CURRENT TOPIC.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 4

CURRENT TOPIC.

E A STEP HOLIDAYS. The Govc T 'nrnpn t offers vH I bo nlnrsd fnr (bp Faster he! ; tv vs on Felder Saturday, and Monday. St. Georee’s Day, which falls on the following Thursday, will he observed as a holiday. "ALL TOGETHER." Extensions of tramways and billiard saloon hours were subjects for deputations to the City Council last night, and the presence of so many citizens pave the meeting an air of excitement quite unusual, for our city fathers alwtiys do their work deliberately. On thequestion of extending billiard saloon hours there was a deputation for and a deputation aguinst. "I presume wo will hear them at the same time," remarked the Mayor. Councillors realised the lively possibilities of such a programme, and roared their delight, but it wan only a slip of the Mayor's, for he mt*ant one after the other. . CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP. The annual New Zealand Chess Congress is to be held at Easter in Wellington, and entries close on Monday. The Congress is to bo opened the following Monday by the Mayor of Wellington. Though the entries are not all in, it is understood that the contestants are likely to number ten or a dozen, and the championship contest of 19CS will l.e notable for the absence of many eld playera who have done battle for the honour. New blood will thus have a chance. The absence of many former

competitors is due to the fact that the championship is being held at Easter instead of during the Christmas holidays, when many chess-players found it more convenient to spare the time.

ACCIDENT INSURANCE. The Tramways Committee of the City Council last night reported that it had considered the question of accident insurance on the employees of the city lighting department, and recommended that the sum of .£750 be allocated to a special accident fund to cover the employees and the clerical staff of the department under all Employers' Liabilities Acts, and a sum equal to the an nnal premium of 2os per cent, for employees. and Ss per cent, for the clerical staff, be added annually to th® fund, the fund to be credited with interest at i\ per cent, per annum. The report was approved.

AN ARBITRATION MISUNDERSTANDING. It seems that when the dispute between the Wellington Steam Eerry Company and the Federated Seamen's Union was heard lost month the parties came to an understanding that the hours of work should be ten per day, of which two should be meal hours. When the award was filed by the Court, however, the hours wore set down at ten. exclusive of the meal hours, so that the men are practically under the old conditions. Before they worked a week of seventy hours, now they work seven days of ten hours. There seems to bo a difference of opinion between the representatives of the employers and the workers as to what was really understood at the time, and probably the matter will be brought before the Court again on its return to town.

TIME AND A HALF. The Arbitration Court has ruled in the case of the Wellington newspapers that "time and a half" in its application to linotype operators means "time and a half in ‘addition to tho weekly wage." Common-sense would call this "double time and a half,” bnt the Arbitration Court has got nothing to do with commonsense. It has, got to administer the law. If we were sure that the Labour Department wonld be as lenient and longsuffering with us as with the Blackball martyrs we should go on strike and arrange with Mr Tregear to use his influence with the Government to give us "very easy terms.” But it seems that even a "Government Journal” (as our friends delight to designate us) is not sure of ‘‘getting very easy terms.” So we had better pay and look pleasant; meanwhile bearing in mind that we have created a new mathematical record— I X J = 2i

