LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 242, 7 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postmaster-General notified that the postage on letters, etc., posted in the United Kingdom addressed to New Zealand, has been altered to: Letters, 2d. for the first ounce, and IJd. for each additional ounce; post-cards. Ud. each; commercial papers, 3d. for the first twelve ounces, and Jd. for each additional two ounces; literature- for the blind, id. for ench. pound up to six find a lialf pounds, with a maximum charge of 3d. ; registration fee, 3d, The rates mentioned apply to postal packets for all parts of the Empire.

The Mayor (Mr. R. A. XVright) says that notwithstanding the reception of the Government loan on the Ixmdon market. the Wellington City Council intends to push on with its quarter of a million loan. In all probability a draft of tha prospectus will be submitted to the council at this evening’s meeting. As to tho money that would be required to meet the cost of changing over from the present power-house supply of electricity to that of Mangahao, Mr. XVright reminded our representative of the £70,000 nest-egg of tho electric light department, a portion of which was being borrowed to finance the Orongorongo tunnel contract, but which eventually would have to be paid back to the electric department's account.

XVhen a few years ago a party of enthusiastic yachtsmen agreed to. plant a number of trees and flowering shrubs (donated by the City Council) on Ward Island, they took with them a number of cement ' casks io protect the young trees until they became firmly rooted. XVhen the place was visited recently, it was discovered that every cask had disappeared, most probably broken up and used as firewood by picnic parties. Not only that, but the notice, "Citizens, protect your own property," which had been firmly erected, had shared a like fate' at tlie hands of the vandals. The idea in planting XVard Island was to make it. “blossom as a rose," instead of exhibiting bare yellow' cliffs to every vessel that uses the entrance to our harbour.

The Finance Committee of the City Council held a meeting last evening to further consider the financial situation and matters concerning the contemplated loan. At this evening’s meeting of the council the Mayor will submit a list of tho works accomplished during the past few years, which largely account for the big overdraft at the bank that is now giving the council so much concern.

A Press Association telegram from Dunedin states that the winners of the second prize for the Dunedin XVar Memorial design aro Messrs. Hyland and Phillips of Hastings. “Oliphant," as telegraphed before, was the nom de plume.

Two boys, aged respectively 13 years and 9 yen's, appeared before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Lower Hutt Juvenile Court yesterday, on charges of stealing cauliflowers and carrots to tho value of 9s. Gd., from a Chinaman’s garden. After hearing the evidence the Magistrate adjourned tho case for three months, and ordered' the parents to make good the amount of damages, »nd pay costs £1 6*.

At the invitation, of the manager, Mr. Harold Bowden, some twenty-five patients from the Trentliam Military Hospital- had the pleasure of witnessing "The Gondoliers" at yesterday’s matinee. Last month five awards of the Wellington Hotel, Restaurant, and Tearoom Workers? Union expired, and the union is at present engaged in considering the demands to be presented for new awards. Two of tho expired awards governed the conditions of work in the licensed hotels at Napier and Wanganui respectively; a third regulated conditions in the licensed hotels of Manawatu, Waipawa, XVairarapa, Rangitikei, Otaki, Waimarino, and Pahiatua; while the remaining two were concerned with the country tearooms and restaurants and the country private hotels of the Wellington, industrial district.

The papers read nt the astronomical section of the Philosophical Society last night were mainly of a technical nature. Professor A. W. Bickerton read a paper entitled "Note on the Identity of the Deduced Spectra of the Third Body With the Observed Spectra vf Novae,” and Mr. A. C. Gifford gavo a review of Professor A. S. Eddington’s "Stellar Movements and the Structure of the Universe." Professor AY. J. Fisher contributed a paper on sunset and sunrise observing. Dr. C. E. Adams exhibited a seismograph record of the recent earthquake, and demonstrated the orbit of the Pons-XVin-necke comet.

A tearoom, under the control of the Students’ Association, bps been added to Canterbury University College. Professors, lecturers, and students attended its formal opening on a recent afternoon, in the top story of the physios building. Professor H. Stewart, who declared the room open for use, congratulated the committee on its enterprise. He said the room would prove particularly convenient to those students who could not get to their homes between afternoon and evening lectures.

The Petone gasworks dispute was one of tho matters discussed at the "stopwork” meeting of; the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union on Tuesday. Members of the union were given a full report of the recent combined conference of Labour unions held in the Trades Hall, and the present position was re ported upon by the president (Mr. L. Glover). The decision to give financial and moral support to the workers who, it was alleged, had been locked out, was endbrsed. The meeting decided, to vote £25 in aid of the wives and children of these men. It was also decided to take up what is known as a "bucket" collection next pay-day (Friday). This system differs from a straight-out levy in that members of the union contribute voluntarily such amounts as they can spare. A big response is anticipated.

