LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 205, 25 May 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday was Empire Day. It was marked in Wellington by the hoisting of flags from all tho Government buildings.

The substantial increases iu the wages of tramwaymen, decided upon over a week ago, are to be passed on the public almost immediately. It is anticipated that tho new scale of fares will be an. nounced at.this evening's meeting of tho City Council.

Under a regulation recently gazetted it i 3 not lawful for any person to lenvo tho Dominion with gold or silver in his or her possession without the permission of tho Minister of Finance. The only people exempt from this embnrgo aro Chinese, who are allowed to take not moro than .£5 with them in gold. Previous to departure of tho Moeraki from Wellington for Sydney on Friday night, tho police and Customs officials took steps to ascertain whether the regulation was being compiled with and as a result they succeeded in obtaining a haul of over cCIOO from a Chinaman and a Greek. The money was all in gold, tho greater part consisting of sovereigns. Tho Greek was tho heavier loser of tne two, for ho forfeited a sum of about .C9O. By tho provisions of tho regulation money so 6eized is liable to confiscation. Tho money discovered on the Moeraki is at present being held by the police.

Classification and salaries of secondary school teachers will be roviowed at a conference which is to be held shortly between representatives of tho teachers in secondary schools and tho Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr). Two inspectors, four principal?, and eight assistants will be present'at the conference. Senior teachers will bo represented by Miss F. I. Patterson, M.A., or Miss W. Picken, M.A. (Auckland), Mr. F. M. Kenner, M.A. (Wellington), and Miss' E. N. Coad, M.A. (Wellington). Mr D. Amott (Christchurch) will appear for intermediate teachers, Miss Anderson or Miss Budd (Dunedin), and Mr. W. P. Hargreaves (Waitaki) will - present the caso for junior assistants, and Mr. H., Kobson. M.A. (Marlborough) and Miss E. C, Collins. E.A. (Hamilton) will represent mixed schools. ,

Tho condition of the man William Cox. wh6 was knocked down by a motorcar in Lambton Quay on. Tuesday evening last, and seriously injured, continues to be satisfactory. Yesterday he was reported by the hospital authorities to be very comfortable. Tho annual police inspection of the hotels in the city has been completed, and tho report will bo presented to the meeting of tEe Wellington Licensing Committee on June 7. . That tho course of true love does not always run smoothly was exemplified on the arrival of the lonic at Auckland last week. A gentleman in Auckland who went to tho saloon to seek out his lady lovo who left tho Old Country, with the intention, of coming to New Zealand to mn«7 him found . that she had changed her affection on the way out to a follow passenger and assured her former swoetheart that she wished to say good-bye to niin thero and' then, as she wished to link up her future career with tho man whom she had met on tho boat (says the Auckland "Star")- The dooision was not a surprise to tho other passengerb, but it wa3 a severe shock to the man who had waited eo long and patiently on tho wharf only to be thrust aside so completely in favour of another.

The Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Public Works) will, on Thursday at 2.30 p.m., receive a deputation from' tho Central Progress League to cfi6cuss the Mangahao and Waikaremoana hydro electric works.

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) stated yesterday that Mr. W. H. Morton's comprehensivc rejiort on the city powerhouses, existing and proposed, is to bo presented to the, City .Council at this evening's meeting. As tho report Is u big one, and very important, it will in all probability be presented to the council in committee in order that they may be given an opportunity of thoroughly digesting it beforo coming to a decision. Ilis Worship said that Mr. Morton had gone very thoroughly into ii)e wliole power-liouso problem, mid hw report should be a good guide to tho council as to what was the wisest step to lake to ensure Wellington's power supply for tho next few years. Twenty-four sacks of wheat wcro stolen from a flourmill at Palmorston North last Friday night.

