GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14334, 28 October 1910, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

CO-OPERATIVE WORKS. j As the treatment of men employed , on co-operative contracts at Cass has ' been made the subject of a public ad- j dress and a resolution at Timaru as : well as elsehere, it is only fair to give the officials' reply to the complaint, j Replying to Mr Davey in the House i on "Wednesday, the Minister of Public Works read a report from the j ' engineer in charge at the Cass, and I i-t was to the following effect:—That | the weather conditions and the average j number of days worked were better • , than on the majority of railway con- j struetion works. It was true that; some of the men had made poor pay, j but the average'was Ss 2d per day, ' which showed that a fair rate was haing paid. There was no favouritism ; shown; if the men could not earn a • living wage, it was their own fault. r Tho onlv "Sunday work at the ballast pit was to" wash out the j steam '•navvy" and to at-j , tend to any breakdowns. If V.v< [ wero not done tho regular gangs would j not be ablo to work on the following j days. In regard to accommodation. . single men could always have a (hi by j Sft tent, but some preferred an Sit by | ; 10ft tent botween two. Married men ; without families wore given n 10ir. by V'l't tent arid flv. and those >v : ih families two Sft'by 10ft # tents and i\\ between. As to discrimination hi regard to orders, this was done* in » few cases with one storekeeper, whoso orders had been made to cover cash advances to men leaving tho works, and , not for stores, etc., supplied. OtYnvrs . in charge of co-operative works "ore ' only permitted to give undertakings to j pay for necessary provisions or outfits j required by men employed on the J works. | I FROZEN MEAT PRICES. In the course of the discussion on the Anti-trusts Bill, more than one Member pointed out that while the Bill was aimed at combines for raising the prices of commodities that Xow Zealtiiiders have to buy, there mAy ho other combines to depress pruws of things New Zealaudors have to sell — frozen meat for instance. Sir Joseph Ward said that he would look into tho ( question of introducing a. el a rise dc- ' signed to prevent combinations intended to unduly depress prices. It was a matter which bad to be appronohed cautiously. If any outside combination attempted to exploit, the New Zealand meat trade, tb<> safest road , for the farmers to t«ko would 1*» to , associate themselves with the Govern- [ ment of tho day. wjiieh might raise , the -whole question as to whother vhe country ought to go further than before and control tho disposal of the meat in London. He did not, think there was any mieli combination of buyers in Now Zealand, beo*nw there , wore so many of tlwnt unthorißed hy independent purchasers tJhat. oomhination was imrwwiriWiv bvifc if wonld he ineoirioarably bettor for this country, though he admitted its difficulty, if the i whole of the fnrmora posseted one ' Iruge organisation t<* oonirol th-s whole nf theSr meat Kn*»f»3iies in London. Tlieti in case off n fall in Tallies. Shey ownld tsnvi thsTwftahre* front onn»in"r a ''lot in the nrarket inroad <if foWntr--1 •mr the oro.ireniv system under wlrir-h ] orwy «li!T0~"r irsfwed hiito _ with h'» iieijibbjnr, thus forcins dow-u •■the priea.

RADIUM IN ANTARCTICA. There is probably radium in Airfare tica, says Captain Scott. At anj rate, be is taking with him on tin South Polar expedition a very comleto equipment for .the invcstigat.ior. of radio-activity. "It U mainly for the determination of the relative radioactivity over Antarctic land and sea. as compared with the rest of tin world," said the captain i" Sydney, "lint them are probably radio-active rocks in the Antarctic regions. There arc geological reasons for expecting them. Our scientilic stall' are an fait with tlio latest work in radio-activity, and since we are properly equipped, ;vo won't miss anything." A POPULAR ODDFELLOW. An exceedingly pkasunt gathering took place on Wednesday in the new lodge-room now uearing completion at Fair-lie for the use of the Oddfellows. The lodge-roora, though not o,uite finished, was used for the first time that evening, and the brethren took the opportunity to present their secretary, Bro. C. Talbot, with a handsome P.G. collar, in recognition of bis services to the lodge. There was a largu attendance, over which Bro. Uinney presided. After routine business bad 'been transacted, Bro. Binney made the presentation to Bro. Talhot, and detailed the work of that brother in connection with the Gladstone Lodge, and the order throughout Soutli Canterburv. Both inside the lodge and outside biro. Talbot bad done loyal service, and had treated every member in a courteous and fraternal manner. Much of the success of the Gladstone Lodge was due to his tact and painstaking work, and the lodge had much pleasure in showing its appreciation by making a gift to Bio. Jalbot of a P.O. collar. Several brethren added to the remarks of Bro. Binney, and Bro. Talbot replied, thanking members for their unlooked-for present He hoped to be able to serve Gladstone Lodge for a long time to come \n adjournment was then made to the '<-ooial room, where an excellent spread bad been prepared by Bro. V.\ .1 Andrew A couple of hours was pkasantly passed with the aid of speeches •songs, and recitations, and the gathering closed by all singing " Auld Lan*