LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 44, 15 November 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

1 Among the many shortages in the spliero of skilled labour is one of 'furniture and cabinetmakers. Tliero aro soveral large buildings on tho eve of occupation, the utilisation of -which lias had to be postponed owing to tho time taken in the supply of furniture and fittings, due to a shortage of skilled workers in that particular avenue of work. Most people giving orders for furniture, to bo made may expect a much longer time to elapse in the completion of the samo than used to be the case, and tliero are cases where, furniture-inanufacfurers have had to refuse orders with a time stipulation owing to being unable lo guarantee delivery when wanted. This state of affairs is also indicative of Ihe increasnig iiumher of home-builders in Wclliiv,'ton.

During tho past week the Men's- Timploymcut Bureau in Uhuznee Slreet. placed I'i men in Government: and four in private employment. It also assisted four persons to obtain reduced fares. Referring to the shortage of skilled labour, Hie officer in. charge of the bureau stated that ho could place cabinetmakers in employment at .i' 3 per ivcek if only he could get the men.

Tho quarterly meeting of the board of tho Public Service Superannuation. Fund was held at the board room, Wellington, on Thursday, Mr. J. 11. Ttichardson, C.M.G.. presiding. Thiity-six contributors. retired under sccticji fla of tho Act, by reason of ago or length of service, were grantee' allowances totalling ,£7773 per annum, and five'contributors, retired as medically unfit, were granted allowances of a total of ,tiM7 per annum, ono caso being subject to further medical evidence. A retiring allowance was refused in the rase of one contributor whom it was sought lo retire as medically unfit, as the medical reports were not conclusive. Thirleen widows and fourteen children were grunted I lie .statutory allowances amounting to I'l7ti per annum. In e.onseoucnee *.f retirements under section Xi of the Act, accrued' compensation to the amount of J;1;|,0H!I became a liability of the Superannuation Fnnd, and a corresponding relief to the Consolidated Fund.

"The public has no reason to bo alarmed." said the Canterbury District Health Officer (Dr. 11. Chcsson) to a "Sun" rcprescnia'.ive. when asked if Iho reports from Ihe north concerning a. recrudescence of inlluenzii applied lo Christchurch. "There arc certainly ii number ot influenza cases." continued iho doctor, "but tliero is nothing Tcmarkablc. about it. Thcio aro no signs of a rrcnidesceiice. At the same time, people neeo' to take earo of Ihoniseivos, and see that thev live under proper, wholesome conditions. 'I liev should especially sec tluu rooms, olliccs, workshops, schools, theatres. public co'ivcyances, etc., are efficiently ventilated. If people frequent-ed-crowded places less lhc.ro is no question that llio community would be a good deal healthier. People should make a point of living under open-air conditions as much as possible. If a person contracts influenza, even of tho iniloest form, tho course to adopt is: Go lo bed and remain there until properly recovered."

Tlio divorce c.i-"o of Hdwavds v. I'd-' wni'ilri, tho wile's petition for dissolution of innrringo on the ground of habitual will bo heard this morning by Ilia Honour Mr. Justice EdwardA

