LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4370, 25 January 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of Railway employees was held at Paeroa last night, when a resolution wgs passed opposing the proposed reduction in wages of Railway employees.

A numerously signed petition in favour of the retention of the Saturday holf-holiday in Paeroa was received at the last meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council, and non 3 against. It is, therefore, a foregone conclusion that Saturday will be retained.

A campaign having for its object the-“boosting” of Paeroa is now. going on* and is being staunchly supported by the “Gazette” with its slogan of “Shop in Paeroa.” One good turn deserves another, which reputable old axiom might well be taken to hear; by those business firms, who get their printing done outside their own home town. The proprietors of the "Gazette" (Messrs W. D. Nicholas, Ltd.) pay out over £2OOO per annum in wages and salaries, which includes money received from outside advertisers. But the firm could circulate still more ready cash every Friday night if the few firms who do not themselves "Shop in Paeroa” wihen it comes to printing orders, were to mend their ways for the better. Our printing is second to none,. and the prices are as reasonable as are charged anywhere else tor similar quality of material and craftsmanship.

’ An astonishingly high-handed action in respect to the halfdholiday question has been taken by the Coromandel County CpuncUJ. Fourteen business people petitioned for Saturday, and none against. Nevertheless the Council decided upon Wednesday being the half-hoilday, The Act, by the way, was introduced not for ths employers so. much as for the employees, and if both employers and employees are not of a very slavish mental composition they will make prompt protest to the Minister, of In-* ternal Affairs on the matter. ,

A resident from Blackball has received a letter from a friend in the United' States, who was previously a miner in the Blackball mine (states the Christchurch " Press). He says : “No go-slow here; anyone suggesting such a thing would be lynched or shot. It is hustle and go for your life all the time.” (

“As was said by one offl the eminent Canadian university presidents, Great Britain has now the intellectual lead.ership of the world in her hands if she only has the courage to grasp and to hold it,” Sir Robert Stout stated in his report to the University Sendate. He was referring to the Com grass of Universities of the Empire held last July at Oxford, at which he was present, and said the broad, and patriotic spirit ,in which the whole proceedings were conducted was truly inspiring. There were not to be heard petty'jealousies, mutual carpings, or criticisms; the aim pf all seemed to be to try to make the highest education efficient within His - Majesty's Dominions.

The commissioners granted to fipoki sellers and stationers on the sale of postage stamps, which .was discontinued recently, is again to be allowed, says an exchange. Stationers have been notified by the Stamp Department that commission will be allowed on stamps up to and including tlie value' pf 2d. Although it was previously announced that booksellers would discontinue the sale of stamps as a result of the withdrawal of the commission, this step was not 'actually taken, and the licenses have been retained. Although the commission is limited to the lower values foitjie convenience Of the public most booksellers, will 'continue to stock stamps Of all values.

The condition of the notes issued by local banks seems to ‘be going from bad to worse (states the Christchurch Sun.) ‘ A clerk in a. large city establishment went to the bank on Thurs'i day to cash the weekly wage's cheque. He was tendered several bundles of filthy and obnoxious notes, and remons strated withi the teller. . Others were submitted and they included many notes in such a state pf <)irt 'and dilapidation that the date of issue was indecipherable. Others in a slightly less foul condition bore dates of 1914 and onwards. The Minister of Public Health is very solicitous just now abput the r,at nuisance, and, as rats are partial to paper, we suggest that he request the bank to call in half the present circulation, and, after 'duly cancelling the notes, they might be distributed as rat poison.

In the course of a speech in which he paid a compliment tp the Dunedin umpires for their fairness and general efficiency, the captain of one of the visiting country cricket teams told a good story (states the Dunedin “Star”). It was in a match in the nprth,' and two of the local players had been given "run out” when they were palpably not out - . The reverend gentleman who skippered the Ipcal team courteously approached the umi pire responsible for the decisions and asked him how it was the men had been given' out. “Why,” responded the umpire, “neither of the silly blighters ran past the wicket?’ The clerical gentleman then suggested to the opposing captain that a change of umpire would be desirable. The leader of the visitors was troubled. He agreed that he had known better umpires, lots of them; but'—“well, you see, this is the position,” he said: "Blank here (naming the umpire) was good enough to bring, two ofi our players in in his trap, from their farm fourteen miles out, and if w® turn him down the beggar won’t take ’em back.” Blank continued to umpire, but the succeeding batsmen 1 were careful to do the extra few feet each time they went for a run.

YOU can learn to heal the sick like RATANA. Particulars free. Apply Box 1397, G.P.0., 'Auckland*

We direct special attention to Mr D. McWatters’ summer sal© announcement on our first page to-day.

