CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6493, 13 April 1908, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

LABOUR STATISTICS WANTED. Professor Sviatlowsky, of the University of St. Petersburg, said to a "Now Zealand Times" reporter on Saturday that in all European countries the collection and arrangement of statistics relating to labour was given careful attention. It was generally recognised that, to be of any value at all, labour statistics must be very complete, ana kept with the greatest of care and accuracy. The Registrar-General's department in New Zealand, he found, kept much valuable information of this nature, but it was really the work of a whole department to properly keep the figures relating to labour. In Russia they had such a department, and its duty was to collect everything relating to work, wages, the cost of living, membership of unions, numbers of workmen, etc. It was no us© talking about labour institutions in a general way. It was essential to be able to substantiate statements with figures.

AN INFORM Al, PLEA. Until the last session of Parliament Justices of the Peace had not authority to accept pleas of guilty preferred by persons charged with offences and of committing them to the Supreme Court for sentence. That power rested solely in the hands of Stipendiary Magistrates. Probably the first case in which Justices of the Peace have been called upon to exercise their extended power occurred at Taihape the other day, when William Larrabee pleaded guilty to a criminal charge. The Justices of the Peace accepted the plea and sent the prisoner on to tho Supremo Court for sentence, but they overlooked the somewhat important technicality of requiring Larrabee to sign his name by way of formal endorsement of his plea upon the information. As a consequence, when tho man was brought before M.r Justice Cooper for sentence, this informality was noticed, and the man is to be sent back to Taihape, where he will again be called upon to plead to the charge.

A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. Asked to advise the New Zealand Employers’ Federation if the Labour Department was justified in contending, under section It of the Factories Act Amendment of 1907, that every person employed in a factory must be employed weekly, and at a weekly wage, Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., has given his opinion against the department. "I am informjed,” states Mr Skerrett, "that it wae | the avowed intention 'of the Minister when he introduced the Bill into the Legislature to provide by this section I that all such employments shonld be I weekly employments. I am clearly of opinion that, whatever intention the Minister may have had in his mind. Courts of Law will not construe section 14 so as to make every employment of a person in a factory a weekly employment at a weekly wage." He points out that the section purports to fix a minimum rate of wages, but, in accordance with a well-known canon of interpretation, it would require express words to so limit the freedom of contract as to make every employment in a factory a weekly employment, with its attendant consequences.

"CADGING" OVERDONE.

The movement in the direction of sending two New Zealanders to London to represent the dominion at the Olympic games has not mot with the approval of the delegates to the Wellington Centre, and they plainly showed their disapproval by refusing officially to undertake the collection of money to defray the expenses. The cost of sending two men to London would be about .iatMj, but the sentiments voiced at the meeting showed that the public outside of Wellington and Christchurch are not as enthusiastic as might be desirable in athletic matters. It was felt that if Wellington undertook the collection of half of the .£2OO there would be very little response from the other portions of the North Island, and that in the finish it would be found that this city would have to shoulder tho greater part of the burden. The action of tho meeting does not signify that assistance would not be forthcoming locally if it was decided to send iterr and Murray Home, as there are quite a number of gentlemen in Wellington sufficiently interested in athletics who would not mind dipping into their money pocket to give the fund a filip. A sentiment expressed at tho meeting by one of the opponents to the centre instituting a canvassing campaign will bo readily endorsed by the majority of the public. He made a well-founded complaint that the "cadging racket" had been done to death, that the public were sick and tired of it, and that it was time an attempt was made to pnt a stop to it.

ANNOYED. Mr Daniel K. Pritchard is annoyed. Having been told to go where ho liked and do what he chose by Mr Rodgers, of Blackball, he decided to call upon the Minister of Labonr at Wellington (unofficially). He had previously referred to Mr Millar as an “autocratic despot," and had hurled other expletives at him from the eminence of a packing case at Dunedin, but having gratuitously established himself as the Plenipotentiary in Extraordinary of the Blackball Miners’ Association, he made the decision to call (in his private capacity) upon Mr Millar. It was a condescension which did credit to his heart if not to his judgment, but as he merely desired to use the Minister of Labour to "obtain a letter of introduction or Ministerial influence" to obtain "an interview with (another potentate) Mr G. G. Stead, of Christchurch, concerning the strike," it is evident that he did not contemplate the risk of unnecessarily compromising himself m the process. (Inter alia it may be remarked that an affable gentleman like Mr Stead would not in the ordinary way require fi Ministerial imprimatur placed upon anybody, not even a labour agitator, who desired to talk to him on busineee—but that, of course, is another story.) Mr Pritchard, in his capacity of (Private) Plenipotentiary in Extraordinary, called at the Department of Labour on his way along to the "biggest wooden buildings," and, after being "received by Air Lomas," accepted the services of tne Secretary of Labour as his aide-de-camp. Mr Pritchard was, to use his own language, "not kept long in suspense," for in "about three minutes" the aide-de-camp returned from the Ministerial sanctum (presumably with considerable haste) and told the Plenipotentiary that the "Autocratic Despot” within refused to see him until he the (Private) Plenipotentiary had (unthinkable alternative). publicly withdrawn his (packing case) so-

ousatkms and apologised—apologised! Mr Pritchard's estimate of tho Minister's conduct, and the Minister's estimate of Mr Pritchard, appear in sequence elsewhere, and there is also a manifesto from Mr Pritchard which reads like a loud kettle-drum call to arms. It invites the Trades Unionists of the Dominion to rise m their majesty, tear the mighty from their seats, “capture the political machinery,” and secure to the labourers the results of their labour. ’ Obviously the meet eligible of the candidates for the coming Parliamentary campaign is Daniel K. Pritchard. Tyrants and bloated capitalists are respectfully requested to tremble. Their doom is obviously scaled!

