LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8270, 15 October 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wellington City Council has instructed the engineer to report on the cost of installing a modern automatic bakery on municipal property. The Mayor,'said the Finance Committee were of opinion that, in view of the cost of living, it was desirable that the City Council should take steps to bake and sell bread to the citizens.

Mr W. T. Doak, of Mount Somers, has vreceiv&l word from the: Defence Department that his son/Private Charles Edward Doak, who was wounded at the Dardanelles on June 3, is returning by the transport Willochra, arriving., in Dunedin about October 30. ' • '

The Postmaster-General, in a return, shows that the volume ofcbusiness done by-th©' PiWt. Office Savings- Bank during September was satisfactory.-- The deposits-amounted.to £1,124,559, and the -withdrawals to £953,066, the oxcess of deposits being £171,492. In the corresponding period of last year the excess of deposits was £103,460.

The Master Bakers' Association of Christchurch arranged recently for a bread-baking competition. It was open to bakers in all parts of New Zealand, and the entries, which closed yesterday, show that about 300 loaves will be &ent in.' The bread was baked to-day, and will be sent to the rooms of the Canterbury Employers' Association, whore the- judging<%"\vill take/ place to-morrow afternoon.

A resident of Christchurch has received a letter from a friend in South Australia, dated October 3, stating that stock had been selling .in that State at £4 per 101b. The price at tho time of writing had gone back to 50s. Shorn sheep had brought 30s per 601b wethers. Lambs were selling at from 20s to 36s (equal to 8d to 9d per 1b). Cattle had died by the hundred, and one of the largest cattle-owners in the country had lost ovor 50,000 head.

Wholesale furniture manufacturers in Christchurch have issued a circular to buyers of wholesale) furniture, stating that, on account of the increase lof wages in the now furniture trades award, which came into operation on October 1, and of the general increase in the price of materials, they have agreed to increase the prices of all articles made by them by at least 7\ per ' cent. The new .rates came into force on Monday last. \ \. . . ■ " \ , ; - The Finance Minister (Sir Joseph I Ward)" informed a reporter yesterday that the loan' would be advertised all over New Zealand on' Monday mornj ing, and- that all information required by persons wishing to invest in it | would be available on that day in every ■ centre of the Dominion. " The indications are," Sir Joseph Ward said, "that it is going to be a very successful flotation, f have > already.... had enquiries from , all parts of the Dominion." '■'' "' . .';,.;

Mr John 1 Dale, oi Te Roti, has grown, some, cauliflowers and broccoli of great dimensions. , One of his plants weighed 241b. He was asked (says the Taranaki "Herald") how he forced the growth to such an. extent, but he merely smiled. The way to "bring them on" is to treat the roots to liberal quantities of ashes and then, when tho plant .is well advanced, cut - back all the outer leaves. The, cauliflower is then surrounded by young, small leaves,- and rapidly increases in girth daily. The grower had a fine lot in Eltham the other day—vegetables fit' to grace any exhibition,, table.

At the last meeting of the Ashburton Hospital and Charitable Aid Board it was mentioned by the clerk that some of the returned troopers were somewhat dubious about accepting the invitation of Mr Duncan Rutherford to spend a few days at his residence. "The Lodge," Hanmer, fearing that they would be placed under too much military discipline. It was resolved to write to the, District Health officer (Dr. H. E. ChessbnVon the jniatter, arid a reply has now been, received by him. His better states: " The men seem to bo tinder an „ entirely wrong; impression. The only discipline' to which they are subjected at Hanmer is.that they behave themselves in a rational manner. They are free to leave whenever they like, and, from what I can sea, everything is done to e;ive tho men as good a time as possible. Mr Rutherford has informed me that when throo men $*o np at the same time he will arrange to meM; them with' Ja"niotor-^ar and 'drive them right through. If. while up there, tho men require modical treatment, thov am of course expected fn carry out tho doctor's instructions. There is no military< discipline enforced."