DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[DY TELF.CRArn—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] POST AND TELEGRAPH SERVICE. QUESTION OF SALARIES. WELLINGTON, -March 25. For some time members of the Post and Telegraph service have been drawing attention to various grievances and recently a claim was made for a minimum wage of £260 per annum. Cognisance has been taken of the representations made and the Tost and Telegraph Officers’ Association now is awaiting a communication from the Department containing proposals for adjusting the salary question and other matters tit issue. Discussing the question of promotion and salaries in the service. the •‘Katipo”, the official organ of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, says that to become*a tradesman with it right to the minimum award of the Arbitration Court, an apprentice has to complete live years’ training at his calling. If specially skilled at the end of that time lie can expect sometiling over and above the minimum award rate. To reach the maximum salary of the rank and file a postman or linesman has to put in two years as telegraph messenger (average). five years as junior and then seven more years hefote reaching the maximum salary, and that maximum he passed unless promotion is received to more responsible duties. A fourteen-year climb to tiie top of the salary scale linds such an officer 2S years ol age. To reach tiie present basic minimum of the Arbitration Court at scale rates takes ten years and finds the officer 21 years of ago.

A SENTENCE REDUCED. A BOGUS LIEUTENANT. AUCKLAND, .March 25. A fortnight ago, Harry Edward Phillips, aged 23, a recent arrival from the Oh! Country, wtts sentenced by Mr J. W. Roynton. S.M.. to six months’, imprisonment on each of two charges ol false pretences, the sentences to he cumulative. This morning, acting on tiie representations of the Rev. Jasper ('aider, his "Worship ordered that the sentences be concurrent, so that Phillips will be in Mount Eden gaol for unlv six months.

On arriving at Auckland. Phillips represented himself as a lieutenant ol the Royal Irish Constabulary, who had been sent out to initiate tin immigration scheme for men of that force, tie wrote letters to many influential persons. having them typed tit an agency, so as to create an impression. Some of the letters were never posted. It was shown that all his operations were fraudulent, lie obtained £3 by false pretences and also a cheque for £3 which was not cashed.

Speaking to prisoner tins morning, the Magistrate said it was his duty to protect the public from men ol his type. However, the Rev. Jasper Calder had made representations concerning the sentences, and the case was now reconsidered.

”1 know that wr fiat F did was foolishness. silliness, imt T uevetl really meant to swindle anybody. It was just sillv swank on my part,” said Phillips, who looked very relieved when the Magistrate reduced the sentence.

JIY ST ERTO US SICK XESS

WATER SUPPLY SUSPECTED

AUCKLAND, -March 25.

There was a 1 Hither development today of the mysterious sickness which occurred* early last week at the Point Chevalier Primary School, when a score of the, pupils were affected with sickness and fainting. The Health Department, acting in conjunction with the Education Board, deemed it advisable to close the school l'or a week, during which- time suspected causes ol the trouble were investigated. It was in rough that the water in the swimming pool, which had not been emptied for a fortnight, had been contaminated, hut a bacteriological analysis of the drinking water has raised a suspicion as to its purity. This a timoon the pupils were dismissed and a quantity of the water is being sterilised before school reopens again.

The water supply in this and other (listiicts is being thoroughly investigated hv the Health Department.

A LAND CAS!

MISREDIIESEXTATH)X ALI .E(HID

AUCKLAND, March 25

■‘This i.s a class of case now becoming very common in our Courts, -t person buys or leases a place and finding it does not come tip to his expectations, remembers some scraps of conversation and pieces them togethci. The next thing is u- case against the vendor or lessor for damages tor misrepresentation.” These were the words of Mr J. W. Boynton, S.M. in delivering reserved judgment this morning on a "claim for £2OO brought by John Philip Owen, farmer of Henderson, against Alexander Nicholson Macleod, lam! agent and valuer, also of Hender-

son. The dispute arose ns the result of the letting of the lease of a house and small orchard of twenty-six acres at Henderson, containing sixty-six trees. The lease was for live years. Plaintiff alleged that dfendant had misrepresented certain items concerning the revenue-earning capacity of the farm. “Plaintiff knows very little about fruit-growing, and. it would appeal, very little about anything else in connection with farming,” said the Magistrate. Plaintiff appeared to have tackled the place in a half-hearted way. His Worship thought that it had been proved that the orchard did not produce anything like £-10 worth of fruit per annum, nor would it carry ton oi twelve cows The land was second-class. After reviewing the facts, the Magistrate said that the trees should surely give 5s worth of fruit each per annum with ordinary care. Then the sixty-six trees would give £l6 10s. Taking this amount from £-10. the figure stated l.y defendant, £23 10s remained, and for the five years the sum would he £ll < 10s. Judgment was for the. plaintiff for £H7 10s. Security for appeal was fixed at £2O. PATHWAY WAGES. WELLINGTON, March 26. When the Railway Wages Board resumed in the afternoon, the Chairman (Mr H. T>. Ackland) said he wanted to hear evidence aa to what effect an increase in wages to the second division would have on the other departments. He took it that he was present in an independent capacity, as representing the public, and the public would he interested in this aspect of the question. Mr H. H. Sterling stated, that he would take steps to obtain this infor-

mat-ion, and he could have it ready by the morning.

