LATE LOCALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1921, Page 3

LATE LOCALS.

The mails which left Wellington on the gi.u. August per R.M.S. ‘‘Tahiti’’ via Sa.i Francisco arrived Hi London Oil the Dili. September. The Government- having acknowledged that it has been loiiud practically impossible to get in the balance of the discharged soldiers’ settlement loan, Wellington quotations for the stocks and bonds issued have improved, and buyers are now olleriiig CD 1 7s lid. There is a fair demand for the shares nf hanks and insurance companies, and some ol the industrial coiiecnis are also in favour. Business, however, is slack, and sales are few. Passengers on the lluddart. Parker slea,tier Zeahindia. which reached .Sydney mi August 2!)th from .Melbourne, witnessed an interesting sight when the vessel was olf Gabo island. Nearing the island, the ollieer on watch noticed that ihe water ahead was absolutely studded with tins, and half an hour later the Zeahindia was steaming through an enormous shoal of fish, which extended on all sides as far as tin. eve could reach. They lay just below the surface, with their lias projectin'' above the water, and only moved " hen the ship came 100 close. 1 hose (,-n hoard believed them to he sharks or black whales; Iml the general opinion in Sydney shipping circles is that they were a shoal of tunny. These fish periodically visit Australian waters, and provide good sport tor anglers.

ft seems probable, says the Wellington correspondent of the ''Press,’’ that mining will again attract speculators. For some lime past there lias been a difficulty in obtaining labour, but this is passing away, and some mines on the West Coast have resumed operations and are turning out gold. I lie problem of unemployment may he partly solved hv the engagement of suitable men in prospecting work. Discoveries of new reefs would slid a thrill through old minis, and would result in much useful development work being put in hand.

The Civic League here says a Wellington ,'orrospnndont, is appealing to the people to contribute one day’s pay towards the unemployed fund, hut those in work, and particularly the salaried classes, are not viewing the matter kindly. It is pointed out by many tlxit only a year ago the overpaid firemen ill our coastal and inter colonial shipping were arrogant and merciless in the extreme. Firemen thought nothing of holding up a ship because they objected to the colour of the cook s whiskers; miners refused to hew coal and were callous as to the sufferings of the children and the sick; the waterside's were incessantly holding tin the work of the port on trivial grounds; vet- all three classes, but particularly the seamen and wa tersiders are now lonkiim fur th<’ sympathy of a romnninity (hat (ley harrassed and scourged :i few months ago. The position of the water sillers, it. is contended. > annoi ho so very laid when it is possible for them t l forfeit hah a day's work to hold a slop-work meeting, principally to pass resolutions of sympathy with communists and those engaged in circulating seditious literature. The response to the appeal of the Civil League is not likely to he very encouraging, for the very' good reason that those in work ■are struggling to make ends- meet.