Writing from New York on April 10 Mr. Edwin A. Tanner, of Messrs. Tanner Bros., Wellington, and late actingeeoretar.v of the Choral Union, said that ,he had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Leu. Barnes (the baritone singer) ftt San Francisco. Mr. Barnes was doing very well professionally, but Mr. Tanner thought it would not be long before Sir. Barnes was back again in Now Zealand. Mr. Tanner had a great musical treat in New York, having heard Maria Barriontos and Hipolita Lazarro (both Spaniards) in "Lucia rii Lammermoor." "Tliey are," ltf writes, "both vocal miracles, and held the vast audience spellbound." Continuing, Mr. Tanner writes: "America strikes ono as a' land of unbounded prosperity. Wealth on every hand. Have met nil sorts and conditions of people, and everyone seemed very interested in New Zealand, and admired its war work. Coloninls are well received werywhero, and I have met with notliTnp but kindness where I have b«u Mia made vary good friends."

The quostiojtof the ferry across the harbour was discussed at last' "weeks meeting of the Eastbourne Borougn Council, in regard to tho proposed new ferry steamer, tho revenue from tlie service, anil the repairs to e.s. Duchess. The .Mayor (Jlr. F. H. Mather) 6ai<l ho wa9 suro the Government would see the council through for tho money, but tho iirst thing the Government would want to know was how much the council wanted. An agreement had been entered into with Mr. 11. M'ftae for plans and specifications of the new boat at a fee of £151). The dimensions would bo lGsft. long, 28ft. beam, carrying capacity 151)0, sp.ued 14 knots. The matter would shortly come bofore the Ferry Board. For the month of April the revenue for ferry traffic had amounted to ,£l3lO IDs. lid., as compared with ,£1270 ISs. 3d. for the same month of 1010. There were substantial increases in all items but freight and special excursions. The Ferry Board suTiriiitted n progress report on tho repairs to the Duchess. which were proceeding satisfactorily. ; It was hoped to havo her in commission by about Juno 8.

Another stuff 6ehool of instruction will commenco at Trentham Military Hospital to-day.

Afi last night's annual meeting jjf ' tlio llataitai Municipal Electors' Association, Air. A. L. Hunt stated that iu the morning lie had visited 60ine of the' slums of Wellington wi th a kinemalograph camera man. He had been surprised and disgusted at what ho had seen.' Th« pictures would lie shown at the annual meeting of the Town-Planning Association next Monday. In one street, they found 60veral children playing. There was one little girl •with her face covered with sores, and slio was carrying ft small baby which looked like a bag of bones. Thero was another little hoy, very dirty, and only wearing a singlet. Was it any wonder that these children, became rebels? The houses were terrible. In two rooms _a returned Boldior was living with his family, and paying Ms. per week. The rooms were very email.

At last nighfs meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council, No. 2 Committee reported that it had met on May 19 to consider a statement by the librarian "that tho present method of purchasing books is very unsatisfactory," and it mado fcliQ following recommendations to tho council:—(l) That the present arrangement for the purchase of library books bo discontinued. (2) That.Messrs. Patterson and Rowe (two subscribers) bo asked to act! as joint selectors, and to submit for tho council's approval suggestions as to tho manner in which their duties should he carried out, ,:inj that, in tho event of these gentlemen declining to act the council nominate others suitablo for tho position, The recommendations were adopted.

The Commonwealth immigration laws as they relate to the entry of aliens into Australia are to bo tightened up very considerably in tne near future (says the Melbourne "Age"). The Inderal Government introduced' a Bill for this purpuse In .the last Parliament, but, owing to tho dissolution, the measure lapsed. On Friday, April 23, however, the Bill was' reintroduced, and read a first time in the Senate. It provides that every a lieu already resident in the Commonwealth shall, unless otherwise exempted, register as an alien, ih -accordance with the Act. The penalty for non-complianco wfth this provision is fixed at <£100 or in default six months' imprisonment. Every alien who enters the Commonwealth in, or as a member of the crew of, any vessel, will be required to register immediately after arrival_ of the vessel at the first port of cull in the Commonwealth, whilo every child of an alien registered in the Comlflonwealth, who is not by birth a na-tural-born British subject, must register under the Act within one'month after attaining the ago of IB years. Aliens will be required to report immediately any,change of their abode, and will not be allowed to change their names without first notifying- the authorities. All hotelkeeperg and boardingliouse-keepers will- be required to keep a register giving particulars of all aliens using their premises; tlie date of their arrival, tinio of departure, and destination on departure. Employers will also be required to keep a register showing the names of all aliens in their employ. '

