NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10206, 17 February 1919, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Speaking last night at tho Alexandra Hall. Mr T. Brindle . said: "Liberalism never meant equality of opportunity. It means the strongest to tho front, iand the weakest to the wall."

Fire totally destroyed an old threeroomed house at tho corner of Eden and Dee streets. Island Bay, early yesterday morning. The house had been unoccupied for several weeks. The fire was first noticed by William Conlin, who immediately gave the alarm to tho brigade. "Ten million papers were issued from the Press in London last Sunday. There was not one that did not sing the praises of Lloyd George. Yet all that vast chorus proceeded from only four or five men, the intimates of Mr George," wrote "A.G.G." in the "Daily News," referring "to the recent elections in the United Kingdom.

A nasty accident happened yesterday to a man named Alfred Wright, living at 16, Hall street. He was riding his bicycle along Courtenay place, when the fork of his machine broke, and he was thrown face foremost on to tho road. Wright was removed to tho public hospital suffering from a broken jaw and other injuries to his face.

A kingfish, oft in length and Ift in breadth, weighing from 35 to 401 b, was caught on the beach at Paremata by Mr S. McKeown last Saturday afternoon. It is said to bo the largest fish of its kind ever caught in the Wellington district.

The Rev. Howard Elliott told a meeting in Masterton that he was convinced that the 'extinction of the two leading political parties in New Zealand was inevitable. He hinted that the P.P.A. would endeavour to formu late a policy and organise a political party.

During tho hearing of an obscene lan<nrage case on Saturday, counsel for the defence said that a little latitude should bo given to returned soldiers, who might use a little bad language when they came back from the war. Tho magistrate said that soldiers, when they came back to civilisation, must conduct themselves as civilised persons. ; The court did not desire to be hard on them after they had served their country, but they must not use £5 worth of bad language with impunity.

In the course of his address on "Socialism for Doctors," in tho Alexandra' Hall, last night,. Mr T. Brindle said that the work done by the men engaged in scavenging and rubbish removal was as important as, perhaps morn important than, that of the doctors, as far as tho health of the community was concerned. "The greatest difference between the two v clauses," said Mr Brindle, "was that the doctors had a stronger trade union .than the dustmen. The various medical associations were among the strongest trade unions in the world."

Florence Grace Ward, who was given her liberty when before the court recently for theft, on condition that she reported herself at stated periods to the Salvation Army authorities and refrained from drink, was brought before Mr F. V. Frmer, S.M., on Saturday for failing to carry out the order of the court. / The accused was given the choice of going to Pakatoa for twelve months or to the Women's Detention Home at Addington. Ward elected to be sent to Addington, and was sentenced to not more than two years' reformative treatment.

In the course of his address on ''Socialism for Doctors" last night, Mr T. Brindle quoted at some length from articles by George Bernard Shaw on tho medical profession, which recently appeared in tho "English Review." Ho also referred to an article in the same periodical by its editor, Mr Austin Harrison, on Mr Barker, who 'has achieved such wonderful feats in bloodless surgery in England, and who, daspite his truly wonderful cures, is still treated by the British Medical Association as a quack.

When Paderewski, who has been chosen first Premier of Poland, was leaving Now Zealand, a reporter from Auckland interviewed him- In the course of the questions, the scribe asked the music'ian in which town of Australia and New Zealand had tho audiences most impressed him, fully expecting that the reply would be-in Auckland's favour. "An!" said Padelowski, putting his hand on his heart and lifting up his eyes to heaven, "Wangarattal" "And in what way did the people impress and please you there?" "Well, you see,'" said Pade-' rewski, "it was the only town in Aus-, tralia—in fact, in the whole world—where nobody asked me to get my hair cut!"