V,\Hi disregard of Icjjal tcchnill>'.* Johnsonvii'c School Com.i'ltv,'.' -on-'.' timo ago rode rough-shod ,n<r l!,i ;...gelal.ions of the Mukara :'Vi;iii v :V.ir,cil ami without any pcr-n-.i't-iii'i wha'.ever comihcuulxJ. tho tree- : i.ion of a swiiuniiiiir pool 011 portion of j (ho Wakefield I'oai! reservation. The ; council p'.iii.te,! out lu llio committee the j eiTor of i-" 1 w - avs, and insisted that it j should u! i : obtain a title to the pieco ! of (i so commandeered. Negotiations, 1 which proved to ho fruitier. were enter- j cd into ivtwoen Hie coinmiilcc and the council, but nothing daunted the eoiu- j nii.'.i.'c went ahead and completed _ llio sv.i-iir.iirig pool. Lately the conimiltoo ( realised tAc insecurity of its tenure, and | iit its request a clause was inserted in the Washing-up Hill of last session empowering the County Council to transfer tho lauci to the committee, if it so desi,'ed. 'I ho whole position was reviewed (it yesterday's meeting of the council, | over which the chairman (Mr. S. Bryant) presided, and a deputation was received from the School Committee. The council decided to hand the land over lo the liducalion Board for the uso of tho committee subject, to certain conditions which will be drawn up at the next meetin;; of tlie council Tho defended divorce case which ivas •to have been heard before a -Judge and jury 011 Monday, will now bo heard before 11 Judge alone, and as there aro no jury eases for Holiday, jurors are relieved from attendance on that day. The annual meeting of the. Coal MineOwners' Association will be held in.Wellington 011 Novemlier 22, and at that meeting tho, coiil mining dispute will be fnKv discussed, and the future policy of the mine-owners will probably bo decided upon. There may bo some developments prior lo this meeting. The infant eliild, Phyllis Blair, who was injured in a collision between 11 perambulator and a motor-car- on Thursday, was reported last night to be making good progress ai; the hospital. It is "considered that the child is out of danger. For years past tho Makaiw county h*s' bceji one of the favourite "stamping grounds' 1 of speed fiends. The county is unique in. that it has up till now made 110 provision whatever for dealing with the speed of.motor traffic, and many motorists have revelled in this fact. Shortly,' however, they will have to conform to speed regulations, for at a special meeting of tho council yesterday ail order was passed regulating all motor traffic 011 the county roads. lien this order comes into torce motorists will not 1» permitted to exceed a speed of 20 miles an hour on any road unless they have a clear view of tho road for at least five chains, or at a greater speed than 10 miles an hour -unless they have a clear view ahead of at least 0110.chain. It is also being provided that lights of motor vehicles must bo dimmed at least 100 yards before meeting any vehicle, cyclist or horseman. The special order in question will come up for_ confirmation at a meeting of tho council to bo held in January. An .Assyrian young woman who came before Mr. I'. K. Hunt, S.M., at Auckland. 011 Tuesday morning, claiming maintenance from her husband, w-ns met with an olfer from the husbaiHi, who was ill Dunedin, to provide a proper home for her, and send her Iho money to return if she woula go back to him. The wife, who had left her husband in Dunedin. said sho was finite willing lo iro back to her husband, but she insisted .that he should eomo to Auckland and Dersouallv conduct her back homo; that was. she said, one of tho customs of her race. "Why should lie lose work and pav double fare to satisfy a little prioo? innuired His Worship of tho woman. "You are in Mew Zealand now, and it is the custom hero for the wife to go lwck home, whether tho husband accompanies her or not." Mr. J. F. DicKson (for the wife) remarked that the Assyrians had peculiar customs. tls it 011 c of them for husbands and wives? to assault, each other?" retorted tho Magis trate who adjourned the easo with the statement that if the husband ga.vo evidence that he lino a proper home and sent suiliciciii lo toko t'lio wiio eomfortablv to Dunedin, then tho wifes racial custom would have to give way to the New Zealand custom. The recent choir strike at St. Matthew's brings to mind a choir strike at Jfaivera about 35 years ago, who.ll tho ltev. W. L. Sailer