DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1927, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. GRADING OF SCHOOLS. ALTERATION IN DATES. WELLINGTON. Oct. 25. The Education Department lias decided upon a change in the date of the grading of schools for staffing purposes. In future the grading from February Ist in each year will lie based on the average attendance of the four quarters ended September HOtli instead ol on the four quarters ended Decemlier .‘list as at present. Following are some of the advantages which it is hoped will lie gained from the alteration: — ia) Education Boards would know three months beforehand what the staff of each school would he from February Ist, whereas now the staffing is known only a few days before the schools open. (li) Steps could he taken to have all new appointments made and increases or reduction of staffs provided for so that the teachers could commence in their new positions- from February Ist. (e) The employment of a large number of relieving teachers would he avoided with a corresponding increase in the efficiency of the schools. (d) The work of regrading the schools and rearranging the staffs could lie done at a time when the Board’s staffs were not Imsily occupied with other duties as they are now during .1 annul y. (e) Teachers would know before the holidays what transfers were being made and removals could he made during the holidays. Should the attendance at any school increase during the December quarter so as to require a larger staff, an additional assistant can lie provided in accordance with the regulations.

SAFETY FIRST. TWO MEN ON A LAUNCH. WELLINGTON, Oct. 25. Settlers in the Nelson district, whose produce is transported by launch, recently petitioned Parliament asking for relief from the Marine Department regulation requiring two experienced men to lie in charge of launches transporting cargo, it being represented that this increased the cost of transport. The Public Petitions Committee reported to-dav recommending the question to the attention of the Government. “This leaves it where it was,” commented the Minister of Marine, the Hon. G, Anderson, who proceeded to deal with the general aspect of safety of oil launches. Experience had shown, be said. Hint where petrol launches wore in use it was necessary to have two experienced men on hoard, who were conversant with machinery, and who could sail the launch if anything went wrong. He supposed that Auckland Harbour was one of the safest, just as good as the Nelson coast, yet

a man recently took out a launch from Auckland, and that was the last heard of it. Fortunately for the Marine Department, the man owned this launch. There was nothing in law to prevent anyone taking his own boat where he liked so long as he did not transport goods or passengers for hire. The experience of the Marine Department’s c.lticers over n long period showed that it was not safe to allow these launches to go to sea with only one experienced man aboard. There was an example in Auckland Harbour recently where the engine of a launch went wrong and while the only experienced man in (barge was looking to the engine, a ferry boat ran down the launch. He had discussed the difficulty with the Nelson people, and showed reports on the subject to the chairman of the County Council, asking him what he would do under similar circumstances in view of expert opinion. The reply was that the Minister could do nothing else than carry out the regulation. This desire to run launches with one man was common throughout New Zealand. but in face of experience it could

A ROUGH TRIP. F'F.IMIV .STEAMER IX GALE. I . i CH RLSTOHCRCII. Oct. 20. ! The ferry steamer Waliine, after an | exceedingly roll'll) passage from Wellington last night, arrived at Lyttelton • yesterday morning an hour and twenty | minutes late. I The vessel left Wellington during the ! full force of a southerly gale. Outside I Wellington Heads she ran into high j seas, which tossed the vessel about I heavily during the crossing of Cool; j Strait. The passage was a very unpleasant one, and there was much seaI sickness among women passengers, ] many of whom were returning from the Wellington races. It was not until the vessel had passed Cape Campbell that the weather eased off a little. Heavy snow, hail and rain squalls wer" experienced throughout the night, making visibility extremely poor. Nevertheless the vessel made good progress, and berthed at Lyttelton at 8 a.m., landing 277 saloon and about CO steerage passengers, including some ex the Tahiti. | As the passengers were landing they were welcomed by a heavy hail shower, i ■ i FINANCIAL (ASPECTS. j

WELLINGTON', Oct. 23. “ Eor sonic little time we lmve been ' passing through a. period of depression. We enn’t shut our eyes to that fact, but the indications now point to better times ahead, and. indeed, to a brighter future than has been the case for many years past. There is every indication of improved prosperity, and it only remains for the people of this country lo take full advantage of the improved conditions, and in a very short time we will have prosperous days with us once again,” said the Prime Minister (Mr Coates) to-night at the opening of the Pageant of Industries in the Town IT a 11. Their aims, he thought, should be in tile first place to purchase goods made in Xew Zealand, and, second, to purchase British goods whenever Xew Zea-land-made goods were not available.” ‘‘ It occurred to me,” he said, “ that if we can get our children to talk Xew Zealand-made goods and to foster Xew Zealand-made goods in every direction, then it is only a matter of from eight to ten years when that practice will !• ' a general one, and our industries will . be given the encouragement the; should have.” AUCKLAND THIEVES. AUCKLAND, Oct. 25. Smashing one of the glass panes of the door which gave them access to the lock, thieves broke into the chemist shop of Mr W. H. McKinney. Surrey crescent. Grey Lynn, on Sunday night ' and made a haul of over £IOO worth of stock. No money was stolen. Once inside they ripped down the curtain from a partition and tacked the heavy material over the door with a couple of glass pushpins while they worked. They were fast workers for they ransacked the place.