At a meeting of the South Wellington branch of the New Zealand Labour party, held on Wednesday evening, the following resolution was passed: ' 'That the members of the Wellington South branch of the New Zealand Labour party views with apprehension the efforts of certain parties in their_endeavours to politically exploit the Returned Soldiers' Association, at present a non-political organisation. Wo are of the opinion that, should this effort meet with success, it will tend to perpetuate the class distinction already in I existence. The New Zealand Labour party is pledged to champion the interests of the working classes as a whole, returned soldiers naturally included." A young man named William Strange King pleaded not guilty to using obscene language and with assaulting Hayden llgar. a taxi-driver. The evidence for the police was that the accused engaged a taxi to and a friend to the Thorndon railway station. The taxi was kept waiting for ten minutes, and stopped by instructions on the'way to the station. The fare charged was 6s, and a discussion took place as to the payment of the fare. It was alleged that the defendant used obscene language to tho taxi-driver, and struck him two blows. This waß denied, and after hearing tho evidence the magistrate convicted and discharged King for using tho language, and fined him £2, with costs 12s, for committing tho assault. Mr P. W. Jackson appeared for the defendant. ■ Messrs Harcourt and Co. report that tho boat harbour presented a busy scene on Saturday afternoon, the occasion being the sale by auction of tho historio Red Cross motor launch. After a number of intending buyers had been taken for a short trip, the launch was offered. The bidding, which started at £SO, advanced briskly to £147 10s. at which figure the launch' was sold to Mr D. Robertson, of the firm of D. Hober.tepa and Sops. .

"Why should wo wait for an epidemic of disease before wo appoint sanitary inspectors? NVJiy should not doctors be appointed to superintend the sanitation of the town ?" asked Mr Brindle. at the Alexandra Hall last slight. An act of benevolence which is worth placing upon record was performed in Master-ton at the end of last week (says the "Wairarapa Ago")- A family of fourteen had been evicted from their house, and were applying to the Charitable Aid Board for a tent in which to reside on the bank of the river, as no other shelter was available. The chairman of the board mentioned the case to a Wellington business man, who immediately wrote out a cheque for £SO as a deposit upon the house. A local solicitor drew out an agreement for purchase free of charge, and the family are now provided with what it is hoped will be a permanent residence. The father of the family has expressed his deep sense of gratitude to the benevolent stranger, and will probably show by his conduct that the generosity has not been misplaced. Speaking at a conference at Wanga*nui, the Hon. G'. W. K.ussell said: "Some time ago I made a statement that this epidemic came in waves. We have had two waves already. The first' came, about six months before last October. Do I think there is going to be a third wave, and, if so, how should 'it be met? I am not going to express either a pessimistic or an optimistic opinion. This disease does come in waves, and it has been/reported that in London the disease had made its reappearance in a virulent form. There, fore it would be well to prepare and to take precautions. Tins was what the Government asked the people- tt, do, so that if the disease reappeared it could be crushed at once. Alreadj in some of the larger centres organisa. tions have been prepared to deal with any epidemic which might break out. The" first responsibility was on local bodies. Ho had been advised that "\\ anganui was-in a satisfactory condition and that it was a clean and healthy place. But even in towns like these there were places which would assist in any outbreak of disease. He suggested that in each town there should be a "clean-up" week. He would like to impress that point. Everything which would make a harbour for germs should bo cleaned up. It should be an organised effort."

Co-operative Labour on the waterfront is aimed at by the Watersiders' Federation, and at the recent conference at Lyttelton the idea received unanimous support. The official report of tho conference reads: "There is no doubt whatever that industrial Labour is beginning to demand a controlling voico in the industries. This demand is now world-wide; tho worker is refusing to be only the mere 'cog' m the machine any longer. Ho controls the machine which he operates, and he is now insisting to have a voice in the control of the industry. The casual waterfront labour system has always been looked upon as a problem too difficult for. the employers to handle. The casual labour system cannot, and will not, be solved by anyone but the waterside workers themselves, and the conference was unanimously of the opinion that one of; the first" essentials to solve the difficulties connected with the casual labour system on the waterfront was the establishment of union co-operative? labour. Of course, there will be many critics, and statements such as the waterside workers relieving the boss of ,-a,.,10t, of, his labour worries,, etc It -m9y' il be J truc' ; 'that the proposed scheme has some imperfectionß, but it must have a working trial before these imperfections are removed, ine present svstcm of casual waterfront labour is ag'olcl'as tho shipping industry, but can'anyone claim it is perfect. Can anyone- claim that it allows of much improvement as as the system remains m operation '( '