LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 171, 15 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The arrivals in New Zealand during {lie month of March numbered 4558, as against 3832 in March of last year, and exceeded the departures by 1306. Of the total number of persons 'arriving in tho Dominion during the month, 3112 landed in Wellington, 1297 in Auckland, and 149 fn Invercargill. Immigrants are all counted at (Tie first port of arrival. The returns show that during March 32 Chinese entered New Zealand and 47 departed. A proposal for amalgamation of the various unions in the building trade was discusseff' by the executives of the unions in conference at the Trades Hall last night. The trade comprises unions of tho following classes of workers Carpenters, painters’ plumbers, plasterers, bricklayers stone masons, and labourers. Most of these unions are members of the Building Trades Federation, but it has been suggested that amalgamation of .all into one union would bo to the aOantage of the -workers. Possibly it. is thought incidentally that amalgamation wouTS bring nearer to fruition the carpenters an! ioiners’ scheme for adoption hi tlie guild system. It is impossible at present to state hbw far the proposals met with the approval of the union exeonnves. as last night’s meeting oeciued that no information should be given to the Press until something definite had been done

Following is a summary of the business transacted at Wednesday s meeting of the Wellington Repatriation Board :- Furniture loans: 31 granted, fl declined, 3 deferred, and 2 withdrawn. Business loans: 3 granted, 10 declined. lees: 4 approved, 1, deferred, 2 declined. Training -allowances: 7 approved. Subsidies on wages: 4 approved. Deferred subsidy (applied for'by men who had completed their training): 6 approved. It will be noted that the number of business loans declined was considerably greater than the number approved. Commenting on this fact, the local repatriation officer (Mr C. W. Batten) remarked: "there are at present very few business propositions that the board will consider unless they are mathematical certainties. The situation is bad enough without our buying out people who want to get rid «f their stock."

Tho Gazette contains a notice lifting the protection from paradise duck, pnkeko, teal, grey duck, spoonbill duck, wild geese, and black swan for the period May 2 to July 31. The suspension is subject to the provisions contained in the warrants in respect of the shooting season in the various acclimatisation districts.

Tho Presbytery of Wellington on Tuesday night resolved to separate Roseneatli from the Evans Bay parish, and appointed the Rev. G. K. Stowell interim moderator of Roseneath,

Adrian W. Riggs, a married jnan 29 years of age, reSffilng at 24 Richmond Street, Petone, yesterday had his left le" broken while he was working on the wharves. Ho was admitted lo the General Hospital. Dr. Gibb acknowledges the. following donations to the China famine fund:Already acknowledged, .£ll4 2s. Gd.; Captwin Yeo, £3; Sympathiser, £D, Mrs. Thompson, 10s.

An amusing story of duplicity and bluff was related to a Dominion reporter yesterday by an officer holding an' important position in the Defence Department. This officer received a call on the telephone the other day. At the other end of the wire, he was informed, was a gentleman who "wished to settle an argument,’’ and would be obliged for information on the following points :- When were the Welsh Guards termed Who was their colonel-in-chief ? What was their badge? “That meant that. 1 had to go and look up records, the officer told the reporter. I asked the man at the other end to hold the wne for a moment while I made investigations. Then I left the room. When I got back I noticed peculiar noises issuing from tfie receiver. So I took it up and listened, without saying a word. this is something like what I heard. 'Welsh Guards. Formed in 1916, you bav? Yes. Yes. And their colonel-in-chief the Prince of Wales? I thought bo. What’s that? Their badge, I said. Oh a leek. Thank you, thank you. Much obliged. Good-bye.' ” The officer, seeing pretty clearly that his help in settling tHe aTgument” was not indispensable, (breathed ft short prayer for an unregenerate soul and hung up the receiver “But what arc the tacts about the Welsh Guards?” the reporter asked “Formed on January 26, 1915, uas Lie reply “Colonel-in-chief, His Majesty the King. His ' Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is a full colonel in the regiment. Badge, the leek. I only hope the poor fellow who must have been standing by while tins imaginary talk with me was going on didn t lose too much' money,through the decision being against him ’’ The tailoring business is not very brisk in Wellington at the present time. According to a gentleman "'lio has long been intimately connected with the trade the local houses are on the a' enu.o down to three-quarter time. While New Zealand soldiers were. returning to the country the tailors had a very busy period, but in October, 1920, the usual summer rush did not set in, and oveitime was the exception rather than the rule. A'local tailor informed a Dominion reporter recently that his house (w ic is quite a large one) was going tlmxiji the slackest time it had experienced for several veins. There is not much unemployment, however. ' Two or thro Wellington men are out of work, an the union secretary states that he is unable to place them.

