VARIOUS DOMINION ITEM'S

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1921, Page 1

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEM'S

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

IMPERI A L CONFERENCE

MR -MASSEY’S REPLY TO -MR HOLLAND, M.P.

WELLINGTON, Feb. 9

Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., has rereived the following telegram from the Prime Minister:—

“In reply to your telegram, the cable message from the Prime Minister ol England was secret and confidential In all probability 1 shall get permission to publish it later, hut until such per. mission is obtained, the message must la- regarded as not for publication.” .Mr Holla ml deprecated the reply, stating that what was shown to certain pressmen, every member of Parliament was entitled to know, and over and above either pressmen or Parliamentarians, the people bad a right to know the reason for the urgent invitation and to what they were likely to be pledged.

REPATRIATION BOARDS

MEMBERSHIP REDUCED

WELLINGTON, Feb. 9.

The -Ministerial Repatriation Board has decided to reduce the membership of district boards throughout New Zealand, as there is now less work for these boards and local committees to perform. The Hon I). H. Guthrie states that many members of boards have offered to continue their work in an honorary capacity as long as their services are of value to the Government, and the .Ministerial Board will be glad to accept these offers. The ioca! knowledge of members will continue to be of great value in keeping the Department in touch with returned men, securing repayment of loans and so lortli. \ cry valuable work lias been done by district boards throughout the period oi repatriation effort, and the Ministerial Board at its last meeting decided to write to these bodies expressing the appreciation of the Government.

BUTTER INSTEAD OK C HEESE

HAMILTON, Feb. 9

From Friday, all factories of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company making cheese will convert the milk into butter.

Discussing the situation. .Mr W. Goodfellow, managing director, said the present prices of cheese were very satisfactory, and doubtless would remain so for several months, or until the new .season 'British and Canadian makes were available. The shipping position, however, was causing producers considerably anxiety, and if there was undue delay, the New Zealand cheese would miss the present Market and reach England at a time

when it would have to enter into competition with the British summer make. The total .estimated quantity of cheese available for export for the whole of New Zealand this season was 700,000 crates, of which already 000,000 had ecu shipped. In Auckland province alone 66,000 crates were in store awaiting shipment. Already 40,000 crates had been exported, and it was estimated that a further 70,000 crates would he delivered at the cool stores liefore the end of tlu* season. Further shipping space had been allotted foi - lieeso to the end of February, for 40,000 crates. It was obvious, therefore, that unless an improvement took phut- in the shipping position between mow and the end of -March a substantial portion would not get away promptly, and might in consequence be sold at prices considerably lower than would

tlierwise be obtained. The company had. therefore, advised cheese factories to switch over to butter, tor which ihere was an assured market till March Jlst at 2s (id per lb. After March the bulk of tlu* butter manufactured would he required for local consumption. SHOCKING ACCIDENT. An accident occurred at the Gear Meat Works this morning, whereby a man named William Chandlers had his leg crushed from the knee downwards. He was shovelling coal from a truck, when his foot got caught in a conveyor and his leg drawn in. He was removed to the hospital and the leg amputated, His wife is coming from home by the Corinthic, which is due shortly.

CRUTCH ERS’ DISPUTE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. At the bearing the Crutchers’ dispute at the Conciliation Council-to-day, the employers said that a decided agreement on an award of this class of workers was impracticable and inadvisable, and the dispute would have to go to the Arbitration Court to decide whether it should bo an award or not. Hie shearers’ representatives said that they were going to settle their own dispute irrespective of Mr Justice Stringer, Mr Justice Fraser, or anyone else. They would arrive at an agreement with employers all right. The employers should make no mistake about that. WELLINGTON, February 10.

Two men, whose names are Walter Charles Heloy, and Albert Simpkins, arrested last exenng were charged at the Magistrates’ Coulrt this morning with being found by night on the enclosed premises of George Fowlds Ltd., and having attempted to break and enter the premises with intent to commit a crime. On the application of the police they were remanded till Wednesday.

