TWO POINTS OF VIEW

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 58, 10 March 1913, Page 3

TWO POINTS OF VIEW

DRY SEASON IN THE NORTH. (BT TBLEOBAPH— BMSOIAL TO THE POgT.) AUCKLAND, This Day. While the reet of the community is crying out against the prevailing dry weather flaxmillers and growers are hoping fervently that the dry spell will continue, "The present weather is ideal for flaxgrowers," Temarked a representative of a well-known firm of flax merchants to <a Herald representative. "There is a small proportion of growers, composed of those who havo no good creek water for the purpose of washing the flax, that is crying out with the farmer for rain, but it is a very small proportion. Dry weather is absolutely essential, for it is necessary that the flax should be without a trace of moisture when the scutching process, in which the fibre is put through a teasing machine, takes place. Nothing would please growers more than to have six or eight months of this dry weather yearly." ' In the meantime farmers in all parts of the province are awaiting rain anxiously. Reports from various centres state that grass is disappearing rapidly, while the country settlers are badly in need of heavy rain to repleniflh their supplies. fPBBB3 ASSOCIATION.] NOT UNDERSTOOD MR FISHER ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT. rm. « AUCKLAND, 9th March. a T £? ¥°PMP M ,?/ ,¥• B - Fisner kaves Auckland for .Wellington to-night. He wilt-stay. »>{«* days in Wellington, and then he will visit Christ-church and Dun«hn, prior to sailing from the Bluff for Hobart on 24th March, 'In replying to the Mayor of Auckland s , strictures on his proposed change in the local government system, Mr. Finher stated to a 'Herald representative yesterday that he had no intention of suggesting that the experts (to whom he considers the control of ■ important' municipal enterprises should he entmwtpdl

should be appointed by the Government. He said that Mr. Parr evidently mis' understood his remarks, perhaps because he had not made his meaning clear. He did not propose tha J the Government should take control of the citieß, but that some change in the present system was necessary. ! RIFLE CHAMPION WELCOMED HASTINGS, Bth March. Rifleman F. H. James, of the Okawa Rifle Club, winner of the New Zealand Rifle Championship Belt at Trentham, was accorded a public reception on his arrival by the express train this evening. About frve hundred people assembled at the railway station, and after a formal welcome, James was carried shoul-dei'-high to a motor-car, and the procession, headed by the Town Band, marched through the main streets Subsequently congratulatory speeches were made from the balcony of the Grand Hotel by the Mayor, Colonel A. H. Russell, and Mr, A. L. D. Fraser. / EMPLOYERS' ORGANISERS ITMARU, 9th March. The New Zealand Employers' Federation representatives, Messrs* * Armstrong and M'Robie, addressed the first meeting^ of farmers on their tour yesterday. About 190 were present, and others were unaWe to get into the room. The representatives had an attentive hearing, ' and the meeting carried unanimously a resolution approving of the actisn of the federation in extending its organisation to preserve the industrial stability of the Dominion, and pledging itself to use all possible efforts to forward the movement. BALANCE OF LAGHMOR ESTATE ASHBURTON, Bth March. Over 700 farmers and dealers attended the sale at the Theatre Royal this afternoon of the balance of the well-known Laghmor Estate, owned by Mr. G. A. M. Buckley. The estate originally comprised 30,000 acres, but has been reduced by subdivision sales at intervals of about three years. To-day the residue was disposed of in 23 lots. The sale was a most enthusiastic one, bidding being very spirited, and in an hour and a half the 23 lots had been disposed of to 15 purchasers, at an aggregate i price of £73,000 odd. The property is well roaded, and from six to nine miles from Ashburton, and contains all varieties 'of land. The prices ranged from £4 5s to £57 10s per acre for different Sections, the average being ovor £12 per acre. DOCTORS AND FRIENDLY SOCIETIES CHRISTCHURCH, 9th March. Matters between the Lyttelton doctors .and the friendly societies at that port have not been working smoothly. At the commencement of last month the societies advertised for applications for a position, and from eleven applicants, Dr. Stewart, of the Wellington Hospital, was appointed. On 28th February last, Friday, an advertisement appeared in the Christchurch papers, warning medical practitioners against applying for any appointment advertised for by the friendly societies of Lyttelton, and adding that it would be to their advantage to communicate in the first instance with the secretary of the British Medical Association at Christchurch. The dispute haß arisen over the demand by previous 1 medical officers for an increase in the fees>ffrom 14s to 21s per each financial member per annum and for accouchements from £l.lls 6d to £3 3s. The societies are willing to make the -fees 14s and £2 2s respectively, with the, right of private practice, and a guaranteed' ■minimum, of £360 per annum. One of the medical officers interviewed stated that the matter was one for the British Medical Association, which, he understood, was going to take up the > question of payment of doctors by the New Zealand friendly societies. MISCELLANEOUS, CHRISTCHURCH, Bth March. The Canterbury Automobile Association's reliability trials to Kaikoura arid back were concluded 'to-day, but the official results will not be available till Monday. Three cars' made non-stop runs — F. Hubbard'a Cadillac in the private owners' class and M. Stevenson's Panhard and W. J. Scott's Vauxhall in the trades class. It is hoped that arrangements will be made for berthing the warship New Zealand at Lyttelton, as tlwre is ample accommodation for vessels of her size. WANGANUI, 9th March. Collections were taken up on Saturday in aid of the District Nursing League. The amount realised was £270. TIMARU, 9th March. A collection in the streets for the Ambulance Brigade yesterday resulted in raising £192 odd, about £50 more than last year. -