THE “UNITED” PARTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18591, 27 June 1922, Page 4

THE “UNITED” PARTY.

The resignation of Mr Statham, M.P., from the political party with the imposing name is announced this morning. Now that it has occurred, it is rather easy to see that it was, in fact, foreshadowed in his pre-sessional address last week. What Mr Statham’s intentions are it is more difficult to judge. They will doubtless be disclosed in a day

or two, and it may then be possible to estimate their quality. In the meantime, it is interesting to observe that Mr Wilford, the leader of the party from which Mr Statham has seceded, acknowledges the propriety of the secession. It is, he says, impossible for Mr Statham to see eye to eye with him. From this we may conclude that the alliance that was effected between them was premature. It might at least have been expected that they would have ascertained whether they could see eye to eye before they entered into their political partnership. Quito clearly, they neglected to do so. It is significant, moreover, that what Mr Wilford and Mr Statham have discovered as to'‘ their inability to agree upon political issues' has also been discovered by Mr Wilford and each of some five or six members of the old Liberal Party. For the United Liberal-Labour Party never cfcid attract to itself all the Liberal members of Parliament. A fair proportion of them have obstinately remained without its fold. The title which was adopted for it was in this sense a misnomer. Its leader, however, may console himself with the reflection that the smaller it becomes the more “united” it will be. But it will exercise little influence in the coming session, and, in all probability, still less influence after the general election.

The annual . meeting of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (the Plunket Society) will take place in the Town Hall on Friday afternoon of this week. A feature of the meeting will be an address by Professor Pringle. The Marama’s mail for Dunedin, consisting of 49 bags from the United Kingdom,, 38 bags from the United States, and 65 parcel post receptacles from the United States, arrived here last night, and will be distributed this morning. Last night 71 bags of English and Australian mail ex Niagara loft Auckland, and will arrive here on Wednesdy night. It will be delivered on Thursday morning. Mails which left Auckland per Makura on May 23 for London, via Vancouver, arrived at their destination on Juno 24. This is regarded ns a very speedy voyage. The matter of straightening the line at Pelichet Bay has been advanced a further stage. The subject came before the Works Committee of the Harbour Board last week, when it was pointed out that the Leith Canal would have to' be run right through to take the water from the Leith. There is a break in the canal at present, and the water rune away to Black Jack’s Point. When, however, the work on the wall at the point, is being proceeded with, there will be no outlet for this water. The viaduct near the Pelichet Bay railway station will require to he altered to enable the canal to be linked up, and there is a diversity of opinion whether the board or the Railway Department should pay the' cost (about £800). The Harbour Board has decided to obtain its solicitor’s advice on this important question. Following ia the return of infectious diseases in the Dunedin and Fever Hospitals for the week ended June 26: —Diphtheria—admitted 2, discharged 4, died none, remaining 16; scarlet fever—admitted 3, discharged v none, died none, remaining 7; typhoid fever —admitted none; discharged none, died none, remaining 1; erysipelas—admitted none, discharged none, died, none,'remaining 1. Total remaining, 25. The police were advised yesterday that two male patients escaped from! Seacliff on Sunday evening. One is about 24 years of age, 6ft in height, fresh, complexioned, clean-shaven, and dark-haired. The other is 40 years of age, and is the same height, with a fresh complexion, hair inclined to be grey, and a scraggy moustache. Both are wearing private suits of clothes, and the first is believed to have a fawn overcoat. Late last' night the police had received no advice that the runaways had been apprehended. One of the men has escaped bn two previous occasions. When in Wellington, Mr Maurice D’Oisly, of the Rosina Buokman-D’Oisly Concert Company, proved a very successful conductor of one of the large “community sings.” Mr D’Oisly has consented to conduct the weekly community singing at the Octagon HalJ. to-morrow, and with him will be associated the company’s solo pianist, Mr Percy Kahn. The Grand Theatre is to be used again for singing, and a special feature in the shape of a jazz band will be introduced there by the leader, Mr George Meams. The surplus collection this week will be handed to St. Mary’s Orphanage. Community fringing was launched in a modest way at Sawyer’s Bay on Saturday, when, despite uncompromising weather, conditions, over 60 persona assembled, and under the leadership of Mr Kettle sang heartily for an hour. Tile experiment was voted a complete success, and the singing will become a weekly affair.

