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Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 3

The extent to which the tribal system of the Maoris obstructed and narrowed their outlook was mentioned in an address last week by the Rev. H. J. Fletcher, who recounted an experience he had when endeavouring to extract from a Maori in the Taupo district information about a tribe that had lived there before the arrival of the Arawas. The man was the eldest son of the eldest son of the family in an unbroken line reaching back to the captan of the canoe Tainui, which had formed part of the great migration from Poly nesia, and he was convinced that a member of his tribe had been the first in the Taupo district, while it was definitely known that that distinction was due to another tribe altogether.

“ Since the United Government has been in power there has been nothing but alterations in rules and regulations, and how they expect a backblocks farmer to keep up with all the changing requirements I don’t know,” said Mr J. R. Cullen at the meeting of the North Canterbury Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Wednesday, when a circular from the Dominion bead office on the unemployment tax came up for discussion “We can’t carry all the Acts round with us,” he continued, “ and we can’t keep a special lawyer to give us advice. They expect us to have a different little book for each man every few days. It seems that the more complex it is the better they like it, and they enjoy keeping the farmers guessing. A little simplicity would be a great thing.” The chairman, Mr Colin M’lntosh, said that it was even harder for the big city firms who had hundreds of employees, as against the one or two men in a farmer’s employ.

The following motion by Mr J. D. Hall will come up for consideration at the next meeting- of the North Canterbury Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union:—“That in view of the openly ex pressed decision of the Russian Soviet Government to overthrow the non-Com-munist governments, and especially those of the British Empire, by means of propaganda and dumping their products into England and her overseas dominions at prices with which it is impossible for us to compete, this executive strongly urges the Government to prohibit the importation into New Zealand of the products of any Soviet country. It would be advisable to take the matter up with British farmers and seek their assistance.”

The intention to compete in the transTasman yacht race, which will probably be held in January next from Auckland to Sydney, is expressed in a letter received by the secretary of the Akarana Yacht Club, Auckland; from Mr F. J. Bennell, of Melbourne, owner of the yacht Oimara, which competed against the Teddy and Rangi in the race from Auckland to Sydney last March. The Akarana Yacht Club has given a trans-Tasman Cup as a perpetual challenge trophy for races for pleasure yachts between Australia and New Zealand. There is a special rule to deal with vessels having auxiliary power, and another rule which states that races shall be from the home port of the 'defender, and in the case of the challenger coming from the other side of the Tasman Sea the race shall finish at the home port of the challenger or any other port that may be mutually agreed upon by the contestants. The Auckland yacht Aorere is to take part in the race. It is possible that there may be other competitors, including a yacht from the South Island.

The first parade under the voluntary system of the 12th Field Battery for inspection by the brigade commander (Lieutenant-colonel J. G. Jeffery) was held at the Central Battery on Wednesday evening. After the general salute had been given, Colonel Jeffery, accompanied by Lieutenant-colonel A. S. Falconer, Major O. H. Mead, and Captain P. Spiers, carried out the inspection, and congratulated the men on their appearance. He also referred to the fine war record ~>f the battery and to the traditions the men would be expected to uphold. These remarks were endorsed by Colonel Falconer and Major Mead, after which a display of gun drill concluded the parade.

The tendency in New Zealand to farm the land market instead of the land has been noticeable for years,” said Mr Will Appleton, in an address at Wellington. It is estimated that in about 10 years almost half the occupied area of land in New Zealand changed hands. People always speculate for a rise, never for a fall. The provision of cheap money by a beneficient Government, and probably too generous finance by other lending institutions, were anything but a blessing in this respect. Land is worth no more than what can be obtained from it, and our farming community can reasonably ask that values should be recast, and the prices of their holdings fixed upon a productive basis which will enable the holders to feel some confidence.”

The deletion of the word “sterling” on documents describing New Zealand money is a practice that has been adopted by the banks in the Dominion, in line with the procedure being followed in Australia in connection with Australian money. Some banks are deleting the word “ sterling ” in the ease even ot cheques and drafts drawn on London, although in this case the term, really applies. The word “sterling” is properly applied only to English money, but its use in the past as a description of New Zealand and Australian money was not of any moment, since a state practically of parity existed. Now that the position is different, it is feared that the use of the word might give rise to misunderstandings, and its discontinuance m New Zealand was decided upon as an outcome of the Australian position.