Bootmakers are still on partial time in the leading Dunedin factories, the exception, it is said, being an establishment where the work is by hand (states the "Otago Daily Times”); but those who are watching with the help of knowledge think they now discern a glimmer in the east—that is to say, there is a feeling of hope, born of the fact that inquiries are being made. What is happening evidently is that the big stocks of boots. are now largely reduced, having gone into use, and the time must US approaching when the bootmakers' - ns well as the birds will be again singing.

At a meeting of the Canterbury Progress League last night, it was decided to establish a central committee to consider the question of unemployment and to formulate a scheme for meeting the difficulty, the committee to consist of representatives from the Progress League, Employers’ Association, Labour and Repatriation Departments, Trades Council, R.S.A., Industrial Association, Farmers’ Union, and Sheepowners’ Union—Press A&sn.

A General Headquarters instruction notifies that no officers will be nominated for Staff colleges, Camberley of Quetta, for courses beginning January aud lebruary, 1922, respectively. A decision will be given in November as to nominations for 1923. If nominations are to be made, the examination will be held in February, 1922, both for Camberley ajid Quetta. The steady manner in which the new Arbitration "Court is keeping pace with the many and varied applications made to it leaves no doubt that a. new era has been entered upon in the history of the Court (states the Auckland “Herald ). In four months the Court has travelled throughout New Zealand and has dealt with no fewer than ADO (matters, including 46 compensation cases. It is noteworthy that from March to December of last year only 37 compensation cases were dealt with owing to Hie fact that the President had to divide his tone between the Arbitration Court and the Supreme Court. So far the Court has filed all its decisions before leaving any place, and it is in the enviable position, so far as Courts are concerned, of having no reserved decisions in its pigeon-holes. Th'e Court intends to visit the four ccnires four times a year. H M.S. Chatham is to make an extended cruise of the Eastern and Western Pacific Islands, leaving Auckland on Saturday, July 16. The official programme is as follows: —Arrive Suva July 22; leave Suva, July 28; arrive \ avau, July 30; leave Vavau, August 2; arrive Apia, August 4; leave Apia, August 8; arrive Pago Pago, August 9; leave Pago Pago, August 13; arrive Papeete,'August 20; leave Papeete, August 27; arrive Rarotonga, August 80; leave Rarotonga, same day; arrive Niue, September 2, leave Niue same day; arrive Tonga labu, September 4; leave Tonga Tabu, September 6; arrive Suva, September 8. Ibe date of the departure of the Chatham from Suva for Auckland has not yet been decided upon. Mr. J. W. Henderson proposed to the Wellington Diocesan Synod last night a motion approving the establishment of a “provincial” (New Zealand) pension fund for clergy, and leaving the suggestion of any details to the Standing Committee. Auckland, said Mr. Henderson, had not supported the sort ol pension scheme that he was advocating, but he hoped that Wellington would not be influenced by that fact. He thought that the motion, if carried, would not have the effect of winding up any existing pension fund. The Rev W Fancourt was of opinion that ,the Synod should avoid doing hastily anything that might affect the future clergy. Another member of the Synod considered that the motion might be altered so as to include teachers under the diocesan school boards. Mr. Henderson said that that point might be left to the Standing Committee, lhe debate was adjourned.

Eleven parsons attended the annual meeting last evening of the XVellington South Progressive Society, which was presided over by Mr. IVorth. T ho an ’ nual report and balance-sheet weie adopted, it being stated that members subscriptions 'totalled 12s. Gd'. Commenting on the sparseness of the attendance, Mr. E. C. Ludwig said that the society was to blame for the things it had left undone. It was not alive, 110 thought, and until it was revived it would accomplish nothing. It was appalling that the last executive meeting had been held in September last, and that no meeting had been held since. “Newtown is one of the ugliest suburb! of XVellington," he said, "and it is all through the lack of interest shown by residents. The entrance to the suburb, from the Caledonian Hotel, is one of the ugliest anywhere, and in this connection I would like to state that most of the property in the vicinity is owned by the City Council. . • ■ -The council has been deputatiomsed, and they showed so much interest that nothing was done!” Other members supported this view.

"XVhen boys tell me the truth,” stated Mr Dineen (truant inspector) nt the Lower Hutt Juvenile Court yesterday, “I will tight for them; but wheff they don’t I am inclined to ask that they be punished."

His Excellency the Governor-General will visit the Dog Show at 11 o'clock this morning, when the grand challenge class exhibits will be judged. An accident occurred yesterday morning at the State Fire Insurance building, in course of erection on Lambton Quay. An iron girder fell on a works employee, John Fallow, who is a married man residing at 5 Broomhedge Street, crushing his right foot. The man was removed to the hospital, whero it was found that the injury was not of a very serious nature.