NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10138, 28 November 1918, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

A motion to dismiss the action William Herbert Brewer against the Northern Coal Company (Auckland) was mentioned before tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) yesterday. The matter was ordered to stand over till November 29th.

The Telegraph Department notifies that to-day telegrams may be accepted at the ordinary rate for all offices in the North Island, but telegrams for offices in the South Island are to be accepted at urgent rate only, cables excepted. AH offices will continue to close at 5 p.ra.

Sub-Inspector Mcllveney, in his capacitv of inspector of clubs, paid a surprise visit yesterday to several clubs in order- to ascertain whether there was any breach of the Public Health Act that at present, during the epidemic, applies total prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors without a medical certificate. It is understood that, no breach of the Act was detected.

Mr H. Hunter, secretary of the Federation of Labour, wrote to tho Prime Minister urging tho rfght oi organised Labour to be represented by a Zealand, delegation to the Peace Conference. Ho has received a reply that the letter has been placed before Cabinet, which is now considering the question of the representation of New Zealand at-' the Peace Conference (reports the Press Association).

The Repatriation Bill was already prepared, and would be brought down shortly, stated Sir James Allen (Minister for - Defence), in i meplyi -to a question put in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi). The bill, added the Minister, dealt with the question of repatriation in a thoroughly all-round' manner, not merely, as the hon. member had feared, with the settlement of the soldiers on the land.

A waterside worker who was suspected of having been pilfering cargo ‘waS'^appfeheiided l ' on The wharf at 4 p.m. yesterday -by Constable Graham, who, however, had to avail himself of the assistance of Sergeant Mathieson and Constable Anderson, as the suspected' man did not submit without a struggle. He was found to have a strange assortment of new articles of wearing apparel and foodstuffs secreted in his clothes. The accused will bo brought before tho court this morning. The Ashburton County Council, at its annual meeting yesterday, carried a resolution: “That this council expresses its strong opinion ■ that the delegates from this Dominion at tho Peace Conference should urge that the Central Powers be made to defray tho expenditure which the Dominion Government has now incurred, and, further, the council hopes the delegates will insist on the German colonies in the Pacific not being handed over to cncir rormer possessors.”—Press Association.

The term “Bolshevism,” as applied to certain Labour men in New Zealand, was referred to by tho Hon. J. T. Paul in the Legislative Council yesterday. In taking exception to tho use of the term in the manner referred to, Mr Paul said bo did not agree with tho excesses of the Bolsheviks in Russia, but in tho case of revolution they must expect excesses, particularly amongst a people who were liberating themselves from tho thraldom and gross cruelties of Czardom. To refer to the Labour leaders as Bolsheviks was a most discreditable method of criticism, and was not likely to help tho hotter government of this country.

Replying to a question asked in tho House of Representatives yesterday by Mr H. G. Ell, member for Christchurch South, tho Hon. T. M. Wilford (Minister for Marine) said that ho thoroughly approved of the suggestion that, in view of the splendid work done by the motor-boat patrols and by other small craft during tho war, the Government should give special help in the direction of creating small boat harbours round the coast of Now Zealand in order to encourage seafaring amongst the community. Ho did not think, however, that the Government should indiscriminately make grants to boating dubs for such a purpose. Ho thought that tho Government itself should prepare a national scheme. lie realised that after tho war submarine bases might bo needed in different parts of tho Dominion. Mr Eli asked: “Will tho Minister have a report prepared on tho matter?” Mr Wilford replied that he had been going into the question with his chief departmental officer, but had not yet got to tho extent of asking for a report.

A woman named Kathleen von Cant, who was found in a helplessly drunken condition in Tory street, was not able to appear at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Tho defendant was remanded for a week’s medical treatment.

Of 84 constables on the city staff there are 56 suffering from influenza.

"Labour is a fine Question ; it is too fine for anv man to handle.” remarked the non. J. Tom Patuki in the Legislative Council yesterday amid hearty laughter.

