General News.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 30 May 1918, Page 4

General News.

A complaint by persons who had been employing Jugoslav workers that the Government called up the Jugoslavs to public works at wages higher than those they had been hitherto getting, was mentioned by Mr E. Burns at the Chamber of Commerce at Auckland. Mr Burns stated that the point raised was that if the aliens were called up by the Government for such work it was unfair that they should be given wages higher than the soldiers who were fighting for us, thus really receiving a premium because of their alien nationality, instead of sharing in the monetary sacrifice that fighting men of British blood were called on to make. The Chamber decided to make enquiries on the subject from the District Public Works Engineer.

After a service of fifty-seven years on the sea, Captain C. Hopkins, master of the Waiotahi, has retired to take up a position on the shore staff of the Northern Steamship Company, Auckland. Captain Hopkins is one of the oldest masters in the New Zealand coastal trade. He was born in London in 1844, and at the age of two he came to New Zealand with his father, the late Mr C. Hopkins, of the 68th Regiment. He went to sea when 17 years of age, served on a number of coastal sailing vessels, and then joined the Northern Company's service. Captain Hopkins was a prominent oarsman, and on one occasion, with Captain Parker, rowed from Auckland to Mahurangi, about 25 miles distance. After winning a race there they rowed back to Auckland. Captain Hopkins holds the Boyal Humane Society's medal for saving life off the Queen's wharf, i Auckland, about 30 years ago. j A speaker at the schools football 1 meet at Masterton caused considerable

amusement by a rather humorous suggestion. He pointed out the difficulties many married teachers had to face in looking after their lads on Saturdays, as they had wives and gardens to consider. He stated that some relief coula be afforded them by the few single men left, who could volunteer to, on Saturdays, look after the —er —gardens. What happened to the man who hid his talent in the earth was well drilled into our minds when we were boys. The first example of it in actual practical life in these days occurred in England only a litle while since. An English farmer was brought up under the new agricultural f«r no other offenco than that of the man in the parable. He had a farm of 200 acres, which he had held for 30 years, and the crime of which he was convicted was simply neglect. He was not cultivating his land as the law demanded; he was ordered to pay a fine of £10 and £50 more in special costs, and, better still, he was directed to jracate the farm within 14 days. '' a clearing place for German prisoners at ," says an extract from a letter received by a Wellington resident from England, "and they are drafted from there to all parts of the country. Von Tirpitz 's son, who w-as among one draft of prisoners, passed a sentry, land in doing so spat at him. The sentry threw down his rifle, and went for him and punched and pommelled him well. Of course he was had up, and given three days' C.8., not, he was told, because he had struck the German (because he would have been in his rights to bayonet him), but because he had put down his rifle. Tho I sentry told the men who told me the tale that he would h»ve done six days C.B. for the pleasure it gave him to tlirash the German." The busy haunts of men are seldom sought as sanctuary by game birds on the wing, but the unique occurrence of a hen pheasant invading a city office was reported at Auckland on Thursday afternoon. The bird, which came from the east, flew into the Boyal Insurance Company's buildings in Queon Street, and swerved into the office of Mr G. B. Oflmond, by whom it was secured. The regulations foreshadowed by the Minister for Defencc, preventing the supply of alcoholic liquor to newly arrived returned soldiers, will be promulsated in the near future. The amount ff trouble caused in this connection has not been very large, but it has been serious enough to demand official atten- ! tion The size of the returning drafts ' is incroasing, and the proportion of men who still require careful attention tends to increase. Medical officers are strongly of opinion that no wearing the hospital uniform should be served in an hotel bar under any condi-

in Germany not In Austria are leather boots obtainablc. Ttic Bhort. age of leather is so great that leather boots can no longer be supplied to the army. It is estimated that 40 per cent, of the soldiers have boots with wooden soles. The "standard" boots made under Government supervision for tno civilian population have only 10 per cent, of leather. In many German towns it has becomo a common thing for women and girls to be held up in the streets at night, and robbed of their boots. The uppers of all boots now being turned out in Germany are made of old canvas or paper. Concerning the standard boots, tW says. "Heavy, clumsy boots, made out of all sorts oi substitute materials, with paner and wooden soles, several in thickness; the weight and balk of them increased by the huge nails and protectors wijth which they are studded. The price for these monstrosities is extraordinarily high. Whereas in peace time good durable leather hf?ots could bo purchased, at about 12s Mils war footwear costs 245. Whether the paper uppers will keep out the cold :n<J Tret is extremely doubtful.'' BewZying to a question yesterday as to the skipping factor in relation to reinforcements, Sir James Allen said '-at Now Zealand would not bo able to c ulfil completely (Uje Imperial Government's request fw additional reinforcements up to August, because the '•lipping space available was a little Solow the need, but ithc Dominion's quota would be nearly equal to the commitment. The Defence Minister added that he anticipated that after August the rate of reinforcement would be the M!ime as it was before the present tem"votftry increase (about 800 extra infantrymen per month). The M&eterton branch of the Protes-

