LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21580, 26 August 1933, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

No Marriage—Ho Divorce "I submit tliero is no jurisdiction for a conciliation council to be constituted for the hearing of an industrial dispute unless there is a dispute," said counsel in the Arbitration Court yesterday. "That is elementary," remarked Mr. Justico Frnzer. "You cannot make an application for divorce unless tliero is a marriage."

Young Eels in Waikato River Swarms of young eels about the sizo of darning needles have been making their way up the Waikato River from the estuary during tho past week. They swim in shoals, chased by largo eels and kahawai, and have interfered with whitebait fishing by frightening the whitebait away from the banks of the river. Consequently, the supply of whitebait from tho river is less than is usual at this time of tho year.

Chambers of Commerco The annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce will be held at Wanganui on October 26 and 27. Tho 1933 president, Mr. A. S. Burgess, is a resident of that city. Wanganui was tho venue in 1924. Tho Auckland delegates will be Mr. Harvey Turner, president of the Auckland chamber, Mr. C. F. - Bennett, vice-president, Messrs. H. T. Merritt and A. M. Seaman, past presidents, Dr. E. P. Ncale, secretary, and another member to be appointed by tho council.

Commercial Morality Comment on changing standards of commercial morality was made by Mr. Justico Herdman in the Supreme Court yesterday, during the hearing of an application for discharge from bankruptcy. After remarking that a man wlio went into business ought to know he was not supposed to contract debts without a reasonable prospect of being able to discharge them, His Honor added: "Perhaps that cannot bo regarded as a grave irregularity in these days. It used to bo considered dishonest. I do not know whether it is now."

The Tandem Bicyclo "The tandem bicycle has reappeared in England and there are thousands of them to bo seen on the roads to-day," remarked Mr. L. C. Rossiter, a "Wellington business man, who has returned from a visit to England. "I suppose they have come back as a result of tho hiking craze in tho Old Country and because thev are, in these times, a cheap way of travelling. Certainly, persons seem to be going into tho open air and enjoying the beauties of tho English countryside more than they used to a few years ago."

Bees Swarm at Supreme Court Bees which arc not associated with an apiary are likely to choose a hive in odd places. One swarm is at present frequenting a chimney at tho Supremo Court, and, judging from the activity shown, earnest preparations arc being made in anticipation of spring flowering. The bees, up to tho present, liavo not been disconcerted by a certain amount of renovation which has lately been carried out on tho roof of tho Court, and, in all probability, they will bo established in their unusual home for some time to come. " Kissing the Babies" Members of Parliament receive special concessions for incomo tax assessment purposes, said the Commissioner of Taxes,-Mr. C. E. Dowland, in addressing a meeting of Christchurch accountants the other evening. He said members were allowed to deduct £l5O a year from their income for expenses while in Wellington, and also the cost of "running round their electorates kissing tho babies." "This is only a new allowance," Mr. Dowland remarked. "I think the department has become altogether too generous in some respects." Absence ol Begging

Some astonishment was expressed yesterday by Dr. F. W. Kirsch, an American visitor to New Zealand, at tho pronounced absence of beggars from the streets of tho cities and towns ho had visited. He said that, during a month's stay in tho Dominion, he had not once been troubled in such a way, and such a condition was particularly remarkable considering that New Zealand had experienced severe economic difficulties. Another impression he had formed was the comparative > absence of serious crime, and it was his belief that a police forco divorced from political connections provided the most efficient service possible. Perfect Hold on Wrestlers

The only hold from which "wrestling gentlemen" cannot break is that applied by the Income Tax Department, accordmg to Mr. C. E. Dowland, Commissioner of Taxes, in speaking before a gathering of accountants in Christohurcli this week. Ho was explaining that all wrestlers who visited New Zealand had to pay income tax on their earnings before they left tho country. "They all como to us before going away," ho remarked, "and when four or five of them come into tho office wo have a very fine exhibition of physical fitness. They knqw tho 'run of tho ropes' in these matters. In any evont, they cannot got out of the country without paying their incomo tax, for we can Btop their passports."

Saving in Exchange "I wish that other persons who have dealings with New Zealand would follow suit," said Mr. M. E. Lyons, chairman of the committee of tho Canterbury Head Centre of the Royal LifeSaving Society, on Monday night, when referring to a letter from tho London headquarters of tho society. The letter advised that an account had been opened at the Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch, into which amounts of £5 and upwards due to headquarters could be paid in order to obviate branches and head centres losing by tho increased rato of exchange. It was further stated that any ioss incurred owing to tho rate of exchange, or any charges for transferring sums from branches and head centres in other parts of New Zealand to Christchurch, would bo borno by London headquarters. Last o! Mission Steamer

Cut down to the water's edge by shipbreakers, the remaining portion of the hull of the Molanesiau Mission steamer Southern Cross was towed yesterday afternoon to its slip at Freeman's Bay, where it will be demolished and converted into scrap metal for shipment to Japan. Tho vessel has' been in the hands of tho shipbreakcrs for several months and all fittings of further use were dismantled and disposed of. Afterwards the steel deck structure, decking and side plates of the hull were cut into suitable lengths. All that has been converted into scrap has been loaded into railway waggons, to bo transferred to the Japanese steamer Asama Maru when she arrives about September 8 to commence loading metal for Japan. About 2000 tons will be loaded at Auckland and further quantities at Lyttelton and Wellington.