TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 234, 29 June 1922, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

“It’s a Maori record that if you don’t got eols in a water-holo you don’t get permanent water,” said a witness at the Napier Supreme Court.

Investigations still being made into the case of death from anthrax in Christchurch a fow weeks ago continue t» indicate tho restriction of tho source of infection to the shaving brush used by tho tannery employee who succumbed to the disease (states the “Press”). The Wairarapa South County Council has just completed hauling out the piles of the old Waingawa bridge, which (states the “Age”) wero found in a wonderful state of preservation, and can bo used right away for other structures.

According to Mr. H. D. Acland,. chairman of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, the School of Art in Christchurch is beginning to attract students from other parts of New Zealand, and he w of opinion that tho public outside Canterbury will recognise it in a short time as the leading art school in the Dominion.—“Lyttelton Times.”

A gentleman who arrived in Timaru from Christchurch last Friday afternoon, and who had checked' his luggage through by rail, was surprised (states the “Post”') on taking delivery at- his hotel to find that one of his bags had been rifled. A waistcoat, a pair of trousers, and a pair of boots had been abstracted. The matter is in the hands of the police.

“The people of Taranaki look forward to the time when New Plymouth will bo a port of arrival and departure of steamers trading between' Australia and Now Zealand.” remarked the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) at the welcome to the Australian footballers (states tho “News”). In replying to the welcome, Mr. A. Morgan (tho Australians’ manager) referred to the matter., They wore not men of influence, he said, but one could never tell what might result from an opportunely dropped word. Anyone who has spent pleasurable hours “browsingl’ amongst the books in .the Canterbury Public Library might justifiably be surprised to learn (states the Christchurch “Press”) that tho collapse of the wool market has had'an adverse effect upon that institution. Yet this is indeed tho case, for the Library depends'upon pastoral endowments for a considerable portion of its revenue, and tho fall in the value of wool has resulted in a reduction of the Library funds, necessitating the postponement of the building scheme.

When the fact is remembered that Ashburton is a No-license district, it is not so surprising to record that one of' tho bottles of home-made wino at the winter show was purloined a few moments after it had been placed in its class (states the ‘'Guardian”). But the neatness and dispatch of the thief nro cause to marvel, for the bottle disappeared during the presence in tho same annex of several people. The who has more than ordinary reputation in home-made wines, is not so gratified as might be expected at this unexpected tribute to his brew.

Another instance of Governmental economy has came before the Wanganui Hospital Board (states-the “Herald”). A circular was read intimating that in future no fees from. land agents licenses would be paid to Hospital Boards. In tho past the sum, of. £4 10s. per license has been paid. into the hospital funds of the .district in which the land agents resided. This money in future is to be retained by the Government. The Now Plymouth Hospital Board has entered a protest against this action, and . tho Wanganui board has now decided to follow suit. 1 '

Discussion on the proposal 'to increase the hospital fees at a meeting of the Wanannui Hospital Board elicted some frank remarks (states the “Herald”).- Reference had been made by several speakers which suggested that the farmers were in a much hotter position than the townsmen, and. that tho country members of the board never had to work for wages. Tlie chaitknan; “I married on one pound a week.” Another member: “I married on less”: while a third interjected: “We did well on it, too. Mrs. Comys: “I am glad I was not married : n.those days, for I conldn t live on it.”

At a meeting of the Hawera Dairy Company last Saturday (states tho “Taranaki Daily News ’), the chairman, referring to the disposal of the company*s butter, said 1000 boxes in May had been sold at Is. 4}d., 2000 boxes had been sold at Is. 5d., and 550 boxes at Is. 4Jd., which carried the sales up to the end of May. For June, July and August, the butter had been sold for Is. 6}d., and for tho September make Is. 7Jd. had been obtained. ■The company had offered to sell the October. November, and December make for Is. 71d.

“Have you noticed any falling-off in the purchasing power of the public since the reductions wero made in wages and bonuses?” was a question put to a number of representative business men of Palmerston North by a “Manawatu Standard” reporter, lhe unanimous reply was that if any tap-ing-off had taken place it was not noticeable. Business generally, however, was naturally not as bright as in t£e winter months as during the summer, but the prospects for the spring wore very cheering.

When citizens lose property, stolen or “strayed,” they usually appeal to the police. It rarely happens that the police appeal to citizens to help to find police property that has gone astray. Yet (says the Christchurch Sun ) such a case was mentioned at tho motor-traders’ dinner at Christchurch. It was stated that when a police mo-tor-car had been stolen, an appeal tor assistance was made at the Motor Garage Proprietors’ and Cycle Traders Association of New ' Zealand. T^ o police had the car restored to them within 48 hours!

A proposal emanating from a southern hospital board, to the effect that men sent to prison for default in wment'of maintenance, charges of their wives and families should be employed on remunerative work, and the proceeds allocated to their dependants, received instant and hearty supjmrt at a meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board (states the “Herald’’). The proposal was endorsed, and will be passed on to. the proper authorities. “The system of centralisation is being steadily developed by the Education Department in .Wellington,’ said Mr. H. D. Acland. chairman of the Canterbury Collcgb Board of Governors, in thamourse of his report for the year 1921, presented (states the Lyttelton Times”) at a meeting of the board. "Sooner or later, when the country realises the encroachments of Wellington, Parliament will interfere and arrest tho right of democracy t govern as against buroaucraoyz*

“New Zealand has got into a habit of extreme extravagance, ” said a speaker an a Farmers’ Co-operative meeting at Hawera (states the “Taranaki News”). He added that Taranaki was tho worst offender. Ho said they could, not get a man to buy a dairy cow unless he was taken to see it in a costly motor-car.

