LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2905, 18 October 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The postal authorities advise that the s.s. Wimraera, which sailed from Melbourne on October 14, for Wellington direct, is bringing mails from Australia and from tho United Kingdom,' via Suez, and is due here on Thursday noxt. The s.s. Moeraki, which sailed from Wellington on Thursday, carrying Australian and United Kingdom mails, arrived in Sydney on Monday morning.

11l a paragraph published: in torday's issue certain remarks -were attributed to Mr. H. W. Shortt, which we regret to say were erroneous. 31r. Shortt, who had just returned from a visit to Sydney, was made to say, in summarising his remarks, that- ho would not live in Sydney for all tho tea, in Ohina, and also that he had been cured of Labour Governments. What he actually said was, in cffcot, that, New Zealand was good onough for him, whilo the reference to Labour Governments was not mado by Mr. Shortt at all. Tho references to tho I.W.W. and the anti-conscription movement w©ro merely gossip which ho retailed for what it was worth, and not as his own opinion. Mr. Shortt was interviewed by our representative during tho hurry and hustle of disembarkation, and we regret that his remarks wero confused with others. In Napier at noon yesterday the thermometer registered 62 in the shade.

Tho Department of Agriculture lias received cabled advice from tho New Zealand Trado Commissioner in Melbourne to the effect that the authorities have decided that tho price of Australian butter shall remain at 16d. wholesale, regardless of London parity.

A conference was held yesterday between the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), the chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (Mr. H. Baldwin), and the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board (Mr. C. E. Daniell) on the question of instituting an improved ambulance service in Wellington. The effect of the conference will bo reported to the various bodies concerned before being made public. Arrangements have been made by the Defence Minister with the High Commissioner to have food, money, and comforts supplied to New Zealand prisoners of war in Germany. The food is to be paid for by the New Zealand Government, and the money will also be provided by the Government. It is suggested that the comforts should bo provided out of the funds already in the hands of the High Commissioner for comforts for sick and wounded New Zealanders. The High Commissioner's last communication, dated August 14, was that food and comfcrts had been dispatched to all New Zealand' 6oldeirs held captives iu Germany, and that he was arranging with the War Office regarding the supply of weekly allowances of money. At a full meeting the Dunedin Suburban Headmasters' Association last rug tit rosolved to protest strongly against theintroduction of regulations at this time of the year dealing with tho requirements of the profioiency certificate examination.—Press Association. Speaking on tho subject of the circulation of dirty bank notes at the annual meeting of tho Central Chambef of Commerce yesterday, Mr. A. Leigh Hunt said:—"H such notes cannot Be destroyed the public should have the assurance that they are put through 6ome process of fumigation." An Army Service Corps bakery has been completed at Featherston at a cost of £850, or £50 less than the original estimate. Colonel Hiley, Director of Railways and Works, reporting on this enterprise to the Minister, writes: "I may mention, that the bakery is | constructed on entirely original designs, so far as New Zealand is concerned, by a modification of the army pattern to suit the 6peoial requirements at Featlierston. No difficulty has been experienced in baking for between 8000 and 9000 men at the bakery since its completion. I may say that there has been a saving by the use of this bakery of £228 per month ovor the contracts, equal to an annual saving of £2736." By means of subscriptions from friends and sportsmen throughout the Dominion, a cot especially for returned soldiers has been provided in Timaru Hospital, in memory of Trooper J. Hagerty, the well-known Timaru champion boxer, who was killed at Gallipoli on August 27,1915. A memorial tablet

was unveiled yesterday, and the oot was presented to the_ hospital in the presence of a large gathering, several speakers emphasising the value of the late Trooper Hagerty's example in clean living and clean sportsmanship.—Press Association.

Becruiting quarters have been arranged for at the Hawke's Bay show, and doctors will be in attendance at certain hours, so that recruits may bo attested forthwith.

How should the Wellington suburb of Seatoun be pronounced? Many people have got into the habit of calling it "Seatown," which is wrong. It Is also wrongly pronounced "Seatoon."' Tho "u" m "Seatoun" is mute, and therefore the corrsct pronunciation is as ill "Seaton."

