LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Dunsandel Golf Club will conclude its season with a dance in the Town Hall next Thursday evening, when the presentation of trophies I will take place. At the monthly meeting of St. 1 John's branch of the Mothers' Union next Thursday, an initiation service will be held at 2.30 p.m. Important business will also be dealt with. The speaker's subject will be "Tapu Places of New Zealand." A cards match, 38 players a-side, in the Southbridge Cup series, between teams representing Southbridge and Little Rakaia, was played at the Parish Hall, Southbridge, Little Rakaia winning by 90 points to 80. Supper was provided and for a dance which followed music was supplied by Miss Ruby Greenwood, Mr E. McEvedy playing an extra.

To one Auckland youth the ItaloEthiopian dispute has been forcibly changed from a vague knowledge of "a scrap going on somewhere" to startling realities. Born in New Zealand of an Italian father and a New Zealand mother, the young man, to his great astonishment, received a call to the Italian colours. Astonishment turning to anger, the youth, proclaiming "I am a New Zealander, not an Italian," tore the summons into minute pieces. At a meeting of Government supporters from various parts of the Ellesmere county, held at Leeston on Friday evening, Mr G. W. R. Osborne presiding, a strong committee, fully representative of the district, was set up to work in the interests of Mr James Carr, of Methven, who will contest the Mid-Canterbury seat as Government candidate. It was decided to call a meeting of the committee for next Friday evening, to elect a chairman and secretary and to discuss other business.

Reporting under date October 18, the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board has the following remarks to make regarding the British meat markets: Lamb continues very firm, with further advance in prices due to shortening" stocks. Heavy supplies of home-killed affecting demand. Lightweight wether mutton is firmer, but other grades remain steady and unchanged. There has been more enquiry for light-weight ewes and prices have advanced slightly. With more enquiry for frozen beef prices have slightly improved. The market for New Zealand porker pigs is steady, but trade is slow, owing to unfavourable weather; for baconers the market is steady and unchanged, and very few are available.

Next Monday will be Labour Day and the big event for Ellesmere district that day will be the Southbridge Athletic Club's sports on the Domain. An attractive programme of cycling and running events will be provided, and there will, of course, be the national dancing events, which always provide much interest. Last year for the first time the club provided axemen's competitions, which created a great deal of public interest. There will again appear on this year's programme three events for axemen and these will no doubt form attractive features of the day's sports. Given a fine day there should be a large attendance of the public on the picturesque domain. In the evening a dance will be held in the Town Hall.

On Saturday pupils, of Forms I. and 11. of Leeston School were taken by the headmaster, Mr W. H. Cartwright, over the Port Hills to Lyttelton. The party left Leeston by the morning train and at Christchurch took the tram to the terminus on Cashmere Hills. The trampers then took to the hills en route to the Sign of the Kiwi, and some splendid vitews of the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch were obtained. After a rest at the top of the pass the descent to Governor's Bay was commenced, and very good time was made. While at the bay a sudden change in the weather was noticed, and the weather became cold and cloudy and threatening rain. Good time was also made on the walk to Lyttelton, with brief halts at Rapaki and at Corsair Bay. Rain commenced to fall as the party reached Lyttelton. The homeward journey was made by ti-ain. The trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all who took part, and it was a novel and interesting experience,

Next Friday will be sale day at Leeston. The monthly sitting of the Magistrate's Court will also be held. Special entries for Leeston stock sale next Friday are advertised today. To-morrow evening, in the Parish Hall at Southbridge, the last of a series of socials will be held in aid of St. James's Church furnishing fund. A large attendance is anticipated. This evening, at Southbridge, the Ellesmere Choral Society will present the concert version of Balfe's opera, "The Bohemian Girl." It will be repeated at Leeston on Thursday evening.

In Dunedin at present one-of thej j key industries, clothing manufacture, jis enjoying a very busy time, indi-j eating very definitely that conditions generally are improving. The rush in the industry is not merely seasonal,' for, in addition to current orders, \ goods for next winter are also being made to fulfil orders. Prospects for the coming year were described by one of the biggest manufacturers as being exceedingly bright. The warm spring had hastened the demand for summer clothing, bathing suits already being in keen demand. Staffs in all factories are working at top [pressure, and some manufacturers have been working overtime for a considerable period to cope with the rush of orders. The Christmas trade has set in, and the expectations are that, allowing for the absence of setbacks, business this year will show a great improvement on that of last Christmas. The boot industry, too, was very busy. A good inquiry for certain types of farm property, although the present is usually regarded as the off season, is reported by Auckland land agents and concerns particularly well situated sheep farms having a capacity of up to 2000 head. The steady movement northward is indicated by the number of inquiries from southern farmers. Until recently, stated one agent, a number of farmers had I been anxious to dispose of their properties, many having waited for sevjeral years for a satisfactory buyer. | To-day, with price prospects gener- ; ally improved, they were inclined to hold on, and certainly to. increase ! their demands. Although the proi spective buyers were in many cases able and willing to pay a substantial cash deposit, there were still in the field too many prospective purchasers who were hardly likely, from the amount of cash offered, to be able to keep farms in good condition. At the same time some good sales had been put through in recent weeks.

Referring to the grading of pigs. Mr W. A. Phillips, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Cooperative Pig Marketing Association, Limited, at Hamilton said that the percentage of "unexportables" was now almost double that in previous years. While this was unfortunate from the producers' point of view, owing to the more exacting requirements recently imposed by the British authorities, there was only one reasonable course open, namely, to set out without delay, by more careful and improved management, to eliminate the causes of the losses involved. Mr Phillips advocated the grading, as well as inspection of pigs by Government officials. Such a course would, from the producers' point of view, remove all obstacles to the adoption of an improved system of grading, which was vital to the future welfare of the export business, more particularly in the case of baconers, in which the Dominion was substantially competing against the high standard of Denmark's product.

Misapprehension on the part of farmer mortgagors that an inadequate amount will be allowed tthem for living expenses under a stay order in accordance with the Rural Mortgagors Final Adjustment Act is not justified, according to the information contained in a letter received by the president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Mr W. J. Poison, M.P. for Stratford, from the Minister of Finance, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. "I can assure you that there, is really no ground for this fear, as I have been to some pains to have the matter brought under the notice of the Court of Review," said Mr Coates, "and I am assured that each case will be considered on its merits, and a reasonable allowance will be provided for in the Budget. The Court of Review and the Adjustment Commissioners have indicated that no standard can be laid down, as each case must be dealt with according to its particular circumstances. I am further advised that, where the members of a mortgagor's family are employed on the farm, it is the practice of the court to make allowance for this."