NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8349, 8 February 1913, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Professor Mackenzie is announced to speak on Canon Garland and the Bible in schools question at the ' U nitarian Church to-morrow evening. The offer of the City Council to the Government, with respect to the Manners street police station site was sent forward yesterday. In the meantime the details of the proposed transaction cannot bo made public. A committee of throe delegates has been set up by the Trades Council, in response to the Mayor’s request, to cooperate with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Association in interesting visitors to the city during carnival week in the industrial and commercial undertakings of Wellington. The ladies’ sub-committee, which has charge of the fancy and toy stall department of the Easter Carnival met last evening. It elected Mrs McLaren (the Mayoress) chairwoman and Miss H. Cane secretary. Reports to hand showed that offers of assistance had been received from Mesdames Couzens, Frost, Fossetti, McClune, W. B. Fraser, G. Goldstein, and the Misses Mays, M. Donnelly and B. Jacobs. It was intimated by Mesdames F. Coben and B. Fletcher that they had collected a quantity of goods and a number of donations for the stall. John Bowler, a dairyman, and his day for working a horse while it was Jr Ivor, Thomas Frederich, were prosecuted at the Magistrate’s Court yesterin a state of ill-health. It was stated to the court that the animal was suffering from open wounds on both sides of the withers, and on the chest and near forefoot. Besides being in a dirty condition it needed shoeing. It had been worked on one round in the morning, and was about to be taken out in the afternoon when Inspector Seed, of the S.P.C.A., prevented this being done. Subsequently a veterinary surgeon condemned it. Bowler was fined £3, with costs £1 10s, and Frederich £2, with , costs 9s. Mr W. G. Riddell was on the Bench. At King George Theatre last night a most interesting lecture entitled “A Trip Through America and Canada,” •llustratcd by lantern views, was given by Mr W. H. Russell, of Lower Hutt. There was a large attendance, and the lecturer was attentively listened to. The proceeds go to augment the funds of the Hutt District High School picnic and prize fund. The speaker handled his subject in a manner of an experienced lecturer, and succeeded in aptly word-painting a lengthy tour through the great continent, and at the conclusion of his remarks was accorded hearty applause. The latter portion of the programme was taken up with elocutionary and vocal items given by Miss Parsons and Messrs E. J. Hill, J. C. Bell, and J 1 Wray, who wore well received, * ,

Cabinet will meet this morning at 10 o’clock. The postal authorities advise that the Maheno, which left Sydny at noon on the sth inst. for Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, also an English mail via Suez. The Wellington portion will roach Wellington by Mam Trunk express on Monday afternoon. Advantage will ho taken by tho Wellington District Labour Council of tho existence of tho subcommittee of the Unity Congress, which is now in session preparing a political programme for submission to tho trades unions of Now Zealand. The subcommittee is to _oo asked to co-operato with tho district council in securing success at tho approaching municipal elections. Mr Samuel Turner telegraphs to tho Press Association as follows: “We successfully climbed Mount Tasman. Its height is not 820 ft less than Mount Cook. It is Now Zealand’s second highest mountain, 11,475 ft. We had 4000 ft of step-cutting, which cqnstitues a record on any mountain in the worldMy guides were Peter Graham and David Thompson, who did splendid work.” Unions affiliated with the district council of the United Labour party are to he furnished with hallot-jiapers for use in the plebiscite for the selection of Labour candidates in the municipal election campaign to tho full number of members on which ‘ capitation is paid, irrespective of whether those members are all resident in the municipal area. Many unions have members living beyond "the bounds of Greater Wellington, and this step is being taken to ensure that every' member affiliated shall have the right to vote at the ballot. A South Canterbury fruitgrower informed a representative of the Timaru “ Post ” that the fruit crop this season, so far as South Canterbury is concerned, is likely to bo a poor one. This grower and his neighbours have been sadly disappointed by the very meagre harvest they have gathered so far, and they say that their prospects are worse than their experience has been. .It is in apples and pears that tho loss will lie most serious, and the cause of the growers’ trouble is the prevalence or black spot. This disease has attacked the fruit with extreme violence and