LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 202, 21 May 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

. 9 The Government has absolutely pro hibited the importation into New Zealand of shaving brushes made in Janan or exported from Japan, if those brushes are raado from the hair of animals. Tin reason for the prohibition is that tin brush?.] may spread the infectious rlis ease of anthrax. Evidence of the house shortage ii Wellington was not wanting yesterday when there were over 100 applicants for i small dwelling which was being vacate* on the slopes of Mount Victoria. Th house was not to let, however, as arrange nients had been made for its sale. These arc stirring times for local cbem ists and doctors. In reply.to an inquiry one city chemist admitted that the busi est time since 1918 had been experienccc since the visit of the Prince of Walei to Wellington, and they could not bu draw the conclusion that the assemblinj of largo crowds had been a factor ii the spread of the latest wave of i'flflu enzn. Jlosi of the business being dom was in. cough cures. It seemed that thi influenza this time had brought with i a very severe and obstinate cough. / feature that could not fail to lie note< was the wholesale manner in which i was attacking children, who were sub ject to bleeding at tho nose, as wen many of the subjects of influenza it 1918. The Minister of Railways (Mr. Massey] announced yesterday that the Department and tho Bail way. Officers' Institute had agreed upon Mr. George Elliott, oi Auckland, as chairman for tho conference of representatives of the Depart went and the institute, which~is to (lis cuss improvements.in pay and condition! of the first division branch of the service. Tho hearing of this matter will no go on until the second division case, hai been decided, but it is hoped that this will not continue long after the meet ing on, Tuesday next of the committee which is investigating this -section oi the dispute. Tii3. promotion of reciprocal relation! among the universities of the Empin is u special function entrusted to Dr A. P. Newton, Rhodes lecturer on colonial history at the University of London, by the Royal Colonial Institute, during his visit to the different partE of the British Empire. Dr. Newton, who is secretary to tho Imperial Studies Committee, has a special travelling /Eellowship from tho University of London, and is special travelling commissioner oi th* Royal Colonial Institute. Ho is at present in Auckland. • During tho past few days numerous complaints have been received by the Lower Hutt town clerk, Mr. "W. J. Nicholson, relative to tho poor quality oi tho gas that is at present being supplied . the Hutt by the Fetone gasworks. The trouble was stated to bo due to tho inferior quality of the coal that is now being used by tho gasworks. Mr. W. P. Sturman stated yesterday that he thought the position would improve shortly as it is expected that, within the course of tho next day or two, the gasworks will be in receipt of a supply of better quality coal. Production at the coal mines is reported to be improving. Minor disputes still exist at one or two of the mines, but the returns indicate that tho miners are working without stoppages and are increasing their output. Some time must elapse before the improved conditions' can be strongly reflected in the retail markets, owing to the lack of stores of coal. Many industries are anxious to have Eome coal in hand, even if they cannot replenish fully their depleted stores, and tho reports of the retailers indicate that their branch of tho trade can use a largely increased amount of coal without overtaking the demand. , Over iCIOOO has been received by flu Auckland Zionist Society as the contribution of the Now Zealand Jewry to the Palestine Restoration Fund, and ha' been remitted to London. Of this amount i£SGO was subscribed in Auckland, and the remainder in Wellington arid Dun ediu (says the "New Zealand Herald") The collection in Christchurch is still proceeding. The Auckland branch of the society has received advice by cablegran from the Zionist organisation that Mr. Israel Cohen will arrive in New Zealanc at the end of August on m organising tour of this country. Ho will delivei a series of addresses upon the opportunities created for Zionism by the embodiment in tho Turkish- Pence Treaty ol the Balfour declaration in favour of r Jewish national home in Palestine. Mr Cohen is n graduate of London University, and was at once time literary reviewer for tho "Morning Post." He ha? done considerable journalistic work, and is the author of several works on Zionism and general subjects. Tho Minister of Education (Mr. C. J. Parr) Ims arranged to hold a conferenw witli secondary school assistant teacher; on June 5 to discuss with them the grading and salaries of secondary teachers A meeting of secondary school teacher. 1 is tj be held to-morrow to arrange mat tors in connection with the deputation. Eight delegates are to be chosen: twe (male and female) senior assistants, twe intermediate, two junior, and two froiv tho mixed schools. The principals anc inspectors will also bo represented. 1 Considerable dissatisfaction exists among unions in Wellington because ol the long intervals between the local sittings of the Arbitration Court. The last sitting of the Arbitration Court was hole on February 12, and the indications arc that the next sittings will not commence until the first or second week in July This is described as decidedly unfair tc a number of unions, who, because they had disputes pending, did not apply foi n bonus at the February sittings. It is pointed out that clause 11 of the Amending Act of 1911 provided that the Court should sit in each of the four centres at loast once every three months. "Residential buildings in most of th< American towns are generally of wood," says Mr. W. H. Morton iiv his travel report, "and frequently havo great architectural merit in the designs. In Now York City such is not tho case, and the great majority of the population appeared to live in apartment bouses, which were generally about seven or eight stories in height. The use of apartment houses such ns these would' not, I venture to believe, bo looked upon with favour in this country. There are. howover, apartment houses, or flats as they are soinetimos called, which are in every way satisfactory, with sufficient air space about them for the lighting and ventilation' of tho various rooms. Tn many oi the older of the blocks of buildings to be found in America built as apartment houses it is imnossible to bclievo that satisfactory conditions in regard to ventilation aiid lighting can be effectively provided." On Monday, Mr. D. J. B. Soymour, organiser for the Workers' Educational Association, addressed a meeting at tho Petono Railway Workshops, and a public meeting in tho evening, on the methods and aims of tho movement. It was" decided to promote a public dobate in Petono on somo aspect of economic problems, and Messrs. Scddon, Sparr, and Garrard woro appointed a committee to make tho necessary arrangements. The committee will select a subjqct and invite representatives of Wellington or tho Lower Hutt to oppose them.