The Lang faction of the Australian Labour Party has extended its propaganda activities to New Zealand, and 'printed copies of a verbatim report of a speech delivered by Mr J. T. Lang, Premier of New South Wales, at the West Melbourne Stadium, on April 14 last, are being distributed in Christchurch. The pamphlets (says the Christchurch Times) were printed at the office of the New Zealand Worker, but no information is available as to who paid for them in the first place. The New Zealand Labour Party, so far as is known, has not adopted the Lang plan for the repudiation of overseas debts as part of its policy, but a number of prominent members of the party have expressed agreement with the main points of the plan.

One of the principal sources of revenue to the Otago Acclimatisation Society is the sale of trout ova and fry to other societies, and the extent of the trade in these commodities is clearly indicated by the fact that 200,000 fry hatched from ova supplied by the Otago society were recently liberated in the streams and lakes of southern Hawke’s Bay and 50,000 were liberated in the northern part of the same province. It is reported that, despite the long distance between the source of supply and the final homes of the fry, the results obtained have been very satisfactory.

A deputation representing the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand is to wait on the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) according to a deBion of an executive meeting of the association on Friday, to urge that the Government make representations to the. British Government to protect British shipping against foreign competition, such as that offered by the Matson Line by retaliatory measures of prohibition.

Authority has been granted by the Works Committee of the City Council to obtain quotations for 100 tons of bitumen for street surface sealing purposes. By purchasing in quantity rather than in small lots a considerable saving in expenditure can be made. Au important civil case, fixed for hearing at Oamaru this week, has been settled out of court. This was a case in which G. O. Taylor, E. E. Yardley, and N. S. Muirden claimed damages from J. S. Divers in connection, with a motor accident. The amounts claimed were: G. O. Taylor £2500, E. E. Yardley £2500, and N. S. Muirden £937 13s 6d.

The following statement has been handed to the Press Association by the Mayor of Hastings (Mr G. F. Roach): “ The unemployed position io so acute in Hastings at the present time that I strongly urge- workers from other places not to come here in the hope of obtaining employment. Workmen, skilled and unskilled, are still unable to find work in Hastings, and we have at present over 800 on our unemployed list, the largest percentage so far as I can ascertain of any town in the Dominion.” The Management Committee of the Auckland Cricket Association has decided that it is not in favour of permitting clubs formed entirely of old boys of secondary schools entering its grade competitions. The committee agreed some time ago to recommend the admission'of King’s College Old Boys into the Senior Grade competition, but an application from the Mount Albert Old Boys’ Association last •week was declined. It was considered that the entry of old boys’ clubs would seriously weaken the existing clubs. The general manager of railways (Mi H. H. Sterling) states in his annual report that observation cars were introduced on the Auckland-Rotorua express service and maintained throughout the cummer months. There was, however, no general demand for this type of car, and the patronage afforded it was very dis appointing. Owing to lack of support, the cars were withdrawn again at the close of the summer tourist traffic.

The big Tawa Flat railway tunnel was pierced on Thursday. Drilling was commence in February, 1929. The progress of widening and concreting will depend on circumstances, but should not take more than two years, and the completed railway should be ready for handing over to the Railways Department by the end end of 1933

The Dominion Executive of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which has expressed its opposition to the attitude of the New Zealand Alliance regarding the postponement of the licencing poll, passed a resolution urging all its members, and all women, to take special note of the voting in the House on the Bill, pointing out that many members went into Parliament pledged to vote against any extension of time between polls. )

The Suggestions and Inventions Committee, says the general manager of railways (Mr H. H. Sterling) in the course of his annual report, dealt with 1042. suggestions during the year, as compared with 1414 during the previous year. Of these. 106 suggestions• were recommended for adoption, either wholly or partially; 301 referred to heads of branches were already in operation or related to policy matters; 583 were not recommended for adoption; ' and 56 are under trial or investigation, and have been carried forward for future consideration. Where a suggestion has been wholly or partially adopted, due acknowledgment by monetary award or otherwise, as the circumstances appeared to justify, was made to the person responsible for the suggestion. Of the 106 suggestions recommended for adoption 14 were in connection with improvements to rolling stock; 12 were in connection with workshop equipment, 19 referred to matters connected with the way and works and signal branches, 25 related to traffic operation, while the balance dealt with general matters in connection with railway working. In connection with the functioning of the Suggestions and Inven tions Committee, the name of the person submitting any suggestion is never made known to the committee. This procedure ensures that suggestions received from employees in the lowest ranks of the department will receive the same considera tion as suggestions that may be submitted from any other employee however high he may be in the service.

