THE OAMARU MAIL THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1920. THE TROUBLES AHEAD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14007, 11 March 1920, Page 4

THE OAMARU MAIL THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1920. THE TROUBLES AHEAD.

If Mr Massev's political bed is one of roses, it is so thickly bestrewn with thorns as to be rendered uncomfortable. It is nota place for rest "on repose, and rarely' has a Prime Minister been so completely beget with difficult problems calling aloud for solution. Those problems ' -cover not only the broad field of legislation, but the whole area of industrial/ life, and each succeeding day adds'to the volume of demaud alike in scope and insistence. The whole burden,, moreover, .seems to be falling upon his broad slioulders,and he must surely be well on the way to a recognition of the general weakness of the colleagues with whom he has surrounded himself. Possibly, however,- Mr Massey believes himself equal to the task set him. Certainly none wilf envy hint his job. and all will be prepared to give him a full meed of praise if he should, come through the ordeal successfully.' But at present there is nothing to indicate that he will do so, for he has so far done little towards tackling' the unrest in the Public Service,.which, it must be granted, presents many conflicting and perplexing points for adjustment. It is becoming- apparent, that he cannot . long dally with, the claims of the ra ilwaymeri, who are not in a.mood to brook much further delay in arriving at an-acceptable linder standing. Aii acute position has, • in fact,_ been reached, and there are not wanting indications that the men may at any time resort to drastic measures in order to force ■■ consideration of.. their demands. There is; already sonie talk of a strike or the adoption of a "goslow"' policy as a- means of bringing matters to a head.' but it is to be hoped that wiser. : counsels will prevail, and 'that, enduring a little-more ipatien-ee, the railway service will trust to the pressure- of- public opinion ensuring a more complete examination of "j their position, and the .meting out of justice. ." Anything: : in the' nature of an interruption of 'the railway service at the present time, when grain lias to be carried expeditiously-'and l aiid l&ss'- : from- exposure . ; aVpidedj would, be exceedingly unfortunate', 'and- inflict widespread^injury upon people : who ,«r'e v in' no way parties^to the dispute.; So far - as--the trouble with- -the- master bakers is coneerhed,VMr Massey has succeeded, in, removing that from his. path ; in the meantime, tire bakers'; having consented to:accept for a .month's trial his.suggested smaller advance in jjifie- \ priees : of ; bread 'than they,.; deem necessary- v to leave' them a-reasonable margin of profit. -The final settlement ;of the question will, of "COTirse, depend upon the? month's experience.' What the ultimate result : will- be cannot/be guessed" at with ;any degree 'of certainty. . What"•' we do 'know. r -is: that the'advaiiee in" the Sprice -of bread rested solely upon the: riserhv-the price of flour then the prides of bread tentatively.- accepted' r would.' fully. - compensate the : bakers. - But; there, is something more to be taken into account. •The .lnaster liakers claim 'that Since the price of the loaf was previously fixed there have been" a, substantial increase in the cost of coal, a very large ad-' vanee in the price of malt, and an increase in. the cost of delivery. Of course these thing® add to the cost of production, and what remains to be determined is whether or- not the advance in bread prices will .suffice to coves that greater outlay as well as tlie higher price of flour.

A well attended-meeting of St. Paul's branch of the P.W.M.TJ. was held m the Wear Street Hall yesterday afternoon, Mrs Hall presiding. Musical items were contributed by Miss Allen and Miss Ironside. It was decided to hold a "market" on Saturday, March 20, with a* View to augmenting the funds for the medical mission in Canton and India. ""-A special appeal lor support, on account of the adverse e:.chango rates ruling at present, which have seriously affected' the funds of the mission, is being made. A collection in the room realised the sum of £l2. "Full of the efforts being" made by the ladies of the branch will be advertised later. -. •

We l?eg to draw the attention of all ladies in North' Otago who are willing to assist the. Fete Committee'with the difficult' problem of' catering to an advertisement in this issue giving particulars of'the baking competition. Entries for this will be glaclly received 1 . Same arc freehand all-entries'sent in become the property of the •Committee. *

