General News.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20427, 23 December 1931, Page 10

General News.

The.' Press, will not be published on Friday (Christmas Day). Members of the Christehurch Savage Club -will entertain about 100 children of the poor in the Masonic Hall refectory this afternoon. Admission will be by ticket only. In response to the appeal made by the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) for clothing for families in distress/ the sum of £lO has been received from Mr O. J. Newell, and a number of parcels of clothing, addressed to the Mayoress, have been received. The single men in the camp of un- , employed at Hill Top have not been overlooked in connexion with the approach of. Christmas. A few of their well-wishers have succeeded in getting together a number of puddings, jam, cigarettes, and other seasonable provisions, and have sent the. case containing them,forward. The Spepcerville School is this year's winner of the McFarlane Shield gardening competition, with a, total of .135 points. Under the heading of environment the school secured 24 points out of, a possible of 25 and for the pupils' plots, scope, and records of the work, attained fnll marks. The garden is but one remove from drifting sand and the work, undertaken under such adverse conditions, reflects great credit'on the school. The official presentation of the Shield will take place early in February. It was won by the Parnassus School last year. The Arbitration Court concluded its Christehurch session yesterday, with the hearing of a compensation case. During the session, over which Mr Justice Frazer has presided, the Court has dealt with nine compensation cases, an unsuccessful appeal against a Magistrate's decision in connexion with the interpretation of an award, certain questions dealing with the North and South Canterbury threshing-mills dispute, an application for interpretation of the boot trade .award, and miscellaneous matters. No trace has yet been found of Mrs Mary Maud Bamford, who has been missing from her at Heberden avenue, Sumner, since Saturday evening. Search parties are still engaged in combing the hills. Mrs Bamfprd, who has been in ill-health for some time, is about 52 years of ago, is sft 4in tall, and has dark hair and complexion. When last seen she was wearing dark clothing. It i reported that some of the King Country sawmills ha,ve practically cleared their stoel:s, and that an increase in prices will be necessary to induce them to start producing again. Other representatives of the timber industry state, however, that some of the large mills are still carrying heavy stocks, and that the lack of activity in the building trade has made it impossible for them to improve their position. Although there is a difference of opinion about the likelihood of an early increase in prices, all appear to be agreed that prices aro as low as they can be. Replying to the representations made by the Mayor (Mr I>. G. Sullivan, _ M.P.) regarding tho Government vote for the New Zealand Kindergarten Association, the Prime Minister (the lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes) telegraphed yesterday:—"l am in receipt of your telegram regarding the 'Kindergarten Association's grant. The position is that the money voted by Parliament in accordance with the provision made in the current Estimates will be paid in full. The only payment duo is in respect of the last terra, and this will be met when the claim is received by the Education Department. In view of the financial position of the Dominion, I regret to say that it has been necessary to inform the Association that no Government gran; can be P ro ~ vided next year." _ The Christehurch branch of the Association, through its president, Mrs H. T. J. Thacker, intends communicatinn: with_ the headquarters of the Association in Dunedin, and an endeavour will be mode through members of Parliament to get tho Government to alter its decision.