With the approach of the end of the spawning season, the Otago Acclimatisation Society’s trout stripping operations are now almost concluded. The stripping season has been a successful one, about 4.000,000 eggs having been secured from various streams and lakes in Otago. The hatchery at Waitati is dealing with a large proportion of the ova, many of which will be used to fulfil orders re ceived from other societies. It is antici-pnt.-d that about 1,500,009 young fish will be aiai'ald’ later for distribution in Ctugo waters.

With a view to reducing the expenditure on benevolent relief the North Canterbury • Hospital Board decided on Wednesday, that men working on relief works for three weeks should not be granted relief by the board in the fourth week unless the family circumstances are exceptional. It was reported that the expenditure on benevolent relief for the past four months had amounted to and taking this as a basis for the year the vote would be over-expended by £19,714. “Reviewing the conditions which have obtained during the past year in respect of transport generally, and at the same time having regard to the fact that circumstances do not indicate that an improvement can be anticipated in the immediate future, the prospects for the incoming year from a business point of view indicate that it is likely to be a difficult one, says Mr H. H. Sterling, in his annual report. “ The natural tendency in trade is to ease expenditure largely by restricting operations,’ consequently transport returns must be affected thereby, and with the slackness in trade urging road operators to maintain their position increased competition will result. Indications are that more frequently irresponsible people are attempting to make a livelihood from road carrying operations;- this in turn forcing established road carriers to reduce their costs to a minimum, which again must seriously reflect upon rail transport. The efforts made to combat road competition have been effective to a certain extent only, inasmuch that the system of reducing rates and providing increased facilities has enabled us to hold a portion of the transport business, but, with the increasing competition being encountered from day to day, and the absence of any control of the situation generally, the position will obviously tend to become more acute, and this position will be intensified so long as the railways are faced with subsidised road competition.”

“ There is a great deal of work going begging in coal mines on the West Coast,” stated Mr G. Maginness at a meeting of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee in Christchurch recently. “ I would like to know how many miners from the West Coast are registered in Christ church as unemployed. The Minister of Railways has been badgered in the House for importing Australian coal at a time when we have thousands of tons of coal buried in this country. A scheme might be evolved by which men walking the Christchurch streets could be employed on the coalfields.” It was agreed that the "position should be investigated by Mr F. R. Climie, a member of the Unemployment Board, who was present at the meeting. A proposal has been ■ submitted to officers of the public service that they should pay their income tax by instalments, to be deducted from their pay monthly until the date when the payments become due in February next. All the higher-paid officers of the public service have been circularised to this effect, and they are asked to indicate whether they are agreeable to the payment of their income tax in this way. It is understood that at- present the Public Service Commissioner is bbtaining an expression of opinion only, and that the scheme will not be put into effect unless a majority of the officers agree to it. The income tax payments will fall due on February 8, 1932, and 21 days’ grace is allowed in which they can be paid. The assessments of tax will not be sent out for some time yet. An ambitious" scheme —to walk from Auckland to the Bluff, or vice versa —is contemplated by two Christchurch men who have come “up against it,” but are determined to make the best of a bad job. They intend to make their long tramp a publicity campaign for New Zea-land-made goods, and will wear, eat, and lecture on the products of their country while on the road. Several Christchurch manufacturers, approached by the men, have offered support, and provided the Manufacturers’ Association gives them a good reception, the trampers will set out on their mission of patriotism. On the trek, they hope to get assistance from the mayors of the towns that they pass through, and will try to secure halls in which to give their lectures. Both men are fit. One has been an athlete and the other is a boxer, and, although they are not out to set up new records, they hope to make good time on the 1200-mile road.

A short time ago an action for probate in solemn form of the will of the late Sir George Hunter was before the Supreme Court.. .Pending the final determination of this action, concerning the validity of the will, an order has now been made by his Honor Mr Justice Blair appointing the Public Trustee administrator of the estate.

