NEWS AND NOTES

Grey River Argus, 22 April 1911, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES

The/ Hawke's Bay Herald says that the Education Board received the following letter from Mr. W .Toomath, who was recently appointed to Port Awanui: — "I have arrived at Port Awanui, and school will be opened on 20th prox. On the way up the coach capsized, and I was dragged under the wheel with the water, my hate being- lost, my clothes ruined by salt j water, and innumerable small tears, my watch ruined, my watch chain torn and lost, and I was obliged to seek medical aid at Tolago. I do not know my medical expenses, but my personal loss is : — Boots, ,£1 ss ; hat, 12s 6d ; suit., (tailor-made) £5 ss; watch and chain, £2 10s; total, £9 12s. 6d. £9 12s 6d. For the bruising and tearing" of my flesh, and the intense pain I have suffered, I Save made no charge, but let you know that you may make claim on my behalf in the proper quarter." The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. The Labour candidates for the Christchurch municipal elections are putting in a tremendous amount of work, both on the platforms and in personal canvas. They arc a good stamp of men, and are well organised, and the opinioni is gaining ground that they are likely to score some success. The Press says: — "It looks at present as if the muncipal socialists would be allowed to have things pretty much their own way. Some of the best of the retiring- councillors seemed indisposed to stand again, and this is hardly to be wondered at, seeing that nobody apparently is taking the trouble to express any desire to retain their services. It almost looks if Christchurch really wished to tiy the experiment^ of having a socialist Mayor and a socialist Council in the Coronation year, and it may be that an experience of this kind is required in order to disturb the apathy which at present Exists. Jt w»ill fcentainliy come about unless a very vigorous effort is made at once tp counteract the acivity on the other side."

M rSydneey Brooks, in the Fort- . nightly Review, gives this description of the American Congress, "a phalanx of small boys, the sons of Congressmen, who sat on their father's knees during the debates and one urchin, I was enraptured to see, came up with" his father to be sworn in, held up his little fist, and took the oath of allegience. 'Isn't that just the cunningest, cutest thing you ever saw?" said the ladies in the gallery." We also have glimpses of the legislators being shaved in a room separated from the floor of the House •by a glass door, which is left open, so that the negro ibarber may come and listen to the debates when his business is slack. We are then given an edifying picture of the messenger boys, who "101 l about 'the table in front of the Speaker's chair, and play surreptitious games beneath itg shadow with a watchful eye on •the iSergeant-iat-arms. These iboys ; . sometimes join in the applause which ' comes from the galleries. It is understood that the order of reference was issued on Monday "for the Royal Commission appointed to report upon the sanitation and ventilation of the coal mines of the Dominlion, ttf enable (the Government to ascertains whether there is -any ground for attributing sickness to the defective sanitar3 r or ventilating conditions in- the mines. The members (of .the >Commis!sion will assemble on May 19, and will probably make a tour from SoutH Id NortH, extending over about; tliree inontEsv. The joyous Romette, of the 1 little county town of Le Puy, has become Mayor by the sole fact that his colleagues have resigned. Elected as a protest against municipal extravagance, Romette, or Rome, has taken his office with extreme seriousness. He was a street hawker before he rose to civic dignity, and this social fact has - mitigated against his popularity with the other members of the Council. Met, assuredly, hs, 8s a democratic simplicity. The' ordinary candidate for ofh'ce promises the moon Romette is much more practical. >C I want to limit work' between meals," he said. Could there be a more popular measure? Then he would tax pianoes! "You" tax "dogs who do not make half as much noise !" At the same time, he thinks, a. little music is good to cheed! poor people, and he piroposeis Vie insitallatiSon <of a mechanical piano in the municipal night-shelter.