NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10605, 2 June 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Tho "News,'' a Cardiff Druid journal, states that the Hon. Evan Frederick Morgan-; eldest son and heir of Lord Tredegar, has renounced the titlo and estates, and will enter a monastery. Ho bcoamo a convert to Catholicism in Paris during' tho war, and is a distinguished poet and painter, having exhibited at tho Salon.

Reporting on the work of reconstruction in hia district, the Prefect of the Somme states that 800 square miles arc being cultivated, 80,000,000 cubic yards of trenches, and 3(5,000,000 shell-holes have been filled in, 82,000 houses have been restored, and 10,000 temporary houses erected, while 230 factories are working, 400 partly, and 5000 wells have been cleaned out. A quarter' of tho ruins have been cleared, chiefly at Amiens, Corbie, and Ham, and barges drawing oft can now navigate Iho canal.

"That the Wellington association views with grave apprehension the rumours that are gaming ground that tho files of ex-soldiers aro open to tho police, and requests tho Government to publicly reaffirm that theso files aro absolutely inviolate," was tho tonor of a resolution adopted yesterday at tho annual conference of tho New Zealand Returned Soldiers.' Asso* elation, but Mr It. J. F. Aldrich (Wellington) said that his experience «ia (secretary of tho local association was that the secrecy of tho files was absolutely inviolate. The Wellington association had only brought the remit forward in consequence of remarks that bad been made, and in order that fho Government might, make a statement on tho matter.

The question of what was described as "the tyrannous methods of dealing with conscientious objectors followed by tho Government of New Zealand" was discussed at great length at yesterday's monthly stopwork mooting of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union. Several members mentioned that "they were- still being rounded in> and gnoled ; " and eventually the following resolution was unanimously passed:—"That whereas conscientious objectors and other military offenders have been released from the prisons of the United Kingdom and other countries, this stop-work meeting; of seamen requests the New Zealand Government to raise its policy of vindictiveness by immediately releasing nil similar offenders, and that tho military defaulters' list and tho law under which it was made, ineludine the War Regulations, bo at once repealed."

Thpr> was ;. fairly sharp earthquake in Wellington at 2.55 a.m. yesterday. It was followed by a succession of I'a.rth tremors which were just perceptible.

A correct mode) of the Now Zealand Hospital which was stationed as Codford, England, during thn war, lias been presented to the Canterbury Museum by Colonel I'. C. Fenwick, C.M.G., who came up to Wellington •it the week-end.

The inquest concerning the death of Mr W. Combs, of Onga Onga, Bawke's Bay, who died in the hospital on .Monday night as a result of being knocked over by a motor lorry in Jervois quay, will bo held by Mr W. G. Kiddell* the district coroner, on Friday.

There was a small attendance at the chemistry lecture room at Victoria College last evening, where an interesting presidential address was delivered by Professor Robertson. The professor, who spoke on ''The Physical and Practical," was accorded a very attentive hearing.

The Wellington Seamen's Union decided yesterday to instruct -its solicitor to proceed against tho Blackball Coal Company to recover compensation on behalf of a- member of the union who lost an eye while emjj'oycd! in tho stokehold, of "the steamer Kgakuta in January.

The Wellington SoamenV, Union yesterday considered tho action of a member of the stokehold crew of the ferry steamer Wahine, who worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 24th without an interval for dinner, thereby committing a breach of the agreement with the shipowners. After the offender had explaiued his action he was fined £2.

''That it be an instruction to tlib Dominion executive to inquire into tho handling "i files i»t Base Records, nnd if it is found that tho files .ire handled by women at any time this association takes strong: action to have tho practice stopped." The foregoing resolution, which was passed yesterday at the annual conference of tho Mew Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, was consequent upon a statement that women .sometimes handled the records and later held forth over afternoon teas, etc.

"On one occasion, when visiting a hospital, 1 noticed a man under treatment in tho institution who was worth probably £oo,ooo. • On his expressing his satisfaction with xhe treatment that had been afforded him, I suggested that he should give the hospital board a handsome feo for his maintenance. J was much surprised, however, to learn that ho had only yard a. maintenance feo of £1 per week. He. wa s sued, butthe magistrate ruled that as thrt amount under the by-laws concerned was £1 maintenance fee the patient could only be made to pay thai amount." So said Dr Valintine at th<% Hospital Boards' Conference yesterday.

Tho priest of Villenouve St. Georges, near Paris, is much concerned at the scantiness of attire affected by' French brides. In his parish magazine ho writes: "I quite understand tho difficulties attaching to the high cost of living, and especially the increase iu the price of clothing material. 1 sympathise keenly with girls who can only afford enough material for half a. dress, leaving a low neck and bare arms. I have therefore bought a perfectly good white woollen shawl. Jt will be at the disposal of all lightly-dressed brides during tho marriage- ceremony in my church, which is very cold."