Nearly 14 years after the Battle of Messines, in which he wag wounded, Mr S. L. Dickey, of Morrinsville, recently had several pieces of shrapnel removed from' his knee, where they had remained because the army surgeons could not get them out. In reply to his claim for refund of hospital and surgeon’s expenses, amounting to £7 13s, the Pensions Department has advised~tbat it can only refund expenses for eight days in hospital at public hospital rates of 9s a day, and cannot entertain the claim for surgeon’s expenses. The consequence is that, nearly 14 years after the battle, Mr Dickey will be £4 out of pocket as the result of his wound. The Morrinsville branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association will probably press the claim further. Warning signals have been installed at 13 level railway crossings during the past year. A number of existing level crossing alarms have been equipped with modern appliances and in some instances changed from bells to flashing lights. The total number of level crossings now fitted with warning devices is 122. Anomalies in the scale of charges made by the Postal Department when issuing postal fiotes have been removed in the new scale. This action follows an agitation, first by Auckland, and then by the Associated Chambers of Commerce. The new scale eliminates previous anomalies by issuing a wider range of postal notes than previously. The new notes are available in denominations of every sum containing an integral number of sixpences from one shilling to dTie pound. Mr Justice Kennedy has granted probate in the following estates; —Archibald M'Neish, of Dunedin (Mr A. C. Stephens); James Donaldson, of Dunedin (Mr G. J. Kelly); Johanna Doyle, of Weston (Mr H. J. S. Grater); Donald M'Lennan, of Maori Hill (Mr R. S. Brown); Margaret Willocks, of Balclutha (Mr G. J. Kelly); Ralph Carse Barclay, of Kaitangata (Mr G. J. Kelly); and Susan Fraser Cameron, of Stirling (Mr G. J. Kelly). Letters of administration were granted in the cases of Thomas Glass, of Ratanui (Mr G. J. Kelly); Helen Allan Kinross, of Gibbston (Mr C. H. M'Kay); and Thomas Heffernan, of Dunedin (Mr J. B. Callan). Information concerning the International Agricultural Mortgage Credit Company, which is being promoted by the Financial Committee of the Council of the League of Nations, was placed before a recent meeting of the Rural Intermediate Credit Board in Wellington. It is proposed that the company shall be formed with a subscription capital of 50,000.000 dollars and that operations shall extend throughout Europe through subsidiary credit companies. Apart from the share-capital, the funds to be used by the company will be raised by the issue of bonds, and the funds will be made available by way of long-term and medium-term loans to the agricultural credit companies which will make loans upon first mortgage on immovable property which is the subject of agricultural cultivation.

The centenary of the fall of the Kaiapohia pa, near Woodend, in October next is to be commemorated by special gatherings of Maoris from different parts of New Zealand at the site of the pa, which is now a Maori reserve under the control of a board of managers, of which Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., is chairman. Mr Tuiti Makitanara, M.P., who is a member of the board of managers, said that tentative arrangements had been made for commemorating the gallant stand put up by the Ngaitahu tribe against Te Rauparaha. It is hoped that the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes), and the Minister of Native Affairs (Sir Apirana Ngata) will take part in the commemoration. An interesting relationship between Sir Apirana Ngata and the Ngaitahu tribe was explained by Mr Makitanara. He said .that the Kaiapohia pa was built by Te Rakautahi in the year 1700. Te Rakautahi was the son of Tuahuriri, who -was the seventh of the line of descent from Tahupotiki, from whom originated the Ngaitahu tribe. Tahupotiki wag a younger brother of Porouangi, who wag the ancestor of the North Island East Coast Natives, known as the' Ngatiporou tribe. The present Native Minister descended from that ancestry. “ In spite of the industrial and economic depression and increased taxation we urge all our members to look forward to the future ■with optimism, and confidently to anticipate an early improvement in al] matters affecting the welfare of our country,” states the annual report of the Auckland Provincial Employers’ Association. A further appeal is made to employers to pass on the benefits gained by the 10 per cent. “ cut ” in wages so that a very substantial fall in the cost of living will result, and- the position of the wage earner be appreciably affected.

