GENERAL ITEMS

Grey River Argus, 4 September 1919, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

Dairy cows sold up to £38 at i clearing sale at Otangihsiku, Bay of Plenty, a lew days ago.

Lake Takapuna has fallffli a loot flnrincr the laist few months, and as a waiot famine is threatonod, lumseholders in .tho district are beinp; urgetl io obtain tanks before the summer sots in.

4. considerable nron of land is heinK put down in oats in th«« Mastprton district this season. The area thnt is lnin^ sown in wheat is very small.

The first locally-growr; cucumbers of the season were sold in Hawke's Bay on Friday for 2s 5d each.

A brick warehouse at the corner of Al ei-t and Switnson streets, Auckland has been purchased by tho Patriotic Association and Women's PatriofiM League, at a cost of £12,00'"0, to provide a permanent soldiers club.

\ property in the Thames* district leased last year for £38. has now been leased for £144 7s 6d (says tho Thames Star) Tlie substantial increase f>f £106 7s 6d on last year's price gives a good idea of the present laud lu»nger. At the annual meetingg of the Wairaapa Soldiers' Club it was reported hat there was a deficit of £120 011 the oar's working, which Mr. A. P. Whatman, founder of the flub, has wiped ut. in accordance with a promise he made. As a n expression of gratitude that that part of Schleswig which was taken from the Danish Crown in. 18Wis now to be returned, if memorial in the form of an illuminated address, signed by Danish men and women in tliT- dominion, is to be so-it to the Kir" of Denmark, congratulating him and the Danish nation u n the event.

There is r.ot such extensive plantng of fruit trees in Otago this seaon. excepting in the Cromwell district and it is said, that the Canterbury' orchrrd owners are also content for tho most part, with - renewal rather than extensions. One reason for this shyness in P lantin AiJ that the supply of young trees liom Austria is still son-existent. Inc appeal to the authorities by the Federation to lift the embargo r.ot having as yet led to any ™P° n .f • Present indications suggest that tho cry for liberty to deal with Australasian .nurseries will be revived and persisted in.

The employment of interpreters in court cases in which "oreiwiers are concerned was mentioned iij the Police Court at Auckland during the hearing of a case in which ft Czechoslav was required to give evidence. Dc-iciidant' counsel asked for an interpreter, but Mr Hunt. S.C.. ivnliwl: "Let him see what he can do. I have learned Inexperience how to treat these men, and when hearing Maori cases I make them pay for their interpreters. It has a salutary effect on -their English."' Witness however, proved incapable of using English, and told the Magistrate ths.t he had to have an interpreter evon for his dentist. Amid laujihtor. Mr Hunt said hft would have considered dentistry the ane and only profession where a client would not require the services of an interpreter.

Two women patrols who are at wonc in Christchkureh under the direction of the District Health Office, Jiave reported several oases of disease amongst women and children, and steps hsiv*> been taken to see that the persons suffering from thdse diseases, receive proner treatment, live in clean and sanitary conditions, and take the curative measures prescribed by tlie medical authorities. The. patrols have extensive powers, but their work is not of the detective character. If they find a girl in company that seems to be undesirable, they may ascertain where she lives and report_ the matter to her parents afld advise tlTem to exercise more restraint o n her, but tlioir actual positions are those of investigating nurses. One is a trained nurse and the other lias had nursing experience. Both are capable and are enthusiastic in their work. Tlie expenmer- of their work and the appointments it is expected, will prove vory satisfactory as far iva discovering victims of special diseases and preventing them from spreading are concerned.

Whe n the battle-cruiser New Zealand fiteamPd into Wellington harbour an

v morning many of those who saw her pass ia the bright sunshine remarked on the fact that the Union Jack was flying jvt her main peak. This it may be said, is tlu* first time that a ship has entered Wellington flying this flag in the, position mentioned, and only twice in the history of the British Navy has a ship flown this fl,\g at sea. It is the flag of the Admiral of tho Fleet is one who has sse n his days ol sea service, and who directs the destiny of. the fleet from a home base. Admiral Lord Jeßicoe received his appointment as Admiral of the Pe ec wnile on his way to Australia, and the Unio" Jack was immediately hoisted at the mam. The other occasion when the Union Jack was flown at the main trom a warship at sea was when Adm j lr xi- Se y monr in the Inflexible visited New \ork as Admiral of the Fleet on the occasion of the centenary of the united States.

rl ?V< P^P° Bal of the TaranakiCounty Council to raise revenue by mea ns of toll gates instead of by the licensing of vehicles appears likely to create a more definite cleavage between town and country than the original proposal (says v local newspaper) Meetings of ratepayers in the rural districts rather favour the toll alternative ; and at a meeting of the Okato Dairy Factory t which discussed the matter, ratepayers strongly approved tlie action of the country in endeavouring to raise revenue^ directly from users of the roads^ whether by means of licenses or tolls — indeed the meeting went further, and resolved that if the county did not take action the proposed loan for the construction of tar-sealed roads would not. be given favourable consideration. On the other "hand^ the Wanganui Borough. Council has unanimously resolved — "That the Taranaki Coii'nty Council be informed that the council is of the opinion that the establishment of toll gates on the roads leading to New Plymouth would be even more detrimental $)o New Plymouth than the enforcing of the vehicle licensing bylaws and" under the circumstances cannot see its way to agree to the establishment of toll gates."

"Keen clear of such subjects" said the chairman of the returned soldiers' meeting at Wellington lately, when one member introduced a question of union and non-union labqur.. "This Association stands for the mutual benefit of all. It is non-party nan-political. We Tinst have no splits. We will not deal with capital and labour unionism v. non-unionism, employer v. employee, liquor v. no-liquor.' We wish to work to further the interests of the soldiers. If we start introducing • these subjects we have decided to eschew, we will soon be split up."