The Hon. Arthur M. Myers, Minister of Munitions and Supplies, stated in Auckland that a prosecution is to take place shortly in Wellington against a well-known firm of furnishers for the supply of mattresses to the military authorities not in accordance with specifications, and went on to say: "It is satisfactory to know that the examination of supplies for military purposes is so carefully undertaken that any dorelication or departure from specifications and terms on tho part ot con*

tractors is rapidly detected. Experts arc constantly inspecting the goods delivered, to ensure that they are in accordance with the terms of contract."

The Minister added that supplies were coming in very satisfactorily from the various contractors, and that ararngements had already been made for a portion of the 1917 requirements of the troops.

In tho Supremo Court at Christohuroh yesterday Mr. Justice Denniston dismfssed the appeal of tho manager of Everybody's Picture Theatre against the Fire Superintendent on his conviction under the Fire Brigades Aot for allowing persons to congregate in tho foyer of the'theatre while waiting for seats.—Press Association.

Tho members of the Featherston Camp Trumpet Band were entertained at the Grand Hotel, Auckland, on Saturday morning .-by the Hon. James Allen, Acting-Prime Minister.

The case of a child who died from diphtheria while on the way to the Hospital, after a long wait for the ambulance, was mentioned by The Dominion a few days ago, and an official reply has been made to the effect that the child did not die in the Hospital Board's ambulance. The facts are that tha removal of the little patient to the Hospital was ordered by a doctor, who arranged that the ambulance should call at the parents' home at 1 p.m. The parents, who realised the gravity of the illness, rang up the Hospital more than once during the afternoon, but it was not until 4.25 p.m. that a motor-oar, sent instead of the ambulance, reached their house. ' The child died in the car on the way to the Hospital.

Tho Hon. A. 1. Herdman will receive a deputation from women's societies to-day on the subjeot of the appointment of women police in New Zealand.

The Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. Allen) has received from General Godley a printed circular relating to the New Zealand Hospital at Hornchuroh, England. The circular sets out that tho institution will in future be organised as a convalescent hospital, with a headquarters section and four other sections, and _ administered by the D.D.M.S., as in the case of other New Zealand hospitals in the United Kingdom.

The annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce is to be | held in Wellington on November 22 and 23. A meeting of tho executive will be held to-day to go ovor tho remits, as many of those received from different chanibers are identical in meaning tf not in wording, and it is desired, j as far as was possible, to simplify the business of the conference. I Councillor Bennett will movo at tomorrow's meeting of tho City Council that the expenditure upon permanent works out of general rates shall not exceed £10,000 in any one financial yea*. At the annual meeting of tho Central'Cbamber of Commerce yesterday, Mr. H. A. Ward said that they would never induce the young man to go upon the land until it was regarded as olio of the honoured professions. Ho pointed out that there was only ono agricultural college in the whole of tho Dominion (Lincoln), and strongly urged that, anothor big college should be established ty the Government in tho North Island. Tho "Sports" Suit is the suit of comfort; allows freedom of action. 425. 6d., at Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Manners Street.— Advt,

The Wellington Drivers' Union has a tug-of-war team in training which is to compete at tho Labour Day sports. A few years ago, when tug-of-war contests had a brief popularity, the drivers had a team which put up a remarkably fine record, and they are hopeful that the new team will emulate its achievements.

A question of some interest is being raised by the Bacon Factory Employees' Union. _ Recently, on application by the union, the Arbitration Court held that women workers in a bacon factory, not being specially mentioned in the award, were entitled to the same rates of pay as men. The employers at onco raised the rates of pay for women workers to those paid to men, but the union is demanding that these women shall receive back pay at these higher rates. The union demand; in effect, that the interpretation shall he retrospective. The matter is not yet settled. The Defence Minister wishes to remove all possibility of misapprehension to which his statement, published yesterday, to the effect that sufficient moneys wero in hand for tho present for comforts for siek and wounded soldiers, may give rise. "I want to make it quito 'clear," he said to a Dominion reporter yesterday, "that this fund has nothing to do with the British Red. Cross, or tho New Zealand Branch of tiio British Red Cross. I understand that an 'Our Day' - collection is to be made for the funds of the British Red Gross. I hope that the public will subscribe liberally to this collection, because the British Red Cross, and the New Zealand branch need all' the money they can secure. When I say we have sufficient money, I refer, only to the fund for comforts for sick and wounded New Zealand soldiers in England. This money is subsoribed by the' patriotic societies for this purpose, remitted to the High Commissioner, under instructions from the Minister of Defence, and distributed by the , High Commissioner and the New Zealand War Contingent Association. It is not for R«d Cross purposes at all, and I do not want my statement to prejudice in any way the success of the collection to be made for the British Red Cross." '

