LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 150, 20 March 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"Tho State requires all young men— quite properly, 1 think—to render military service, in the same way, 1 think, tho State might require young women to lc-am, say;, how to make a little barley water!" This opinion was exprtesod by Mr. W'. 11. L. Foster, chairman of the Wellington East Epidemic Committee, in giving evidence before tho Epidemic Commission yesterday. He was urging tho need for the training of women in homo nursing, saying that the opidemic had made apparent a lamentable ignorance among women of the elements of nursing and the preparation of the simplest invalid foods.

Despite tho extraordinarily high fares ruling for passages to Great' Britain, tho bookings on the Sraw, Savill and New Zealand Shipping Companies' vessels indicate that up to tho end of May all passenger accommodation will ■be filled. Tho bulk of these passengers appears to be going on pleasure trips only, and although a decline in charges is inevitable, there appears to bo no tendency to hold back.

Representatives of (lie freezing companies ami of the Freezing Workers' Federation aro to meet in Wellington on April 2 to discuss the claim mndo by the men for increased pay. Tho existing agreement, which will not expire until tho end of the present month, provides fo" air increase of 5 per cent, all round on tho old rates, but it appears that tho men are dissatisfied. They have been pressing for increases, and there have been several minor stoppages, which have not been approved by tho officials of tho federation. Tho secretary of the federation, Mr. Niall, passed through Wellington yesterday on hie way to Auckland, where tho men aro reported to havo threatened another 6toppogo.

The sight of two big policemen careering about Lambton Quay in a state of perturbation was responsible for some excitement about a quarter to 4 yesterday afternoon. Figures of eight, circles, and ellipses, zigzag, and various other movements, formed part of their evolutions, the immediate cause of which was a prisoner named Lawrence John Maloney, who had broken away from the watchhouse at the Central Police Station. Earlier in the afternoon Maloney had appeared at the Magistrate's Court on a charge of burglary, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. After tho hearing of the case he was removed to tho watchhouse, but on arrival there he immediately made a bolt for freedom. Ho ran along Waring Taylor Street into Lambton Quay, and chase was given by Sergeant Sweeney and Constable R. Anderson. For a few minutes the scene resembled that of frisky horses galloping about a paddock, but finally Maloney sought refuge in a clothier's shop. Hie two police officers at- once converged on their quarry, and the brief man hunt came to ail end.

An announcement made in New Zealand Expeditionary Force Orders (Ensland) states that existing allowances for officers and nurses, namely, adjutant's allowance, field cashier's, grooniage, field, and mess (nurses), will continue until December 31, 15)18, from which date they will be cancelled. From January 1, 1919, the only allowance issuable in addition to the rates laid down for officers and nurses' pay will be field allowance at the flat rate of ss. for all officers and members of the N.Z.A.N.S. "he Orders also state that the outfit grant for all officers commissioned in or gazetted to the N.Z.E.F. prior to the signing of the armistice, has been increased to jC4O. Officers' accounts will be credited with a sum of J22A for those commissioned before January 1, 1916. and -£15 for those commissioned after that date.

At a meeting held on Tuesday evening the local Timber-workers' Union resolved to affiliate with the Wellington Labour Representation Committee, and _ so officially become members of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Complaints have recently been made to the Inspector of Footwear, who is an othcer of the Labour Department, that some New Zealand manufacturers of leather are marketing a product that contains an excess of glucose. This substance is said to.give inferior leather 'lie appearance but not the quality of durability. The Department is making investigations, and steps may be taken to protect the public against possible deception. There is, according to several land agents who were seen by a reporter on the subject, a decided snortage of modern houses to let in Christchurcii just at present—a rather serious state of affairs in view of the large number of me - .i returning from the front, very many of whom want to start housekeeping. The shortage is in four, five, and sixroomed dwellings at rents ranging lrom 15s. to 2os. per week. The number ot this class of house available for letting is almost negligible as compared with the demand. Koine idea of the straits to which some house-hunters have been reduced is given by the allegation made by one land agent that he was offered a premium of over <£10 if he could supply the class of house desired. There are a. number of small houses on the letting list at lUs. per week, but'the majority "are not lit to put a dog in," as one agent phrased it. Bungalows wo much in demand, 0110 agent stating that his average daily inquiries for this class of dwelling averaged about fifty. The absence of sufficient properties to let has led to brisk business in the sale of dwellings, and prices ranging from 50 per cent, on pre-war figures aiz being asked, and in very many eases obtained. Just at present builders and others connected with the building trado do not hold out much hope of the price of building material falling, and until it does there is not likely lo be much endeavour made to meet the demand tor houses by building them. Ail indication of the keen competition there is for houses is given by the fact that a househunter, on learning that a certain dwellin;; would be to let, applied for it at 5.,10 a.m. on the day it was available; latercoiners, totalling 27, were, of course, greatly disappointed.

