LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18088, 12 May 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A Press Association message from [Sydney states that the Moeraki sailed for Wellington at 4.30 p.m. yesterday.

The Mount Albert Fire Brigade was called to a firo in the Eclipse Timber Company's mill at Morningside last evening. The furnace room was found to be on fire, but the flames were suppressed in time to save the building from any material damage. The factory was insured for £7000 in the New Zealand Insurance Office and £5000 in tho Australian Oflli e.

The judgment of the Arbitration Court in regard to tho reduction in the cost-of-living bonus was considered at a meeting of the executive of tho Auckland. Employers' Association yesterday. It was decided to recommend all employers to give effect to tho recommendations of tho Court as from next Monday.

" Tho longer T. live in Auckland, the more impressed I jim with tho fine public spirit, tho splendid generosity of Auckland business men, in advancing movements for tho public welfare/' said Bishop Averill in making reference to tho Orphanage Campaign at, the annual meeting of the Orphan Homo Trust Board yesterday. "It is always a joy to me to be associated with any of these undertakings supported by business men, because of the hearty way in which they carry the work through, and the enthusiasm and real selfsacrifice they put into making it a success."

An announcement that, appeared in yesterday's issue to the effect that tho United Evangelical Church in New Zealand had amalgamated with the iree Methodist Churches of New Zealand is the subject of a correction made by the | Rev. P. N. Knight, on behalf of a number of officers of tho Methodist Church. Mr. Knight states that tho body which j has joined the Evangelical Church is tho j Free Primitive Methodist Church, of which onlv, ono congregation exists m ■' New Zealand, that being situated in 'Mount, Eden. Mr. Knight explains that in 1807 tho United Methodist Church and Iho Bible Christian Church joined the Wesle.van Church, and that in 1910 the Primitivo Methodist Church joined that, union. Ono church, in Mount. Eden Road, stood out and willed itself the Ivee Primitive Methodist Church. It is this congregation has now joined the United Evangelical Church. Tho fivo industrial disputes that have been heard before Mr. P. Hallv during tho last few days have all been settled, except in ono instance where a question was re- ! fcrrcd to tho Arbitration Court. "In i times like these," said Mr. Hally yester--1 day,- " tho fact that the parties are ablo j to adjust differences speaks exceedingly ; we.ll for tho good feeling existing between | employers and employees in Auckland." A dispute filed under the Labour Disi putes Investigation Act by tho Auckland ! Firo Brigade was heard yesterday. Mr. IP. Hally presided. Messrs. J. J. Kingj ston, W. R. Saunders, and S. E. Wright i represented the Auckland firo Board, and | Messrs. O. J. Veale, E. Herring, and R. j Merrick tho brigade. An agreement was reached on all points, and tho settlement will bo filed as an industrial agreement for a term of two years. An "un'.ooked for surprise was experienced by a number of tram pass en- , gers on Wednesday evening. It has been ! tho practice for some time for residents I of the districts served by the Dominion i Road cars to wait at the foot of Shortland Street during the evening "rush" hour and board incoming cars on their way to the terminus. Although the destination sign still displays "City," the regular passengers have come to recognise the Dominion Road cars by their ' numbers and by a personal knowledge of | the motormen and conductors. On this : occasion, after tho -usual crowd had j boarded car 136 at Shortland Street, the ' conductor went through the car and ! collfected the extra fare, the car remainI ing at a standstill while he did so. It ! is stated that this action was taken by order of the traffic manager, who was a passenger on the car in question. Appreciative reference to the splendid record of health maintained at the Papa- ! toetoe Orphan Home was made by ! Bishop Averill at the annual meeting of I tho Trust Board yesterday. The fact that ! thero had only been four deaths at the I homo since it was founded 61 years ago, | during which timo 850 children had been j cared fpr, was a splendid testimony to tho careful attention given to tho welfare of v the children, some of whom were below normal in physique, and required special J care. The board was deeply indebted to tho matron for her devotion to the needs lof the little ones and for the way in | which the splendid health record of the j homo was being upheld. Dr. E. Roberton, j in briefly reviewing the good record of tho home,.-mentioned that no death had occurred there since 1894. I Sti Heliers is now lighted by electricity generated by a plant installed by tho | residents. Tho array of lamps along the j foreshore produces a striking effect, not I to mention the convenience and comfort afforded to users of the thoroughfare. Two cases of typhoid fever were re- . ported to tho Department of Health yesterday, one of them from a house in tho infected district in which a case occurred about two weeks ago. Thero have been no further developments at the Mental Hospital.

It is likely that an interesting test case will be hoard at the Magistrate's Court ill** tho near future, says the Christchurch Press, the question to decide being whether employers are liable to pay their employees who were given a holiday on Anzac Day. There lias been a good deal of doubt on the subject. Tho decision of the Arbitration Court at Wellington, that Anzac Day counts as a Sunday, fails to make the position clear regarding payment to those who were not working that day. The action will probably be brought by the unionists. |

In tho course of his remarks at tho meeting in connection with tho Salvation Army Congress at Wellington, tho Commissioner, Mr. H. C. Hodder. stated that. the " Army was represented in 73 countries and colonies, and preached tho Gospel in 46 languages. II had 12,211 corps and outposts, and the | number of officers and cadets fully emj ployed in Salvation Arimy work was 1 19.276. Apart from these, there were j 5941 employees from tho various depart- ' ments. Tho Army had no fewer than 33,436 bandsmen, senior and young people, and it published 83 w-sekly periodicals with a circulation approaching a million and a-lialf.

The hill suburbs of Dunedin were being made the hunting ground of a thief or thieves a few nights ago. A house in Highgato was entered and a sum of money stolen, and later another sum was secured in Belleknowes. The fact that a liouso is occupied is not a sufficient deterrent, as in one instance the thief Was actually disturbed by tho inmates but escaped.

Tho casual labourers employed on street work by the Raetihi Borough Council downed tools the other day. . The pace at which tho work was progressing evidently did not meet with the approval of the Works Committee, and the foreman was instructed to intimate to the men that the pace was not fast enough for the 14s a day they were receiving. The men resented tho remarks. There was no demonstration, and after tho borough officers conferred, the men were paid off.

A petition in bankruptcy has been "filed by Hi rata Hearse, a Maori, of Tokaanu. Tho first meeting of creditors will bo held at Tokaanu uaxt Friday. ,