TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1920, Page 4

TELEGRAMS

, | FKK PRESS ASSOCIATION.- COPYRIGHT j DISABILITIES A’!’ LYTTELTON. CHRISTCHURCH, June 21. A conference of representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Progress League, the Industrial Association,-and Farmers’ Union, convened by the Chamber of Commerco, was held to-day to discuss various disabilities existing in regard to the congestion at Lyttelton. The following resolution was carried: “That a strong representative committee of the various bodies interested, including the Railway Department, ho formed with a view of ascertaining exactly tho causes of the troubles at present existing at Lyttelton, and report to a future meeting in three weeks’ time.”

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMS

CHRISTCHURCH, June 21. At the annual meeting of the Tramway Board, the Chairman, (the Hon John Bair), in his annual report stated that steps have now been taken that lie hoped would enable the Board to finish up the present financial year with a credit balance, but time alone would show. The manner in which the public had accepted the fare increases was very gratifying indeed, and he hoped the financial circumstances would permit tho board'to tone down, at an early date, the most irritating alteration, the chief of which they recognised to be the complete non-transferability of the concession ticket*. FROM SAMOA. AUCKLAND, June 21. While at Apia the Under-Secretary of External Affairs, (Mr J. D. Gray), who returned to Auckland by the Narun to-day, made final arrangements for the repatriation of the remaining “Nationals” in Samoa, to the number of about 200. He pointed out that the principle followed in the repatriation policy was to send home to Germany all the full-blooded Germans who had no family ties. Transport was arranged by the New Zealand Government and Australia took advantage of the accommodation not required by Samoa to repatriate German “Nationals” from tho Commonwealth. He did not superintend the actual departure of these Gormans, as the Navua left two days before the transport was due at Apia.

VICTIMS OF- INFLUENZA. WELLINGTON, June 24

A large number of applications have recently been received by the Minister of Internal Affairs from relatives of victims of the influenza epidemic of 1918 for nermission to remove the bodies from the graves in which they were buried to family plots. The Minister has given this matter very serious con_ sidcration with the Health Department, hut has declined to take the responsibility of allowing any interference with tho bodies at present. In the course of a few years any danger of infection will probably have disappeared and the applications for removal can then he renewed. Mr Anderson says lie is of the opinion that the time which has elapsed since tho epidemic is so short that theie might possibly he danger to the community if approval were given at the present time to the applications, and he has therefore resolved to refuse in the meantime all applications for exhumation of bodies of influenza victims foxreinterment elsewhere. DA IRYMEN'S RESOLUTION. PALMERSTON N. June 24. A very large conference of persons connected with the dairy industry discussed the proposal of the National Dairy Association Executive in regard to marketing butter and cheese. After a discussion lasting many hours, in which some very animated passages occurred, a motion by Mi Powdrell was carried, without dissent: “That this meeting of producers is of opinion that immediate steps should be taken to join the company in New Zealand to the Butter Corporate Wholesale Co-operative Society for marketing our produce i ll Great Britain.

CLERKS UNION DISPUTE. CHRISTCHURCH, June 24

The Arbitration Court was engaged to-day with the Clerks’ Union dispute as it affects the office employees of the Freezing Company. The inclusion of these staffs in the award was opposed by the employers, at a request from the employees, on the ground that a guild bad been formed, and that the employees were antagonistic to the Union and that' wages above those asked for were being paid. The Union secured an adjournment it being contended that a principle was involved —tlie principle of the destruction of Unionist.

E.F.C.A. TAUMARUNUI, June 24. Tbe Taumarunui Branch of the E.F.C.A., met and considered the present positon in regard to a. final settlement of the recent strike. The speakers oonsidered that unless the matter is dealt with on the lines of the Conciliation Tribunal’s decision there is every possibility of further trouble. It was resolved that this branch of the E.F.C.A. considers that the finding of the Conciliation Tribunal should become the conditions under which work is to continue. GAS WORKERS COMPROMISE. AUCKLAND, June 94. A threatened gas strike was averted this evening, by the efforts of Mr Cutten, S.M. He it was who presided at the proceedings when the agreement under which the gas employees are now working was, framed. Mr Cutten conferi'ed with the Union and later with the Company, and an agreement was reached on a basis which roughly amounted to “splitting tlie difference. ” Increases on the Company’s offer were conceded, which summarised comprise an advance of . wages oi approximately 10s per week instead of Bs.

NEW ZEALAND MEAT AT HOME WELLINGTON, Juno 23.

Tlie Prime Minister has received from the High Commissioner tho following report on the effect of the recent reduction in the price of meat, ox-store, in Britain. The telegram is dated Junjc 22nd:—“I recently approached. the Ministry of Food on various subjects connected with New Zealand meat, and I am informed firstly that no steamers are awaiting discharge in this country for lack of accommodation in cold storage; secondly, that, the increase of consumption of Anstralasion meat, which was recently stated by the Food Controller to bo approximately 40 per cent is being maintained fully. I asked whether, owing to the result of shipping our meat to America the shortage of lamb in this country was being taken exception to, and the Ministry of Food replied that the public would naturally welcome a • larger quantity of lamb and a smaller quantity of mutton : hut in view of the representations previously made by tlie Government of New Zealand, it is regarded as a paramount necessity to clear the New Zealand stores, and the action taken and tlie reason for it are sufficiently' appreciated' by tlie public and the trade.”