was the central figure (says the Auckland "Star"). The choir of tho Methodist Church had previously to Mr. Salter's time 1 been accustomed to sit at the back of the church at the extreme end from the pulpit, but the new minister wanted the position altered 60 that the singing might, be conducted from seals placed around tho pulpit, and' with this end in view had the organ removed from tlie back of the church to the place where he wished it to he up near the front. The choir took up their seals in the new position at tho morning service, but were not satisfied, and in the afternoon some of the members went quietly back to the churcli, and moved the organ to its old position. Bv some means the minister got an inkling of what- had happened, and going early to the cluireli before the evening service, took of!' his coat and, with the help of the church officer, again managed to get tho organ up near the pulpit sfops. The division between tlio minister s ideas and the choir's wishes was now verv marked, the choir us a, body struck, and manv members of the congregation showed their sympathy _ with tho choir bv abstaining from going to church. Tor many Sundays tho church was practically empty. It is told by old residents in Hawera Jioiv Mr. Salter emptied the church, and it. is also told to his credit how lie after a period filled the building to overflowing again, and the choir members returned to their seats where he wanted them to sit. liKiuiries of chemists were made by an Auckland "Star" reporter on Thursday as to whether gastric influenza, was prevalent or not in the northern city. Ills first informant told him that it was undoubtedly "gastric influenza," and that its activity had been steady lor months, but that it eouid not be traeetf to tho influenza enidemic. In form it was-tlw same as ordinary influenza with tho exception that acute pain in tho stomach accompanied the other symptoms. Peoplo affected invariably had In lay up for periods extending from a week to a fortnight.- Tho second authority on the matler said that the symptoms outlined were prevalent both before and during tho enidemic, but at 11c timo was it ea.lleu' "ea.strie. influenza." It. was, nevertheless. one of the most distressing forms during tlie recent epidemic. It created weakness of the stomach and inability to relain food, with Ihe result that tho general tone of the person aft'octed was loworeo', completely eradicating any inclination for food.' The symptoms could finite easily be due to the prevailing atmospheric conditions. He hart como in contact with quite a number of eases, and a doctor who had bis rooms in tho establishment had also handled a number of cases, lu conclusion he stated that Ihe answer as lo what it might bo' wa.s that if might be the cffects thai, follow 011 influenza. AnoHier chemist had only met with eno case in twenty-six, and another, after eliciting information in his own establishment and another in another part of the city, said thai ho had not, met with any of the cases. The high cost of living had been referred to by the Labour I'lindidato for IMen, Mr Oscar M'llritie, in his speech at Mount Albert, on Wednesday evening, and when question time came rather a "poser'' was put lo liim in that connection. An elderly gentleman wanted la know how it was thai, if the increased cost of fond, etc., had, impoverished Ihe, peoplo of New Zealand, the beer lax had increased lo Iho extent, it had. That did not look like poverty, he suggested. Tho candidate said he eonld not explain llio matter, but he assured his questioner that none of the money paid in beer tax had come out of his pocket, Ho thought the increase wa.s due to Iho increased adivilv of Hie Minister in charge of the national exchequer rather than to an increase in beer-drinking. At any rale ho hoped so. At. 110 lime sinco tho installation of the Auckland Town Hall organ have the audiences at Ihe weekly recitals been equal lo those of the last few months, and the tendency is towards increased attendance (says tho "Herald"). Tlie records kept by Ihe Town Hall authorities show that between April 1 last and November 8 the aggregate attendances at the evening recitals—as distinguished from the occasional afternoon performances— hnvo totalled 10,052 persons. These figures siunv an increase of 101!) as compared with tho corresponding period of last year.

