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Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 39, 14 February 1920, Page 6

The Weather Bureau forecast fur 24 hours from 9 a.m. to-day is as follows,: "The indications are for freshening easterly winds, strong to gale. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled, with rain following. Barometer falling; sea rough; tides high; tides and sea increasing on the coast." The Te Atrantntu ChanVber of Commerce has resolved to make representations to the Government to raise the basis of exemption from ordinary income tax from £300 to £400 to meet the increased cost of living and the lowvalue of the sovereign. Advantage is being taken of the opportunity afforded by the visit of the Parliamentary party to Samoa to send an urgently needed shipment of about 100 tons of foodstuffs to Xiue and Mangaia. Both places, owing to the dislocation of the Island schooner service, are experiencing food shortages, which are in danger of becoming acute. Had the steamer Mokoia not been available the Islanders would have bad to wait until April or May for supplies. In addition to the suburbs mentioned yesterday ac having big e increases to show in the value of :buil3ings erected during the past six months, must be included Mount Albert. In the period mentioned forty-eight permits were issued, the value of the work being £35.840, of which £.*2,517 represents dwelling houses, £1,480 factories, and . the 'balance additions and alteration. : During the previous six months 29 permits, covering work to the cost of £22,493. were issued, the sum of £17,610 being for dwellings. The Farmers' Union Trading Company's staff Will run an excursion to Cowee Bay on Saturday, February 38. An interesting programme of sports has been arranged, and substantial prizes are being offered. The children will be well provided with games and lollies, and milk and hot water will be available for everybody. A limited number of tickets are being sold to shareholders and others, and for these immediate applca- :- tion ehould be made to the Trading Company's were-houee at Hobson Street. The following resolution was passed by the Waikato Sub-Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union at Hamilton, yesterday: "That this meeting calls on the Government to urge on the British Government the serious position which will arise in this Dominion with the lifting of the requisition of meat, and to impress upon the Imperial Government the necessity of clearing the meat from the New Zealand stores at the end of its contract, or to continue the purchase until such time as it is able to do so, and to announce at the earliest possible moment its policy and intention as to how it will meet the position which will arise in June next." The Auckland Acclimatistion Society recently" passed on to the Minister of Agriculture certain complaints that game birds were being killed 'by poisoned pollard laid for rabbits. At last night's meeting of the Society's council, a reply was received from the Minister, who stated that the destruction of rabbits was compulsory under the Rabbit Nuisance Act, and that his Department, being entrusted with the enforcement of the Act, could not see ite way to interfore with the methods used by. farmers to comply with fte requirements. The Department did not specially recommend the laying of email balls of poinoned food, though an acclimatisation society had actually advocated this method. The Waikato Sub-Provincial branch of the Farmers' Union, passed a resolution, yesterday, protesting against the continued embargo on hides, and decided to telegraph the Premier pa the matter.

The rise in the price of fish caused by the .high cost of coal, and the general dearness of everything, is now in operation, and the result is that the householder has to pay a halfpenny a pound more. Schnapper retail costs about 4d, mullet ojd, flounder Bd, and smoked fish lOd a pound.

I At 20 minutes past 12 last night the 'Central Fire Brigade received an alarm [from Grey Street, and turning out i promptly, saved a house in which a fire -was discovered in one of the back rooms. The building, 151, Grey Street, is owned by Mrs. Barber, and tenanted by Mrs. L. Quinn. The origin of the fire is unknown. The brigade promptly put an end to all danger of the spread of the flames, but as Mrs. Quinn's effects in that room were uninsured, she suffers loss to that extent.

A remit from the Newstead branch of the Farmers' Union to the Waikato SubProvincial Executive at Hamilton yesterday, asking that the Government should be urged to issue to ihona-fide farmers and their families excursion tickets during the months of May, June and July, lapsed for want of support from the 'branch. The reason for the remit was stated to be the inaibility of farmers to take advantage of the cheap fares offered during the summer months.

An amusing incident occurred recently on a trip from Auckland to Kawau. There were two bridal couples on board. One happy pair was not recognised, as having only just started in double harness. The other couple were disclosed, owing to being showered with corrfetti as they went on board. This was keenly enjoyed by the first two, but there was a surprise to come. As they stepped on the gangway to lcive the steamer at Kawau, Burnand's Orchestra, which was on board, played Mendelssohn's '"Wedding March," which was followed w'th: "How Are You Going to Keep Him on the Farm?" whereupon the unregenerate bystanders laughed loudly.

