LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18267, 7 December 1922, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Prices for beef at the Westfield fat stock sales yesterday showed an improvement compared with last week's xates. The increase in medium and lightweight prime cattle was fully 2s per 1001b. Extra choice ox realised £1 5s per 1001b.. other grades bringing from 10s to £1 4s, according to quality. Cow and heifer beef brought from 14s to £1 2s pei- 1001b. There was a good demand for sheep, late prices being maintained. Wethers realised from £1 6s to £1 13s 6d, ewes £1 3s to £1 12s 6d, hoggets £1 3s 6d to £1 9.; Qd. Lambs brought from £1 to £1 13s. Pig prices were equal to those realised at last week's sales. Choppers and bacon pigs brought from £2 to £3 ss.

If it be true that coining events cast their shadows before, the result of a mock parliamentary election held yesterday at one of the Auckland public schools should bo regarded by supporters of the Reform Party as a happy omen. Six candidates—three girls and three boys—had been chosen among the sixth standard scholars, the Reform. Liberal, and Labour parties being each represented by a boy and a girl. The election was controlled by the teachers, and speeches were delivered by the candidates to their " free and enlightened " classmates on Monday and Tuesday. The voting yesterday showed a large majority for the Reform Party, which obtained 35 votes. Labour came second with 16 votes, while the Liberal candidates were third with four votes.

The word " Queensland," is the rod rag which invariably irritates the Labour " bull." Tho Hon. C. J. Parr was referring to that State during his Mount Albert speech last evening when an interjector politely inquired: " Have you been there, Mr. Parr?" "I have," replied tho Minister. " It has a delightful climate, and a rotten Labour Government." • This neat retort created general amusement and tho utter collapse of the interjector.

Spectators at the Hamilton Supremo Conrt yesterday received a rude shock when tho doors wore locked and some of them had to serve on a jury. Two juries were deliberating, and, after counsel had made several challenges, the panel was exhausted. The door was then quietly locked and the registrar took the names of sufficient men to form a jury. After one man had been sworn in and had taken his seat, ho asked what was going to happen to his lorry, which he had left outside. Mr. Justice Herdman ordered the police to take care of it.

A generous reward has been made to the finder of a packet containing; £16, which was lost at the Central Wharf on Friday by a seaman who had been paid off the Wc.iotapu on account of the shipping strike. The money was found by a waterside worker and handed by him to the police. When the £16 was returned to the 'owner, the latter, though out of work and with a wife and children to support, rewarded the finder with the sum of £5.

The seho'ol-children who assembled at Oratia yesterda}' to witness the unveiling of tho war memorial were a fine sturc'y lot. a fact which was not lost upon Lord Jellicoe, who is always at ease with children and has the happy knack of inspiring confidence among the younger generation. His Excellency was soon the centre of a happy throng and the intimate little conversations which followed* did more to fix the importance and significance of the ceremony in the minds of the children than all the set speeches of tho day.

One of tho Dominion's keenest students of industrialism is unquestionably the Ho.n W. Downie Stewart, a member of the strong Ministry. He deals always in facts, and is thus very disconcerting to critics of the Government. "In no country," said the Minister for Customs at Dunedin, " had there been a smaller reduction in wages than in New Zealand. For instance, in America, the railway surfacemen's wages had been, since the war, reduced to an hour, while tho rate in tho Dominion was Is 9£d an hour. In private employment the reductions had been less than would have taken place without the Arbitration Court. Where direct action obtained, as in America and England, the wages had been reduced in many casea by 60 per cent. On this showing the Arbitration Court here had more than justified its existence."

Two youthful victims of cycling accidents were admitted to the public hospital yesterday afternoon. One boy, Adrian Greig, aged 15 years, residing at O'Neill Street, Ponsonby, was cycling along tiie waterfront, and when by tho Northern Company's wharf, he rode too near the edge. Ho was thrown from his bicycle over the edge of the wharf on to a barge lying alongside. He sustained slight concussion, and was reported to bo progressing satisfactorily last evening. A second youth, Charles Vivian Carden, aged 17 years, a messenger at the Onehunga Post Office, was riding along Hillsborough Road when his mudguard caught in his wheel and he was thrown to the ground. Ho was found to have suffered severe abrasions to his face and to have lacerated both hands.

A cackling laugh came from the back of the Empire Theatre while Mr. V. 11. Potter was speaking last evening " I've heard that'laugh before," rapped out the candidate, " but it was in Australia, up a tree, and it was a bird that gave it." Laughter then became general.

Ono of tho principal proposals of tho Reform Party when it entered office was tho elimination of political patronage in the public service. It immediately expressed its, policy in legislation, and, after 10 years' experience, the Public Service Association declares the continuance of the Reform system is " most vital." In a letter to candidates for Parliament tho association says:—" We may say for, your information that this association stands absolutely for non-political control of the public service as provided in the Public Service Act. This opinion is based on our experiences solely. It is not, oi course, possible, to elaborate the case of non-political control in a short communication of this nature, but it may be said that after the initial difficulties of administration had boen overcame, and the classification of the service completed, it was realised by public servants that the new system was a vast improvement on the old. ' The centralisation of control, the elimination of political patronage, and tho right of appeal, are outstanding features which are considered to be iadvantageous alike to the service and to tho State."

Permits were issued by the One Tree Hill Road Board during November for the. erection of buildings of an estimated value of £13,610. Tho buildings comprised nine dwellings, two shops and a grandstand at Alexandra Park.

A new cross-over between the outwards and inwards tramways tracks has just been completed at the top of Khyber Pass Road, near Symonds Street. The cross-over will facilitate the handling of traffic on race days and other occasions when a number of cars are returning to Symonds Street only from Epsom or ltemuera. Three cars can be accommodated oetween the cross-over and Symonds Street corner. The half-yearly auction sale of unclaimed goods left in tho Auckland tramcars was held yesterday at Mr. George Walker's rooms. Not so many goods as usual were auctioned. Umbrellas were in good demand, and met spirited competition. The miscellaneous collection of articles was not sought after so keenly as has been the case in former years.