THE Waikato Independent. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1908.

Waikato Independent, Volume VII, Issue 463, 21 January 1908, Page 4

THE Waikato Independent. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1908.

New Zealand has a population of nine hundred thousand—mostly Inspectors, and every session sees the noble army of Inspectors added to by the laws of the Dominion. Amongst other Acts passed last session may be mentioned "The Agricultural Laborers' Accommodation Act, 1907," which provides for additional appointment of Inspectors. But this by the way. The Act, which came into force a month or two ago, is of importance to farmers as it applies to their calling, and the main details of the measure should prove of interest to them. The Act provides that the Governor may appoint Inspectors and define their districts, or may assign the-duty to Inspectors under the Factory Act, 1901. . The right of ingress and egress to and from any land and place is given to them, and anyone who refuses an Inspector this right, or obstructs him in the exercise of his duty, is liable to a penalty not exceeding £2O. Proper accommodation has to be provided for agricultural laborers, and if it is not deemed adequate by the Inspector, he is empowered to require an employer to provide, enlarge or amend same, within a reasonable time. If the employer fails to comply the Inspector may, after written notice, lay an information or make complaint of a breach of the Act. If satisfied after an inquiry has been held, that no accommodation is provided or it is improper or insufficient, the Magistrate may determine what accommodation or what further accommodation shall be provided by the employer, and make an order accordingly. If an employer fails to carry out the order he is liable to a penalty of not exceeding £2O, and a further fine of £2 per day during which default to comply continues. Where Asiatics are employed separate sleeping accommodation, from that of other agricultural employes, has to be provided, or in default the employer is liable to the above penalties. No appeal from the Magistrate's decision is allowed under the Act. After this drastic proyision farmers will be thankful for small mercies, and be glad that the Act does not apply to laborers, whose ordinary residences are in the immediate neighbourhood of the land on which they are employed, or who sleep in their own houses, or provide their own sleeping accommodation. Nor does it apply to any person who employs a contractor (or any laborer employed by the latter) to do agricultural work. The Governor is empowered by Order in Council, to make regulations under the Act, prescribing the nature and extent of accommodation deemed adequate. But it is specially provided, in this connection, "that no accommodation at a homestead shall be deemed to be adequate unless every room in which agricultural laborers are to be

accommodated contains at least two hundred and forty cubic feet of airspace for every person to be so accommodated, nor unless, in cases where two or more persons are to be accommodated, separate rooms are provided for sleeping and for meals, and each- room piovided for meals contains a fireplace or other sufficient means of warming the room."

