OVERNIGHT ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 853, 29 August 1933, Page 3

OVERNIGHT ITEMS.

Wellington city and suburbs will be*, revalued by officers of the Valuation Department this year. The previous revaluation took place during the period of high values following the post-war boom. To-day’s task of the valuers will be made more difficult by the absence of any indications due to sales, which have been very infrequent. This, however, does not prevent them from assessing relative values and securing more uniformity in the rating burden j than prevails to-dav. “ Although it has been possible to offer a small number of men employment at the Addington workshops, the amount of work offering is unfortunately insufficient to enable all of the men whose engagements were previously terminated to be profitably employed, ’ wrote the General Manager of Railwavs, Mr G. H. Mackley, to the Christchurch R.S.A. at its meeting last evening in reply to representations made by the association in regard to the engagement of returned soldiers there. “ While the department is anxious to do anything practicable to assist returned soldiers,” continued the letter, “ there are factors, including efficiency, family responsibilities and length of service, which cannot be disregarded when the re-engagement of some former employees is made possible by the work available.” The opinion that the Selwyn Plantation Board’s properties in the Waimairi County were far enough removed from the sea to make active participation in a protection scheme unnecessary was expressed by the superintendent (Mr R. G. Robinson) in a report which came before the board yesterday. The superintendent stated that there ap- j peared to be no danger of the j reserve of 143 acres becoming affected i by encroachment by the sea, so j that, although the planting in pinus ; of a certain acreage by the board might be wisely undertaken in the future, there was no urgency in the matter. The report was adopted. Shifting of tram rails nearer to the centre of Pages Road, to give more room for vehicular traffic on the northern side, was urged by the South Brighton Progress League in a letter to the meeting of the Tramway Board yesterday afternoon. The board’s committee reported having replied that the work being done on the route would give a clearance of approximately 18ft between the south kerb and the rail and 23ft between the north kerb and the rail. There woiald thus be ample room for vehicular traffic on each side of the rails. Mr W. J. Walter said that the report did not give the information the South Brighton Progress League had asked for. It wanted to know when the rails between Breezes Road and Onslow Street were to be shifted nearer the centre, as their situation was dangerous at present. The general manager said that the Progress League had suggested that the line be shifted at the same time as the other section was being dealt with, and a reply had been sent outlining the position and stating that the renewal of this section of the track would probably not take place for another two vears. **♦ «*» The Minister of Public Works, the Hon J. Bitchener, declines to comment on the Auckland and Dunedin reports that the Government may not accept a tender for the Dunedin Post Office. Agreements on all points except wages were reached at a sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday, when the wages and conditions of tinsmiths, coppersmiths and sheet metal workers in North Canterbury were discussed. After lengthy discussion, Mr G. T. Thurston offered, on behalf of the employees, to accept a journeymen’s rate of Is 10? d. After an adjournment to discuss the matter no agreement could be reached on the subject of wages, and it was decided to hold the matter over until September 26 for further discussion. At a meeting of the Canterbury Unemployed Workers’ Association held last evening the camp system was further discussed. Members reported that the proposal to make militant protests was being well received on the jobs. It was decided to call a meeting of job delegates lor Thursday. The report of the Ashley Lock-out Committee stated that the majority of the forty men concerned had been given work in the citjL For refusing to go to camp fifteen or twenty men had been ordered to stand down. A considerable sum of money had been raised for the relief of the men.