LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 16234, 2 October 1916, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Some idea of the quantities of fertilisers imported into Xew Zealand mar bo gained (*ay3 the Auckland 'Herald')" from the fact that since the war began 56,000 tons of ground raw phosphate has been received from Makatca Island, and 4.000 tons from Ocean Island. This would represent a total of over 70,000 tons of manufactured superphosphate if it were all turned into this fertiliser, but a portion of the phosphate is used as a base for other manures. About three-quarters of the imported phosphate from the sources mentioned was landed at the port of Auckland. Our Saturday's cables mentioned the visit of Sir Thomas Mackenzie. Sir James Carroll, and Mr Young (Agent-General for tsouth Australia) to Bristol. In May last Uio Commonwealth Prima Minister (Mr .Hughes) and Sir Thomas Meckenzie paid a similar visit, and were honored by having their names added to the roll of Bristol ircemen. Our High Commissioner, in acknowledging the honor, said that ever since he fust met Mr Henry Rislev and Mr Paliiser Martin in New Zealand he had met nothing but kindness and generosity from the people of Bristol. The Ir/c Ma - vor had referred to commerce. He (oir Thomas) admired the enterprise of Bristol. The. citizens had shown that they had all the grit and go of those men who made Bristol famous in times gone by. He had been over the docks that afternoon He saw them years ago, and he had no hesitation in .saying that for the .handling o, delicate goods he had seen nothing finer than at Bristol. At the time of his lastvisit to Bristol docks the depreciation of value, of New Zealand goods by London handling was a farthing per lb. If every pound fio depreciated the total loss would be £457.000 a year to New Zealand The enterprise of Bristol had altered that, and enormous improvements in handling had been effected in London. He was no believer in concentration at anv one port of a country's trade—(hear, hear)—but he recognised that Bristol whs the gatewav of the West, and as such had a great value for New Zealand.

Tlie following is a selection' from the books added to the lendinsr department of the public library during the week ended Saturday:—La Goffic (Charles), ' Dixmude-'; Skden (Douglas), 'Twenty Years ot My Life'; Ri ggs (N. c.). 'Hancock's Applied Mechanics for Engineers '; Maiden (W. J.), 'British Sheep and Shepherding': Creighton (Rev. 0.), 'With the Twentyninth Division in Gallipoli': Tannock (D.). ' Manual of Gardening in New Zealand ' •' Pinero (Arthur), 'The Big Drum'; Hale (A. Creighton), 'The Art of Massazo' • Roberts (F. A.), ' By Forest Ways in New Zealand ': Bigelow (Poultnev), '' Prussian Memories, 1864-1914': Bastable (C. F.), 'The Theory of International Trade'-' Phelps (\V. L.), ' The Advance of the English XoveP ; Stone (Gilbert), < Historv of Wales*; Glover (T. I{.), 'Poets and Puritans.'

" Men cannot be got for invc or money " was a str.teir.erit made by a . member of a saw-milling firm at the Southland I/aud Board meeting, when c.illed upon to show cai.se why the firm's rights over sawmilling property should not be- ca-ncHiied. He stated that" the major portion of the fiaw-mill workers in Southland were vouii" men, and .as they had enlisted there only remained the oid men, who were not prepared to go into the tm?h and engage "in the arduous duties incidental tom:ilmg. As far as. their mill was coneerned, operations had ceased for some time, and the £-1,000 expended by the firm on mill, plant, tramway, etc.'. was non-interest bearing. The firm were as " n f?ue as the board to have the bn*h felled and the timber marketed, but the circumstances mentioned rendered tip's impossible.