LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 18, 16 October 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A party of about 40 members of Parliament intended leaving for Nelson by the. Tutnnekai last night, but owing to the north-westerly galo the trip was postponed.. It is understood that the party will make the trip in about a fortnight's time.

"The files of Base Records are not at all reliable," said Mr. Stuart Wright (Otago) during the course of a discussion at the Patriotic Societies' Conferencfc yesterday, on the question of compiling a complete roll of all returned soldiers and tho dependants of deceased soldiers.

A protest was raised by certain delegates to the Patriotic Societies' Conference' yesterjlay that "wasters" among returned soldiers wwe using the funds of patriotic 'societies in a manner never intended. "There is a certain class of man," said one delegate, "who will continue to make such demands as long as the societies will stand it. The only thing to do is to bring them down to Mother Earth. To encourage this sort of thing is placing a premium on improvidence. By going on as at present is only encouraging theso wasters." Another delegate testified that one. mnn had mads three trips to the South Island on misrepresentations.

The question whether or not merchants who sail goods both by Wholesale and retail can ohargo the retail price to retail customers is dealt with in the Full Court judgment delivorod yesterday in relation to the recent alarm clock profiteering appeals. Tho Court states: "The 'custom has always been to do so, and in our opinion that custom is lx>th necessary and benefioial to tho public. It. is plain thnt wholesale merchants could not enter into direct competition with the retail traders who deal with them. The result of holding that wholesale merchants selling by retail cannot charge retail prices would simply bo that they wore prohibited from carrying on a retail trade. This would bo detrimental to tho public, for it is certain that the more traders deal in any commodity the more likely it is that the commodity 4 will be sold at a reasonable price." j With regard to the statement made at Thursday night's meeting of the City Council os to reduction in fire insurance premiums owing to erection of the municipal fire station in Constable- Street, it is stated that Hataitai, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay and Maranui are the only districts affected. There* will be no change in lioseneath or Island Bay, and Newtown has for rears enjoyed rates on a lower scale. The reduction is being made by mutual arrangement between tho As««ciated Fire InsWnce Offices and the Government State Fire Office. Speaking in the House yesterday of the difficulties that beset temporary clerks in the Government service, Dr. A. X. Nowinan (Wellington East) said he was reminded of the following words that ono of those clerks had written: 'You are a good girl. God bless you and keep you. Wish I could) afford to do so," (Laughter.) "If. traders, in the case of proprietary goods were compelled to carry on their businesses on the basis of rensale of their goods at the actual cost to' them plus a reasonable commercial profit on that-cost, tho public would.not really benefit," said Mr. Justice Edwards in the Full Court yesterday, in the course of the Court's judgment in the recent alarm clock, profiteering charges.

Tho Commissioner of Taxes draws tho attention of taxpayers to tho notification in to-day's 'issue that the duo data of payment of land tax for tho current year is Monday, November 8,-and that tire demands will be posted on or a'bout November 1.

A sharp earthquake was felt at Grey town yesterday morning about 5.30.

Nearly an hour was spent at yesterday's conference of patriotic societies on a Southland remit which advocated . a national scheme of uniform treatment to permanently partially or permanently totally disabled -soldiers. Mr. Itevell (South Canterbury) strongly supported tho remit a.s he (as secretary of the South Canterbury Society) had often felt that there should be a uniform scale of treatment as a guidn to all societies. It was not expected that such a scale would be hard and fast, but it would bo a guide to ull bodies concerned in tho administration of patriotic funds. Some dolegaljjs admitted that they were not in agreement with any such idea of uniformity of treatment. Mr. H. D. Farrant (lnvercargill) said that some such decision was passed at the Palmerston North conference, and subsequently endorsed by the Advisory Board. Mr. E. .T. I'. Aldr'ich pointed out that the Palmerston North conference bad adopted a remit approving of the principle of uniformity of treatment, but that,, uniformity was to be based on the economic condition of the men concerned. After this explanation had been given the remit was rejected on the voices.

During his remarks at the Patriotic Societies' Conference" yesterday afternoon, Mr. Clutha Mackenzie said that lie had endeavoured to persuade the Commercial Travellers' Committee to work in with/ others in the establishment of a fund for the welfare of blinded soldiers, but the-travellers had decided that they did not care lo ber "mixed up" with any other society. He thought that point of view was regrettable. He was airaid that it was not so much the welfare of the Wind men thev ware concerned in as it was for a jealous guardianship of tl*ir own particular rights. It wou d do most humiliating for him to have to confess to Sir Arthur Pearson that it was impossible to- carry out his ideas owing to the spirit "shown in some quarters.

Under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act a manufacturer must have on the bottle or package a label setting forth the contents and volume of the container, and the label must also have the manufacturer's name printed .on it. Through inadvertence or lack of knowledge of tho remiirements of this Apt some manufacturer fail to furnish or have printed on the labels all the necessary details. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday Joseph Tameson was charged with selling a bo tie of vinegar the label on which didnot have the manufacturer's name nor vet Wails of tho contents and volume li the vinegar, nor a statement of materia s from which tho vinegar was made. So far as the defendant was• concerned i wa shown to be an innocent D rpnck and the Magistrate imposed the binall fine of 10s., and ordered the defendant to Pnv coss on the first charge and on the other two ha was convicted and diecharged. Failure to send in land and income tax T,!nr is is an offence punishable by fine, "cr c entry several jndiv dm.ls have \il':lZ Ml Mi Shand S T "S And JCIO and costs, and Joseph Thomas J!5 and costs. Tn the course of the judgment delivered by the Fall Court yesterday in connection with the recent alarm clock charges, fMr. Justice Uwaris dated: "If the price charged on Zlo va fed with the cost p pnrclaw I 1 fwirfnrs on opposite sides of the &«t nffi charge™* different prices fogoods of tho same quality and mamiacture and it would not be possible toe 1 whether either .was, committing Z offence without an inquiry into the co 4 o the goods to each of the traders. The Jesuit would tend to contusion and dWruT Ultimately unless, -traders ere a owed to pursue thou- mvariablo MurVof business with reference to reXUients as it existed prior lo the " The strong probability is hat many o (hem would be driven out of bnsi,L by the losses which uiterlereiice with that course brought about, and there, whose monetary position was "tvom-er. and who wore therefore more iiloDcndent, would givo it up in dis,M.'? The would therefore be" most' detrimental to the public in--1 terost."