La9t few days of Mrs Linzey's sale are announced. Further reductions in stationery and fancy articles. A number of Hamilton cadets will visit Cambridge on Saturday next for the purpose of indulging in some shooting. In the local Croquet Club's American Tournament for the President's trophy, Mrs C. Roberts beat Mrs A. Wilkinson by 7 points, and Mrs A. W. Gane beat Miss Langmuir by 8 points. The badges won by the City Football Club's junior team during the past season have come to hand and they will be distributed to financial members in the course of a few days. It is expected that the extensive renovations to St. Paul's Methodist Church will be completed in about a fortnight's time, and that the church will again be available for public worship the first week in February. The bowlers who took part in the recent tournament at Hamilton have forwarded Mr C. M. Innes, secretary of the Hamilton Club, a writing desk in appreciation of the services rendered by him during their visit. At the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co.'s sale at Cambridge, on Friday last, an acre of land at Cambridge West, belonging to Mrs Cash, was sold for £BO. A section at Cambridge East was also offered, but did not find a purchaser. A peculiar accident befell Miss Ida Stone on Saturday afternoon. She was playing tennis on the courts adjoining the Manse, in Alpha-street, when she slipped and fell, dislocating her knee. The sufferer was removed to her home and attended to by Dr Edmonds. She is now making a good recovery. At the first meeting of the newlyformed Frankton Town Board, a committee was appointed with instructions to make a report on the cost of adopting a borough water supply, lighting of the gas, and a drainage scheme, with a view to pushing on with them as soon as possible. Mr J. A. Young, who has been interesting himself in the matter, has received from the Eoyal Humane Society a certificate and silver medal (second grade), awarded to Maria Tamo McFarlane for life-saving in the Morrinsville district during the floods of last year. The action was very meritorious and plucky, and it is pleasing to see it has been recognised. The medal is inscribed «' Awarded to Maria Tame McFarlane in recognition of a conspicuous act of bravery, 1.907." The results obtained at Te Waikato Sanatorium brought forth 'eulogistic commendation from the Minister of Wellington Public Health (the Hon. Geo. Fowlds) to a reporter. The Minister said the institution was providing an object lesson for local authorities in the treatment of consumptives. Any new method of coping with the disease which medical science can suggest will be tried, and the State will be only too happy to supply any of the local institutions with alHhe expert knowledge and experience gained at the Sanatorium. Swamp fires continue to rage in all directions, and it is reported "that one between Rukuhia and Bushy Park has destroyed a large area of flax, besides causing the settlers some uneasiness regarding the safety of their homes. Several telegraph poles have been burnt between Ruakura and Frankton, and a culvert destroyed. Travellers along the Cambridge-Taupo road report that a very large area of fern and light scrub has been burned about 14 miles from Cambridge, and a number of telegraph posts and portions of fencing were destroyed. The following tenders were received by the Cambridge Road Board on Saturday, for reforming the Victoria road from the borough boundary to the Hautapu factory, and the back cemetery road from No. 2 Station road to its junction with Victoria road:—F. G. Mahood, 2s per chain ; Eastwood and Stafford, ss; Riley and Robertson, ss. Back cemetery road: F. G. Mahood, 5s 6d per chain; Eastwood and Stafford, 3s 6d. Messrs Eastwood and Stafford's tenders were both accepted. Messrs Riley and Robertson's were informal, no deposit having been enclosed. The block in the sewer in Duke-street has now been removed. The borough foreman and staff have been employed both day and night at the manholes and pipes, in order to locate the cause. During their investigation, they discovered that lumps of coal, broken bottles, etc., had by some means or other found their way into the pipes, and, no doubt, were largely responsible for the blockage. The task of locating these continued obstructions is a very difficult and disagreeable one, and the Council will no doubt adopt more stringent measures in order to prevent persons putting rubbish into the sewers, as they have been doing of late. At present there are four manholes in the street, and it is proposed to make three more, a start having already been made with the first of these.

Mr Gresharu, Inspector of Building Awards, was on an official visit to Cambridge to-day. Mr McCaw has consented to be nominated, in the interest of the leaseholders, as a candidate for the Land Board. Messrs Eastwood and Stafford, contractors, are now engaged in Dloughing and re-fonning the road between Cambridge and Te Awamutu. At a meeting of the ladies' committee of the Waikato Winter Show Association, there were present Madames James Taylor and T. Wells, of Cambridge. Mrs Taylor consented to collect all the local exhibits and forward them to Hamilton. The quantity of milk received by the Cambridge Co-op. Dairy Co. for Decern, ber was 3,056,2021b5., from which 123,1991b5. of butter were made. The monthly payment to suppliers amounted to £4115 10s 9d. About 80 applications were received by the Piako County Council for the office of Clerk, at a salary of £2OO per annum. The Council, at its meeting yesterday, appointed Mr Hutchens, Assistant Town Clerk, Waihi, to the position. The Cambridge Band will play the following programme in the Domain at 8 o'clock to-morrow evening:— March, " Prince Palatine "; selection, " Gems of America "; march, " Great Guns "; waltz, "My Polly "; march, " The Thunderer"; overture' " Silver Cloud "; march, " Bathurst"; " God Save the King." There will be no collection. Hamilton being unable to get a team away to play a match with Cambridge cricketers to-morrow, a match will take place with Eoto-o-rangi instead. The following will represent the local team : Brindle, Heath, Crickett, Court, Beck, Haysmith (2), Simpson, Goldsbury, Webber, Kavanagh. Emergencies :J. Russell, Card, Jepson, Wall, and Conolly. Any members wishing to journey with the team to Tirau on Wednesday week, aie requested to leave their names with the secretary.