LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 79, 29 December 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Pacific Cable Board notify that the delav to cable traihe- to and from the United Kingdom is two and a half to three days. Deferred traffic is about seven dav.s behind. The public are again warned that messages should be confined to those of an urgent nature. A little-known point was raised in the Magistrate's Court at Christchurcli this week, before Mr. S. E. M'Curthy, S.M., by Mr. C. S. Thomas, who was appearing for the defendant in the cast l'lom Falkenbach v. Florence M. Wilson, in which the plaintiff sought to obtain possession of a tenement occupied )>y tho defendant and her husband. Ifr. Thomas claimed exemption in that the defendant was the wife of a discharged soldier, her husband having been under orders to proceed to camp and having received his first day's pay of ss. as a member of the Expeditionary Force, ■ when the armistice intervened arid he was discharged by special Act of Parliament. Mr. M'Dougall, for the plaintiff, said that as defendant's husband had not actually been in camp it was not generally known that he was a discharged soldier. As this appeared to be the case, however, the action would not be proceeded with. The case was accordingly withdrawn. Every returned soldier who left tho Post Office Department will be reinstated without loss of position or salary. This promise was given by the PostmasterGeneral, the Hon. J. Ci. Coates. to a deputation fioin the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association on "Wednesday. lie gave the further assurance that this rule would apply even to those who, without permission, left their posts to enlist, and also to men who liad not left the country, provided they went into camp. Christmas, 1919, was the dearest one for fruit ever experienced in Wellington, and there was a good deal of complaint heard on all sides at the charges made, which the fruiterers stated were justified on Iho wholesale cost. Here are a few- of the prices charged (as per ticket) ill the city shops:—Californian apples (Jonathans), lOd. per lb.; New Zealand Stunners, Sd. per lb. (Cd. from the barrows) ; tomatoes, Is. 6il. and 2s. per lb.; strawberoies, 2s. Gd. per box; plums (small), Cd. per lb.; cherries, lis. per'lb.; bananas (good ripe), six. seven and eight for Is.; new season's peaches, Sd. per lb.; rhubarb, small bunches, Gd. -Despite these exceedingly high prices business was brisk, as most people deem it incumbent to leaven the Christmas fare with a little good, wholesome fruit.

While in England and America, Jlr. G. Scott, of Christchurcli, inquired veiy carefully into industrial conditions, and came back, as he said to a "l'riss" reporter, "a changed man." lie saw enough lo satisfy him that the old relations between employer and worker will have lo be changed if there is to be industrial peace. A few of the corporations and large employers recognised that the workers must have a wage sufficient to keep them decently in i'oud. shelter, and clothes, with a little extra 'for savings, but many of the smaller employers still tried to grind llio worker down. This class of employer and the profiteer were the cause ol' all the labour unrest in the Old Country. Personally, he felt a good deal of sympathy with the porters ana shunters, who took part in the big'railway strike. The wages of these men —who could be easily replaced—were cut down, but the essential men, like drivers and firemen, were left alone. Tin's was always the way—the people engaged in a class of labour that could not protect itself were imposed oil the others were left severely nioue. ill'. Scott expressed himsell as "being much impressed willi certain "welfare wort;" earned out in Mm United Slates for the betterment of employees' 'working conditions, and indicated thai he intended lo carry out such work himself at his works. At St. Hilda's Church, Island Hay, on Christmas Day four services were iielu in the morning: Holy Communion at 7 and 8. Matins and iloly Communion at 1(1.30. At the latter the service was fully choral throughout, Stammer's sottinir for the Communion Olfico being taken. In the evening the service at 7.110 likewise was of a festal character, evensong being supplemented iby the singing of several carols by the choir. Solo narts were taken by Misses Bland and Willoughby, and Messrs. - Barnes, Proctor. M'Kwan, and Murrcll. Mrs. lilathwavt presided at tho organ. All (lie music -.vasWery brightly , rendered. The vicar conducted all tho services. An inquest will be held at Ihe Magistrate',s Court this morning touching the death of a wharf labourer named l'ichard Thomas, aged about 56 years, whose body was found lying in a washhouse at the rear of unoccupied premises at 5-1 Haining Street shortly after 8 a.m. on Saturday. Thomas had resided in lodgings in Cambridge Terrace, but as far as the police are aware there are no suspicious circumstances in connection with lus dcaUi.

The-export of timber from. Gveymouth has been seriously hampered this month owing to lack of shipping facilities (says Wednesday's Ureymouth "Star"). Timber recently unloaded from a boat which sailed for Lj Helton is still lying on the wharf. It. is estimated that about 7,000,000 feet is stacked on the mill skids at present awaiting means of transport by sea to where it is urgently required. '.A sitting of the Mount Cook Police Court on Saturday morning was presided over by Mr. J. Coy, J.P. For insobriety, Patrick Cooney was fined .£3, in default ■1-1 days' imprisonment.

