LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19846, 15 January 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Up. to Saturday last (states a Press Association message from Wellington) -- ar Expenses Department had i,.ct •?0,237 claims for gratuities, representmg a total disbursement of £3,325,074. An illustration of the return that is possible in the pig-roaring industry was afforded at the Addington kaleyards yesterday, when ten Tamworth baconers, the property of Mr H. Moore, of Bromley, were sold at £9 14s Gd apiece

A Press Association message fiom Auckland states that the movements of the mail steamer Makura aro still uncertain, and her sailing for Sydney has been postponed until to-day at 0 p.m. Meanwhile no Auckland passengers aio being booked. ‘ . Tho four Avro aeroplanes selected by Captain Euan Dickson in England were delivered at tho Aviation Company’s aerodrome at Sockburn yesterday. They will he uncrated at once, and rigged in readiness for Captain Dickson’s southern flight, which will bo commenced next month.

Mr A- Sehvyn Brueo, in proposing tho toast of “Tho Visitors” at tho smoking concert tendered to visiting bowlers last night, said that he was impressed with the number of North Islanders who won championships at the annual bowling tournament. *He concluded that the reason was the ever increasing number of “idle rich” in tho North Island, who in their leisure turned their spare energies to bowling (Laughter.) “ Seeing that very soon there will he no labourers, and that we will all be ou an equality,” said Mr F, W. Jounston at the Automobile Association last night, “and that there is already a groat shortage of labour, I think that ten or fifteen ol our men ought to go out as a working bee, and assist in covering in some of these water races. 1 will take a; pick and shovel, and I don't think I will be such an ass as some people imagine.” The suggestion arose out of tho fact that recent work of this description had been carried out, owing to a labour shortage, by tho county clerk and engineer. Mr R. W. Lochliead volunteered to take another pick and shovel, and' the suggestion was adopted. Sir Francis Bell, Minister of Education, stated in Christchurch last night that remarks by him in Dunedin as to the Government's attitude towards the Otago and Canterbury Universities were not made very clear in tho reports. Speaking for both Mr Massey and himself, ho told the university authorities that no college in tho Dominion would have priority over any other college in respect to its ordinary curriculum. That was to say, students at Otago University, as far os tho Government was concerned, would hivvo the same facilities as were offered to students at the colleges in Auckland and Wellington, no more and no less; but the Gov-, eminent regarded tho Medical School at Dunedin and the Engineering School at Christchurch as being of Dominion character, not of provincial character, and it felt that it was its duty, as well as tho duty of the two controlling colleges, to see that full provision for buildings and emiipment was made for tho courses nr, both of those special schools. Neither Canterbury nor Otago would have an advantage in the ordinary courses, but they might apply for Government assistance, as for an undertaking of Dominion interest, one m respect to the Engineering School and the other in respect to tho Medical bchool.

During the course of an interesting discussion at last night’s meeting or the Canterbury Repatriation Board, it u as stated that a number of experienced and trustworthy clerks, and also several qualified accountants, were unable to secure employment m Christchurch, and that the position was becoming worse. Thd discussion arose out of consideration of the report of the employment officer, which stated that since December 19, seventy-five men had been placed in employment and seventy-four new applications had been received, leaving at the present time thirty-three men out of cmplov. ment. Mr H. S. J. Goodman asked now many of the men awaiting employment were qualified accountants, and was informed that two of them were. Mr Goodman said ho understood ‘.hat there were about nine -subsidised men who were learning accountancy, and it seemed that when these men pot through the hoard might not bo able to find positions foi* thorn. Perhaps they should seriously consider whether they should assist more men to. learn ac*' conntanoy. Mr N. B. M’Callum said that the number of clerks on the list as unemployed did not represent the true position. The position was really bad. During the past week or more several clerks had come in to his office and asked him pcrsonalK f ho could find work for them. He thought the board should make a special effort to secure employment for these men and make a direct appeal to the public. In s-ome cases, ho said, experienced' v‘»d thoroughly reliable men could not pet work, because the firms they were with formerly were taking on juniors. He had also heard that the Defence Department was dircharging a, number of clerks from Base Records, and this would further accentuate the positim at n difficult period. Mr Winteringham stated that, the local office of the Sick and Wounded Department would discharge a number of men at the end of the present month, some of whom wore men who had been sent there by the Repatriation Department. Mr Lcndley said that he had just returned from the North Island, and there were clerks ont of work in all the towns Hie position was had everywhere but the Government offices in Wellington were still full of flappers and girls. It was a shame, that men who were 'proclaimed as heroes only a few months ago should now be regarded as nuisances because they had the cheek to ask foi a job. In Ohristchur'rt girls are employed in commercial offices on work which before the war was done by men. After some further discussion tho hoard, on the motion ot the chairman, went into committee. Hundreds of Christchurch citizens have been cured by Dr Fellow’s Pile Cones when every other known remedy has failed. Price 8s fid box, from chemists, or direct. Loashy and chemists (opp. Bnllantyne’s). X '

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