An Early Settlers' Memorial "Fund lias been instituted, the object aimed' at being iho erection of memorials to iho pioneer settlers of the Dominion. It is proposed lo build a. memorial _ hall in Wellington, ami lo erect a 'monument 011 I'olnno beach. Subscriptions aro being invited from Iho public, and will be acknowledged by officers of the Early Settlers and Historical Association. A sul>s:ripl ion-list has been placed in fJ'iiK Dominion office for the convenienco of those who feel disposed to assist tho worthy object "Politics and the Public," by Mi', L. S. Fanning, is a. timely and lively dissertation on various aspects of jolitical life in New Zealand, and apropos of the impending general elections includes in its survey the salient, features of the platforms of the contesting parlies. Moro than thai, it is an instructive pointer to students of our political machinery., and contains much leminiscent matter illustrative of tho topics under review. The book (which is printed by the Wellington Publishing Company) is enhanced by the inclusion of cartoon sketches, and should iind a ready sale at tho present time. At times very amusing if not ridiculous requests are made by the camera fiend, but the following is probably unique, says the Auckland "Star"; On Sunday last several parties .were out on Lake Itotorua fishing from boats. One boat, containing some military hospital patients, came to grief, and flic occupants were thrown into tho water, whero they remained for some time clinging to the upturned boat until another boat came alongside. Tho latter contained a camera fiend, who calmly requested tho "rescue" to be deferred for a few inor nicnts until lin obtained a snap! As showing how closely related to (he development of ideas that have worldwide application and interest may b" subjects that appear to have the most limited and academic interest, the Hon. G. Jl. Thomson reminded a gathering in connection with the Otago Institute jubilee that the first paper read before 111: Otago Institute meeting 50 yeai's ago, was one by Mr. J. S. Webb on the flight of the albatross, and there was no doubt, that the results of the study of that bird's flight were emblazoned in the wonderful development of aircraft. The mystery surrounding tho recent report of a mysterious disease among eattlo in tho Northern Wairoa district seems to bo more in the origin of the report than in anything else (remarks the Auckland "Star"), Mr. A. E. Harding, a prominent resident of Mangawliare, and a largo stock owner, slated to a "Star" representative that all efforts to trace any case of any diserfse of the nature reported had proved unavailing. and he was quite satisfied that the -whoio thing was a falsa alarm. He mentioned that representatives of tlie Agricultural Department had made inquiries around the district, and had been unable to locate any such disease. This was verified bv statements by Messrs. Lyons and. M.unro, of the veiennary branch of the Agricultural Department. Thev slated that thev had been advised by the local agent of the Stock Department at Dargaville of a certain.amount of morlalitT among- stock in the district as a result'of a drought, and immediately the newspaper report of. a strange disease appeared thev visited the district. Personally, and by telephone, they got into touch with various settlers and stock owners, but were unable to locate, in any paTt of the district, any disease of the nature indicated, and the Department's local agent inquired independently with the same result. Mr. Lyons sniif he tried tho news agencies, and met with a refusal to have the source ot information disclosed, and after further inquiries he came to the conclusion that if any such disease existed at all, which he doubted, it was restricted to an isolated case. Since then further inquiries have been made, but owners and dealers who have been interrogated dcclare that they have heard nothing of any such disease. Tll short, the Department is satisfied that tliero 'is no such thing as this alleawl mysterious disease in the northern districts. The Dunedin llelail Truiterers' Association has decided to accede to the request of the Dunedin fruit merchants, and to allow chose merchants to make a charge lo members of the association of •hi. per case for all tomato and stone fruit-cases from Canterbury and Otafjo. This arrangement' came into force this week, and will continue until May of next year. The Dnnedin fruiterers have liberally met. the growers' request as submitted to them by the Duneoin Fruitbrokers' Association. They recognise the difficulties of procuring cases, and now that tlie tint rate of 4(1. per ciue has been decided upon, and on the assurance, that the Dunedin Bruitbrokers' Association will,, when purchasing cases tor country customers, give the. preference to members of the Itetnil Fi'.uitereijS Association, tlie.v feci tliafc it is only fair that tliey should as far as possible assist: in tho solution of the case question. .mo', therefore, all cases containing tomatoes and stone fruits will, in addition to the cost of the fruit, be charged out at fd. per case. It i< argued by a leading mcdieal authority in England that bodily fatigue k more a matter of the brain and tho spinal cord than of the muscles—that while one set of cells in the brain boonme tired, the muscles were not tirco', nud would still work efficiently, provided thev were yoked to a new set of cells. The moral is that a variation in the monotony of a, task may increase the whole output of a factory. We submit, as a deduction from this, that overtime at routine work is a mistake, and that the weekly day of rest cannot be dispensed with, says the Dunedin "Eveniiiff Star." In support of this proposition we cite a Dunedin experiment. Certain iuinos in a l:ig establishment were put 011 the bonus system at hard manual work the arrangement, being that thev received 12s. 6d. per day and extra for increased output:. They speeded up and earned .£1 per day of eight hours. I'inding it "a good thing." tlioy asked to bo allowed t<j work twelve hours per day, and the manager consented. They put their whole energy into the work, and at Ihe end of three months were able lo earn only the ,£1 per day which they previously earned in the eight hours. An interesting photographic, group has been on view in Wateiworth's, Lambton Quay, for tho vast week. It is a photograph of tho Wellington College fifteen of 181)0, the year when tho inter-collega annual tournament was inaugurated, and tho photograph therefore includes the members of the first tournament, team. Quito a number of these aro still residents of Wellington and the vicinity, though their football days are long. post. Tlie captain, who suggested and arranged tho tournament, was J. M. Thomson, now Presbyterian minister of Island Bay. One of, the half-bucks of the team was Lieutenant-Colonel G- C. Powles, who had so o'istinguished a career in the lato war. and now of Trenlham. ■' Other members were F. .U'Govern, of the Hank of Australasia, Danncvirke, who ca]v tained the team m IBill and 1892; N. Hodman, full-back, afterwards represented Iho Bush Union; li, Wallace, now super i n ben ding engieer for liichardson S.S. Co.. Napier; M. Myers, of Bell, Oullv. Bell, and Myers; 11. H. Wilson, of the Siewarl Timber Co.; S. Stafford, solicitor. Wellington; K. Dulliic. of J. Dulhio. Ltd.; C. Marehant, W. Oldham, 11. Nolir. end A. Bell; 1). M'Dowall. a sterlinsr little three-quarter, brother of Mrs. Jacob M'Elc.owncv, of Hobson Street, died a few yeai's later. In the tournament Ihe game with Wangauui was a hard-fought, and close one, but was lost by an unconverted try (one point in those davs) to nil. A disputed try was gained by C. Marehant. Tho Wcllinefon line-umpire was not in a position lo sec, but courteously concurred with the Wanganui line-umpire's disallowance of the try. The referee, however. afterwards stated that lie considered' it a fair try, and if tho decision had been referred to him he would have granted it. Tn'those days the referee had no say unless the umpires disagreed. The Christ's College team, with Parry nud Murnhv, two powerful and speedy wiiig-llireequartoi's, easily defeated the local buys, these (wo accounting for six tries between (lietn. Thomson, at: centre, iilnved a hard, stubborn game in defence, and. seizing an opportunity when tho ball came out of the side of the scrum, he darted forward, pifked up smartly, and beating in succession the opposing half-back, centro thrce-quarlor, and fulback. senrrd one brilliant try for Wellington close lo the post«. Tho framed enlargement of Ihe photograph is lo be handed over to (he Wellington College ,to bo hung on tlie wall* of tlie olo' 6cliool. ' ■ t