LOCAL & GENERAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10736, 6 November 1928, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Tlio price of Tasmanian potatoes advanced in Sydney yesterday 50s to £ll. Fourteen thousand sacks have been landed.—Aust. Press Assn.

The English letter mail, which arrived in Auckland on. Sunday by the Aorangi, will bo delivered in G inborn** this morning.

‘The United Party claims that taxation is too heavy and the Labor Party claims it should be Increased, and more put on the land. 1 say tjiat if the land tax is increased it will mean. more unemployment, starvation and soup kitchens.!!—Thus Mr. W. J). Lysnar at Mangapapa layt night..

Not a. great deal of interest was taken in the voting by A. sand P. members a« to whether the annual exposition should bo. held in spring, as at present, or in the autumn. The vote resulted: Spring 138; autumn 52 ; informal 8. It will thus he seen that fewer than 200 members voted out of a total membership of about GOO.

The completion of miles of bottom course 'metalling is aimed at by the Public Works Department on the Hangaroa Road. The formation of the first six. miles from Hall’s to Tiniroto and the balance of 11 miles on the other' side of the township was completed last year so that an early start on the. metalling work this year was made possible.

A new rock crusher is to he set up at the sitt. of the deviation on the Gisborne-Motu road, between Otoko and Eakauroa, where a new face of -stone is to be opened up to provide low°r-course apawls for the deviation. The Waikohu County Council’s quarry at Motu is working full time with the object of getting out metal tor the sections of the road now under reconstruction

’One of the first houses erected in Fernridge near Masterton, was total. !y destroyed by fire early on Sunday morning. The occupier, Mr. W. Bennett. an employee of Mr. It. M. Perry, on whose property the: house was situated, returned home at midnight and retired. Half an hour after he found the structure to be in flames. The property was insured for £4OO. The house contained eight roorris.Press Assn

“I think Mr. Coates is the makings of a good Prime Minister, but there is an dement of his party that is keeping him back. If men of greater strength are returned to back up the Premier, he should do well. Mr. Coates should go into Parliament untrammelled by pledges and promises given by supporters,” declared: Mr. W. D. Lvsnar, Independent Reform candidate’ for the Gisborne scat, addressing the Mangapapa electors last night.

‘‘l have been a bit amused because of the peculiar attitude of some people,” said Mr. W. L. Clayton, United candidate, at Te Hapnra last night. Rome asked what had he done ror the district. He had been in retirement for twenty years and didn’t ivish to be- in the foreground. He possibly could astonish them if he told them all. “Personally, lam not a- hit angry,” said Mr. Clayton. “1 don’t like "being hit below the belt, but when I am I hit hack and' hit bard.”

An old wood and iron cottage of tour rooms at Ormond, owned by Mrs. L. Rigney, and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Sharp and family, was destroyed by fire at an early hour yesterday morning. The occupants were awakened by the noise and were compelled to make a hasty exit in their night attire from the' burning building, though they managed to save a few articles of furniture from the flames, t he house was covered by a policy for £IOO m the Royal Insurance office, but the contents were not insured.

While making it clear that he stood for a fair wage for everybody, Mr. Charles Todd, Reform candidate for Dunedin South, said that when a lot of men were applying last year for unemployment relief in Gisborne it was found that the first two on the list were men who had in the summer earned from £l2 to £l4 a week at a seasonal occupation. "1 sav,” added Mr. Todd, “that- if a man cannot .save something out of such a wage for a rainy day, he deserves very little consideration, unless sickness or some unavoidable trouble has brought- about his condiGon.'*

The attitude he had taken oo the question ot’ the route of the GisborneWairoa railway was, claimed Mr. Y\. 1). Lysnar at Mangapapa last night, he'd to l:‘o the reason for ht section of the people endeavoring" to get a candidate to stand in the United Party’s interests against himself at this election. Of course, he had always had opponents, even m ms old Mayoralty days. The United candidate" had charged him with delaying the work on the railway,, but there was not a scintilla of justification for that accusation; it was hi keeping with other statements Thai that gentleman had been making l

In reply to a question at a meeting at TO Hapara last night- as to changing one’s opinion, Mr. W. L. Clayton, United candidate, said that W. E. Gladstone once said that only two classes of men never changed their minds—one was a fool and the other was dead. But the question was still alive. It was allsurd to say that a man couldn’t change liis opinion in twenty years. “The principles I advocated twenty years ago I advocate to-day,” said Mr. Clayton, “and I have got my original speeches. Although I have been regarded in some quarters as a ‘twister.’ I consider it right to have a change in the interests of the country. The microscopic brain, however, is much too nettv to change its opinion.”

