LOCAL & GENERAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11833, 14 January 1933, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

According to a Paris P.A. cable, the Bank of France’s gold holding Inst week declined by .02,7.“0,000 nt pnr. The total drop since she failed to pnv the United States is £4,671,000.

A London P.A. cable states that the Treasury has intervened forbidding the re-purchase of Boots, the Cash Chemists, American interests on ihe ground that it is impossible for Britain to find 23,000,00 dollars to pay the American holders without seriou 2 - lv disturbing the sierling exchange.

Tire cost of paint and wallpapers is now so low that many are availing themselves of the opportunity to renovate their homes. Air. O. S. Vincent- is doing some very cheap work and keeps a large supply of paints, enamels, stains etc. and lias a fine assortment of a nice quality of wallpapers which lie is soiling regardless of cost- to make room for fresh >ndonts arriving shortly.

Tu order to afford North Islanders an opportunity to visit the world famous Southern fiords at- a very low cost and also to minimise travelling time, which is such a big factor tr the average person, the Union Steam Ship Co. of N.Z. Ltd. has decided tn run excursions to Milford Sound from 'Wellington. Their new R.M.S. Monowai. which lately created a trails Tasman record, lum been commissioned for the. trip and will leave Wellington on Monday evening, February 6 and will arrive back at the capital on .Friday morning, February 10. spending the intervening Wednesday at Milford Sound. Excellent arrangements for the entertainment of passengers have been made and the round trip fares have been fixed at the very low sums of £S first saloon and £G cabin class. Any additional particulars desired 1 may be obtained at flic local office of the company.

A resolution asking for a. substantial rebate on all c-ounty rates paid before the end of March next,-' waff carried by the Southland Counts’ Council yesterday. Members were agreed that some form of assistance to farmers was urgently required, but while some suggested a rebate of 20 per rent., others claimed that A 0 per cent, would not be too much. The motion finally agreed to slated:— “That this council realising that owing to their restricted incottie, farmers this year will have more difficulty than ever in paying' their rales, most strongly urges that the • Government make a substantial rebate on all rates paid before March 31, 1933; also that the money required for this purpose bo taken out of the petrol tax that was levied partly to give direct relief to ratepayers, and partly to force the road-user to contribute his share of road maintenance”.

The cheapest and the most popular form of recreation is reading, and this is shown by the steady increase in the number of subscribers to Eastwood’s Lending Library, where the latest popular' novels are placed on the shelves immediately on. their_ arrival from the publishers. There ate thousands of books to select from, including ihe works of all the best novelists and writers of biographies, etc. The terms arc very moderate—--7s 6d a quarter, 12s 6d for six months, of £1 a year. Two books can bo taken out at a time by town subscibers, and. four by country subscribers, so that the above subscription. fees give reading for a whole family. Start the New Year with a subscription. to 'Eastwood’s Lending Library, and wile away the idle hours with a “thriller”, a Wi|d West or a love Story, or. improve the mind with more , solid' literature, all of which can be found on the shelves of Eastwood’s Lending Library.*

fi The Dominion croquet tournament commenced in. glorious -weather yesterday at Lower JTutt and. Pqtofle. when '.the elimination rounds and handicaps were played.

If present proposals, eventuate, Gisborne will this year suffer from no death of . amateur theatrical performances. As stated in the Times a few days ago Mr, Gaston Mervaie, who was elocution judge at the last Gisborne competitions, intends to open a studio here for the teaching of elocution and the dramatic art. The present proposals, are to produce three or four plays or reviews during the year, for which the best local talent will be chosen. Mr. Mervaie, who many years ago was one of the leading men in the ,T. O’. Williamson companies, will be assisted in the production work by Miss Prances Kayber, who also has had much experience ori the stage throughout Australasia. Both Mr. Mervaie and Miss Kayher 'have conjointly produced many amateur plays in Auckland, where they have been accorded high praise. Should the Gisborne project oventuate, amusement-lovers in this town will see some of the latest dramas, comedies, musical comedies, and grand opera, produced, and staged by two talented members of the profession. Miss Kayher, who has been in Gsiborne for the past fortnight, returns to Auckland and next week, but expects to take up her residence in Gisborne shortly in preparation lor the productions.