LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 47, 23 February 1917, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The high price of fruit is causing general concern" (writes - " Housekeeper" in a letter to The Post). "While quantities of fruit are being wasted poor folk with large families are unable to buy, owing, to the very high prices. It comes very hard on housekeepers to be unable to preserve for the winter, or to give thfe children what is so wholesome and necessary at this season. Few can afford 5d and 6d a lb for quite common fruit, such as plums and pears and tomatoes, and jam-making is out of the question. I am told that growers cannot grow fruit at a profit unless the prices arc high, but surely if doubße arid treble the numbers who can now afford to buy were to do so the profits would be enough or even more, than under the present system. Our soldiiers a^o would feel this benefit. Bread, .butter, and meat are so dear now that we depend oiv fruit as never before. Will the editor of. Thfe Post kindly allow.. me- space for this protest? Thanking you in advance."

The fence round the Courtenay-place reserves has for some time been in a rathei: dilapidated condition, and it lias been decided by the City Council that it shall be removed and a concrete kerbing . erected. The kerbing is to be erected on a new line, in order to give greater facilities to the pubKc at this important tramway junction, without appreciably reducing the plantation space. Tbie whole plantation is to'be remodelled and made more open by the small shrubs and flowers, but leavinc; the present large trees. The ground will be covered with turf, aft|er making provision for certain small pathways.

It was decided by Ithe Land Board yesterday to recommend that ihf- Crown lands in Norcnandale Settleme»-». comprising 17 lots, in areas from 0» TV 7p to 226 a2r 32p, be offered for cash and deferred payment under Section. 43 «f the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, at ithe last adopted 1 prices as fixed by the Valuer-General. ' It was also resolved to adopt the ranger's new"" valuation .of: section. 74, and also his new valuations of improvements on sections 45, 48, 97, S3, and 84.

A suggestion to reduce the size of the annual Methodist Conference was made by the retiring president (Rev. A. C. Lawry) in his address last night. At present, he said, the conference comprised 250 delegates. It was far too unwieldy, and the business occupied too much time. Their best men were undoubtedly the busiest, and they could not spare the time to 'attend a conference extending over twelve or fourteen days. Tho. number of delegates, he suggested, could, with advantage, be reduced to 100, and the business disposed of in one week. (Hear, : hear.) A notice of motion dealing with the, subject. raised by the president whs handed in.

Mr. Evan Parry's recent report on the North Island hydro-electric scheme, was mentioned last night at the meeting of the_ City Council. The Mayor, in promising, to obtain a complete copy, said that the report was most valuable and instructive. * Councillor Hildreth said he was disappointed, with the reply of the Minister, that no money would be available for the work until after the war.: He said, that he quite failed to see why the Government should not issue notes to cover the cost, and make it a charge on the work.

A returned soldier who jump2d the fence of the fever hospital was much discussed at the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. The matter was first mentioned by Mr. J. TV. M'Ewanj who drew attention to the man's statement that he had obtained permission from one of the Hospital officials to visit his wife, who was in the Infectious Diseases Hospital. The Rev. H. Van Staveren said that in view of the man's explanation, there was nothing to do but let the matter. drop. The Chairman (Mr H. Baldwin) suggested that it would only be fair to the soldier and the official concerned to have an enquiry. Mr.- P . Castle contended that, tfie board had been misled as to whether or not the man had permission to jump the fence. The matter was not further discussed. .. ' . . '

In accordance with the request from the Mackenzie County Council, the Wellington City Council has decided to give its support to a resolution urging that the Government be asked to impose a Customs duty of not less than 10 per cent ad valorem on motor tyres, the money so collected to be refunded to local bodies for the upkeep of roads, on the basis of. capital value or in such manner as the Government may deem, equitable. '

The Wellington Land Board has approved of proposals by the following local bodies for the expenditure of thirds accrued to 30ith September last, in accordance with the recommendation of the ranger:—Ohakune Borough, Council, £47 19s .7d; Rangataua Town^ Board, £33 3s sd; Featherston County Council, £251 Os 4d; Kaitieke County Council, £2072 6s lid; Rangitikei County Coun-* cil, £505 17s 2d; Mauriceville Comity Council, £tf 14s 3d; Waimarino County, £196 35.5 d. .-■ '

"A story of the seriousness with which gallant France is taking the war was told by Major Lampen, D.5.0., in the course of a lecture at the Returned Soldiers' Club last evening. In. one place, ho said, he found himself billeted in a most comfortable house, every hospitality being shown him. In the sitting room was a. piano, and turning to the daughter of the house he asked her, "Do you play?" "Yes," was the reply. "And sing?" "Yes," again was the answer. . "Then I hope I may hear you," he continued. To this the girl replied, "I do not sing. or play until the war is over." The story spoke for itself, and everywhere in France it was the same. Every frivolity, every amusement was put aside until the war was won. Major Lampen considered it was a privilege for the New Zealanders to be fighting beside the French soldiers, and jthey would gain much from the contact.

A request has been made to the City Council by thp Evans Bay Swimming | Club" for further improvements to the [/public bathing sheds at Evans Bay. The application lios been referred by_ the Beaches Committee to the. City Engineer, and a report will bo furnished at next meeting of the council

Greetings were sent to the Hospital Board yesterday afternoon by the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. The society, now sitting in conference in Wellington, expressed its great appreciation of tho manner in which the Hospital authorities have co-operated. with the . society,i especially in regard to the care at births and after care of babies.

"Are you aware that the engineer is making a great improvement in the Hutt road?" asked Councillor Fitzgerald of the Mayor at last night's meeting of the City Council. "And may we hope, sir," be. added, "' thait he will continue it on to Pctcne as soon as possible. At last %ye have discovered the efficacy of tar in keeping down the dust."

