LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 18281, 22 May 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

No now cases of mild smallpox aro reported on the Maknra. A commencement was made yesterday to unload the Auckland cargo, which is expected to bo completed on Thursday. According to cable ndvico received by the Auckland manager of the Union Steam Ship Company from Sydney, the passengers and crew on arrival there will be landed in quarantine, and all who cn.n show a. successful vaccination within seven years or at least fifteen days old will be 'released. The members of the crew will be allowed to rejoin the Maknra, which will be released at Sydney after fumigation, Passengers will bo taken from the Auckland bookings, being confined to those holding certificates of vaccination as above.

Archdeacon Cnvzon-Siggers presided at the monthly meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, which was held yesterday afternoon. He submitted the draft annual report. Mrs Sim was welcomed back to the committee after her recent trip to England. Several cases were reported by the secretary, and the treasurer’s statement was passed for payment. A meeting of the society is to be held next Monday, at 4 p.m., in the Town Hall The recent floods in North Canterbury have been responsible for an increase in the number of applications for work received by the unemployment branch of the Labor Department. Last week’s registrations totalled 125, the majority of the unemployed being laborers. “Since the flood started between 4CO and 500 men have called in search of work,” stated a member of the railway district engineer’s staff. “We have placed as many as we possibly could, but the trouble is the accommodation.” He added that all the available huts were being brought into use.

Mr R. C. Jones presided at a meeting of the Otago Radio Association held last evening. Four new members were elected, making the membership ninety-seven. Accounts amounting to £35 2s lid were passed for payment. It was decided to open a sales and exchange department to enable the younger members to exchange, sell, or buy wireless sundries at prices to bo arranged by the secretary, Mr H. E. Barth, and Mr J. L. Passmore. At the close of the business a wireless concert was listened to, broadcasted from Mr J. O’Neill’s rooms, Moray place. The following performers contributed items: Miss Blyth, piano solo; Miss A. Wilkinson, song; Mr Fogarty, song; Miss Gardiner, song; Miss P. O’Neill, song; Mr S. Passmore, ’cello solo; Mr J. H. Oliver, song; Mr T. B. Davey, song; Mr E. Kerr, cornet solo; Messrs Passmore, Barton, and Bacliop, instrumental items. Miss Barth played the accompaniments. The items were heard clearly by all present through a receiving set and amplifier lent by Mr J. L. Passraoro. An interesting feature of the evening was the receiving of wireless Press news from the new highpower station at Long Island, New York. This was heard quite distinctly throughout the. room.

The meat war in Wanganui advanced another stage yesterday (says the 1 Herald ’). A few days ago, it will bo remembered, the Wanganui Meat Freezing Company mado substantial reductions in prices, and the Eatox Company on Wednesday announced a penny reduction all round under the prices of the former firm. The Meat Freezing Company promptly brought their prices down to the level of the other firm, with the addition that they are giving the public the advantage of their battery of motor cars to deliver the meat to the door of the householder. In the meantime some of the smaller butchers are astounded, nnd their wailing to their customers on the rounds is almost pitiful to hear. One of the men interested in the meat trade remarked that there fa going to be a regular spring cleaning in the butchery business.

At the Fcilding municipal elections on April 26 a pojl was taken on the balf,holiday question, resulting , in_ Saturday being retained by 34 votes. This poll has now been upset by the Wednesday supporters, who petitioned the court for an inquiry, claiming that the ballot paper was ambiguous and misleading. The inquiry was held before Mr B. M. Watson, S.M'. The petitioners produced a number of witnesses, who said they were misled by the directions on the voting paper, which read: “The voter is required to put a cross opposite the name of the working day for which he desires to vote.” It was contended that the words “ workinn’ day” wore misleading. Iho magistrate held that the voting paper did mislead, and voided the poll and ordered another. A second inquiry was held on the same election—concerning the results of the borough council poll. One of the candidates who was declared elected was Mr V. E. Smith, who is a largo ratepayer and had been a councillor for six years. By accident his name was omitted from the printed district electors’ list, and Mr A. Cldaud, who was the only candidate not elected, petitioned against Mr Smith’s election on the ground that his name was not on the roll. 'Mr Cleland asked that ho be declared elected. Evidence was taken that Mr Smith’s name was accidentally omitted from the printed list, though it was entitled to be there. The magistrate reserved his decision. “ Are we going to sit down to tho tyrannic methods of the shipping combines?” asked Sir Walter Buchanan at Carterton on Saturday, reports the ‘Age.’ He said farmers were out to try in a small way to break up this pernicious combine, and wanted slieepowners to subscribe an additional £150,000 to enable them to secure more sleamors and to ensure that one was always on berth. When a ship came into port tho dumping and port charges had to hg> paid right away, and they were financed on bills of lading. It was desirable to show the shipping combine that they were in a strong financial position. Hot one penny of tho £IOO,OOO had been wasted.

Residents living along the hanks of the Waimata River regard the seagulls which hunt tho vicinity as pets, and in some cases have induced the gulls to take scattered food from close to- the houses, Tho birds are fine scavengers, and l , it is claimed, do absolutely no harm. A group of these regularly visit tho Gisborne Bowling Club’s greens, whore they alight among the bowlers, whom they amuse by their antics in avoiding tho bonds. One old bird has been named the “ greenkcoper,” and is always on hand.

A Wanganui business man states that a few days ago a traveller called upon him soliciting an order for stainless knives (reports the ' Herald The local man asked for a quote, which was supplied at 48s per dozen wholesale. He then invited the traveller to wait for a few minutes while ho produced a document direct from Home, and, pointing to the identical illustration of the sample of the knives before him, informed the traveller that tho retail price of these at Home was 12s per half-dozen. Needless to state, the traveller left the shop without an order. It is reported from Hannevirko that a certain individual accounted for tho loss of his money by a tale that somebody had cut one of his pockets out and thus robbed him (says tho Napier ‘Daily Telegraph’). Later the police produced tho bottom of the pocket, and the schemer admitted, so it is said, doing the deed himself in order to get a sympathetic donation from his wife with which, to continue a spreo.

Three-quarters of a million of money went to Australia.in one year for the purchase of timber which should have been kept in the dominion, said Mr Page, of the Forestry Department, when advocating more tree planting at a farmers’ class held at the Stratford Technical High School.