LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 104, 27 January 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Two large groups of sunsppts are at present visible on the sun, states Mr. G. V. Hudson. One group is west of the middle of the disc, about 80,000 miles in length; the other, east of the middle, about 130,000 miles in length. The larger group, which may be teen through smoked glass only, is changing very rapidly, and auroras and. magnetic disturbances may be expected.

In the course of the reunion of the P. and T. Officers' Association at Masterton on Saturday, Mr. Reynolds, senior vice-president of the association, was reported as having said that "he regretted that he obuld hold out no Ihope that Cabinet would recommend the payment of the bonus, though there was absolutely no doubt that Sir Joseph Ward had given the promise." Mr. Reynolds slates that what he dad say was that he regretted being unable to throw any fresh light on the matter of the bonus. Tho decision of Cabinet had still to be mado known. Iu spite of repented application fiom the executive, no reply had been receiud.

AI the last conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association ft resolution was passed requesting the Government to increase the rate of pension of the disabled soldiers. This was dulv presented to tho Minister of Defence, but so far no decision has been nrrivod at The matter was the- subject of some sharp criticism nt a recent meetiiur of tho commitee of the Wellington Ketiirncd Soldiers' Association, and it was finally decided that, in view of the increased cost of living the. Dominion exer.utive be asked to press for tho increased rates of pension to disabled soldiers forthwith. '

A Press Association telegram ironi Christehurch states that owing to the wholesale dairymen having increased the price of milk to fourleenpence per galion, retailers have decided that the price to householders shall bo sixpence per quart as from February 1.

Two applications tor increases of. wages came beiore the l'etone Borough Council at its meeting last night, and the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Ji'JiVan) asked whether tliey would bs taken in comiuitteo as formerly, or in open council. Councillor liny objected to go.ng into the matter of wages piecemeal. They had J rained their estimates, and they should stick to them. Councillor Cox moved that the employees 1» informed that no increases would bo gKintod 'before March 31, when the position would be reviewed. This was seconded by Councillor Cook. Councillor Anderson said he was "agin tho Government." They were making tho man below carry the burden, lie spoke of the increasing cost of living, and thought tlio council should be an ideal employer, and give the men a fair wage. Tho .Mayor called attention to the fact that the question was whether the matter bo dealt with in open council or not. After fnther diseuss.on he put Councillor Cox's motion to the meeting, and it was carried.

Willi regard to the petition from the ratepayers of Wellington East and Ilataitai, which is to come before'Che City Council at .to-night's meeting,'the Transit Committee of the Town-planning Association, which met last night, moved a resolution m support of this scheme for better access from the city to lioseneath and Halailai, together with the institution of. motor-bus service.

In exulanation of the delay regarding the presentation of the City Engineer's rcMi't concerning his trip abroad th* Mavor (Mr. J. P. Luke,- C.M.G.) stated vestcrdav that Mr. Morton had been workinff at considerable pressure sinco his return, as many of tho executive oflicers of tho staff are now on leave, and lie has not had all tho tiuic required to complete the report. No unnecessary delav would bo incurred in presenting tho rtnort.

A sbinment of sixty tons of cement arrived yesterday from Tarakohe, and of this amount tho City Council were able to secure four tons lor the tramways dcnartinent. In order to do away with tho parking of tranicars at the intersection of Cour-,. tenav Place and Kent Terrace, tho City Council has obtained from the Harbour Board the temporary uso of the railway reserve area situated between the terminus of the old Te Aro station and the morale. A single track 300 ft.' in length hns been laid; and it is proposed to join this ui) with the Oriental Bay track. The work of laying temporary rails across tho cycle track is to be proceeded with right away, and it should not be Imw before idle trams will bo parked on the new site. The track laid wilt.accommodate about eijrht trams. Circulars from Dr. Barnarilo's Homo, to hand bv mail, give interesting details of tho work done by that institution. The director opens his letter villi the statement-.—"l foel liko the old woniari who lived in a shoe, who had so many children she didn't know what to do." Tho Barnardo Family now numbers 7291 bovs and airls. During the half-century that has elapsed since Dr. Barnardo started his homo in Stepney, gathering in 2, r > little children, 88,007 have been rescued. Since tho war broke out, 8170 liio-o been received, and 10,715 old Barnardo boys served us soldiers or sailors. The Government has purchased tho property known as Walker's Station, Maruin Valley, owned by Messrs. J. and G. Walker, for the settlement of soldiers (says tho Nelson "Colonist"). Tho property comprises approximately 7000 acres, and tho purchase price was .£40,000. Mr. H. B. Walker states that the date of delivery will bo about tho end of April or the end of May. It is understood that the Government hns also'purchased some MOO acres owned by Mr. D. Oxnam, about 20 miles from Murohison. These tiro properties will bo cut up into sections for close, settlement. Tho cost of painting may be gathered 'observes tho Auckland "Star") from tho fact that a shipment of linseed oil by the Mahia will cost 10s. a gallon, and white lead still holds its price. Oil drums, which formerly sold at Is. each, are now worth nearly five times that amount. The difficulty in securing supplies of prepared paint may be judged from the J'nct Hint consignments havo iust reached the south which wero order-, ed in Kncland from eighteen months to two years ago.