We are ii£u<eo<Jip<i fromjJie DpiuiiiisJn ; tatistietailis Officejof the-N«w/2ieaiaiid-Ifficial Y<kr Book, whic»,' s as.T«faal; contains u, mass of information of value or "reference purposes. ' ~* - - 'XheiattentioiiiOr_6ur v "Tsouutry ridersssue legarding .donations* to the pro s " uce stall bemg held in',.connecti.>iK rith tht Gaiclen Fete., An ttfewUiepy ten, ci: the Cdiuiu Council hare gteed to J take chaige oi \\\l donations.. Rom their respective ridings., tfw oim- t ult\ oi transit is not e.wessive. These 'entleiiieiLCwith -Mr .las.. Mc'Lami Coiuitv Clerk) and" Mt .l.i.s Hodman Fete Secretary), will he glatl to )uilish any needtni mtorinatioii «Xeed ve urge upon our triemhj m North )tsgo the uetessuj ot helping m a vofthj object" On Fnda\ night, m St Paul «, Hall. iVear stieet. the prizes won bj the ■hildren in. connection with the Scfipuie teathmg in the State Schools will ie presented Items will he rendeier! ij the childien. This k a function has always attracted .' laige aulience. and u* ciowded hall i«*Tooked or. A liber.il collection is hoped tor to pay the cost ot pitze-,. w ln< h is somewliat greatei than in pioMous lears, owing to indiea«ed pines v ot books. The Tenth Regiment Band will gne a programme of must' m the Oamaru Gardens-to-morrow. toimnpiuing at 7.45. The programme will ho_ principally dance music. A collection will ho taken up Two first offenders ioi drunkenness were before Mr A. Fiasei. .) P at tho Court this morning. One who did not appear, was fined tl and Ibe other 10s. A v special meeting ot memheis of tins branch oi the New Zealand. Farmers' Union will be held in the Wifitaki Council Chambers on Saunda\. at 11.30 a.m . foi-the ptirpo=e or considering the proposal that Sn 1 homas Mackenzie's service's should he letamed in London to look altei the interests of Dominion producen The deport ot delegates to the Wheat Conference will also be j-eceived. The following rinks will represent Phoenix against Meadowbank on the Phoenix gieen on Saturday —Dawson, Chisholm, John Reid, Abel (s), Wansbone, Hon. Geo. Jdttes, Fiaser, "McLaren (b) ; Gifiham,' Murdoch, Booth, T. Herron (s); : Salmon, D6vey,'-F-

""What we want in New Zealand is moie Liees," &aid Mr E S Pees, a Palmeraton Noith buHiness man wlio li.it. pist icturned from & visit to England, fco a Times leporter 'That is what niaites England so beautiful, her wonderful tiees Not onh should all the pnncipal streets be planted, but there should bo trees moie abundantlj about the farms Jn one town we viMted, a bcheme had been mauguiated foi ,the planting ot a rnemoi ml enuo to the fallen soldieis .Each parent 01 relation promised a tiee and a plate at the loot recorded -the s name " r

