TELEGRAMS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 April 1914, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

|ri;it ruisss association. 1

WAGES IX STATE COAL

MINES

Greymouth, This Day

The hearing of the evidence in the State coalmines dispute has concluded in the Arbitration Court.

On behalf of the union it was stated that the only exception taken to the old agreement was the application for a slight rise in the rate at pillar working and lis instead of 10s a day for pumping. The union's proposals in every other respect were to allow the old conditions to t*emain.

Mr Kimbell, for the Department, said the only 123456 4G ment, said it had no desire to make radical reductions in the -men's earnings. All that was desired was to see the men placed in a position to make reasonable wages. State averages had been 2s to 3s more than in the other mines, thus putting the State mine in a position where it was unable to compete fairly with other companies. The loss for the year ended 1913 had been over £7000, and for the subsequent half year over £4000, the latter showing a correspondingly greater loss. In regard to the alleged statement that the TTnion mine was the most treacherous to work, he referred to the report put in, where the mine fatalities in one year were only .four ;underground and five on the surface.

His Honour said the court would make an award as soon a? possible.

NAPTEP POAD POLLER BOLTS.

Napier, This Day. The corporation steam roller got out of hand last evening, while descending Shakespeare road, owing to the pin which holds the gear in the mesh breaking. The brake failed to hold, and the cumbersome roller gathered up a high speed. Nearing the bottom the roller swerved, and crashed into Nurse Jones's cottage, carrying away the whole side of the liousf and pulling up in the front bedroom. The driver had a miraculous escape. A woman patient and an infant were removed from the room only a couple of hours before the mishap occurred. A MINISTER'S TOUR. Waitara, l'his Day. The Hon. W. Eraser has just returned from a tour of "North Taranaki. He met deputations at Okau and Awakino, on the main road. He said there was a great call for expenditure on the main artery and he. gave settlers ground for hoping that a substantial grant would be made to make the means of communication easier, especially as regards Mt. Messenger. He also said he favoured special means being devised to meet the demands of the backblocks generally for improved roadina - . Banquets at Awakino and T'renui were tendered, where the Minister expressed his thanks to the promoters of the tour for the opportunity afforded him of acquiring first hand information. The party left for New Plymouth this morning.

RAILWAY DEPARTMENT BUSY.

Dunedin, i'his Day

The Railway Department has conveyed 167 officers, 4008 men. aud 1005 horses to STatarae camp. General Sir Tan Hamilton reviews the troops on Wednesday. SAVED FROM OTAKI. Wellington, This Day. A deplorable state of affairs was revealed at the Magistrate's Court this morning, when Emily John\son, Edith Florida McKenzie, Mee Hung and George Leonard Bull pleaded guilty to charges ot being idle and disorderly persons, and not guilty to cliargesof assistin gin the management of a brothel. Bull was described as a plumber out of work, and the Chinaman as a gardener, and the court was informed that th«T would be sent to work at Otaki by a friend. Counsel asked Mr Cooper, S.M., to order them to come up for sentence when called upon. Tnspctor Hendry said the men had been living upon the two women for some time. His Worship was asked to show pity, and not to burden Otaki with such arrivals as these. The European spent in drink the money he trot', but the Chinaman's object simply was to make as much as possible: he had done no honest work iri Wellington, and was simply a gambler and a blndger. "Your Worship has no power adequately to punish them : if you had full power you would simply send them to. the destructor!" were the inspector's concluding remarks. The men each were sentenced to Mv maximum term of three months' imprisonment. The scennd chnrire Avas withdrawn. The women were ordered to snend twelve months in the Salvation Army Home.