WELLINGTON AND THE FLEET. The Wellington Navy League has not abandoned hope in regard to a visit from the American fleet. The Premier has boon communicated with by Mr Palmer, the league's secretary, asking that he should us© his influence to secure, if possible, that one section of the fleet should come to Wellington. It would bo only one extra day's steam, and as the coaling of sixteen battleships in on© port simultaneously would probably be attended with delay, if one of the two squadrons of eight vessels came to Wellington the extra facility in coaling the whole fleet would, states the league’s secretary, more than counterbalance the day's steaming.

THE COST OF LIVING. The price of commodities and the charges for house rents cause heads ot families considerable anxiety. It has been the custom of the Labour Department to publish periodically the prices of oommodities in the different parts of the Dominion, and some interesting particulars in this connection will appear in this month's issue of the Labour Journal. From this it will be found that Wellington still holds the unenviable position of, pride of place in the matter of rents, but although there or© variations in the price of commodities at the different centres, the cities are in the aggregate about on a par with each other in the matter of supplies. For potatoes people in Wellington on March Ist were paying 3d more per 14Ibe than were the residents of either Auckland, Christchurch, or Dunedin; tea was a penny per lb dearer thou anywhere else, the difference between Auckland and Wellington for average qualities being as muen as Od per lb; for oatmeal Gd per 251 b more was paid than at Auckland and Christchurch, and 3d more than at Dunedin. Why such a difference does exist is not stated. Wellington supplies the cheapest meat of the centres. Auckland is lowest in the matter of boots, witn Dunedin next. On the figures taken all round Auckland is the most desirable place of residence for tho man of moderate means, but those who envy tho residents there may find some consolation in the fact that if prices are low so also are wages. When all is summed up there is really not such a great difference as might appear from a cursory glance at the dep tails.

AN INDISCEEET GIiERGXMAN. The Christchurch ‘'Press" says ifc would not be doing its duty to the public did it not animadvert upon the conduct of the clergyman whose letter to a local newspaper was, the chief means of bringing about the Te Oranga Horn© inquiry. This gentleman, the Bov. F. P. Fendall, admitted- in his evidence that his letter was based solely on the statements of one of the Kiris about whom there had been some trouble. He did not ring up the matron of the home as ho might have done; he took not the slightest trouble to verify the girl's statements. He immediately rushed into print with hysterical statements to the effect that the methods at the homo were "not those of an enlightened age, but savoured rather of the dark ages and the savagery of some of the slaveowners of American notoriety." He stated that he believed his authority to be reliable," although ho admitted in his evidence that tho only authority he had was the bare statement of "a girl of whoso character he knew nothing, except that she had boon troublesome." Our contemporary would like to know how the reverend gentleman reconciles the circulation of defamatory statements noon such authority with of

"charity” which ho must sometimes hare read from the desk, if not expounded from the pulpit. As in his evidence before the Commissioner, however, he actually compared (the hair-cutting to the "clipping of the ears done by slaveowners,” the "Press” can only assume —extending to him the charity he denies to others—that he is simply unaware of the meaning of the words he uses, and that a species of humanitar-i ian hysteria has utterly befogged his j udgment.

THE SWARMING OF ANTS. Mr W. W. Smith writes to the "Taranaki Herald" a very Interesting letter on the swarming of the native ants of New Zealand, his text being a report that Lanedowne, in the Wairarapa, had lately been visited by ant swarms. There are vast numbers of ants’ nests near Lansdowne, he says, three species being found in the river-bed and a more common species in the neighbouring bush. The swarming of native ants almost invariably occurs annually on calm sultry days iu the month of March. Groat activity prevails m the nest for weeks previous to their flight, this bein; due to the hatching of the young ants to take part in the migration. "It is a charming living picture to look into a large ants’ nest a day or so before swarming," Mr Smith continues, "and observe the busy throng with their hyaline and richly iridescent wings glistening in the sunshine. It is a provision of Nature that largo numbers of nests swarm at the same time and unite in one great multitude in the air, and fly across the country in search of new sites on which to found new nests to perpetuate the species. As the great swarm proceeds slowly on its course individuals keep dropping on to the land and immediately shake off the delicate wings, and set to work industriously to find sites and establish new colonics. The union of many nests in the air is a natural provision to enable the individuals of each to associate with the opposite seres of other nests in the founding of new colonies, and thus perpetuate a healthy race.” It frequently happens, we are told, that domestic fowls are killed by the insects, though only the larger species possess stings. The ants drop in fowl runs and the fowls eat them, being stung at once to the mouth and throat, Tne throat awella and ultimately closes, tne bird bafng choked. Evan when a fowl escapes being stung it Is Uabls to be poisoned by the formlo acid secreted by the ants. Very little is known of the habits of

the nineteen species of ants to be found in New Zealand, and Mr Smith suggests that young people should undertake ihiff fascinating study for themselves.

