LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 284, 20 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wo miblish in another part of this issue the ntienint: section of an abstract; of the Gallon Memorandum dealing with tho industrial situation after the war. At the instance ot tho Gnrton loundation representatives ol the employing classes, organised labour, financial and economic circles investigated the industrial situation in England, 'and compiled n memoramlum setting out their views, llio memorandum was recently sent out by General Russell to Mr. Witherby, tho secretary of the Liujiire Service League. Much of it is applicablo to Now Zealand. It presents to the employer class tho ■point of view of tho workers, and to tho latter llio point of view of the former, and to bolh tho fact that ill the main their interests are identical and that conflict only limits or destroys iho output that provides a fund for both. Largo parts of it. should appeal directly to the. public just now. Four jurymen were excused from servico yesterday by llis Honour Mn Justice 'hosting. One was the ..sole male on a. dairy farm, another was partially de'if and a third, a confectionery manufacturer, was tho only man in.charge of the business, and the- fourth hud charge of the machinery at Parliamentary Building, and his absence would menu that tlio machinery would have to remain idle.

Mr W. W. Pilkington, for pome yearn prominently associated with tho motor business in' Wellington, is leaving shortly to settle in Sydney. The business he has conducted in Courtcnay Place lias been purchased by Messrs. lnglis and Juriss. Councillor C. 13. Norwood (chairman of' the City Council's Milk Committee ptafed to a Dominion representative that as tho result of his exhaustive inquiries into tho milk business he does not believe that there is any other business where the cost of distribution is so great in comparison with tho cost ot the article. In his opinion the delivery of milk in Wellington on the "block system will effect economies running into ,05.0(10. On 'Thursday afternoon Mr. Norwood is to interview the t)taki dairy fanners, and the same evening lie will meet the dairy farmers of I'araparaumu in conference. "Tho Industrial Committee of Advioo is one of the flimsiest, silliest tilings ever set up," remarked a member ot the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce at yesterday's meeting of that body. •« better lino to work on would bo that each separate group of industries should link up together and rnako recommendations. At present you can have a soapmaker advising on tho textile industry and that l's absurd." Padro Bladin related at Talnieraton Nbrth how a sentry on a transport at anchor at a Home port had been given instructions not to ailow anyono aboard, and how'lie carried out his orders. JJurin? the night lie heard t'ho chug-chus ot a motor-boat alongside. ' throw do\ui that ladder," commanded a voice from below. "Sorry, sir," roplied tho sentry, "my orders,aro to lot no ono aboard. "But I am tho Admiralty pilot,' replied tho voice. "I-can't help it it you aio Pontius Pilot," said the soldier, you can't como aboard!"

The firo brigade was called out at 7.45 ln3t evening to a fire in a four-roomed house, "No. 15 WinglielA Street. Iho outbreak was caused by a lighted candle coming into contact wiih sonio clothing. The building and its contents were badly damaged before tho outbreak was suppressed. The house, which was occupied by Mr. Thomas A. Walker, was owned'by Mr. William IT. lieul. Ip building is insured in tho London and Lancashire Office for .11150. ■ There was no insurance on tho contents.

Tho fact that, in New Zealand war loans were free of income tax was commented oil by Mr. A. Leigh Emit, who presided at yesterday's meeting of the council of tho Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Runt said that ibis arrangement had given rise to a good deal of misapprehension. Other countries had tried it, and given it best. There was a possibility, it seemed to him, that future New Zealand Governments would repudiate this little bargain. Members of the council .of the Central Chamber of Commerce wore surprised ■ yesterday when it was reported that one of the postal authorises in Wellington had expressed an opinion that post olhce boxes worn not wanted, and that'in I'<ngland'they wero.not in use. It was, explained: that anyone who looked behind j he scenes would realise the great ditnculties tho sorters had to rontend against, and consequently the difficulty of training men for tho work. The National Kfliciency Board as a board was adversely criticised at. yesterday's meeting of the counoil of tho Weilintrton Central Chamber of Commerce. "Tho National Efficiency Board is not worth its salt as regards individual busiwas one members opinion. All. A '■Leigh Hunt, who presided, thought the board had done well. The member: "That is the Advisory Board, not tno subcommittees."