Arising out of an action for slander heard in August last- at Dunedin before Mr. Justice Ostler' and in which Thomas Henry Brown claimed from George Augustus Herbert the. sum of £SOO for alleged Blandei. th» latte* was charged at the Dunedin Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice MacGregor and a jury with having committed perjury during the hearing of the case. Judgment was given for defendant in the slander action, but, in delivering judgment. His Honor Baid he was forced to the conclusion that defendant had been guilty m perjury and sufsorning at least one other 'witness to commit perjury. Whan the court adjourned at 5.50 p.m. the case was unfinished.—Press Assn.

“It is regrettable to see a candidate standing for . Gisborne who has repudiated his pledge in this manner,” remarked Mr. W. D. Lysnar, addressing Mangapapa electors last night, concerning Mr. D. \\ . holeman’s attitude on. the municipal tramway question. Mr. Lysnar told the audience that the present Labor candidate had pledged himself to support the trams before the Mayoial election, and had now asserted, he had nob made u promise ,m tlfto Mttctioii It appeared from public statements published that Mr. Coleman had made such promises on March 16. March 20 and 21 and then, after being returned to office lie had scrapped ..the trains. That« was very wrong, claimed Mr. Lysnar. He had noticed that Mr. Coleman’s declarations were then to the effect, that whilst the trams wore paying operating expenses they should not be scrapped,.

•The unemployment situation in GisfcbS? has b P een relieved f considerably by the commencement oi load in the district. There are now only 20 names on the books compared with 51 on September 1. i ■

The billiards match at Christchurch between Walter Lindrum and Clark McConachy has been abandoned owing to the illness of McConachy’ who is now a patient at the Christchurch hospital. Lindrum began a match yesterday of 4,000 up with W. Smith, a local player, conceding 2,W). The scores at the end of the day were : Lindrum (in play) 2000; South 2,298. I,indrum's best breaks were 481. 298, 145, 268 . 25 and 157.—1 res* Assn.

By the end of autumn the East Coast main highway should he an alivveather route, from Gisborne to le Araroa, as the bridging and metalling work is then expected to be On the northern end the 1.- > v have let a contract for four miles or bottom course metalling from the IWtokautuku to Tikitiki, but it is generally expected that the start of this work has been delayed by wet weatner. r lbe metalling of two and a-halt miles on the Maraehara Hill « a - o to be undertaken shortly, and will thus link up the gaps m the metalled surface over the whole route. Contracts are to be invited for the construction of two bridges over streams that are liable to hold up traffic dining bad weather, whilst a third is to be started with'm a- few weeks.

Motorists who use the main Ea. Coast road will have 10 miles of bitumen to travel over within the next, two or three years, extending as tar as Turehau. The, initial stage of tins work is to commence m the Cook County within a week or two, when the contractor will start bitumenisine the road from the Borough boundary and will continue the surracing to Wainui Beach this season, rurther bitumen work on the MakarakaKaiteratalii Road is also to be undertaken by the same contractor. The work on both routes is Being done out of the 25 per cent, preferential allocation of the petrol tax revenue ol counties adjoining boroughs carrying much heavy traffic to and from the borough, and on which £BOOO will be spent this year, only £2OOO of which has to he provided by the Cook County.