NEWS NOTES.' \ Tho inward Brindisi mail arrived all Auckland at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon from Sydney by the Manuka, and, left Ouehunga at 4.10 p.m. yesterday by tho Rarawa for Now Plymouth. The mail will be brought on by express, ar« riving at Wellington at 7.15 o'clock this evening.

The amount collected on account of tinbuilding fund of tho Wellington Unitarian Free Church is now approaching .£IOOO.

Mr Tom Mpnn, tho woll-known English Socialist, who settled in Melbourne, commences his Now Zealand visit on Wednesday. He will carry on propaganda work throughout the Dominion. The Health Department reports the number of cases of infections diseases Idsrt week to harvo bden: —Wellington city, scarlet fever 16, diphtheria 4;J±utiJ County, diphtheria 1. Holiday excursion tickets will be issued over the Manawatu Railway Company'e lino from the 14th to 20th inst., available for return until May 20th. Tickets may bo procured beforehand if desired. From Wednesday, the 15th, until the 22nd inst.. extra mail trains will run between Wellington and Wanganui.

Tho New Zealand t ruining ship Amokura, which has been calling at different ports during her cruise around the'coast, arrived at Bussell on Saturday. The vessel returns to Auckland to-morrow in preparation for the Easter manoeuvres, in which she will take part. All on board are well.

There is quite a colony of Now Zea» landers established in Tierra del Fuogo, at the southern extremity of South America, where they are engaged in golddreuging. Mr Norman Wakefield, a former resident of Otago, has charge of tho dredge Progress©, which he re-erected after some foreign workmen had made a bad job of it. Two of his crew am Messrs Burton and Silk, of Otago. A New Zealand miner now in Tierra del Fuogo (Mr John Werner, formerly of Lowborn, Otago) states that he believes if a rush of miners could set towards that country as they did towards Victoria and Otago in tho old days, there would be a number of fields opened up and "things would hum.” Tierra del Fuegc is an island about the size of Otago, Southland, and half of Canterbury.

Owing to tho strikes a fow bags of Paparoa coal hay© found their way to Bkickbo.il, and those using the coal apeak most highly of its qualities for household purposes. Tho coal, wrap, need in a range, burns with a bright, steady flame, and has wonderful boating properties, while tho absence of soob and dirt will commend it to everyone. There is no doubt thfct onco Paparoa ooal roaches the market there will bo a revolution in the coal trade of Greymouth. — u G rey River Argus.”

At the fortnightly meeting of the Society for. the Protection of Women and Children, M™ A. B. Atkinson presided* There were also present —Moedames Fell, A. Hoby, M. F. Darvall, C. Izard, W. A. Evans, and Miss E. B. Brown, The following subscriptions were acknowledged, with thanks: —Mrs H. Gilmer «£!, Mrs H. Crawford, Mrs W. E. Williams, Mrs J. H. Milos, Miss Coates, 10a each; Mrs J. M. Clealand, 7s 6d; MrPenty, Mr J. Myers, Mrs W. Fell. Mrs Higginaon, Miss | McLean, Mrs Stafford, Miss E. B. Brown, 5s each.

One of the largest gasometers in the Southern Hemisphere is to bo erected at Miramar on the Wellington , Gas Company's new works site. A start has-been made with the foundations, excavations being in progress. The ironwork will weigh about a thousand tons, and tho contract to cart it from the Miramar wharf to the works has been secured by Messrs J. J. Curtis and Company, Ltd. A largo quantity of water is required nt the works, and the .company is hoping to secure, this,.from ,an .artesian.source, Mr J. Stewart, of Petone, having been ; ,i instructed to sink tho bore. , The Marlborough Cement, Lime and Coal Comoany has made certain claims against the Government on account of tho Tata Islands, in Golden Bay, having been proclaimed under tho Public Works Act, 1905. for the purposes of harbour refuge. Tho islands are made of limestone, and tho company was rapidly demolishing them and turning them to profitable account at its works at Pioton. As they formed the beet anchorage m Gold, en Bay the Government stepped in to prevent their total kidnapping. Hence tho claim. The Government Geologist recently paid a visit to the group in. connection with the claims. , The candidates Tor Wellington's mayoralty are to be both asked, on behalf of the Wellington No-licenso League, if they are in favour of refusing to permit the advertising of alcoholic liquors on tho backs of tram tickets. With regard to the recent correspondence between tho Auckland Licensed Victuallers’. Association and the Minister of Justice upon allegations of drinking among women at suburban hotels, satisfaction at the Mininter's reply was expressed at the league s meeting, and the sneakers hoped that the last had been hoard of . attempts to interfere with the police in tho execution of their duty.