A considerable area in the King Country is to be added to the territory of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society by a readjustment of boundary between the Auckland and Rotorua Acclimatisation districts. A map and descriptions of the proposed change were received 'by the Auckland Society's council last night from the Minister of Internal Affairs. The area to be transferred lies -between the Main Trunk railway and the Wanganui River watershed west ;of Lake Taupo. The Council, on the •motion of Mr. J. Cullen, who had suggested the new boundary, resolved to approve the change and to ask the Minister to have it gazetted.

Dealing with recent lambing returns Mr. Massey remarked that, although it might be quite true that, compared with last season, there has been twelve and a half per cent, decrease in production of lambs, the position is not serious. "We have more sheep now than when the war started," he said, "and, considering the heavy export during the war, this is a wonderful record. But for heavy snowstorms in the South Island last year we would Have had probably a million more sheep thjs year."

A conference of representatives of the various producers' interests in the Dominion is being called by the Prime Minister for February 19, advice to this effect having been received from the president of the Board of. Agriculture (Sir James Wilson) by Mr. J. Boddie, president of the Auckland branch of the Farmers' Union. The telegram states that the conference will include representatives of the freezing and dairying industries, and that among the questions to be discussed is that of the termination of the Imperial requisition for meat. Matters relating to shipping are also to be considered, and the conference should prove an exceedingly important one.

Large quantities of pears and tomatoes came forward for disposal at the auction marts yesterday, and also a large quantity of apples of inferior grade. Complaints were made, as a matter of fact, that thg large majority of the apples sent in were neither graded nor packed, one man tersely describing them as "rubbish," for which there was no demand. Well graded and properly packed fruit was in good demand. Stone fruits are getting very much scarcer, and Burbank plums of only medium quality, that a few weeks ago were selling from 2/ to 2/6 per case, arc now selling at from 6/ to 7/ per case. Large quantities of grapes are offering at from 1/ to 1/7$ per lb.

The annual excursion of the Old Thames Boys' Association was held today. Prior to 10 o'clock a steady stream of happy excursionists made their way to the p.s. Wakatere, which was to convey them to their Thames. Anticipation of a happy reunion with old friends of the gtldfields was plainly depicted on all faces. At 10 a.m. sharp the Wakatere steamed out upon what the officials are quite confident will be a most enjoyable trH This evening the Thames Old Boys will tender a concert to the visitors. A fine programme has been drawn up, assuring an altogether pleasant evening. The excursion tickets are available up to Tuesday, but the majority of the trippers will be returning to-morrow.

The cement works at Warkworth are still closed down, as the result of the coal shortage, while the operations at W.hangarei are seriously hampered. Some difficulty has also been experienced at the latter works becanse of the shortage of water, but the position in this respect has improved somewhat since the recent rains. Mr. Wilson, of the New Zealand Portland Cement Company, states that the outlook, so far as the coal supply is concerned, is a Tittle more •hopeful than it has been for some time. The works that arc closed down are in complete readiness, to start as soon as the coal is available.

Bank of New Zealand fully paid shares sold on 'Change at the third call yesterday up to £'19 12/6. A transaction took place in Northern Coal shares at S/. and Theatre Arcade preferred issue were placed at 19/6. Wilsons New Zealand Cement proved in price, being sold at 15/H0 and 16/. In mining shares Waihi's sold at £2 7/6, and Talismans at 10/ and 9/8.

The AVellington Repatriation Board 1,15 taking firm measures with men who , neglect to make reasonable prompt repayment of loans. The board has decided to foreclose in all cases where borrowers under the provisions of the Repatriation Act are found to be making no effort to pay back the sums of money advanced to them. In one case action of the kind I indicated has already been taken. A ! man. had been granted a loan to enable i hl..i'To purchase plant for a business, but r as lie failed to respond to repeated corj respondence dealing with the terms of repayment of the loan a bailiff was put into bis premises and the board assumed control of the business.

Mothers all over the city attribute their escape from influenza to the protection given to them by the regular use of "Nazol" day and night.— (Ad.)

No bad after-effects with Wade's Worms Figs. Wonderful worm worriers. Price, 1/6. All chemists.—(Ad.)