Page 6 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 82, 8 April 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL, « . Enormous consignments of sheep and lambs, together with a lack of shipping facilities for export, has resulted in a rather serious congestion in the frozen meat trade. Tho Otago Daily Times reports that the extent to which pastoralists are hurrying forward both sheep and lambs for freezing purposes is Simply phenomenal. At the Burnsido works 1600 animals a day are being slaughtered and placed in the freezing chamber, so that storage capacity is being severely taxed. The size of the majority of the freezing establishments in New Zealand necessitates a clearing out about every two weeks, but tnc facilities for so doing arc not offering at tho present time. The mishaps to the Kaipara and Papanui are quoted as further accentuating the trouble. Enquiries made locally go to show that there 13 nothing like a "serious congestion" in the North Island. The season is earlier hero, and most of the works are well through the "rush" period. It is true there is a certain disposition on tho part of the pastoralistsi to nurry forward their stock to anticipate any possible fall in the market, but the situation is being met quite readily by the freezing works. The storage capacity of all the works in the Dominion is given as some one and three-quarter million head, which has been found to provide quite a sufficient reserve for emergencies. In the South the opening of tho rabbit-trapping season has aggravated what congestion there is, and some freezing companies have given notice that they will not accept further consignments of rabbits until pressure is relieved. This is considered as likely to paralyse the induitry in some quar- , ters. There if much annoyance amongst *ocal members ol Parliament over the fact that tbn Canterbury Minister, the Hon. D. Buddo, alone of all the Ministers, fails, to herald his arrival in the city by tho despatch of telegrams (writes our Christchurch correspondent). Members who have deputations to introduce and requests to prefer are grieved when they read in the paper that the Minister has come and gone. Street-names duplicated throughout tlio city and alterations of the names of the less important doubles were considered briefly by the City Council last evening on the recommendation of the By-laws Committee. A full list of the proposed changes has already been published. The Mayor mentioned incidentally, that he had received several petitions against the new names suggested or alterations proposed. The lift was adopted pro tern, with a view that councillors might have time to consider the proposals before next meeting of the council. The Postal authorities advise that the Maheno, which left Sydney for Auckland on the 6th inttant, has an English and [ Australian mail on board. The mail is | expected to reach Wellington per Main Tiunk express on Monday next. Under amended regulations gazetted last night every officer in the Public b'er\ico, whether permanently or temporarily employed, may be granted by the Minister in charge of the Department leave of absence on the following scale : When an officer has served for fifteen years and upwards, not exceeding three ! weeks in each year ; when he has served I less than fifteen years, not exceeding two weeks in each year. The granting of leave will b© subject to the following , conditions — That the behaviour of the officer has been in everj way satisfactory; that tho total intermittent leave during the previous twelve months, has not exceeded five days ; that absence from illness or accident has not exceeded one week ; and, more generally, that his official duties have been properly performed. No officer will be allowed to claim leave of absence as a right, and the head of the department may refuse leave, subject to the approval of his action by the Minister. The revenue of the city's electric lighting department for the month of February, 1910, amounted to £2488, a decrease of £144 as compared with the corresponding month in the previous year. The working expenses for the same period amounted to £1958, or £50 more than in 1909. Comparing the totals to date, it will be seen that the gross revenue for the eleven months amounted to £41,669, an advance of £228 on the previous year. The total working expenses to date amounted to £24,169, or £1328 more than last year. After providing for portion of interest, sinking fund, and depreciation charges, the net result to date is a credit balance of £2162, as compared witli £4422 last year. Enquiries were made at tho meeting of tho City Council last evening, concerning the proposed tepid baths. "Has anything been done if" one councillor asked. It was explained that tho engineer was extremely busy, but that the matter had not been lost* sight of. The General Manager of tho State Firo Insurance Office has received the sum of £10, forwarded to him as "conscience money." An important question is to be shortly brought before the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is whether the alterations which have recently been made in the laws of the lutprnntiop.il Bo?rd of the United Kingdom shall be adopted by Xew Zealand. Should it bo decided to bring them into force in the Dominion this year, tho Referees' Associations will require to be informed of the change without delay. ' '"' '"