A special meeting of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association will be held to-morrow night to consider the replies of the Wellington, Canterbury, and Southland Associations in regard to representations in reference to the Auckland proposals to alter the plans and specifications of the 14-footer yachts taldng part in the Sanders Cup contests. At present the class is a restricted class, but the new proposals are for a one-design class, leaving nothing to the boat builder, and, in effect, making the contests purely a test of seamanship. The whole question bristles with difficulties, not only from the fact that the great majority of the boats already built do •not comply with the proposed specifications, but from the fact that experts and builders declare that it is not possible to build a boat and ship it to another centre with a full assurance that when it reaches there it will fulfil the conditions. A knock on the trip would bo quite sufficient, it is said, to make the difference of an inch, and any variations would bo prohibitive. Only two of the locally-built boats are believed to comply with the Auckland suggestions. AH Hie others, including the Heather, would be ruled out should the proposed specifications bo adopted. The whole trouble about the Sanders Cup arises from the fact that when it was given to the Auckland Association no conditions wore attached fo it, and it is. of course, open to that body to impose whatever conditions it deems fit.

Recently the Portobello Road Board approached the City Council on the subject of contributing to the maintenance of the sea road to Portobello from, beyond the Anderson’s Bay bridge. No communication was sent to the St. Kilda Borough Council in view of the finding of a previous commission that St. Kilda’s contribution to the traffic over the Anderson’s Bay bridge was so trifling that it was not liable' to bear arty of the cost of erecting the bridge. The town clerk of Dunedin, however, wrote a Machiavelian letter to the borough suggesting a conference between representatives of the City and Borough Connells in order to come to some amicable arrangement as to the proportion of liability of each body, so as to avoid the expense of setting up a commission. St. Kilda councillor*, however, failed to see any necessity for a conference, in view of the finding of the previous commission, and it was resolved to write to the Dunedin town clerk to that effect. It was mentioned that the commission found that St. Kllda’a proportion of the traffic over the bridge was less than 2 per cent,, and one of the councillors remarked that he was convinced that more traffic came into St. Kilda over the road than went to Portobello from St. Kilda. It is hoped to commence killing at the Now Zealand Refrigerating Company’s works at Burnside this morning, when labour will be available to carry out team work. It is hoped to kill 400 cheep and lambs to-dav, but this output will be considerably increased when the work becomes easier to tbe men. It is stated that ihcre is nlcntv of labour available if the union men refuse io resume operations, and that the new method of killing and dressing the sheep will not present great difficulties.

