LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 3, 28 September 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from Melbourne that the s.s 'Paloona sailed at noon on September 24 for Wellington.- She carries 119 bags of mail, including six from Africa. Advice from Suva states that the R.M.S. •Niagara sailed on September 26 for Auckland. She carries 1122 bugs of mail for New Zealand. The s.s. Rivenna sailed from Sydney at 1 p.m. on September : 24 for Auckland. She. carries a small mail for Wellington and the south. The Canadian Spinner sailed from Svdnev at 9 p.m. on September 23 for Auckland. She carries a small mail for Wellington and the south. Tho return of the receipts and expenditure in.connection with the New Zealand tour of the South African footballers has now been completed, and will b- presented at to-morrow night's me.etin<- of the New Zealand Rugby Union.

The Minister- of Industries and Commerce. the Hon. E. P. Leo, has arranged to visit some of the leading manufacturing oftablisfi’lnents in ’Wellington, and will commence his rounds this morning. It is expected that several mornings for about a week will bo.occupied in this inspection. Mr. Lee has already completed an inspection of the principal manufacturing .concerns ■ in the other centres. - In Wellington, the Minister proposes to visit representative factories engaged in the manufacture of woollen goods, paint and varnish, soap and candles, preserved meats, furniture, to, bacco and cigarettes, footwear, mirrors, and several other lines. •

The Postmaster-General (the Hon. J. G. Coates) stated yesterday that three members of the telegraph staff at papier had been, suspended in connection with the leakage lof information concerning' a South African newspaper correspondent’s cabled comment on the Tecentmatch between the Springboks and the Maoris. It will'bo remembered that the correspondent raised the colour question rather pointedly in a cablegram addressed to South African newspapers, and that the substance of liis was published by a Napier newspaper. The PostmasterGeneral added that the matter was being further investigated. n.

Tho» sitting of the Court of Appeal (First Division) has been adjourned until Monday, October 3, at 10 a.m.

"In dealing with the City Council," said Mr. M. Myers in the Supremo Court yesterday, ‘Gt is impossible to know where one stands!” The statement was made in connection with the action between tho Wellington Dairy Farmers’ Co-operative Association and the Wellington' City' Council, regarding milk prices. Referring 'to tho fact that the corporation had presented an amended statement'of claim just Wore tho Court proceedings, Mr. Myers said: "More shabby conduct on the part of a local 'body lias never been seen in nny court of justice. If this is the way they deal with farmers in connection with tho milk supply the council is only looking for trouble, which will surely come.”

On' account of the small order paper the Wellington Rugby Union did not meet last evening.

Mr. Fraser Gauge, .the English baritone, who is acting at Home in connection with tho big choral festivals to be field in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin next year, has cabled tho information that he has engaged the services of Miss Phyllis Ennott (contralto) and Air, David Ellis (tenor). These, with Mr. Gange and Alias Amy Evans (soprano) will complete tho qitartet. Tho first of the festivals is to bo held in Dunedin, where the local Choral Society will celebrate its jubilee. Judgment was given for the defendant by Air. E. Page, S.AL, yesterday, in n case in whicty N. Mantel, storekeeper, 56 Adelaide Road, proceeded against P. F. Feo to recover £4 10s. for alleged damage io n tenement. The defendant ,was a sub-tenant of the plaintiff, and it was alleged that he had damaged a concrete hearth and broken two windows. Tl'e Magistrate held that the plaintiff had not proved his 'case, and gave juijffment as stated.

The secretaries of the Alethodist centenaiy movement, the Revs. A. C. Lawry, T. G. Brooke, end AV. A. Sinclair, will arrive in Wellington to-day. and will commence their campaign in the Thorndon Church this evening. A list of meetings will be found in our advertising columns.