The conference- of secondary school teachers, which lias been called by theHoir. the- Minister for Education, and over which he will preside, has been altered to Friday, June 4th. It will probably last two days. The delegates of the New Zealand Secondary ijehood Assistants' Association have been instructed to meet in Wellington to-morrow, when the hon. secretary of the- association. Mr l'\ Martyn Renncr, will lay before tJiem for discussion two alternative schemes of reconstruction which will cover the classification of seondary teachers and the remuneration, of t-hoso teachers commensurate with their, classification.

During a discussion on' war pensions at the conference of tho Xciv Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday, Mr C. W. Batten (Napier; moved* an amendment in which were the words: "And if consideration bo not given tho Government bo requested to hear a representative' of the. association on the floor of the House." This brought Mr T. EL. Y. Seddon, M.P, (Greymouth) to his feet with the remark thai? ho took the request as a reflection on members of Parliament who were returned soldiers. Thorn were .six » A voice: "We should have had more." Mr Seddon: "Yes, you should have had more, but the. fault is you own.'' (Hear, hear, and laughter.')

Tho annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, was continued yesterday, Dr E. Boxer (Hastings) presiding. Among other business done, tho following remits wcro passed: "That the Government bo urged to place the Defenco Department in tho same position as all other Government departments as regards the payment by the- War Expenses Department of superannuation premiums of members on active service; and that in all appointments to the Now Zealand Staff Corps,, commissioned officers of the N.Z.E'.F. ho given equal opportunities, and members of the pre-war permanent staff be not prejudiced"; and "that all patients travelling to and from hospitals should be granted, first-class accomodation, and all patients travelling on the Main Trunk lino be provided with sleeping-berths." was the tcnov a, resolution passed by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday.

Kissing from a medical point of view was one of the subjects discussed at tho convention of the New York State Medical Society. After listening to a paper read by Dr Laweon Brown, the convention endorsed with a round of applause the following odvico to lovers:—"lf you would be sanitary, kiss only iu the evening or the afternoon. Disease germs lurk in the morning kit«es because the sun jmd tho fresh air have not had a chance to sterilise even the sweetest lips." Dr Brown, who is head of a snnatorium at Saranac Lakes, said: "Some months ago wo made kissing tests at Saranac to dotermine whether tuberculosis could be transmitted by the contact of lips. We selected a pretty young woman with a bad case of tuberculosis, and induced her to kien a sterilised dish. We found that her morning kisses gave forth a fow germs, but those in the afternoon and evening wore a pretty healthy risk." Dr Browa drew from this the scientific deduction that it is a fortunate thing for the human race that courting is done at night and in the late afternoon.

The lino of £2 imposed upon Howard Henry Newton at tJio Supreme Court on Monday for non-attendance as a juryman was remitted yesterday by His Honour Mr Justice Salmond.

Tho Masterton correspondent of the "Times" states that ■ the Borough Council there lias decided to support the Ha.wera Council's proposal that the duty on children's footwear should he removed.

Towards 5 o'clock last evening, \rlion thti delegates from the various hospital boards throughout New Zealand were sitting in conference tho electric light failed. A few moments ehipsed and the current came on again, only to fail a. second time. It was explained that a "switdi" had blown out.

At the Hospital Boards' Conference yesterday Mr Fraser (New Plymouth) suggested 'that working men should not bo members of hospital boards as they could not spare the time. The remark called forth considerable disapproval, and it was pointed out that because a man worked ho was not necessarily devoid of brains.

It was stated at the Hospital Boards' Conference yesterday that great difficulty was experienced in collecting rates on native-owned lands. One delegate said that ho knew of a caso where no rates had been collected from a property; GO 00 acres in area, which h.-fd been fanned for twenty years, and produced 200 bales of wool annually.

The New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association lias decided that where there are soldier patients in hospitals in their districts under hospital and charitable aid boards, the Returned Soldiers' Association of that district should nominate a. man to stand" for election on the hoard and assist tho candidate in his election.

The- inter-State passenger steamer Manuka, with passengers, cargo and mails from Sydney, will arrive in the stream at Wellington about 4 o'clock this afternoon, and will berth at the Queen's wharf two hours later. The Manuka has an Australian mail of 143 bags and 20 hampers for tile Dominion, 4S bags and 9 hampers being for Wellington.

At yesterday's monthly stop-work meeting of the Seamen's Union, consideration was given to a letter received from, the Union Steam Ship Company requesting that arrangements sliquld be made for some firemen to remain on board the vessels on the day of the meeting in order to maintain sufficient steam pressure for lighting and sanitary purposes. The union decided nob to accede to the request.