The official count in connection with the Dunedin North by-election is almost complete, and the result should be known to-day. Up to the present, we understand, Mr J. W. Munro’s majority has been slightly reduced, Mr J. J. Clark’s figures showing an improvement. Cabled advice from Lord Weardale, chairman of the “Save the Childrfen Fund, London, conveys the information that Dr Armstrong Smith/ who is at present in Russia, will leave England about the end of August for Australia and New Zealand and will lecture throughout the dominions upon the situation in Russia. Some apprehension was felt as to the safety of Presbyterian missionaries, their wives and: families in China owing to the recent rising, but these fears have been allayed, cable advice having been received from the New Zealand Presbyterian Mission in Canton as follows: “Mission absolutely unaffected. Situation brightening.” When the high cost of living made its first appearance there was a person of foresight who betook himself to his tailor and there ordered suits sufficient, as he thought, to carry him through the siege to the pockets of the public laid by that voracious enemy of economy. The years went on, and that person was often heard to chuckle with conscious superiority as the outer clothes of man soared to undreamt of heights. Then, later, in the event of his store not being equal to his needs, he was given to announcing occasionally in public places that he had worn the suit at that; time adorning his figure for terms as lengthy as two years or more. To this person, or, rather, persons, it probably will not come, as news that suite have shown a material drop during the last few months. From what a Daily Times reporter could learn, this drop averages about three guineas for superior suits, and close on two pound® for suits of less quality. In this fall the bonus reduction in wages has played a small part equalling about half-a-crown on a suit, and the fall in the price of trimmings and of worsteds., has been mainly responsible. English advices are to the effect, that hand serges are finning, and that at least some of the local worsteds were raised- by a shilling a yard lost month. This would lead one to believe that the persons mentioned earlier in the paragraph, if there are still any holding out for a return to pre-war prices, would scarcely be justified in any longer resolutely refusing to lend ear to the entreaties of their families. A Wellington Press Association message states that the dispute between the Union Steam Ship Company and the Institute of Marine Engineers came before the Conciliation Council yesterday. The Union Company sought a new award, and an application was made to add a number of smaller shipping companies to the dispute. Captain Peterson, on behalf of the Shipowners’ Federation, applied for the exemption of small boats from the proceedings, and an application to add parties was rereferrpd to the court. As no agreement could be come to with respect to wages, this matter was also referred to the cqiirt for decision. An Auckland Press Association message ' says that a large general store at Silverdale, owned by A. J. Entrioan and Company, and occupied by Thomas Trebilco, the building including the local post office, was destroyed by fire on Saturday night. The stock was insured for £IOOO, the plant for £IOO, and the building for £IOOO. In the Supreme Court at Wellington (says a Press Association message) Mr Justice Hosking delivered the judgment of himself and Mr Justice 'Reed in a case in which the Nelson Law Society asked to have a certain barrister and solicitor restrained from practice on the ground that he was insane. The court held that as the solicitor in question had been practising for almost a year he should be given an opportunity of re-establishing his status instead of being immediately restrained from practising. The application was therefore adjourned till September next. The court added that it did not consider that the allegation of the solicitor’s neglect of positive duties to clients had been established. It is considered locally (says a Tauxnarunui Press Association message) that there is no need for excessive alarm over the non-arrival at Taupo of Mr P. Keller, Public Works district engineer at Taumarunui, and Mr J. Corlett, road overseer. The idea of their being lost is scouted, as Mr Corlett formerly resided at Taupo for some time,' and knows the district well. W. N. Ward, an ex-civil servant, who has been arrested on a charge of stealing Government documents, had been employed in the Government. Land Registry Office (says a Wellington Press Association message), and retired on superannuation on March 3L His duty was to receive documents, attach stamps, and pass them on to another officer. For some time past the office has been receiving inquiries about deposited documents, of which no trace could be found, and it is alleged that ISO documents were found at Ward’s residence. Hq is charged on three counts of stealing, concealing, and obliterating. Ward appeared at the court, and was remanded till July 5. Bail was allowed. An invitation by Miss Netta Keates to attend an “extended evening” in the Coronation Hall, St. Kilda, was well responded to by her present and former pupils last night. A jazz 'band- was in attendance, its playing considerably enhancing the enjoyment of the function that was experienced by all present. A Press Association telegram from Westport says that at a meeting of the executive of the Duller Progress League strong exception was taken to an intimation that an export charge of 9d per ton on coke and coal was to be imposed. This would carry with it the 40 per cent, charges imposed for -war revenue purposes, making an additional 4d. It was stated that these two charges were going to have a serious effect on the existing coal mines, and also mining development, in view of the attempts being made by Australia to capture tlie New Zealand market. The executive resolve 4 to invite the Mayor to call a public meeting of protest. _A correspondent writes to the Southland News as follows; —“The peculiar psychology of some of the freezing works strikers at Ocean Beach is that they will not work at their own trade, but nevertheless have been endeavouring to take the bread and butter out of the mouths of their co-unionists, the Bluff watersiders, by obtaining work as wharf-lumpers. So far they have not succeeded, but it would be ironic if they were employed to load frozen mutton.” “And now I want to discuss my own position with you,” said Mr S. G. Smith, M.P., in an address at New Plymouth. Ho affirmed that next to a good Government the most important thing was a good. Opposition. The Opposition to-day numbered 32, and some, outside of the Labour Party, had discussed the question of whether these various sections of tho Opposition could work with a little more cohesion in order to offer constructive criticism to the Government. The speaker had been asked to join the United LiberalLabour Party, but had made it quite clear that he would attach, himself to no party without first consulting the people who had sent him to Parliament. He proposed to give general support to the United Liberal-Labour Party,, for he believed they would work for the good of the country; but he was not going to be a party hack, a, mere voting machine, as some of tho Government’s negative members were, in order to serve the ambitions of some party leader. He would not join the Labour Party, the so-called Reds, for ho had no confidence in their leaders. Tho thoroughness of tho Scottish character was exemplified at tho last meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board (states the Star). The chairman was explaining tho splendid work done by the nurse in one of the out-districts. She has only been in the dominion a year, and has tackled tho problems of her work with such determination that ehe has learnt to ride or drive a horse over the roughest roads so that she might visit tho sick in the most obscure parts of the district, under her charge. “She must be Scotch,” whispered a member. “Yes,” interjected the secretary of the board, “she is an Aberdeen lassie.” “I knew it,” exclaimed a member of the board, who had spent many years in Aberdeen, and the medical superintendent of the hospital, who graduated at Aberdeen, wore a smile that was good to see, and members smiled ell round.

A Wellington Frees Association message says that the Berhompore Club last night discussed the Mouat case aijd decided, in the interests of football, to take no fur* ther action and to withdraw all allegations against the referee. A judgment: debtor who appeared in the court recently showed -a . fine appreciation of the value of wastfe materials, states Thursday’s Taranaki Herald. In the course of being examined he stated he had made a gramophone out of keroeene tins, which was worked by a weight. He had received an offer of £SO for the piece of mechanism, but a death had interfered with the transaction and he still had the gramophone. The amount of the debt in the case included the cost of some records with which it had been intended to give the machine a good trial. Later, when asked if he owned the house he lived in. he stated he did not. He lived in a small whare in the coastal district, the structure being built by the debtor principally out of kerosene tins. No older was made in the case. ,