LATE LOCALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1923, Page 3

LATE LOCALS.

- The dance at. Kanieri to-night ha> been postponed until tho following F:*(iny Advt.

When the Alinister of Labour called a conference of representative delegates in AA'ellington recently to consider the problem of the decline in apprenticeship. it was realised that vic-ws were so divergent that a thorough investigation of actual conditions in various important trades was imperative as a preliminary to sound conclusions. Accordingly a committee was set up, including representatives of the employees, trade unions, the Labour Department. and the Education Department, to make first-hand inquiries. This committee has visited many lactones in Christchurch, and is about to do the same work in AA’ellington. It will no doubt investigate conditions in Auckland, and will then report to the Hon. C. J. Anderson, Alinister of Labour, 'before he frames the Bill to lie presented ; ,t the coming session of Parliament.

A correspondent writes:—: fr James Alain, whose death occurred at Kauicri yesterday morning, was one ol the hand of sturdy pioneers who began Lite history of the Coast. He was horn at New Kilpatrick, near Glasgow, and in In's younger days was engaged in business between Scotland and Ireland. Coming out to the Colonies lie was engaged in farming in South Australia, and from there followed the diggings in Victoria, principally in Gippsland. Dunsian Rush then claimed his attention, and in the early sixties he was engaged in mining at Charleston, Barr.vtown, Greenstone and Kaniori. His \\ ife predeceased him a year or two ago, and lie died at the ripe old age of SI, leaving an only daughter to mourn his loss. Air Alain was held in high esteem by all who knew him, and he was recently appointed to the Commission of the I’caco.

A prediction that the recent rapid fall in rates of interest payable by the Dominions in Loudon, as indicated more particularly by the flotation of a New Zealand loan at little more than •1) per cent, would certainly be reflected in interest rates within Llio Dominions themselves was recently made !>. the .Secretary of tho Commonwealth Treasury, reports the Melbourne “Age.” If the Dominion rates did r.ot fall, new borrowing, Air Collins explained, would naturally be done in London.

and the opportunities for investment of surplus funds within the Doniin o:*s would In* restricted. This wa> the a•-jfi.-iing influence. It v.as interesting ! 0 note that the English investor, vl n was lending at abotu It, per cent, had t*i pay to tin* British Government income tax at rates milch exceeding the.-e payable to tin* CummmiwcaUh in the interest of the Australian cm*u!'sion loan.