LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 21, 20 October 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A. wireless nvssnge has I>cen received from the s.i. Tonic to the effect t'nnt she exnects 1n Wellington on Fridny. The health of all on board is Rood. There wore 21 notifications of influenza between noon on October 13 and 16. only one being pneumonic, and one severe; There were n : ue cases in Wellington, among them the one pnaumonic ciise. Telegraphic advice has been received' from Colon to the effect that the following naval ranks and ratings are on board the s.s. Faparoa-.—Engineer Lien-tenant-Comniander E. Brown, li.N„ Engineer Lieutenant C. Bone, Second Officer F. J. Nash, Lieutenant S. R. Mason, Engineer Sub-Lieutenant 11. F. Back. Chief Engineer D. Lush. Enginoman W. G. Donaldson, Able Seaman G. Laing, Able Seaman J. Whitfield. Engineman 13. ■M'Lannan, Wardroom Steward A. Robb. According to the agents ; the ship left Panama on October 9, and is due at Wellington on November 6. *In a hospital and progress report issued on .Saturday Sergeant Geo. Alfred Canipey. T'aumrtrmiui, is reported seriously 111. * The conferenco of the N.Ti.R.S.A. yesterday further affirmed the demand that Anzno Day should be c'ose holiday as a day of commemoration. An excellent portrait, painted by Mrs. .T. A. Tripe, of the late Right Hon. Sir Joshua Williams, for many years a Puisne Judge <Sf the Supreme Court of New- Zealand, luis been presented to the Court through the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) by the members of the Wellington Bar. The medallion attached to the portrait shows that the liite Judge's record of service was from 1875' to 19U, when ho was elevated to a sent on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The portrait, which hns been hung in the Suprenjji Court, shows the late Judge in his robes as he anneared some fifteen years' ago. The likeness is a very good one, and the artist, has happily caught her subjcct in his t most characteristic attitude and expression. In the Juvenile Court on Saturday, before Air. E. Page, S.M., a twelve-year-old boy was charged with having stolen various sums of money totalling over .£3 from tho Muritai School. The lad admitted having stolen a]>out' ss. of the amount, but Constable Thompson said that he had reason to believo that the boy had spent more than that sum. The lad was placed on probation for six months, and his father was ordered to refund 10s. anil pny coits. Another lad whose head was swathed in bandages denied that he hart broken the rule of the road by riding a bicycle on the righthand side of tho street. Tho Magistrate remarked that though the boy had broken the' by-law he. had been sufficiently punislied, for it was clear from his condition that he had come off second bnst when he collided with a motor-car. 'ISio information was dismissed.

Judgment will be delivered this morning by Mr, W. G. Rid-Jell, S.M., in the case of Henry ; Luks v. the Technical Education Board, an appeal against dismissal from the board's service.

Tho conference of the N.Z.R.S.A. was on Saturday asked to support a remit from Waipawa that the conference should demftnrt a daylight saving scheme similar lo that proposed by Mr.'T. K. Sidev, M.P. In moving the remit. Mr. A. W. Milburn contended-that a sypterj of daylight saving would 'w beneficial from tho point of view of the increased production of tho country. The remit did not receive a very favourable reception, and was very promptly "killed.'"

Speaking at the Alexandra Hall last night, Mr, P. Eraser, M.P., referred to the proposal by the Government to allow indentured labour into Samoa. Now Zealand. ho sftid, had uovr a mandate over these island*), and it was but just that New Zealand labour laws should be applied to Samoa as far as possible. Tho speaker appealed to the people t<> express themselves strongly »gainat the Government's proposal. Tho speaker briefly stated Labour's positioi. on this matter, which is—that ihere should be no obstacle placed in the way of securing the labour necessary for the development of Samoa, but suoh labour should be free, and enjoy all the rights and privileges granted to ihe workers in Now Zealand. Mr. Fiascr appealed to tho peoplo to make certain that no form of slavery should bo allowed to exist .under New Zealand administration under any pretext or excuse.

In tho courso of an address delivered before the Kocesan Synod at Christchurch, tho ltev. C. L. Wilson, to illustrate the hardships under which (the people on the West Const laboured, .told of a caso in wlif'eh a child nt Okuru had bccoano ill. Tho parents telephoned to the neoirest doctor, 21(1 inilot away, at Hokitika, who said tho,child must he taken to a hospital. As it happened, there WM a steamer loading at Greymouth. It was got out at ha.lf-an-hotu''s notice, but when it arrived at Okuru it could not get in. The siolc child and its mother were taken out in a surf boat to the steamer, and towed in its wake for four miles, till tho shelter of an island was mushed, when tihey were taken 011 board. H»lf-an-hour aftdv their arrival at Greyinonth the child was operated 011, and its' life saved— Christchurch "Press." A remit was' submitted lo Saturday night's silting of tho conference of the N.Z. Hetnrned Soldiers' Association from PalmoTston North that no Civil Servant should bo eligible for a seat on the Dominion Executive of tho Association. In moving tho remit, Mr. n. M. Haycock said it was felt I hat Civil Servants on tho executive would bo in an incongruous ixwition when the executive was engaged in fightinj: tho Government. Headquarters would have to put up a tremendous fight in tho near future, and tho fact that some concessions had already bepn granted by tho Government was only due to tho genoiui'. (<leetioti being near nt -nil. Mr. E. l'\ Andrews (Auckland) faonded the mptlon, and said it was most uAir lo Civil Servants lo expect them ' Milage in a eon test with I heir own I'lnployer—the Government. The president (Dr. K lioxer) said Hint ns far as ho could understand a Civ'l fiervnnl. was a man ivlm was entitled to snperjuinualion. and if Hint was llio exact dofinMion t'oeu it did not. apply fn cerl'iiii mei..l;ers of the cxeeufve. of the "Im were nu'y letnprary enin'ovecs of l'>p Gov.-nimi'iil. Mr. A. T. Curtiiyne (Wellington) mentioned that Ite was a Civil Servant na wrfl as a member of tho executive. After further discussion Mr. Haycock flaked leave, and was granted permission, to withdraw the remit.