The United nominee for the Gisborne seat, Mr. W. L. Clayton, has, on several occasions, modestly claimed to have some light knowledge of big finance, but, if the efforts of the candidate’s supporters are any criterion, any figures quoted will need careful revision. At the conclusion or the meeting at Te Hapara last evening, a prominent supporter informed two pressmen that there was an attendance of 61. He was somewhat taken aback, however, when told that the- exact attendance, including orominent supporters, was 31, excluding a child seven or eight years or age. Thp juvenile gazed pop-eyed at the candidate all the evening. In Lie course of his remarks. Mr. Clayton got off his Shakesperean monologue on Air. Lvsnar. Advancing slightly forward and sinking his voice several tones lower. Mr. Clavton quoted Shv'bek’s words: “I will buy with yon, jf4l with you, and walk with you, but T will neither eat with you, drink with you or pray with you.’’ It was quite a good effort and the child was immensely impressed.

A party of 16 members of Turanganui Lodge. No. 7 U.A.0.D., visited Wairoa to compete with Wairoa brethren in the ritual contest for the DeCosta Cup. The two “teams” gave excellent performances, the work be•ng of a high order. The judges, Brcs. Scott (Wairoa). and T. G. Law'ess (Turanganui), the former taking the floor work and the latter elocution. etc., had an arduous task. Ultimately the Turanganui Lodge’s team was declared the winner by 11 noints. After the contest the visitors were hospitably entertained, when a lengthy toast list was gone ihroush . Tile cup was presented to Bro. J. Jackson, A.D., Turanganui Lodge, by the donor. Bro. H. H. DeCosta. who congratulated the winners and also) the losers on their fine performance. Bro. Jackson suitably responded, and also thanked the Wairoa brethren for the cordial reception extended to the Gisborne members.

The wireless operator of the Southern Cross, Mr. T. H. McWilliams, returned' to Wellington by the Makiira from Sydney yesterday. Mr; McWilliams has obtained an extension of leave from his employers, the Union Steam Ship Co., Ltd., and after Hiree weeks’ stay in the Dominion will return to Australia, where he will rejoin Squadron-Leader Kfingsford Smith and Flight-Lieut Ulm. “T have no definite plans for the future,” remarked Mr. McWilliams, “and neither have Squadron-Leader Kingsfcrd Smith and Flight-Lieut. Ulni. The navigator, Mr. Litchfield, is in the same box, and is just standing by. By the time I return, however, ' there may hie something definite in view for further flights.” The Southern Cross, he said, was at present being overhauled hv “Doc.” Maidment. Asked how he found a journey by the Makura after a onenight trip from Svdney_ to New Zealand on the epoch-making flight of the Southern Cross. Mr. McWilliams

The reduction of Savings Bank deposits was referred to by Mr. W. D. L'vsnar at Mangapapa last- night. He said that Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labor Party, was making political capital out of the matter without any justification. In the ?ight of the boom in 1920, Mr. Lysnar" explained, the Government agreed that the Savings Bank should accept deposits up to £5,000. I tut, when the slump caused the depression the private banking institutions increased their deposit rates to such an extent that large deposits were withdrawn from tile Government institution. The Government then decided to reduce the limit, of deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank to £2,000 by reducing the limit by £I,OOO annually over three years, hut finding that so few large deposits remained in the Savings Bank the Government was compelled to reduce the limit to £2,000 in one year instead of three. The Labor Party claimed that the Government had thus attempted to pass over the large deposits m the Post- Office Savings Bank to the associated hanks, but he (Mr. Lysnar) assured them nothing was further from the Government’s mind.

The most important- improvement planned by the Public Works Depart-" ment on "the Gisborne-Wairoa mam. highway is a deviation from the mid of the bitumen past Manutuke to McDowell’s Corner turnoff. The . suitability of .the proposed route of deviation* has yet to 1© ascertained by a survey which will be commenced shortly, and if it is found practicable and can -be obtained at a reasonable price, it is practically certain it will be proceeded with. The suggested deviation will eliminate two bad corners and a sitiall bridge on the existing main road. Apart from, this portion of the, present route is subject to flooding from 'the Wsiipaoa river, and the. present -bridge cannot servo: main highway traffic for much longer. The proposed, new route will, in addition, reduce the distance by about, half-a-mile. It is generally reckoned that the saving in the bitumen to. be effected in making the deviation amounting to about £IOOO will, thus approximately, pay for the land, the fencing and formation work, said that the steamer voyugo seemed somewhat monotonous. “When 'we were 24 hours out,”, he said, “I imagined that we should Be oyer New Zealand. The steamer trip seemed very slow.”—Press Assn. .