His Majesty's Trade' Conmiissioncr, Mr. fl. \Y. Dslton, is to bo entertained at a complimentary luncheon by Iho vlsow Zealand Association ol British Manufacturers and Agents prior to Ins departure for England.

The Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club House Society, being the txecutivo that has control and management, of the lveturned Soldiers' Club, situated at Lambton Quav, tho members. of which are Messis. j. P. Maxwell (chairman), E. D. -Bell, A. Gray, K.C., W. Simm, Marcus F. Marks, and Jauiea Macintosh (honorary treasurer), are, according" to Hi 9 Worship the, Mayor, making an appeal for fund? for the carrying on of that important branch of patriotic work, the Club He use, Mr. Luko pdints out., is a home not only for the returned soldiers, who find it of the greatest benefit, but thore. is also a welcome to fll thoso ill khaki. The appeal will take tho form of a street collection iu Decenrber. and the committee are also asking the City Council for the use of the Basin Reserve for' the purpose of holding a demonstration, and asking authority to clnrgo sixpence admission on that occasiou.

Owing to the great denvmd nn space in ships outward bound i'l'oui New Zealand, it has not been possible to dispatch promptly all the gift goods that have been scM forward for soldiers at tho front. This applie,-! especially to krge packages, aml the Minuter uf Defence gives a warning to relatives i.f Kiel) on servico that large paekugos run .» risk of not being sent fonv.r.'fl immediately Air this reason. recently there wiif seme considerable amount vacant spuco in an outward ship, and five hundred ions of gift goods were sent by this steamer, but tho Minister says that the clean 1 sweep of ail accumulations was moro or I .less a lucky accident, owinir to other cargo expected not having come forward in'time. The Minister says that, hi# personal desire will be alwaya to encourage the sending ov gifts to soldiers, but the I demands on shipping spac.o are so heavy that relatives must be nsked to ebservo tho conditio?) i hat packages must be I small. Tho Milliliter of Education finds him- 4 ' self embarrassed on the one hand by the demands that are being |uadc everywhere in the coanli'y for smaller classes in tho prinviry classes, and 011 tho other hand by tho continuing depletion of the ranks oi' the leaching profession. The Minister cannot work a loaves and fishes uiiracle, and the demands must remain unsatisfied for tho present. It has been evident that ho is of the opinion that 110 more teachers should bo taken for military service, but he has 110 jurisdiction over tho employment of teachers, and

cannot, therefore, appeal for them in tho rapacity of omployer. That must be done Ijy the education .boards, who arc in tho relationship of employers to tho teachers in their districts. In the course of a deputation talk yesterday this mutter was mentioned by the Minister. He said that-the practice of boards in tlio mntteir of appeals was not uniform, but in all districts there was tho demand for smaller elapses. In Canterbury the board had decided against the making of appeals for teaehers, but tho request was still mad. 1 of I lie Government for smaller classes. Smaller classes meant moro teachers, and more teachers could-not be obtained while men were being taken out of the schools for military service.

Scluiapper are bought_ by the Auckland City Council iron) fishermen ill 2d. per lb. 'Tn answer lo tho Minister of Marian, Mr. 13. J. Cnrr, chairman of tho City Markets Committee, enid tho juice paid for this flsli by the public was old. per lb. The cost of handling it bv tho council was IJd. por lb., irrespective of ofijco expenses

Wriling from Palestino to his mother, n resident of Maungaturoto, an Auckland soldier srtys:—"This is one of the worst places wo linve been in yet, with Iho heal, dust , and Hies. Wo had itfiolher slunl: since I wrote Inst, and :i number of casualties. Tho first day wo wore shelled, very heavy metal bursting all round, and wo had hard work kooping the horses up to their work. I have just seen a ontting from a paper report where Payne was asking in the llduso when-the Mouuteds were going to give np their pleasure trip here andigo to Franco to do a hit of fighting. 1 would like to see him out here just for a weelc. . Pcopla like him don't; seem to realiso that tho casualties here on an average in our brigade are heavier than for the New Zealluidors in Franco."

