HEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10541, 18 March 1920, Page 4

HEWS OF THE DAY

Tho election of school committees is to "be held ou April 28th.

A conference of Education Board architects is to be held in Wellington on March 21th.

Tho secretary of the Telegraph Department advises: "Pacific reports Canadian lines intermittently interrupted; delay Homeward traffic 36 hours."

It was reported at yesterday's meetinn- of the Wellington Education Board that Mr A. W. Burns would succeed Mr Stuckey as inspector, and that Mr G. McMorran was appointed inspector for n month.

In common with other business houses, the office of the Wellington Stock lixchange yesterday; observed St. Patrick's £>ay, as a close holiday. Consequently tho daily quotations are not published in to-day's issue of the "Times.''

The charge against Mary Sybella Webster of having stolen a ring valued at £l4, the property of Jane Flynn, was again called on at the Police Court yesterday, but on the application of tho prosecuting authority an adjournment until Wednesday was granted.

It was mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board that aoino of the country schools had been closed on the day of tho licensing election; the school buildings having been commandeered, though perhaps only one vote had been cast there. Members thought that this should 'be protested against.

At Rotorua the magistrate fined B. C. Lowry £SO for failing to eradicate rabbits on his property at Taupo. Tho inspector stated that he warned tho defendant three times. The adjoining settlers had cleared their land, which J Jia defendant's property was infecting. Tho defendant pleaded guilty, stating that a friend had undertaken to clear tho land, but could not obtain the labour.

The Commissioner of Taxes draws attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in to-day's issue that returns of land must be furnished not later Ulan April Bth. Forms of return may bo obtained at any postal moneyorder office; they will not be sent to taxpayers from the office of tho Commissioner of Taxes unless written application is made for them. Lessees in occupation of land owned by natives are now required to furnish a rctujn of land so occupied.

A Christchurch retail dairyman recently came in conflict with the authorities for the third time, and was fined £SO for selling milk below tho standard. Now the by-laws and finance committee of the Christchurch City Council has cancelled his license to sell milk within the city. The two previous convictions against this dairyman were for selling milk of poor quality, and for obstructing a Government inspector in the exercise of his duty—on that occasion- the retailer tipped his milk into the 'side channel.

The British High Commissioner at Constantinople has called the attention of the Ottoman Minister of War to the fact that damage has been done recently to certain British cemeteries in Gallipoli, and that His Excellency has caused disciplinary action to bo taken in cases in which Turkish soldiers were the offenders. In order to prevent further acts of desecration and to facilitate the work of the Graves Registration Units, the G.O.C. of the Black Sea Array is sending Serbian Guards' into the area.

An extract from tJho annual report of :tho Wellington Grocers' Union states that the master grocers of Auckland made th<jir organisation one of much more value to its members than was the case in Wellington. The president (Mr H. D. Bennett) was of opinion thait the union should aim for a better qervioe in the future. In that connection tho following may perhaps be kept in mind: Regulations of discounts, prices, and trading terms; combined buying in certain products; keeping of a register of employees; and the establishment of a common fund wherewith all canvassers' claims might be met.

Speaking at tho annual general meeting oi the Wellington Grocers' Industrial Union of £tiipioyers, the president (Mr H. D. Bennett), referring to labour conditions, stated that tho incoming executive would be called upon to meet unrelenting pressure from the Shop Assistants' Union for still better conditions'. It is no secret, ho 6aid, that the aims of the union are earlier closing, no late nights, and a continuous Easter holiday. ''A recent order of tho Arbitration Court granted a further rise in wages, now tnaking tho basic wage £3 12s 6d for .adults, plua 4s per week bonus with pro rata increases' in tho scalo for juniors. (Wiis makes tho second upward alteration in our award of March, 1018, which was dated to expire In March of this year."

Some good advice to returned soldiers was given by General Birdwood in a speech in Adelaide recently. He said they wanted to get Tid of tho apathetic spirit among sonic of the wounded men in Australia. It was desirable they should be urged to do some littlo thing for themselves, and not to live on the country for the remainder of their days, as some appeared to he content to do. If they followed tho regimental histories of the last-named, they 'would probably find they did nothing during the war. . They wero the few who gave many a had name. Generally speaking, however, the returned men were doing their best. The associations should urge them to keep up the spirit they displayed in the war.

