NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 16, 14 October 1942, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Arbitration Court

A sitting of the Court of Arbitration will begin iu AVellington today, when fixtures for hearings will be arranged. Dis-, putes include those concerning motor and horse drivers, also clothing and millinery workers. Pianos For Camps.

' Among recent purchases by the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Fund have been 14 pianos, which have been supplied to military camps within the province. The instruments were bought at prices averaging 150 each. “Slow AVork of the AVatersiders.” “This man gives as his excuse that the slow work of the waters'iders caused him to try to make up time,” said Mr. Stout, SAL, in the Magistrates’ Court, AVellington, yesterday, after reading a letter addressed to the Court by a truck driver summoned for an offence against the motor-vehicle speed regulations. A tine of £3 and costs was imposed.

Importance of Local Body AVork. Upon the Lower Hutt City Council being informed on Monday night that last week its engineer’s department had lost two men, who had obtained other employment, and that important maintenance work was being delayed by shortage of labour, the council decided to apply to have the city works declared an essential undertaking. Auckland Criminal Cases.

“I am happy tq be able to tell you there are fewer cases than usual for your consideration,” said Mr. Justice Fair, addressing the grand jury at the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, Auckland, yesterday. “There are 14 charges against 16 persons and the charges are less serious than usual.' The average at the quarterly sessions in Auckland is over 20.” —P.A.

Lower Hutt Sirens. Tests of the air raid warning sirens in Lower Hutt have made it clear that more are needed, it was reported to the Lower Hutt City Council on Monday, and the installation of two more sirens was approved. A proposal that sirens be installed on factory premises also was mentioned. Cr. E. P. Hay remarked that complete coverage of the district by sireus was part of the foundation of the E.P.S.

Empire Trades Union Conference. New Zealand trades unionists will be represented at file Empire Trades Union Conference in London by Mr. A. Cook, M.L.C. It is expected that the conference will be held early in the New Year, but so far no details of the agenda have been received by the Federation of Labour. In a ballot conducted to select the Dominion representatve, Mr. Cook received 1409 votes of the 2337 cast. There were five candidates.

Passenger or Petrol. “When they first looked me over as a passenger for a Hight over the Tasman,” said Mr. Cyril Sander at the AVellington Rotary Club meeting yesterday, “they summed me up, quite rightly, as a lightweight. It was either me or petrol. If the weather proved to be fine on the date arranged they would take me, but if there was the prospect of heavy weather it would have to be petrol. As it turned out it was fine, so I got a berth.”

Objection to Official Demand. Among those within the 51-59 age group who have to register for national service, there are many who have taken exception to the fact that the registration form requires a declaration of cue’s annual income. Criticism of this obligation has been made by people who maintain that the income of a man within the age group is unlikely to bear any relation to his ability to perform tasks of a useful nature in the present emergency. Bank Burglary. Geoffrey AVilliam Fisher, a 22J-year-old soldier, who recently broke into the top floor of the Commercial Bank in Wellington, was sentenced by Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court) AVellington, yesterday, to three years’ reformative detention. His Honour said it was a deliberate burglary, for which there was no reason, as accused had money of his own and was drawing military pay. He had already 'been sent to a Borstal institution for three years, but had not profited by this. Hostels For Farm Girls.

Answering an inquiry following an address at Te Awainutu, Sirs. A. N. Grigg, M.P., said that the question of providing hostels for members of the Women’s Land Service to enable them “to live their own lives” was being considered. In closely settled districts where groups of six could be guaranteed, hutments would be provided. Girls would be looked after by older women, equivalents of the English “housemothers,” whose salaries were to be subsidized by the Government to the extent of £2 a week.

Tepid Baths. The Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association has decided to set up a vigilance committee, consisting of Messrs. W. H. Gerrie, D. Woodfield, J. 11, Blakeley, F. J. S. Adam, and C. E. Claridge, to see that the Wellington City Council kept its promise after the war to include tepid baths when erecting the civic centre. Mr. Claridge said lie was amazed to find in the desert in Egypt that the troops had better fresh-water swimming baths than any provided in Wellington. There was also a better fresh-water baths at Suva than uny iu Wellington.

Youth of Today Defended. The young people of today were often criticized as being somewhat irresponsible, said Dr. J. D. Salmond, speaking at a youth rally in the Town Hull, Dunedin. There was a percentage of truth in that. Dr. Salmond continued, but in his opinion, modern youth was more interested in the practice of a belief than in the theory. This had been demonstrated on ti recent Saturday,. when students from the Otago University had undertaken household and gardening work, and by that means had raised £125 for the relief of distressed students iu other countries.

Two Thousand Cycle Thefts. About 2000 bicycles are stolen in Christchurch every year, according to figures supplied by Mr. C. Bell, president of the North Canterbury Wholesale and Retail Cycle Traders’ Association. More than 1500 bicycles had this year aione been found or taken into the police station. Mr. Bell said, and about 400 of them were still at file station unclaimed. A large number of bicycles claimed were, moreover, stripped of tyres or essential fittings. When it was considered that 50.000 bicycles were in use iu Clirist-cliuri-li tlie present position meant that a figure approaching perhaps one in 20 of these bicycles were stolen and either not returned to owners or returned after being stripped. Grit-Arresting Plant. When the new 20,000 kilowatt plant is in running order at Waikaremoami hvdro-eleetric works, it is hoped to be aide to close down the power-house, at Evans Bay sufficiently to permit of the erection of a grit-arresting plant, which lias been so long on order. It is understood that the parts that are being made in Australia will come to hand shortly. Parts ordered from England have been twice on the way anti twice destroyed, first in tlie plan stage and then at the uuavside, but eventually were shipped and" duly received in Wellington. 1 here is now a reasonable hope that, after long del-ivs something may be done to abate the nuisance caused by the emanations from the power-house stack at Evans Bay which lias troubled residents there ever since its erection.

Missing Man. Though a search has been made bj members of the stall of the Stale Fire (Hlha* ami members of the Home Guard Battalion, no trace lias been found of Mr. A. W. C. I’idgeon, who has been missing since Tuesday of last week. Mr. I’idgeon, who is an inspector on the staff of the State Eire Office, and a member of the Home Guard Battalion, lives at 12 Thorby Street, Northland, and was last s-eeii in Roxburgh Street at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesdav of last week. He is about 35 years of age, of sturdy build, fair complexion, with fair hair, and is about sft. -tin in height. When last seen he was wearing a navy blue overcoat, with belt, grey trousers, wine-coloured sports coat, white shirt, and black shoes, but no liar. In format inn which might: lead to his being located should be given to the nearest police station.