A meeting of the Thames Valley Jersey Breeders’ Club will be held in the Soldiers’ Club on Friday next at 11 a.m. .

It is stated that there is a likelihood of two Labour representatives, Messrs Sutherland and Beadley, addressing the Railway, Post and Tele-t graph, and Public Worths Department employees at Paeroa 'to-night, with th© object of forwarding the One Big Union movement in New Zealand.

An auction sale of the furniture and effects of Mr Beatty, Tirohia, is advertised to .take place on Saturday next at Parker and Marks’ auction rooms in Belmont Road,

At the Trentham races on Saturday a young lady put £1 in at the .totalisator window, but forgot to take her ticket. A man behind her reached out his hand and took the ticketunmindful that he was being watched. When challenged by the rightful owner he tried to “bluff it out,” but on the young lady threatening to call the police the ticket was handed back.

Better estimates ofl the damage done by the Omoana cloudburst have now been received by the Eltham County Council. The County engineer states it will cost between £5OOO and £BOOO to repair the main roads alone, and the cost of repairing all the toads in the devastated area would ,not be overestimated at

Representatives of the combined districts of Leamington and Cambridge had a meeting early in the present month to consider the matter of the Btattjtory halfl-hloliday, but were unable to come to any decision. A further meeting was held yesterday and on the basting vote of tlie chain man (Mr S. Lewis), it wlas decided to continue to observe Saturday afternoon as the half-holiday.

That an improvement in tne millipg industry in the North Island at least can be confidently anticipated in the -near future is evidenced by the’fact ■that the State Forest Serivce has recently disposed of a block of 5,000,000 feet of milling timber, principally rimu, near Raetihi for a sum of £10,597 13s. It is understood that a Rangitikei firm of sawmillers were the successful tenderers. It is also understood that other blocks of timber in the vicinity of the Main Triink line will shortly be placed on the market for competition.

New Zealand can really be very amusing at times (says the Sydney

“Telegraph”). One of its small counH cils (Takapuna) has permitted members of the Royal Lifer Saving Society to wear racing costumes on the beaches, providing that .they. wear overcoats > when not .actually in the water. Now, if only some of those councillors would come ovei- and ride out to Bondi on a Saturday afternoon tram and see the way Sydney does it J

The vital statistics for December show that the total births registered for the four principal urban areas amounted to 793,' as against 735 in November, an increase' of 58. The deaths in December yere 357, an' increase of 41 as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths males contributed 195 and females 162. Fifty-four of the deaths were of children under five years of age, being 51.41 per cent, of th© whole number. Thirty-nine of these were under one year of age. The deaths of 170 persons of 65 years and upwards were registered for the thirteen urban areas during the month of December, as against 169 in November. There were 59 deaths from cancer, and 39 from tuberculosis. Pneumonia accounted for 23.

Alleging that during the war he was twice wrongfully arrested, Patriel; Williaip O’Sullivan, of Palmerston North, has petitioned Parliament for compensation (states a [Wellington correspondent); He states that he enlisted, camp, was discharged as unfit for active service, went to camp again, and was again rejected. - After this he was arrested for failing to parade for medical exH amination when ordered to do so. He was imprisbned for one day, and then released. Subsequently he was arrested for desertion, being apprehended on a warrant issued for the arrest of one Cornelius O’Sullivan. The mistake in the name 'was pointed out to the magistrate who heard the charge of desertion, but the magistrate de-t clined to hear counsel,’ and handed petitioner over to the military authoritiesi Petitioner applied for a writ of habeas corpus, and obtained his discharge from custody. He states that his arrests caused ■ him considerable loss and sp much anxiety that they injured his health.

Returning from the most uneventful wreck it will probably ever be

their luck or misfortune to be concerned in 16 of the cr.ew of the stranded Karitane arrived in Sydney by the Westralia on New Year’s morning (sasy the Daily Telegraph). From ■the crew's point of view the loss of the steamer was not attended by any incident that would give them c.ause to remember it, other than 'just recalling its happening. The ship struck in a e calm sea, and when she was finally beached she gently shoved her nose .amongst the boulders nn<l settled down. The boats were swung and the crew landed with all their belongings. The arrangements were so orderly and complete that the ship’s cook was able to take a supply of necessaries .ashore and serve a hot meal. The only discomfort was experienced later, when about 20 men, under the second officer, set out in four of the ship’s boats, loaded with blankets, on a row round Deal Island to the lighthouse. ’At the north-west-ern corner they f6und the currents so strong that they decided to put inshore. In doing so the sea broke over them, and they were Compelled to put in a night ashore on "bully” beef and in wet