Th'i second annual festival of the Wellington Competitions Society will ho held in the Town Hall commencing on November (i. This will be the largest festival ever held in New Zcal'ind, the en tries totalling over ISO'). In view of the extensive seating accommodation at tho Town Hall Ihe Executive Council have decided to extend Ihe concc.-sions lo members bv admitting two persons to each session of the competitions, also issuing t.hreo tickets for tho demonstration eoncerts Members' tickets (,£1 Is.) are now cbtainiib'.e from the secretary.

The following resolutions were passed at the wholesale provision trade's dinner on Saturday evening: (1) "That, in tho opinion of this gathciing of Wellington wholesale and retail dUtribulors of provisions and produce, Ihe Prime Minister should lie called upon to delete from the Hoard of Trade Bill the words, 'in respect lo such goods,'as the intruduclijon of these words lo Ihe original clause by Ihe Tirgistive f'liineil will lead to an impossible position, anil force an increase in price of bread and huti.er lines now being sold to Ihe public on a low margin of profit." {i) "That Ihe Bill be referred to representatives of commercial houses before being finally submiircd to the House.'*

"I ho!<i services in curious places," said Ihe I'ev. L Wilson, at a meeting of the Diocesan Synod in Christchurch. "In one place .1 use the smokeroom of an hotel, at nnother' the Magistrate's Court, in one disifict the kitchen of a farmhouse, and in another the livinz room of a humble dwelling. And even where, there aro churches the accommodation leaves something to be de-. sired. One church, the plans for which had been passed by tlm Standing Committee. had a vestry 4f'. by 4ft. 4in., which had to hold a writing-table, a robe press, bookshelves, übellringcr, and a Darson."—"Press."

Commenting on the number of .applications received from England for the position of conductor of the Gisborne City Band. Mr. Falconer, [president, of the band, stated that it was unlikely that nnv other band in New Zealand had ever received so many applications for a conductor's position. The applications had been willed'at an unsettled time in England. and many of the applicants were men who wished to try their hick abroid. Among, them were men holding high musical decrees and members of important English bands. He hoped thnt there would ba sufficient sniTport to enable I l ' o band to secure the best man available.

Tho increased cos; of living involves an increased cost of playing (says the Dunedin "Star"). Wi.duers of the. cricket, but. 'the tennis racket, and golf stick—in fact, everyone who goes in for outdoor games of any description—will have to pay considerably more for their equipment'in future. Imported bats, wiiich in pro-war dayti beyond recall cost 80s., cannot now be obtained ftr less than Ms. to 425.; cricket balls .have risen to just) about double the old price, a seven-and-sixpenny ball now costing J,ls. Gd., and an Bs. Gil, ball 18s, Gil. 11l 1914. a tip-lop tennis rnekot cast .£2 25.; now the same thing ousts J2I Ids.; the cheaper grades being priced at Ifts., 375. Cd., and 2H, instead of 2fcs. Gd., 215., end 12s. (kl. Tennis iballs ni 18s. a box are a thing of' the past, 355. being the present price. Cruquet eels and bowls have increased in price 100 per cent. Even at thoe enhanced prices sports material of all kind} is difficult to obtain in the quantities required. The revival of sport in England after tho closing of the war has meant that every bit) of material which the restarted factories are able to turn out is snapped up, ami tho colonial buyers have to wait, or he content with restricted supplies.

Says tho "New Zealand Iferald": The impression abroad that the "anti-shout, ing" regulations are not to bo enforced wus referred to by Mr, J. E. Wilson, 8.M., at the Police Court in Auckland. Tho Magistrate said this impression was erroneous He certainly would not treat as trivial any breaches of these regula< tions brought Wore nim,

In acknowledging a gift from his fel-low-workers on tne occasion of Ins retirement Iron! the railway service. Mr. William Hyluud, a veteran engine-driver, 'recounted some experiences tliut must be rather in the nature of an eye-opener to the present generation (states it southern paper). Speaking of the hours of service and the wages paid in tho early days, iie stated that about thirty-lour years ago his week's work consisted of two days Irom 2 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the other four days from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., and his daily wage was 9s. without overtime allowance. On two Sundays in each month lie had to wash out his engine, and the two days were counted as one, for which lie received the ordinary wage. Little consideration was shown the engine-uieu in regard to hours of labour, and as an example of what was expecttd of them on occasions Mr. Hyland .recounted one of his own experiences. At G. 30 a.m. on a Friday, lie said, lie started from Timani with a goods train, which arrived in Christchurch at 1 p.m. He then received his orders to start at 6.30 p.m. with an excursion train for Dunedin for the departure of one of the South African contingents from Port Chalmers, his run being .'(cheduled to Oamaru. On arrival at Oamaru at 4 a.m., however, the stationmaster informed him that they had neither engine nor driver to take the train the remainder of tho journey, and he would have to carry on. This ho did, and finished up the run at about noon, in a thoroughly exhausted condition. As a result of the long hours and strenuous work it was not an unusual occurrence for the driver or fireman to fall asleep on the engine, and Mr. ffyland remembers cne occasion on which both the engine-men in charge of a goods train slumbered together over n considerable length of their journey, and were only aroused by the different sound caused by running through a station.