Tho Dominion executive of Ihe Protestant: Political Association at its monthly meeting passed tho following resolution: —"That this executive, representing: tho lamest political organisation in tho Dominion, and embracing all classes, but chiellv tho hitherto unorganised consumer, demands that tho Government shall ninko provision for the representation of the consumer on all conferences or boards dealinj with the cost of living, (he prices and conditions of disposal of hides, wool, coal, butter, cheese, meat, etc. That ntl members of Parliament bo acquainted with this demand, and that every pong be directed to take local suitable action.

In connection with the Inumvay conference to !>e opened at the Town Hall it II o'clock to-morrow, the -Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke. C.M.G.) intimated that all the authorities concerned had been communicated with, and each had expressed tho intention of being represented. The conference will be fully representative of all interests and will discuss matters directly nlioctimr tho welfare of the employees and others. 'the Lower llutt Borough Engineer (Mr. E. A. G.imblcy) told tho council in his report last night that he had compared the cost of clearing weeds from water channels by grader, and clearing them by manual labour, and found the cost to be fiitl. per chain by grader and 2s. Hid. per chain by manual labour. Owing to the shortage of cement, all work in connection with the Lower llutt Doiough Council's new pumping plant has been stopped. The Petone Borough Council last night received a letter from the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents asking the council "that iu all cases preference should be given (all things being equal) to British goods in any purchase made either for municipal trading ventures or other purposes." Tho council decided to do as tho association 'suggested. The Lower Hutt bprough also decided to follow tho suggestion.

Tho Lower Hutt Borough Council last evening decided to proceed with putting up name-plates on the streets and numbering the houses in the borough. Several necessary works are being delayed in the Hutt borough owing to scarcity of labour, and at its meeting last evening tho council decided to advertise for labourers. Before taking the business at the Lower Unit Council meeting last evening the Mayor moved that the council tender its sincere sympathy to Councillor Macaskill • in the severe bereavement caused by the death of his wife. The motion was carried iu silence, tho councillors standing. The inspector of tho Lower nutt Borough Council reported to the council last evening that thirty motorists had exceeded the speed limit going to i.nd returning' from the races, and proceedings would be taken against the offenders. A lift accident occurred in Auckland on Friday aiteraoon, when a boy named Owen Glide Froude, aged IG, received injuries to the jawbone. The boy was looking down the lift-well, when the lift struck his iaw. The roads which are being constructed on Gallipoli will make it possible for tourists to motor from the. Narrows throimh the Aiizac field of operations, and along the famous beach to Suvla s Bav. Already it is possible to motor in drv weather over this route. It starts. from Khilid Bahr, on the Narrows, and winds across the peninsula past Lono Pine, the place which has been chosen as the site of the central memorial, and to the sea. thence northwards. New Zealand has no direct interest in Lone Pine, which was the scciio of a purely Australinn aetiou. The corresponding New Zealand effort was over the much more rugRed country on the left. The question is beim-' asked why the central memorial obelisk should not be erected on the first erest. above the landing place, in which New Zealand and Australian forces have n common interest. Bulletin No. 42 of the First New Zealand Mounted Miles Association is to hand. It is an attractively printed little 6heet, containing much that is likely to interest members of the association, and others who fought on the 6anie fields nineteen years ago. As the editorial columns explain, "the association represents the remnant/ of the first corps sent to join tho British Army on active service from a Dominion. It continues to exist for pure sentiment. It has been tremendously strengthened l>y the fact that 60 many, of its members have served with great distinction in the Great War." The principal feature of the paper is some eight columns dt)»otcd to chatty paragraphs, chiefly about people.