LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Telegrams in Britain. A census taken by the Post Office recently of telegraph traffic revealed that roughly two-thirds of the telegrams dealt with were business and one-third social messages, a British Official Wireless message states. Nearly 9 per cent of the total traffic related to fish, while the fish, fruit and meat trades together accounted for 12 per cent. It is stated that of the social messages almost 4 per cent carried congratulations, and less than 2 per cent conveyed bad news.

Sneak Thieves Active. Sneak thieves have been active in the Merivale district, Christchurch, in the past few weeks. Several householders have lost quantities of coal from their sheds, and a line was stripped of its washing. A pair of trousers hung over a chair near a window also disappeared, and the owner suffered further loss a few days later when sacks covering the radiator of his car, parked in the street, were taken.

Frost and Fog. While the snow-clad Tararuas may present a delightful picture to lovers of hatural beauty, they do not meet with the admiration of those in search of warmth. This morning Masterton experienced its first real taste of what the mountain snow has to offer, when it awoke to find the ground covered in frost. Up to about ten o’clock this morning the town was enveloped in a thick fog, which made conditions for motorists and cyclists extremely difficult. Nearly 8J degrees of frost were recorded this morning. Hospital Floors.

All the polish has been removed from the composition floors of the Christchurch Hospital, in accordance with a decision made some time ago by the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The hospital committee .reported to the board that cracks had developed in the floors, and that there was “a certain amount of deterioration.” A search for a satisfactory “non-slippery” polish had, • however, been successful. The use of the same preparation may be extended to the floors of the Coronation Hospital.

Men Drowned in Sydney. Three men were drowned yesterday while fishing from North Head, Sydney, a cablegram reports. They were washed off a ledge from which they were fishing. Two others who attempted to rescue them, had narrow escapes from death. The. men had climbed down 300 feet of a cliff to a flat ridge when a big wave came over it and swept them into the water. A heavy sea was running and they were unable to regain the rocks. The deceased were Charles Coleman, aged 32, his brother Mervyn, aged about 30, and Harry Blackbridge, 30, all of Redfern suburb. The bodies have not been recovered.

Enjoyable Staff Dance. Despite counter attractions there was a good attendance at Daniell’s staff dance, held in the Masonic Hall on Saturday last. Jack Barnes’s Rhythm Boys supplied excellent music. Streamers, balloons and artificial snowballs kept things going with a swing. A statue waltz was won by Miss McLeod and partner and a Monte Carlo was won by Mr and Mrs. Esler. Items rendered at intervals during the evening were greatly appreciated. A happy evening was brought to a close at midnight by the singing of Auld Lang Syne. • A Steamer Purchase.

The New Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd., has acquired the P. and O. Steam Navigation Company’s mail and passenger liner Mongolia, a twinscrew steamer of nearly 17,000 tons gross register, which has been a passenger carrier in the P. and O. service between the United Kingdom and Australia, via the Suez Canal. The ship has ben renamed Rimutaka, and will be employed in the New Zealand Shipping Company’s passenger service between New Zealand and England, via the Panama Canal. The Rimutaka is 551 feet 6 inches in length, and 72 feet in breadth. She is propelled by twin-screws driven by two sets of double-reduction geared turbines. Her seven burn oil fuel. Points of Policy.

To interjectors who demanded his policy at a meeting at Mount Albert (Auckland), the Rt Hon J. G. Coates rejoined: “If you want a bit of policy, let me give it to you. One of the first things that would happen would be out with compulsory unionism; not down with unionism by any means. Men and women are entitled to belong to a union, and it is the best thing that can happen to them. We want that because it makes for better organisation, and it is through these organisations only that it is possible to bring about agreement between employer and employee. The second thing is this: Back goes the ownership of produce to the man to whom it rightly belongs —the farmer.”

Steel and Machinery. With English manufacturers now practically up with orders in their deliveries of iron, steel and hardware, a distinct change has come over the situation in New Zealand. Australia is still lagging with the supply of various types of structural steel, and because of this position is now meeting with competition in New Zealand from Canada. The steamer Canadian Constructor, now in New Zealand waters, brought from Canada fairly large supplies of steel rods for reinforcing work. As an example of the altered situation with England, a large cabled order for hardware was delivered in Auckland within six weeks. Even for big machinery there is now little delay from English manufacturers. An order for a large excavator was shipped within six weeks of order, this being a very nominal delay for this type. Y.M.C.A. and Private Hotel Award. In applying for exemption on behalf of the Y.M.C.A., Dunedin, from being joined as a party to the Dominion private hotel employees’ award, Mr R. M. Brasted. general secretary of the Y.M.C.A., stated during the course of conciliation proceedings in Wellington yesterday that there were already court decisions exempting the Y.M.C.A., and they would like to argue the matter again in this instance. “It is a scandalous thing for a society like yours to object to pay decent wages to its staff,” said Mr F. G. Young, who appeared on behalf of the applicant union of workers. “We will be very happy to argue this with you in court.” Mr Brasted pointed out that the Y.M.C.A. paid the award rates, but objected to the other restrictions in the award. Mr Young: “You object on principle, then?” Mr Brasted: “Yes.” The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr M. J. Reardon, said the application would be considered in due course.

President Roosevelt. A very favourable impression of President Roosevelt was obtained by Dr A. L. Jones, of Ashburton, who returned after nine months spent in the western states of America. He said he met the President of the United States of America at a social gathering after a Chamber of Commerce function at San Francisco, and was struck with Mr Roosevelt’s charming personality. “He is a brilliant conversationalist and has a keen knowledge of New Zealand affairs, including politics. He amazed me in this respect,” said Dr Jones. It appeared that most of the people of the United States were still behind the President, he said. Claims of Perambulators. A remarkable attention to detail was shown by Mr A. Leigh Hunt, of the Dominion Settlement Association, Wellington, when he urged the need for doing away with disabilities of mothors, in an address on population sponsored by the Christchurch Rotary Club. Ignoring such commonplace proposals as pre-natal care and family allowances, he chose as an example the limit on the number of perambulators permitted on the Wellington trams. It was wrong that only two perambulators should be carried on a tram, he maintained. Other passengers should be made to alight so that more perambulators could be accommodated. "We have got to raise the mother to a place of honour,” he said.