LOCAL AND GENERAL

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4575, 28 April 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A NEW GOLOSH. A visitor was walking along a street in Oanuiru the other day, when Ins attention was attracted by a wedding party (states the Otago Daily Times). The bride was beautifully dressed in georgette —the material was so described to tho mere male visitor—and she looked a very becoming bride. There was one thing about her, nevertheless, which puzzled the onlookbrr, Her feet appeared to be malformed in some strange manner. When, however, the bride had entered the comfortable taxi-cab, and shortly after a pair of grocer’s paper bags were thrown out on to the pavement, the mystery was solved. There was a grass path from the house to the waiting taxi-cab, and in order that the bridal shoes should not be soiled the bride hit on the ingenious idea of using the bags as goloshes.

EUROPE’S DEBTS. In the course of his annual address to the stock holders of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, the president. Sir Edmund Walker, discussed the burden of Europe’s indebtedness as it affects the prospects of the restoration of European currencies to parity with gold. “We need not worry, said Sir Edmund Walker, “about their debts to their own people, except so far as they cause fluctuations in the gold value of their currency when dealing with the outside world, but their debts to the United States and Great Britain and the German reparation payments, which are closely connected problems, hang like_ a wet blanket over a world otherwise ready for new and hopeful action. It is not' for us to offer advice to ’the United States, yet we cannot fail to express surprise at the suggestion that the Powers owing money to the United States should pay what they owe in 25 years with 5 per cent, interest.

EDUCATION OF GIRLS. “If education can make a girl a good housekeeper, it will fulfil its Highest function as far as she is concerned,” said the Minister of Education', Hon. C. J. Parr, at the .Beckenham school, Christchurch, last week. “I hope that in the new curriculum (the course from 12 to 1G), the girls will give half their time to domestic science, as it is done in V ictoria. With the other half of the curriculum devoted to English, arithmetic, bookkeeping, etc., the course will train a girl to become a proper housewife, and an intelligent companion for her husband. The importance of domestic science, cannot be stressed too much.”

LOTS OF COAL IN SIGHT. There are coalfields in the Southland district capable of yielding practically inexhaustible supplies ol ruel (says the Southland News). One by one mine's have been opened up by private enterprise until at loas*t halt a dozen sorts of well known coal from Southland are on the market in the South Island. Last year the yield was estimated at 1-10,000 tons and. the News estimates that when the output of several new mines is added Southland will produce on a five-day week 325,000 tons annually, and will have an exportable surplus of over 200,000 tons. It is also claimed that most of the Southland coal is superior to the brown coals of other parts of the island. MOTOR CLUB’S TESTS. The Eoilding Motor Club’s speedjudging contest, which was postponed last Saturday owing to the weather conditions, will be held to-morrow afternoon. As a large number of motorists have already signified their intention to enter, competitors are requested to turn up at 2 o’clock sharp to allow officials ample time for numbering and sealing speedometers. Next month the Club is holding a gliding stop competition, and from the number of motorists who are already practising for this event, which is merely an exposition of the correct way to bring a ear to rest, a record entry is expected.

GERMANY’S PROSPERITY. “Germany to-day is a more prosperous and contented country than England or America, or even New Zealand. Factories are going at full speed, there is plenty of work, no slum's like those in London and New York; theatres are crowded nightly, seats in the cabarets have to be booked in advance. Hardly a word- is spoken of the war, and—Germany is snapping her fingers at the rest of the world.” This is tho sum of the .impressions gained by Mr S. Gordon, a Cuba street business man, who was in Germany three months ago, and who returned from a world tour by the Miirama on Saturday. FARMERS AND THE COST OF LIVING. “Deflation is -complete as far as farm products are concerned,” said Mr W. D. Hunt, giving evidence at the Arbitration Court. “Farmers have done their share to reduce the cost of living. In the meantime they are meeting the position that has been forced upon them as far as they can by reducing their standard of living and by harder work. It. is now up to the rest of the community to follow the example of the fanners and do more work for less pay. While this may render necessary a temporary reduction in the standard of living, it will in the end he balanced by a reduction in the cost of living. This course will enable reductions to be made in charges to farmers which will increase the purchasing power ol their products and enable them to employ more labour, increase production, and thus bring prosperity all round.” LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

The absence of the League game of football among the Auckland schools was commented upon last week at.the annual meeting of tho New Zealand Council (reports the Auckland Star). Mr E. Stallworthy, who brought the matter up, said he had been told by country school teachers that it was more than their positions were .worth to introduce the League game in the schools. Mr.D, W. McLean, the president, mentioned that the game was played in the Hawke’s Bay schools. Mr H. Oakley suggested that they should approacli the. Minister of Education, who will be in Auckland in a few days. It was decided to adopt this course. ...... “There are two things in life which are certain,” remarked Chief 'Detective Kemp, in opening a case at t-lie Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning; “one is death, and the other is finger-print evidence.” We learn on good authority, says the Manawatu Times, that instructions arc about, to be issued from headquarters, through Scoutmasters in New Zealand, that- Monday next; May 1, is to be observed as “Mother’s Day.” In addition to his daily good act, every boy is to do one good turn for liis mother. In a civil acton heard yesterday in which Levin and Co. sought to recover £37 11s 3d from David Thomson, balance of commission due on .sale of property, evidence of plaintiff's witnesses was heard and the solicitor for plaintiff then elected to be nonsuited. , Defendant was allowed £3 3s solicitor’s fee and £1 4s costs.' Mr R. M. "Watson, S.M.. was on the Bench. According to Indications, a big supper of German sausage hampered thieves in stealing a ..safe from the premises of A. E. Cliff, butcher, ot Eltham, on Sunday night, states a message to the Christchurch Sun. They' managed to get the safe to a vacant section about 50 yards from the shop, but the weight was too much for them, and the inroad made on “small goods,” including a large German sausage (evidenced by the scattered remnants found in the morning in the shop, made them rather lazy. And, in any case, daylight must have overtaken them. The supper took too long! The safe contained the sum of £l4O in cash and cheques, and it was found in the section at 6 a.m. by an employee 'of Cuff,