TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1922, Page 1

TELEGRAMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

EXPLANATION BY PUBLIC AYORKS OFFICERS.

AVELLINGTON, July 6

Officials of tho Public AYorks Department have issued a statement that owing to the stoppage of machinery in the main powerhouse at Mangahao on Sunday, the exhaust fan could not he worked and the oil engine was shut down, and when Maxwell and his men announced their intention of going to the tunnel to do some repair work they were instructed not to start the oil engine. Notwithstanding thi s they did start it, probably to clear off the water accumulated. As the fail was not working, the exhaust gases would find their way. hack. It is supposed the first two men noticed this and shut tho engine off, hut were too late to escape.

DISABLED SOLDIERS.

PALMERSTON NORTH, July A

The Alanawatu Repatriation Committee unanimously passed the following resolution; “That this committee, having intimate knowledge of the circumstances of the returned soldiers being assisted throughout the district, draws the Minister. Mr Downie Stewart’s attention to the desirability of encouraging the principle inaugurated by the Poppy Day Executive, namely that Patriotic Societies should he encouraged to provide suitable employment for partly incapacitated men rather thafi pay them' money.

DAIRY PRODUCE MARKET, AVELLINGTON, July 5

Tile National Dairy Association of New Zealand received the followingcablegram from its London office: London, dune I—The butter market is easier: New Zealand 2305; Australian 2255; Argentine 2165. Cheese market is much quieter, white 10Is, coloured 100 s. The demand for butter and cheese has slackened., I bilge ty and Company, Limited, report having received the following cablegram from their London House under date of June 30: Butter.—Prices are lower, Os for New Zealand (now 230-0 and 4s. for Danish (now 22Gs), Cheese.—New Zealand, coloured 100 s, white 102 s, a reduction of 4s. Forward buyers are not operating on account of present high pi ices and uncertainly of the future.

LABOUR PARTY. AUCKLAND, July 5. • Tho sixth an,mini conference of the You- Zealand Labour Party opened here to-dav. Ninety delegates from all parts of the Dominion took part. AL F. R. Cooke (Christchurch), Chairman of the Party, presiding* The day was spent in discussing the Executive’s report dealing with the Party’s activities during tho year. The most important remits to he discussed urge that the Party should make some agreement with the Liberal Party for the purpose of avoiding vote-split-ting at the forthcoming elections. There are two remits on the subject, one from the AVellington branch of the A.S.R.S. and the other from the AA’anganui branch of the same society.

FREEZING WORKS STRIKE. CHRISTCHURCH, July 5. Hopes that tlie dispute between the free-dug companies and the employees would be settled by the Arbitration Court were dispelled soon after an application set down for hearing was called on to-day. Mr CoOkson npjieared for tho companies, but the employees were not represented. Tlie npplicatioii was l»y the Neiv Zenlnn<l Hofrigerating Company that the general order of the Court reducing the bonus la- varied, and the workers tinder the Canterbury Freezing AYorks and Related Trades award lie hound by a special order reducing the bonus by live per cent ill tlie case of time workers and two and ii-luilf per cent, in the case of piece workers. This meant placing the reduction on the percentage basis instead of tlie flat rate basis adopted by the Court. It was agreed that the application by Wellington Union for exclusion from tin- bonus reduction he heard in Wellington, and the hearing of the combined applications was gone on with. After hearing the companies side, Judge Fraser said that the Court would endeavour to arrive at a solution, and if unable, the general order must stand.

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE. WELLINGTON, July 0. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Alliance is now being held. There' arc a large number of delegates troml both Islands present. The Chairman (A. AY. Atkinson) welcomed the members, and alluded to tlie tact ot the straightened finances had given the executive some eause for anxiety, and t.> some extent restricted its entei prise. Put dtiring the last five months the financial recovery had been almost complete. lie urged the party should make the most of the obvious, honest, accurate testimonies as to the success ot the American prohibition, and quoting in support Sir J. Salmond and Air \\ ilford The annual report said tlie drink bill for 1921 on a moderate estimate was £7,551,274, which gave an expenditure oi' Co 18s l»d per head.' This was Is 7d less than in 1920. The icport also stated that notwithstanding the great restrictions on the sale of liquor, coinpared with pre-war days, the convictions for driinkeness had largely increased.