At last night's annual meeting of tho Hataitai Municipal Association, Mr. Travel's ' mentioned tliat there was a rumour , about town that tram fares were to' bo increased to a very largo extent in the near future. The rumour was upheld by tho fact that it was impossible to purchasethe old one and twosection tickets, The speaker thought that some steps should be taken to see that the' residents would not be penalised. It was rumoured that the increase would bo very substantial—the Is.'3d. tickets, it was said, would be Is. 9d., and the 2s. 6d. ones would be 3s. Tho speaker urged that a deputation should wait on tho civic authorities.' He recogs li.ised that the City Council had to finance these affairs, bub he thought that the new increase should be charged to tho funds of the city.

Reserved judgment was delivered by Mr. W. G. Eiddell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon in the action brought by the Dominion Produco Company, Ltd., against J. B. Andrew, pastrycook, Napier, to recover the sum of <£14 3s. 4d., in respect to the sale of five tins of egg pulp. Tho contract was arranged by a broker in Napier, and tho goods were placed f.o.b. Wellington. The tins of pulp were taken out of tho freezer and shipped per s.s. Eipplo on June 17 last. Some ( ..tinie after arrival in Napier the defendant's manager complained to the broker regarding the condition of the pulp, but no notice of the matter was sent to the company until June 2G. It was shown in evidence that egg pulp would not keep for more than a week after being taken out of the freezer. The Magistrate held that the egg pulp was in. good order when placed on board, and thereafter it was carried at the purchaser's risk. Even if it had not been in good condition on examination any right the defendant may have had to reject it was lost, through his not having advised the plaintiff promptly. Judgment was entered for the plaintiff for tho full amount claimed, with costs totalling ,£5 Us. At the hearing Mr. 0. S. Mazengarb appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr.. J. C. Morrison for the defendant.

In the course of an interview' with an Auckland "Star" reporter, in which Fijian affairs are discussed, Mr. J. G. Kowley, of Sydney, stated that the outlook for labour in Fiji was extremely bad, and many Indians would be leaving for their own country in tho near future, three steamers having been chartered for thnt. purpose. Not a few of tliio Indians intended to come to New Zealand. Ho did not think iliere would b» any more actual rioting, but he would not be surprised if there* was a strike on n large scale, when tho sugar mills started crushing. Tho large mill at Lautoka commences early ■ next month. The crops from Sigatoka, through, Nadi, on to lautoka, uro very promising this season, also ill the Penally district, but at Ba the sugarcane is poor owing to a pest known as Johnstone grass. This was originally introduced for pasture, but has evread to such an extent that it gets in the plantations and clibkes tho cane.

Among the matters to bo discussed at the annual conference of tho New Zealand Labour Party in July will be that of housing. On this question the Wot lington Social Democratic Parb,' has forwarded the following remit:—The present inadequate system of tousing the people of New Zenlnml is in dagger of becoming still more deplorable owing to the inability of the responsible authorities. Private monetary interests retard the only possible solution of the housing problem. In order to effectively deal with the matter the State should eliminate, as far as possilile, all elements of private profit by —1. Extending the present Rational sawmilling industry. 2. National cement works and the provision of other building materials. 8. Erection of houses to bo the business of a special State Depart menl, with a Minister of Housing in charge. 4. The State to supplv all nccos. aary materials for the building of modern ('quipped houses. B. The Building Trades Federation of Unions be asked to do the work under Government supervision, with an assured weekly wage. G. All suclil houses to bo leased by the occupier from the State or municipality. Private house and land agencies absolutely prohibited. 7. Whenever a suitable cite for houses may bo required, no privata landowner skoii iuipwio their eroot'it..