LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160711, 26 July 1920, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Argentine Parliament has approved of an appropriation of five mil* lion pesos to send food to Vienna. It is reported that between two millions and two and a half millions of the Victory Loan have been already converted in London. The Melbourne gas strikers have decided to resume when tho whole of tho volunteer labour is withdrawn from the works. A conference of State Ministers o! Agriculture at Melbourne formulated tentative proposals for the continuance of tho Wheat Pool, to bo submitted to tho mpectivo Cabinets during the week. A. basis for the settlement of the West Australian Civil Service strike was reached on all pouts except payment of salaries during the strike, which tho Government refuses to agree to. The meeting of business men called in Invercargill the other day in connection with the proposed “Boost Southland” Week was so poorly attended that it was adjourned to an indefinite date without discussion. The directors of the Hokitika Shipping Company, at a meeting this morning, resolved to abondon tho steamer Parcora to the underwriters. The vessel was insure! for A 750 in the Union of Canton, and the cargo of timber waa also insured.—Press Association. There was submitted at auction at Otaki on Wednesday eighty acres of flat land, situated between Otaki and Te Hero. There were about thirty persons present, but no buyers, and the property was passed in at £79— the vendor’s bid. It was stated that the reserve was £BO. Tho South Canterbury Farmers’ Union executive on Saturday discussed the wheat shortage, and declared the position serious. Some members blamed the Government for not fixing the prioa for the last crop early enough. A motion proposed in favour of a petition that a license to buy meat be given to Armour and Co. was lost. At 4.50 p.m. on Saturday Hector D. Hrquhart, a returned soldier, when attempting to cross the railway line at Mamaku in front of the incoming Rotorua express, was caught by the engine, His legs were severed. He was taken to tho Rotorua Hospital and operated on, but died about 9.30. His age was about 30. Deceased had drawn a section at Rotorua, and had boon at Rotorua on business. Ho was returning to Auckland by tho afternoon train, which passes the express at Mamaku. That smoking is on the increase among women in Oamam was proved recently (says the Mail). A lady of nine summers, having picked up a butt, sought the seclusion of a nook betwixt tho Town Hall and the Courthouse, and, producing a matchbox, airily struck a match and procured a light in cupped hands in tho most approved masculine style. The butt was evidently damp, and she had but succeeded in blowing her first cloud when a little group of officers in tho clerk’s room, who were interested spectators, spoilt the entertainment by audible mirth. One scared look, and tho smoker fled. But she took the butt with her! Tire Prime Minister says there are serious objections to the sale of railway tarpaulins ■ under any circumstances. Investigations on the subject show that the best parts of the condemned tarpaulins are used for repair work, and such portions as remain aro quite unsound and unfit for use. In the earlier days, when a limited number of whole tarpaulins was disposed of, the very greatest difficulty was experienced in preventing good tarpaulins being improperly removed from railway premises apd converted to private use. For this reason it was decided as a matter of policy to scrap condemned tarpaulins and dispose of only scrap materia! to paper mills for papermaking. Questions have been asked in the House regarding the Housing Act. Replying to these the Minister for Labour stated that a deputation of builders and others had waited upon him that morning and put forward what seemed to him a very good scheme in regard to housing. The department was going into the matter, and ho hoped that something would come of it. It was a scheme in which both the contractors and the representatives of labour were concerned, and he hoped to be able to carry it out before long. At present negotiations were going on between tire representatives of Capital and Lalmur as to the details of tho scheme. As soon as these were settled he would Ixi glad to inform the House, Ho would also have to consult the Min*, istcr for Finance as to whether fmanco could be provided. There would, ha added, bo an amendment of tho Hous* ing Act this session.

