LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 303, 18 September 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tho Prinio Minister stated yesterday that a Bill dealing "with the housing question will be submitted to Parliament shortly, when an opportunity will ' bo given for discussion of any practicable suggestion.

More than once this session the Government lias been asked to increase the superannuation allowances of retired public servants, the reason urged Iwftig thai; tlio increased coat of living has greatly reduced the value of the pensions of tlies-3 people. The Prime Minister said yesterday that it was doubtful whether this matter could be dealt with this session.

The Government is considering Iho question of the raising of the incomo limitation upon subscribers to the National Provident Fund.

It is the popular belief that the establishment of ,a. superannuation scheme for workers at i once makes them very unwilling to strike. This is not the opinion, of Mr. Herries, lately Minister of Railways. He told the House of Representatives last night that the snpcrminuation scheme was not necessarily n deterrent of strikes, nor did it make meii anxious to stay in' the service. Older men, soon to re.tire, valued their superannuation right's, but young men did not. In one respect the superannuation fund offered an inducement to a man to get out of the service, because lie could draw his contributions on leaving, and eo could limo a sum of .ready money to establish himself in another occupation.

Complaints 'have been made continuously against the very hard rulesi for the payment of separation allowances and to the widowed mothers.of soldiers. Sir James Allen stated in the House of Representatives yesterday that proposals wonld be submitted by the Government presently for (he removal of hardship in those cases of widowed mothers not eligible for separation allowances under the income limitation in the present re(dilations.

Tho Prime Minister etatcd in reply to a question yesterday that tho matter of purchasing ships for coal-carrying is under consideration, but owing to the* abnormal demand for shipping and cunsis(liient high prices, it is not likely that anything' will be done in this direction for some time. Mr. Hemes informed the House also that while he was Minister, of Kail ways this question had been »aost earnestly considered, but it was agreed that it would not be wise to purdiaso at tho prices theu ruling.

"Tho Imperial Government is arranging to grunt free passages to soldiers proceeding to assured employment in the Dominion, and also to their dependants, and proposes to receivo applications alter December 31 next," said Air. ilnstsay in reply to a question in the House yestorday. "The New Zealand Government has indicated that, while anxious not to discourage tho immigration to New Zealand of. Imperial discharged soldiers, it cannot invite employers to offer assured employment to them until our own.soldiers have been placed. When that lias been accomplished it is intended to advertise, inviting applications from employers willing to -offer, assured employment to. Imperial men on arrival. The Imperial Government's proposal applies also to women who have served in any recognised women's service corps, and with regard to these the Now Zealand Government: has replied that .nil women who are willing to undertake domestic service cau find iminediato employment in tho Dominion." Tho Prime Minister has stated that in the present short session it will not bo possible for Parliament •to consider the comprehensive proposals of the New Zealand Educational Institute, but legislation embodying substantial amendments in various directions from tho primary school to the University will be submitted in due course for consideration. It was announced at tho meriting of the Wellington Education Board , yesterday that tho residents of Jlartinborough had offered to subscribe £iW towards the purchase ol a new site for the school that is to replace the one recently dt> stroyed by fire. A nlcii for better pay for temporary clerks in tho Public Service was made in the House of Representatives by Dr. Newman, who pointed out that iu the recent increases the permanent hands received much more.than temporary workers. Tho reply °f t' lo Prime Minister to tlw representations was as follows:—The majority of the temporary clerks engaged during tho war'were engaged at, or rapidly received, higher rates than existed before the war. Many of the temporary clerks wero placed on a special scale which provided for rapid- increments, in addition to which all participated' in tho war bonus wanted by Goveinment. The increase of pay reforred to in the ij-jcs-tion was assessed in such a way as to ensure that temporary clerks would not suffer by the cessation of the war bonus on April 1, but their cases could not be treated on thn Katrm linsis an those of permanent officers, many of whom were drawing less pay than temporary clerks of short service. lii announcing the reerading of the Public Service this year it was expressly stated that any war bonus paid was considered to have been incorporated in the salaries provided.' This being eo, and the war bonus actually drawn by temporary clerks having been taken into consideration when reviewing their pay as from April 1 last, it is not considered that any further wiff bonus should be granted. This reply refers to temporary clerks in Departments other .than the Eailway Department.

