NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10274, 8 May 1919, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Press Association issued the following intimation last evening :—The Peace Treaty is now coming over the cables, but cannot be published until it is officially released. The message is stated to be of about ten thousand words.

It is the intention of the national council of Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners to meet in Wellington shortly for the purpose ot formulating new demands. It is hoped to have agreements uniform throughout New Zealand.

A meeting of the Petone Peace memorial committee was held last evening. A large numher of designs were submitted by architects from all parts of the Dominion, but no selection is to be made until it is known what funds are available.

The special conference of delegates from branches of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, which has been sitting in Wellington since Monday, is still in session. No statement for publication has yet been made.

The coal crisis in Auckland will be somewhat alleviated during the week by the arrival of two vessels carrying b'etween them over -iOOO tons. _ lhts Waipori, due from Newcastle last night, has close on 2000 tons, while the Kaituna is expected to leave Westport on Thursday for Auckland with 2700 tons.

During the hearing of a theft casb in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday, it was stated that a man's hat, which, had been stolen, was valued at £3 lis 6d. Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., who was on the bench, questioned the value, and when informed that it was approximately correct, ho remarked that tho cogt of men'& apparel was fast rivalling that of women.

A man named Ivan Tiling was arrested by Plain-clothes-Constable Burnett yesterday on two charges of breaking and entering and on© charge of the theft of a motor-bicycle. The charges of breaking and entering concern a dwelling at Paraparaumu and a dwelling at AVellington. The motorhicve'o is said to have been taken from Paekakariki. The value placed on it is £4O.

The unprecedented length of the dry spell being experienced in Auckland 's causing the municipal authorities anxiety as to tho city water supply. The Mayor, Mr J. H. Gunson, stated on Monday that the matter would have to be again considered, in consultation with the waterworks engineer, in the next few days. Unless copious- rain fell in the meantime it might be found that the restrictions now placed upon consumers wore quite inadequate as a protective measure.

Yesterday, Mangus Cormick Bam. a youth, appeared before Mr *.v Frazer, S.M., in the Magistrate» Couri, to answer a charge of .stea'ms a gold watch, gold chain, silver march box, medal, and a coat and vest, of a total value of £l4. Acting-Sub-lnspec tor Emerson said the offence. w,ns ai leeed to have taken place at l<owei Eutt. As the police at Wellington were not in receipt of particulars, ho asked for, and was. granted, a remand till this morning.----"

Th« work of dismantling the tin [mining plant at Port Pegasus (Stewart Island) has been delayed owing to bad weather. This plant was to have been shinped by the Kotare last week for Dunedin. but as the material was not ready, the vessel went to Kapipi and loaded a carco of timber, w/iich is now being discharged here. It will be about the third week in May before the Kotare will again call at Port Pegasus to load the plant, which should then be ready for. shipment.

In response to a wireless message from the Remuera requesting assistance in tho matter of finding accommodation for war brides arriving in Auckland on Monday, the Mayor and other patriotic worker's took the matter in hand. When tho vessel arrived, however, it was found that only about half a dozen couples required assistance, and these were supplied with the names of people who could supply tho temporary accommodation needed. The largo majority of the new arrivals wore bound for different centres "or country districts in" the province nnd beyond, and none seemed to bo in any difficulty or anxiety as to where they were to find a home in the land of their adoption.

. Reference was made the other day bv tho deputation that waited on the Minister for Education from Victoria University College as to gifts- tor university education. Sir Robert htout stated that the late Mrs Rhodes and Sir Joseph Ward had been generous donors. Money had been received from the Macarthy Trust, and smaller donations from several citizens. lie also pointed out that the donations to higher education had been far more liberal in Dunedin than in any of the other centres. "Reviewing tho account of tho late meeting of the University Council of St. Andrews University," lie concluded, "we cannot fail to be struck with the generosity of the Scottish people. At this meeting the Principal stated that £BO,OOO had been offered for university purposes. -■ St. Andrews is a small town in Fife, having only about 77UU inhabitants, and the county of Fife having only 218,840 people. How is it we lag so far behind?"

