DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1924, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

UT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. THE TURLEY-EKED AFFAIR. DRESS ASSOCIATION CORRECTION. WELLINGTON, Dec. ]O. On November 2<ith. a Press Association message descriptive of a dispute in the Arbitration Court between Heed, tlie Secretary of the ’Wellington Timber Workers Union, and Turley, Secretary of the New Zealand Timber Workers Federation, stated that when Reed struck at Turley the latter tool; cover under the table. Turley has taken ex(option to this allegation, maintaining that he did no more than move his head to avoid the Ido". This version has been substantiated Lv inquiries and in justice to Turley tlie correction is made.

TARANAKI OI(.FIELDS. drilling operations IMMEDIATELY. NEW PLYMOUTH. Dec. 10. Dr. Clapp, consulting Geologist to the Taranaki Oilfields Ltd., interviewed, stated that drilling "ill commence at Tarata immediately and preparations "ill he made to drill on the foreshore close to the liighwater mark at Moturoa within the shelter of the breakwater. Geologists will make extensive surveys preparatory to locating the site for the third bore. Mr W. Osborne, Geologist at the Sydney University, has joined the staff, and another is to he uppointed. Two complete drilling plants- are already on the ground. TYPOGRAPHICAL AWARD. CHRISTCHURCH. Dec. 19. A complete agreement was reached in tin- typographical dispute at the Conciliation Council this morning. There was no alteration made in tinpiece rate and the new rates agreed to are:—Linotype operators, chief cities. £5 10s. outside cities C 5 ss. with corresponding increases for inomitvpe and mniinlinc operators. Bulk hands £5 2s (id. second stone hand L‘s 7s fill for day work; hand coinnositors, first division. £5 2s (id ; second £1 15s. T 1 It* ( •Inssilication has been altered from seven thousand to six thousand and was the only minor alteration made in the conditions. NAPIER WOOL SALES. PRICES DECLINE. NAPIER, tlcc. li>. At the second Nanicr wool sues which were continued (his morning, the decline was manifested at the oociiiug last night was again anpareut. American competition was not in evidence to anything like the degree shown at tinlast sales. Bradford buyers took most of tin- crossbred wool at prices generally registering a decline of fully 2d per lb. on recent rates. This was coun-ter-balanced somewhat l-y the increased pric-s for the coarser classes, hut generally speaking the decline was evident over the whole range. The exact reasms are hard to determine, hut. obviously buyers are now om-ratiog under limits much more severe than they were subject to three weeks ago. At times to-dav the bidding was singularly spiritless. Crossbred wools, even of a good class, seldom realised over 2Gd and was more frequently in the vicinity of 2'M and 29d and pieces up to U’cjd or 17(1. Lambs’ wool was in demand up to 27(1. The existing prices, despite the decline, represent a satisfactory return tor the producers. Ycrv few lots were passed in. RULERS OF IRELAND. DISCONTENT GROWING. AUCKLAND. December 8; “The Irish people are saving they would lie glad to have tlie British Government hack again. They are ‘Agin tin- (lovermi-.ciit ’ once more, hut this time it is their own Free State regime.’’ So (h-clared Mr I*. I-.. I.ilidsay Pope, landowner, of f'oiioly Cork. Ire land, wlm anived by the Ruapehu yesterday. Mr Lindsay Pope is no stranger to New Zealand, this being the latest of several tours in which lie has combined visits to Rotorua with fishing trips in both tla* North and South Islands.

Mr Lindsay Pope said that the Free State Government was working against tremendous didicnlties. 'I lie whole country seemed stagnant. Trade was at a standstill and tln-re was no money. No one could got paid and even the Government appeared to have no fluids. It had heavy commitments to meet for compensation, hut those who had been awarded such sums had great difficulty in getting payment. The same difficulty appeared in the administration of the new Land Purchase Act. The tenants paid rent and purchase instalments to the Government, hut the landlords could not get the payments duo to them Iron-, the Government. Of course, they would t o paid eventually, hut at the moment (hi- (iovernment seemed almost bankrupt and at its wit’s end to find money, so it held on to the rents as long as possible. The tenants also Were dissatisfied. Tu the old days, when they had paid their rents, they were done. Now. although the rents were lower, the taxes more than made up the difference and the tanner was reallv worse o!f than In-lore.

The Government would be bard put to it to survive the present discontent. The resident, Mr. W. T. Cosgrave. was a good and able man, but was terriblv handicapped by poor physique. The real power in the Government was Mr Kelvin U’Diggins, Minister tor T-Tomo Affairs, who was a nephew of the Governor-General. Mr T. M- Hcaly. Mr Lindsay Pope said he expected that real trouble would yet come as a result of. the boundary dispute with Plster. and if the upshot was a return to British rule many would welcome it. •• But that is a vain hope,” he smilingly admitted. “ Britain has had enough of Ireland, and was so glad to get out that she will never return. Ireland was peaceful enough now. and that was gain enough, as lie fully realised.

“ HIS PROMISE STANDS.” «T ITEM ENT BY THE HON. J. 0. COATES. CHRISTCHURCH, December P. “ M,. Massey made a promise, and Mr Massey’s promise stands there s no question about that. The Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works, made this remark during the discussion of matters relating to the Tekano power scheme at Tiinaru vosterdav morning, when <ons.dera .Ic stress was laid by the. members ot the deputation from the Tekano Development League upon tin' promise made l, v Mr Massey in 102-’ relative to tie South Canterbury people developing the scheme. . , ~ , “ We have never questioned that, Mr T. D. Burnett. M.P.. for Temiika. replied. “It is only the anti-Govern-meut people who have done so.” “Mr Massev is our guiding star, the Minister said, “and those who don’t agree with him, f rather pity. Then in earnest tones: “He is the gentleman T wish to be loyal to, and shall be loyal to—mv personal affection towards him is sufficient for that as well as my regard for him as a man. The figure Mr Massey makes in Imperial matters we, as New Zealanders, should be proud of.”