At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board, Mr. J. P. Sliand atked when tho list of authorised books to come into use in the schools in Janu. ary next would be resdv. Tho reply was that the list was already in tho hands of head teachers and school committees. The sußgestion was 'made to the Government by Mr. Ell in the House of Representatives that the sotfth side of roads should be planted with trees for timber and firewood. The reply of the Department was that tho expense of planting and maintaining single .rows of trees would be eo high-that the venture, if tried, never could be profitable. The Victoria College Council was last evening asked by tho College Tennis Club for permission to use the tennis courts on Sundays. It transpired that on a fnnnor occasion (alraut three years ago) the Professorial' Boird had declined such permission, and the council, when appealed to by tho student.?, had upheld the board's decision. The acting-chair-man (Mr. 1!. M'Callnm, SI .P.) ruled last night that tho resolution allready on Hie minute-book would have to be rescinded before the students' request could be granted. He paid it was desirable that the matter should not bn settled at last evening's raeetinsr (which was a small one) but at h Ml meeting of the council. He accepted from Professor Hunter a notice of motion t» rescind the old resolution. Sneaking for himself, Mr. M'Callum said he was opposed .to the granting of the Tennis Club's request. ■■Replying to* Mr. 1?. A. Wright in tho Ilous'e"of"Representatives yesterday Mr. Massey (Minister in charge of the Police Department) said that tenders for the erection of a new police station at Island Bay were obtained last year, but Hio amounts were considered tod high and the work has , therefore been postponed until the cost of building material becomes more reasonable.

The demand for free school books is being pressed by Mr. Nash and other members of the House- of Representatives, ltaplyini; to his question on the subject, Hie Minister of Education (Sir Francis Bein has stated that tho matter is "undo i consideration," that some years ago when the -scheme was tried, [invents preferred to buy books for their own children, and that provision now exists for the free supply of booka to poor children, nn 1 4 .0 children whe require new books biitaiiSß of ii move from one district to nnothur. The Government intends shortly to liiako experiments in the replanting of worked-out bush from which all trees of value have been cut. Hut before much lice-planting can be done a nursery must he established, and young trees grown. It is, therefore, not possible'to do much on tin's work at present. The fortnightly meeting of iao S.P.C.A. was held Inst evening. 'Die president (Mr. V. Meadowcroft) was in the chair. The inspector's report dealt with ono co.se of injured cow, i horses lame, 1 with sores, 1 skin disease, 1 tinder-feeding, 1 horse ami 1 tlog destroyed) also complaints from drivers rugardiii2 roads. Two cases nro to lia brought boioro the Court. Subscriptions received amounted to .£lO 11s.'lid., including ,!i2 2s. from S. Wood and Son, and .tl Is. each from llarcourt and Co., J. A.'Dohwly, and Siivrer Sailing Machine Co.; j<. Hannah, Jα 3s. A petition has boon presented to Parliament on behalf of an ex-Civil Servant who lost his position in 1017. owing to his rejection by the military authorities on grounds of nationality. His parents were born in Hanover and left that State before the union of Hanover and Prussia. Thsy came to New Zealand in 1860, and were naturalised after petitioner's birtli. Tho petitioner was born in New Zealand and married a New Zealand wife. He now prays for reinstatement in the Public Service.

Tho students' proposal to beautify Victoria College by planting Virginia creeper on tho walls of the building was mentioned in tho Press some time ago. Tho Financo Committee of the Collego Council last evening recommended that the student); should bo granted permission to execute the scheme, and this recommendation the council' adopted. Some liays ago the member for Otaki (Ifr. W. H. Field) asked a questionjn the House of Representatives in which, ho pleaded for better,treatment for probationer nurses, and suggested that condiin all hospitals should bo made uniform. Tho reply s of tho Minister is a jeueral denial that conditions are bad. If, is admitted, however, that the pay nt trained nurses might be improved; and to this end a scale of salaries on an improved scale has been drawn up by the Department for circulation to hospital'boai'ds, Eepaymonts on lonus made; by tho Wellinifton District Repatriation Board are coming in rapidly. -During the month of August a total of JC74S 10s. lid. was received, and for the present month approximately =£CCX> has ken received. Accnrdins to information received from Christchurch it has b»?n decided to call a conference of delegates representing all branches of the B-etiiriicd Soldiers' Association in New Zealand in order to discuss tho situation with respect to the Auckland Association. 'J'lie'first Wellington election under tho new regulations giving the parents or pnardians of technical college students the right to representation on the College Board was hcM yesterday, and resulted in the unopposed return of .Messrs. H. M. Cioro and C. Lawrence. Two steam shovels are arriving to tho order of tJin Public. Works Department next month. Two oilier niuh machines nrc on order in America, and they should come to band early. The Diocesan Trustees have agreed to grant an extension of tenure for one year of tho Ghuznee Street (infant) school to the Education Board at a weekly rental of X'i. The offer was accepted.

Tho Wellington ' District Repatriation Board was compelled to wine off recently a. sum of ..£4 —the beard's first loss. . The board grunted a shearer a sum of .C 25 to buy n horse mid harness, and with the execution ' of £i, the money had been refunded whc'.i the ma'i died. '

Taxi-drivers and others fond of exrecdin? the speed limit along Lambtnn Quay and other city thoroughfares will do well to keep within tho 15 miles per hour permitted by the law. Recently a trap was set oil Lambton Quay, and no fewer than fourteen cars wero arrested for doing considerably more than the law could pjwibly wink at.