With a total rainfall last year of 214.9 inches, Milford Sound Was easily the wettest place in the Dominion. The rainfall records are kept there by the manager of the hostel, and his figures for the year, -which have been published in the Gazette, had a clear-cut win over the many figures supplied from other parts of New Zealand. Upper Mangorei came second with 157 inches, and Otira third with 140.54 inches. The record for the wettesf day goes to Maraehako, Opotiki, where on February 15 11 inches of rain fell. Otira and Arthur’s Pass are next with about 10 inches apiece on rainy days in January.

An offer from the Carnegie Corporation, New York, to consider assisting the Victoria University College Library on similar lines to the recent Auckland offer of £5OOO spread over five years has been accepted by the College Council, and the college librarian (Mr H. G. Miller) has been nominated for the Carnegie Library Fellowship. It was stated at the meeting that similar offers have been made to the Canterbury University College and Otago University. Mr L. L. Leyshon, advertising manager of the Nicholag Proprietary, Ltd., Melbourne, sailed on Tuesday from Wellington to Australia by the Maunganui. Mr Leyshon toured the whole of New Zealand investigating trade conditions, and making a special study of newspaper production and newspaper advertising. Mr Leyshon has had considerable experience with newspaper adveritsing and sales promotion generally in England, Australia, and other countries. Interviewed just prior to embarkation, he expressed his surprise at the standard maintained by the New Zealand newspaper press. “ The layout and general style of your newspapers appeal to me,” he said, “ and I think they are to be highly commended for the service they render to both reader and advertiser. Your newspapers are well up to the standard prevailing in much larger communities overseas.”

Canteens in the British Army are smaller than they were in the days of the old hard-drinking school, and modern soldiers eat buns, drink lemonade and suck toffee. Army authorities report that the consumption of beer and spirits is consistently going down. In a recent medical report it was suggested that the increase of digestive troubles amongst recruits was due to their growing fondness for cakes and pastries On the other hand, marksmanship and general military efficiency have improved year by year, and the courts-martial for drunkenness have diminished to a remarkable extent —from 426 in 1913 to 163 in 1927. Still more marked is the decline in the number of fines for drunkenness, and these figures do not convey the whole of the facts, for in the hard-drinking days many serious offences such as insubordination, disobedience, violence, and breaking out of camp were due to drunkenness. One large command reports that the post-war consumption of spirituous liquors has fallen by more than 75 per cent. One effect of the growing trend towards teetotalism in the army is that canteens are deserted in’ favour of the gymnasium and the regimental concert hall. Munition factories of the Defence Department at Lithgow (New South Wales) and Maribyrnong (Victoria) are now using machines which formerly produced munitions and armaments to make such harmless articles as lipstick holders and golf irons. The transition has been made (gays the Melbourne Argues) to keep men and machines employed. Instead of making precision tools, one machine is now turning out a “ talkie ” apparatus. One example of this product in installed at the Working Men’s College, Melbourne, and it is said to be equal in workmanship to the imported American machine. At the Lithgow factory cones and cutters for sheep shearing machines and wireless loud speakers are being made. As gun carriages are no longer required in quantities, the machines formerly employed in their manufacture are being used for making shock absorbers and other motor trade accessories. A large drop forging hammer which once was used at Lithgow to forge certain parts for machine guns is now making golf irons and refrigerator parts. Machinery which formerly produced shells and cartridges is now turning out smokers’ stands and similar articles. A small machine formerly used for making cartridge cases now produces large quantities of lipstick holders. A vigorous attack on herbalists, osteopathists, patent medicine vendors, magnetic healers and Christian Scientists was made in an address on ‘Quackery and Its effect on Health,” given recently by Dr A. J. Trinea—to members of the Royal Victorian Trained Nurses’ Association. These practices, Dr Trinea said, were a dreadful blot On our civilisation, and were a tampering for gain on the health of the p.eople. Amongst the factors which allowed quackery to flourish in the community -were superstition and gullibility. People who submitted to having their teacups qr their palms read, who were superstitious about number 13, or who threw horseshoes over their shoulders to bring them luck, were the people who would just as easily visit a quack as a properly qualified medical man. A second factor was ignorance, third a lack of legal protection of the public. The chemist, Dr Trinea said, was obliged to shut his shop at a certain time, but the herbalist was permitted to dispense his herbs at any hour of. the day or night. The chemist was limited in his power to prescribe, but there were no restrictions on the herbalist. Amongst other factors was the unsympathetic attitude of members of the medical profession towards minor ills, and more particularly towards neurotic cases, which were responsible to a certain extent for driving patients to quacks.