Tho arrival of the Waihora at Dunedin with a cargo of gunnies (the first direct cargo to bo landed in New Ze»tlnud for u long time) has had an effect on the price of sacks. Tlireo months ago almost any merchant in the country would hivje paid a shilling eacli for any number of good second-hand sacks. To-day, about !)d. is tho market price—and it is a falling one. Tho present quotations for new sacks in the south are 16. 4d. for M-lb sacks and Is. sd. for .'l(i-J8 sacks. The AVaihora has arrived in good time for the requirements of the harvest.

Mr. S. Hurst Seager, honorary organising dirccior of the Town Planning Exhibition and Conference, is making a very successful tour of the North Island with tho object of interesting the public in the scheme. Ho has addressed interested audiences at Masterton, Hastings; Napier, Gisborne, Opolik'. Wliakatano and Rotorua. He is to speak at Auckland on Saturday night.

The following amended scale of pay for members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service is announced in Now Zealand Expeditionary Forco Orders (England) to operate as from April 1, 1918:—Matron-in-chief, 16s. per day; matron, 135.; charge sister, lis.; sister, 10s.; nurse, 7s. lOd. i

There are some fifty enemy aliens in the Otago district, Germans for the mast part, and it is understood that, with a view to repatriation, their desires have been ascertained, and that not ono wishes to return to his homelnnd.—Press Assn.

The annual rifle meeting of Group 5 (Wellington City ami Suburbs) will be held at Trentliam on Saturday, March 29. It is open to Territorials, members of rifle clubs, and senior cadets. In addition to cash prizes to the value of ..£142 there are trophies, a championship belt, and a. championship shield to bo competed for.

A resolution of the Headmasters' Association, to the elfect that the State should be responsible for the supply and distribution of all text-books and apparatus required for primary educational purposes, came before yesterday's meeting of the Education Board. It was deferred for further consideration.

The Education Board yesterday decided to notify tho Department that owing to the greatly increased number of students now to bo trained it was advisable to maintain two normal schools.

The various sports bodies propose to place before candidates for the forthcoming municipal elections their requirements as regards grounds and fees. One of the suggestions is that the fees for tho use of the grounds for matches bo made us low us possible, and not greater thai! the charge made during the war period. It has been further suggested that a recreation ground should bii formed or, tho Town Belt at the top of Pirie Street, and in addition that Aiulorson Park be completed. A meeting of the Snorts Protection League is to bo called shortly to consider these matters.

Some time ago a 1 esident of Kaikoura forwarded to the curator of tho Canterbury Museum the specimen of a fish, which, however, arrived in such a bad condition that it was impossible to place it. The fish was 'referred to Mr. Waite, a recopnised authority on the subject, who lu\s identified it us a Mediterranean species .called "flat-tail." It is interesting to noto that this fish has hitherto never been recorded in New Zealand v/ufiirs. although, one specimen was previously discovered off tho Australian coast. Tho fish is a deep-sea species and is poisonous.

A notification appears in our advertising oolumns that an increase has been made by the executive of the Wellington Licensed Milk Vendors' Association in the price of milk supplied to the public. Tho association states that it is reluctantly compelled to make tho increaso in tho wholesale price from Is. Id. to Is. Gd. pef gallon and in the retail price from s:|d. to Gd. per quart, due to the action of tho Wellington City Council's milk department increasing the price to the vendors of tho city. Tho vendors point out that when tho City Council took over the management of the city's milk supnly an increase was made of id. per gallon 011 the Board of Trade prico fixed at 12} d. Later on the City Council acain increased tho price to vendors by id. por gallon, making the wholesale price to vendors Is. 2d. per gallon, or ljd. over Board of Trade price. These increases have been borne by tho vendors. Tho third inoreuso, they state, cannot be borno by tho vendors, and is therefore passed on to the Eubjio,

The Education Board at its meeting yesterday morning received from th« Secretary of tho Department a letter indicating that tho Minister of Education would like to 6ee an extension of tho practice of supplying hot lunches to school children. The hoard ivas asked to consider co-operating with school committees and teachers in the matter. The chairman observed that there was no necessity for the supply of hot lunches in the cities, but there was a necessity in the country. He believed that in soma country places a scheme such as that brought to the board's notice had been successfully put into practice. Other members of the board thought the idea under discussion a- very good one, but were somewhat chary of committing the board to any large expenditure. Sir. R. A. Wright, M.P., moved that tho board endorse the. Department's letter, and instruct the secretary to report upon tha probable cost. Sir. R. M'Callum, M.P., suggested that it be left to the children to manage the matter for themselves by the formation of committees which could 6ce to the supply of a teapot and te.i or cocoa. He was very strongly opposed to the ide.i. of the board's taking the matter up and doing for the children what they could do for themselves, Finally, the board adopted an amendment bv Mr. J. .T. Clark, who moved that beforo any reply was sent to the Department a copy of the Department's letter should be sent to the school committees and the Teachers' Institute for report.