In the Victorian Legislative Assembly ii few days ago, states the "Age," AirToutcher asked the Premier whethei ho was aware of the present perilous condition of the pastoral and woollen industry, arising from the fact that the Japanese tlorernment had been for some time past, ami was at present, securing from 'Australia and New Zealand stud sheep for export to Japan, thus threatening the export of raw wool to the markets of the world, and also manufactured garments, Mr. Toutcher stated that had the standing orders permitted him to move the adjournment of the lloiife to discuss the question he could have shown that the menace was so serious that it spelt ruin in time for the country. If the policy was allowed to continue :t meant .JapancA' supremacy and a calamity for Australia and the Empire. Mr. Sollv: How are you going In stop it? Mr. Toucher said that the Konth African Clovernment prevented .the export of ostriches or even ostrich errors. A heavy penalty was fixed for breaches. The same system could hi' applied to Australia with respect to stud sheep. The Premier said he had made inquiries of the Director of Agriculture, who said ho had no official knowledge of the matter. Other inquiries were, however, being made. lie would point out that the question of Customs Mr. Wnrde: T suppose ynu will suugest that it is not an ostrich egg, but a mare's nest Mr. Toutcher has, struck? daughter.) The Premier: Timbnpnes on exnnrls is a Federal and not a Stale matter.

A meeting of helpers in connection with the Victory Carnival at Lvall Bay is to bo held at the Y.M.C.A. rooms this evening, when duties for the carnival days will be allotted.

Some interesting remarks relative lo conditions in .the iron industry in England were mado to a Christchurcli 'Tress" reporter last week by Mr. (.1, Scott, of the well-known Christchurcli firm of ironfoundcrs and ongino.'rs, who Las just returned from n trip to England and America- "The iron trade," ho said, "is absolutely up to its eyes in work. Every industry is full of orders for the next six months, and the rollingmills won't take an order unci guarantee its completion under the half-year. "While in England I wanted to place an order i'or a few lons of small round iron, but not a single mill would take it. I tried to get steel, and not a mill would take an order either. It "equires expert men lo turn out this class of work, and so niafy have Ijeen lost in tho war, and so many disabled, that there is a very serious shortage of skilled men j:o do the work. I sent a cablegram lo America lor the few tons of goods J wanted, but the same reply eame back from there, namely, that it would take six months before the order could he filled. I again cabled and asked if it >vas possible to purchaso for mo Ihe small quantity of goods I wanted in the open market, and the reply-1 got stated that it would cost mo 150 dollars per ton for the round iron! At the piv.sent time in England the Disposal Board is busy selling off hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of Government goods bought for the war, but every hundredweight of round iron seemed to have been picked up. I went to a great many places and sales, and only saw some at Kicliborough, and this, unluckily, had 'Dunedin' displayed on it. Another NewZealand firm had been first in the field! Most iron goods wore selling at high prices, plate was going at «£22 to &U per ton at the open dispersal sales, and yet it was quoted at .£lB per ton at the mills. The fact was that manufacturers would rather pay high prices for material ami keep their works going than wait for lower-priced goods, and possibly hold up their staffs. This sort of thing is taking place all over England, and the state of affairs is likely to Inst for somo lime. I'don't think there is the slightest chance that prices in the iron industry will fall for a long while."

Au outbreak of fire has destroyed between 400 and 500 acres of flax between Lake Whangape and the Waikato Kiver, in the Rangiriri district. The flnx was owned by Mr. J. Dean, of Pokeno. witTi the assistance of twelve Maoris, Mr. Dean fought the fire for six days and nights, their prospects of .checking the spread of the flames appearing remote. Fortunately, however, when the situation was most desperate, the wind changed to the east, and shortly after this the outbreak was (pHled. Jfr. Dean is a heavy loser, as he hud not mille<' any flax for a considerable time, and intended to commence onorations after the ho'.idnvs. At an estimate of four tons to the aer», the flax <li«<royp'' vinld have ni'oduced between lCflfl and 2A"A tons f itpnm. An important modification of tho official instructions regarding saluting was notified in a recent military order issued in Melbourne. In 'future (says the "Age") soldiers serving in the Australian military forces will not be obliged to salute officers in the streets and off parade, unless the soldier has occasion to speak to an officer, or an ofiicer to a soldier. At all times when on parade, however, or performing a military duty, tho customs and usages of tho service will be strictly adhered to and enforced. Judging by opinions expressed in military circles the cessation of saluting in the street will be welcomed by officers as much as by men of .other ranks. Many amusing stories are told of the manner in which officers during the war were kept busy saluting their men. In a spirit of levity (or perhaps revenge) the troops would decide on certain clays to pick out a particular officer for "salutary" attention, Yvord would )>e passed through the camp, and 'kindreds of men during the day would "accidentally" accost the one individual, whose arm was kept working like a semaphore acknowledging the salute of the subordinates. The gcnpral opinion is that the antipathy of the Anzac lo "swank" of all varieties has largely been responsible for the breaking down of the tradition, as indicated in'the military order,