IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 114, 6 February 1908, Page 8

IN OTHER CENTRES.

(bt: TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL COHKESrONDENTS.) , h — • • " AUCKLAND. ' . ... February 5. . • A writer of labour notes in the "Herald" sounds an,ominous n,oto,,regarding the Arbir. tration Act. H'o 'says', the action of the AVaihi. Miners') Mid Workers't Union -in calling, a, special'meeting of-the Union to consider a resolution to cancel the registration of the Union under the' Industrial' Conciliation and Arbitration Act' is''o'no that calls for this earnest' considoration : of. all Unionists. Since the occasion of the,first award there has been a feeling of discontent, and; dissatisfaction. Tho; awards;havo.not been favourable' to the. men,''and it is common,-talk that; if the .can-, col lation' of registration was effected far better tefnis could be obtained. After watch-, iug tho;oj[icrations'of tho Industrial Concilia;-, tion and; Arbitration Act, many of our leading Unionists-aro compelled ,to .admit .that. it is generally a complete failure; that it is not eveii an industrial 1 palliative; instead of tho panacea'that it w>s 'thought' to be when first introduced* So far as awards'have gone/tlfo rise in wages , given has .been moro than counter-balanced by the ,increase iii the cost of living. During the,' ensuing year it is moro than probable that other Unions will follow tho examplo of tho Waihi miners, and troublous times will once more ensue in New; Zealand labour circles; . ■ Ycung Man Disappears. . ' \\ t A young'man named Collet, whose parents are-said to reside at. Tauranga, disappeared somewhat mysteriously, it is stated, from an Auckland • hot?l about tho middle of last week. Ho mentioned to his employer, who' was staying at the same hotel, that lie was I going for a short walk, but since then he has not been heard of, and his • baggago and effects still lie' unclaimed at the hotel. The police are investigating the matter'/ Collet liad been engaged in obtaining the material found at Tauranga, which is claimed to destroy cockroaches.. '-' ; Increases In Salaries. Tho Harbour-Boavd 'was in a generous,! mood yesterday, when increases in salary to officials' and employees ; were , granted wholesale. ! The total of the increases was -some-, what, less than' tliat recommended' by ..the Board .in committee, which' presented a rop'ort . on the subject',early, in December, the, aggregate comprised in that report (which was not adopted) being about £1500 a year. The principal-increases adopted-are those 'of heads of departments. The engineer (Mr. Wv 'Ji. ■ Hamer)' is. advancedfrom£looo to £1250 a year;.the secretary and treasurer, (il.r: •J. SI 1 , lirigham) I from ' £(350 to. £800, and the .harbourmaster (Captain A. Duder) from £400 to £500. ■ : . «vi CHRISTCHURCH." - • • I : ■ February.o.. . Speaking at a. liq-hcense meeting at "Woolston last night Mr. (1. Laurijnson, montipned.that tlje movement:was.niiore than half a gontury old in; Now Zealand.. ;.,Some 'years: ago an"'assistant librarian in the House of Repre'sentatiyes' Vhowe'd him as a curiosity : a'.pjtition signed by 132 residents of Warigaiiui;' and dated ' Jdriuary. lSj *1856:',;-The..peti-tioners stated that; they deeply deplored tho progress of' the yice of-drinking, ! ' artd prayed' th|t "li laiw' oil the Minos' of the. Maine Liquor •Law: .'should. ,: b'e : iritrbdu6e.d ' giving! them"a; right; to yqt« iipon'the - .local abolition\of 'the traffic; '"' Tho^e flie petition,' said Mr/Laiirensoii,,' wefe;'!nbw pjqbabjy !n thiiir pr&yfls. v -. ; 'jifany; of them had .camp, to the end of>a ■:long 'lifetime' • without. seeing• their -'desir^fulfilled, ;but! those .ofthe 'present'geiieration'lived.in happier, times; •' 1 , ; " Civil lorvice Examinations.' ' Considerable" inconvenience . has ' been occasioned.in','., - Cliristchurch - , ' through tfio;,, 'ijducatigVi .•', Department's - ' delay \nv annojincipg '. ; the_ '("'•result ' "'(if ' tho ' "Civil. Service examinations; this year. TJi'e "Times'.'