Bay of Plenty Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13th., 1931. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIX, Issue 10604, 13 February 1931, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13th., 1931. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A representative meeting of Maoris was recently held at Putiki, when the unemployment question, as it affects the Maoris, was discussed (states the Wanganui Chronicle). After a lengthy discussion,, during which the views of many natives were expressed, the following resolution was carried: “That this meeting of Putiki Maoris approves of the suggestion to approach the Native Minister (Sir Apirana Ngata) recommending the setting up of a Maori Unemployment .Board.”

"There are too many insurance companies operating in New Zealand,” the manager of a large insurance company remarked to a Christchurch Sun reporter the other day. “Six of the Australian, six of the English, and six of the New Zealand companies could manage all the business and reduce the rate to about half 'the present one. The principle that competition is the life of trade operates only within certain limits.’’

Germany is said to be rather disturbed concerning the ivory supply. Berlin is the centre of a great trhde in ivory, and there is a cellar in the city, piled high Avith tusks, to which the ivory users resort for their stocks. Mammoth tusks, which, because of their hardness were in favour for billiard balls, are in short supply since the Soviet Government restricted the export. The supply of elephant tusks comes mainly from Africa, and even India has to import African ivory to meet the demand. The chief use of ivory is for piano keys, but there is an extensive demand by carvers and other workers, of Avhom there are many in Germany.

One thousand sheep and 120 head of cattle are entered for the Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.’s sale to be held at Te Puke on February 17.

The annual agricultural show will be held at Te Puke on Saturday, February 21. The cattle and horses are ahvays a feature at this exhibition, and the leaping and ring events will provide much to interest the general public. Entries close on the 14th inst. with the Secretary, Mr Harold Cuff.

A paragraph Avas published in the Bay of Plenty Times some weeks ago to the effect that small rubies had been found in Westland. A Gate Pa resident,. Mr J. Boyd, who was in the Westland district in July last, found there several rubies and has submitted them for inspection to a jeAA'eller, Avho considers they are of value. Forty-two years ago Mr Boyd picked up a number of rubies Avhile prospecting on the West Coast, which he sold to a jeweller in Sydney for £25. He states that many more rubies may be found in the same locality.

Speaking at Morrinsville last week Mr F. Lye, M.P., said he had telegraphed to the Prime Minister, as one who, had recently returned from Britain and should be in a position to comment on the dairy produce position, asking him to give the farmers of New Zealand a definite statement as to why there -was such a disparity between the prices of New Zealand and Danish butter.

“New Zealand is like the Maori girl who wanted silk stockings,” said Mr C. J. Talbot. South Island representative of the Main Highways Board at a conference in Hamilton. “She was told to go with bare legs: it wouldn’t hurt her. Well, the country must learn to go with bare legs.” Mr T. H. Hinton: You for-, get we’ve got blackberry up this way.

The Unemployment Board has received from several local authorities suggestions that the levy collected in each district should be disbursed in that district, stated the chairman of the Board (Hon. S. G. Smith). At first glance this appears to be a reasonable proposition, but on examination it is found that it would be both impracticable and unfair to adopt such a course. A serious objection is that the proposal would involve the partitioning of the Dominion into zones and the institution of a separate account for each zone. Necessarily; this tvould entail a spepense of collecting the levy.

cial staff, thus adding to the ex-

A solicitor who was appearing for one of the parlies at a bankruptcy meeting in Auckland, said there were not many hire-purchase agreements for motor cars at the present time. “Practically all these motor car agreements are conditional purchase contracts." he said. “There are hardly any hire purchases nowadays.'’

People have curious ways of eventing their spite, remarks a Christchurch exchange. In one case, which is causing a number of persons a good deal of trouble at present, a novel way has been adopted. Seeking revenge for some fancied wrong, a young man in the city first tried to get even by ringing *his enemy at various hours of the night and dragging him out of bed. To get peace the second man changed his number, but his tormentor found a new way. At all hours of the day and night taxis are pulling up outside his door and drivers are loudly expressing their wrath on being told they have been hoaxed. At times there as many as three cars arriving at the same time.

A motion favouring the revaluation of farms of soldier settlers was carried at the meeting of settlers at Morrinsville a few days ago. The resolution was as follows: “That this meeting of returned soldier settlers, working under a valuation fixed by the Government on the basis of Is 3d a pound for butterfat, requests an immediate investigation with a view to reducing the value placed upon land* to correspond with present prices for butterfat.” One speaker thought the time was inopportune for a revaluation, as values were in a state of flux.

Last week a resident brought into the Waikato Times Office a species of caterpillar about two and a-half inches long and half-an-inch thick. It possessed six pairs of short legs, besides a set of feelers or suckers, and a horn-like, tail similar to a large rose thorn. The caterpillar was picked up in the sand-hills near Waihi Beach and was very vicious when first captured. After about five days, although fed with grass and water it had shrunken considerably.

Probably one of the biggest standing kauri trees on the Peninsula at the present time is the one at Koputauaki, which is forty feet in girth and is still green (says the Coromandel and Mercury Bay Gazette). The tree has been visited by a large number of people this summer, and if preserved will continue to be quite an attraction to “Kope.”

Major R. M, McFarlane is not.dismayed by the suggestion that the diamonds he found in the North Island are zircons (reports the Auckland Star’s Dunedin correspondent). He states that the stones have been tested and declared to be true, and he is arranging to go to Africa shortly to confer personally with leading diamond merchants.

At a poll held on Wednesday, ratepayers of Mount Albert, Auckland, decided by a majority of 195 votes to rescind the system of rating on unimproved values. A total of 14 27 ratepayers supported the proposal, while 1232 voted for the retention of the present system. The borough will revert to the system of rating on the capital value at (he beginning of (he new financial year, on April 1. A similar change was decided upon by ratepayers of the Papatoetoe town district.. In all 135 votes were recorded in favour of the proposal to rescind the system 'of rating on unimproved values, and '320 against it. The majority in favour of rating on tire capital value, a system that operated three years ago, was 115.

Among the contributions to the Prime Minister’s Earthquake Fund is £IOOO from Aspro, Ltd.

"There are no flies on some Wanganui solicitors,” remarked a Napier refugee in Wanganui on Wednesday afternoon. “I had hardly arrived in Wanganui,” he said, “when a summons was served on me. I have lost every penny through the earthquake, so I don’t know how the summons is getting on. At present I have more to worry about than a blue document.”