“I sincerely hope the Government will in the near future go in for a veryvigorous policy of building workers homes,” said Mr J. P. Luke in the House last evening.

The Mayor wishes to express thanks for the assistance given by the Victoria Laundry in washing the linen of the various hospitals during the present crisis.

A question of which notice "was given In the House ot Representatives yesterday by Mr J. Vigor Brown, M.P. for Napier, was as follows: “Whether the Minister for Defence will instruct his officers to expedite the discharge of Main Body men who have been four years at the front and are now being kept in camp here, whilst others- who have not been away at all are being discharged?”

Replying to Mr W. A. Veitch in Parliament vesterday the Hon. T. M. Milford (Minister for Marine) assured members that the amended legislation and new regulations arising out of the report of the Waterside Commission were not being lost sight of. Before anything could be done, however, the House must pass an amendment to the Harbours Act. He felt sure this would be done. Mr Veitch said there was considerable anxiety amongst waterside workers as to what the Government intended to do.

The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) heard a petition in divorce yesterday, in which Harry Gill, cook, sought a dissolution of his marriage with his wife, Mary Gill, on the ground of desertion. Mr H. E. Evans, who appeared for the petitioner, stated that the parties were married on March 23rd, 1908, at the Registrar’s Office, Wellington, and afterwards lived together at Featherston and Wellington. A child was born in 1909, and in 1911 the petitioner’s wife deserted him. His Honour granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, and the petitioner was granted custody of Hie child of the union.

During a speech of the Hon. J. T. Paul in the Legislative Council yesterday, the Hon. G. Jones interjected that drink was tho trouble with a great number of working men. “Insobriety is not responsible for the poverty of the working man to the extent which the hon. gentleman thinks,” replied Mr Paul. “It is responsible for the poverty in some homes, but how does my friend explain the poverty in homes where drink does not enter?” Mr Paul attributed the cause of most of the indigency to the fact that working men did not receive wages commensurate with the high cost of living and to the fact that exploitation was practised on too great a scale by some traders and combines.

“I notice that there are six charges of drunkenness on the charge-sheet,” said Mr F, V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday. “Where did the defendants procure tho liquor?; ..'Have! they found a secret spring somewhere? I suppose it is not much use asking the men where they got the liquor?” Inspector Marsack replied that probably the men had found a back way in, and they were practically aiding and abetting an offence if the liquor was obtained from a hotel. “If there is a secret spring, many persons would like to know its location,” added Inspector Maranck. The .magistrate asked two of the defendants where they procured tho liquor. One replied “From a friend off a ship,” and the other “From a secret spring.”

Exploitation in things necessary to save human life was severely condemned in the Legislative Council yesterday by the Hon. J. T. Paul. “I think it is deplorable,” he said, “that any class of trader should resort to this kind of thing.” Sometimes there ■was an excuse for a rise in prices, but even where there had been no excuse the price of commodities had increased enormously. Take the question of the drugs. He himself had purchased a mixture, tho prescription for which he gave to tho chemist. The cost of the ingredients was something like ono shilling, and he was charged 4s. It seemed to him that some of our traders had lost their moral sense. He believed there should be a law against this form of exploitation, with tho provision of a severe penalty in the case of anyone found guilty.

Would the Minister for Defence arrange for the immediate return to Blenheim of tho demobilised soldiers from that district? asked Mr M. McCallum, M.P. for Wairau, in the House of Representatives yesterday. Some of the men. he stated, had been tied up in Wellington for practically a week tor want of a steamer. It had been suggested that they should bo allowed to travel bv tho cargo steamer Admiral; but tho Marine Department, it seemed, was so tied up with red tape that nothing had been done in tho matter. Sir James Allen said that he would be very pleased to arrange for the immediate return of the men to Blenheim. The Hon. T. M. Wilford denied that tho Marine Department was tied up with red tape. They could not. however, allow tho Admiral to he used for the purpose suggested because. as at present manned, she was not safe for such use.