worked havoc in many orchards. The city of Wellington has not up bill now been written up as a place suitable in many ways as a holiday resort, but on account of the Citizens’ Carnival at Easter, this defect is to .bo remedied. The carnival committee has been notified that George and Kersley, of the “Economic,” have contributed a special donation of £lO 10s, to be distributed in prizes, for an essay or essays on the subject of Wellington as a popular holiday resort. Arrangements will be made to have selected essays published in the daily papers previous to Easter. The committee will shortly report as to the conditions governing the competition. The Mayor and executive committee have returned thanks for this handsome donation towards a doubly'useful purpose. The British North Borneo "Herald” of December 6th publishes an account of the tragic death of Mr J. SoottMason. Governor of British North Borneo. The fatality took place on the morning of December 6th. _ The Governor was riding in the vicinity of Government House. His horse was somewhat fresh, but his Excellency had it well in hand. Tho horse plunged, however, and the Governor was thrown and killed instantly. The terrible news spread quickly, and a large concourse of people gathered at Government House in tho afternoon to join in tho funeral procession. A public meeting to express sympathy with Mrs ScottMason was held in tho courthouse, Jesselton, on the afternoon of December 7th, and a memorial service was held in Sandakan Church the same evening. Both the Wellington District Labour Council, which, represents mainly the local unions belonging to the United Labour party, and the Wellington main branch of the party, which is representative of individuals not directly connected with trades unions, have by resolution urged all Labour bodies to accept the invitation of tho recent Labour Conference to bo present at an All-Labour Conference hero next July. On Wednesday night tho Wellington branch of the party decided to recommand the Labour Council (which mot the following night) to join in a request to 'the executive of the United Labour party to convene a conference of delegates representing the individual unions of the party just before the assembling of the larger conference. Tho recommendation was adopted, and as the Canterbury District Council has also moved in tho same direction it is probable that the executive of the party will take action as requested. Commenting upon tho rumour that the Government proposes shortly to make a number of appointments to the Legislative Council, the “Otago Daily Times” remarks; “The strongest argument against the strengthening of the numbers and personnel of the Legislative Council just now is that the mandate for the reconstruction of that Chamber has gone forth and that the inevitable effect of appointing fresh members to it must bo to postpone the date when tho constitutional reform can be fully accomplished. For this reason, the question of making fresh appointments might well bo reserved by the Government for consideration until after it has seen the manner in which tho Council deals with its proposals this. year. If its policy measures are unceremoniously rejected by the Council, there may be no alternative to the appointment of new members to that House. But it is not necessarily to be assumed that the Council will not pass thdse measures, including even that which means tho political extinction of many of its number.” The result of the conference between the Fort Chalmers Marine Labourers’ Union and tho shipping companies was an agreement which is to operate for twelve months (says the Dunedin correspondent of the Christchurch “Press”). Both sides submitted proposals, and there was a deal of compromise both ways, but it is said the men regarded the companies’ attitude. as neither unfriendly nor unreasonable. The union’s main aim was to better the conditions of their most poorly paid members, and it is in that connection, no doubt, that the principal increases in remuneration under the new agreement are to be in respect to engineer’s labourers and those employed chipping off iron rust from the inside of the hulls of iron vessels. For engineer’s labourers the old rate of Is per hour day work, and Is 6d per hour overtime, gives place to Is 3d per hour day work, and overtime from 6 to 10 p.m., Is lOd per hour, and from 10 p.m. onwards 2s per hour. The same figures apply exactly to the_ work of chipping and scraping the inside of vessel’s hulls. A feature of the agreement that is said to be likely to make for harmony is a provision that a local committee. composed of three from each side, shall deal with local grievances. This committee will appoint an independent chairman, and in case no solution of any difficulty is arrived at, the point in dispute is to be referred for settlement to the Federation of Labour and the employers.