Amending reflations affecting the grading of primary school teachers are gazetted.

Amendments to the uoods regulations for the I'icton section of railway aro gazetted.

Tho respondent in a divorce suit heard by Sir John Salmond yesterday was a patient in the Porirua Mental Hospital, and therefore required to have a "guardian." In.his former capacity of Solici-tor-General, Sir John Salmond had.been guardian to tho man in question, tat his elevation to the Bench had deprived the patient of his tutelage. So before the petition could bo proceeded with somebody has to fill the gap, and iho appointment (which would have gone to tho Solicitor-General had there been bucli a person) fell to one of the solicitors in the Crown Law Office. The case was then heard. The Wellington grocers' assistants' dispute will come before the Conciliation Council to-dny. At the first sitting the hearing was adjourned because the union did not have all its assessors present. The legal habit of feigning ißiiorame concerning common things sometimes lends to elaborate explanations in Court (says tho "Now Zealand Herald"). A member of tho Bar engaged at the Supreme Court on Tuesday did not, how<£or, indulge iu any 6uch subterfuu'o when a witness was telling him how much liquor he had had on an occasion in question. The witness said ho had had two drinks of beer. Counsel promptly asked whether they were Ion;; ones. "Ono was," said the witness. "The other was what is called a half-handln." "It's quite all right," said counsel promptly. "I understand what you mean." Tho deputation to the Reserves Coui' mittco of the City Council regarding measures for the fire protection of the Khandallah, Domain and catchment area has had to be postponed on account of the Prince's festivities, and has now been fixed for Wednesday next. The deputation will be followed by a short interview with tho Mayor. The deputation will be introduced by Mr. J. M. Dale and will bo headed by General Richardson. Tho rather unusual course of passing a resolution regarding a social question was taken by a jury hearing a case in the Supreme Court at Auckland. A young man had been convicted of assault, which tho jury decided was committed whilo under the influence of liquor. The foreman added fo his announcement that tho jury desired also to draw attention to the evils of the liquor traffic, as disclosed by the case, stating that a resolution to that effect had been carried by the jury— "N.Z. Herald." Very extensive damage was done to the roads round Rotorua by tho heavy motor traffic during the visit of the Prince of Wales. The damage to tho Tirau-Ngongotalm road alone, for a distance of about four miles, is estimated at .£950. As a consequence {telegraphs the Auckland correspondent of an exchange) tho Rotorua County Council has approved of a suggestion for a Dominion tax on motor-cars, a fair proportion to be allotted to Rotorua, where a great amount of outside traffio is soineiinies congregated. The fact that a lady teacher was. living in a tent caused some at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board on Tuesday. Members said that such a 6tate of affairs was intolerable. Mr.. J. D. M'Kenzio expressed the opinion that rooms on sledges or wheels, similar- to those used by tho employees of the Public Works Department, should ■bo available. The Hon. G. J. Garland, M.L.C., stated that if a one-roomed building were granted the result might lie a withdrawal of house allowance from the teacher. On the motion of Mr. H. S. W. King, it was resolved to refer the general question to the Minister of Education, the Hon. C, J. Parr, during his visit to Auckland, and to request that only a proportionate withdrawal of house allowance be mado in such circumstances.—"N.Z. Herald." At a meeting of the Wellington Social Democratic Parly held at the Trades Hall last evening the following :esolutioii was passed: "That this meeting of the Wellington Social Democratic' Party expresses its whole-hearted support of the action of Mr. P. Eraser, M.P., in refusing to sign the city councillors' welcome, to the Prince of Wales. It considers that it was a very effective wav to protest against the wanton wnsto . of public funds and the appalling housing conditions existing at the present moment." The Art Gallery in Whitmore Street is to be enriched by Hie addition <>i two works of art, bequeathed to the Acr.demy under the will of the late Dr.. W. Kington Eyffe. One is a. beautiful bas-relief bv George Frampton, R.A., and tho other a large water colour painting of Wellington Harbour by tho late J M. Nairn. The late Dr. iFyffe, from the timo of his arrival in New Zealand, took a keen and helpful interest in the work of the Academy, and was for some years a member of tho council. Two "other fine works were presented by him some years ago. Mrs. Walter Johnston, «f "Highden,'' Valmerston North, has lent to the gallery a fine portrait of a gentleman, attributed to Raeburn, and a copy of Ra» pha'jl's Madonna ("the Madonna of the Armchair"). These will be shown dur> ing the sketch exhibition.