The King inspected and welcomed a large number of oversea Boy Scouts at Buckingham Palace. A Perth cable states that it is unofficially stated that Father Jerger was ti ansferred to rhe cruiser Encounter in ertier to avoid trouble with the watersiders. The Earl of Clancarty has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for obtaining credit and not disclosing himself as an undischarged bankrupt. A Seattle message stales; “It is reported here from Halifax that two submarines constructed here for Chili, and sold to Grenada during the war, will be auctioned shortly to the highest bidder.’’ When a truancy case was called on as the Court this morning the Clerk of thi Court create 1 amusement bv announcing that the summons had not been served, as the parent was reported to have died sis years ago. At auction at Timaru on Saturday, 66ft frontage to Stafford Street, the busiest part of the town, on which are five one-storey shops, was sold at XTS,COO to Hallenstcin’s and the Timaru Herald Company conjointly. Advices from Sours bay a state that Parer and Mclntosh, who are flying to Australia, crashed badly, damaging the machine. The aviators were uninjured and hope to contiaao flight in a week’s time. The Council of ihe League of Nations will meet at San Sebasian on July 30th to consider economic measures to be taken against States warring in violatioi of obligations which they accepted as members. The Graziers’ Association is organis ing shearing teams in Sydney for despatch to the country. A meeting oi strikers decided, in addition to then claims, to demand fares from railway stations to sheds. The Prince of Wales a i rived at Sydney yesterday in the Renown. He landed at noon and proceeded direct to the station, where he ertrained for Brisbane. The whole proct c-dings were informal and marked by entire absence of ceiemony. Mr H. Y. Deadman of Swiss Avenue, G-onville, met with a sever accident on Satuiday evening. He was ridiug a motor cycle, when he collided with • a motor-car at the comer of Dublin and Y Jcksteed Streets, Tho cyclist was thrown heavily and sustained a fractured leg, the motorcycle also being coiMderably damaged. During the hearing of truancy cases the Court this morning Mr \\ worn Wilson, S.AL, stated that lie looked upon absence from the Technical School a-> a much more serious matter than from the primary school. He also stated that exemptions granted to boys who v.tre engaged in night work had a tendency to make them irregular in their attendance at the Technical College. The coastal steamer Paeroa, when crossing tho Hokitika bar outwards on Saturday afternoon, struck the ground heavily and earned away the stern post and rudder. Temporary steering gear was fixed, but as the steamer was leaking heavily it was found necessary to beach the vessel one mile to the northward. All aboard were landed safely. Tho vessel had a cargo of sawn timber for Pic ton. The possibilities of another loan for Sewerage purposes were foreshadowed at the mooting of the Borough Council on .Saturday night. Cr. Liffiton had painted out that there were several anas of tho Borough where there was n > sewerage and he understood that there v. as no monev available for the purpose. The Mayor said that there was no money for the purpose and tho only way of doing the work was bv another loanA parent whose daughter had not been enrolled at the Technical College informed the Magistrate at the Court this morning that thd girl was working hard and had not time to attend the classes. The Magistrate explained the Act to the parent, and the latter laughed. “You may laugh,” added the Magistrate; “but, upicn my word, it niakes one’s blood boil to notice the indifference of some parents towards their children’s education.” At a general meop.rg of the Wanga nui Horticnltunl Sock-tv on Friday evening it was decided to hold a twoday Spring Show this year in the Drill Hall, dates being fixed for September 10 and 11. An attractive schedule, covering nearly 100 classes of exhibits, was adopted. It was decided to affiliate with the Royal Horticultural Societv. Mrs Suistcd, Mr J. Robertson, and Air Stmton were added to the general committees. and Messrs Sladen, Amos, and M--ycrs and Airs Batty were elected new members. There is every prospect of an excellent Show this year, and flower enhusiasts should look forward to - ery large e-ntrie-s and therefore an unusually fine display. A novel method of house-building has been brought to the attention of tho Ni-wmarket (Auckland) Borough Council when sanction was sought for the erection within the borough of a house of pise de terre. The walls of such houses are constructed of rammed earth, an old principle, which is being revived in many parts of the world. The applicant stated that lie hoped to demon- — slrale the possibility of buildings of this type being erected in all districts, more particularly where skilled labour is not procurable. It was stated that the svstem had already proved successful in England and other countries. Several members expressed tbe opinion that there was a likelihood that tho system would revolutionise building methods, and that it would bring down the cost of materials. Permission for construction was granted. Air Wvvcrr Wilson, S.M., had reason again to comment on the attitude of the Truancy Officer at the Court this morning in bringing a multiplicity of charges against a parent for failing to send his children to school. The- Alagistiate stated that it seemed to him that i; was a pity the prosecutions were not more frequent He supposed there were difficulties in the way of cnc Truancy Officer covering the wide district. Tho proper course would be to have a Tru anev Officer to immediately bring a prc.-oT.:’ against parents, instead of leaving u.-.- mutter for months and months and then bringing as many as If- charges against one person. It did not seem to him a proper way to administer the Act. It was not necessary to have so many charges to bring a parent up to the mark, for it was ‘rare in his experience that one found a parent who, having been once prosecuted, did not send his children to school. Mr Wilson considered that the system could be imp/roved by allowing the secretary of the Board to preterite on the report of a country teacher where a child’had not been attending regularly. What they required was prompt and more frequent prosecutions.