TECHNICAL EDUCATION. The Finance Committee of the City Council was last night given power to co-operate with the Technical Education Board in selecting a site for the proposed new Technical School. The Mayor said the Council ought, now that the efforts with the Government had proved barren, to look out for a site that would enable the work of the school to be carried out in an effective manner. He thought the matter could be properly arranged without it being a great burden upon the city. Councillor Luke explained that the Technical School now had about 11,000 pupils, and it was absolutely necessary to look out for better accommodation. The present site in Mercer street was valued at £16,000, and the building thereon at £3200, or altogether about £20,000. The Board was not likely to ask the Council to pay the whole amount in any one year, bnt spread over a period of, say, five or seven years, if a suitable eite could be found. TTTR ARTILLERY SEEVICB. The appointment of Major Head to be Director of Artillery for the Dominion is a new step by the Defence Council, which in this matter has practically reverted to the system previously in vogue. When Major St. Leger Moore was in New Zcahmd he combined the offices of Director of Artillery and Commander of tho Permanent Force. On the expiry of his term. General Babington recommended that a • colonial officer should have command of the permanent force, and in 1905 11‘ijor Home, who had been commanding the AVeiliugton detachment, was given command of the whole force. Major G. N. Johnston was brought out from England as Director of Artillery. Now (he Dorincc Council has decided to revert to the old system. Major llead will be both Director of Artillery and officer commanding the Permlment Artillery. and Major Hume, of course, retains command of tho Wellington detachment. Captain Richardson, who has been for seme time acting Director of Artillery, becomes chief instructor of artillery. REFORM AVANTED. I; ‘i carter loaves his vehicle unattended in the str-ot for any length of time, e-rpoeinily with the wheels unlocked and the bit mil of the -horses mouth, he is liable ‘to be haled before tho magistrate for breach of by-laws. The driver of a vehicle in short must not take too long to deliver a parcel or ilxrry with a tankard. If he dorircs to break the law with impunity he should do -the thing wholesale. To do him credit he docs so, between noon and 2 o’clock. Some of tho streets of the city—notably Panama, Groy, Feathereton, and other streets in tlAit vicinity—aro entirely given up to loitering. There is nothing to prevent a stampede, and only yesterday one almost happened, thanks to a steam lorry. The police should insist on clearing these streets of "loitering” vehicles at the lunch hour. It is as a mutter of fact shear greed that causes the absolute monopoly of several streets in Wellington during the lunch hour. But to-mor-row we shall probably hear that there is no proper authority to see to this matter. Anyhow, the fact of turning these streets into stable yards constitutes a public nuisance.

THAT ONE TEST. Opposition htra been shown in all portions of the Dominion to the proposal of the New Zealand Kngby Union to play only one test match against the English team. The matter has been seriously taken up by the southern unions, who are going to bring the question up for discussion at the Vmual meeting of delegates next month. A move which might be regarded with some significance was made at the weekly meeting of the Management Committee last evening. The Southland Union intimated notice of motion for the anntfixl meeting in the direction of having three games, and although late in the field in this connection the communication was responsible for a move being made. In order to meet the position which is sure to arise when the matter is being disoueeed by the combined delegatee, fc subcommittee was

appointed to furnish a report as to the consequences involved in the nlteratjou of the suggested itinerary. It is not considered likely that the committee will make any recommendation suggesting three matches being played, but it is quite within the bounds of possibility tL'it the delegates will decide in favour of this. Members of the Management Committee, who might be considered to have their finger on the football pulse of the Dominiou, foci confident that an alteration will be made providing for the playing of three tests. The final decision will be eagerly avtiited by the football followers of the Dominion. THE UNION xABEL. Death is a great lovefxer, but so also is the Arbitration Act. The Arbitration Court has ruled that an aid craftsman is a journeyman, very much in the same way that an editor is a junior reporter, and a Judge is a Court crier, and a ship's captain is an A.B. The immortal Gilbert must have had us in mind when ho laid down the prerogatives of a Lord High functionary. The great arboriculturist Arbitration wants none of your flaunting blossoms in his sweet garden lot. The frail dower moddsty alone is cultivated there, tied each to its little stick with the union label on its little etom. ON THE RakD. A New Zealand journalist, formerly of Auckland, bnt now ot Johannesburg, writing to a Wellington resident, is very pessimistic regarding the future of the Transvaal. He saj-s—"Tne Dutch ore in the saddle now, and if you want another war say the word and I'll arrange it. Perhaps you know that the question of the use of 'taaT (a bastard Dutch language) is agitating. us ranch hero now. As most things worth having arc in the hands of the Dutch, and there is every evidence of still more good thin; going the same way, it is only a question of time before the man who dares to speak English here will seriously offend the proprieties. Our mining editor who is a Now Zealander, clears out this week because he’s not going to work on a paper that will shortly be published half in taal and half in Hindustani, The Dutchmen are maJung things very sultry indeed for the dark gentlemen from Asia. The rule being mainly Dutch, the native isn't very troublesome. A Dutchman never allows a Kaffir to be insolent, and I must say this is refreshing. The British idea of race equality was maJung the Bond nigger an intolerable person from whom no one was safe, but the sjambok rules trace more."

