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Otago Witness, Issue 3881, 31 July 1928, Page 47

A question arose before the Arbitration Court at Auckland whether or not the Y.W.C.A. should be a* party to the private hotel employees’ award. The hostel authorities applied for exemption, but the union representative remarked that the hotel was charging £2 2s, which was considerably more than many private hotels secured. “Itis a bit difficult when these people branch out into other than their usual sphere,” remarked Mr Justice Frazer. The union representative said the girls working in the hostel had not received their day off until the hostel was brought under the award. A Y.W.C.A. representative said the girls used to get two half-days, and their hours were well under those of the award. The regular girls paid 18s 6d to £1 a week and the transients were charged £2 2s to help pay the way. “We know these - people have to go out,” said Mr-Jackson, union representative, “but it hardly seems fair to the competitive houses.” The court decided tb consider the position. The possibility of receiving a shock from a 400-volt wire was considered by the Waitemata Power Board at its last meeting as justification for instructing the engineer to disconnect all electric stoves of a certain type if such a course were found to be necessary. It was stated a serious shock .was liable to be received during the replacing of fuses, and if the board passed the stoves for use it ■would probably, be held responsible in case of accident. The opinion of the Public Works Department concerning the safety of the stoves in question is now being sought, and in the meantime the engineer was instructed to act as he thought fit with gtoves considered to be dangejous. For some weeks prior to last Saturday residents of the district surrounding Burnt Hill, West Oxford, had noticed the presence of a strange bird which caused consternation among the magpies and other birds. During the week-end (says our Christchurch correspondent) Master Richard Bassett shot , the unwelcome stranger, and so unusual was the colouring of the bird that it was forwarded to Christchurch for identification So far as can be ascertained at present, the bird is a species of hawk. It is about the size of a pigeon, the head being similar to that of a falcon, but the colottration is different from that bird, and resembles that of a copper coin. It is impossible to say whether the bird is a native of New Zealand or whether it has come from another country. People who have studied ornithology for years have been unable to classify the bird,- which at present is receiving ; the -attention' of the" Museum authorities.