NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11046, 1 November 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Tliere is considerable feeling throughout the Mauriceville and Hastwell districts of Wairarapa against the proposed rural mail services charge, and a petition l is at present in circulation, to be later forwarded to the Postmas-ter-General. The finance committee reported to the Wellington War Relief Association that notwithstanding the unexpected receipt during the year of considerable sums of money, the available financial resources, at the present rate of expenditure of £20.000 per annum,' will not suffice to enable operations to continue for more than two, arj perhaps, three years. “It is a well-known fact that thousands of carcases of mutton have been sent to England -during the past twelve months that should never have left New Zealand,” said Sir Walter Buchanan at a farmers’ function held at Carterton. “The fact was that the freezing companies had to accept what was given them in respect to labour, while the meat was shockingly handled at the docks.” “The psychology of a man that commits a crime does not akvays run along regular lines,” said Mjr justice Hosking in the Supreme Court yesterday. It was not the first time that he had heard of a man coming batok almost immediately after to' the spot where the crime was committed,; very often it was done to disarm suspicicft. On the other hand, it was hot a fair deduction of innocence if he did' '-come hack. “Men have risked thedr ‘liberty for less than, nine shillings,” added His Honour, addressing himself to the charge before him. “It depends on how hard-up they may be.” Rather a knotty problem was‘brought before the Southern Hawke’s Bay provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union by the secretary (Mr H. S. M. Quigley), who said it had been suggested to him that the union should take steps to da something to protect farmers from purchasing rejected cows at the various saleyaads. A member suggested, that they oould not do anything in this matter until there was a little more honesty among the farmers. The president pointed out that there was to be a meeting of the Stock Auctioneers’' Association shortly, and. he suggested that the matter be referred to the auctioneers. It was decided to ad-opt-this course. A case of considerable public interest was heard in the Hokitika Magistrate’s Count, before Mr Meldrum, S.M., when William McLean was charged under the Fire Brigades Act Amendment Act with failing to supply the Hokitika Fire Board with information required in connection with a fire on defendant’s premises in Re veil street on August 3rd, 1920. The defendant did not appear, and was not represented. The evidence showed that repeated, application had been, made to the defen-' dant for information, but there was no response. The magistrate said the offence was a serious one, and .he convicted jand fined defendant £2O, with costs. i

A steamer containing 4300 tons of phosphates from Nauru and Ocean Islands arrived at Auckland last _week. The Citizens’ League has received the sum of £1474 13s to date towards the fund for providing work for tho unemployed. In the Reel o’ Tulloch competition at the Labour Day sports, Miss Olga Seamen won the first prize, and Miss Maggie O’Connor second. The dancing of both performers was highly praised. The “Mercantile Gazette” notifies that the capital of the Mangatainoka Co-operative Dairy Company hais been increased to £4OOO by the creation of additional capital to the amount of £2OOO into £1 shares. The rails' and sleepers for the East Coast railway are now coming to band. There is at present about twelve miles of track ready for the rails, which will carry the line past Eskdale. A native witness at the Hastings Magistrate’s Court stated that his only income was £l2; per year, and on this he kept himself. This led a lawyer to ask how the native was able to buy the clothes he was wearing. The native replied that he had had the clothes for at least seven years. Wanganui ratepayers have responded very well to the council’s demands for rates. Last Wednesday was the final day for payment, and nearly £3OOO was received. Out of a total of £47,975, rates amounting to £33,700 have been paid, leaving a balance of £14,275 yet> to be collected. • 5 , During the month ended yesterday there were three bankruptcies filed iu Wellington, making a total of sixteen for the ten months of the year. In the corresponding period of last year there were eight petitions filed altogether,' and one in the month of October. At 'the request of the Industrial Association, the Wellington Technical College workshops, Mercer street, will ’be open for inspection by visitors to the exhibition bn Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings in this week from 7 to 9 o’dock, when classes can be seen at work in mechanical and electrical engineering, carpentry, plumbing, and art metalwork. An official return shows that the number of savings bank accounts opened in the Wanganui postal district (which embraces Palmerston North), for the quarter ending September 30th, was 1124. Hie number of • -accounts closed in the same period was 988. The amount of the deposits during the quarter was £319,445 la, and the withdrawals £334,905 2s 7d. ( The question of urging the Railway Department to accept standard weights of goods packed in packages of recognised' size was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. A committee consisting of Messrs A. W. Press, C. M. Bowden, and the secretary (Mr Vickery) wae set up to interview the chief traffic manager in the matter. According to_ statements made at yesterday’s meeting of the Wellington War. Relief Association, several cases have come under notice lately of exsoldiers Bent out here from England, who have been unable to get suitable employment. A case was mentioned of a man who had fought with the Irish Guards, was in every way a fine type of immigrant, was enticed here by hopes held out of a better land, left a comfortable position, has been unable to gef suitable work here (he is partially disabled), and is now endeavouring to return to England. ' Mr M. Copeland, Vice-Consul for the Netherlands, lias received notification that British overseas travellers will npt now he required to have their ; passports vised, by the consul at; the port of departure if they intend to visit Holland. That applies only to British travellers from overseas. They 'will, however, be required to show the vise of the passport for the country 4 to which they are going. A traveller witbooitt such a vise will he permitted to remain eight days in Holland, and then compelled to leave, as one whose papers are not in order. British subjects arriving from the Continent will, on the other hand, be required to have their passports vised: The new regulations re British oversea travellers, applies to all classes. The value of the timber industry to New Zealand was demonstrated by Mr Mclntosh Ellis, _ director of Forestry. Captain Ellis said that the sawmilling industry stood second on the. list of employers for the Dominion, over 35,000 people being directly dependent on it, and its pay-roll totalled at least £1,500,000 per. annum. For the last year the total value of the production was £3,750,000, and for the previous year £2,200 ? 