LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 254, 22 July 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Apparently jolted out, of its normal habits by tho peace celebrations tho G.P.O. clock behaved very erraticallylast evening. Instead of striking four quarter chimes for tho hour, it only struck three, and this went on through tho night, with tho qunrter chimes always fifteen minutes behind schedule.

Before leaving Christchurch for Wellington yesterday, the Hon. G. W. Russell congratulated Chrislcluirch on its peaco celebrations, and added: "The war is over. We have celebrated Peace. Lot us now, as a united nation, courageously face the problems which lie before us. They are great and pressing, and «v become even greater when the uft'ermatl, of the war reaches us, but if we face them with the same courage and unity of spirit as we met the war and its necessities, New Zealand will rise ever higher ill the brotherhood of nations, which consolidate the Empire and attain her destiny as the Britain of the south."

A statement that conscientious objectors were granted preference in employment by certain employers in Christchurch was made at a meeting of returned soldiers (says tlio "Lyttelton Times"). He said that ho knew of a, firm whioh alid deliberately given pre-' ference to conscientious objectors when men were wanted, and he asked if tho Repatriation Board would take any action in the matter, as it did not seem right that returned soldiers should be looking for jobs and employers have the right to give preference to conscientious objectors. A voice: "But they must livo somehow," Mr. W. E. Londley replied that tho Canterbury Repatriation Board was continually urging upon employers the necessity of giving. preference to returned soldiers at all times. If thero were cases in which preference had been given' to a conscientious objector after n returned soldier had applied for the job, he would be glad to hoar of them and bring them beforo the -notice of the Repatriation Board.

Bacon is becoming scarccin Auckland on account of tho short supplies of stock now cominor to hand. This is not an tinusual condition at this time of the year, Hioush it is accentuated to some extent by the restricted railway services. The bulk of the pigs for the Auckland bacon supply come from the Waikato, but at present the Railway Department is carrying only live stock for butchers' supplies.

A complaint was made bv a returned soldier, wlw waited on Hie Auckland Farmers' Union, that the Lands Department was not prepared to assist returned soldiers who held land prior to the time they went to the war, without- interfering with existing mortgages. Small farmers, the speaker said, who went to the war made sacrifices as great, as any section of the community. When they returned they fonnd that their lands had gone back, and Hint thev could not carry on nnle6s they were given financial assistance. The Government bought land for returned soldiers, and was prepared to advanco up to .£SOO, hut it was not prepared to assist the man frho already liad land unless he was prepared to liantl his mortgages over to the Government and to tie himself up for a period of ten vpa.rs. What thev asked was that the Government should advance monoy fo small farmers who had returned to their holdings and take a mortgago over the present existin? mortgages where the Government. valuation wns higher ilian Mm existing liabilities. The union decided lo support (lie request and to bring th& matter before the Government.

It is very strange how unexpected ro- | suits come from matter-of-fact tilings, ! and tho shortage of c.oal has resulted ! in tho discovery in Auckland of a small, | luminous mushroom (says the "Star"). ; Iu the short evenings now tho house liro- ' wood has often to be cut in the dark, and while she was swinging '-he axe Hie other night a lady resident of ono of our suburbs noticed a small green light •' on tho bark of a cypress log she was ! chopping. The spark was examined 1111i dor a' magnifying glass, and was disclosed as a minute mushroom with a thrcnd-liko stalk. The phenomenon has been observed in other countries, and the light shinea from the spreading top during the growth of tho tiny vegetable, but tho glow dies away when the plant reaches maturity. The examination of other logs revealed several more of_ tho tiny mushrooms shining almost as brightly as our well-known glowworms, so that somo of the logs appeared to be jewolled with emeralds.

Some doubt of the value of'the physical instruction classes given in the primary schools was expressed to Ihe Otago Education Board by Mr. W. E. Brugh. He said that a large sum of money was spent on this branch, and he doubted if flic benefits were commensurate with the outlay. If these classes were being conducted on the lines of four or five years ago, although there was all the experience gained in the training camps to work on, he thought the country might better get some of the best of the military instructors to go round nnd see that the school instructors themselves were working on up-to-date lines. If the instructors were not working on such lines, the teachers, who got their knowledge from them, obviously could not he. He thought the whole question of physical training should be reviewed from and would bo prepared to submit a resolution next day. Mr. T. I!. Fleming (chief inspector) made a statement subsequently to dissipate any possible wrong impression., He stated that the Defence Department had specially .brought out a man from Home to the camps to bring physical instruction up to date, and Mr. Hoydhouse, the board's instructor, had himself been an instructor in tho military camp under .this officer. Miss Livingstono also was trained at nome some years ago, and was, he thought, a very capable instructress.

A lengthy discussion took place at a meeting of the Auckland Farmers' Union in committee regarding tho organisation of the union generally. It was asserted that there was an urgent need of more direct political action, and that the present trend was in the direction of class' politics as opposed to party politics. Speakers urged that candidates should be put forward definitely pledged to the interests of the union, and that until this was done little or no progress would ho made. Labour had recognised that only by working together and getting representatives into Parliament could any object bo achieved. Similarly, if the' Farmers' Union were to attain any of its objects it was absolutely essential that the body should be represented in Parliament.

Shortly before 2 pm. on Friday, says the Christchurch "Press," the attention of tho largo crowd in the Square was attracted by what seemed to be somo ■amateurish kettle-dramming. In a few moments three small and much-begrimed boys (nob more than six years of age) cume round iiarnetts comer, iuatiJy beating three rusty kerosene tins with somo semblance' of tune. Two of the boys were without boots and stockings, and all three were clad in threadbare jerseys. They proceeded across the Square to the Post Office, where the smallest of tho trio, who appeared to bo acting as organiser and treasurer, called a halt while he adjusted, somo matter of finance with the other two. When this matter had been satisfactorily settled, they moved over to where several evangelists wore holding a service, and here tho smallest of tho party gave a tin can accompaniment to the final hymn. A few minutes later the prayer meeting dispersed, and, with an eye to business, tho organiser of the tin-can band bade his two assistants help him give a concert in the ring 60 providentially formed. A largo crowd soon gathered, and tho shower of coppers one silver which fell into the ring encouraged tho leader to greater efforts 011 the tin, while the other two gave all their attention to tho picking up of the money. The star item of this impromptu entertainment .was the singing of "Tipperary" and "Keep the Home Fires Burning," by the leader of tho trio, who accompanied himself on the tin can. By this time tho offerings wuro too large to bo held, so a spectator suggested that all the money bo put in the "treasurer's" tin can. Several members of the crowd at this stage mentioned that the boys' par. ents were in poor circumstances, and could make good use of the money, so u gentleman asked the boys where they lived, and offered to take them home. To this the urchin with the treasury hanging from his neck by a- piece of string objected that lie wanted to buy some crackers, but his desires were overruled. When last seen tho "band" was aboard a car bound 'for home, and keeping tight hold on a rusty kerosene tin worth, at a moderate estimate, thirty shillings.