DOMINION EVENTS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 20 November 1923, Page 2

DOMINION EVENTS.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION —COrYRIOHT WELLINGTON. November 19. The hearing commenced to-day of a Dominion dispute covering the cooks and stewards in 15 companies running small steamers in the New Zealand coastal trade. The union asked for wages ranging from £2l monthly for cook-stewards to £8 15s for assistants under 17. The hours of work at sea were stated at 6.30 a.m. to 8 p.ni., and in port between 7 a in. and l> p.ni. Other proposals covered Sunday [ work, holidays, preference, shipwrecks. ! etc. I The employers offered £l4 monthly to chief stewards and ranging down to | £6, the hours of work at sea to be 10 I per day, to be worked within 18 hours I from tire time of commencement of the individual. The hours of work in port were claimed as between 6 a.in. and 7 p.m. Agreements were reached on a few minor clauses only, and the remainder referred to the Arbitration Court. TE KUITT, November 19. Two Native children- —Turua Tttko- ■ tahi, a boy aged 4, and- Uma Kina Tukotahi, aged 8, —were accidentally drowned in the Mangarama stream, about six miles from Te Kuiti, late on Saturday afternoon. | The inquest this morning disclosed ■ that both were playing happily near 1 their grandfather’s house, but were I missed. The mother instituted a search, and the two bodies were found ‘ submerged in 10 feet of water, a quarter of a mile from the house. It is surmised that the children were spearing eels, when the boy fell in the water and the sister jumped in to his • assistance, but owing to the steep I banks of the- stream they could not get out. I The Coroner (Mr R. M. Somerville) returned a verdict of accidental drowning, no blame being attachable to anybody. WELLINGTON. Nov. 19. 1 The Hon. Sir Maui Pomare (Minister for Health and the Cook Islands) has announced that it has been decided to establish an Island medical service tor Western Samoa, Cook Islands and the Chatham Islands. The announcement of the new system has, it is understood, given great satisfaction in Samoa. The Administrator, Genera! Richardson, is satisfied that a great permanent benefit has been conferred, not only on the Samoan medical service, but also on the inI habitants of the mandated territory. By the co-operation of the New ZeaI land Health Department, in a recent , communication. General .Richardson said lie regarded the new system as “a great Empire .service standing to the credit of the departments concerned.” Me believed also that when the scheme is once in operation in the Cook Islands it will be. welcomed as a solution of tho difficulties previously prevailing. CHRISTCHURCH, November 19. Mrs E. A. Shaw, who lives at 131 St. Asaph Street, identified the body of the man found dead in a vacant section in Hereford Street last Monday as H. Hayes, a shearer, who had been missing from her home, where he had been boarding, for about a month. An inquest was held, and her identification was confirmed by a young student who was also living in apartments which Mrs Shaw lev. The Coroner, however, said the identification had not been clearly established, and accordingly adjourned the inquest sine die. 1 The matter seemed ended, hat yesI terday Mrs Shaw was almost pa-a lysed i with fright when she saw 'ru n she had identified as dead walking in ■ through her front gate. I The real 11. Hayes had come to

gather his belongings before going out into the country for the season’s spearing. When Mrs Shaw had -covered herself she explained to the surprise;! Hayes what had happened, and 1 e immediately went to the police station and reported the was hot the dead man. The inquest on the body was , esu tc-d this afternoon. The Coroner said the description of the man who ha ddied tallied closely with that of Henry Hayes, a l l . > it was not remarkable that .Mrs Slaw had been mistaken. The inquest was adjourned sine die. ' WELLINGTON, Novembei 19. The Hon W. Nosworthy (acting lor the Miusiter of Lands), when approached for his views in connection with the resolutions passed at rhe recent meeting of returned soldiers from Mangaweka and Ohingaitai, issued the following statement(1) Regarding the settlers' disappointment at the Government’s selection of Mr L. McLean as chairman of one of the Revaluation Committees, the Act was specially framed to provide for the appointment of committees on the recommendation of the Dominion Board, and thus eliminate anything in the nature of political appointments. The chairman of the Dominion Board