LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 134, 2 March 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities have received advice from Suva that the Makura left that port on February 27 for Auckland. She has on board for Wellington 287 bags of mail. Regulations have been gazetted adjusting prices for flour, bran, pollard, and bread in accordance with the Ministerial announcement published in Tms Dominion on Tuesday. It has been decided by tho Huddnrt Parker Company that in future their intercolonial passenger steamers will carry a surgeon. The first appointment is that of Dr. A. M. Sharp, who joined tho Ulimnroa in that capacity at Sydney, and accompanied the vessel on her voyage to Wellington.

Bird lore is full of stories of strange nesting-places, but perhaps the most singular is that chosen by two sparrows who reside, apparently, somewhere near the Ashburton railway station (says the “Guardian”). They have selected the ventilator of the guard’s van used on the Mount Somers train, and there they have built their nest, laid the eggs, and hatched their young. As the van goes with tho Mount Somers train to Springburn (a distance of about 30 miles) every evening and returns every morning, it is something in the nature of a puzzle how the fledgelings were hatched. Possibly the mother travelled with the eggs. At the moment, the guard says, the youngsters are very well voiced, and make a chatter on the journey to Ashburton each morning, but are quiet at night. Full crops is his explanation of the peace at eventide, and hence he deduces that the parents’ permanent place of residence is nt Ashburton.

Sir Walter Buchanan, in proposing the- toast of “Visiting Riflemen” at Greytown on prize-giving day, stated that a number were absent owing to the stress of the times. This year they had grafted to the Papawai meeting the trophies usually competed for nt Trenthani, including tho Champion Belt. The Government had rightly cut out tho hi" meeting on Ihe score of economy. The Papawai meeting hnd passed off as happily ns marriage bells. Successive Governments had not been sympathetic enough towards rifle clubs. Men trained on tho, mounds had made names for themselves on the battlefields, and he trusted the nresent Government would give rifle clubs Iho encouragement they deserved. Colonel Collins, who was'unfortunately absent from the function, had eulogised the Papawai rnn"o, which was considered far ahead of Trenthnm for big shootin", nnd it only required four or five additional t-reels to in-iko it tho lort range in New Zealand. He (hanked the Greytown people for the hospitality extended tho visitors, which ho felt sure had been greatly appreciated!.

The shipping arrivals at Auckland yesterday included tho Japanese training ship Taisei Maru, which is claimed by the owners to be the finest and most up-to-date craft yet built for the sole training of officers for the mercantile marine.—Press Assn.

A meeting of the Prisons Board is to be held at Invercargill to-day, Sir George Fenwick, Sir Robert Stout, Mr. William Reece, Dr. F. Hay (Inspector of Alental Hospitals), and Mr. C. E. Matthews (Under-Secretary for Justice) all being in Invercargill in that connection.

"There appears to be a feeling in many quarters that the National Provident Fund should pay for itself,” said Air. R. E. Hayes, tho new Assist-ant-Secretary to the Treasury, in a speech which he made on Tuesday. "If the establishment of an annuity scheme could be brought about on paying lines, it is reasonable to suppose that tho commercial insurance offices would have long ago solved this problem. Anybody who looks at tho busl- - returns of insurance offices will see that although annuity tables are available the amount of business of that class compared with life, insurance is practically nil, simply for the reason that annuity business is not good profit-making business. .It is. the realisation of this commercial failure that has compelled modern Governments to take up the question of pensions for the masses of the people, and the fact also was in the mind' of the actuary who drew up the National Provident Fund—the late Air. Alorris Fox, a notable actuary, with a full appreciation of the social and political side of his profession. The scheme was, therefore, intended to be based on a subsidy system in order so to cheapen it that the lowest wage-earners could take advantage of its conditions.” Mr. R. E. Hayes, on leaving the position of Registrar of Friendly Societies to take up duties in the Treasury Department,. gave, at a gathering held in his honour, some interesting figures relating to the friendly society movement in the Dominion. In 1906, he said, there were 53,759 members of friendly societies, with funds amounting to £1,757,821, compared with 74,210 members and funds amounting to £2,321,176 in 1921. In 1906 the societies taken in globo showed an actuarial deficiency of £303,325, with a solvency ratio of 17s. Bd. in the £. At' the last completed valuations the societies as a whole showed a net surplus of £53,109 with a solvency ratio of 20s. 4d. A very important reform in friendly societies’ finance, that of consolidating the branch funds in the various districts, had been promoted with great ■ success by the societies during this period. In 1906 there were societies with 1125 members consolidated out of a total of 53,759 as compared with 42,507 members consolidated out of a total of 74,210 in 1920Air. Hayes stated that these figures proved the great value of tho actuarial service which had been rendered to the societies during these years, combined with the efforts made by the societies themselves to come up to the required standards. The figures undoubtedly showed the movement to be in a healthy condition, and he wished it everj’ success in the future. During the discussion at the meeting of the management committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association on Tuesday it was stated that the committee had asked the selector of the team which is to go to New South Wales to submit the names of ten players, tho committee exercising the right of veto in the event of them considering that any player was past his prime. The secretary of the committee, Mr. D. Al. Kean, states that tho power of veto was not to apply to the selection of the team. The selector’s team and order of merit would be final.