New Zealand mails which were despatched by the Aorangi from Auckland on July 28 for the United Kingdom, via Vancouver, reached London on August 25.

Mr Justice Kennedy has granted probate in the under-mentioned estates: — James Fairlie Morris, of Mosgiel Junction (Mr J. Wilkinson); James Knarston, of Taieri Mouth (Mr W. R. Brugh) ; Jane Hood, of Dunedin (Mr F. G. Duncan); John Cunningham, of Oamaru (Mr A. J. Grave); George Ernest Charles of Palmerston (Mr E. L. A. Rolfe) ; and Hyam Edward Hart, of Dunedin (Mr J. N. Haggitt). Letters of administration were granted in the estate of George Henry Richards, of Karitane (Mr Baylee).

The Rotorua Chronicle, an evening daily newspaper published in Rotorua, has been absorbed by the Rotorua Morning Post, which was issued for the first time yesterday morning. The newspaper is owned (says a Press Association telegram) by the proprietors of the Rotorua-Bay of Plenty Publishing Company. The entry of the Canadian-Pacific Railway Company into the Pacific mail service -was referred to by Mr H. W. Brodie, overseas passenger manager for the company, on his arrival at Auckland by the Niagara from Sydney. The company is jointly interested with the Union Steam Ship Company in the formation of the Canadian-Australasian Line, Ltd., which has taken over the Pacific liners Aorangi and Niagara. “ I am naturally very pleased to see our great company interested in the New Zealand and Australian steamship service in this direct way,” said Mr Brodie. “It is, and should be, very reassuring news, for whenever our company extends its railway lines or interests itself in steamship services in any part of the world, it means increased prosperity for such places.”

A warning to landlords is provided in a ease brought under the notice of the Sydney Morning Herald. The facts showed that a tenant had not paid rent for three months. The landlord called and informed him that he would allow him to remain a few weeks longer on condition that he kept the premises in good order. Later the landlord received a summons demanding a substantial sum as caretaker, and actually had to pay for such service, the tenant stating that tha landlord authorised him to take care of the premises. Another case recently occurred at Manly. A landlord received information that a good deal of hammering had taken place at a house owned by him. He decided to investigate, and found that every door, in the house had been chopped up for firewood, the woman in the house remarking, “well, you didn’t expect ug to be cold, did you?” What little furniture the tenant had was immediately bundled into the street.

“ The psychology of fear was as understood by the ancient Maoris as by the foremost psychologists of to-day,” said the Rev. H. J. Fletcher, in an address last week to members of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Historical Association and of the Institute of Pacific Relations. This was demonstrated, he said, in the course adopted to impress on the younger men the necessity of learning word for word the traditions of the race in order that they might be handed down to future generations. If they made a mistake they died. They were taught during the winter months for five years, and at the end of that time they were required to recite the legends word perfect before they were allowed in their turn to hand their knowledge on to those who would follow them. In later years one man had conceived the idea of committing the stories of his tribe to paper, and these manuscripts were preserved to this day in the Wanganui district. At the present time they could not be published on account of a shortage of money, but Sir Apirana Ngata had the matter in hand, and in due course the book would be printed exactly as the original had been written. It would be one of the most valuable authorities on Maori lore that the country possessed.

Owing to the decline in trade between New Zealand and Canada, the Union Company’s steamer Waikawa, of 5677 tons, is to be laid up in Auckland Harbour. With the inclusion of the Waikawa, the total tonnage of idle shipping in the Waitemata will be 29,005 gross. The other vessels laid up at Auckland are the Waitomo, 4121 tons; Waitemata, 5729 tons; Kairanga, 2830 tons; Kaitoke, 167 tons; Kaimanawa, 2416 tons; Kurow, 2625 tons; Kartigi, 2347 tons. The steamers mentioned are only a few of the vessels idle in New Zealand, there being at least another 16 steamers, both intercolonial and coastal traders, laid up at other ports. This means that over 1000 seamen and firemen are out of employment, in addition\to a large number of officers, engineers, and cooks and stewards.