To relieve tho housing problem in Christchurch, tho Mayor (Dr. Thackor, M.P.) has suggested that the old Chester Street fire station, fit present used as a kind of storeroom, should be fuinigaici! and converted into tenements temporarily.

.Mr. R. A. Wright • (Wellington Suburbs) has asked 'the Minister of Railways if he will inform the House when it is intended to proceed with the new railway station at Wellington. He states that unless practical steps are taken shortly to commence this work, accordins to the ex-Manfißpr of Railways, serious transport difficulties will arise on both tho Manawatu and Wairarapa lines.

3?ho member for Wellington Suburbs (Mr. E. A. Wright) has asked the Minister of Railways if he has noticed that the increase in railway fares caused by war conditions for the week-end (second class) between Wellington and Paekakariki was 2e. 3d. return; anil if, as the war is now over, he will, when the "coal-cut" time-table i= amended, also amend the week-owl fares between Wellington and Ptickakariki ? The fare is now ss. Bd., an increase of 3s. 5d., whereas tho war tax paid by other railway travellers on a fare of 2s. 3d. is only Gd.

A Tecently returned soldier has received the following epistle from a German whom he met whilst with the Army sf Occupation:—"Eerbcsthnl, June 1? Dear friend , In remembrance of your stay here, I think of you and of your excellent character which you diowe<l nere, and therefore write you a fewlines. I hope you have reached your home safe. I had no chance of writing you, and the possibility of doiiis it l) 30« piven me now. I do it through an interpreter. We are still all well here. 1 hope you fou'.id your wife and little child safe and'well. I wish you luck nud peace for the future. Eo'iins? to receive n few line* from you. in the near future. —I remain, with' the best wishes, your sincere friend, Freddie —- and wife and children."

Protests from the Hikurangi Town .Board fttul the Gonvillo School Committee against "the proposal to reinstate Professor von Zed'Htz" on the professorial stiff of Victoria College were before the College Council last evening. "I think we can mind, our own affairs," Baid Mr. K. M'Callum, M.P., when tho coinmunicfilions wore mentioned. Tho council merely "received" tho prptoste. . The intention of the Government, with regard to old-age pensions will be announced in the Financial Statement. The Government does not propose at. present to increase the price of gold or to give a bonus to gold producers. It is pointed out that gold may now be exported. The complaint of tho mining companies has boon that the cost of production of gold has increased to such an extent that at tho uresent standard price gold mining has censed to be prolivable. During the four days September 11 to 15. 37 cases of influenza were notified in (ho Dominion, 20 of them in Wellington district. In this district one case was nueuihonio and two severe. There were she pneumonic cases in Canterbury and Vi'stkuid, and one severe caso in Auckland. .Ml other cases were mild. Yesterday. moniiuir Air. James Doyle, the Chief Sanitary Inspector, suffered a somewhat serious and extremely painful injury. At about 9 o'clock Mr." Do/ie was , walking towards lown in Manners Street, next Winder's Corner, when he dipped on the wet wood blocking of a crossing. Ho fell heavily, and was carried into I ho Tiffin restaurant. Dr. Hislop whs sent for, and ordered Mr. Doyle's removal to the Hospital. It is believed that Mr. Doyle, is suffering from an injury to tho fight hip, but inquiries ni'iule of the Hospital at a late hour last night failed to reveal exactly from what injuries Mr. Doyle wns suffering. Tho nain, however, had diminished, and Mr. Boyle was passing a good niglii '

A Press Association relesrnm states (hat tho deadlock over the choice of a hosnital site for Whakatano has, been solved by the Iward at Opotiki apn'roachins two members representing the conflicting parties to interview the new Minister of Public Health, whoso decision will bo final.

A. Press Association message from DunI'din states that .Raymond Alfred Saunders, better known as "Professor Barrailen." was charged at the Police Court yesterday ivith obtaining .#> from an liotelkccner at Christchurch by means of a valueless cheque. Accused who pleaded nor guilty, was remanded to Christchurch, bail being allowed.

It is promised by the Ijovernnient that the matter of the restriction of hours of picture shows will be dealt with by an amendment of the Public Health Act during the present session, v

Lieut-Colonel Slesman recently Bent to the Victoria CoEege Council a copy of the new syllabus of cadet training {or the New Zealand forces. The matter was mentioned at the council meeting last evening, when members were asked whether they desired to discuss the syllabus. As no one present signified a wish to express any opinions, the syllabus and the letter pointing out the novel features of tlve scheme were merely "received."

In a petition presented to the ChrHcluirch Repatriation Board, signed by twelve soldiers engaged in the retail fruit business, it was alleged that certain .Chinamen from outside Christchureh were endeavouring to capture such trado in tho city. The board decided, in view of the' regulation requiring the consent of the Eflieieny Board to be obtained before a ne.w.business cay Id be'establieliKi, to forward tho ijetitioii and correspondence in connection therewith ,to the board, with a, view to it taking action to prevent unfair competition.—Press Assn.