When the Union Company's transPacific freighter, Waikawa, came out of dock at Auckland, after undergoing overhaul, and pulled in alongside the Queen's wharf to sign on a crew prior to sailing for Vancouver*to re-enter the trans-Pacific trade there were over 200 seamen in search of work ready to meet her. One of the chief causes of the ebb and flow in tho demand for seamen is the fact that so many ships are idle. A special session of the Arbitration Court Avill be held in Christchurch on February 2nd to hear the North Canterbury threshing-mills dispute. The millowners are seeking a further reduction in wages beyond the general 10 per cent, cut. Curtain claims by owners of American mills if the Soutli Canterbury district, for special conditions for workers on this type of mill, will also be dealt with. The largest business premises in Matamata narrowly escaped destruction by fire last week. The manager was conversing with a friend when they heard two sharp cracks. Upon investigation they found that a box of wax matches had been gnawed by rats. Some timber was ignited, and a few seconds later a large rat was seen scurrying along tho rafters. Had the manager not been on the premises, it is likely that nothing could have saved the building. As a result of the utilisation of unemployment funds for tho encouragemen of prospecting for minerals, a report was recently submitted to tho Mines Department by the leader of a prospecting party which had worked in tho Dusky Sound district. Samples of various mineralised rocks are being investigated by the Dominion Laboratory, and already there is sufficient justification for a decision to send out, early in the New Year, a party which will commence work on two areas where it is believed that the men will make good .wages on an alluvial gold deposit. A prophet never gains honour in his own country j neither does tho rabbit. It has been known in the trade for. years that many varieties of "seal" furs are mado of Now. Zealand rabbitskins. As rabbits have been a pest in the past in New Zealand, their fur is not openly advertised as such here, but appears* under many and various guises. In America, however, New Zealand rabbit fur ranks high in value. A recent copy of tho "Chicago Tribune" to hand lias a largo draper's and furrier's advertisement announcing "Mendoza seal (New Zealand buck rabbit) ladies' coats, 100 to 125 dollars." ' That the Auckland City Council, as the licensing authority, should pass a by-law fixing a minimum charge for taxi-cab hire, was a request made to the Council at its last meeting by a deputation representing 167 ownerdrivers of taxi-cabs plying for hire in Auckland. It was suggested that a minimum scale should bo* adopted £is follows:—Is an engaged mile; 6d for each five minutes of waiting time; Is for each 561b or part thereof of luggage over and abovo the first 561b, which should bo carried free. The Mayor, Mr G." W. Hutchison, assured the deputation that the Council would earnestly consider the matter, which was subsequently referred to the Legal and Finance Committee of the Council for a report. In conversation with a prominent member of tho Duncdin Maivufacturors' Association, an "Otago Daily Times" reporter was informed that his sales for the past two months constituted a record, not only for volume, but for value, and this was all the more remarkable when it was stated that tho prices were now down to prewar level. This fact should go a long wav towards disposing of the idea that it is only by outside competition that local prices can be kept down, whereas tho position is rather the, reverse. Were it not for local competition, imported prices, especially in _ monopolised lines, would be excessive. An enquiry as to how his workers fared with regard to this extra business elicited tho reply from the manufacturer that his staff had never been larger, and that his wages bill was a record. The Hawke's Bay Hospital Board is to approach the Supreme Court to secure an order for the alteration of the terms of the will of Miss H. L. Kelly, who bequeathed property valued at ££(5,000, to be devoted to the Hastings Memorial Hospital. The alteration required has regard to the maintenance of the Hastings Hospital. The will provides that the money is to be applied to "the building, rebuilding, enlarging, alteration, reinstatement, repair, and maintenance." The interpretation placed on the clause regarding maintenance is that tho money may be spent for tho maintenance of the building [ only and not for general maintenance such as food and clothing for the patients. In view of the fact, however, that it is known to have been the intention of the testatrix that the money should be lisecl for such general maintenance, the Board is taking measures to have this alteration effected. According to Mr C. S. Thomas, of Christchurch, who returned from a tour abroad by the Ulimaroa, inflation was going on in England before tho decision to go off the gold standard was made. <: I know that is not generally known," A'r Thomas said, in an interview at Wellington yesterday, "but I believe • it actually was so. I was told it on the very best of authority. I believe also that it was the deciding factor in Mr Mac Donald arid Mr Snowden digging their feet in and telling their confrores that such a position could not be allowed to go on." Mr Thomas, who was at Home during the election campaign, said he had never heard anything more magnificent than the campaigning speeches sent over the air by Mr Snowden. There was a bite in every sentence, and he was absolutely merciless on those of the Labour supporters who had refused to join the Nationalist forces. In Mr Thomas's opinion, it was owing to Mr Snowden's speeches, and to a lesser extent the less biting hut equally effective statements of Mr Mac Donald, that the National Government had obtained such a sweeping majority.—Pbess Service. Taxi fares at your own price in any Gold Band Taxi returning to the Square or Depot with the notice up. reading "Stop Mo," "Pay What You Like," and you put it into the driver's money box, even if it is only oiie penny; so don't hesitate to stop a Gold Band Taxi. Thank you. —4 John Johnston, Ltd., merchants, retablished 1863. Direct importers of British and American hardware and machinery. 'Phone 4. P.O. liox 1. Rangiora. —] Get ready for the second Hay Season. Sweeps of three varieties—rear hitch, side hitch, and Butler Pattern for attachment to lorries, cars, and tractors, £l6 10s. Portable stackers on wheels (two sorts). Hornsby Mowers, one of. the best English Rakes, two sorts. Always look out for the best. F. and D. Duncan, Ltd., 196 Tuam street, Christchurch, and. at Ashburton —6 Tram Passengers note : if you see a Gold Band Taxi returning with a notice, "Stop Me," "Pay What You Like," stop it and ride into town at your own price. By patronising the Gold Band Tpxis you are keeping the fares down, hi id it will compel the Tramway Board to lower the Tram Fares. Thank you. —-3