Special reference was made last evening at the annual meeting of the Diamond Football Chib to the absence of the president (Air. R. L. Davenport) through illness. Air. Davenport had been actively associated with tho club for 30 years, and this was the first occasion on which he had not presided at the annual meeting since his election as president.

At the smoke concert tendered to visiting riflemen at Greytown, Captain H. T. Marshall remarked that an old marksman of 1875, who shot at the first meeting of the Wellington Rifle Association in that year, was present, and he had much pleasure in introducing to the meeting Mr. Mark Maxton, who was then a commissioned officer. Mr. Maxton, in replying on behalf of the Press, stated that he joined the first Cadet Corps in 1866, when he was 13 years old, and worked up from a “full private” to a sergeant, and received a commission as first lieutenant in 1872, and fired in 1873 at the first association meeting, which was held at Lyall Bay, Wellington. Mr. Maxton, who is nearing the three-scoie-year-and-ten mark, was well applauded by the shooters present.

The variety of ammunition being used at Papawai is astonishing, says an exchange. Men are using 1907, 1908, 1917, and 1918. Of course the pre-war ammunition, which is now becoming rare., is the best, and there are many complaints about the later issues. Occasionally there is a blowback, followed by a cloud of black smoke. In o<> case the bullet ploughed up tho paddock a few yards away. There is a general consensus of opinion among those with the defective ammunition that it would be advisable for the association to follow Trenthani rules, and issue the ammunition to the competitors at. the time of entry. It would make for fairer and more uniform conditions.

A deputation front the To Aro Advancement Association, supported by the Suburban Ratepayers’ Association, will wait on the City Council this evening in order to ask for better distribution of tram service throughout the city, especially in Cuba Street. The days of chivalry aro surely not passed, says the Christchurch “Press.” Passers-by in Lincoln Road noticed a man molesting and even striking a girl, but they refrained from active interference until a lad of some sixteen years appeared on the scene. Me ordered tho bully to desist, and was laughed at. Then, evidently having some knowledge of the fistic art, ho attacked the man. and successfully held him at bay until other men interfered, and tho bully thought it time to retire. The boy, who is a Scout, refused to give his name to the admiring bystanders, and endeavoured te escape, but someone recognised him.

The announcement of the commencement of work on the memorial gates at Greytown recalls tho interesting scheme adopted there for perpetuating the memory of the young men from the district who offered up their lives for the Empire’s cause in the late war (states the “Wairarapa Daily Timos”). The volume of voluntary recruitment from the Wairarapa district has been n household word throughout New Zealand. Some two years ago twenty acres of land near the Greytown Post Office were purchased by public subscription for a memorial. The land, which cost £l6OO, is principally native busli, and is eminently suited to its purpose. About ten acres, partially cleared, aro being turned into football, cricket, croquet,’ tennis, and hockev grounds. Children aro to bo provided with paddling -pools, sand heaps, swings, and other out-door recreation. There is a balance of about £250 still in hand, and tenders are now being invited for the construction of the gates of this memorial park-. The design of the "ates is very beautiful. They will be supported by pillars, on which will bo inscribed tho honour roll of the district’s soldiers.

One of the northern district marksmen, shooting at Papawai, had an amusing experience on Friday morning. Lying on the mound he felt the ground warm beneath him. The heat grew greater, and the marksman was shooting well. When the heat became so great that he was unable to bear it, he had another shot to go, and registered a bull’s-eye. Smoke was issuing from his waist, and, on rising, he discovered to everyone’s amusement, that his pipe had burned its way through his waistcoat pocket and the fire was making quite a merry little blaze when it was subdued.

In conversation with a Timaru “Herald” reporter a local grain and produce merchant stated that amongst all the wheat handled last week which was thrashed from the stook, his buyers had not come across a first-class hard line. All the samples were in a soft state, attributed by him to rain showers, heavy dewfalls, and fog.