DOMINION NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1917, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

IMPRISONMENT 1 FOR NON. ENROLMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, July 23. Thomas Henry Smith, aged 27, for failing to enrol in the First Division, was sentenced to-day to one month's imprisonment. The Magistrate, Mr. Bartholomew, said accused had deliberately evaded his responsibilities. He was not sentenced for the full term of three months because the magistrate thought it desirable that such a man should be taken into camp at an early period.

POSTPONEMENT OF BAiLLOT. Wellington, July 23. Owine to the Government Statistician being deluged with applications for certificates of enrolment and notices by Second Division reservists of change in their condition, it hn_s been decided nov to hold the ninth ballot this week, as originally intended, hut to postpone it for four weeks, when a double ballot will be taken to fill the vacancies in the 34th and 35th Reinforcements. The alteration will maJce no djfferencp in the mobilisation and regular dispatch of 'reinforcements from the Dominion.

SIX O'CLOCK. CLOSING, July 23. A deputation representing the hotel workers waited on the Prime Minister to-day to protest against six o'clock closing. Mr. A. Jackson, president of the New Zealand Hotel Workers' Union, said that, iT early closing were brought into force, 33 1-3 per cent, of the hotel workers would be thrown out of work. Hotei.at present were open for Id hours a day. and the hotel workers' award made provision for ten hours daily, consequently the hotel proprietors had to keep two shifts. The strength of his organisation was 3529; of this number 700 had gone voluntarily to the front and expect to get their positions back again. This would not be possible if hotels were closed at six o'clock. If it was a fair thing to dose hotels at six o'clock like shops, llicn it was also a fair thing thai hotel workers should have the same privileges anil the same hours as were worked bv shop assistants.

Mr E. secretary of the Wellington Hotel Worekrs' Union, said tliat the statement that six o'clock closing would increasy national efficiency was mifleadinj. - . The Prime Minister said that the matter would he one lor special legislation. The Government had no desire to injure any section of the community. A Bill dealing with the matter would V brought down within the next few weeks.