NEWS OF THE BAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11048, 3 November 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE BAY

Advice to hand from London, it is said, indicates that the market for cotton goods appears to have touched bottom. Several lines of manufactured articles are now quoted higher. In accordance with the Government’s policy of retrenchment inaugurated with a view to bringing expenditure within revenue, the staffs of several Government departments are being reduced somewhat. On the motion of Sir John P. Luke (Wellington North), the House of Representatives called yesterday for a return showing the number of domestic servants among recent immigrants, and the relative proportion to other, imipigrants. On the motion of Mr A. Harris (Waitemata) a return is to be presented to Parliament showing the amounts that have been paid annually into the Public Account for the years 1908 to 1921 under the provisions of the Unclaimed Moneys Act, 1908. Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) moved in Parliament yesterday for a return showing the rotal amount put through the tdtalisator for the financial year ending March 31st, 1921, and for the racing year ending July 31st, 1921. The motion was carried. ' At the instance of Mr O. J. Hawken (Egmont), the House of Representatives called yesterday for a return showing the amount now loaned under the Advances to Settlers Act (a) on rural lands, and (b) on urban and suburban homes. The M to Z Petitions Committee has referred to the Government for favourable consideration the petition of M. J. Sinclair, Christchurch, praying for a compassionate allowance in respect of the services of her late husband, Robert Sinclair, of the Lands Department. While in Australia, Lord Northcliffe laid stress on the advisability of ericouraging the immigration of youths from the United Kingdom. Mr H. J. Manson, New Zealand Government representative in Melbourne, remarked yesterday that recently a batch of fifty boys from one of Dr Barnardo’s Homes in England arrived in Australia. They were, he said, of a very fine type, and received a most cordial welcome at the hands of the authorities and the citizens. In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington South) presented a petition from Ernest Edward Edwards, of 67, Waripori street, Wellington, praying that he be granted a pension commensurate with his disability until he is able to earn his own living. The petition set forth that, while on active service in/ France, the petitioner was bufried by the ’ falling in of a trench and had to be dng' out, as a result of which he suffered from a nervous disability which precluded him from earning lys living. Early in June last he was examined by Colonel Fenwick by the direction of the Pensions Department, and later was granted 10s per week final pension for'.six months. A section of the report- of Mr F. Milner to the Minister for Education deals with the proportion' of female and male teachers in California. “The feminisation of the teaching staffs,’’ ho says, “is not to New Zealand ideas a commendable feature. At the secondary school stage the boys, at any rate, need the tonic effect and reactive power of experienced male teachers. This applies to classroom work as well as to field sports. The following are the figures:—Kindergarten, men 0, women 100 per cent.; elementary, men 10, women 90 per cent.; junior high school, men 30, women 70 per cent. ; senior high school, men 70, women 30 per cent.; university, men 90, women 10 per cent. “The commjttee is of opinion that any claim, the petitioner inay have would be of a moral nature against the Imperial Government, and It recommended that the New Zealand Government should again submit his case to the Imperial authorities, with a suggestion that t-be same be reconsidered. Such w;as the report made to the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by the chairman of the Defence Committee (Mr W. 8. Glen, Rangitikei) on the petition of Leo Sim, of Brooklyn, praying for payment of an amount alleged to have been short paid for his military services in the late war. Petitioner, while serving with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt, Volunteered for a commission in the British Army, and was accordingly transferred to the Imperial service. The possible effect of the wage rate “a. industry was referred' to yesterday by Mr H. J. Man-son,- New Zealand representative in Melbourne. Working men in Australia, he said, were cheerfully facing the world-wide problem of reconstruction, realising that everybody is in the same boat, and will have to pull together to ensure a return of normal conditions. In many instances they haye accepted a reduced wage, as was seen in New South Wales, where the basic wage was fixed at three shillings a week lower than the rate previously ruling. Prospects for the coming season were remarkably good, added Mr Manson. A record harvest was expected, and, if wheat maintained a reasonable price, the anticipation of the Federal Treasurer (Sir Joseph Cook) y that Australia “had turned the comer” would be justified.