DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEGEAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. TELEGRAPH OFTCK. HOURS OF WORK. WELLINGTON', March 6. The secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department lias furnished a reply lo a resolution purporting to have heeii passed by the Wellington Telegraph Officers protesting against conditions in tin; service and the ‘‘excessively long” hours which the officers are compelled to work. Mr Markinan says: “The, resolution makes it appear that the men are rcrpiired to work straight duties extending over eight hours without a spoil. The official record shows that during the fortnight ended February 28th. with the exception of certain night duty men. every man performing straight duty received a snell of 20 minutes each day, from Monday to Friday. inclusive of each week. As comparatively short hours are worked by almost every member of the staff on Saturdays, it is not practicable to give spoils on that day. The duties worked by the whole staff averaged 42 hours 23 minutes during the week ended February 2]st. and 41 hours 23 minutes during the following week.” Mr Markham asks whether such hours can reasonably he termed “excessively long.” A PIONEER'S HEATH. AUCKLAND. March G. Airs Amelia Jane Haszard. a lady who went through almost unprecedented experiences during the night of the Tarnwera eruption, died this morning at Mason’s Avenue, Herne Bay, aged 82 vearS.

Deceased was horn at Prince Edward Island, and came to New Zealand with her parents in 1859 in the brig Prince Edward. Mrs Haszard married her cousin. the late Mr Charles Albert Haszard, who was at one time a compositor on the “Southern Cross” newspaper. In 1880 Mr Haszard was the teacher of a native school at the time the village of Wairoa was buried as a result of the eruption of Mount Tarawera.

Air Haszard and three of the children lost their lives on that awful night, hut Airs Haszard and two daughters escaped. Ejecta from the volcano buried the village, and the roof of the Haszards’ house fell in, pinning Alls Haszard bv her arm. Two daughters who were with her managed to get out of the window and took refuge in a neighbour’s fowl-house. Mrs Haszard sat in the mined house all night, hut was rescued next day. Deceased is survived by one daughter. Airs Ilia Hobbs, of Pakaknra. and also by two brothers. .Messrs A. .1. Haszard, of Hamilton, and S. E. Haszard, formerly of the postal Department, and also by a sister. Airs (1. W. Murray. I.adv Parr is a niece of the deceased.

STOLEN TEA. WELLINGTON. .March (!. A carrier named Herbert Alexander Price pleaded guilty at the ATagist rate's Court to receiving two chests of tea, valued at £l4, the properly of the Wellington Harbour Board. Accused alleged that lie was leaving Queen’s Wharf with Hour when a storeman approached with two chests of tea and said:—“l will go fifty-fifty.” Accused took the tea. The solicitor for the Harbour Board said that the storeman and casual employees in the slice! bad been brought before accused, who said that none ol the men paraded bad given him the tea. The board’s officers had held an inquiry and were satisfied that the employees were not implicated. The Magistrate said there was no evidence reflecting on any official of the Board. Accused was. admitted to probation for 18-inontlis. a condition being that he abstain from intoxicating liquor.

.MOTOR CAR ACCIDENT. AUCKLAND. AI arch 7. A large motor car occupied by the driver and Tour passengers was wrecked in Beach Road at midnight. The ca: torched one of the centre tram poles and all the occupants, except the driver were thrown out. One man. believed to he Norman Cox was severely injured and in a stale of unconscioasnos was removed to the hospital, ’two ladies are suffering much from shock.

Mli HOLLAND IN' REPLY. CARTERTON, March 7. Speak in*; here List 11 iii 1 1 1 Mr Holland (Loader- of the I.abcui l’arty) declared Mr AV.il! old’s latest .statement hard ly deserved a serial's nr.siver Ills charge that Labour and Reform were working together in political strategy only amounted to suggestion. Ho ihoii.jt.ht it due to tl.e public that Mr WiLcrd should make a dealer explanation of his present position. Ft Air AVilford really believed the chaise which in redundant terminology he levelled against the Labour Party c being Communists, Internationalists, Karl Alarxi.sts and Disloyalists, he had yet to explain why he quite recently he wa.s not only ready, hut anxious to associate himself with that Party I’t.r the special purpose of defeating Reform. He for one hoped the Reform party would make the alliance which Air AVilford wa.s pleading for, the spoedv and immediate consequences of which would he the amalgamation of the two anti-Lahour parties.

AXEMEN’S MEETING POSTPONED. MURCHISON, AlaUdi 7. Hie Axemen’s Association last night, owing to the continued restrictions decided to postpone the Championship Meeting till April 11th. (Paste.;- Saturday). Consequently nominations are extended till March 21st. DEATH OF A MISER. AUCKLAND, A larch 7. Edward AYehlon, aged -10, who lived the life of a recluse in a hut built by himself, at Otalmhu, was removed from his squalid surroundings by the District Health Inspector to the Auckland Infirmary, and died there on Thursday. Recently lie sold some land for six hundred pounds. It is understood that he was possessed of property, etc., to the* value of six thousand pounds. TROUBLE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. NEW PLY-MOUTH, A larch 7.

The waterside situation here is unchanged. The employees stand by a resolution of theirs not to call for lahour until the Union gives an undertaking similar to that given at Wellington to ahide by the terms of the award. No vessels are yet affected, except the llurunui, respecting meat.

SILENT TALKERS. LONDON, January “Air R. E. Corder's description of lip-language hy a deal' mute at Rowstreet Police Court>' writes n > orres-pomk-nt, ■’ recalls the remarkakls feats of Lancashire mill girls in the Pie,.l language. ‘Tu tl.e rattle of the weaving-shed and the drone of the spinning-rooms it is • impossible to hear the spoken word unless shouted in the ear. The factory hand, however, relieves the monotony of mechanical labour by exchanging gossip) across the weaving shed or over the spindles hy talking with a silent movement of her lips. “Attracting the attention of a friend by a drawn-out ‘S-s-s-s,” distinctly heard above the drone of the machinery, the weaver or spinner 1 talks rapidly and cnfidentiallv with her lips. So expert are these women and girls that they can carry on a silent con-