NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 15, 17 July 1929, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Firing for the Poor.

At the Hotary Club luncheon yesterday it was announced that the coal and firewood distribution sehenie was now well established, but an appeal was made to members to assist with donations. The coal companies had agreed to carry coal free of charge to those households chosen to receive it. The president, Mr. J. M. A. Ilott, stated that ho had received a sum of money from a Hutt resident, anonymously, to go to the fund. Chamber of Commerce Defended. The president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr. Edwin Salmond), at a meeting of the council of that body last evening, drew attention to a stateniont made by a member of Parliament to tho effect that no weight could bo attached to resolutions passed by the chamber becauso the number of men who carried such resolutions was so small. That seemed to him to bo a ridiculous statement to come from a member of Parliament, when it was considered that a mero handful of men in tho Houso spoko for a million and a-quti-ter of people. Mr. Salmoud maintained that tho Chambor of Commerce fairly represented the business and commercial community; and when the Chamber of Commerce of the Dominion spoke, through their executivo, with, a united voice, that voice became rather "a mighty shout," and although they did not expect the walls of Jericho to fall down, they did oxpect the Government to take notice of resolutions which they passed—such, for instance, as that urging the desirableness of further inquiry being made before the South Island Main Trunk railway was proceeded with. Unloading the Maunganui. The question of alleged delay in unloading tho steamer Maunganui on 4th June, was again brought up at a meeting of tho council of the Chamber of Commerco last evening. Tho Transport Committee reported that 3rd June was a wharf holiday, and on 4th June, according to a statement made by ,the Freight Department of the Union Steamship Company, there was a big call for labour. There was not sufficient labour to discharge all tho ships,1 and the more urgent vessels had to be dealt with first. An endeavour was always made to avoid delays, as a waiting boat was a source of expense. The whole of tho green fruit cargo by tho Maunganui was unloaded on Tuesday, 4th June, and the transhipments for the South Were sent forward the saino day, with tho exception of 49 cases. 'As regards local consignments, some inquiries for these were made about 4 p.m., but as full lines were not at the time immediately available, further inquiry was deforred until tho following day. Deliveries could have been given, but this would have been late, and consignees would have incurred overtime payments. Tenders for Government Stores. Tho council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce wrote to the Prime Minister recently regarding inconsistencies in the practice of various Government departments in the publication of accepted tenders for the supply of stores to the Government. A reply has been received from the Prime Minister stating that tho policy followed by the board is that prices are not disclosed except in special circumstances, but the names of the successful tenderers are made known on application, ihis procedure, ho said, is followed by all departments, with the exception of the Public Works Department, which was authorised to disclose the names and prices of successful tenderers owing to the special nature of the majority of the tenders called for, which were, for the most part, for constructional work, and material connected therewith. The matter was again being considered by the Stores Board, and tho council of the chamber would be advised of its decision. Pig-Irori Bounty. According to a return presented to Parliament, the Government paid by way of bounty to the Onakaka Iron and bteel Co., Ltd., for tho year which ended on 31st March last, £6729 18s, in respect of 5176 tons 17cwt of pig iron manufactured at Onakaka, Collingwood. Prior to Ist April, 1928, £14,548 7s 2d was paid to the company in respect of 10,603 tons 7cwt 2qrs of pig iron.

Eailway Worksnops Cost.

.Stating that tho new railway -workshops had coat approximately £500,000 in excess of the estimates, Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) gave notice in the Jlouhc of Hopresentatives yester<l:iy to risk the Minister of Railways whether he had asked his officers for mi explanation and what the explanation \v;lh. Slip on Karorl Road. A coiiHiderable quantity of loose ipoil from tho road-widening filling on \.h<! Iwirori road, just beyond tho tunn<:), hroko away as a result of the hiwivy ruin of tho past few days and mIkI down in a porridgy slide to the K"lly l-elow, blocking the stream which Ukori tho overflow from tho Karori ri:«i:rv(.irM and resulting in the formation of a small lake. Tho damage done m not great, though the work of culvirtiiig and driving tunnels to nlrniKhten out tho creek as a preliminury lo completing the widening filling fin* l,oon held up. While tram track duplication work is in hand in this length of the road traffic is being diverted by way of tho narrow high level road. Scented Musk Unprocurable. Thirty or forty years ago a pot of fragrant musk was one of the commonest Hights and scents in any cottage or house in New Zealand. Oonerally a pot of it, trained up a tiny ladder made of thin sticks, would be placed in a sunny window, between tho glass and the muslin curtain. Today there is not such a thing in the world, and there is a standing offer of .£IOOO for tho man who finds a plant so it was stated at the conference of the Horticulture Institute at Auckland A man wrote from Whakatane saying that a noted London horticulturist had written out asking for information, as he understood the musk grew wild in New Zealand. Mr. G. A. Green, the organiser of the institute, said he never saw a plant of musk by the roadside without getting down to smell it, to see if there was any of the scented variety. Mr. Horton, the noted nurseryman, said it was no use looking for it, as there was not a plant left in the world. Oddly enough, although it was so common years ago, there was not a scented plant to be found to-day There was wild musk in any quantity in New Zealand, but it had no scent He mentioned that the "Daily Mail" had a standing offer of £1000 for anyone who could find a plant that gave off the fragrant scent of the oldfashioned kind.