WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1921, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

COST OF LIVING BONUS WATERSIDERS' ATTITUDE • (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Jan. 12. The waterside workers, who hold aloof from the Arbitration Court and negotiate direct with the employers, held “stop. work” meetings throughout the Dominion yesterday to consider the proffered penny an hour cost of livingbonus. The Waterside Workers’ Fed°oratior. is taking a ballot on the question and the result of the voting will not be known for a fortnight or so, but meanwhile there are ' indications here that a majority of the men on the wharves are not satisfied with the offer and will stand out for a larger payment. It is unlikely, however, that they will proceed to extremes, the strike weapon having gone, out of favor for the time, at any rate, and if there 'ls a contest over the matter it probably will take the shape of the new “diplomatic pressure.” THE RACING COMMISSION. The members of the Racing Commission appointed under the legislation of last session to report upon the distribution of totalisator permits, having agreed upon itinerary, started out on their tour of the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay districts this morning. They will be in the Wairarapa district to-day, inspecting the Tauherenikau, Carterton and Masterton racecourses, and in the evening .will rapeive any deputations that wish to interview them in regard t? the business of the Commission. To-morrow they will visit "Woodville, Paluatua and Dannevirke, and so on to Hastings and Napier, faking Ashhurst, Palmerston North, Feilding and Foxton on their return journey, reaching Wellington in time to attend the races at Trentham beginning on Thursday week. So far the general public is taking little interest in their peregrinations. THE RAILWAYS SERVICE. In a statement he made to the reporters yesterday in his capacity of Minister of Railways, Mr. Massey, after mentioning that the Christmas and New Year holiday traffic on the lines constituted a record, warmly congratulated all ranks of the service upon the satisfactory manner in which it had been handled. No doubt the compliment so far as it was intended as an appreciation of the efforts, of the members of the service to make the besT of adverse circumstances was thoroughly deserved. A number of extra trains of a sort were supplied and only one passenger was actually killed. But the demands on the rolling stock of the Department revealed the shocking state of disrepair into which a large part of it has fallen and the discomfort in which people must travel on such occasions. These defects are being repaired by the manufacture and importation of additional rolling stock, but meanwhile the New Zealand railways ate unquestionably the worst equipped in Australasia. PRICE GF TOBACCO. The Board of Trade some time ago moved its offices into the residential part of the city, where, if not out of mind it is out of sight, and lately it has escaped much of the criticism that formerly was directed against its elusive head? But the announcement of an increase in the price of pipe tobacco from to-day hats created qujte a new army of malcontents, who number among their grievances the fact that the announcement was withheld till all chance of their laying in supplies was gone. What is exercising the pipe smokers most, however, is the fact that the rise follows immediately upon the news of a great “slump” in tobacco in America. They have re-discovered the offices of the "Board of Trade and are clamoring at the door to know if they are being taxed to make up the losses of the Yankee speculators. /