1 chemical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society has been termed n, nbiects ara to advance the science ot homis ry both pure and applied; to hold frequent meetings, offering opportuntv'for professional chemists chemical students managers of industrial concerns, manufacturers, and persons interested in chemistry to attend lectures and demonstrations on chemical science; to tel e part in discussions on chemical and technical pancra; and to have a common where th » “onts.de’ man ’ no V n "VrofXr (l W 7 hXX will deliverVn address on some "Recent Advances in Organic Analysis. The committee of the Chemical Society are Profpssor W P- Robertson, M.A., M.Sc., D.PK. ete. (chairman), Messrs. W Donevan, MSc., B. C. Aston KI.C., 1.C.5., FNZI A D. Munro, M.Sc., M. R. Mummery, F.1.C., H. Rands M.Sc N. M'Clelland. u.nd IL Cog hill, F.C.S., F.R.M.S. (hon. secretory).

Revised regulations under tho Housing Act, 1919, are issued in this week’s Gazette. They are on the lines of the old regulations, but make certain modifications and additions. Tho annual reunion dinner of the officers of the Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F., will be held in Palmerston North on Saturday night, April 23. A ohurch pann-de will be held on the foi lowing Sunday morning, when a memorial will be unveiled to Lieut.Coloiiol W. G. Malone and Lieut.-Colonol C. F. D.' Cook in the regimental memorial corner, All Saints’ Church.

Boots are now at lower prices in Dunedin and elsewhere in ths Dominion than they have been for many years (telegraphed a Dunedin correspondent recently). The reductions uro greatest iff men’s working boots. The finer makes are pretty well holding their values. It would be a very difficult, matter to compile :i list of retail prices, for the reason that some shopkeepers- 'have not done . any marking down worth speaking of. Equal ]y hard would it. bo to state (ho wholesale rates. The position seems to be that "cost*’ is not now tho basic consideration in fixing selling prices. Tho financial stringency has produced sucli a topsyturvy state of affairs thiri sonic. overstocked warehousemen are unloading under pressure, and the question is not “What is a fair price?” but "What can we get for the goods?” It must not, however, be imagined that boots are goin" to slide down continuously. Very soon tho point of stabilisation must be found. Ono aid to that highly-desirable result is already in operation, and that is that the dumping from Australia has ceased, at any rate, so far as Otago is concerned.

The Mayor will open the annual sketch exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts to-night, when members will have the privilege of a private view. From to-morrow tho exhibition will be open to the public daily Several announcements have been made by tho Admiralty respecting the distribution of naval prize money to those qualified by service in ships of war at eca. The last announcement issued shows that the (Naval Prize Department has now made arrangements for dealing with the claims from all those eligible to share who have not yet applied. It is notified that if any of the Reserve should not now have received their shares they should make application to their Registrar. Money is at present available for paying over three-fourths of the amount due to all the claimants. Th© remaining portion will shortly be available, when the balance due to those entitled to it will bo paid over. It is quite possible (writes a London correspondent) that many New Zealanders who served with the Royal Navy, with the R.N.R:, or with the R.N.V.R., and who have since returned to tho Dominion, may not have had notification of the distribution of tho fund

A party of Welsh ironworkers who are to establish a new colony at Wnrrftah, near Newcastle, New South Wales, recently sailed for Australia. There are 120 experienced millmen, employed by Messrs. Lysaght, Limited, sheet manufacturers, of Newport, and the whole party consists of 42 families. Sixteen mills ar? being erected under‘the superintendence of Mr. Sydney Lysaght, who is in charge of this new development, the chief idea of which is to capture the Southern Cross trade from the Americans. The workmen will live in a garden city, accommodation for which has been provided. They will occupy houses completely furnished by the firm, and are looking forward .to a happy time in a new country. Other batches will follow.