000. The industry, with its capital investment of £2,100,000, was second on the list of industries, and its value to the worker was shown by the fact that the wages bill accounted for a greater proportion of the production value than that of any other industry in New Zealand—6s per cent. The prevention of fraudulent manipulation of cheques has always been a matter of anxiety with traders. Bankers say that, one of the easiest cheques to alter is one drawn for eight pounds, which may be converted into one for eighty pounds by the simple addition of a letter “y” and a. nought. A case of this kind came before the Supreme Court yesterday. It was" alleged that, after the ledger-keeper at the bank had “franked” the cheque for payment, it was altered in the manner stated, and presented, the higher amount being paid. Mr Justice Hooking told tho Grand Jury that the ledger-keeper indicated the oorrect amount on the back by a code word, but the teller was possibly too busy at the time, and paid over eighty pounds. The young man oharged with the fraud did not appear when his name was called. An eight-hour day for hotel employees, which is universally in force m Australia, baa resulted in higher rates , and worse service, according to a recent visitor to that country. The accommodation, ' and particularly the table service, had gone back immensely, and higher tariffs were in operation. Good, moderate hotels were charging 25s a day, and Is additional was imposed if the guest wanted morning tea or a.sandwioh for supper, and for having the morning paper brought to him. a service hitherto performed gratis by the house, 2d was added to the bill. Bub the hotelkeepers were not tho only people affected. Boardinghouses were being closed and converted into . flats. Manufacturers and merchants wore holding meetings to try to obtain an extension of the hours of work granted by the Government, otherwise they would be compelled to cease operations. One man now employing 2600 hands had signified his intention of closing down immediately tho proposal for an extended working day was refused, and had stated that he would be better off in that case than in running his works under the existing condition*?. „

Tar ia now being sold at 8d per gallon in Masterton. At one time it IVaa retailed at 4d. Tire streets of Petone were left in darkness last night, causing a gpod deal of inconvenience to residents. “When I hear Sir Walter Buchanan speak of hie record of 34 years for education, I feel that I stand in the presence of one of the veterans of education. It makes me feel quite a young man,” declared the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, in opening a new school at Te Ore Ore. Complaint was made to the Petone council -'asti evening that pn Sunday there was not sufficient water in the main to enable the Presbyter ian Church to use t-lie church organ. The borough engineer said that the main in the particular street was 4 inches in diameter, and in order to give the required pressure it would be necessary to shut off the water from the rest of the town during church hours. Councillor Hartley said last evening at the meeting of the Petone council that unless the officers of the council carried out the orders issued by the council he wctald move that they be replaced by others. Councillor Hartley was referring to an employee who came late to work and left early. He gave notice to move that the services of the man in question be dispensed with. Two thousand tons of sugar arrived in Lyttelton by the s.s. Ivanna, and delivery will be given to-morrow or Thursday, but none of it will bp sold before November 7th. The shipment is the first of the “cheap sugar,?’ which will be sold retail at 4Jd from November 7th. Up till then, the Government's decision, merchants 5 and grocers will have the opportunity of clearing the old sugar. The new shipment of Colonial Sugar Company’s sugar, is of 1A quality, and brewers’ crystals. “I have been a worker' all my life, and never, to my mind,' has there been a time when it is more needed than now,” said Sir Walter Buchanan." at the opening of the Te Ore Ore school on Saturday. “The Minister for Education, when he speaks ot' work, and urges its gospel, is on the right track. As a Minister and politician he shows a very valuable example. Too many Ministers stay at headquarters, and do not see enough of the wants of the country districts.” The history of the disappearance of the indigenous forests of New Zealand was touched upon by Mr Mclntosh Ellis, director of" Forestry. He mentioned that in. the year 1840 there were 30 million acres of land carrying merchantable timber in New Zealand, while in 1021 there were probably seven or eight million acres of usable timber. The question as to what the country had got out of the difference was answered by the fact -that less than 1 per cent, went into building homes and Tor other uses, the balance' having gone up in smoke. Fire, he said, destroyed ten times as much economically valuable timber as the sawmiller, while last year the value of forpsta destroyed by fire was over one 'million pounds, Substantial progress has been niade by the British Enemy Debts Clearing Office with the settlement of pre-war debts due to British creditors. In all 76,822 claims, amounting to £52,604,924 have been submitted to the German Clearing Office, and £27,639,524 have been paid to British creditors. In addition, £8,781,469 have been paid to British nationals in respect of the liquidation of British property in Ger - many. Many of the remaining claims have been either, rejected or referred to the Property Bights Section of the Clearing Office for'settlement. On the other, side of the account, claims have been received from Germany amount-, ing to £49,179,608, in respect of which £9,280,652 have been credited to Germany, the balance being either contested or accounted for by moneys received by the Public Trustee from traders in the United Kingdom in. discharge of their German debts or derived from the proceeds of German businessec ordered to be wound up. These funds are not being paid over to Germany, but held as security for the payment of outstanding British claims,