NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10512, 13 February 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Napier Harbour Board's War Relief Fund is m credit to tho amount of £835.

A Mastcrton butcher stated that if Sunday slaughtering at the abattoirs is discontinued, there will bo no beef available for tho public on Monday mornings during tho summer months. Ho assorted that beef killed on Saturday would bo green and unsaleable on Monday morning in the hot weather.

Hamilton, like Wellington, is to have the automatic telephone installed. The secretary to the department has slated that the “cut over” is scheduled for June nest, but will occur earlier if practicable. “Cut over” means tho change from tho present to the new system.

Although the Auckland Town Hall has not been erected more than about eight years (says the • “Star”), the stouo railing at the apex of tho triangle is beginning to show signs of wear. Part is to the attentions of heels and toes belonging to boots worn by careless youngsters, perhaps, but tho effect of tho damp chmato on tho friable Oamaru stone As also observable. When repairs arc effected a harder stone is to bo used.

That tho distribution of fruit throughout tho country is not on a properly-organised basis, and tbat while there may be a glut “in some parts, there is a great • scarcity in others, is proved by a letter whiclj, has just been received from Southern Taranaki, where it is stated that fruit cannot be got for love or money, and the little there is in the shops is selling at prices much in advance tfi last year, when it was thought tho limit had been reached.

“Tho workers are consequently groping in a sea of oblivion,’'’ was a remark which caused some amusement in tho Arbitration Court yesterday, when used by Air E. Kennedy, secretary of the Wellington Private Hotel Workers’ Union. Air Kennedy’s simile was employed in explaining the confusion created in tho minds of tho workers in his union through tho fact that when their previous award was made tlio'ro had been no definition as to what was a basic wage.

'T suppose, like tho high cost of Jiving, there is also such a thing as the high cost of dying, 1 ' smilingly remarked His Honour Air Justice, Stringer, in tho Arbitration Court vesterday, when Mr P. Levi protested against the amount claimed for funeral expenses in a compensation case. Tho claimant sought tho recovery from tho Union Steam Ship Company of expenses arising out of tho funeral of her husband, who died after an accident oU the wharf, amounting to JCIO 8s 6d.

Provision was made by the Wellington City Council last night for drivers of licensed motor lorries carrying up to 30cwt to charge 7s (id per hour as a hire rate, instead of Os per hour as formerly.

A Press Association message from Cambridge states that the election of members to form the electric power board for the district resulted in the return of Messrs A. W ilkinson, Wells/ Hammond, Harbutt, Fisher, Garland, White, and Martin.

At the Napier Harbour Board ahe chairman (Mr A. K. Jull) stated that ho thought preference should, wherever possible, be given to New Zealand-made goods. British preference was all right, but New Zealand preference was better.

The sale of Mason’s Gardens, the well-known and extensive property at Tnita, Lower Hutt, formerly belonging to the late -Mr Thomas Mason, grandfather of Mr T. M. Willord, M.X’., has been effected by Messrs H. F. McNeill and Co,, Lid., for a sum running into fivo figures.

“What about the fish market?” was a question put to the Mayor last night by Councillor 11. A. Wright, M.P. “As soon as you get Mr Massey to comply with my request to get us two trawlers .out from Home,” replied Mr Luke, “we will get the market going all right,’’

That permission to erect buildings should bo availed of by the applicants was made dear by the City Council last night, when it was resolved that a property-ownor at Carlton Gore road who had not availed himself of the permission granted him by the council to erect a motor garage be informed that his permit has now been revoked.

Tho City Council last night granted tho Finance and Property Committee authority for tho installation of public conveniences in various parts of tho city. The Mayor stated that, in addition to providing new conveniences, tho intention was to extend and improve tho ’ existing conveniences. Tho work would be carried out as soon as possible.

Members of the Petone Technical School Board of Managers think that the system under which technical schools are managed is capable of much improvement. Amongst matters condemned was the system of payments by capitation as against the Australian system of straight-out grants. Another matter mentioned was the want of co-ordination between primary and technical schools.

.Sunday last was the hottest day in Wellington this summer, when tho temperature .was 79.8 degrees, but tho humid conditions'that prevailed made it appear to be even hotter. On Monday morning at 9 o'clock tho temperature had dropped 16 degrees. At Napier on Monday the temperature was 77 degrees. Heavy rain fell in the night, which caused the temperature to drop 20 degrees, . A statement has been published in connection with the “Victory” l scries of New’ Zealand postage stamps that the stamps will be on sale for a short period only and are valid for inland correspondence only. This is not, coircct. The stamps will ibc Issued for an indefinite time; and they can be used to pay the postage on correspondence for any place abroad as well as for inland correspondence, and for anv other postage purpose.

With, tho advent of tho taxi motorcar, the death-knell of the horsedrawn cab was sounded, and year by year tho sight of this latter vehicle has become more of a rarity, cabstands disappearing one by one. Perhaps the last of these to fall into disuse was that situated in Johnston street, and now its authorisation has been cancelled, and an authority for a public taxi-cab stand for ten cars has been substituted. This aption was taken last night by the City Council.

At last night’s meeting of tho Hutt River Board tho overseer reported that a 6ft 6in flood had occurred during tho month, causing all work to cease, and jioing damage to one of tho punts. Three chains of willow work had been put in at Jones’s Camp at a cost of £9, while willow and cable work was being carried out near tho golf house, where a “scour” had taken place. Tho protective works were now m good order. He recommended the board to purchase a semi-Diesel engine for driving tho crushing plant. The report was adopted.

At a general meeting of the Wellington Licensed Victualler*’ Association, it was decided to appoint Messrs P. J. Griffen president, J. McDonald vicepresident, and F. J. Oakes secretary, to- meet in conference tho representative of the Hotel Workers’ Union, Messrs H. O’Malley, secretary, E. Kcilnody and J. MoGow, to discuss an increase in wages in tho form of a bonus to hotel employees. This conference was held yesterday morning, and after an adjournment until tho evening, tho settlement arrived at was unanimous and highly satisfactory to both parties, thereby avoiding any necessity of going before tho Arbitration Court.

The question of granting permission for the erection of a stable in Kilhiiv nic crescent was considered by tho City Council last' night. At a previous meeting of the council tho application was referred back to the by-laws committee, which had reported favourably, but last night tho committee again recommended that tho application be approved. Councillor Luckio said the committee recognised that until tho horse was eliminated altogether provision had to bo made for tho accommodation of the horse. Air Duke said ho was opposed to the application in tho interests of public health. When the motion was put to the council it was carried by 11 votes to 3.

At the branch meeting of the local Democratic party hold in tho Trades Hall last night, tho following resolution was passed unanimously:—“That this mooting of the local Democratic party expresses its admiration of thn splendid and .successful struggle of the Russian working class against tho pnwora of Czarism and military autocracy inside their own country, and the unscrupulous military intervention of the Allied trovornments in the domestic .affairs of Russia. It recognises tho stupendous task tho Soviet Government has undertaken, in reconstructing the economic and social fabric of their country, with armed enemies on every side ready to use tho most barbarous methods of cruelty ami force in order to defeat tho aims and aspirations of the Russian people in their endeavour to obtain for the toiling millions of that land a higher and frcccr life.’*