For the first time in the history of the Auckland Presbytery, two women attended the meeting of that body on Tuesday night as representatives of a congregation. They were Mrs; J. Reid and Mrs. Geddes, who attended as a commission from St. Andrew’s Church. Invariably in the past, commissions from varant churches to the Presbytery have been composed of.mon. —“N.Z. Herald.” The operations carried out in late years for the re-establishment of oyster beds in Whangaroa Harbour have proved entirely successful, states the "New Zealand Herald.” In the early history of New Zealand, Whangaroa was famous for tho richness of its oyster supply. Owing to the ease with which the shellfish were obtained, however, they were taken away in enormous quantities for export to Australia, and stripped from the rocks' by such wasteful methods that tho fishery was entirely, destroyed. Three or four years' ago, however, oyster spat were trarfsplanted from the Bay of Islands by the Marina Dlepailbnent’s officials, in conjunction with Mr. J. C. Martin, of Russell. The young oysters have since grown and multiplied, and spread to such an extent that there is reason to hope that within a year or two Whangaroa will contribute on a liberal scale to the Dominion's oyster supply.

The electrical contrivance used for the purpose of 'exploding the blast in Paritutu (New-Plymouth) was a former German patent with, a unique history. It was captured by a New Zealander from the Germans in a village in Flanders, where it was connected with a mine all ready to explode, while a Qlirma.ll soldier, who had evidently been left behind to fire the mine, was found wounded in a cellar near by. The patent, which consists of a dynamo driven by clockwork, was retained by the New Zealander as a souvenir, .and subsequently secured by the New Plymouth harbour officials, who have diverted its once sinister energy to a useful purpose.

At the instigation of the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, the District Council has framed the following remit for the com.ng Dominion conference: —“We consider that the influx of Asiatics to this Dominion under the present legislation is—and increasingly w j|] ] >e —a serious menace to tlhe country, and may become before long highly prejudicial to the lofty standard of morals now and hitherto obtaining among out own people. Furthermore, the dissimilarity of their mode of living makes it possible for them to enter into unfair competition with the labourers and craftsmen of this country, and we ask that 'the Government take immediate and extreme steps to prohibit absolutely any further influx of these undesirable imnugrants.**

Before proceeding on hoard Hie Athenic (which wa* to leave for London ' light thi« morning) Mr. A. Cainplieh, of Campbell and Burke, met the employees of the firm, who showed their good will and esteem by presenting him with farewell gifts, in the shape of a serviceable leather pocket-book and a travelling rug. The gifts were accompanied with all good wishes for a pleasant voyage and a safe return.

“If Mr. Ford’s scheme is faken in band we will have gas works in eighteen months.” Stated Mr. E. P. Rishworih (the mnvor of Tower Hutt) at a epcciol meet teg of the Borough Council last night.

At a well-attended meeting convened for the purpose of considering the foimation of a band at Lower Hutt this week the following officers were elected: -Patron Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.; president, Mr. J. U- Fairburn: secretary, Mr. Breech; treasurer, Mr. T. P. Dunn; executive committee. Messrs. W. T. Cotton (chairman), Brattle, Cameron, IToldaway, Saunders, Stead, Pelham,' Hunter, and Winnie. During the past fortnight the competition for the single sculls championship (.Tenness Cup) of the Peton© Rowing Club has been in progress. The entries were numerous and some exciting finishes were witnessed. On Monday evening tlio final was decided between TV; Sharon and W. Eiffe and resulted after an interesting struggle, in a win for the latter by a couple of lengths.

