NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8339, 27 January 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

During the course of his address on the slaughtermen’s trouble at Petone on Saturday night Mr T. M. Wilford said he considered eight hours a day was all a man should work. If engaged for a longer period overtime rates ought to bo paid.

The stationmaster at Avondale (Mr 0. J. Moon) met with a serious accident on Wednesday evening. Mr Moon had occasion to board a train at the station, and in stepping back to tho platform again his foot became twisted, and he fell heavily on his head, sustaining severe injuries.

Speaking at Petono on Saturday, Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., stated that he believed it wae madness to make a fixed price for ever in. regard to a man’s labour. It was not wise to settle a rate of pay for a long period. In work such as tliat of a slaughterman the remuneration depended upon the price the producer was getting for bis stock. Since the right was given lease-in-Ecrpctuit y settlers to purchase the freeold, eighteen properties in Southland have been disposed of, comprising acres, the largest having an area of 1630 acres, and others containing 320, 200, and 172 acres respectively (says the “Southland Daily News”). Two meetings of the Land Board have been held since the Act came into operation, so an average of 1267 acres have been sold for cash each month. Masts and apparatus for the new 2-J----kilowatt wireless station on the Chatham Islands are now being prepared by the Post and Telegraph Department, and will probably bo conveyed to the islands at an early date. It is uncertain when the whole station and associated buildings will bo ready, but it is understood that work will be proceeded with by the department without delay. The station, which is to be situated on a commanding elevation about half a mile from Waitangi, will require a special building with living quarters for the operators. The site selected is reported to be very fine, and preliminary arrangements have been made for planning the locality. In spite of the fact that the freezing companies have not yet started operations in the Otago district, and that largo numbers of stock are com ing in to the market each week, prices for cattle, sheep, and lambs are still very high (says the “Daily Times”). The probability is, however, that the weekly offerings of stock will show an increase from now on, and unless the freezing works are reopened at the usual time—about the middle of February—prices will likely show a serious decline. As was pointed out to one of our representatives on Thursday, fanners iu any case have nothing to complain of when this year’s prices for stock and wool are jointly token into consideration.

A feature of the wool sales hold at Dunedin on Wednesday was that quite a number of large station clips which have hitherto been exported to Great Britain for sale were this year placed on the local markets, states the “Otago Daily Times.” Some idea of what sue a change means may be gathered from the fact that among the clips alluded to are those from the Bocklands, Beaumont, Cecil Peaks, Otekaikc and Glen ooe stations. The wool in these clip; was beautifully got up, perfectly classed and in splendid order, and made good prices. The Wool Brokers’ Association states that the revised number of bales submitted at the sale was 27,000. The wealth which is represented by the January offerings in this portion of the Dominion alone may he gauged by a simple calculation. Tin wool will average approximately £]4 per bale at current prices, and 27,000 bales represent in money value £330,600. As the sale constitutes a record for the Dominion, special interest attaches to these figures. The price; realised average nearly l£d over those realised last season. The total value of the wool exported from the Dominion last year was £6,579,074, and. other things be : ug equal, this season’s advance in values will mean an increase in this amount of £921.070, or 14 per cent., the greater portion of which will go into the pockets of the flock-ownors of th? Dominion.

" V labour problem is never going to to solved bv Act; of Parliament, renarked -Mr T. It. 1\ Ilford, M.l ~ at iis meeting at Petouo on Saturday dnht. "You may alter the form of it, nil vow will never cure it.”

The Maheno, which left Sydney at I p.m. on Wednesday for Auckland, with Knglish and Australian mails, arrived at Auckland at noon yesterday. The southern portion of the mails will arrive at Wellington by the main trunk express this afternoon.

There is no foundation in the report, so far as can be gathered, says the Greymouth correspondent of tho “Lyttelton Times,” that the boys at soma of the West Coast coal mines were going out ou strike in consequence of the enforcement of the Defence Act. It is understood that those primarily interested are earnestly considering the position.

‘Tf 30s is given docs that mean that die other matters are of no moment?” asked somebody of Mr Wilford when tho latter was discussing the slaughtering trouble at. Pet-one on Saturday night. “I don’t think that gentleman who interjected is a slaughterman,” observed Mr Wilford. “Oh, yes he iso bo is a ‘beaut,’” chorused several of the audience.

The lioness in Wellington Zoo is either to be returned to Wirth ]3ros.» who lent it to the Zoological Society, or its value, £llOO, paid. An effort is being rnado to raise this amount by nublic subscription, in order to retain :he animal, which, with “King Dick,’ forms a great attraction at Newtown Park. Mr John Fuller, jun., has given £3 3s, and Messrs George and Kersley Z 5 ss. Further subscriptions will bo gladly acknowledged by tho town clerk.

