LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1939, 23 December 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"■ kindly forethought for State pensioners was shown by tho Government in having the law so amended, last sesthat tho January instalments of pensions can now bo paid before the holiday season sets in. Hitherto the practice has been to make tho payments on .December 3L. or the nearest working thereto, but this year payments will be made to-day, and on any subsequent working day. ■■ This applies to payments of . Old Ago, Widows', and Military. Pensions. The . office of tho 1. elisions Department, in the G.P.O. building (facing Customhouse Quay), and the different district post offices, will be open for the payment of pensions to-day and to-morrow, and also on Monday, Tuesday, ■ and Wednesday next week.

Tho High Commissioner for New Zealand, has advised the Minister of Immigration that tlie second contingent of farm boys will embark from London on the Suffolk, due in Auckland towards the end of February, Applications for these beys are now being lecoivcd by tho Immigration Department.

The Central and Newtown Public Libraries will he close! to the public on Christmas Day,' Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. On all other days during tho festive season tho library hours will bo as usual.

There is very little change noticeable in the money market- (says Friday's issue of tho "New Zealand" Trade ftoview"), the supply of funds still remaining very restricted, and this appears likely to continue for tho time being. The Ions; continued disorganisation of business through the strike' has a decided effect on tlio money market, especially as conoerns the farming community, though'this is being 'overcome and tho ports arc working satisfactorily now. Another unfavourable factor is the drop ill the priee of wool, which if continued will mean a reduction in tho value, of..;the ; . season's clip of fully a million/,,'Against'■ s this very good prices.'' 1 aro being realised' for our dairy produce, and meat, and the outlook for these ■ lines is very promising. The tightness of money and higher rates are not by any means a purely local affair ; all over the world the growing demands for money have rmule a heavy drain on tiie supply of capital, and forced up rates generally. It appears to ho the opinion of those in the best position to know that there is likely to bo a continuance of present rates for some time to corao.

"Australia not only wants immigrants of the right sort from the Mother Country," said Sir George Reid at Newcastle (N.S.W.) recently, "but also men with capital and enterprise. If," ho went on, "we should depend upon our own capital and our own enterprise for the task of making this continent what it ought to be it would fail. If wo depended on tho increase of births over deaths we might dream about a nation, but wo would be 100 yea rs in getting to anything _ liko our first stage of advancement." Although the humanity of tho nations was improving, and the good feeling was also making headway, they must not forget there never was a time in tho'history of tho world when arbitrary power had such, tremendous resources, whether for defence or offeneo. Tlio people of to-day were liung really on tlio brink of a volcano. The only safety he could think of was that the nations were spending so much in getting ready for war that they could hot a fiord the real article.

Yesterday Ueteetivo-Sergcmt Rawlo and Detective Cameron arrested a man, who will appear before the Magistrate this morning to answer a charge of assaulting another man named Gustav Vncklin. The assault is alleged to have taken place in a city boardiiighouse ou Saturday last.

The report of the Tramways Board on its conference with tho Tramways Union officials, in connection with tho proposed new award, to supersede! tlw ofio which lapsed in November last, was received by tho Mayor (Sir. J. P. Luke) yesterday, and will bo considered as soon after the New Year holidays as possible. The Mayor is hopeful that tho Tramways Committee will bo able to deal with tho report in such a ivay that its' recommendation may bo submitted to tho council at the first meeting of the council next year.

■ Captain Wallingford, chief musketry instructor for tho Auckland district, who for years was champion shot in tho British army,- and whoso record has only been beaten by one point, attended tho riilo meeting held in Cambridge- recently. Ho demonstrated his ability with tho revolver by rapidly firing five shots at 15yds., and the bullet marks all touched each other. His record with tho fiile is 33 bulls'-eyes at 500 yds. in a minute, and he holds the record with a machine gun of 000 rounds in a like period, while, tho average machine gunner's best rate is about 460 loimds.

At Melbourne, on December 12, Madame Nordica." tho well-known singer, obtained an order in the Practice Court enabling her to take out of court the sum of £75, which; she had paid as security for costs in"'her'" action against Frederic Sliipnmn, formerly her concert manager. .Mr. \lami, counsel for Madame Nordica, said that accounts had been taken as directed by Mr. Justice a-DecUett, and it was shown that Shipman was indebted to Madame Xcidiea in the sum of £574. . There, was a set off "of £'213, which might or might not be duo to Shipman, and ho asked for judgment and execution, for the balance— £3-31—with an order, permitting tho withdrawal of the security for costs, Mr. Starke, for Shipman,. opposed the application, pointing put that there was. a largo counter-claim 'introspect of a number of concerts given in America. There were also advertising, accounts, for which ■Shipman was-liable. There wore £111 .liabilities in Sydney and a smaller amount ■in Melbourne, if the plaintiff. went aivay Shipman might be left to pay these himself. Mr. Justice Hodges:. "Shipman 1 has nearly £GOO in his pocket and £75 in Court. There is £213 as a set off." ..Mis Honour decided that he was unable th make the order for £3Gl,''as asked, allowed a refund of the., security ■ for. costs, and directed, that 1 tho costs of the applica-tion-should, be., costs in the cause.

. A new etlilion 'of Messrs. Thomas Cook nr.fl Son's popular little band boo.!; :"N*w Zealand as a Tourist Resort" has jnst been issued. It contains much .information concerning travel routes and ' tourist resorts in New Zealand, and the matter is arranged in concise and readable form. Messrs, Cook state that, as in the case of previous editions,'loo,ooo copies have been printed, and are being freely distributed to inquirers through the medium of the firm's world-wide system and officos in Australasia., America, India, Africa, and Em-ope. It is evident that in this one direction alone Messrs.' Cook are advertising* New Zealand's scenic resorts fairly extensively