LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 300, 13 September 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from Sydney that the s.s. Manuka sailed at noon on Septetnber 10 for Wellington. She carries 29 bags of mails and 18 parcel receptacles for Wellington.

The Registrar of the University states that there will be an examination for the first time this year for the diploma of banking recently established. For all examinations there will Ire 197 candidates sitting throughout New Zealand.

On Saturday the famous Waiqtahi Mine, for many years one of the most productive on the Thames Goldfields, was sold for .£5O, states a Press Association telegram.

At the markets yesterday Seville oranges (from New South Wales) went abegging at 4s. per case. These were wellconditioned and neatly-packed fruit, suit-j able only for marmalade, but good for such a purpose. At the same time “poor man’s” oranges from the Auckland district were sold for 3s. per case. Tho yailway, steamer, and handling charges on a case of fruit from I’roy South Wales comes to over fs., so it is extremely unlikely that further shipments will be forwarded. The charges on tho Auckland fruit are almost as heavy. In another corner of the markets horse mackeral were being sold—a dozen for sixpence, frosh in from Nelson.

A correspondent writes tqftnn exchange: The present wholesale, ret&ement from the Civil Service of capable men has another aspect than, that of its hurried purpose. They will 1 draw exactly twothirds’ of their pay fo'r doing nothing, until death, claims them; their places rVill be filled by promotions and transfers. The travelling expenses entailed will nearly equal the other third ot the pay/so "saved.” ' Charles Maxwell Mannigcl (20), a window-dresser, living at Petersham, Sydney, was. found dead in the hath at his residence. Medical evidence at tho coroner’s inquiry was to the effect that he died through being overcome by fumes from a 'bath-heater, and, falling into tho water, was drowned. Evidence was given to the effect that the bath-heater was in good order, but the exhaust pipe, instead of being carried outside to the air, terminated in a cavity in the wall. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death, from poisoning caused through inhaling fumes generated by a heater. Tho recent spell of. fine breather, which has been appreciated by city folk, is viewed with misgiving by strawberry growers, who stale that the growth of t,fie plants has been considerably retarded thereby (states the Auckland "Star"). Want of ’the moisture necessary during theii growing period will seriously diminish the crop, and a grower at Northcote, to cite one example, estimates', his loss already at fully .£3OO on his one hundred thousand plants. Almost, since the. termination of the war examples of trade penetration on tho part of Germany have from time to time been brought under notice. The latest evidence of tho efforts which she is putting forward to extend her trade is contained in the receipt by a Dunedin advertising agency of a very comprehensive and elaborate publication entitled "Der IVclthandol” ("World Trade”), which not only solicits advertising matter frbm New Zealand, but also offers to arrange import and export. agencies for Dominion firms. With true Teutonic thoroughness there is enclosed a leaflet printed in English setting -forth the aims and objects of the trade bureau which publishes “Der Welthandcl,” and there ore also question sheets and order forms for advertising mattier. Tho publication •itself comprises some 50 ‘or 60 pages which contain advertisements from practically all parts of tho world, and tho accompanying letterpress explains that the "central offices for tho German import and export trade are based on co-operative principles, the sole object being the promotion of import and export trade,"—presum. ably German trade.—"Otago Daily Timos."

A peculiar case was submitted to the Assessment Court in Christchurch (states the "Lyttelton Times"). An objection was made by Mr. C. R. Clark, on behalf of tho owner, Mr. Francis James Grace, to tho Valuation Department's assessment of a narrow strip of land, only two links wide, and only 1.4 perch in area, that runs along one side of Gracefield Street, near Durham Street, St, Albans. Tho strip was reserved when the land was cut up and Graoefield Street was dedicated. The reservation of the strip prevents tho owner of land adjoining from having legal access to Graeefield Street. He can step from his hind on to the street, but he has no legal right to use tho strip. JI ho J eportmerit valued the strip at Mr, Clark asked that the valuation should be reduced to =£2s. Ho said that Mr. A.. Fairbairn, who owqed the adjoining land, had said that ho would not give more than £25 for it. Mr. J. H. M'Carthy, Government Valuer: “How much will you sell it for?” Mr. Clark, reading a telegram,! said that the owner would "sell for £25. Mr. M'Carthy: "All right, tho Government will buy it at that price.”

A block of land near Ngaruawahia, close to Hamilton, is being purchased by the Railways Department on behalf of the Defence Department. The area is to become the mobilisation centre for the northern military district. The Defence Department had some land at Hamilton, but transferred this to the Railway Department ns a site for workers’ homes on condition that n. suitable blick in the district should be given in exchange. The Railway Department is making the purchase from the Diocesan Trust 'in accordance, with this arrangement. TJie new defence scheme provides that there shall be a’mobilisation centre in each of the three military districts. Equipment will be stored at these centres, and in the event of another war troops will mobilise in their own districts instead of concentrating on one wmtre at Trentham or. elsewhere. At a meeting of Spreydon ratepayers Mr. E. H. Andrews, who is chairman of the City Council Reserves Committee, gave stmio past history with regard to the beautifying of the banks of the River Avon. He said the work was started about twenty-nine years ego, m a period of stress. At that time the unemployment situation was much worse than to-day, and the work cfs beautifying tho banks was started as relief work The men were paid 3s. 6d. per day, and they worked well and were content. In this way a good deal of the work on tho river banks was carried out, and the rest was finished at a liter date. —'(Lyttelton Tim'es.”

The destruction of hawks in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society is proceeding at a satisfactory rate (stated the "N.Z. Herald” on Saturday). Up to the end of August, BG3 pairs of hawks’ feet had been paid for by the society, at the rate of 3d. a pair- ,

.Owing to the finances of the Kaikoura County Council being at a low ebb, it was decided at the last meeting that all employees be Allied, in and notified of tre position,' and .that only, two surfacemen be retained for outside work (states an exchange). Mr. IV. R. Leedor, the county .engineer, was also asked to tender his resignation, to take effect three months hence. As there is no money to spend, the council could not e&e its way to retain his services. Members generally showed their appreciation of his past services, and regretted the action now forced on them.

At last night’s meeting of tho I’etone Borough Council the War Memorial sought formal permission to erect tho memorial bn the site that had been chosen, namely, on the Recreation Ground, opiwsito tho Technical School building. During the discussion which ensued on the subject, several other a tes were mentioned by councillors, the majority favouring that suggested at the intersection of Buick and Jackson Streets. / It was decided, on the motion of Councillor Hartley, that permission bo granted to erect the memorial at the site' chosen by the committee. An Auckland Prow Association telegram states that Frank Donnelly was tho name of the seaman who was thrown from a horse on Sunday with fatal result.

“On a section of bind in Jackson Street," stated, the sanitary inspector (Mr. W. B. Gough) in his monthlyft-e--port to the Petone Borough Council last evening, "there is a pool of stagnant water. There are ducks, fowls, and a horse on this section, and, in my opinion, the state of the land is a menace to the health of the residents in the vicinity. I have giv«n the bccupier of the property definite instructions to abate the nuisance.”

During the month of August .nine cases of infectious disease were reported in the Petone Health District, namely: Diphtheria, 4; pneumonic influenza, 2; abdominal influenza, 1; pneumonia, 1; phthisis, 1. \