A. Press Association, message from Tilvercargill states that tho police have been informed that human remains have been washed ashore at Colac Boy, in tho vicinity of tho spot where two fishermen are believed to have been drowned a short time ago. The remains are unrecognisable. From statements made by a "docto' of optics” in ths Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch, it appears (says an ex change) that ';the term "doctor of optics” is merely another name for a» optician. The “doctor” in question underwent a searching examination by Mr M. J. Gresson as to his qualifications It appealed that ho had two "diplomas," one some thirty years old, and the other granted last year by an "institute” in New South Wales. "You have no nxnre right to call yourself a doctor than I have” said Mr. Gressun. "Haven’t I?” said witness. "You can’t 'stop me nor the British Medical Association either. There’s no law against it. What about your dentists —half of them ’stick’ most of the alphabet after their name, when they’re not entitled to a single letter.” Mr. O. T. J. Alpers; "You should he like me—have so many letters before your name that there’s no room for any after" The “doctor” admitted that he paid a fee of four guineas for his latest "diploma,” the worth of which was somewhat discounted by his state nient. a few minutes later that he oouU "teach anybody the profession in three months.”

An interesting plan of historical importance has been presented to the Can terbury Museum in the form of a true copy of “the proposed plan of the city of Wellington in the first settlement of New Zealand," states ths "Press." The plan shows a city with rectnnguliv streets, and includes site for docks, Gp» ernment buildings, and iTw coiiits. A curious detail is that nt each comer is indicated the site ©t a -fort, and it> close proximity to ench tort is a cernft tery. The fact that the city is long! tudinally bisected by a river show*, « course, that the plan refers to the con templated establishv’.eni: of the city of Wellington on tue si-% now occupied by Petone. The ixtent of shallow water in the harbour in the vicinity of this site and tho anticipations of floods in the Hutt River were some of the reasons for it having been abandoned in favour of the present site-

Traces of a severe buffeting by heavy weather were borne by the four-masted schooner Helen B. Sterling, which arrived at Auckland from Newcastle recently (states the "Herald”). The vessel left the New South Wales port on (March 15, and three days later encountered strong

south-east winds, accompanied by. a very heavy swell. The schooner, which was laden with 2100 tons of coal and about 1000 telegraph poles—the latter being carried as deck cargo—rolled and laboured heavily, resulting in the maintopmast head carrying away. These conditions ■ continued until April 7, when the schooner encountered strong northwest winds and heavy seas. The weather was very squally coining down the New Zealand coast, and at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. when the vessel was in the vicinity of Tiritiri, an exceptionally heavy squall struck her, breaking her foresail gaff, and splitting the sail from head to foot.

An Auckland resident who spent a week grass sowing on his bush property in inland Waikato, says the impression grows more and more on him that not many years before the advent of the Europeans the fastnesses in the district must have been densely populated by the Maoris. Especially near the. many waterways and Jakes are found evidences of the closest! settlenment. Traces ol tlie natives are to be found everywhere, and this Tune he discovered huge heaps of shells, that at one time would have been’ thought to have been deposited by nature, but 1 really they were fresh water pipi shells that hud been carried there by tho Maoris. By investigating closely he often found Maori weapons and tools right: in the centre of these heaps where they had beejj covered up by the accumulations that were constantly being added. Maori clearings and cultivation showed that the aboriginals were not devoid of tlie secret of manuring, and that intensive cultivation was very common amongst! them, because the soil had been deeply worked. Broken stone axes were very plentiful, and this proved that their implement makers, to supply the demand for tools, could not have been idle men. His last visit, with its discoveries, deeply impressed, him because he realised that what! he and other pioneers were trying to do had already been done, and perhaps better, by those who preceded them in the occupation of this fertile country.

Some insight into the official burdens of a busy public servant has been afforded to the members of the Kauri Gum Commission in the course of their Navels through the northern district with Mr. R P. Greville, Commissioner of Crown Lands for North Auckland, who is chairman of the Commission. At almost every street corner and on many of the loads Mr. Greville has been accosted by settlers anxious to consult him on h lll d board business. A member of the Commission stated that Mr. Greville s office during the tour might have been defined as anywhere under the broad canopy of heaven where people desired to have discourse with him. Some of his evenings were wholly occupied by attendance at meetings of settlers and returned sol diers who have business with his board.