LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17333, 3 December 1919, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Auckland portion of the Australian mail that arrived at Wellington by the Riverina on Monday afternoon will reach Auckland by train this morning. Another Australian mail, which left Melbourne on November 27. was due at Wellington yesterday. The Auckland portion should reach here to-morrow morning.

A record number of entries for the Rawlings Scholarship have been received by the trustees. The candidates, 43 in number, are apportioned between 11 public schools in the Auckland Province. The examination will be held at the Auckland Training College on December 18 and 19. The Rev. F. W. Young is the examiner. The scholarship is tenable for three years and consists of free tuition at either the Auckland Grammar School or King's College, as parents of the scholar choose. A sum of £10 per annum is also allowed to the scholar toward maintenance.

"A large amount of revenue is being lost because the Government valuations of the country are not being kept up-to-date," said Mr. C. P. Bennett, in addressing electors of Auckland West last evening. He stated that in certain suburban areas land selling for £150 an acre was valued at £70 and £80. In respect to the development of the country, he spoke of the value of the natural waterways, a means of transit which, he said, haa been neglected in the past.

The Auckland Agricultural Show held last week at Epsom is fittingly illustrated in to-day's issue of the Auckland Weekly News, snapshots of the jumping and of prize stock and general panoramas of the showgrounds being reproduced. A full-page cartoon, entitled "The New Zealand ( December Fair: The Rival Showmen," deals with the political campaign, and is bound to arouse very wide interest. Another political cartoon, "The Man of the Hour," is published, and there is a page of portraits of candidates who are standing for election- A page depicting life and scenes in the Drewera Country ■is timely, owing to the fact that the Government has recently purchased nearly 300,000 acres of native land in this region •for the purposes of settlement. The opening of the yachting season at Wellington is well _ portrayed, and there are many other pictorial subjects which merit attention.

The storekeepers in the employ of the Harbour Board having applied for a higbei rate of .overtime pay, the board held a special meeting yesterday afternoon to consider the matter. A new by-law was adopted under which the men will receive an increase. The present overtime rate is 2s 6d an hour, and that will now bo increased to 3s 6d and. in some case. 4s an hour.

Speaking of the needs of education at his meeting last evening, Mr. C. F. Bennett, Government candidate for Auckland West, referred to the umder-staffing and congestion in schools, and stated that one local master had said he had not time to give more than one minute's indvidual attention to each child each week. He added that teachers' salaries were far too low, instancing the case of headmasters of schools of 700 or 800 children who received only £500 a year. "Many workers don't get £200 a year," said an interjector. "Quite so," replied the candidate, "but the ' teachers are the greatest workers in the country."

Heavy and congested traffic on the cables is reported by the Pacific Cable Board. The delay on homeward traffic is estimated at from 36 to 48 hours, and that on outward traffic from the United Kingdom at between three and four days.

"The kitchen is the most important room in a house. Any man or woman who has done housework knows that," said Miss E. Melville in her address at Mount Eden last evening. The candidate was referring to the bousing legislation passed last session, and stated that before groups of houses were erected she would like to see competitive designs called. It was no use having a house that looked all right from the outside, or that had a nice drawingroom, if the kitchen was not well p'anned. She thought a few women who had done work in kitchens would be able to give great service in that matter.

The members of the Auckland Municipal Association, comprising employees of the City Council, have arranged to hold a social at the Town Hail ta-morrow evening with the object of welcoming" returned soldiers belonging to their organisation. Invitations to the entertainment have been extended to the Deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Ertrican, and members of the council.

When Mr. C. F. Bennett, Government candidate for Auckland West, spoke in favour of State doctors and dentists, an interjector shouted, "Nationalise them all." "That's no good," replied the candidate. "You must have th e incentive of opposition to get progress. Cat out opposition in everything, and we will get a lot of spineless people. Let me tell you people who want to nationalise everything that the man who thinks he is going to make a competence by climbing to the top on the back of a union is making a great mistake," a remark which produced applause and uproar.

The decision of the Imperial Government to cease taking telescoped mutto:i carcases on overseas ships is to be discussed by the Farmers' Union. The Auckland Provincial Executive of the union has received a letter from the Dominion secretary to the union emphasising that in the event of the shipping space being restricted the decision not to accept telescoped carcases may result in the cold stores remaining seriously congested for an indefinite period, to the extreme detriment of the producers. It is suggested that the matter should be discussed- by the various provincial executives, with the object of representation being made to the Government on the matter and with a view to obtaining a definite assurance from the Imperial Government in regard to shipping Sp3.CC.

The fact that Liberals had represented Parnell for 30 years until the election of the present member was referred to last evening by the chairman of the Hon. Arthur M. Myers' meeting in that district, Mr. R. Briggs. The Liberal flag, he said, had been kept flying by the late Mr. F. J. Moss, and later by Mr. Frank Lawry. (Applause.) Mr. Myers was a disciple of those great men Ballance and Seddon, and he felt sure the people of the lower end of Parnell, which was now merged in the Auckland East electorate, would return him to again unfurl the Lberal flag. He predicted that if he were returned the candidate would become the leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of New Zealand. (Applause.)

"I'm a native of Australia," declared Mr. M. J. Savage at Franklin Road last evening. "Just as well to get that in," he added, amidst laughter, "for they're trying to suggest that I'm a foreigner. I've already been asked if I'm not a Bulgarian, and I wouldn't be ashamed of it if I were.''