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Evening Star, Issue 22444, 15 September 1936, Page 8

The Arbitration Court has fixed October 19 as the date for a sitting to determine the basic wage as required by section 3 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act. The case will be Heard in Wellington. The matter will be argued by representatives of the employers and the unions.

. Among the men registered under the Labour Department’s placement scheme are representatives of various profes-sions—highly-trained and capable men who have not yet been reabsorbed in commerce and industry. That openings for such men" are becoming available was demonstrated last week, when a country firm inquired whether a placement office could provide an accountant, who must be a qualified bookkeeper and general and costing accountant, able to act as financial adviser to the firm and as right-hand man to the firm’s manager. The credentials of several highly-quali-fied men were forwarded for consideration, and though some difficulty, was experienced in reaching a decision, owing to their general all-round ability, a selection was finally made by a prominent local accountant, and the successful applicant will shortly commence his important duties. A person with normal eyesight can see all stars down to and including those of the sixth magnitude—-about 5,000 in number. It may easily be verified that the moon takes about two minutes to move over a distance equal to its own diameter, and it would take 720 moons placed in contact side by side to make a circle right round the sky. The chance is about lin 40 that the full moon at any moment hides a star to the naked eye. Tonight, in the Museum, the Astronomical Society is holding a meeting at which two of its members, Messrs W. D. Anderson and W. H. B, Hobbs, will deliver addresses on the moon and will discuss the various thepries as to the origin of our satellite and the formation of the craters. The work of raising the level of De Carle Park has now been completed, and the Works Committee of the St. Hilda Borough Council has decided to plant the whole area this spring in potatoes to prepare the soil for grassing in the autumn. The resurfacing work has been carried out by unemployed labour at a cost of £567 11s to the Unemployment Board, and £45 12s as subsidy has been paid by the council. A young man called at the placement office inquiring whether he could be placed on a farm. He stated that he was a single man, aged 22, had worked his passage as a steward to New Zealand from the North of England some six and a-half years ago, and that he had had experience on a dairy farm. As the office had an inquiry for a young man for farm work about 80 miles distant, the farmer was communicated with, and that afternoon the young man, delighted with his good fortune, started on his journey to the farm.

In the Police Court this morning John William Forrester, a statutory first offender, for drunkenness, was fined 20s, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. Melvin Jack Forrester alias Allan M‘Kay pleaded guilty to obstructing Constable Mitchell in the execution of his duty. Senior-sergeant Packer said that at 8 p.m. yesterday the constable wag. advised that a disturbance was taking, place in Carroll street. When he arrived he found the fight finished, there being four men present. John William Forrester was arrested for drunkenness, and Melvin Jack Forrester, who was a son of the other defendant, tried to recover him, and caused considerable trouble. The magistrate (Mr J. R. Bartholomew) said he would take into account that it was defendant’s father who was being arrested. Defendant was fined 20s, in default 48 hours.

A very interesting ami satisfactory feature of the weekly return furnished by an officer administrating the Labour Department’s placemenpt scheme was a list containing the names of 29 men for whom employment had been found. That fact in itself was not remarkable, but the tally of their ages induces the belief that the middle-aged and elderly men whose services have not been greatly in demand for some years are still considered to be capable of giving satisfactory service. Eight of the men were between 40 and 44 years of age, nine between 45 and 49, four between 50 and 54, three between 55 and 59, and five between 00 and 05.

The City Fire Brigade responded to a justifiable false alarm from the Cadbury, Fry, Hudson factory at 8.32 last evening.

Another interesting relic connected with the settlement of Otago has been added to the collection in the Otago Early Settlers’ Museum. A desk and stool made from an oak tree planted in Mornington by Mr J. M. Mitchell (of Ferguson and Mitchell), who arrived in the province in 1862, has been presented to the museum by Mr Cecil F. Mitchell. Accommodation at Akaroa for the Christmas holidays has been in keen demand during the past week, and the district manager of the local Government Tourist Office (Mr R. G. Sincock) stated to-day that heavy bookings have been made for available accommodation at this favoured resort. There promises to be more people visiting the southern lakes this year than usual, and accommodation at Stewart Isl. nd is already being steadily booked.

The highest maximum temperature reading snje April 18, when the registration was 70.2 deg, was recorded today at the Gardens, the level of 68.6 deg being reached.

