NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9956, 27 April 1918, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

• In the comic opera of "The Grand Duchess" there; is a duet between the Duchess and Private .Fritz, entitled "Hang the Regulations." This sentiment is all veiy fine in comic opera, but it would appear from the evidence given by Major Cm toll, Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores, before the Defence Expenditure Commission yesterday that rigid regulations are necessary for economy as well as discipline. In the course of an exhaustive "examination yesterday he said that he did not think it advisable to amend the regulations for the administration and equipment of camps and barracks, nor was he in favour of making any regulations in this connection more elastic. If a regulation dealing with stores or money weTe unsatisfactory in any detail, he contended that it should be amended, for the introduction of any elasticity would not be advantageous. As an instance of the results that'would follow the introduction of elasticity, he mentioned. that headquarters at Auckland -were given authority to purchase a few pairs of boots for returned invalided soldiers. Before the fact was brought to the notice of the ordnance, purchases to the extent of £l5O had been made, and the boots issued without the production of medical certificates stating that the soldiers concerned were unable, by reason of injuries, to wear the service pattern boots. The men who returned to the front afterwards had to be supplied with service boots in addition-. A further instance was in connection with the laundering of clothing for prisoners of war at Motuihi Island. A certain amount of elasticity was allowed to the CO. with regard to this matter, -with the result that the department was paying no less than 3s per week por head for laundering clothes, running the department into an expenditure of over £llOO before the major's first visit to Auckland after taking up his present duties.

"No harm can accrue from persons eating ice cream that is below the standard, a s it is not a food, and if they are prepared to risk a stomachache, well, that is their look-out." This remark was made by Mr H. F. O'Leary during the hearing of a case yesterday in which, a person was charged with selling ice cream that was below the standard.

_ "I would like you to note this man's signature, and the fact that he "considers the attending of'a, sale of more importance than-coming Ito the court. This class of men.-go to sales> as they have a good chance of picking up bargains io- the present abnormal times." So said Mr J. O'Shea, city solicitor, when a charge against a man named Eigantz Schranika, for driving a motorcar across the intersection of a street at a greater speed than, eight miles an hour, was before the court yesterday. The defendant did not appear, and excused himself on the ground, that he was attending a, i sale., ( . :r; ';7; It may not be generally known that while it is lawful to sell oysters on Sunday at restaurants, the bivalves must be 'consumed on the premises, otherwise an. offence is committed. This fact was brought home to Efataeos Gallate, a Greek restaurant-keeper, who wa s charged with Sunday trading. The defendant came before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court Jackson, who appeared'' on his behalf, said that Gallate had offended through ignorance. He had been in business tor the past twenty-six year s selling oysters, and on *he occasion in question sold a bottle of oysters to two boys. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.

"Do you underhand ■the; charge?" asked Mr S.-Ei'McGartby; 'S.M., of John Shultman, a Russian seaman>, who had absented himself from his vessel without leave. "Ya!" replied the defendant, "but I had a certificate from the captain to go ashore and lost tbo paper." Mr A. W. Blair, who appeared for the shipping company, said there was reason to believe that th© defendant's mind wa s not in a normal condition'. After leaving the ship he returned tlie- following day, and it was not thought he intended to desert. The defendant had been worrying very much of late.about the safety of his people, who are in Russia. On one occasion he washed his face in tar; cm another he threw himself overboard, and msisted on helping the stevedores to work cargo, ing that he was a subject for .medical treatment. The defendant was ordered to undergo medical observation and treatment for a week.

Negotiations have been proceeding between the Labour Department and local trade unions in reference to the proposed curtailment of the amount of fees to be paid to assessors on Conciliation Councils. The original idea of the department was that assessors' travelling expenses should be paid onlywhile the assessor is in the industrial district in which the dispute is being heard, unless a recommendation to the contrary was forwarded by the Commissioner, who'wa s to be guided by certain considerations. It is understood that this has been slightly modified, but it is not yet regarded as satisfactory from the unions' viewpoint. The nndons claim that, they should have the right to bring at the department's expense at least one man from outside the district concerned,and they hare framed a, regulation which would suit their case. This will be placed before the Premier (the Right Hon. W. P. Massey), who is Minister for Labour, by a deputation which will wait upon him this morning. •

On ithe question for the site for tho. Dominion Museum, a contemporary states as follows: —Since the last number of the "Zoo Standard" was published, tho Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward has wisely aiid nobly expressed the opinion that the Dominion Museum should bo built on the commanding site that the "Zoo Standard" lias always marked for it; and, although wo notice that evidences of Auckland and Canterbury jealousies impeding the r)*e and proper development of Wellington are not dead, tho promoters ot our magnzino are glad, with a growing hope, that, d-espite external jealousies and external errors of judgment and other stupidities, Wellington shall rise from the dullness of dust-storms and the smoke of brick-kilns, shall shake herself from thfco incubus of commercial greed and dialectical sophistries, and shall, glorious with the combined glory of evergreen trees and multifarious flowers mid appropriate scholastic edifices coroneting her most central and attractive prominences, fit herself to be compared with the most highly Tospectod modern cities.

In the recent Hutt Valley Horticultural Society's auturim flower, show tlie Cooper trophy for 36 cut blooms, chrysanthemums, open chxss, was won by; Mr \v. Slater, or L-ower Hutt.

Considerable time was occupied at the monthly meeting of the Wellington Land Board in dealing with, applications from returned soldiers for financial assistance lor their farms. " Tha applications are the result of the newlegislation passed during the recent short session of .Parliament.

