LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 258, 26 July 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tlio effect of the legislation enacted during the past few years for the protection of tenants was the subject of a few remarks mndo by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) in the Supremo Court on Saturday. His Honour believed that while legislation represented well-mennt efforts to ensure that poor people should have houses to live in, it possibly had a contrary effect, inasmuch as landlords would not build or people invest money in houses if they could not get possession of the places when they desired. It might have been advisable, His Honour thought, not to have gono beyond the law saying that tho rent should be tied by a magistrate, as a guaranteed.' return of 8 per cent, might still have induced people to build. With reference to the question asked by Mr. J. P. Lnko in the Housa of Representatives last week concerning coal supplies, tho Wellington Coal Trade Committee points out that the distribution of coal in Wellington city and suburbs is under its jurisdiction, and not that.of tho Board of Trade; also, that thero is no need for tim publio to apply to tlio Mayor, or to obtain a medical certificate when coal is required for proved cases of sickness. This fact has been made clear by the committee in tho Press from tims to time, and in consequence relief is being afforded daily to numerous cases, Tho committee desires l;o make it quite clear that applications for coal for cases of sickness will always Teceivo prior consideration over other requirements, and a roservo stock for this pnrposo is available when supplies through usual chan-, nels are not at the moment obtainable owing to shipping and other delays. It is pointed out that supplies of coal for the city have been somewhat reduced, lately owing to tlio City Council having to bo supplied with screened coal, to maintain the operations of tho electrio lighting station, which would otherwise have 'been allocated for domestic purposes. However, this difficulty has been overcome for tho meantime.

Councillor Hutchison intends to move at tho next meeting of the City Council: "That tbfei future policy of tho City Council be to prohibit tho uso of advertising hoardings, as such n system as is in existence at present is the antithesis of modern town-planning."

ChTistchureh boot retailers, discussing a reported fall in leather prices.in. Australia, stated that, though the position was not satisfactory, they had received no news of a decrease. A recent coil' signment of footwear received from Me)< bourno had not contained a single pai/ showing tho slightest decline in cost, Some lines had advanced. Suedes, for instance, were higher than ever all round. In addition, the latest cabled price lists from Home showed that 1020 quotations were all well above tho quotalions of 1019. One shopkeeper said that it would take a stiff decline in values to uiako up for the increased wages now paid to repairers and salesmen. The only Tomedy that he could think of was to place more workers in the New Zea' land factories, and that could not be done unless the housing problem wow settled.

The Christclmrch City Council authorities Tiavo decided to grant no more per' mits for the erection of hoardings in the city for advertising purposes, on the ground that such action inconsistent willi the spirit of the regulations framed to conserve timber material and labour for essential purposes, such as the buildin? of homes. It is stated that one big hoarding recently erected in the city contains almost sufficient timber to build a house.

Commissioner Hodder, of the Salvation Army, said at Dunedin last weok: "I have confirmed what our peoplo havo already done in preparation for the scheme of bringing from the Old Country a number of boys to bo educated and trained in New Zealand, and as soon as General Booth gets Home he will 6end us 200 orphans. We aro going to make those boys colonials, and put them on our training farm at Putaruru, near Eotorua."

A Press Association message from Christchnirch states that a rwddlel;ged man named Frederick Jenkins was Killed at Waikuku on Saturßay by falling from a dray.

"Stewart's Handbook of tins Pacific Islands" is a particularly useful and informative publication, of a Bco)>e well indicated in its title. The. compiler points out in a prefatory note that it is the only work of its kind which gives an accurate account of all the inhabited islands in the Pacific. In a new and revised edition, a copy of which wo havo received from the publishers (Messrs. M'Carron, Stewart and Co., of Sydney), tho descriptions of islands and other features have boen brought up to date, and it is claimed tktt the handbook omits no particular of interest to the gtmeral public— it provides ft wealth of information in regard to the character, population, trade, etc., of the various islands and islnlid groups—and is more comprehensive and compact than any that has hitherto bean published. The section dealing with Western Samoa contains a mass of interesting information, and includes, in addition to detailed' descriptions of tho different islands, an account of their past and recent liistory, a list of white residents, trade and other statistics, and a review of trade prospects, and notes on. various other subjects. This comprehensive treatment seems to be characteristic of the handbook as n whole. With its other acceptable features, it contains a handy map of the Pacific and several detail maps.

In response to representations bjr tb» Thames Chamber of Commerce for more police protection, especially for tho Shortland end of the town, both for pre* vention of fire and crime, the CommiKsioner of Police has replied that it is exceedingly difficult to secure police for places where none are now stationed. Steps aro being taken to attract recruits so that an improvement is expected shortly, and he would then reconsider tho matter.

The coal shortage in Napier has he> come more acuto than it has been for some time. As a result of the inability of the trawlers to get supplies of coal, several of tho fishing vessels al the port have censed operations, four oui of eight trawlers being idle. Tho other* have no coal available for any length of time. This will seriously affect th« supply of fish, The Government is to bo asked to help tho fishermen, and it, is hoped that the Bailway Department, which has a good stock of coal in Nopier, will release some for this industry

The hardships under which settlers in many portions of the North Auckland district labour in respoct to poor reading facilities wero illustrated iu a striking manner a few- days ago in one of tho outlying settlements of the Waitemato Counlty (says the "Herald"). Tho wife of a resident became ill, and it was necessaT.y to remove her to tho nearest hospital. In order to do (his it was cssontial, in the absence of a good road, to carry tho pationt somo distanco on a mattress before placing her in a vehiclo which conveyed her for soven miles along a muddy "road" to a point that could l)e reached by a motor-car. Tho remainder of the journey was accomplished in tho car. over a road that left much to be desired in tho way of comfort.

Edwin TJrwin, ft fireman employed on the s.s. Tofua, slipped on the hatch of Che vessel on Saturday uftornoon And broke his left log. Ho was admitted to t'uo hospital.

The Christchurch Licensed Victuallers' Association announce an increase in (he price of bottled beer and stout lo Is. !M. per bolUe. The retailers slal/a that this increase is necessary as a result of tins recent advance in wholesale prices.

A Press Association message from Chridtelmrch stales that tho result of Iho polling to elect a representative of Uio Canterbury members of Parliamont and members of the Legislative Council to the Board of Governors of Canterbury Colloso resulted as follows:—Mr. J. C. Adams, 12; Mr. J. M'Combs, M.P., 4. The Chinese and the Hindus who arried nt Auckland from tho Western Pacific Islands by ithe Navun on Thursday underwent tho educational lost on Friday, and succeeded in passing. Of the four Chinese who applied for admission into the Dominion three of them had made previous application and had Seen unablo to pass tlio test. Tho total number of Chinese who havo arrived nt Auckland since the beginning of tho year is now 448. In the same period IS3 Hindus have landed at Auckland.