“A vote otherwise limn for Labor r nr the Government. There it as much difference between United i -niform as between Tweedledum T«Scd».V-». .Coleman aa Manutuke.

T+ is notified by advertisement In JLLethL Mr. Alex. Thomson “If Ste entries for tile Kmteratal,, Flower Show to-day-

«T w ill not say that Mr. Clayton is a ‘twister’,” remarked Mr. Coleman at Manutuke last evening, “lor Mr Lysnar has really done as much. I remember him as a very staunch Liberal. If the one is a ‘twister,’ the other is also.. The only one who ha. not twisted is myself-

“Better that there should be no * aw jp “ska* d”° STS’’Mangapapa last night, in drflaring, himself m / a y° r ,°f. permitting the publication, of tote dividends and the authorisation of telegraph betting and also the promotion or sweepstakes, on which, he considered there should he a betting and income tax payable.

Some of the worst .corners on the Alorere Hill are to he improved by the p w D staff; on which £IOOO voted s to be expended. It will not be- pjwTbVto effect much improvement beyond canting in some of the corners which are now sloping outwards and which constitute a real danger to motor traffic. It is claimed to be useess -attempting to reduce the.sharpness of some of the corners as it would tend to increase the gradient.

That a hardship would be imposed under the Arbitration Act if there was not some measure for the clarification of labor in t-he various vocations according to skill and expenenw was the contention pur forward bv Mr W. D. Lysnar at Mangapapa last night. “Anyone who'can use tools can be admitted into the Carpenters’ Union.” remarked the candidate-“ And, of course, there are sheepfarmers and sheegnner,., added a voice amidst laughter.

A definite assurance that the unmetalled section of the Gisborne-Afotu Road would have the bottom course of metal applied by. the end it the nresent season is given by the Di.~ trict Engineer (Air G. W. Albertson). The formation and re-grading over the whole six miles was now in hand, he said, and spawls had been laid over portions of the road m readiness for knapping, so that' there would le no difficulty about completing the chain by the end of the season which would make the northern outlet an all-weather route.

A. Christchurch citizen, who prefers to‘remain anonymous for the r resent, writer vo the Christchurch Sun making- an offer of £SCO toward the erection in Christchurch of a statue to Captain Cook, the offer either to head a public subscription Ust o r ro place the £SOO at compound interestuntil of itself it. amounts to a sum sufficient to provide the statue, lhe proposal has been warmlv commended hv the members or the Chrutchurch branch of the New Zealand Historical Association.

“The United Party reminds me of a tale I once heard ” remarked Mr. Coleman at Alanuiufee last evening\‘A Scot,-an Englishman and an Irishman came upon, a rooster which had just had its head chopped off and was still fluttering around. The The Englishman said the bird was dead, the Scotsman more car £ lo , u L said it should he dead, but Padd. said it was dead, though, it djdn t know it. That’s the position or the United Party: it’s dead but doesn i know it.” (LaughterA

Amateur radio circles throughout the world have recently been greatly interested in the message-hanaling competition originated by the American Relay Radio League. This year, Air. D. W, Buchanan, of the Ashburton station 3AR. was the wanner othe N-Z. section of the contest, with Air. Ivan O’Aleara, of station 2AC, in second place, the respective points being 328 and 274Ihe local amateur was distinctly unfortunate, for, after competing • fur eiaht .of the 14 days covering the test, he had to leave for Auckland. Had Air. O’Aleara been able to conclude the tests and maintain his average, he would have proved ah' easy winner.

Towards the dose of his address at Manutuke last night, Mr. Coleman criticised Mr. Lysnar’s campaign methods. “When Mr. Lysnar comes out here,” he said, “he will misrepresent us and call us Bolshies and all sorts of things- He will also quote to you from a printed pamphlet- ,which he will say is Labor's official printed platform, but that, pamphlet was printed at the “Newsletter ” office. Reform’s own printing office. He will also tell you that- M r . Holland attended a Communistic conference in Australia, as New Zealand’s representative, but- he is entirely wrong in that statement, a? in. so many others.”

In moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Coleman at Manutuke last night, Mr. W. W. Shanks commended the candidate warmly on putting his platform so clearly, fairly and above board to the, electors, also paving a tribute to Mr. Coleman as a fellow member of various public bodies. — The chairman (Mr. C. Gibson) endorsed Mr. Shanks’ remarks, adding that Mr. Coleman appeared to have modified his views of three years ago and was _ tending almost towards a Liberal view. “In a short time,” said the- chairman, “I will be finding Mr. Coleman ranged alongside myself in the Liberal ranks.” (Laughter.)—The motion was carried by acclamation. Mr. Coleman then denying the soft impeachment bv the chairman as to his modified views.

For three hours yesterday morning Mr. Ivan O’Meara, the well-known, wireless operator, conducted tests in two-way communication" on. a tenmetre wave length with American stations in Massachusetts, there being .no need for the Californian intermediate station to relay the signals. After the tests, he received the following message from the president of the. Radio Relay League, who sponsored the experiments: “Accept our congratulations on your fine" work giving 28 megacycle CIO metre) twoway communication for the first time between New. Zealand and the- United States of America.” Mr. O’Meara replied expressing gratification at the outcome of the tests . and making ai rangements dor the continuation-of experiment. Mr. O’Meara points out that the experiments have, - been carned out under particularly adverse conditions.- For some days past wire- , 9P^ ra fion s have been greatly hand capped ' by 'atmospheric condir nS d, eV ’ e ? “igh-powerea .stations on flip 20-metro wave band being indistinguishable at times- -when" usually they are clearly heard. Had conditions been normal he is convinced that, much better results would have been obtained. . .. t

-At this keafeoh of the year each new shipment from English, and Continental Houses is a source of keenest interest. Wo have just opened a fascinating lot of new goods which.we tat* pride in displaying. They 'comprigfe Ensemble Suits, jumper Suits, Formal Gowns, and the In test Millinery. As" usual-, our imports portray th® leading authentic styles For the Ltd.*Giadetw® ' \ -. ■ *

• The- Opotiki- GoT? d-u-b field it« 'final match of the season, on Saturday m beautiful weather-, a, mixed foursome' over.inine, holes being played.. The best.:, cards resulted Mrs. Davev and Dawson .46, 14—32; Miss M'. Ferguson and S: Marn 55, rid—39: Mrs. Forbes and. Scott, 49/ 9—40; Mrs Birkmyer and' Morris. .50, 8—42. Special. ‘ '

The sum of £6O towards Labor’s local election campaign fund was raised by the ladies’ committeeot the L.RIC. as- ;a , result ,of the sale of work held in Liberty Hall on Saturday. /The estimating competitions were won by Mesdames Hall, Cbell, add Prentice, and Mr., A. Todd. The baby show was won by Arthur Pctherbridge.

Where does' Reform’s campaign fund come from?” asked an interjector at Mr.-. Lysnar’s meeting, at Mangapapa last night.—“l don’t know,” retorted Mr. Lysnar, “but in every election i have paid every penny of my own expenses and have never asked-for any reimbursement.”

. A five-seater limousine car crashed into a telegraph pole on the main road at Matawhero near the limcusniith’s shop on Friday evening, when the wheels skidded on the wet surface, as the machine negotiated the corned. The driver was unscathed, but the left-front mudguard was torn away, the windshield smashed, and the front bumper was wrapped round the, pole. -.

Guy Fawkes’ Day was celebrated yesterday .in.. time-honoved fashion, and pyrotechnic displays added color to an otherwise tin usually dark night. Bonfires were not noticeable in great numbers about the town, but country children found scope for- much amuse-; menfc in this direction The various election : meetings . were occasionally disturbed by the crash of- a “doghlebanger,” but, on the whole, the occapioii passed off more quietly than usiihl.