AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2111, 9 August 1894, Page 34

AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Auckland, August 7,

CHEAT MONEY FOR 'WORKERS.

The following are the particulars of the scheme of suburban holdings for our workers forwarded to the Minister for Labour under the auspices of the Knights of Labour. Evidently proletariats consider that as cheap money is to be provided for farmers, a portion of the golden honey should pass round, and town workers be provided by the Government with cheap suburban sections, cheap residences, and cheap workmen's trains. The following is the outlined scheme in the secretary's letter to the Minister for Labour :—(1): — (1) " That the Government obtain 2000 acres of land within one mile of a railway station on either the Waikato or Kaipara lines ; (2) that 1400 acres of this land be cut up into two-acre sections, fenced with four-wire barbed fence, and a four-roomed cottage building on each allotment— this leaves a balance of 600 acres for commonage and roads ; (3) that these holdings be let to town workers at a yearly rental of £6, or 5 per cent, on the cost. You will find by altering the time table of the people's train that the workers could come in by the coal train, and return home with the emp'y waggons in the evening, and could be carried at a small fare without expense to the Riilway department. From the foregoing rough heads of the scheme you will see for yourself what a boon this will be tor working men to have a home at so small a rental where he could raise crops to teed his family. He would feel himself more independent of the necessity of offering his services for a smaller sum than his fellow men to obtain his daily bread, as he has now to do. In the second year of occupation he could have his ton of potatoes stored or pitted, a pig in the sty, his cow running on the common, his few fowls, &c. I shall not trouble you with the minor details that would go to make this relief to the unemployed, as a man could fill up his spare time in cultivating his ground, and he would have a ready market for any surplus produce that he might have to dispose of. Trusting that this will meet with your favourable consideration, as an increase of customs revenue, by the increase of wages and comfort given to the unemployed, would be a great consideration to the Minister who could get this act passed. — I am, &c, Samuel Gascoe, secretary." >

DRINK AND TOBACCO A LUXURY,

Commenting on c csse under the Destitute Persons Act at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr Northcroffc, S.M., said hundreds of cases under that act that came into court were caused by the curse of drink. A man with moderate means, just sufficient to keep himself and family, could not see his way to deny himself drink and tobacco. Both these, Mr Northcroft said, were luxuries, and children must starve while their fathers indulged in drinking and smoking.

CHEAP FARES

The passenger traffic between Sydney and Auckland shows no sign of diminution, although ordinarily this is the dullest season of the year so far as that traffic is concerned. The travelling public are evidently taking the full benefit of the existing low rates of passage money prevailing.

WOMEN ON THE BUDGET PROPOSALS

A public meeting of the Women's Political League was held at the V.M.C.A to consider the Budget proposals. Mrs Daldy (president) presided, and there was a large attendance. Mr E. Withy moved—" That this meeting regrets that the present Ministry has reversed the non-borrowing policy laid down by the Ballance Ministry, as in the opinion of this meeting this reversal will necessitate increased taxation, and bring about most disastrous financial difficulties." Mrs Alexander Kerr Taylor seconded the motion. Mrs Collins moved as an amendment — "That while we regret the Government should have been obliged to borrow we endorse its policy in trying to benefit the masses, and consider it worthy of our support." After a wrangle the motion was declared carried, hut Mrs Collins denied this, and said it was nonsense. A resolution was also carried against the proposed Divorce Bill. The proceedings were somewhat lively, and sundry amenities were interchanged between the president (Mrs Daldy) and some of the lady speakers.

PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION'S

At the Board of Education a letter was read from Mr William John?, chairman of the Tenaho School Committee, relative to the recent case Wrigley v. Fisher, and asking if letters from a committee to the board re the conduct of teachers are privileged communications. Mr Johns stated that the case tried at the Supreme Court places school committees in a position so critical that the committee wished a written decision for their guidance. According to the ruling the committee will certainly decline to take any action against a teacher, no matter how just or how patent may be the ground for doing so. The committee would not feel justified in communicating to the board touching auy wrongful acts which teachers in their district might ba guilty of. No honourable men can be expected to serve on a committee on a condition so humiliating. Mr Cooper, solicitor, a member of the board, who is at Gisborne, forwarded at Mr Udy's request his views on the questions raised by Mr Johns. He said he could not see the slightest cccasion for school committees to be alarmed at the result of the action. He had an opportunity of heariog Mr Justice Conollj's direction to the jury, ar.d that direction was quite sufficient to protect auy committee who had acted in the bona fide exercise of their duty. As he understood his Honor, he directed the jury that the law was that communications from a school committee to the Education Board were, although not absolutely privileged, the subject of rules governing what lawyers call qualified privileges— that is, that plaintiff, in order to succetd, must not only stow Ih\t the charge communicated to the bojrd was untrue and without foundation, but that the committee or person againht whom the action was taken was actuated by malice against the teacher. In other words, if the chairman or committeemen, as the case might be, honestly believed in the truth of the charges communicated to the board, and acted in a manner they considered honestly in good faith to be in the interests of the schooj, then, however untrue the charges might eventually be proved to bo, the chairman or committee were entitled to a verdict. But if plaintiff succeeded in showing that these charges were not made from a proper mo'ivo, but with a desire to injure the teacher and not in the honest performance of tho duties of the committee, then plaintiff should obtain a verdict, and that the onus of showing rested on the plaintiff. Mr Coopf r concluded by statiug that 90 long as he was a member of the board he would oppose the ad< ution of any office rule which would have tha effect of keaping a teacher in ignorance of charges made against his or her character, or prevent the fullest investigation being made into the charge. He did not tbiak Johns or his committee had rightly appreciated the position. The board agreed to Fend a copy of the communication to different committees. A resolution was also passed thanking Mr Cooper for his valuable letter.