■irit Political Association having writ-

vi to the loeal County Council qucsinning a readjustment of its staff and tfie appointment of an the '.'.hairman said that he had y«£ to learn that councillors were responsible <tf} fl.ny organisation or clique for the manner in tvhich they administered the affairs of th« ratepayers. A reply was forwarded Indicating that the appointment had been swide on demonstrated merit and experience fl.nd had found to be satisfactory. An ex-Eltham resident, but now Oi Patca, drew a winning tfeket in the T'aJmerston North art union. JEIe was not fortunate enough fo win the m»i|Cb?ovet«<d motor enr, but he won a rae-e----horse, a prize which had advertised as being worth £200. For a prize of such value, the winner thought he could stand the expense of going to Palmerston to look after it, although lie would be losing his wagtvs.—l6s per day—by doing so. He accordingly went to Palmerston North, and when the*# the best offer he could get for the steed was £10. and an attempt was made to charge him for grazing.—Argus.

(Continued from page 3.) to Kent street. The Treasurer also pointed out that coal had gone up 25 per cent. The ledger accounts after many years working only totalled £121, against which they had a liquid asset of over £1600 in the way of gas fittings, etc. The splendid result was largely due to the way the previous Treasurer (Mr Goldsmith) had kept his eye on the accounts and Mr Gardener said he was endeavouring to follow up the system which had been so successful in the past.

The detailed estimates are as follows: GENERAL ACCOUNT. Estimated Receipts 1918-1919 £ s | General rate and arrears, lid in £1 JoS m ' Subsidy on rates 187 1U Licenses: Carters, cabs, hotels BOU Dog registration 22 10 Building permits 4 Baths 30 Library 40 Sales f Rents , 625 Sanitation Clerical share water and gas department 90 Sundries Total 3409 0 Expenditure. Maintenance:. „ Wages 450 0 Crushed metal 400 0 Water races 150 -J{ Tn** work Ivl) Timber, tools, sundries 80 0 Carting 2 |° J , Steam roller " Sanitation %% " New lamps „ Hospital Board 110 0 Office salaries "j?j> x Lighting, cleaning O" u Printing, advertising and stationery 'y " Library , Y. Fire Brigade ™ Pound .g? R Gardens and reserves ±A) " Insurance JJr n Legal X Band ' on n License share ? n Valuation Department < u Audit fees ' i~ n Baths 5 Mayor's honoifarium 0" " Bank charges . oc. n Lake Domain subsidy " Scenic Domain subsidy i<J " Interest streets loan 10/ u Horowhenua C.C. 1J „ Gravel reserve j-~ " Do. Debenture 50 U Sundries 14 Debit balance Total 38(50 3 WATER ACCOUNT. Receipts estimated 1918-1919. Water rate and arrears 975 0 Supply outside Borough 350 0 Power . 170 0 Engines, Farm, Public Buildings 130 0 Total 1625. 0 Estimated Expenditure Interest : £18,000 loan 825 0 Sinking fund 135 0 £4000 loan 142 13 £2200 loan 107 5 £1200 loan 58 10 £750 loan 42 1 Connections 40 0 Maintenance, labour * 85 0 Clerical work 35 0 Spiral pipes stock 70 0 , Total . 1540 9 i GAS ACCOUNT. Estimated Expenditure. Coal and freight 1250 0 Wages manufacture 170 0 Water power 10 ® Manager's salary 225 0 Residuals 25 0 Street lamps 40 0 Departmental '5 0 Maintenance, renewals '• 100 0 Purification 30 0 Fittings and goods •'>•><> 0 Services and mains 100 U Meters £0 0 Cookers '0 0 Interest _ 409 0 Debenture No 9 100 U Sinking Fund No. 1 100 0 eneral, wages !UU u Sundries Total 3230 0 Estimated Receipts. Cr. Balance £597 Gas sales 2200 0 Street lamps 1 210 0 Coke and tar 300 0 Cookers, hire and purcase 50 0 Fittings and goods 450 0 Total 3210 0