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Evening Star, Issue 17316, 1 April 1920, Page 4

Grocers have to work to fine margins in some lines. Butter k one just now. The grocer has to pay Is 6id per lb spot cash tor prints; he sells at Is Bd, being not allowed to charge a higher price, and he gives 2' 7 discount on regular accounts. This gives him net 5 per cent, profit, and he cannot run S, business on that percentage. In other words, he makes nothing out of butter. Though the cabled advices as to rabbitskins convey a suggestion that values may drop, the taking of rabbits in Otago is being pursued with more eagerness than at any previous time. Men are out everywhere trapping, poisoning, ferreting, and catching bunny by ail sorts of devices. As a result, rabbit traps are not to be bought. Some second-hand, traps recently auctioned fetched more than new ones sold a year or two ago. The rabbiters do not fear a fall in prices, knowing that even a big depreciation would leave them a handsome profit. The sitting of_ the City Police Court this morning occupied about five minutes. Frederick William Hyder and Albert Lees Wigg were each charged with, on or about January 30, at Dunedin, receiving from Patrick Clare 20 watches, of a total, value of £lO, knowing the same to have been djshonestly obtained. Senior-detective Kent asked for a remand, the reason being that the person from whom the watches were obtained was on the steamer Tarawera, which was expected to arrive before the 9th. It would ..be more satisfactory to have him present before dealing with the accused. Mr H, Y. Widdowson, S.M., granted a remand till April 9, each accused being granted bail in his own recognisance of £SO and one surety of a similar amount. One of the special grants by the Otago and Southland Presbyterian Synod yesterday was £SOO for a new church at Maori Hill. The representatives of this church made out a special case by reason of the fact that the attendance of the M'Glashan College boys has to be provided for. The Maori Hill congregation have been wor- [ shipping in the Coronation Hall for a [year. The plans for the new building have been revised in the direction of plainness, so as to secure the maximum of accommodation for the money. One of the embellishments cut out is the spire. It will bo seen by the list of grants as published in this issue that £250 was voted to Kennington, near Invercargill. This is for the purchase of an old building from the Methodists, who are unable to work the district to advantage for the want of local preachers. Mr L. C, Hazlett, of Salisbury, has sold his monster fat bullock to Mr T. Hesse for £2OO, and the big fellow will be exhibited at shows. The weight of this bullock is estimated at about 3,3001b. Mr James Gow, of North Taieri, bred the bullock, its father being a shorthorn. A suggestion having obvious advantages was Cr Clark’s to the City Council last night—that the fence on one side of the Octagon be set back along the whole ■length to enable seats to be placed from end to end where now are only a couple of seats in pigeon-holes.” Cr Scott, a believer in forthright methods, went further. - “It is opportune now,” he said, “to do away with all fences round out reserves. Such objectionable obstructions should not be necessary in a civilised community.” Ho ’added slyly—the reference being the council’s decision that no theatres be licensed for Good Friday—“in a community so highly civilised as to permit no pictures op Good Friday.” Cr Wilson said no more in reply to this than that in a position so dose to where crowds often collected to hear addresses it would not do to expose the Octagon reserve. Under the will of the late Mrs Agnes Charlotte Hyde, widow, of Christchurch, the following bequests have been made; £IOO to the Salvation Army for the Army’s work at South Dunedin and Linwood in equal proportions; £SO to Methodist Sunday school at St. Kilda, Dunedin ; and £25 to the Christian Endeavor Society at St. Kilda, Dunedin. The Dunedin bankruptcy returns for tfio past quarter were as follow, the figures in parentheses being those for the same quar-ter-of last year:—Number of bankruptcies unclosed 15 (24); number closed 6 (nil); number of fresh bankruptcies 2 (2); leaving a total number in hand of 11 (26); total amount of assets realised £719 6s (£l5O Is 4d); amount paid in dividends £1,242 10s 8d (£264 3s).

Mr Pan!in telephoned at'l.4s p.nj. S.W. to N.W. gales; rain in 34 hours; barometer Ml fast. The thermometer at Opoho to-day registered 82deg in the shade and 140deg in the sun. Our Christchurch “special” wires: Representatives of the Iron and Brass Moulders’ Unlpji emphatically indicated at a sitting of a~Conncil of Conciliation yesterday that if a settlement of the dispute with the employers could not be made by the council they would not go to the Arbitration Court, but would take other measures. The union assessors, after retiring, declined to accept the employefs’ offer of wages based on the recent Otago award for iron and brass moulders, whereupon Mr F. W. Anderson, one of the employers’ assessors, said : “ Oh, well, that settles it; there is not much good in us going on,” He said he was inclined to let the case go to the Arbitration Court. Air G. Samins, a union representative, retorted ; “ You can take it as definite that the moulders will not go to the Arbitration Court.” Mr Robinson, another representative of the union, said : “If the employers force our hands to take stronger measures the responsibility will be with them.” He added that, the workers demanded a wage sufficient to meet the increased cost of living. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr W. H. Hagger) advised the parties not to talk in such a strain, and subsequently ficceeded in arranging for an adjourned sitting of the council. No direct reference was mqde to the water poll at the City Council meeting last night except in the Town Clerk's brief report of the result: But later a pertinent suggestion was made by Cr Bradley for the curtailment of water used, or rather wasted. He urged the chairman to have meters put into every house, so that the waste, which everybody knew must be rife, could be measured and checked. “ It is well for our Empire that individuals show greater, patriotism than the Government,” writes our London correspondent. “ What the Empire owes to Cecil Rhodes, for example, is not properly appreciated, and perhaps never will bo, by the great majority of the people. We can now contemplate another splendid action, and, as it happens, by men also associated with South Africa. The reference is to the gift of £20,000 by the brothers S. B. and J. B. Joel to the Middlesex Hospital for the purpose of endowing a university chair of physics, the chief idea being to discover a cure for'cancer. This is indeed a generous a-ctim, and it may result in untold good to the community. In scientific matters our Government lag badly, and fail to recognise that the granting of large sums of money for scientific research is an excellent investment,”