Tiie schooner Awanui, which arrived at Auckland on Saturday from Nine Island, in tho Pacific, reported a strike of native labourers. The men who struck work included all labourers and store hands. Tho men demanded moro pay, and as this was not forthcoming they ceased work. The schooner, which was I lieu at the island, loading copra, was (lolayed for over a week, until tho strikers were granted an increase in pay, and work was resumed.

Tho thermal activity which began recently at Frying Pan Flat, Waimangu, still continues. A large volume uf water, several yards in diameter, is thrown to a height of (il)fl. or more. The old geyser shows no sign of-activity, but tho outbursts of llio new ono are considered lo .bo increasing.

Itefereeing in football matches Australia is a dangerous occupation. A rciereo, who proceeded against two players for assault after 'a match in Sydney recently, said when lie was takdu to St. Vincent's Hospital for treatment it was found tliut his teetli were loosened, his noso was brokon, and his eyes were bunged and blackened. Ono of the defendants was lined JCIO, with the option of three months' gaol, and the other was fined £5, in default ono month's imprisonment.

A story is told by a returned officer that ono of tho padres at the front was inclined ,to give rather long addresses to ; the men' at the church parades. When tho officer ccaiuiunding remonstrated with the padre for keeping the men so | long, the latter replied that ho was in tho same line of priesthood as John Kiiox, and he was not going to bo dictated to by any officer what ho should say to tho men or how long he should keep them. "I know men," he said, \"and I know what 1 am doing." "Very well," replied tho officer, "I'll see you again about the ;uatler." A month afterwards the padre had quite altered his treatment of the soldiers, and was getting quito popular with them. The officer again approached him, and said: "You said you knew. men. Why have you altered your methods of dealing with them so very completely?" "Well," honestly replied the padre, "I thought I did, but one month hero 'hap taught mo more about men and tho real business of life than thirty years spent in three large parishes in New Zealand."

Postcards recently received from New Zealand prisoners of war in Germany indicate that their, plftco of internment is Limburg, says all exehango. There are ,nt least tlireo Liinljurgs in Germany— ono Houtii of Ludwigshnfon, another south-east of Stuttgart, _ and tho third mid more important Limbiirg-on-Lahii, about !i0 miles east of Coblenz. It is )this last-menlioncd place at which our recently-captured soldiers are—a pleasant wooded region to' which in peace times students resorted for their vacation.

Tito finding of a district court-martial held at Featherslon Military Camp on August 3 having been confirmed by tho Commandant of the Now Zealand Military Forces, is promulgated: No. 87,270 Pri'valo J. Stubberfield, CI Details, found guilty of disobeying a lawful command given by his superior officer; sentenced lo undergo one year and eleven months' imprisonment with hard labour. The sentenco entails forfeiture of pay under Royal warrant, from July 23,J inis, until July 3, 1920, or the expiration of his sentence,

The applications received by tho City Council for new connections with the municipal electric lighting station are still numerous, and, owing In the shortage of materials, considerable difficulty is being expsrieneed in meeting the demand. In a statement made yesterday the Mavor (llr. J. P. Luke) expressed gratification at the iact that tho council's order limitiiig the. use of heaters had been so well heeded. Thc'effeet was very noticeable during tho busy hours between it and 7, and the fact that the heaters were jiot alight greatly lessened tho strain on tho power supply. "An elcctrio heater simply eats the power," stated Mr. Luke. "When:, a large number ot heaters was cut off it made, a very great difference It ia tor these reasons that the council is not installing any movu heaters for the present." Mr. Luke answered a complaint which is current to tho effect that tho council is showing favouritism in making new connections. Cases no recorded where some applicants have been wailing for months, awl are still waiting, whereas others have had connections made at very snort notice. According to Mr. Luko tliero have been instances of that sort, but they luu-o been unavoidable. The position is that tlm council ia unable to-secure a fresh shipment of transformers. In some areas the transformers are carrying their full load, and tho addition of even one moro connection would tend to cause a breakdown. People in such must, therefore, wait until more transformers coma to hand. Then again there aro some transformers not carrying their lull capacity which-nieAns that the department is able to make new connections in those areas. "If wa did not make, new connections where possible and without impairing tho efficiency wo would bo throwMp away revenue, and that would not be a vriso policy." ■