VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1921, Page 4

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS .

:I by telegraph—per press association] I FINANCIAL. } WELLINGTON, Jan. 21. I The advance in deposit and overdraft | rates has affected building societies, j- whose rates have also advanced, the ; deposit rates being ten shillings per | rent above those offered by the banks. I The rates for mortgages must rieces- ! sarily advance, and this may place a 1 check on transactions in real estate. 1 .Mortgages that are falling due are .not "likely to be renewed, except at advanced interest rates. The share market must feel the ef-

I foots of tke dearer money, and values ! must recede to a point that "ill yield the investor a return equal to current , rates. Shares have been declining for some time, owing to money being wanted in other directions, and forced sales !' have brought down prices. Dearer ■ money should be welcomed, as tending I to hasten the transition from abnormal t„ normal conditions. Economy 'will, now be forced upon all, and most people will be compelled to more closely scrutinise expenditure. It is little use looking for an improvement in prices to set, things right, because the conditions in Britain, which appear to be going j from bad to worse, preclude the possii hility of any permanent recovery of produce prices. There is nothing foi it But to increase production and to lower the cost of production. The cost of living should now show signs of receding, and there will he lower prices, provided the Government does not in- ; i teifere/with economic laws. Bedrock - has got to he reached before there is J an improvement, but the position is b> I no means serious, and the Dominion is ! quite capable of overcoming the appar- ! cut difficulties in a reasonable time .

ITINERANT SCHOOL TEACHERS

WELLINGTON. Jan. 21

Regulations gazetted provide tliat in eases where the establishment of the full time or part time schools is impracticable, itinerant teachers may, with the approval of the Minister, he appointed by the Education Board to give house to house instruction to pupils of school age in isolated districts. No such teacher, however, is to be appointed until suitable accommodation in the locality is guaranteed for him. Itinerant teachers are to give instruction for not less than twenty hours on not less than five days in each week, and must, when required, furnish the senior inspector with such evidence of the progress of the pupils as may be required. An itinerant teacher is to receive a salary of £2OO per annum, with a travelling allowance ol Cod per annum, with certain additions, and in the ease of a married teacher, a house allowance of £3O per annum is also to be paid.

WAR REGULATIONS

A QUESTION OK PROSECUTIONS. WELLINGTON, Jan. 21. Sir William Herries, Minister of Labour, has replied to a communication from Mr W. ,T. Young, secretary of the Seamen’s Federation in regard to the question of the prosecution of employers and workers for alleged seditious strikes and lock-outs in breach of the war regulations. The Minister says ttai Mr Young’s letter infers that while workers were prosecuted for taking part in certain strikes, the Government had refrained from similarly prosecuting employers for alleged logouts. Regarding the occasion cited by Mr Young, the Minister refers to tlye Crown Law Office opinion previously quoted by him, stating that while technically both employers and workers might he liable for a breach of the war regulations, a prosecution was not recommended because the regulations in force were passed expressly for the public safety during war-time. The previous proceedings, the Minister points out, were instituted in 1917 during the war. The Minister agrees that last year’s legislation revives certain provisions contained in the war regulations, and says that as in the past no discrimination will be shown by the Government between employers and workers. AN ACCIDENT. MASTERTON, January 21. A lad named Bob Hutchison, oi Christ’s College, Christchurch, fell from a horse while riding at Blairlogie. He received severe injuries to his head, and is in a critical eondtion. boy drowned. W ELLINGTON, „ J anuary 21. Richard Winter, 15, whose parents resident at Newtown, was drowned this afternoon at Rona Bay. Winter and other lads, who were spending the holidays at the seaside resort went for a row in a small dinghy. When returning, the boat struck a rock and capsized. The other lads managed to scramble ashore, but Winter was drowned in ten feet of water. ENGINE DRIVER’S DISPUTE. WELLINGTON, January 23. Hon. W. F. Massey, as Minister of Railways, interviewed to-day on the Railway Firemen’s dispute, informed a pressman that there will bo no trouble to-night, the men having agreed: to leave the wittlement of points at issue in the hands of their executive and the Department. Mr McArley, Secretary of the Locomotive ■ Men’s Association, stated that a full nfaeling of the Wellington Bra inch was held this morning, Mr Carrol, the President, coming specially from Auckland to attend. After ttvo hours argument the men decided to leave the matter to the Executive to deal with it in a constitutional manner with the understanding that tho Executive meets the General Manager tomorrow morning'and later reports to the men. A special meeting of the Executive was held this afternoon to consider the question. Tt is understood that the men generally are discontented, with the wages and this, it was said, made the task of tho Executive this morning much harder than it otherwise would have been.