AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1932, Page 6

AUCKLAND NOTES

| ' *•-*. -H' * '!.. I (From our own’Correspondent). An old couple in Remuera had the "Unique experience';;...Of: celebrating' their golden wedding, the silver wedding of their daughter, and the marriage of their grand-daughter on the same day, last week; , ; 'J'-' l '~ What is claimed to be the first steam service car to be placed in operation in New,. Zealand in now being erected locally. The engine, and. chassis were built at the. Thames, and , the 'body is being constructed, by a local firm. The engine. is .capable, of developing 100 ,and the .Vehicle which, when completed. ' v will weigh, from '2f to. 3 tons, ha>a,ccomq}odation for 20 passengers, and »t is'anticipated will be capable of 60

niles an . hour on level country when fully loaded. .. The experiment, .. if successful; may have important results in establishing another important lo c al industry. ■ . 1

,What is “open slather?” It is a term which has just come into use in connection with the abortive Conciliation Council proceedings, which have lately been witnessed—-abortive because the representatives of the unions (allegedly acting under instructions from their political leaders) will not consider any reduction of wages and the employers equally emphatically will not consent to the wage? as in the past being left to the Arbitration Court to fix. • So there has, iso, far, been pretty generally speaking a. deadlock; This will ! continue until the unions realise that, either, there will (be awards arrived at. by conciliation —Or no awards at at!;' 1 It is'::the latter. contingency J which has led to the threat that if awards* lapsed there w'6u]d. be- “open slather”, in industry. The meaning was , illustrated in the plumbing trades dispute when the union representative Stated that “if employers cut the wages . down to a .shilling an hour independent journeymen could work for sixpence an hour—a man did not need a shop today to start business; There was nothing to'prevent the independent man cutting The inside' out'.of the trade, and if (the men’ went down the employers ',would go down algo.” Quite so! But as it happens, hundreds of employers have, already “gone down” through this very reason,'viz; that bound by fixed wages'"overtime rates, and other restriotioiis they were quite unable to oompete with those who, starting out on their own account', could take woyk practically any price as they were freed from' all restriction's imposed on the responsible employer. If the intention had been to wipe out employers altogether,’ i|t must be admitted a measure of success has been attained. But what good object ean be served by the increase in the number of workers thrown on their own resources, ' and entering into, n with 1 one another' for any job• of work offering it is hard to see.

.. Thq “mystery hike” excursions have proved very popular in Auckland; Some • three nave now been held, and some 1,200 people' were carried at last week end. As the supimer comes on' there •2utoq ’ t Jiaip)! jo if'jip.q'Bqojid still more extensively fcpatjrohlsed, as 'there are very’ many scenic attractions within a radius of a few miles, which up to The present have been for the most pari' available only to the motorist. ■ r

. Considerable interest is being taken in gold mining development, and the news from Australia, where it appears something in the nature of a mining boom is developing, is being closely ■ watched. A timely word'of warning has, however, ,'been issued, to investors, atrid it is doubtful whether purely speculative “-wild-cat” propositions will receive much encouragement. It has been, suggested tliat The Mines Department’ might welly,owing to the revival of interest in the gold mining industry, publish more information about the ajurifeco'us areas kribwn to exist in New“ Zealand as was 1 done in. the time of jjhe . late Mr Seddon.

Thiqves ar e still finding it dangerous to' dispose of the “loot” which they . rMnecced during' tfie riots., One of these light fingered gentry received a sentence of 14 days’ imprisonment this week ‘for attempting' to dispose of 25s worth of this stolen property. However, !a« he, had 27 previous convictions the punishment cannot be considered .a» very, drastic,

Parliament Is going to have some knotty problems to solve this session. If it manages to deal with the vexed 'question „of Civil Service superannuation a Central Bank to control note issue and exchange (as far as it/is possible for one unit of the British Empire to control it); and give effect to the drastic recommendations of the Economy Commission’s report it (Upll have a strenuous time before it ere rjeceso.

An increase of nearly 25 pef cent, in the number of cases before the .local Children’s Court has been reported during the past half year. There have been large increases in theft and )mischief dhargos. ,-Mf Cutten, the Magistrate in charge, says the period has been a difficult time for many parents and a disheartening one for many : children. One' redeeming feature in the report is that there has been a reduction in the number of cases in which the Court has had to take serious )' ' i ■ <*’• ?«»•?: ***' • vmeasures.

. Attention has been directed to the fact that while New. Zealanders travelling. abroad spend about three millions a year, this country receives less than a million, froqa tourjsts and visitors. Probably these figure*.-.w0u1d... he hard t o Verify 14 aesuming them as even