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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17945, 24 November 1932, Page 6

The Brisbane City Council lias made arrangements with .). IS. Wave and Sons, of Melbourne, for the Hoating of a loan of £7E.CCO. with an interest rate of per emit., lor 15 years. An annual saving of £3094 will he effected.

The replacement with copper of the iron telegraph wires, which connect the main centres in the Dominion .is being undertaken by the Lost and Telegraph Department, with the ultimate' aim of permitting clear telephonic. speech between two persons in nnv part, of New Zealand, -t he copper wires give greater speech efficiency.

Alternative schemes for the restoration of "Holy Trinity Church have been under consideration by the vestry dining recent weeks, hut finality lias not been reached as yet, it was learned to-day. It- is probable that the vestry will procure full details of the alternative schemes, and submit a recommendation to a. general meeting of parishioners. possibly next month.

“In the Russian schools the children to-day are being taught to speak English as well as their native language. But .it is not called English —it is called American! Who would believe that? But it is a fact. The idea is being instilled in the minds of these children that there is only one country in the world: that is Russia. If there is a second-best country. it is the US.A. Of course this is mainly due to the presence of so many Americans in the Soviet.” —Air. G. Ashton, speaking in Christchurch on the subject of Soviet Russia. The need for caution when power lines are found down was urged by Cr. H. G. Kemp, engineer-secretary, at the monthly meeting of the Ashburton Power Board. He stated that it had been found that in some cases wires that had conic down were not treated with tho caution that, they should be. While the board’s protective devices would cut the power off the line in a matter of two to five seconds after it actually hit the ground, the danger lay in the fact that unless exact; information had reached the power-house as to its location, the ftiultmeu would switch the power on the line for short periods in their endeavor to trace the trouble.

During the last few years there has been a big falling off in trade union membership in Australia, and economic conditions are blamed for this. According to the Commonwealth Statistician, the proportion of unionists to the total number of employees is now less than half. Fifty-one per cent, of employed males do not. belong to a union. In tho ease of women workers the percentage is (54. The trade union movement reached its peak in 1927. Then, out of .1,2(57, 030 male employees 20 years of age and over, 793,131 belonged to unions. This figure represented 02.0 per cent. In .1928 the percentage dropped to 00,9. A year later it was 59.4; in 1930, 5(5.0; and in 1931 it came down to 49.7.

In addition to the cable advice received that the ketch Waterlily, which is now manned by five of the original crew of seven old boys of Christ’s College, has arrived at the Island of Funafuti (in the Ellice Group) after spending a month in Nulcufetnu, news has been received by radio by .Mr. K. .1. Parson, of North Brighton, father of F. St. .1. Parson, a member of the cre.w, that it is proposed that the Waterlily return to Nukufetau, after spending some time in Funafuti. At tho latter island the crew is being entertained by some New Zealand people who are at present in residence there. “Everything 0.K.” runs the message, which goes on to describe Nukufetau ns a lovely place. Communication by letter is slow, as mails leave the group for Suva only once in six mold hs.

Further molts of rattle :iml sheep are injiUft their way IVom Gisborne to Hawke's Hay slmiily. < I'nly Iwn mil side 'buyers were at the eaitle fair on Tuesday, one from Hawke’s Hay and llm other from Whakalsne. Neither appeared to show inueh interest, iu the proceedings, ami as a result, only small numbers were bought by them. A certain amount of sheep, buying was done in the district, during the past few days by Hawke's Hay interests. Four-tooth wethers changed hands at about 8s and tvvo-tootlis at 7s. while a fair number of two-tooth ewes have been sold at 10s. The wethers are to he put. on the road shortly, but the ewes will not he dispatched until January. No demand for store sheep has been received from the Waikato, and it is pointed out that the. swing-over from sheep to dairying may limit the sales of Gisborne sheep there. It is certain, however, that a mini her of mobs will he put on the road for the north in January, as has been tho custom in recent years,.

A start is to bo nja»lo this week by two counties south of Auckland with tho work of ’fighting the ragwort menace, utilising labor provided by the Unemployment Board. Since the Imhiy works, in Wanganui, started operations hist week with free labor, the works have been picketed by unionists. On Monday the polico ordered all loiterers round the gates to leave, and the pickets departed. Four motor-ears, owned by Wellington residents, are at present, stranded at Otaki Forks, about ;S(J miles from Wellington. While the ears were parked along the road on Sunday a slip tamo down blocking the highway.

A delegation of about 250 Scots will visit Victoria at the end of 1934 for the centenary celebrations. A champion pipe band will accompany the delegation, which will be led probably by Lord Novar, formerly Governor-General of Australia, or the Duke of Argyle. Shearing is in full swing in the Wanganui district. The rates of pay to shearers are in accordance with those recently decided upon by the Wanganui executive of the Farmers' Union, 17s (id a 300 for sheep, and keep. At a price approximating £4OO a foot of the 41.17 links frontage, L. M. Isitt, Limited, lias sold its Cashel street book warehouse to John Bates ami Company, Limited. This is the biggest sale in city property in Christchurch since the Regent street project The deal was a complete cash one, clear title being given to the buyers.

A claim for £959 damages arising out of a motor collision on the main

south road at Ranglriri on March 5 was heard before Mr. Justice Herdman and a jury in Hamilton. The plaintiff was Richard Kirk ,Stone, farm hand, Walton, and the defendant was James Given, farmer, Walton. After a retirement of about three hours the jury returned a verdict for plaint iff for £9,00 general damages and £209 special damages. Judgment was entered accordingly.

A spurious half-crown dated 1929 was detected by an Aucklander in the course of business oil Monday. Ibe counterfeit, which was of soft white metal, bad been very indifferently moulded, although tile milling of Hie edge was consistently fair. It rang fairly well, but was considerably lighter ’in weight than a genuine coin. In appearance it was bright and might easiiy have passed detection when handled by anyone but an expert. Very little close scrutiny was needed, however, to disclose the fraud.

An interesting sidelight on the political life of Australia was given by Air. IS. W. M. Sliding, New Zealand representative of the Australian National Travel Association, in an address to the Auckland Rotary Club. He outlined the political structure of Australia, consisting of Federal and State legislatures, and , mentioned the salaries paid to the members of various chambers. “Altogether three are 643 politicians in Australia,’’ be said, “and their combined salaries total £1,193,191, which works out at 4s 4d per head of population.

If a relief worker registers regularly every 14 days lie will not be penalised for accepting outside work in i®.spare lime, IT ii is reported Hint be has refused private employment and can offer no satisfactory reason lor doing’ so. he will be stood down by the Labor Department. This explanation, arising out of a letter read a’ a meeting of the Christchurch Giti/eiis’ Unemployment Committee, was made by Air. ii. T. Bailey, ollicer-in-eliarge of the Labor Department, to clear up confusion on the. point.

Hie personnel of the Court, of Appeal for the year 1933 is announced in the New Zealand Gazette. The appoint meats to the Court, which consists ol two divisions each eompiised ot live •fudges, were made by the Governor Grnernl-in-CouiieU and are as follows: First division: The Chief .Justice (Sii Michael Myers), and Justices Ilerchnaii. MacGregor." Blair and Kennedy. Second division : The Chief Justice and Justices Reed. MacGregor, O.stler and Smith The first division will sit in Wellington mi June 19. and the second division in Wellington on Match 13 and Septembci