously on a ship-repairing job from Monday morning to Thursday morning, with only intervals for meals. Mr. llustice Stringer suggested that in such circumstances the value of the work done after the Tuesday would necessarily be small, as the worker would probably be asleep for a portion of the time, without knowing it.

A meeting of the Joint Committee of the | Auckland Centre of the British Red j Cross and the Order of St. John was held yesterday. The Hon. George Fowlds presided in the absence of the Mayor. I The question of future supplies of hospital materials was discussed. It was stated that there was every indication of a substantial advance in prices. The matter was referred to a Special Com-" mittee and the Finance Committee. The Ladies' Committee reported that it could not recommend complianca with a request for a number of khaki coloured coverlets for a hospital Bhip. It was stated that information had been receivedthat the last lot of coverlets had not been used. It was decided to obtain 500 Red Cross workers' badges, the method of distribution being referred to a Special Committee. A statement of his affairs has been furnished to the official assignee, Mr. W. S. Fisher, by Stewart P. Mitchell, storekeeper, of Hoanga, Northers Wairoa, who recently filed a petition in bankruptcy. This states that debtor commenced business in Hoanga about six; years ago with a cash capital of about £200. He did well until November. 1915, when his shop was burnt out, and he lost all his books, etc. At the time of the fire ha had about £800 worth of stock, which was insured for £550. Since the fire he had been unable to re-establish his business. Two creditors had sued him, and, as he could not pay them, he had filed his petition. His debts to 30 unsecured creditors totalled £1245 lis 7d, and his assets, comprising stock £370, book debts £200, cash and furniture £84 18s 9d, totalled £634 18s 9d, leaving a deficiency of £590 12s lOd. The first meeting of creditors will be held at the official assignee's office on Wednesday afternoon next An answer to the complaint made in the Arbitration Court on Wednesday by the secretary of the Auckland House Painters' , Union as to the inability of the men en- ! gaged in the trade to secure from their I employers a wax bonus, was made in: Court, yesterday, Mr. W. Pryor, secretary to the New Zealand Employers' Federation, said he had been asked by the local master painters to state that concessions in regard to suburban work in Wellington had oeen made to "their employees since their present award came into operation. A conference on the question of wages had been held in March last, but the painting trade was in what he must de- i scribe as a distressful state, and the master I painters could only tell the representatives < of the union that even at the present rates '; of wages they were unable to find employ- ' ment for their staffs. As an indication of I the state of the trade, he mentioned that one firm which usually employed from 15 ' to 20 painters recently had insufficient | work for its foreman. Mr. R. F. Way, who had on a previous occasion represented the painters in an arbitration case, pointed out that the conditions in Auck- 1 land were much the same as those in Dunedin and Wellington, where an increase in rates had recently been made. Mr. Justice Stringer said that in recommending on the previous day that a conference be held, he had based his remarks' on the assumption that the statements then made to him were correct. Two accident cases were admitted to the Auckland Hospital yesterday. Mr. Richard Newdick, who was thrown out of a butter van through the horses bolting, was severely cut about the hands and head. Mr. Newdick, who' is 67 years of age, resides at 16, Buchanan Street, Glenmore.George Jeeves, a boy of seven, whose m rents reside at Purewa, was suffering from a broken arm. He was, in a pram when his elder brother /paused it to capsize, knocking him on the ground. Yesterday's civil sitting of the Supreme I Court, over which Mr. Justice Cooper presided, was wholly occupied with the case in which Mrs. Mary Cliff and Fredk. C. Daniell, executors of the will of the late George Cliff (Mr. Ostler), clajm from George Wright and Joseph Sterling (Mr. Hall Skelton) £231 for rent, and also ap- , plying for a decree for specific perform- [ ance of an alleged agreement to execute a I lease. The hearing of evidence was concluded, and the addresses of counsel were postponed sine die. The Methodist people of Auckland entertained the visiting representatives at a j conversazione in the Pitt Street schoolj room last evening. The Rev. C. H. Gar- ! land presided. An excellent musical programme was rendered, and speeches of welcome were delivered bv the Rev. E. T. Cox and Mr. J. Veale" vice-president of the conference. The Rev. J. R. Clark of Whangarei. and Mr. F. P. Day, of Pukekohe, replied on behalf of the synod. The last reunion of the season of the Thames Old Boys' Association was held I in the Druids' Hall, Newton, last evening. | Mr. W. Blomfield presided over a large i attendance. A varied and interesting pro. 1 gramme was given, the performers includ- | ing Messrs. F. Cornwall, Harper | Creamer, A. Ford, Wilfrid Manning NorI man Tate. Brough, and Middleton, and I Captain Gibbons. Patriotic and other | toasts were drunk. Mr. C. J. Parr- j.-ave j ii description of various units of the army , and navy as seen by him during his recent visit to England. The telegraph authorities advise thai the New Zealand Records Office in Egypt has been removed from Alexandria'to Cairo. Telegrams for wounded soldiers known t 0 be in Egypt should be addressed accordingly. I