BEHIND THE SCENES. Some humorist bag lifted the curtain and betrayed behind the stage whore the Blackball tragedy is being officially enacted, a little comedy in which tleSeoretary of Labour is playing a loading role. While the miners have bten standing fieroe-brovred and defiant at the footlights (with the socialistic agitators busy with -the limelight in the wings) Mr Tregear has been tutoring the supers behind the scenes and endeavouring to mystify the audience by (in strictly theatrical parlance) "getting the ghost to walk." But even the ghost has gone on strike, and refuses to bo conjured into activity, even by the provocation of exceptionally "easy terms." The problem is how long the Faroe will continue ? Some of the sober spectators think it has gone on long enough, but the management seems to think that in some mysterious manner it is mystifying the public and distracting general attention. In cannot hear the murmur from the pit and stalls because its oar is glued to the ground in melancholic expectancy of an untoward diversion. But the bailiff is about the premises, and cannot be long forestalled, because there is an object lesson in another part of the Dominion of justice having been promptly vindicated , and the law having taken its course. There is always the danger of the audience growing angry and starting to throw things, bnt that is a risk which the management is' seemingly prepared to take.

DEFIANT BOOKMAKERS. Aggressive and enterprising bookmakers went a little too far along these lines at the Manawatu Racing Olnh’s meeting this week, and a lot of trouble was experienced in dealing with them.' On the first day of the meeting a large number of professional bettors were licensed, and they at once gave evidence of their desire to flaunt the racing club in its efforts at regulation. A space in the sad-dling-paddock had been set apart in a good position for their operations, but they insisted upon encroaching into the near vicinity of the totalisators, obviously with the idea of intercepting patrons of the "machine." Their raucous bellowing caused great inconvenience to those operating the totalisators. A firm request from the president, secretary and stewards to withdraw was met with an absolute refusal, but eventually the Hon. Mr Millar, Minister of Labour, in his capacity of arbitrator-in-general, prevailed upon them to go back. But the move was only a few yards, and after this protended compliance with the requests of the official® they became as troublesome as before. In the evening, the stewards who had been so openly defied met to consider what should be done, and it was decided to refuse licenses or admission to the course to several of the bookmakers whose demeanour had been most offensive. Many of those prominently identified with racing endeavoured by desultory deputationising next day to secure the removal of the embargo, but the stewards were firm, and they will report the matter to the Racing Conference with a strong recommendation that the offenders be disqualified from going upon any New Zealand raoeconrso. The chickens are coming home to roost.' We. hope our legislative incubators are proud of their brood!

ARTIFICIAL CODE WORDS. The Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce has considered the movement which is on foot to oppose the continuance of the nee of artificial code words, and has passed a resolution regretting that it ia contemplated by the Telegraph Conference, to be held at Lisbon in Jnne next, to move in the direction of restricting facilities at present enjoyed in the coding of telegrams. At present mercantile code words for commercial purposes are extremely varied. They consist not only of words taken from a dictionary, bnt of all sorts of ingenious combinations of letters, which, while being hieroglyphics fo the nnitiated, serve the purpose for which they are intended. This, it seems, doee not emt the cable companies, who propose to confine code words to words taken from a dictionary, and this will be proposed at the Liebon Conference. It is stated by those who oppose the proposed change that all those fine distinctions made possible through the use ol