To-daj \ Otago Dailv Times states that the Wheat Controller has deiTiitely stated to the Dunedin millers that the Government has commandeered stocks as-from February 29, .arid has given milleis peimission to sell fioiu bian and pollard at the new prices ftxed for the current year. Bakers have been permitted to advance the price of bread to cover the increased cost. Owing to the 1 steadilv advancing prices ot raw material the price of peail bailey has been raised to £35 per ton. Rome \er\ l.nge sums aie repoited to have been made by various freezing i companies out ot tallow lecenth Theie is an "all sunk" price allowed b\ most of the companies foi the_ of stock sent in for freezing, and foi tallow, up till recenth, this was something undei £1 pei cw t (vjs the Otautau Standaid) Owing to the shipping scarcity huge stocks <st tallow have accumulated at 4 thc woiks throughout the Dominion and it was no uncommon sight to see mam hundreds oi puncheons stacked along the railway sidings at the \anous woiks The companies were well pud foi the hold-up, Is iats of evei\ »oit were kept soaring all throgh the wai penod Considerable shipments weie got u\a\ throughout 1939, and the fortunate companies aie now leaping a iich haivest Oiio tompanj is ciodited w itli cleaimg high up in six figuies, and with a sum in excels of its entire paid-up capital The Wellington coiiespondent oi the Otago Daih Times telegiaphs —The estimated ;>ield of wheat foi the season 1019-20 is 29"10 bushels pei acre, aud ot oats 38 35 bushels pei kip The actual aveiage \ield&. last sessioh weie 3157 and 39 87 respectneh In accoidanco with the atuno estimates the total jield oi wheat foi the Dominion ■-houkf be approximately 4 100 000 bushels. as against an actual Meld of 6567,629 bushels foi the season 1918-1') The percentage of the oat crop thrashed in 1918-19 was 35.44 __ Or the total aiea under that ciop assuming that a similai pioportion is thiashed this -\eai the total yield of grain, should be 5,575,000 bushels The oats tin ashed in the pievious season Yielded 6 884 600 bushels The Otago Land Bqaid sal ill yesterdaj to heai applications h\ <-oldteis for financial assistance The membeis of the Board piesent weie Messis 11 T Sadd (Chief Commissioner), J Smith, 6 Lmngstone, and T A Munro The applications to be dealt with numbeied 52, and the majotm of these weie gianted The leniamdei will be con«ideied this morning attei which the oidmar\ business of the Boaid will be proceeded with The funeial vesterda-v of the late Mi James Smith, a retuined soldiei who met his death h\ accident at GladbrooU a Middlemarch, was -sei\ largelj attended, leturned soldieis mustering well Captain Opie was in ehaige, and the sen ice was conducted b\ the Rev W McLean, M C The coitege was headed In the 10th Begiment Band, plaMiig alternately the Dead March m -'Saul" and Beethoven's funeial march, wlule Lieutenant Fox played the Last Post at the clo«e of the. seivicc The clearing sale to be held to-nioi-romat noon on_Mi Allan Hunter's faim at Kokoamo should be attended by a large number of farmeis. as the whole of the stock and implement'- ju foi sale The stock comprises Romnev stock ewes diaught horses, and a laige \auety of implements, dnns, and sundnes winch aie in good ordei and are now difficult and costlj to pi ocui e new . His Excelle»c\ the Go-veiiioi-Genoial will be met at the iailwa\ station :n 2 15 p m on Saturday and welcomed In the Ma\or and office]s of the local authorities His Excellency is on whit is practically a huewell toui of the Dominion A w cll-attended meeting of the Duncdin branch of the Wailak-i Old Bovs"* Association \mw held at the Y M C A Booms last night (says Llie Otago Dailv Times). the President (Mr E. E. Clowe*) being i" the. cnair - T"* (,1:) - leet of th 6 meeting was to further the, preparations which are being made for the monster reunion of Old Boys, which is to take place in Oamaru at Easter, and considerable enthusiasm was shown, which augurs well for the success of the gathering. , An exceptionally powerful winding engine was recently installed in a coal pit in Northumberland,' England. Tt is driven by electricity and is capable of raisin"-'l5O tons of coal per hour from •n depth of.9oo_,feet. The latest tvpen of electric signalling apparatus have been fitted, along with safety appliances to control the travel.of the cage. This large plant, which in manv of its features is the first of»its kind in Northumberland, "was designed by the. engineer to the,coal pit. A new type of .road repair equipment, has-been^ produced bv a leading British firm. Tt consists of an electric battery-driven truck on which is mounted a compressed air .plant operated "by an electric-motor. Currents con be t>upplied to the motor either from a storage battery or from the street electric main?. An air receiver and a special water-cooling arrangement are supplied, so thart no separate water supply is necessary. The frame carrying th©'motor, compressor-,' receiver, and water "tank can be raised 'on four and the electric-, truck can'ds used for other purposes while the' equipment is at work. Special' tvpes of pneumatic tools fro supplied for breaking up road foundations and for tamping, tn%~ speed of operation being far in ' excess* 'of .myfhing possible with maJiual*labor,