LOCAL AND GENERAL

A commercial advice from Auckland states that the tobacco arriving h is altogether inadequate to meet the v inquiry. A. Thames merchant states that ,1 arge supplies of potatoes are com.- 1" ing in, and the quality continues & rery satisfactory. , ' n The Horn. T. M. Wilford is at pre- I sent, oin a. visit to Bay of Islands, p Gisborne, and Wairoa, n where he will investigate harbour *"a tuattea-s- .'■'" i Numbers of Jugo-Slavs who have "ailed to respond to the notices callng upon them to undertake Govern- ? ment work, or who hay^ \ ( left the } tvork in different parts of the coun- * try,- are .now being interned .a* ITeatherston. - ] ■■ ■ " ... ' ■. '< I Our Auckland correspondent for- , wards the latest share quotations as 6 follows:—-Sales: Grand Junction ( 13s, reported Auckland gas paid 28s. Buyers: Komata reefs Id, Crown 9d, j Old Hauraki 2d, Rising Sun Is 10d, , Talisman 9s 6d, Waihi 44s 3d, June- 1 bion 12 9d. Wa.iota.hi'*lia, , [^ . The attendance of visitors at Koto- < rua during the last two or three weeks is . stated to -, have, been very ' ] satisfactory. This is attributed to the fine weather, and also, probably , to the fact that the fishing, in the lake is bettei than it has been • for , several years. ■■•,- I "■ ■ . : .■'.-■ •"■•■ ■■ !' 1 The local fruit market is well sup- i: pljed at present "with" local fruits. 4 The season for early peaches is now j over, and the late varieties are beginning to appear. There is a large supply of tomatoes and piiceshave decreased, " The local supplies of apples are meeting with a good demand,' the apples now coming forward being in a much better condition than was the case a few weeks. ag°'\ ■ '-■■ ■■'.', '■',',■ - '■■'.: | Fireworks in the hands of an ' adult may be very dangerous; in. the hands of K& child there.is no question about the matter. The Chris'tchurcili ' Gity Council decided at its last meet- j ing that 'the Government, through the Minister *for Internal Affairs, should be approached with the view i of bringing down - a regulation to prohibit the sale of fireworks under 'tSie same restrictions a© apply, to the sale of firearms and miuaMitions.. After having been- detained in Wellington for two -months owing to the influenza epidemic and the con-? sequent shipping trouble, many of the passengers' who left Wellington by the Moeraki recently are bound for Melbourne/ ' Some were of opinion that -tVey would be further held up, or -inconvenienced, .by the outbreak of the epidemic in Melbourne, .and the proposed inter-State' restriction^ on traffic. Some haivje decided to.postpone their sailing till a more favourable time. It is evidently anticipated by dealers that, potatoes will, be dear later in the year (states the Guardian).;; One Ashburton igrower has already disposed of abouib of an acre of growing crop at., .£3O. Whether or not there is^ in the .anticipation of high prices for the tubers, it must be remembered that although, planting of main crops was late in th© North Island this year, owing to unseasonable weather, a large area has nevertheless been planted. If these areas yield up to expectations, there is no reason to suppose that high prices will be due to .'a- shortage in supplies. \ j j At the Auckland) Education Board meeting Mr Muigiaai said: "I aam of. opinion that we shall be unable to obtain the typo of teacher required until tihe position, is made more Tern imarative. • Most of our District High Schoolsl are .situated in ■ dis ' tricts more or less from, the large oen'tires,, in localities where our best teachers are not satisfied to permanently settle, so that extra induceanehlti is needed to secure tihe services of really efficient men. and women; Want of definition xa aims of teachii^ and th© unsuitability of certain airaingenients' in oontoecitiodi witii visi'tis of instructors, were also weak points ■ in. tihe eiystem." .