Early this month a notification wns made bv (ffie Board of Trade to merchants concerned that limited quantities of fowl jvheat would bo allowed importation into tho Dominion, provided that certain conditions were conformed"'to. The board has considered th« applications received, and has granted the most of the leading firms in tho Dominion permits to import limited quantities. The board has now decided (hat r.o more permits will be recommended for the present. The Canterbury Aviation Company's Avrq 'plane had a field day with passenger (lights at the Hull Park on Monday.' Weather conditions wore conducive to good flying, and large crowds from Wellington and Petome were attracted to the ground. trips were made in the morning; and.in the afternoon tho machine was constantly in the air till 6 p.m. A feature was the number of trips made by schoolboys, to whom a special concesaiion had been made.

Whilst the need has been urged for fostering a demand for the many goods made in this country, it has been found occasionally that Government Departments themselves were in some instances —by mere force of habit—giving preference to imported goods, when equally satisfactory goods could be made in New Zealand. It is now,''however, reported that as a result of the active interest taken by the Hon. E. P. Lee in connection with tho industrial 1 development of 'the Dominion,--Government Departments are now stipulating that - locally-manu-factured articles should to supplied for Government use where these can be purchaser! of a quality and at* a price competitive with tho imported goods. The Minister of Defence (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) has been advised by the French Consul nt Auckland that tho French war sloop Aldebaran will arrive nt Auckland on October 1, Wellington on October 7, Akaroa on October 13, and Dunedin on October 16.

The carriage of mails by aeroplane in the South Island proved a very expensive business. An experimental service was conducted between Christchurch and. Tiniaru in tho early part of this year, and a return placed before the House of Representatives shows that the service cost .£2lO a week, while the number of letters carried, fell as low as 45 a tri]..

After a lengthy sitting, the Conciliation Council; which considered the gardeners’ dispute yesterday, reached a complete agreement on all points. The hours of work were fixed- at. 48 ■per week, and 1 are not to exceed eight and three-quarters on five days, to be worked between 7.30 n.m. and 5.30 p.m., and four and a half on Saturdays, to be worked between 7.30 and noon. Time worked in excess of these hours is to be paid for at the rate of time and a half for the first thrre hours, and thereafter double time. The following rates of wages were decided upon:-—Nurseryinen anti landscape gardeners, per week, _£i 10s., with tonus of 55.; hourly, 25., with tonus of 3d.; garilenersr’ labourers, .£3 15s. pej- week, with ss. bonus, or Is. 7d. par hour, with 3d. tonus; youths: under (7 years of age, £1 7s. Gd.; 17 to 18, .£1 17s. Gd.; 18 to 19, £2 10s.; 19 to 20, £3; 20 and upwards, at full rates. Apprentices (on a five-year scale): First year, 205.; second year, 305.; third year, 40s. ; ft>urth year, 50r r .fiftf i- year/ GOs. Chantry work will be paid for at 2s. 6d. pr day extra. The scope of the award is limited to the Wellington industrial district, with the exception of'the Ilowke’s Bay area. Nothing in the award will affect fruit and vegetable growers or female workers. Tho term, in so far as the award relates to wages, is for twelve months from November 1.

Tramway traffic round the Basin RoHerve, as far as the north-bound cars are concerned, was cut over lust* week-end on to the new track which has been laid from the Caledonian Hotel corner to Kent Terrace. The south-bound cars n'ill continue to use the old lines until the second new track is laid. This work is now being proceeded, with.

"One of the most curious requests 1 have ever received,” said Mr. 'Miseha Levitzki, to a Dominion (reporter, "reached me on Monday. It.'was a request, not from one, but several people, who signed their names nt the bottom, asking mo to play the "William Jell overture. I would be delighted to play it if I knew of a,suitable transcription far the pianoforte, but I know of nona that lias been written, and the 1 ordinary setting at the beginning of the vocal score would not, I am afraid, lend itself to solo interpretation.”

Among the scenic reservations made during the year ended March 31 hist was that of an area, covered with native forest between the Cfwhango township and the Whalcapapa River. The reserve is well seen from the railway line, andwill form a. noticeable addition to the other scenils reservations along the same route. Within the reserve is a pretty lagoon. /