The Town Clerk last evening reported to the City Council on the result of the poll taken on the question of borrowing £■162.000 for water supply purposes. Cr Bradley stated that it had been brought under his notice that a city councillor had been in one of the booths—he understood the Stuart street booth—“ intimidating as to votes being given to persons not on the roll.” The Town Clerk said he would inquire into the matter. The Christchurch ‘ Sim ’ says : It _js quite on the cards that a large Australian firm of universal proprietors who run huge department stores on the American system may establish themselves in the near future in the four main centres in the Dominion. It is understood that this concern have already secured an extended purchasing option on a large block in the centre of Christchurch. This site at present contains a number of shops and other buildings, and has more than one frontage. “I annot stop you yet,_ I have no power to do so ; but if this kind of thing continues someone will have to stoja you. ’ This was the comment of Auckland's coroner on motor-cyclo racing at the inquest on Baris Pieter Finn, who died from injuries sustained while motor-cycle racing on Monday. Evidence was given that the track had not been specially prepared, but was in good prder. The coroner (Mr Wilson, S.M.) said this was the second inquest over which he bad presided in which men had been killed while cycle racing. Percy Coleman, one of the competitors in the race, said he overhauled deceased and brushed against his arm. This caused Finn’s cycle to skid. 'Witness was travelling about 80 miles an hour, and deceased about 65 miles an hour. There have been many Cmnese caught leaving Australia with gold concealed on their persons, but the facts of a case given the Senate by the Minister for Re patriation (Senator Millen) are unusual. Five Indians who were about to leave Sydney on the steamer Roggeveen for Java and Singapore denied that they had gold in their possession. On being searched, however, each man was found to be wearing crudely made armlets, weighing lib and upwards. One man had a weight of 41b 6oz on the upper part of his arm. The gold seized by the Customs officers was valued at nearly £909. In view of the serious nature of the offence, and of the known efforts to take gold out of Australia illegally, the Minister for Customs ordered the confiscation of all the gold seized. It is believed that a considerable portion of the money used to purchase gold was earned by Indians outside Australia. The Melbourne ‘ Argus ’ is., predating events a little in the following paragraph : ‘‘ During his stay of 27 days in New Zealand the Prince of Wales will be the guest of the Dominion Government at Auckland, and at Wellington he will stay with the Governor-General (Lord Plunket).” It is 10 years since the late Lord Plunket was the King’s represen tativa in New Zealand.

On Anzac Day the public will have an opportunity of seeing a section of Australian returned soldiers in the parade arranged, by the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association. Last evening a meeting_ of ex-members of the Australian Imperial Forces was held in the rooms of the R.S.A., and it was decided to form an association of ex-Australian soldiers affiliated with the Returned Soldiers’ Association, with the object of assisting any of their men or dependents who had claims on the Commonwealth Government. It was also resolved to take an active part in the parade and memorial service on Anzac Day, at military functions in connection with the visit of the Prince, and later, also, on the occasion of the projected visit of General Birdwood to this country. . The next draft of Otago soldiers to arrive here will be those coming by the steamer Tainui, which is expecte'd tomorrow at Auckland. Altogether the vessel.has officers and 105 troops, 21 of this number being for Otago. The local men should arrive hero on Monday. Tho Oorinthic, due at Wellington on April 9, has eight men for Otago, and the Remuera, due at Anckland on April 26, has only one man for Otago.

Watson’s No. 10 is a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth the money.— [Advt.] Stationers and storekeepers, kindly call at youf earliest to see our new stock of “Thinker” and “Keep Smiling” writing tablets, “Thinker” pictorial school exercise books and note books, also “ Golden Rule ” school rulers with metal edge. Best for every home. J. Rattray and Sons, Ltd. — Easter Holidays.—Our Pork department will be open all day Saturday. Barton and Tron grove.—[Advt.] Our Sale proved auch an attraction that we were unable to serve all our customers on Friday night, so we have decided to continue it until E-aster. Rusbatch, jewellers.—[Advt.] “White House,” George street.—Best value in fruit and jam jars. Todd’s, next Plaza.— [Advt.] Blended correctly, aged correctly—Watson’s No. 10 Whisky, clean, soft, -mellow.— [Advt.] The most popular Hotel in Dunedin is the City Hotel. High-class accommodation, liquors par excellence; in fact, everything is of the best.—[Advt.] New Zealanders on service found that there is no brandy like Cognac brandy, and no Cognac brandy like Marteli's.—[Advt.] No lady should be without Martin’s Apioi and Steel Pills}. Sold by all chemists and Btores throughout Australasia,—[Advt.]