"STOP PRESS” NEWS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17012, 10 April 1923, Page 12

"STOP PRESS” NEWS

(Heserred for late news received after the paper has gone to press.)

TILE FORESTRY SERVICE. WELLINGTON. April 10. A conference of officers of the -state Forest Service commenced here to-day, and was officially opened by (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, . Minister of jForestry, who paid a tribute to the ■valuable work which had been done ■by his predecessor, Sir Francis Bell. It was pleasing: to record, he said, that the receipts for the financial year just closed had exceeded all •expectations, and stood at approximately £63,266, an increase of £32,580 over the previous year; while the expenditure. which amounted to £86,487. had decreased by £21,000. For the first year in the history of forestry in New Zealand, the forestry policy of the Government was now self-sup-porting:. All operational expenses, debentures, sinking final and interest charges had been met by revenue. There had been a steady reduction in the number of destructive forest fires, due in a measure to the work of the service. Good work had been done irt connection with the strength of TILE KAIKOURA'S CARGO. AYTKL'AND. April 10. The cargo discharged from the Kaikoura is in much better condition than was expected. There is no injdication of damage to the hull. j MINERS’ HOURS OF WORK. g AUCKLAND. April 10. 1,', ; Au important case affecting some £> 500 coal miners in the Waikato was rk decided by Mr Justice Frazer in the J? Arbitration Court. The matter dealt with the miners’ practice of not work- |JF ing on a “ back Saturday,” which is » the alternative Saturday to the fort- je nightly “pay Saturday.” The Court held that the a-tirrl W not give miners the " back Satur- jjf day" as a holiday, and that those Lj' who absented themselves from work on that day were committing a jr? breach of conditions. pi £ LATE CABLES. Jj LONDON. April 0. / A plan to fertilise trie I lain of the Jordan between Lake Genezaretli and R the Dead Sea has been propounded by the Victoria Institute. The scheme M includes canals on both sides of the J| River Jordan and parallel with it.. $$ which will be furnished with sub- Jt canals, for the distribution of water || to tlie neighbouring plains. It is jffl proposed to erect a hydro-electric w plant on the western shore of the Dead Sea, which would receive ener- Hr gy from the Mediterranean through |jjr a tunnel under Jerusalem. The an- ?3' thors say that the canalisation scheme is at least 2000 years old. and would make the desert once more flow with in ilk and honey. A hydroelectric plant can be used to ex- ». tract magnesium, potassium and .\ other minerals from the Dead Sea. i I s S

IMPERIAL CONFE RE N C'E. LONDON. April D In the Hou.se of Commons, Mr Stanley Baldwin announced that the imperial and Economic Conferences will open on October 1. They are being held concurrently. It is antioipa- "ft ted that all the Dominions and India ,*v : •Vill be represented at the Economic Conference, except New Zealand, and aho at the Imperial Conference. Ii i* regretted that Mr Massey does not ' expecT to be able to attend the Imperial Conference. Ji is hoped that .11 the other Prime Ministers will he Present. The questions of Imperial preference and defence will most certainly be considered. Captain Berkeley suggested that, as Mr Massey will be unable to attend, the High Commissioner should be invited. Mr Baldwin replied that that was for the Prime Minister to decide. LOCOMOTIVES AT OTIRA. The electric locomotives were taken through the Otira Tunnel at 12.15 „ p.m. to-day.