LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20203, 13 March 1929, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Work has begun upon the construction of a new railway bridge across the Waikato River at Ngaruawahia. A remarkable fact connected with* the present bridge is that tho puriri timbers comprising the npper structure are as sound as when placed in position 56 years ago.

The meaning of the words "if working continuously", in a clause relating to payment for overtime, in the Plumbers and Gasfitters' Award was questioned by parties in a dispute heard before the Arbitration Court yesterday. On behalf of the Plumbers' Union it was stated the employers had said tho words "did not mean anything." "Do not be too ready to believe that " said Mr. Justice Frazer, who presided. "Don't you believe anyone who says that words in law do not mean anything." •

Carrying between them New Zealand produce valued at about £2,000,000, the Commonwealth and Dominion Line steamers Port Melbourne and Port Pirie are to be despatched from Auckland for London at tei o'clock to-night. Tho Port Melbourne will be fully loaded with about 10,000 tons of cargo. The Port Pirio will be about 3ft. off her loading mark and will have on hoard about 8000 tons of cargo As both steamers will leave together for the same destination, the masters have decided to expedite the voyage and make a race of it. Captain T. Kippins is in command of the Port Melbourne and Captain J J. Hudson is in charge of the Port Pirie. Tho Port Melbourne's speed is about 13 knots, but she is more deeply laden than the Port Pirie, which has a speed of about 12J knots. In consequence both vossels are expected to be near one another throughout tho voyage. Included in the cargoes of the two steamers is a large quantity of wool.

Advice that a telephone box is to be erected on the western side of Queen Street at the Customs Street intersection, was received yesterday by Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P. The new facility is particularly designed to obviate so many crossings of a busy intersection to nse the row of boxes outside the post office.

Attention to the increasing prevalence of organised Sunday excursions and Sunday picnics with the aid of public services and to the use of municipal tennis courts for play all day on Sunday was drawn by the Ecv. W. Lawson Marsh, when presenting the report of the Public Questions Committee to tho Auckland Presbytery yesterday. Mr. Marsh was commissioned by presbytery to draw up a statement on the subject and to communicate with other churches with a view to organising joint action in the matter.

Large supplies of peaches sold at reduced prices at the Auckland City Markets yesterday, owing to many lines being affected with ripe rot. The best peaches realised 3s to 6s a case, and some varieties sold at 2s 6d a case. Tomatoes have improved in value, the special round, smooth variety selling at 3s to 6s a case.

None of the 15 stonemasons who were dismissed from work at the new Auckland railway station before Christmas after working under protest have returned and efforts are being made to engage others. Five men are already employed on the work, and it is anticipated there will be little difficulty in obtaining more. The building will be ready for the stonework in about a fortnight, but there will be no hindrance to the actual construction for at least six months should more men not be available.

Disappointment that Mr. Baldwin's appeal on behalf of the distressed miners in England fell on deaf ears so far as New Zealand was concerned was expressed at the conference on migration and settlement at Wellington yesterday. "Mr. Baldwin," said the chairman, Mr. A. L. Hunt, "sent a message to New Zealand saying in effect 'can't you help us ?' I think I am right in saying that the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, replied 'No, we have responsibilities of our own.' lhat was our response to a national appeal." Mr. N. G. Gribble (Auckland): "I was terribly disappointed when Sir Joseph Ward sent that reply. I can tell you it hurt immensely."

"Motor-cars have become a feature of our national life," said Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, when a charge of unlawful conversion of a car was being heard. "In cases of this kind I havo no compunction in sending the offender to gaol for tho full term unless there are some redeeming features. An inexperienced man in a car may easily come to grief, and he touches it at his own peril. The only way the conversion of horses was put down was by indicting the maximum penalty in each case. In 12 months such thefts were completely stamped out in the North."

Tho apprenticeship committee conference has been called for April 23, according to advice received from the Minister of Labour, the Hon. \V. A. Veitch. by Mr. J. S. Fietcher, M.P.

Judging from the experience of a Wellington lady, there is at least one shopgirl in that city who combines with commendable honesty an exceptional faculty for remembering faces. It happened that just before Christmas the lady in question made some purchases at a drapery store, to discover lator in tho day that she was a pound note to the bad. She called on tho following day to make inquiries, but nothing had been seen of the note. Last week she was again in the shop, and was being served by the same attendant, when tho latter asked if she had not lost a pound note there before Christmas. The assistant, upon receiving an affirmative reply, handed over the money. The note had evidently slipped from "the customer's hands and had lain hidden behind some boxes.

The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, announced yesterday at a meeting of the committeo of tho National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum campaign that tho fund had reached £92,314 13s lOd. The amount of £IOO,OOO is necessary before the similar subsidy promised by the late Government can be lifted. Steps are being taken to raise the balance. Interest is accumulating, but it is desired to raise the whole amount by subscription. The money is to bo placed in the hands of a temporary board of trustees on which there will be two Government nominees, with Sir Joseph Ward as chairman.

The agent of the Labour Department at Thames, Mr. A. Lloyd, reports a serious position in regard to unemployment at Thames. As a result of the closing of several mines and the abandonment of tho Thames Harbour improvement scheme many families have left Thames in the past 12 mouths. There are now over 50 unemployed married men on the Labour Department's register.