Tiie Goldfields Committee of the House yesterday recommended that Mr. Parry's Mining Amendment Bill bo allowed to proceed, and that counsels' addresses and the opinion of the Solicitor-General and the Crown solicitor bo printed. The Bill is framed with a view to removing a grievance of minors. Under tho Workers' Compensation Act an injured man Rets compensation for injuries arising from accident not attributable to ncgllgcW, and ho can still sue for damages at common law or' othcrwiso if ho ltas a chance of establishing negligence. On the other hand' tho Full Court has decided that n miner who accopts weekly pnymcnts\ under the Workers' Compensation Act is denied the right given undoi section 2GB of tho Mining Act, 1908, and section 60 of "the Coal Mines Act, 1903, of bringing an action for. damages independently of the Workers' Compensation Act. The same docision was arrived at by tho committee in regard to Mr. Holland's Coal Mines Amendment Bill.

Speaking of thfc social evil at Thursday evening's meeting of thio Society for the Protection of Woms?n and Children, Dr. Wilkin* said that in his opinion there was only one adequate remedy, and that was tho education of the young in regnrd to* their eesual nafurlj and the propagation of lifo. Without this all other measures were futile. Education of adults about the dangers and treatment of-venereal disease was only a palliative of the existing evil. "Wo must strike at the iwots of ,tb» problem by replacing the haphazard, obscene, and Kirverted information which children picked up from already perverted companions," euid the doctor, % clean, straightforward, and wholesome' teaching, which will take into account all the finer feelji.gs of the home and the relationship between parent and child."

Mr; C. A. Snyder is the constructional engineer for the Vacuum Oil Company's new works atMiramar. not Mr. Sydney as inadvertently printed in yesterdays article on the subject.

,A Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday reported that it had no recommendation to make regarding the petition of Michael Hyland, l>f Wellington, praying for compensation to meet losses' sustained through illhralth contracted -whilst working for the Public Works Department on bonies Island.

Mr. W H. Field'(Otaki) lias given notice to ask tho Minister of ]W>m works whether, in view of the difficulty of obtaining supplies of rato for arms for 'telegraph pole.?, the exnerts of the Post and Tjelegirapb. Department mil consider whether they cannot life tor tins purpose at least portion of the mavre, which is being ruthlessly destroyed or wasted along the Main Trunk line and elsewhere; and, if this timber is found to be unsuitable, whether the Public ■Works Department will make investigation as to whether it cannot .be utilised for some other useful purpose. ' This week's Gazette contains the announcement that the following commission has been appointed to ascertain "whether the tramway and timber rights of the Taupo-Totara Timber Co., Ltd., should be. acquired by the Crown, or what action, if any, should bo taken thereto" :-Messrs. H. J. H.Blow, P. W. Furkert, JI. ■ Huston, and G-. H. MM'Clurc. The commission is to report not later than November 30 of this year.

The popularity living in flats has attained in this city was instanced (say 6 the "Star") in regard to Newmarket,in u Tcport furnished by the sanitary inspector at the meeting of tho Borough Council. Within ' the horough a large, number of houses were being converted into Bat's, n'ud it was ascertained that there were 129 peoplo living in eight buildings containing 42 flats.

A, weighty statement was made this weeic By a Dunedin- merchant to a "Star'reporter during a chat about the tele'grani from the chairman of the Board of Trade in reference to the wheat harvest. "The only risk we run is that our people may get panicky about flour, ns they did about sugar, and create a shorlogo by hoai'dinfr. I am perfectly certain, from actual facts, that if our people use a wise discretion as to buying there will be no trouble about the supply of flour out of the next harvest. The quantity of flour, held in private hands, particularly by bakers, indicates that there will be no natural shortage. If bur peoplo, start hoarding, and thus make a shortage, we have ourselves to blame." '

A complaint that the' Maori war vet-j erans in the Veterans' Home at Auckland were not receiving the full pension tn which they were entitled, was made in a petition recently presented to the liouso and referred by tho House to tho Defence Committee. Tho chairman oi the committee yesterday stated in the House that in view of its having been reported to the committee that legisla{Ton reviewing military pensions was to b'e brought down this session, the com mjttoe Tecbmmended that the petition be referred to the Government for favour able consideration. ■• -. ■

Tho prospects of tho 6heepfarmers in tlio Auckland district as far aa the emeon's crop of lambs is concerned are reported to bo excellent. In the Waikato and King Country tho lambing has been good, the. percentages being well up to the av'erago of past 6oasons. A farmer from tho Te Kuiti 1 district stated this week that although a protracted period of frosty weather had been experienced' during the winter, tho 6heep had done well. The weather had not been stormy, and the lambs had thriven veil, and were in excollent; condition. Reports from North Auckland indicate that the •lambing in that district is fairly Rood. In some localities high percentages have been obtained, but in other districts the flocks have not done aa well as. was anticipated. Generally, speaking it is expected the average results will be good.— "Herald."

' "The Butter Question" will be the title of an address to be delivered by Mr. J. M'Combs, M.P., at the Alexandra •Hall, Abel Smith Street, to-morrow evening at 8. . ' ■