LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"There should be some reservation upon motor shipping," said Mr. Joll (Hawkes Bay) at the Meat Producers' Board this morning. "They kill more fish, through tha released oils, etc., than is realised, and as this is an economic question, this Bhould bo considered.''

About 2,100,000 brown trout eggs have been collected by the Curator of the Otago Acclimatisation Society and his assistants this season. 'These eggs have been sent to the hatchery at Clititon. The society's orders for eggs run to about a million and a half. One consignment for Geelong was shipped by the steamer Waikouaiti.

The suggestion vras made by Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) in the House of Eepresentatives last night that New Zealand might well copy the example of South Africa in the matter of arranging railway tours for high school children. By this means the children could learn, to know their country better and its requirements than by reading a thousand books, or "Hansard." (Laughter.).

For some time past finger sponges provided for the' staff at the Auckiand Telegraph Office, which are kept in small glass bowls, have been disappearing, no fewer than eight vanishing during recent nights. It was some time before the mystery was solved. The ILisves proved to be rats, which removed the sppnges to their hiding-places. There is no water in tha building, and, presumably, the sponges were taken on account of the moisture they contained, one damp sponge being sufficient to provide "drinks" for a large rat family. . ■•

In a letter to a relative in Wellington, a local resident who visited Perth lately writes under date of 7th August: —"Yesterday morning the Government Meteorologist showed rue through the fine observatory, which ttands on a high elevation above the city. From the tower I obtained the best view I have yet had of Perth and the surrounding country. The meteorologist has a high opinion of Mr. D. C. Bates. He informed me that the yearly wind average is higher than that of 'Windy Wellington.' They get a lot of wind, from the south-west during the summer months.''

As it was unlikely that the gap in the Marlborough portion of the South Island railway would be connected up for some years, and, therefore, would preclude the. proposed cross-Strait train ferry being put into operation for some time, Mr. E. J. Howard (Christehurch South) stated in the House of Representatives last night that lie thought the Government should make inquiries at Home with a view of procuring a motor-steamer to carry trains between Wellington and Lyttelton. A 12-knot 15,500-ton mo-tor-ship with 13,000-ton cargo capacity, and with clear decks, would, he thought, be suitable.

The annual report of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce states that there has been a certain amount of over-importation during the lust twelve months, which it is very desirable to avoid in future, in view of the changing conditions of the British industry, shrinkage of the British trade balance, and the adverse condition of the London money market. While issuing this warning, the chamber emphasises the necessity of placing as much business as possible with British manufacturers in recognition of the fact that Britain is the best, and, in fact, the only market for our main exports.

"It has been well said that a man who works will beat one who does not," said Mr. W. Hayward, at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Employers' Association. "The same wisdom is applicable to nations.! Yet we still hear representatives of Labour in different countries assert that the right short-cut to prosperity- for all is to reduce the working day and increase the wage of the worker. It is an attractive panacea for industrial dopression, but it does not proTide against foreign competition on opposite lines of labour. Thus British communities must work harder everywhere or drift down loaded with debt, to a level inferior to that of harder-working nations."

Figures placed before the Harbour Board last evening showed that the total imports and exports for July last, 131,537 tons, wore practically upon a level with those of July, 1924, 132,376 tons. Some of the comparisons given were as follow, the figures for July, 1924, boing shown in parentheses:—General , cargo imports, 54,029 tons (51,164);' exports, 16,456 tons (19,080); timbers, imports, 1,886,187 super, feet (1,679,424), exports, 145,019 super, feet (94,195); coal imports, 12,726 tons (18,341); fuel oil, imports, nil (7334 tons), exports, 10,376 tons (1456); wool and hemp shipped, 8444 bales (8274); butter, 268 tons (911); cheese, 989 tons (1207); frozen meat, 2129 tons (1995).

1 The angling season in the Wellington Acclimatisation Society's district ■will open on Ist October. A visit was .paid to the trout hatcheries by a "Wulrarapa Age" reporter, who was informed by the Curator, Mr. J. Miller, that the season had boon a most unfavourable one from a trapping point of view. Successive floods had severely hampered tho collection of ova. and instead of securing enough in tho district as is usually the case, importation had to be wade from the South Island. Liberation of the fry has usually commenced by this time, but the weahter has been so unfavourable that the first batch have not yet found their now homes in the rivers of the Wellington Province. As soon as the weather settles this work will be carried out.

"Let the youth of our nations have a chance in collaboration to build up tho Empire of, the future," pleaded Sir Harry Brittain in his speech at tho Press dinner last night. "Wo havo at Home, aa you have here, a splendid stock of lads coming on, ready to do all th.it in. thorn lies, if. opportunity offers, for the mutual welfare of' 'our people. Hundreds of thousands of them have seen in your exhibition, and those of other Dominions, at Wembley, something of what, tho Empire means, and have appreciated for the first time something of the grandeur of their inheritance. Surely, by working together we can do much to sco that nono of this precious man-power is allowed to run waste, but to concentrate it where it can be used for the greatest service to -us sill. This is thn outstanding problem of tho British race today/ _ ........