(Many thanks- to tihosc |who have given money and put forth a helping hand, and to those who in the future will give, for money must be found to carry on (says the annual report.of the Wellington Discharged Prisoners Aid Society). It is a r.-ork, that is not much heard of. ."Still water's run deep." In the days gone by the old Pharisee*, when they <li<] a. good *ct, got on tho house-top and blew a trumpet, called the people together, and then told the people how good they wore. But this society is out to help the fallen. They need the reader's holping hand. These gentlemen on 'the committee (His Honour Sir Robert Stout, who is ovor ready to help tho fallen, also our worthy magistrates und our solicitors) meet'in the judge's room and see what can be done to help thoso who are coming out of prison. They all give of their money freely, and' the solicitors ofttimes take cases in our courts and do it without charging, when some young maji or woman has got into trouble aad is without mojiar. or friends.'

Th edeparlure of the Mceraki from Wellington for Sydney has been postponed til 3 p.m. to-morrow, -ur 10 nonsenb et{4 }ci[i poi[de.i soq J»4

A visit of inspection to Government workers' dwellings schemes in the Hutt Valley was paid yesterday afternoon by tho Hons. D. H. Guthrie and J. G. Crates.

A cablegram from Melbourne states that the Government has depided to utilise the Lithgow Small Arms Factory for .the manufacture of tools, to compete in the open market.

Some fine amaiteur photographic studies, the work of Mr Charles Watson, are on view in the -window of the Kodak Company. They comprise snapshots of a- tame panther and a lion cub, the l property of Sylvester,.a vaudeville performer, recently appearing in Wellington.

A request that soldiers should be allowed to acquire tho freehold of endowment lands was made to the Minister for Lands (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) by Colonel Allan Bell and Mr L. M. Lane, a North Auckland deputation. Mr Guthrie stated that Cabinet was considering the question, and it would probatly receive attention next session.

A suggestion made this week to Sir William Fraser {Minister for Public Works) by Colonel Allan Bell and Mr L. M. Lane, a North Auckland deputation, was that a definite Government subsidy should bo fixed for all loans raised by local bodies for road construction. It wa§ urged that the prevailing uncertainty with reference to subsidies made it very difficult to place a clear-cut loan scheme before the ratepayers. In reply the Minister stated that it was tho policy of the Government not to commit itself for more than a, year ahead; and the question as to whether that policy should be altered was one for Cabinet to decide. •

Speaking at the women teachers' mooting laat night on the training of instincts, Professor Hunter said there was a great tendency to-day to develop the military aspect in. education. He considered this wrong, for dress it up as they would war could not be other than brutal. Civilisation meant the overcoming of the brutal instincts in man, and was it wise to stimulate the brutal element in man by military training in schools ? When, the forces of brutality were relatively strong the forces of wore relatively weak. The teacher should make the child love peace and its work and hate war.

The importance of completing as soon as possible the North Main" Trunk railway from the present railhead at Okaihau to Awanui, with a branch line to Whangaroa harbour, was urged upon the Minister for Public Works on Tuesday, by Colonel Allan Bell (president of the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce) and Mr L. M. 1/a.ne (of the Whangaroa County Council). The suggestion was made that the whole work should be let by contract with -a time limit, or that the people of the district should be empowered to establish a company with a capital of £2,000,000 to complete the line, subject to due control as to the rates of freights and fares and to the rights of the State to take the line over ou a compensation basis. Sir William PVaser stated that a policy question affecting the whole Dominion was involved, and he must therefore'submit' the matter to Cabinet, which he would do at an early date.

The report submitted at the annual meeting of the Wellington Poultry. Pigeon, Canary, aad Cat Socioty this week showed that the organisation is in a sound financial position, and that the art union sales promoted by tho New Zealand Championship Association wei'o most successful. A large number of entries had been received for tho annual show from all parts of the Dominion ; but a few, unfortunately, had had to be cancelled owing to the railway "cut." Votes of thanks were acoorded Air A. Guthrie for judging, to Messrs Brown and Cussen (the Government poultry instructors) for judging the utility poultry section, to,the donors of trophies, and to others who had assisted at tho time of the show. After increasing the secretary's honorarium by £lO, and making provision! ror trophies and "cash specials," a'credit balance remained of upwards of £6S. The report was adopted. l