Harry Holland’s panel protest

When the announcement was first made that a Royal Commission consisting of Mr Justice Sim and four business men was to be set up to inquire into the present system of land and income taxation, Mr H.E. Holland (Leader of the Labour Party) telegraphed to the Prime Minister protesting against the representation on the commission being confined to one section of the community, and urging that organised workers be given at least equal representation with the business elements.The following telegraphic correspondence has since passed between the Prime Minister and Mr Holland:  "Wellington, April 1. Your telegram received. If I wanted to overload the commission and make it impossible for any good results to accrue I would follow your suggestion. The men being appointed are reliable and able business men in whom the country will have confidence, and others interested will be welcome to come along and give evidence on matters in which they 

are concerned. My object is to get some sound recommendations to place before Parliament as soon as the opportunity offers. W.F. Massey." "Westport, April 2. Thanks for your wire. I fail to see how the commission would be overloaded if it consisted of, say two business men and two from the workers organisations. I submit there would be no difficulty in getting men from the Labour ranks as reliable and able as those from the business ranks, and in whom the country would have quite as much confidence, and who would be equally capable of framing sound recommendations to Parliament on the taxation question, I very respectfully, but very strongly, urge reconsideration. H.E. Holland."

 

What is said to be one of the biggest jobs in bronze casting ever executed in Dunedin is a huge doorway in bronze that was shipped yesterday by Messrs G. Methven and Co, for Plumbers’ Building, Wellington. The doorway is a massive structure, and an indication of the magnitude of the job is obtained not only from the dimensions but from the fact that five months off and on were taken in the completion of it. The height overall is about 12 feet, the width 6ft, while the two pillars are 9ft high, with a 20-inch base. The design is Greek, of the Doric type, and it says a good deal for local manufacturing skill and resource that a Dunedin firm should have been selected for the job. It is stated that this is the first bronze doorway that has been cast in New Zealand, and this particular work has been most complicated.  Altogether, the doorway has a most imposing appearance, apart from its architectural beauty, and both the designers and manufacturers are to be complimented upon producing what will rank as one of the most successful bronze-casting jobs in New Zealand.

 

An unusual story of a school master who had apparently forgotten his own boyhood is told in connection with an "April Fool’s Day" prank at a country school near Dunedin. April 1 is still popularly regarded by children as an opportunity to spring jokes on their friends, and, if they dare, upon their teachers. At the school at which the incident occurred two little girls wrote the following lines on two pieces of paper: ‘‘Duck in a pond, fish in a pool; the person who reads this is a big April fool.’’ The paper, enclosed in an envelope, came into the hands of the head teacher, who showed his resentment (so it is alleged) by calling the offenders to the front of the class and telling them that they would be punished by a certain number of strokes unless they masticated the offensive papers and swallowed them within five minutes. The girls became thoroughly frightened, and, it is said, did what they were told, while the teacher stood over them. It is further alleged that one of tho girls developed some sickness while on the way home afterwards, and had to receive attention. It is further alleged that a Maori boy pupil, who was also implicated in the incident, was ordered to masticate and swallow the envelope, but he could not manage to do so. He was therefore sent home. It is understood that the parents of the girls became so incensed at the action of the teacher that they immediately placed the matter in the hands of a solicitor, and that legal proceedings will be taken through the court.

The matter has been reported to the Education Board. — ODT, 5.4.1924