At the meeting of tho council of the Vow Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, held at Christchurch last Thursday evening, Mr G. S. Hill, the council’s representative on the Olympio Committee, wrote stating that the sum of £OO 10s had been wired to Mr Henry in connection with Champion’s nominal* don for the Olympic games. At _ the next meeting of the Olympic Council ha would have something to say on the matter in respect to the negligence or the Australian body. He would make olio most use of Champion’s case in support- of his arguments for separate representation when his motion again came up. It had been clearly demonstrated that allied to Australia the interests of Now Zealand had been sadly neglected. “It is the duty of unionists, no matter what union they belong to, to stand to their union loyally in whatever steps are* taken,” said Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., when speaking on tho slaughtermen’s strike at Petone on Saturday night. “That is the only possible way in which union can be strength.” There might bo men in the Slaughtermen s Union who thought that 25s a hundred was a sufficient wage, there might bo farmers amongst tho Farmers’ Union, who produced tho stock, and considered that 30s was not too much to pay to slaughtermen. But, the f.armor who considered so, had to stand to his union, and the man who was of opinion that 25s was enough had to abide by the decision of the officers of his union. Individual opinions were not entitled to overrule a union.

Anglers will bo greatly interested in a suggestion which was made to the Prims Minister at Taupo by a deputation. It was that tho Government should hand over the complete control of the troutfishing in the Lake Taupo waters to experts, with tho object of improving tho fishing and regulating it properly. The idea commended itself to Mr Massey. Ho said that ho thought a very great deal had been left undone in regard to the fishing at Taupo. There had been for a long time a great waste of fish and that should no longer bo permitted. He could not suggest the remedy, for he was not an expert, but he proposed that Mr Ayson, the Government fisheries expert, should report on tho present position of the Taupo fisheries, the possibilities of tho future, and the need for conservation. Ho would place this suggestion before the Minister for Marine and he had little doubt that it would be acted upon.—“N.Z. Herald.’ The Taumarunui correspondent of tho “New Zealand Herald” writes:, For some time past there has been a growing feeling in this .part of tho country that a now hospital district should be constituted from the southern portion of tho Waikato, having Taumarunui as its centre, and that the present local institution, which is a sort of receiving house for Hamilton, and contains only nine bods, should be enlarged to ono containing thirty or forty beds, and have a resident surgeon and complete staff of nurses. By. those who are agitating the matter, it is emphatically stated that they are by no means dissatisfied with tho treatment received by King Country patients at tho Hamilton Hospital. The chief reason for the proposed change is that a great deal of precious time is lost before tho patient can be transported to Hamilton, and' that much avoidable pain is thus caused to the unfortunate sufferer. Besides, every hour of delay lessons tho chance of saving an injured man. As tho Mayor of Taumarunui remarked at a recent meeting called to further tho scheme, “it is simply gambling with human life to permit any delay which can possibly be avoided.”

The fact that the two applications made by Mr G. Brighton to purchase the freehold of the coal-bearing leases were held over by the Land Board at Thursday’s meeting suggests that the high authorities have awakened to the gravity of the position (says the “Southland Daily News”). There seems to bo no possible way for the department to mitigate the consequences of the blunder made, and under the existing land laws the applicant must obtiiin the areas for which ho has applied. These comprise sections 207 and 210, Wairio, containing respectively 210 and 102 acres, the original values being 5s to 7s 6d and the present value (including minerals) £76 per acre, so that another £23,000 is going from the State to mark the initiation of the new and progressive land legislation of the Reform party. It has been questioned by a prominent Christchurch supporter of the Government if the facts are as have been set out. Unfortunately there is no doubt in the matter. Mr Brighton obtained his first lease-in-perpetuity of section 206, Wairio, consisting of 172 acres 3 roods 38 poles, and under the beneficent Act of 1912 was able to purchase his holding for £4O 16s. and the provisional title to the land has already been granted. With this transaction all responsibility passes out of the hands of the Land Board, and the sale to a syndicate for £SOO is not hedged round by any reser. vations. ’When Mr Brighton has been granted the freehold of the two seotions for which he has applied the State will have been deprived of about £36,000 on his account alone. What this means in New Zealand it is difficult to say, hut that it mav run into between £IOO,OOO and £150.000 before the law can be amended is not at all improbable. The supporters of the Roform party are invited to make any - inquiries they think desirable in this matter.