.suggests .tliiit .the'. dep?rt'me.n.V will find, l in the oijorinoiis number .of icaiididates. a plausible excuse'" fpr.'tlie delay,; but'it a'dd's that "wKilo these - examinations y are - mode, the - test 'for children se'bking'free places i in libe secondary, schools, •. it'.'is ; absolutely"' ntCcs'sary • that' the results 1 sboulil '-be jma'd'e kiiowii before the sclibol term" begins.''' In previous "years tjiii has'.been 'dpnc;' but" thisTyekr' "severity; 'oj i'P*sht-y '.'cia jididafes."; iii Chriß^^nirplt" v dlone' have : bwA''ke"pt".a full .week..after.the commence--ment 'of- th6 , - , tc^- , %%olnt : 'lnio^Bg 4; Mi!ih'iy'' tliev. aft 'to return"! to 'schobj "tjr not.' : In somo 'caso? : parents .' have - become :so .disgusted 'with..th'e ; delay' that they': have- put theiiy'-,children'"'into' "shqiis" or';' offices?- : and ,tjachjjii.'. coraplajii.' that.(\seyer.al'' '-promising .pupils'Jiaye lost.in this way their.opportunity ■for'further 'educatiori;;',;.' 'We'" do not?ktiotr is-. going-j;'b do for'the, ,943* candidates .who have passed 'the' •'Cir.il Service' jOxaminations;;"64o of ;theni credit/' •:; but if a" tenth .of • these.'■' young pe.oplo are .looking, forward to' employment in ' the public seryice" ris""a ; 'reward for their achioyement, we- are/ afraid i that' tHey i> will, -bo; gri.oyou'sly.; ■ disapppinte'd...,'-', No':Govern'rnen't has yet pourage.to give .Koncst effect to thp ~Civil',';Se'rvide' ;ReformV,A'ct gf. ■188Q,- which ' requires that "all candidates,^'.'ior! tno public service"; shall .pas's tbo ; ; examinations,:'and , t)ie Government 'probably --would .Bnd'i somo/ in ' making oven ;a.', But't,he. candidates''wliohaveo]ifainedsome distinctionin : '.tbo. • osMiination, k those in th'e'first '.hundred.;.fpr .'insti^nce,; certainly, "should receive! some. special consideration when"there "are appointments to be -made.": . ; v : " : Early; Settlers'. """".'; ;■) yesterday v ;.hpld : -a-picnib -ajt. a!ri .early. dat'6.'. Oiie robii^t/ survivor. *of , ' tto.. aricicnt days, - a v . . first four r sh ips " .ma'n,! ivroto ■ sug- • Wt- .tno;'celgj)'ration': should : ;tako .tno - 'ffirm. pf -'.a .walk ;,b,ver .tho .bridle, path' from ;Ly>te,Hoii-thb. Pilgnms' ; which' tfio t-bo'.plains'. ,He thoughtft , wbiitcl; awaken\-niimv. pleasant .WgnSWfS"flf I .'a"n|d:". lajig- .'syne.:' : .Wheir tlib•lgttor^s; read: oi;e!j)ilgrini: remarked ': "",No f'.ar,. v,;e' c;imn' over • and don't want .any -.more. iof .remark. th'at;.was:-rc-coiredrwith loud applause. . The bridle path, it..',mny b{>. added, 'challenges comparison in ',th>."n:ay; of- stecpness;ivith' 'manv'of ithe hills and ■the"track l .'bping now i?}?l§®9•. except,by energetic .Sunday is .yery. rough.- Jt _>yas igenerally.!.'recognised ; that' 'some/ less • activo. kfprni of' celebration "ivciild.-have-, to -be . adopted it, the gathering was to bo, in any .way representative' of the .old'settlers.who .still-remain.'.. !• - An Old, Building; : , , ' • ! -A building was 'sold'.yesterdav.iiii. icburch, .which' has the .'distinction of boiii" pro.bably; the.; oldest ..in the -citylt-, stands :nt, tho-corner -of' Gloucester iStre'et.. and. Ox-; 'ford .Terrace",- opposite '.the" Gloucester Street fridge; -and : it; was! opened in January, 1852," ;as.-a' bakery arid : provision store; A veteran 'journalist, who usixl to bo sent - to.-thi shop .for bread in",his ■ schoolboy/ days, discourses ;reminiscently" of the building ill to-day's "Press." At one time, it was considered imposing: edifice, and much of the timber is still,in sound condition. '- -■ : -j . dunedin: - ■ February ' : 5. ; ; Great interest is being taken in the contest' I bctwepn Burk and Trombath in tho half-mile test"'match 1 on Saturday- weok. ' . As, both runners have' plenty of 'medals, the Dunedin Aniatour Athletic ' Club. , havo decided to award tho winner a cup; I Mri - J. P;.: Arnold: M'.P.,' .will -'attend the Methodist Conference'to be held in'Aucklaii'd at tho Olid of this month. It isMr. Arnold's intention to travel', by tlie Main Trunk Hailway,-, with, tho object of se"eiiig tho; - workings !and surrounding country. AVhile iii Auckland -ho'will-"consult'with' prominent' leaders of'-the; Labour 'party. • ' ;.