an infinity of terminations would nof be possible. Besides, thousands of oodt books that have cost largo sums to compile would become valueless. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce bolievea that, taking into consideration the heavy expense involved in remodel'ing and extending private codes, any such action ns that indicated would i prejndicially affect the interests of trade and commerce. The Wellington Chamber intends to urge upon the Chambers ci Commerce throughout tho Dominion te immediately co-operate with it in requesting the Postmaster-General to taki such steps a« he may consider advisable to prevent any interference with existing telegraphic facilities. The Prime Minister of Australia stated the other day that ho hod no official intimation os to the intentions of the International Telegraphic Conference in making alterations in respect of code words. The Commonwealth, however, would, be said)bo represented at the conference. PROFESSIONAL MIXERS. Circulars have been handed to ns which show that Wilier and Riley, Ltd., cf Manchester, who handle a largo number of North Island butter factory products, including Eltham, Fernleaf, Glen Oroua, Midhurst, Kaponga, and Whenuakurn. are also doing a big lino in margarine mixtures. In a memo to clients on February sth this firm says: "Owing to the great scarcity of butter, a tremendous demand has sprung up for choiccsl margarine mixtures, to be sold retail at Is, lOd, and 8d per lb. It will be quiti impossible to obtain any butter for thesi prices during tho next three months, and we have no doubt grocers will bo forced to adopt mixtures as an article for these particular prices. We are pleased to say'we are in an exceptional position to supply out customers with the finest mixtures in the market, and wo shall bo glad if you will inspect samples -at our warehouse.” Our producers should bo glad to be doing business with such as enterprising ami resourceful firm I WANTED-AN IDEAL JUDGE. Like the coal miners, tho fellraongcri are also full up of "arbitration." "Call this arbitration?" they are demanding in scornful accents, "why, it’s against us!' 1 Consequently they want Mr Justice Sim removed, the Arbitration- Act repealed, and every obstacle removed to their ob* tadning a maximum wage for a minimum of work. This paper is beginning te wonder what kind of man tho workers would dike to see presiding over the Court. They have found fault with pretty well every president since Mr Justice Williams graced the position, and Mr Justice Cooper, who rose from tho ranils of the manual labourers, was no more acceptable than. Mr Justice Chapman, who was nurtured in the law from his cradle. Apparently the workers will not bo satisfied till they get a President of the calibre of Jae.-Thorn, D. K. Pritchard, or some equally eligible "kumred," prepared to apply a torch to the wholt social and industrial: structure.—Chrictchuroh "Truth." A £IOO,OOO LOAN, Tho City Council last evening ported a resolution to proceed with raising the loan of .£IOO,OOO for the purposes of a drainage system for tho Melrose district. Tno loan is to have a currency of twentyfive yea-re. Waring interest at the rate of 4 per cent. The Sinking Fund Commissioners in connection with the loan are the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mr J. G. W. Aitken, and the Town Cletk. The Mayor explained that after due consideration it had been found better thai the loan should be offered on the London market, whore their credit stood fairly high. 1 They had tried to floal the loan here, but could mot do it with such satisfaction ae by raising ij; in London. Councillor Lube said he hoped there would be no delay in respect to raising the loan. K seemed to him to bo absolutely necessary for the health of tho community that this work should be gone on with as soon as possible. The Mayor replied that there need b« no delay at aIL The Council could make its arrangements with the bonk accordingly. He had told the! engineer not to delay oommeneiiig the work an account of the finance, as he felt sure the* would be all right, and that the Council could g-et the money on advantageous terms. In regard to the inclusion of Wedeetown in this work, there was a little difficulty owing to the curious cone structural of the Acts, through Wadestown being excluded at preonnt. but he bad instructed the Oily Solicitor, when other city matters were brought before the Legislature, to barn a special etaose introduced for the purpose of including Wadeetown in the previous Ante. Wadoetown would, of oomree, bows to agree to the same rete as the other portions of tho district winch, jnatkipnbal in the Joan.