The Commercial Bank of Australia is about to issue a new series of notes presenting distinctive New Zealand features. The design on the face of tho £l-note consists of complicated geometrical patterns skilfully arranged to display the necessary wording and includes a finely-engraved allegorical female figure representing "Commerce," with a suitable background showing shipping, docks, and factories with New Zealand palms on the loft. On the reverse of the note is a chaste arrangement of protective lace-work embodying vignettes of national emblems. The shield in the centre shows a view of Mitre Peak and Sinbad Gully, Milford Sound, with a kangaroo on the left and emu on the right, suggestive of tho Australian connection of tho bank. In the top left-hand corner is a fine representation of a typical Maori chief with the rare Jruia. bird feathers in the hair, and beneath is the kiwi bird. In the top right corner a New Zealand palm is given with a Maori pa below. The other denominations of the notes present varying arrangements of the same main features, which effectively distinguish the different values. The notes are printed direct from steel places, with harmonious protective tints giving a pleasing effect. The issue represents a high-class type of modern banknote, with security printings to proteot it against forgery.

The Minister for. Marine (the Hon. T. M. "Wilford) said yesterday that he hopes to have gazetted this week the regulations which have, been framed with the idea of minimising waterfront accidents.

Messrs J. J. Niven and Co.'s men were finishing the repairs to the damaged steamer Bessa last evening. The diver, Mr A. Hans, was finishing the patching yesterday. S. Wood and Son expect to complete the cementwork over the repaired places inside the ship's hull to-day.

The New Zealand manager for the United Insurance Society of Canton, Ltd. (Mr A. S. Clarke) has just received from his head office advice that an agreement has recently been signed between the society and the North China Insurance Company, Ltd., of Shanghai, in the direction of an amal-' gamation of the two companies.

It has been decided to form a Bank Officers' Association in New Zealand, with the object of improving the conditions and salaries of bank officers throughout the aouhtry. A Dominion vote was taken on the proposal. The voting was:—For, 1009; against, 76. Two hundred and forty-eight did not vote. A meeting is to be held In Wellington shortly to discuss preliminary details.

To mark the termination of the war, the Bank of New Zealand has decided to pay its staff an additional bonus. For some time past married officers of the bank and the single officers who havo dependents have been paid a 10 per cent, bonus on salaries not exceeding £7OO. The new bonus is at the rate of 10 per cent, to men who had previously received a bonus and 15 per cent, to those who had not been in receipt of a bonus.

_ The Director of the Horticulture Division has received from tho apiary instructor tho following report concerning honey crop prospects in Wellington:—All the honey in the Wellington district has now been gathered, and considerable quantities are coming forward to the various grading stores for export. The quality of those lines examined has been exceptionally good. Prices are in the vicinity of lOd per lb for_ bulk lines. Very little comb honey is in evidenca this season, the producers' havng confined their attention to extracted. Beeswax is scarce at 2s 3d per lb.

Thero is little or no "starch" about Brigadier-General Richardson (states the Auckland < 'Herald"l. This was shown by a funny incident at the Returned "soldiers' welcome on the wharf on Monday afternoon. For tho purposes of the ceremony the General had mounted a rostrum in company with Captain G. E. Elliott, president of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association. Captain Elliott began to read the address which the association was presenting to General Richardson, but for the first few U|ies 'did nctimakg very good progress. ? Thereupon General Richardson remarked, "You want a pair of glasses," and looked intently at some of. the officers standing below, as if to ask for a pair. One officer immediately handed up a pair of pince-nez, and tbese the General to the surprise of everybody, adjusted on Captain Elliott's nose. When the assemblage realised what had been done there was a roar good-natured laughter; afte» : which Captain,; continued bis reading, and with .the ;help of the glasses concluded it satisfactorily.' •

Tha first annual meeting of the People's Protection Society was held in Auckland on Monday night. The report, after reforririg to the formation and objects of tho society, stated that 5Q councillors, chosen from all professions and tra"des, had been elected to carry on the business of the society, with power to increase tho council to ticipated that'' branches would be formed in all the leading towns and outlying districts, but in the meantime a number of matters had been considered, including "The. failure of Parliament, as now constituted, to give protection and satisfaction to the general public," the state of New Zealand roads, overcrowding of schools, housing and cost of living, together with the "urgent need for the Government appointment of representatives to secure the proper representation ot the public on all arbitration, conciliation, and other hoards, where tho public is in any way interested." The report was adopted. Captain A. ■ Whitney was •electe'd president, Mr J. Thomson secretary, and Mr J. F. Walters treasurer. It - was decided that »the society's motto be "Union is Strength."