LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3557, 18 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' The Asliburton recruits for the Twenty-first Reinforcements' will leave by the second L express on Wednesday evening, and will be far'ewelled at the Drill Hall prior to entraining. At, the Ashburton Court on Thursday a woman from Itangitata will appear to answer to three indictable charges of alleged opening of postal matter. The cases will bo heard at Ashburton for the convenience of' the prosecution. i Mr William Brooking, who met with |an accident by falling from a drag opposite the Commercial, Hotel on I Thursday evening, and who was taken to the hospital, has only partially rej gained consciousness. i An Invercargill Press Association telegram states that a fire occurred at 4 o'clock on Sunday morning in a shop occupied by Alexander Rodie, draper, lin the^ Grand .Hotel buildings. The fire brigade succeeded in confining the 1 flames to the shop. The damage to the stock is estimated at £2500, and to the building at £1000. Rodie was insured for £192/ x . WlriUv the Hon. J. A. Hanan was emphasising, in his addreess to niem-bez-s of the Ashburton*Technical School Board on Saturday, the necessity for more agricultural and industrial education, ■ky said he was convinced that the future of the Dominion would depend on the development of its agricultural resources, : and the agricultural and indtistrial student would have to be encouraged, as ho would be a necessity.. " For instance," he added, " I am. a lawyer, and lawyers can be done without, but not so with the man on the Iftnd." A special .message from Auckland to the Wellington "Post" on Monday stated that the report of tho Aliens' Commission, which inquired into the charges of disloyalty against the Dalmatian gumdiggers, is now under the consideration of the Government. It is stated that, in the opinion of the Commissioners, tho evidence does not support tho charges of disloyalty. None of the numerous witnesses "whom they examined was in favour of internment of Dalmatians. It is understood that, as a result of the Commission's report, the Government proposal to segregate all single, unnaturalised Dalmatians.-, at Parenga, near North Cape, will not be carried into effect. The Hon. J. Allen, whilst not able to ■ make any statement at present, said on Monday that Auckland people could allow their minds to be jit perfect rest on the question. Agreement has been reached between .the Victorian .and the New Zealand D'opartiiienta, pi Agriculture ■ in*: regard to the importation-'of fruit trees fr.om that State into tho Dominion (says tho Melbourne "Age"). The Victorian nurserymen recently,complained to. Mr Hagelthorn that several thousands of fruit trees exported from the; State had been condemned in -New .Zealand on the ground that they were affected by root disease. The Victorian experts were satisfied that the trees were not diseased; and it was accordingly arranged that Mr C. C. Brittlebank, an officer of the Department of Agricultxire,'should visit New Zealand and discuss tho question with the authorities there. Mr Brittlebank ' found some difficulty, in convincing the New Zealand exports that, there was nothing wrong with the trees,, but the New Zealand Goyeriraiflnt 1 placed every facility at 'his disposal to prove the case of the' Victorian -nurserymen. As a result, he proved that the trees were not affected with disease, and the tre.es will Imj distributed to those who ordered them.,...• . . Tho Otago ''and Southland district shearers are seeking an [increase of 6s per 100 and travelling expenses paid one way (states the "Ota<:o Daily Times"). Negotiations arc going forward for a satisfactory settlement. Mr Steve Boreharn (.secretary of the- Otago and Southland branch of--the Agricultural and Pastoral Workers' Association) points' out- that at the present time the A.P.U. has cited some employers in the North Island asking for 2*7s 6d per 100. The citation is to come before the Conciliation Commissioner _ at—an early date. Tho Otago district employers are prepared to consider a, boiius of 2s 6d per 100, but the union asks for os. As a result of a forthcoming'conference between tho Employers' Association and tho workers, Mr Boreham is confident, that an amicable understanding, so far as tho shearers are concerned, will be effected. The union is also desirous of meeting the ' Otago and Southland branches of the Farmers' Union with a view to "arriving .at a- settlement of wages for harvesting atid thrashing .mill work on the. basis of the Canterbury award. Tho award provides for the payment of Is 3d per hour.