LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 17597, 28 February 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The farming community, whether deservedly or otherwise, have gained a reputation as growlers tho he \ b ‘ 0 " horticulturists . generally thmh about climatic conditions in a similar way. As i ilSstration to the point, the glorious weather experienc'd throughout the growing season gave promise ot escellmit flowers for toe vinous exhibitions arranged bv the Th.ncdin Horticultural .Soss“LW’jrivfi.to £‘3 tX M oiTA'Mi ™ w«f: the best that has been held *■*■*«* iorailv lo tho mfcmu* ot the JiorthiillOT.tl Society, ra ‘t‘Vt !.;.,,! h,,U what » wholly » »«* fe;‘ hibition of antnmn flowers. Entries mrinse Miis evening. . \ protest of small shopkeepers in AncLl,nd ho;, tost tho Townt mendnrait ot Iffshtp mi efficca Ao. 6 ..Vlorl- closing was made io tne l rime HinTii by a S deputation representing the \uckh d Provincial Shopkeepers AssocmAuckmu i d that tba Testnc t JOns r ressed n-y heavily on a class of business Spirit’could 111 afford "CfJ afeti,. It. to Seolity matelv bring lK.Mh.nip .> A[ _ scv the unemployment proWem AL Alasscy Tirnmieed that ho would have tile matte brought before Parliament, but pointed out that be could not in any way pledge himself as to the result of the repiesoute-

tions made. , (k 'Die twelfth anniversary of the settle- , rvf ilip Ttev. R- Fairmaul was dulj observed at South Dunedin Presbyterian Church vesterday. when special services were *!ield. Discourses ™7J? pr b °f“j£ t.,-, thc occasion were delivered bv tho Lv F M. P-eaffie. of Caversham, and bv toe ’Rev. R. Fainnaid in the forenoon am! in the evening respectivclv The choir, under the leadership of Ah L. Adam, hurch organist, rendered excellent items and Latta sang a snored solo with touching effect. There were Imge attendances at both services, which proved uplifting and inspiring. . . , The ‘'Monthly Abstract of Statistics tor January shows the* the index number for the three food groups lor tho month of Dercmbcr (Domimon weighted average) was 1915. nn increase of 28 points as compared with the preceding month’s figure (1,887). and an increase of 78.97 per cent, ns compared with that, for July, 1914. “This increase,” says the ‘Abstract,’ “is mainly accounted for by the 49 points advance" in the groceries group, due to the annually recurring increase in the price of potatoes when tho new season’s crop comes on the market.” During the December quarter of 1920 the average amount of money required to purchase in each of the four centres that quantity of food which would have cost 20s ’‘during the years 1909-13 were: Auckland, 37s 2ld; Wellington, 37s lOd ; Christchurch, 38s 7|d ; Dunedin. 58s 6^d; Dominion average, 58s o-jd. For the six months ending December, 1920. the food and rent groups combined showed an increase of 55.85 per cent, over July, 1914, compared with 51.83 thc previous month. Food, rent, fuel and light group showed an of 57,40 per cent., against 55.58 for November. The sovereign of July, 1914, was in foodpurchasing power worth 11s 3d in December.

A concrete gun for use in throwing cement on to reinforced steel works is to be tested at Miramar (Wellington) during the next few days. The gun, states Mr H. E. Moston (deputy housing superintendent), was brought into the country for use in connection with hydro-electric works or the lining of tunnels. The experiment was being made to ascertain if it could he suitably employed for small cottage work. The gun is tire property of the Public Works Department. Another example of the dexterity of the cargo pilferer was discovered in an Invercargill warehouse recently (states the ‘Southland Times’). A case of boot •polish had been delivered, and the case from outward appearances had not been tampered with in any way. After the first layer of polish had been removed the warehouse men found to their astonishment that the remainder of the case was filled with all sorts of odds and ends to occupv the space originally occupied by the polish. The pilfering had been accomplished neatly, and no sign of it was apparent until the ease was opened. “ The South Island land is an agreeable surprise to my northern intelligence,” said the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minster of Education, at Christchurch last week. “I am bound to say, speaking of the South Island, that as a business men I observe that vour land prices are not so high as in the North Island. Your land, relatively speaking, is cheaper than our land in the North Island. I believe that will stand you in good stead should there be a drop in land values, as was very possible in the near future. I think that possibly we have gone too far in boosting up land prices in the North Island. In the south yon hare kept your heads better. You have gone more cannily, and the reward of canniness is generally sure, if not extraordinarily substantial.” The Canterbury Education Board was last week taken to task by the Minister of Education. In replying to a deputation from the Temuka District High School, who asked at Temuka for a substantial grant for fencing and putting in order three-quarters of an acre, of land which the Education -card had arranged to take from the Native owners under the Public Works Act, the Minister said that unfortunately the board had gone the _ wrong way about acquiring this land, having decided to take it under the Public Works Act without consulting the department which had to find the money, or the Minister in charge, and under these circumstances the Director of Education had informed the board that it would have to find tie money. Continuing, Mr Parr said that some people had a knack of doing things in the wrong way, but he would not allow this unjustifiable action on the part of the board to interfere with rustics. He did not appreciate being flouted in this way, and would see the hoard on his return to Christchurch about the matter. The School Committee was in no way to blame, and he hoped to bo able to' get Temuka treated justly, notwithstanding this erroneous action on the part of the Education Boareh Child spies are encouraged by the Bolsheviks to report on any _ foreigner whom they hear discussing politics, says Mrs he Cue, one of the refugees who has armed in England from Baku. A report from one of these spies means death. << has been said that u son should help his father when he spoke with the enemies at the gate," said -Mr Justice Darling in » London court. But, ho added Z that did not mean when the enemies at the gate were policemen." His Lordship had before him a cilso in winch a youth, in order to shield his father, summoned for riding a motor cycle without a license, swore in evidence that his father had never been out on the machine, and could not ride it The youth was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment - An American shipping authority declares that the decree of making American ships ‘'dry” in whatever part of the world they may he will deal a mortal blow to his 3 country’s mercantile marine. It is certainly a bold over-riding of the traditions and temperament of seafaring life, and it will be very interesting to see whether it is obeyed, and with what consequences. Lord Desborongh’s name has just been added to the list of more or less distinguished people who have had the weird experience of reading their own obituary notices. Among the others are Baring Gould, Mr Rndyard Kipling, and Mr Augustine Birrell.' Tolstoy was falsely reported dead more than once, and during the South African War General KennyKenny was said to have had his head blown off on three separate occasions.

The practice in force in the United States Navy since 1905 of simplified spelling—“ thru * for “ through.” for example —has just been abolished h$ Daniels, Secretary pi .fee Nary*