Stops aro being taken in New Plymouth to celebrate the anniversary of tlio rirovince ao<l tho battle of A\ ajreka. Tho anniversary of tho province falls on .March hint, anti that of Wai-l-oka on March 28th, and tho two occasions will bo jointly celebrated by a gathering of veterans and pioneers at tho Recreation Ground on March 27th. Tho Farmers* Co-operative Freezing Company’s ivories at i/atoa are presenting a busy appearance-. Tho holding paddocks aro well lillcd with cattle and sheep, and tho season has been a record ono in every department. On Thursday night 106 tons of meat left tho works for AVciliiigton by special train in order to catch tho Homo boat, whilst a largo quantity is in tho refrigerator ready to bo shipped as soon as tho local boats aro ready.

Tho Eitham correspondent or the *‘ Taranaki Herald ” has been told by Hr Ben Boycs that, during tho past twelve months his sixty odd hens and twelve ducks have brought him in £75 clear profit, “Ho reckons each member of tho poultry yard has returned him 20s clear of expenses, which shows that there is something in keeping fowls besides clearing the kitchen scraps. Mr Boyes’ total taking for the sale of eggs was £ll4, and ho is willing to show anyone interested his books of cost and sales. Brown .Leghorns and 'Wliito 1 locks were the poultry strains, I believe, and Indian Runner tho breed of duck kept by him.”

Whatever one may think of tho politics of Sir Joseph Ward, ono cannot help admiring his patriotism when abroad (remarks tho “Wairarapa Ago”). It would have been tho easiest thing imaginable lor him, on his arrival in England, to have made tho task of Mr Alton in raising a loan for the Dominion somewhat difficult. Instead of doing that, however, ho has gone out of his way, in an interview with tho “Financial News,” to state that Now Zealand offers tho surest ground in the world for tho investment of capital. When he said this ho was speaking what is undoubtedly tho truth. But it would have been so easy for him not to have 'said it. His attitude in this matter affords a striking proof of his loyalty to tho Dominion, if it does nothing else.

A much-travelled Now Zealander, largely - interested in stock and farming generally, was in the. Manaia district last week, the “Witness” says. As a matter of course he visited the Kaupokonui Dairy Factory and went over the extensive premises with much interest. In conversation with one of the company’s directors subsequently he' expressed himself as being both surprised and pleased with the complete and modem character of tho mechanical equipment of the factory and the facilities generally for purposes of manufacture. “I have travelled extensively,’' he said, “in America, Canada, England, and other countries, and have seldom seen anything to compare with your factory arrangements here. But,” ho added, “oatsido of the factory you are tho most primitive and tho least progressive people I have seen anywhere. I speak in reference to road transit, to the transport of your produce. Why, ycu’ro not much past the bullock waggon stage. The contrast is most extraordinary. Inside, in nil yonr manufacturing processes, you ■ire in the van of progress. Outside, in the matter of transport,, yon are fifty years behind tho times. Enterprise nnd progress appear to ho dead. How do you account for it?” Touching Te Rerepahupahu falls in tho Waitafinga river and tho claims to be their discoverer, Mr James Lander, of New Plymouth, tells tho “Taranaki Herald” that in 1891 he and Messrs D. P. Hellier and Charles Smith, now of Inglewood, were working for Messrs H. Brown and Co. In March they obtained a holiday and started off on a prospecting tour into tho King CountryGoing in from Tongapomtu they reached the Taugarakau near tho western entrance to the gorge on the Ohnra road. They followed the river up, passing a small fall by tho way, past the confluence of the Mangakahikatea, above which the main river is now called the Waitaanga. About a mile or so above tho confluence they came upon the big fall. That was on March 15th, 1891. They estimated tho height at about 300 feet, while the stream at tho top appeared to be no more than nine opden feet wide. Tho fall was a sheer drop into a pool at tho foot, where tho Weight of water caused waves about two feet high to rise. Right under the fall and at the back of ft was a lodge of rock forming a footpath, along which they walked, and thov cut their names deeply in tho rock. Thcv then climbed up through tho bush on to the head of tho fall and waded the river a mile or so above. Hero it had a flat rocky bottom, the stream being about a hundred feet wide and four or five inches deep. Mr Lander considers that tho falls are more accessible from tho Ohura road than from tho Mangaroa-Okau side. Fashion has declared in favour of certain distinctive Hairdressing Styles for tho present season. A large range of Human Hair goods for the fashionable modes has just come to hand from tho leading Hair Merchants of London. Transformations. ■£■! 4s; Troupes, .£2 2s; Curl Clusters, 15s. Free lessons to purchasers. Mrs Rolleeton, Lamb ton quay lopp. Economic). —Advt.