Under the auspices of tho Unity Congress committee a meeting will bo held in tho Empress Theatre on Sunday night, when Messrs W. T. Mills, P. &- Hickey and others will speak in reply to the critics of unity. The “ Inangahna Times” reports that the. Consolidated groui) of mines is now taking on miners on wages for a month or two until the contracts are taken. There is room for 200 miners, and some can bo taken on at onco. Tho prospects of tho mines are exceedingly good. A renewal of tho machinery at the Iveepdt-Dark mine necessitated a stoppage for nearly a week. When tho Ellesmere (Canterbury) County Council was fixing the dog registration fees for tho ensuing year at the meeting last Monday, a suggestion was made that tho tax on dogs kept solely for rabbiting purposes should bo below that for sporting and house dogs, . seeing that it was a benefit to tho farming community to get rid of as many rabbits as possible. “ That won’t do,” promptly remarked a councillor, “ it is to prevent the country bocoming over-run by those mongrels that the registration foes are imposed.” Tho cablegram sent to Mr Keir Hardie by Messrs Mills and Semple repudiating, on behalf of combined Labour m New Zealand, tho Hon. J. Allen’s offer of an expeditionary force, has been endorsed unanimously by the Wellington District Labour Council. When the - membors of the council voted, however, it was made clear that they did so on the understanding that the protest was only against the offer made by Mr Allen and that tho vote did not commit those who all along had favour, ed the retention of the compulsory clauses of the Defence Act to any departure from their principles in this respect. For tho Bible-in-Stato Schools' League’s demonstration in tho Town Hall on Tuesday night next a choir of some 300 voices will lead tho singing under the conduct of Mr Maughan Barnett, organist of Bt. John’s Presbyterian Church, who will also preside at tho organ. The united choir will include members from all tho churches concerned in the movement and individual representatives from some of those churches which are not _yct officially committed to it. It is intended to have congregational hymn singing for half an hour beforo - the meeting. Hymn-sheets will ho provided for all at. tending. Tho Salvation Army bands in the city will march to the ball, and all tho weekly meetings of the Army that night are postponed in order to show co-operation with the Bible-in-State schools’ movement. Tho Methodist Conference arrangements committee co-operated, and made it possible for the league to have Tuesday night free for this meeting. Ship Cove is distant from Wellington only about three and a half hours of excursion steaming, and the opportunity offered by the Mararoa’s trip to witness the unveiling of tho Captain Cook memorial may bo expected to bo largely availed of by Wellington people. The steamer, which will leave tho wharf at 8 a.m., should reach tho historic spot at about tho time of tho Governor’s landing from tho Tutanokai. and her arrival should allow of an ample interval to disembark before the commencement of tho ceremony, which is fixed for 12.80. It is anticipated that the function will be attended by a largo number of spectators. The committee of management have bcois bard put to it to secure wbat was con« sidered to ba' sufficient 'means of conveying tho Marlborough people from Pioton, and Nelson will .be represented by a party of excursionists. Captain Hooper and his officers and the boys o I the training ship Amokura will take an active part_ in the conduct of the function, and it is understood that a salute will be fired from that vessel as tho memorial is disclosed to publio view. Tho “Hunterville Express” writes :j “From State Advances Department, declining application for loan of £BUO Utiku bridge, declining £l2O Warren road loan, advising no funds at present available for loans of £6OO Calico road, and £IOO Hou Hou road, and also declining loan of £SOO Manga-weka-Te Kapua road on account of shortage of funds; also loan of £4UU Moavvlianga bridge, Kirikiri, and also £SOO loan Tuhoe road,” Such is tho reply tho Rangitikei County Council received from tho Government in regard to applications for loans. It is not a bad record for one meeting of one local body of tho many scores tljjib are in tho Dominion The Minister-in-chargo stated recently that bho do. partment was to bo reorganised. It would appear that there was no need for tho department at all. It might as well be closed up and tho conduct of tho loans already made handed over .to some other branch. But this ‘no money, no money I’ cry is becoming somewhat overdone. Now Zealand’s prospects never looked bettor. Home years ago when there was a grave state of affairs, and whom tho lending institutions were genuinely short of money —which is not always the case when they profess to be So—tho Government still kept the supply of money going for publio requirements, with the result that works of urgency were prosecuted without delay. Public works have been stopped all over the Dominion. Ilians have been refused publio bodies that have asked for them. It is quite pleasant to hoar Mr Massey say whai he is going to do. The country would he bettor pleased if he talked loss and came down to the matters of every day interest and of vital necessity. Publio bodies and publio works require money, and it appears a poor kind of statesmanship that is for ever pleading its inability to supply it.”