NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10847, 12 March 1921, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The monthly meeting of the Makara County Council was held yesterday, Mr S’ Bryant presiding. The business was of a routine .nature and unimportant.

In order that as much water may be conserved as possible the Napier City Counc-1 has decided to turn off the supply nightly from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

At Ashburton legs of mutton are row being retailed at 7Jd per lb, forequarters at 6ld, and chops 6d. The prices for beef are:—Rump steak Is ad per lb, rib 3 Bd, and sirloin lOd.

According to the Sydney “Sun s special representative, “Chu Chin Chow” is to end in London shortly, after a recoi'd run. Mr Oscar Asche is rehearsing his new play, “Mecca.”

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning James Patterson was charged with trespassing on the Hutt racecourse, but on the application of the police a remand for one week was granted.

At a meeting of the Auckland. Women’s- Christian Temperance Union the committee reported that the building known as the “Abbey” had been taken for a hostel, and a very capable matron installed. A large number of applications had been received for accommodation. Iti was decided to hold the official opening ceremony as early in April as possible.

According to the February “Abstract of Statistics,” the index number for tlhe three food groups for the month of January showed a decrease of :uno points as compared with the preceding month’s figure. The decrease, says the Statistician, was not so marked as had been anticipated. Tlhe increase per cent, over July, 1914, was 78.13, against 78.97 for the previous month.

An ex-industrial School hoy, Moms Victor Wallace, aged 17 years (Mr P. Putnam) was brought before Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, at the Supreme Court yesterday, .for sentence for breaking and entering and theft of 17s, but after hearing counsel His Honour adjourned the matter until this morning, and instructed Mr P. S. K. Macassey, Crown Prosecutor, to inquire in the interim if the Education Depart-, ment would take the culprit hack at the school.

A man named Jack Mnllane had a miraculous escape from death at the Borough Council hydro-electric power works near Te Teko (Bay of Plenty). He was standing on a huge rock weighing about two tons, when it rolled down a slope. The rook continued rolling and went over a waterfall, while Mullane threw himself clear. He had several ribs fractured, one injuring his lung. 'He is in hospital in a serious condition.-

The Labour Party’s Amendment to the Address-in-Reply will be the subject of the Labour members of Parliament to-morrow night, when they all will take the' platform at the Empress Theatre. The speakers to-mor-row night will be, Messrs H. E. -Holland, M.P., J. McCombs, M.P., E. J. Howard, M.P., D. 6 ' Sullivan, M.PF. N. Bartram, M.P., W. E. Parry, M.P.', M. J. Savage, M.P. Mr P. Fraser, M.P., will occupy the chair. Petitions asking for the repeal of the compulsory closing section of the Shops’ and Offices’ Amendment Act, .were presented in the House of Representatives yesterday iby Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) and Mr T. H. Potter (Roskill). Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) asked if the Amendment Bill, given notice of by the Minister for labour (the H6n. <3. J. Anderson) the day before, would be referred to the Labour Bills Committee to hear evidence.

While a big deputation was interviewing the Prime Minister yesterday morning, Mr H. E. Holland, M.P. for Buller, whose hack was against the wall, happened accidentally to turn on the electric light switch while one of the members of the deputation was speaking. * “Excuse me interrupting,” said Mr Massey, with a smile, “but we are getting more light than usual from the Labour Party. Mr Holland, wpuld yon mind turning off the switch, please.”

A good word was spoken on behalf of the waterside workers by* Captain Holm at a meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. “The public seems to think that the watersider is far worse than he really-is,” he said; “but he is not as bad as he i 3 believed, to he. He is not a man apart, but an average, intelligent man. It is true that the extremist has got hold of him, but the attitude of the public towards him is driving him further into the arms of. the extremist.”

It is not generally realised how thoroughly the "Government has standardised the “Standard’’ boot. 1U standardised right down to the very squeak. On entering the presence of a prominent member of the Board of Trade yesterday, a visitor was accosted with, “Ah, you’ve got a pair of ‘Standard’ hoots!” “Yes,” was the reply, “but how did you know?” “Oh, I heard the ‘Standard’ squeak, ’ said the officer, who himself rejoices in a pair of “Standard” boots.

Mr T. K. Sidey (Dunedin Central) asked the Minister for Public Works in the House of Representatives yesterday, whether' the site for the proposed consumptive sanatorium in the South Island had been definitely cho- 1 sen; and, if so, where the site was situated. The Hon. C. J. Parr replied that the position is that the department is now negotiating for a site in the vicinity of Waikiana. He could hardly give the hen. member any further information at the present time.

A refund of £7 10s for excessive charges by a firm of, engpavers in the city has been ordered by the Auckland Prices Investigation Tribunal. After dealing with a complaint from Hamilton regarding an alleged excessive charge by a builder, the tribunal decided” to allow the matter to be settled between the parties in the Magistrate’s Court. An unusual complaint was that lodged by a member of a domain board against a fellow-member for having charged an excessive priro for doing work for the committee. The tribunal decided to visit , the town to take evi. dence. Consideration of complaints against a drapery firm, a 'timber merchant, and a country storekeeper, was adjourned, pending further evidence.

T.n view of the world-wide prevalence of pilferage of goods in transport, a suggestion recently made by the Ship, ping Department of the Federation of British Industries will be very welcome (says the Sydney “Shipping List”). The department proposes that goods should be packed in wire-netting, the parcels being formed into bales as usual, with hoop-iron bands on tho outside. With this arrangement the parcel would -have to be entirely opened up before any article could be extracted, and it is reckoned that the delay and difficulty of this process would seriouslv discourage pilfering. The extra cost .and weight involved'would be trifling in comparison with the additional protection afforded.