.Mr Ackland said that if an increase were granted the railway servants, it would only be on the grounds which would justify a similar increase to the other brandies of the public service and the country was entitled to know what such nil increase was going to cost. He did not think that they could get any further on the wages question until this information was in his possession .

Mr Michael Connolly (President of the A.S.ILS-) intimated that lie was not prepared to discuss other questions until tlio matter of wages had been disposed of. BRAN AND POLLARD SHORTAGE. WELLINGTON, March 26. Tito demand of supplies of bran anti pollard has now overtaken the production of Now Zealand mills and there is a shortage, which is causing difficulty particularly in the North Island. The Government has now agreed to the granting of permits for the importation of these commodities. The permits will be issued only on tiie condition that information is given as to the probable date, and the port of importation, ami tiie granting of each commodity required. The pormits will expire two months after tile date of issue. The Government lias also agreed to a suspension of tiie duty on bran and pollard, so long as the present shortage exists. STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT. "WANGANUI, March 20. The question of whether the Borough Council should retain the steam plant which it recently erected for Electrical power purposes lms becn debated by tiie Press and tiie public with much spirit. One of the planks in the programme of Mr Hope Gibbons, the newly elected Mayor, was the .sale of the plant to the Rangitikei-Wangamii Power Board. Mr Gibbons was elected by an overwhelming majority and immediately on taking possession of the chair, ho moved that the plant be sold. This was carried unanimously. .MEMORY PLEA FAILS. DUNEDIN, March 25 An unusual plea of loss of memory as put forward by Oswald Bonn Kennedy at the Police Court in answer io an application by his wife for maintenance. Kennedy declared that lie had no recollection of marrying his wife, and consequently had been living with another woman at Auckland. He declared that Ids condition was brought about by nit accident to his head "in Australia.

Under examination, defendant’s plea broke down, apd he admitted that h« did not forget his wife, but thought ,|u> had not acted right. He had two children "l>v the woman lie had been living with.

The Magistrate, in making an order, stated that it was one of the most wicked and the most scoundrelly cases over brought before the court-, and defendant deserved iail. PREPARING FOR ELECTION. WELLINGTON, March 20 Preparations arc well in hand tor i,he Liberal Labour campaign, which will bo opened at Auckland by Mr Wilford. The campaign will be carried right through the country. Mr George Forbes, M.P., one of the executive of the Liberal-Labour party, will be visiting Australia at the end of ibis mouth, but will be back in New Zealand at the end of April and take part in the campaign.

POSTAL OFFICIAL ARRESTED

DUNEDIN. March 26

A young mail employed in Alexandra Post Office was arrested to-day by Detective Earquharson. oil a charge ol theft of .(.To from the Post Office. Accused was brought to Dunedin, and will appear at the Court to-morrow. KILLED BY A HORSE. DEN ERIN, March 20. William George Millar, aged 10. was driving a dray in Opohn (a suburb ol Dunedin), this afternoon, when the horse took fright and bolted. .Millar, who v.as sitting on the shaft. was tliowii off into the gutter, when lie was kicked and sustained a broken jaw, the drav thou passing over his chest, the unfortunate man dying almost immediately. The horse continued on its way", and another workman, named Allan Adams, in attempting to stop it., sustained a fracture of the ankle, and was removed to the hospital.

AMERICAN HORSE’S HANDICAP

AUCKLAND. March 20

The American-bred horse. Judge Ham-nek, whose handicap was withheld pending particulars, has been placed on the limit in the Eden Handicap at Auckland trots. EAST COAST RAILWAY. WELLINGTON, March 20. Hon Mr Coates states the Cabinet has approved of the acceptance of the lowest tender, of Mr A\ . 0. Armstrong. Whitworth, the British firm, at £161.050 for the construction of 10 miles of the Katikati-Aonga lata- Apa t a and Te Puna section of the East Coast main trunk railway. PORT OF WELLINGTON. . WELLINGTON. March 27. That February was a record month for shipping handled by the pilots ill the port of Wellington was stated by the Chairman of the Harbour Board last night. Cargo had increased over the quantity of the same month last year under nearly all headings, but the actual tonnage of vessels handled by the pilots in February 1924, was 426,816, an increase of 15,137 tons ol shipping compared with tile best previous month. WAT EH SIDERS PROSEC- U TED. CHRISTCHURCH, March 26. At Lyttelton to-day, the Labour Department proceeded against the M ateisitlers Union for £lO9 as penalty for alleged breach of the award, in causing a general stoppage of work for the purpose of holding their picnic on a dayother than that provided in the award No response was made to calls for labour on that day.

The defence contended that the Union, as a corporate body, had not done anything to make it guilty of creating a stoppage. Whatever charge might be laid against the individual members of the Union, there was no case against the TJuion. : _ Magistrate Widdowson reserved his decision.