DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1923, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

SHEARERS’ AWARD.

WELLINGTON, Kept. 25

Mr. Justice Frazer has announced the terms of the Wellington Shearers’ and shed hands award in the dispute with the Hawke’s Bay sheep owners. This is tantamount to a Dominion award The Court has raised the shearing rate from £1 4s to £1 Os per 100, and has slightly. increased the wages of adult shed hands., It bps established the wages and conditions for three seasons. The hours of work are from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., with intervals for meals and smoking as usually agreed upon. Shearing stops at 4 p.m. on Saturdays, except, in the ease where S 1-3 hours’ work is done before noon, when work ceases then.

The machine shearing rate is the same as by hand, with rations, and in eases where shearers find their own rations, these rates arc increased liv 5s per 100. The rate for stud slice]) is to he settled by agreement. Hogget rams are to he rate and a half; other rams double the ordinary rate.

Prossers get £3 2s Od a week, and Is lOd an hour; sited hands £2 17s (id a week or Is 8d an hour; youths over U! and under IS, £2 a week or Is -lil an hour; cooks for 12 men and under, £3 12s (id : cooks’ assistants. £3 a week. Where more than 12 men, cooks’

wages are subject to agreement. Tho award comes into force on September 2Kth., and continues until April 30th., 10213. MR. HOLLAND AT HAMILTON. HAMILTON, Sept. 25. Mr. II .E. Holland delivered an address hn the Labour policy to a crowded of tendaiu e. lie claimed that his party was the only elfeetive opposition in the House, and were the true successors to liallnnee and Scddon. tie -trongly criticised the set tloemnt of soldiers on a block of land at Mangnwoka. to which no legal access was provided, lie understood the Government was thrcateniini’ an action against, the vendor and had put L'looo on the Estimates. lie asserted that mention in Parliament of (he ease had been suppressed. EDUCATION CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, Kept. 25. The main ((inference (onsidered tile general question i.f the appointment of teachers, with particular reference to Die operation of the Dominion grade list. EopiesoiiUilivos of the Non /calami Educational Institute addressed the Conlerence. After ail exhaustive discussion of the system, and the diflieidlies incidental to it. the following resolutions were adopted : - (1) “That this Conference approves the principle of making appointments oil the basis of the ,'■■••ailing system.

(2) The Conference Ms of opinion that the greater uniformity appraised is being steadily attained, and urges the 1 fepr rtlmcnt to still further perfect the system in this i-cspoot. and it approves the docesinii of the Minister to discuss this ‘subject, with the senior

Inspectors ncxi week. (3) The conference docs not lav<.ingiving discretion of five or less marks to the appointing bodies, believing that less injustice would result from stiiet ndlioreniio to the grading list than would occur under a discrotioinuy system . BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS. CHRISTCHURCH. Sept. 20. Fraud under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act I DOS. and under the old statute passed about 1501. in the reign of (jueeii Elizabeth, was alleged at the Supreme Court to-day. Ihe plaintiff was .lames ( 'nistiau (Deputy Official Assignee of Ashburton!. and the defendant Joseph O’Donnell (contractor of Moth veil). The Assignee vas dealing with the bankrupt estate ol Hugh Decry of Mil liven, a farmer, who v.-its adjudicated a bankrupt, .m Align. I !Bth. 10”2. The grounds n. action were that .the bankrupt committed unlawful acts of bankruptcy on .lull- fitli. hy transferring to O’Donnell. £l(lf. and substantially the whole of his property, the bankrupt being then insolvent. The Assignee claimed these transactions were fraudulent and void, and sued for the ret urn of the monevs received by O'Donnell from Deerv. Tincase is proceeding. GISBORNE FREEZING COY. WELLINGTON. Kept. 2(3. The reported acquisition by YYstoys Company of the interests in l’ovort.v liav Freezing Coy., at Gisborne, hes caused considerable discussion. The Meal Roald has | nmi-e l to i-sne a statement at an crly dale. It is stated that half a. million is involved and th,. shareholders will get IDs in the £. RADIUM INSTITUTE. WELLINGTON. Kept. 2d. Attention is being given to the question of Radium Institute and whether it. .should be central or split up into lort'j! establishments. It is rolltoluSed the latter is most suitable and that better work could he done with an institute ill each city, the cost of 'vlnY.li ,s estimated at £20,000. Separate locations are favoured in England. AUDIT OFFICE AND BOARD. TE AWAMUTU. Sept. 20. Recently members of the Kilnkdu Town Board were proceeded against at the instance of the Audit Department for breaches of the l’uhlie Bodies Contractors Act. -because one member was employed to do certain work. Statutory penalties imposed amounting to £l(-.5 sterling were paid into court. \II members have -resigned, except one who was elected to an extraordinary vacancy, and was not concerned in the matter in question. It is explained that there had been a. difficulty in getting this particular work done and t ne member concerned was the only man in the district capable of doing H. the importation of other workmen would have caused delay and added lit the cost. The Board considered UU’ statutory penalty opposed to British ideals of justice, and Mint the Department or Magistrate should have discretionary powers ill dealing with sue t cases. dairy farmers attroyf. FI.Fd.DING. Sept. 20. A large meeting of dairy farmeis at \piti unanimously supported the Dnn> Produce Export Control Bill. All similar meetings in this district s” ai have approved ot the Bill-