The Feilding Chamber of Commerce hag adopted the following remit for the Chambers of Commerce Conference: "That tor the protection of the people of the Dominion against oxcessive freights, and in order to prevent enemy capitalists from 6h"taTsTng ! control of ships trading to New Zealand, this conference urges the Government to. establish a national line of steamers between Britain and the Dominion."—Press Association. The suggestion conveyed) in a cablegram from the High Commissioner that there will be a shortage of shipping space for the conveyance of butter and cheese from Now Zealand to the United Kingdom during the present season has caused some anxiety among exporters, but the position at the moment appears to be fairly satisfactory. Exporters have, been notified by the Imperial Supplies Board of the space that will be at their disposal during

tho next four or five weeks", and the allocations are regarded generally as adequate Ekime exporters, indeed, may have some difficulty in filling all the space that has been granted l to them owing to butter and cheese not coming forward from the factories quite as rapidly as was expected. The prospeots for the later portion of the season depend upon the attitudo of the authorities in London, and exporters are hoping that Mr. Ma prey and Sir Joseph Ward will bo able to secure for New Zealand at least na much insulated tonnage as was available last year.

Yesterday the Conciliation Council heard a dispute as to wages, hour 3, etc., between the employers and the employees in the biograph operating business Mr. W. H. Hagger (Conciliation Commissioner) presided, and the assessors were: —For the employers: Messrs. Walter Fuller, H. W. Shortt-, Edward J. Rightoii. For the union: Messrs. D. Miuington, W. A. Clarke, G. Dyer, Mr. W. A. Grenfell appeared as agent for the,employers, and Mr. J. Reard'on for the Timon. The papers before the commissioner showed that there were substantial differences between the proposals of tho two sides. The union proposed : Not less than two operators to be employed by each continuous theatre, to divide the twelve-hour day between them; no operator to he transferred from one show to another, except in case of emergency. In night shows the hours asked for were from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., with one matinee. Wages were claimed as follow: —First operator, £6 pc weeksecond, £5; assistant, where first and second are employed, £2 10s.; touring operator, £6; operator and engir.eer, £7; operator running repairs and maintenance of gas engine or other prime inovor, £1 extra; for more than one matinee in night shows an extra day' 6 wages; casual work, 30s. per night. Overtime: ss. per hour; Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday, double time in addition to ordinary wages. Fourteen days' holidays on full pay annually was also sought. The cmployors submitted in their counter-proposals for a 44-hour week and an 8-hour day, with the following wages:—Biograph operator, £3 10s.. per week; junior, £3; casual operators, 20s. for eight hours ,and workers in the same employ should be allowed to relieve one another. Overtime was suggested at 2s. 6d. per hour, but only ordinary time should be paid for work done in respect to a breakdown of machinery, and for Sundays; Christmas Day and Good: Friday ,2s. Gd._ an hour extra should be paid. A decision had not been reached when , the council rose for the day.

Messrs. Dwan Bros, have just completed the purchase of an absentee's estate in England, a freehold acre having a frontage to Nairn Street and Huaka Street, together with twelve dwellings thereon. The purchase runs into a considerable sum. Messrs. Dwan Bros., at the time of purchasing, had a lease of twenty-one years to run.

At the meeting of the council of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday a letter was received from the Rotorua, Chamber of Commerce asking for tho. Central Chamber's support in their proposal to the Government that greater use should be mado of .prison labour in the formation of main arterial roads (a matter which has been before other local bodies and already reported upon). The chairman (Mr. C. M. Luke) said that the Botorua Chamber was very keen about this matter, having had experience of prison labour. He did not know if they were sufficiently acquainted with the subject to deal with it that afternoon. Perhaps it would bo bettor to refer the matter to the incoming council, with tho proposal that they should bring the matter before tho next meeting of the council. Thero was no doubt in his mind that prison labour could be used to better advantage for the "well-being of the community than was being done at present. Ho moved that the letter be referred to the incoming council, to be brought up again at tho next meeting.—Adopted.