MISCELLANEOUS.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 23 February 1920, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

A visitor to Wellington, whilst at a seaside resort, wore during one of the hottest days a striped black and wkitc shirt (minus an undershirt). On removing this- garment at night he was surprised to see that his chest and shoulders were beautifully striped with bright pink'against the ordinary flesh colour. For a few moments lie could not think how such a phenomenon had been brought about, when his eye caught the shirt he had been wearing, and the mystery dissolved. The black stripes had been working hard all day attracting tiie sun's rays, whilst the white ones would have nothing to do with thorn.

Cable advico was received in Wanganui last week-end announcing tinother rise, this time of ho less than 50 per cent in the wholesale price of reel cotton. The current ciuotations for

ordinarv reels now touch the unprecedented record of 7S=> per gross or Os o*l per dozen. A prominent retailer, in ■referring to this matter to a

“ Chronicle ” reporter, expressed himself in terms of eloquent denunciation of this apparent rigging of the wholesale cotton market. “It simply cannot go on much longer.” he declared.

“The thing is .-imply scandalous. Everything wc handle, soft goods of every description, is continually being bumped up. and the cost is becoming absolutely prohibitive. Stuffs which ivt were aide to sell over the counter with profit at s*d a yarjl arc now costing us .Is llld plus do l-3r<l, and our invoice's tell us the same sorry tale.-''

Says the “ Wairarapa Age":—-Sir Walter Buchanan stated vvliat is a fast in the course of an address in Masterton. when he said that the High Commisskinersiiip of this Dominion was political, it has always been political, and will continue political so long as party politics dominate the country. If Sir Walter wishes an improvement, he •hould seek to repair the system. The whole of the administration in London requires to be reconstructed. But what

is the use of reconstruction if we are going to get rid of one set of party nominees in favour of another.’? What we want in London, above everything else, is an office controlled by energetic business men from the Dominion, removed from political control, and paid salaries commensurate with their responsibilities. Nothing short of this will give the Dominion value for its money. r ,

An interesting aspect of the “tipping" practice was disclosed is the Arbitration Court in Wellington, when Mr W. Grenfell, on behalf of the employers, raised the point as to whether the principle should be observed, in assessing certain hotel workers’ wages, of taking into account the “tips" received or likely to be received. Mr E. Kennedy, employees’ representative., contended that there was no justificatjpn for taking what he submitted was a negligible factor into consideration in any assessment made. His Honor Air -Justice stringer pointed out that he distinctly -remembered that in the appeal that was made before him

on behalf of the stewards on ships it was urged that these men should not be made dependent upon the practice of making “tips." He was sure, however, that the stewards did not scruple to take as many tip- nowadays as at any time. That was hi? personal experience. and he travelled frequently throughout the Dominion,