TELEGRAMS

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. IN SPEC!'OILS' CONFERENCE. backward PUPILS. WELLINGTON, February 9. The School Inspectors’ Conference today discussed the subject of backward or retarded pupils in primary schools. The Iloa. Mr Parr said that the problem was one giving him no little thought. For every two boys and girls who left the primary schools with a proficiency .certificate one left without.' This seemed to be a weakness in the primary system, and was one reason why the compulsory age had been raised to 13. He did not want to create the impression that he desired to force children on; but lie was concerned about questions of any possible waste of time in the life of children at a period when its‘full utilisation was very important. In New South Wales 12 per cent of the children of all school classes and (50 per cent in Standard VI, were classified as retarded. A rough estimate of things in New Zealand showed that in the primary classes 22 per cent were shown as baokwnrded. The backward children in the standards were as follows: -Standard 1. 49 per cent. : Standard IT, 30 per cent.; Standard 111, 30 percent.; Standard IV, 34 per cent.; Standard V., 52 percent.; Standard VI 55 per cent. Tt- was disturbing to think that nearly half the children were below normal in their ability. Referring to tlie question of low intelligence, the Minister said that be did not think there was a row mental standard among beginners. An endeavour was Iroing made in America to arrive at a scientific basis for testing backwardness, and that was what would have to be done here. He had great sympathy for these backward children, and it was the feeling that all possible was not being done fm- them that caused him to bring the matter forward now.

MOANA RELEASED

WELTNGTON, Febrnarv 10

The Moana which was detained in the stream last evening owing to a suspected case of smallpox, was berthed at 10 o'clock this morning after a conference of Government Health officers and had decided that the ease was not infective.

CREDITORS BIG DEMANDS

DEBTOR IN ASYLUM

CHRISTCHURCH, February 10

At a meeting of the creditors of William Allan Hopkins, a well-known Land Agent, held to-night, the following resolution was carried:—“That Mr W. A. Hopkins, be asked to file a petition in bankruptcy, and ip default <•' him doing so, within seven days, it is the wish of this meeting that the creditors petition be presented against bis estate.” The claims definitely state' 1 at tiie meeting amounted to C 46.717. One of the trustees stated the indebtedness was nearer £66,000. ft was stated at the meeting that Hopkins is at present an inmate of a Mental Hospital. FALSE ALARM FROM THE MANUKA. WELLINGTON, Feb. 8. As the Manuka, from Sydney, was berthing at the Queen’s wharf about 0.10 o’clock last evening one of the mule passengers suddenly cried out that a child had fallen between the vessel and the wharf. As the man was obviously excited there was a rush to the spot, but the ship was just about a foot off the wharf moving towards it, and it was impossible to see if there as anyone in the water. The position vas relieved in a minute by an explanation from those oil hoard that iho man who caused the alarm was not quite in his senses. It was ascertained afterwards that lie was a shell-shock patient returning to his borne in New Zealand. A steward took hint under his care at once and calmed his agitation. During the passage from Sydney, it is said that the unfortunate fellow had shown signs of hallucinations. A “GET-AWAY” FOUND. WELLINGTON, Feb. S. “Hard,.luck—no free trip this time,” were the words alleged to have been used by a man named Joseph Monaghan when discovered concealed on the s.s. Tahiti before her departure on Satur-

day last, and who made an appearance before the magistrate, -Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., to answer the charge if attempting to travel on the ship without paying his fare and with being an idle and disorderly person, having insufficient means of support. For the police, Sub-Inspector Willis stated that the man had been secreted amongst some bags when the ship was being examined by Constable ('leverley. The evidence would also show that the accused was a man of the vagrant class and was an “undesirable.” Accused said he had taken some laundry down to the ship and also had a few drinks before leaving, and of course quite naturally the drink had affected him, and he had fallen asleep on the sacking. “And you took good care to cover yourself up with .bags,” said the magistrate.

Detective Revell stated that flic man was dangerous to the public; lie win pest to shopkeepers, and a sneak thief. Accused intimated that lie desired to say something further on the matter, but His Worship said, “You can keep that until you have done one month’s hard labour.” (Laughter). The sentence was in respect to him being an idle and disorderly person. On the charge of attempting to travel u ithout paying his fare the man was convicted and discharged.