Wide interest is being taken among St. Clair residents in the proposal to build a hall sufficiently large to meet the requirements of the district, and a meeting of those interested will be held in the school gymnasium on Tuesday night of next week, September 22, to discuss the matter. The idea of the local School Committee is to enlarge the existing school gymnasium to make it suitable for an assembly hall for ..the pupils and at the same time provide a nail large enough. for the purposes of meetings, socials, and dances of various organisations in the district. At present there no hall commodious enough for those purposes, and buildings in outside localities have often to be engaged. It is also proposed to erect two badminton courts, from which considerable revenue should be derived. When a call was made for Labour for the steamer Port Whangarei at Auckland this morning, unionists who were free did not offer, and so nonunionists were again engaged at the 10 o’clock call. The four men who were objected to yesterday stood down, and discharge of the cargo then recommenced. —Press Association. The first prize of £2,000 in the “ Lucky Joker ” art union has been claimed, but in such a manner that the identity of the winner is not disclosed. It is understood that he is a relief worker with a wife and three children, and that he is keeping his good fortune secret for family reasons. The claim for the prize has been made through the' Bank of New Zealand, which will not disclose the winner’s identity. The bank forwards the claim to the treasurers of the art union in. Wellington, and the prize is paid out by the bank on the winner surrendering his ticket. The Christchurch agent for the art union, Mr D. M'Cormick, stated on Saturday that there was nothing to stop the winner keeping his identity a secret. The bank would not disclose it, and the treasurers of the fund would also respect his confidence. Annie Margaret Hope, the licensee of the Robert Burns Hotel, pleaded guilty in the Police Court this morning to selling liquor after hours on September 12, and Anna Margaret Auld pleaded guilty to supplying liquor after hours. Senior-sergeant Packer told the. court that seven men were found in the private bar. The defendants admitted the offence, and said that the men had “ dropped in ” casually after the test match. They had been in business 16 years and had not been in trouble before. The licensee was fined £3 and costs (3s), and the other defendant was fined £2 and costs (3s). The tender of Napier Motors Ltd. in the sum of £360 for the supply and delivery of a motor truck was accepted by last night’s meeting of the Drainage Board, which was presided over by the mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox). Business of a routine nature was transacted, the meeting occupying only a few minutes. Attendances at the Art Gallery at Logan Park have been particularly good recently, local people as well as visitors attending in large numbers. Visitors from abroad and from other parts of New Zealand have spoken in nigh paise of the quality and arrangement of the pictures. The lot of the radio listener, in and around Highgate has been considerably improved since the termination of the electric tram service in the district. The service always created a good deal of atmospheric disturbance,' and there was little or no incentive for listeners to purchase new receivers, with the result that many old-type sets were, in use in the district. Now the position is changing, and it is reported that, with a clearance of the “ man-made ” satic, several modern receivers have already been installed in homes there. The North-east Valley Town Hall was filled last evening on the occasion of a fine concert in aid of the Opoho Bowing Club, the whole of the items being provided by Messrs Charles Begg and Co.’s concert party and orchestra, under the capable direction of Mr J. Hiraburg. In addition to the selections by the orchestra, which were received with applause, vocal and instrumental items were provided by Miss Doiis Darracott (song), Mr M. Johnson! (violin solo). Miss N. Brown (humorous), Miss M Caddie (piano-accordion), Mr R. M’Dougall (song), Miss Joyce Todd (tap dance), and Mr H. Thomson (cornet solo). The Misses E. Duggan and M. Caddie capably performed the part of accompanists. The items were highly appreciated by the large audience, who were not slow in expressing their pleasure by frequent demands for encores. The Opoho Bowling Club is deeply indebted to Messrs Begg’s concert party, Mr Himburg, and the performers as a whole for their kindness in providing an excellent entertainment, the proceeds of which will materially assist the finances of the club. The postal authorities tdvise that the air mail despatched from Dunedin on August 20 reached London on Friday last. While New Zealanders do not speak what he termed standard English, .Mr Paul Edmonds, elocutionary examiner of Trinity College of Music, London, who is at present in Dunedin, told a reporter to-day that they talk finer English than the people of many parts of Australia. However, trey have certain peculiarities of vowel sounds, such as a tendency .to lengthen the final “ j ” to “ e ” in words ike “ pretty,’ in which the “ y ’’ is pronounced like “bit.” Mr Edmonds noies a tendency to exaggerate recitations. “ The oldfashioned method of reoting has been out of date for many years,” he said. “ A quiet and restrained speaking of verse is required to-dqy.” Standard English could be defined as the English used on the better-class stage, such as is necessarily employed in the works of Shakespeare. The North Island croquet tourney will be held at Riddifcrd Park, Lower Hutt, this season (ststes an Association message from Wsllington). Reporting the association's decision to the Hutt Borough Coined, the mayor (Mr Andrews) said tint it was a compliment, especially to the director of reserves.

Gatherings of ex-servicemen of the Great War have for those who participate an interest and enjoyment that belong to no others. The remembrance of great days spent together in a great adventure, of good comrades, many or whom went west, and of hardships, dangers, and jolly times is brought to mind at such a meeting. Such were the feelings of those, about 80 in number, who to-day attended the second of a senes of monthly luncheons arranged by the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association at the club rooms in Moray Place. The president of the association (Mr H. L. Paterson) welcomed those present, and made reference to the tact that a shilling collection was being taken up among returned men for a painting of Sir Andrew Russell, the old divisional commander in France, to be hung in the National Art Gallery, Wellington. A brief address was given by Mr Newman R. Wilson, who spoke in reminiscent mood of his experiences on Gallipoli and jn France. _ The speaker dealt with his subject in light an d breezy style, and at the conclusion was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

Eye strain—for eye comfort, for better vision, consult Stunner and Watson Ltd.. Opticians, i 4 Octagon, Dunedin. —[Advt.J