TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1920, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

fPEB PRESS A8SOO'»TION. COPYRIGHT.] I RESTORATION OF SLESVIG. j PALMERSTON NO. April 15. j To celebrate the restoration to Denmark of Slesvig, after its having been for many years under the German yoke, , a large and enthusiastic gathering of Danes was held in Palmerston yesterday. Danish people and their descendants gathered to the number of nearly 500, at the local A. and P. Association’s big room, which was suitably decorated for the occasion. After the luncheon, loyal and patriotic toasts wore honoured, and Mr C Dahl, who presided gave a most inter-, esting and stirring address. Amongst the official guests were: Mr J. A. Nash ■ M.P. (Mayor of Palmerston North) ; , Mr M. Myers, of Wellington, (Danish j Consul for New Zealand) ; Colonel Mel- j ville (in command of the Wellington | Military district). An apology was received from the Prime Minister for his non-attendance. I

During the afternoon national songs, were sung by Mr P. Hansen, a Court singer from Copenhagen, who had been specially engaged for the occasion. \ FATAL ACCIDENT. DUNEDIN, April 20. John Traunons, farm labourer, aged 20 years single, received fatal injuries on Saturday, and died in Dunedin Hospital yesterday. He was driving a team drawing an oil engine from Milton to Glenliede. The horses were startled and deceased fell between the shafts, one of the wheels passing over both legs.

A CHILD’S DEATH. TE KUITI, This Day. A child named Crossman, aged two, died on the second express last night, between Frankton Junction and Te Awamutu. It is reported it had been suffering from whooping cough and choked. The parents are understood to have recently arrived from Canada. The body was taken to Tnihape, TR AM WAY MEN’S DEMANDS. , AUCKLAND, This Day.

There is apparently a deadlock in the negotiations between the City Council and the tramwaymen in respect to a demand for increased pay. The best offer made by the Council in each of three sections is 4d an hour, while the men demand 9d. The parties meet again to-day, ~A FIRE. AUCKLAND, This Day. C. M. Franksam’s joinery mill at Newmarket, with extensive plant, was destroyed by fire early this morning. GRADING OF TEACHERS. DUNEDIN, April 17.

In reply to. a. deputation from the Educational Institute on the question of the grading of teachers, the Minister (the Hon. 0. J. Parr) said he was strongly in favour of promotion by a grading scheme. He did not know in introducing this that he was laying up a peek of trouble. He strongly endorsed Mr Anderson’s views, that we must stick to the grading scheme and try to make it as perfect as possible. He was aware that at Auckland and other places the teachers were not quite satisfied with the results, and be could see that unless we got a fairly uni r

form system injustice might be worked. It was the duty of the Department to go into the question with the view of arriving at some satisfactory result. He had not had an opportunity of discussing with Dr Anderson as to what they might do, but, personally, he thought it would tend to clear the air and getrid of the dissatisfaction amongst teachers if the inspectors could be got together. It would be a good thing to get the senior inspectors together, and wiser still, he thought to get together all these men and see if the personal equation could not be equalised a little more. He would certainly take some step at an early date; it might be in the direction of a conference, or perhaps getting an expert committee to advise him.

HEALTH AUTHORITIES ACTION. i CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The local Health Authorities have decided to close all schools within a radius of eight miles from Cathedral square. Children of school age are to he excluded fropi pictures. There are ninety-nine fresh eases reported in Christchurch to-day, three Ibeing 'pneumonic. The majority of cases are of the moderately sharp type.

FOUND dead: . CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Frank P. Bolton, aged nineteen was found dead this morning, hanging from a tree in Hagley Park. His people reside at Wellington.

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT. REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON. WELLINGTON, April 19. Brigadier-General N. Johnston, C.M.G., D. 5.0., formerly Director of Artillery in New Zealand, who has lor the past two months been filling the appointment of General Officer in Charge of Administration at N.Z.E.F. Headquarters, London, lias rejoined the British Army, and has been appointed to command the Royal Artillery ol the Lowland (Territorial) Division. General Johnson left New Zealand with the Main Body ,and was Commander of the Artillery of the New Zealand Division. Though the New Zealand Military Headquarters in London lias been demobilised, it is the intention of the Defence authorities to keep a military representative in the United Kingdom, in order to keep in direct touch with the War Office. The officer who lias been selected to fulfil this function temporarily is Lieut.-Colonel H. E. Avery, C.M.G., D. 5.0., who is at present Staff Officer for Q duties transport supply, quartering, and demobilisation) at General Headquarters. Lieut.-Colonel Avery will lie sent Home very shortly to take over this new appointment, which he will hold until January, 1921, when he will proceed to Camberley Staff College in order to take a course of instruction.

AUCKLAND LIGHTING.

j FAILURE OF GAS SUPPLIES. AUCKLAND, April 19. Owing to the shortage of coal supplies fox- the gas works, Aucklanders have been put to considerable inconven--1 ience as the result of the great reduc- . tion in pressure. The effect of the curtailment. is far-reaching, and, apart from household inconveniences, it is rei fleeted in industries. It threw 150 employees out of work on Saturday. On Saturday night the railway stations .were more or less in darkness, and the trams, as the resuit of the necessity for extra caution, did not adhere strictly to time-tables. The restaurants through- | out the city are finding it hard to adhere to their menu, and the patron ac--1 cepts his more or loss cold meal philoso- ] phically. The totalisator staff and other I officials at Alexandra Park on Saturday , j were plunged into semi-darkness early , in the evening, and got little relief from the gas burner. The inside of the machine ,after the last race, presented a maze of spluttering candles, the posii tion being accentuated by the fact that 1 an enquiry held up payment on one of the races until close on six o’clock. The gas pressure is again reduced thie evening. WELLINGTON, April 19. It was quite a shock to the commer-. cial community here to-day to learn of the death of Mr D. Stewart, who only ( a few weeks ago retired from the local ; management of the Union Bank of Aus- j tralia. Air Stewart was born in Scot-, land, and began his career in the City | of Glasgow Bank, He came to New , Zealand iii 1877, and in 1899 was mana-j get- of the Union Bank in Dunedin. He ; was a keen golfer and last year was cap- > tain of the AVellington Club. He lmd j to undergo a serious operation, which, however could not he successfully per- j ' formed. He leaves a widow and four children. One son served in the Great War. Hi 1