assures me that the only factors weighing with the Board when making recommendations were the integrity, ability, and fitness of the various gentlemen. Mr McLean has bad considerable experience in farming generally, is a good judge of the values of land, and bis long connection with local bodies shows he is a man of standing in the district and possesses the confidence of the public. The Dominion Board, holding these views, had no hesitation in recommending him for the position, which he accepted as considerable inconvenience to himself. It was only after a special interview in Wellington with a representative of the Dominion Board that Mr McLean was induced to accept the position, and had he been considering his privateinterests only he would not have accepted. (2) The assertion that settlers are receiving ‘‘threatening and intimidating documents” with respect t otheir arrears does not correctly state the position. Settlers are, of course, expected to do what is reasonable in the way of meeting their obligations. The work of the Lands Department, on financial matters, must comply with the Treasury and Audit requirements, consequently no laxity can be permitted. If any case of alleged undue pressure on the part of officers of the Department is brought under my notice I shall be pleased to have inquiries made. (3) The request that settlers’ financial standing be not considered in connection with revaluation is not understood. and it is difficult to see how a committee can indicate a way whereby a settler can be placed on a satisfactory footing unless his liabilities and ! means of meeting them are known. GREYMOI’TH. November 19. It is understood that overtures on I behalf of the Miners and Owners ar I passing to ami fro without yet reaching ■ a workable basis. The Westland Timber Workers at a , general meeting, voted £lOO to the ; M-iiers' lock-out fund, also passed a resolution recommendi ng the Allianc,- | of Labour to institute a levy on alfiliated bodies of Is a member weekly. I WELLINGTON, November 19. I In acknowledging a letter from Mr P. O’Rourke (secretary to the diners’ | Federation) asking that a new ■ gree- | meiit In made covering the -len <,n , ployed at the State Mines, the Hon. C. ‘J. Anderson (Minister of ..iJ-rnir) says he is sorry to have to r ■’> ark that many of the statements ■ -named i in the communication are cont'ary to I fact. The industrial agreem-iils in operation at the State mines were | entered into voluntarily by representatives of the State Miners’ Inion, and after giving the matter further consideration the Minister says lie rcgiets he cannot see his way to vary 'i.s ptevious decision not to scrap le ,:i sent agreements. BLENHEIM, November 19. Heavy rain in the back country resulted in the Wairau River developing high flood during Saturday. The branch bridge 45 miles from Blenheim, on the new Blenheim-West Coast road, was again seriously damaged. Three spans at the Blenheim end were washed I ent. It. is eight years since this bridge was first constructed, and during the whole of that time it has been useless for traffic owing to repeated flood damage. There is an agitation now to have the site shifted. In the Spring Creek district, eight miles from Blenheim, the river flower through a gap in the bank caused by > the May Hood and inundated a fairly j wide area of farm land, much of which I had been sown in peas. ! The River Board’s new bank at [ Whittle's Bend was very severely tested. but stood up to the strain, showing that the Board has now solved she flood problem as far as the farm Hinds are concerned. The railway between Pieton and Blenheim suffered a series of washouts. Traffic is being maintained, passengers being transferred across the damaged portions of the line. Received 8.55 p m., November 19. SYDNEY, November iff. Miss Bishop, who over balanced and fell 20(lff into the sea at the- Gap, has recovered sufficiently to be discharged from hospital. GISBORNE, Nov. 19. The watersiders refused to work today on account of the appointment of a new deputy foreman. The local disputes cm imittee considered the matter, and the trouble was tentatively settled. The matter is to go before the National Disputes Committee. Work in the meantime goes on as usual. INVERCARGILL, November 19. The police have been advised that two Maoris (brothers) named Manna Davis (18 years) and Patina Davis (10 years) were drowned this afternoon The boat in which they were crossing the Mataura river at Fortrose. ■ capsized through the rough cross wind catching it broadside on. The bodies were subsequently recovered