The Government offices throughoiifr the Dominion will be . closed on). St.! Patrick's 1 Day (17th March) • ■;

The advisablenese of the City Corpora-].: ition using one of its motor 'buses in a| service between Kahvarra. and: the terminus of the Thorndon tramway was suggested by Councillor Hildreth at thel meeting of the council last night. The! matter is to receive further considera-1.

Ition. , ..■.■■■..■'.-■■•..■ ■' ■ ■ ./■ -;. I By special permission of the 1 Commandant, the delegates to the Methodist Conference will pay a, visit to the Trentham Camp to-morrow afternoon. .

The City Council has decided thai the sum of £100 shall be placed on next year's estimates for; the installation of twenty sanitary bubble drinking fountains in substitution of the sixteen existing ' fountains in the city, as recommended by the Public Health Committee. .■■''. '

During the month of January thenumber of arrivals in the Dominion was 2375 and of departures 1866. For January, 1916, the arrivals numbered 2S7>t and. the departures 1784. ,'

The Health Committee advised the City CovmcsF last • night that ■ recently there have been six prosecutions on account of milk not being up to the required standard, and eleven vendors have been warned.

The appointment of members of the Arbitration Court is gazetted as under:--Representing employers: Messrs. \V. Scott (Dunedin) member, and W Pryor (Wellington) acting member; representing the workers: Messrs. J A. M'Cullough (Christchurch) member, and M. J. R»ardon» (Wellington) acting member.

Considerable surprise has be:en expressed, at the fact that as many as 624 New Zealand Methodist soldiers have been kSled during, the war. The ,'expresident of the Methodist Conference (Rev. A/ C. Lawry) said. to-day that the statement had been fully verified, and each" case certified to by the respective superintendents. . ' „

Recently the Roseneath Municipal Electors' Association made representations to the City Council for the construction of an electric lift from Oriental Bay to Rosene;ith. At its meeting, the council decided that it will consider the proposal when the adopted scheme for the Bouleott-street lift has a satisfactory trial. '

"If any _of these. gentlemen are not present, will they please notify me?" asked the secretary of the Methodist Conference in all seriousness last night, , after he had read out a list" of nominations. He wondered why everybody laughed, as everybody did very loudly. Finally, . he saw his mistake, and joined in, the merriment. .

Some time ago the 'Wellington Biograph Operators' Union requested that; an examination should be instituted to test the fitness of operators of biograph plants. After considering tfc\2 matter the City Council has decided not to accede to the request.

Nobody' was able to tell Councillor Wright at last night's meeting of the City Council how much it actually costs every time a tramcar stops, to take up or set down a passenger. In asking the question, he said that he had been informed that the cost was a halfpenny.l

With the idea of impressing upon the public the importance of the subject, a correspondent asks The Post to publish the following facts :—" Dr. Truby King, in his speech ,to tho Plunket Society, said: 'The first'five years of life-are ithe most critical of all. ... In New Zealand the State spends only five shillings per head on children under five. France is proposing- to spend £50.' The Plunket nurses do -noble-work for chSdrert during the first two years, and save-many .- from mental and physical degeneration, but after that age they can do little, as their time is entirely occupied with the .ne.eds oi the babies. The State school system does not take any responsibility ■for the child before ttiie age of five, therefore during at least two of the most important years of mental and physical/ development the only institution existing which can care for our children is the kindergarten branch. Should the ■work not receive the help ft needs, so that no child throughout ithe Dominion need be neglected and left to run risks,. which may make it .impossible that it should ever become a. valuable member of the community? At present the union's capitation fee is*£2, as against the £6 paid ior each child in the State schools. The Kindergarten Union is hampered in every way by lack of funds, and yet the Education Department in--spects the schools and shows its approval of the work by giving the union an mr sufficient grant." i -.' ' ' Quite a number of ferns and plants have. recently been removed- from the Day's Bay bush...by visitors. The City Council has decidjed .to take immediate proceedings against any offenders who may be detected. ' ■ ' ..

The year just passed has been a particularly successful one, socially and financially, for the Wellington Savage Club. The finances of the past term mark-a record in the club's history, and this, the p report states, is most . gratifying at a. time when,decreased revenue from subscriptions has beea experienced owing to members answering the call. The net profit for the season totals £92 5s 3d, some £40 above the 1915 figures.. The sum of £50 has.been voted to the Returned Soldiers' Club. Last year's, activities included successful- entertainments, .a- ladies' evening tint proved an outstanding feature of the season, and in this musical direction the services of Lieut. H. A. M'Comish (director), Savage Frank Thomas (accompanist),; and Savage R. K. Lyon (secretary) are mentioned. The report states that Savage Lyon has enlisted, and dwells on the loss the club will sustain by his absence. ' - , , ■ . ■

"There is no sting in the word 'wowser,' however loudly it may be bawled by those who stay ..home to gamble and drink while the 1 best men die at-the front."—Rev A. C . Lawry, at the Methodist Conference last night.

The design of the clock recently erected outside the Gresliam Hotel does not meet with the approval of the Bylaws Committee of the, City Council, and at : last night's meeting the committee recommended that the proprietor should be asked to remove it. Through Mr. J. J. M'Grath, the proprietor put forward his side of the question; and on the motion of Councillor Fitzgerald the matter was referred back to the Bylaws Committee for further consideration.

The estates of 105 deceased persons were placed under the charge of the Public Trustee during January last.

The estimated population of ths Dominion a.t 31st December was 1,162,600.