What’g wrong with Greytown? (asks a “Wairarapa Age” correspondent). .The town clerk reports that two building permits were issued during the past two via months —one for a tworoomed cottage and one for a private motor garage. Against this, a cottage was palled down and removed to Carterton, making a total gain in buildings of a garage. There is some talk now of petitioning tho council to take a poll on rating on tho unimproved yalue, the purpose of which is to force owners of rural lands to cut up their properties Into town building sections. As Greytown is tho third largest borough in the Dominion, outside the cities, and fe chiefly composed of rural ratepayers, the possibility of a poll being carried scorns exceedingly romoto.

I There is in Wanganui just now a visitor from the qua key region W Taupo (states the “Chronicle”). Ha hopes things will settle down to their normal ?tato before it is tfme for him to return home, for, to say the least, life there is a little unnerving,, especially to women folk. This visitor relates an incident which he is quite prepared to hear declared as fall talk, but which he says is an absolute fact. A man was sinking a post hole on level ground one day, and, as fencers do, when putting in tho post, he let it go down with a good thud. The post disappeared, and has not boon seen since. Similar incidents are also narrated.

An ex-resident of New Plymouth, and ono who for many years was closely connected with the dairying industry, in tho course of' & conversation with a “Taranaki Herald” represents tivo predicted that within two years “our dairy farmers are going to experience, a wave of prosperity which will greatly exceed that of any time cxporienoecl in the Dominion.. Not only are ths dairy farmers going to share in the good times ahead, but the market for wool and mutton will also be exceptionally good. In the meantime the immediate adjustment of existing mortgages should be put in htpid, after which it wil be plane sailing. My statement is not made upon more hearsay, but upon' first-hand information and close attention in studying tho world’s markets, especially as affecting Now Zealand.’’

The late harvest in South Otago this year put back the routine of farming operations, but the fine weather of tho early winter has enabled the seasonal work io bo pushed on, and the formers are well content with thoir prospects in every way except in regard to oats (states the Dunedin “Star”). Rather heavy stocks of oats are held by ' many farmers; and tho? are scanning the horizon for a market. Tlie most likely demand is from 'Britain, but the freight charges are high. The North Island is not nowadays taking nearly so much of the southern oats as in past years. This lessoned demand is set down to the replacing of the horse by the motor for traffic purposes. - Biff stables are being shut up or turned into garages. One, of theso establishments, now shut lip, used to keep from 200 to 250 horses. This change has now, of course, been going on for a long time, and it is having a steady effect in reducing the acreage put down in oats. Twenty years ago such a crop as wo have harvested this season in Otago would have been swept off in very short time.

When the high cost of living made its first appearance there was a person of foresight vrho betook himself to his tailor and there ordered suits sufficient, as he thought, to carry him through the siege to the pockets of the public laid b.y that voracious enemy of economy (relates the “Otago Daily Timos”). The years went on, and that person Was often heard to chuckle with Conscious superiority as tho outer clothes of man soared to undreamt of heights. Then, later, in the event of his store not being equal to his needs, he was given to announcing occasionally in public places ..that he had worn the suit at that time adorning hi? figure for terms as lengthy as two years or more. To this person, or, rather, persons. it probably will not come as news that suits have shown a material drop during-tho’ lust few months. From what a "Daily Times” reporter could learn, this drop averages about three guineas for superior suits, and close on two pounds for suits of loss quality. In this fall the bonus reduction in wages has played a small part equalling about half-a-crown on a suit, and the fall in the price of trimmings and of worsteds has ■ been mainly respoi 7 sible. English advices are to the effect that hand serges are firming, and that at least some of’ the local worsteds were raised by a shilling a yard last month. This would lead one to believe that the persons mentioned earltar in the paragraph, if there arc still any holding out for a return to pre-war prices, would scarcely be justified in any longer resolutely refusing to lend ear to the entreaties of their families.

Two cases of gas poisoning wore attended by an Auckland doctor last week, both which (states tho “Star”) werb’duo to usins' a califont in a closed room while having a bath. The most serious case was at Stanley Point,, Devonport. and occurred on Friday night last. A young man, 21 years of ago, went into the bathroom prior to going to bed. to have a bath, and, with the door and window shut, started the callfont burning. After the best part of an hour he was found lying on the bathroom floor. Strenuous efforts at resuscitation on the part of his father and brother brought him round after the lapse of another half hour, but the effects of the poisoning were not removed for some time. Strange to say, the young man, had no recollection of anything that had happened, with the exception of tho swooning. It cannot be too strongly impressed on all persons using baths with califonts that full ventilation should be secured while the water is being heated. It is said that if the Auckland proposals as to altering the plans and specifications of tho Sanders Cup are adopted it will moan that all the coats except two that oomjieted at Dunedin l?st February will be ineligible for further contests, the Heather being one of the boats so disqualified (states tho Dunedin "Star’ 1 ). Tho Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association is asking tho representatives of other provinces what they think of tho Auckland proposals, and thin question may raise some discussion, for some, at any rate, think that Auckland has taken rather much upon itself. No doubt, if the Heather is ruled out, another dinghy will be built to take her place; but Otago people like the Heather, and no doubt other provinces like their own boats and would prefer to see them tested again. This sentiment cannot bo ignored, nor can it be Overlooked that tho cost of bringing a new fleet into being would amount to about £lOOO.