"What Reinforcement are you in? asked Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., of a; defendant who -was charged before him with failing to- account for certain moneys belonging to his late employers. The accused, who was in khaki, replied, "In the military police, sir!" "Inspector Marsack interjected that it was a case of "set a. thief to catch a thief."

"This "woman has allowed herself to go to pieces, and a term on Pakatoa would do her good," said Inspector Marsack when a tall woman named Evelyn Barr was before the court yesterdav on a charge of drunkenness. Tha defendant was on remand, and as there was no accommodation -for her at Pakatoa, she was committed to the institution by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., for twelve months.

' The following- resolution was passed bv the Amalgamated Society of .Carpenters and Joiners: "That it is the confirmed opinion oft the: Wellington Union of the Amalgamated Carpenters and Joiners that no conscription of labour for. the purpose of national efficiency can be considered in any way satisfactory if it; does not_ provide for the adequate representation of- organised labour in the administration ot the Act." ■

Yesterday the' police were advised of the sudden death of a waterside worker named Daniel Mcßandell, aged sixty-three years'. For some time Mcliandell, who lived with his daughter off Vivian street, had complained of pains in the region of the heart. On Tluirsday night he retired to bed somewhat depressed. -,. On going to call her father at 6 o'clock yesterday morning the daughter' found him dead. An inquest will' be held. '

The monthly meeting of the Board of College Governors was held yesterday, the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., presiding. A statement from the principal of the Wellington College (Mr J. p. Firth) set out that the scholarship for 1918 would be held as follows: — Rhodes £lO, C. Di Meadowcroft, D. F. Stewart, A. H. Heron and E.> W. An- ' derson; Turnbull '£10;'! J- L- Stewart"?'» Turnbull £3, C. Isaac;'E. H.'O. How--- 7 ard and H. D. T. Ellis: Levin I/an- •" guage £4, F.' L. Gillon; Levin Science £4, W. B. Johnstone.

■ "Wo are being rationed wisely,' writes a resident of Norfolk, England, "but there is nothing like famine or severe want. la fact, I ain not sure of these restrictions, taken on ths whole, are no^, beneficial. Food is dear. Butter is 2s 6d per lb, eggs 4*d each, beef and bacon Is lOd to 2s per lb. but bread is plentiful and vegetables pretty cheap. I can get good apples here at 3d and 4A per lb, and potatoes are Is 2d per stone. I have any amount, and so have all the people about here. So the submarine won't starve us." .

Since the publication of the recent -. ballot "Gazette" evidence has been produced Jo the; cian that J Frank Charlion, clerk, of 11, Manly terrace, who was called up from Class B lor Group 5, had previously enlisted for the Expeditionary Force but was not accepted. ' Evidence has also been supplied that Percy William Barnes, Queen's road, Lower Hutt, called up in Class B for District 5, is identical '-with Peroival Barnes, who went away vvitft the Main Body and ~. since returned'and discharged_jhcdical;'..l' r ly unfit. He is-therefore'not "a reser-' '"" vist within the'- meaning of the' Mili- . tary Service Act, 1916.

The value of electricity in country districts was emphasised by Mr H. H. Hunt, of Rongotea, when speaking at the hydro-eleotrio conference at Shannon. He stated that the Rongotea dairy factory had an'•'• electric installation, and the milki was collected by means of electric" tracks, 'which were found to be a convenient and cheap means of carriage, and some such power should be made available to farmers. Speaking as a , member of the Maaiawatn County Councilfi ho stated that if the county could convey its metal by a cheap method such as this, it would mean this cheap carriage would result in greatly improved > roads. -, x;

A well-proportioned, neatly-dressed, good looking, middle-aged wman, whose name was given as Lizzie ' Bennett, pleaded guilty in a nonchalant way to being a rogue and vagabond When brought before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., yesterday. The evidence showed that the defendant had been in trouble at Palmerston North. For some weeks she had been roaming the streets of Wellington, was warned by tho : police on more than one . occasion. On ■ each occasion she -.-politely thanked tFie constable * who accosted her. The accused did not obtain work, however, and continued to patrol the streets. The defendant was unconcerned when sentenced- to twelve ' months' imprisonment. .■-,

In harmony with last year's . arrangement, the Salvation Army *are holding their memorial to fallen soldiers and Anzac celebration _on Sunday evening next, at the Vivian, street Citadel. Commissioner Hodder will conduct the service, and the building is to bo suitably decorated for the decasion. Amongst tho many; men who fell during the year aire included numerous Salvationists and adherents. At this service the organisation' will honour, their memory. Soldiers, in addition to the general public, are invited. Tho service is timed to commence at 6.45 p.m., and will be preceded by a procession from Dixon street, 1 headed by the Army's Silver Band . and tha flags of the Allied Nations.

An industrial agreement was filed yesterday between the Wellington City Council and the \~ellington Klectrical Workers' Union. The main points of the agreement are as, follow:—Salary linesmen Is 6d par hour, emergency linesmen Is 6d per hour, linesmen's assistants Is 4d per hour; a war bonus of 10 per cent, is provided for; a week's work is to be of 45 hours; overtimo to be paid at time and a quarter "\for the first txvo hour; and time and a half thereafter, all work on Sundays and' holidays at double rates; the usual holidays are provided for. Among the special provisions is a stipulation that ait workers arc to be supplied with a pair of best quality rubber gloves, also a life belt. The" agreement is to remain' in existence from April Ist till' May Slst, 1920.