LOCAL AND GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 18 December 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Battalion Band Avill play in the King's Domain on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Attention is drawn to tho change of advertisement of Mansoa and Co., which is of special interest to men. The firm have just landed a largo consignment of English Velour Hats, smart and dressy. Inspection is invited.

Mark Sprot and Co. draw attention to the auction sale of property to be held at Runanga on December. 22nd, under authority froni the Public' Trustee, the executors in the estate of J. E. Baker, deceased. The property comprises tAvo sections on which' are' built four dwelling-houses. •

*Tho following resolution has been passed by the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Land Values League: "That the policy of the' Government in subsidising the butter industry to the extent of over £600,000 per annum will benefit only the landowners and promote further gambling in land." — "N.Z. Herald."

Mr G. R. Hunter, Town Clerk of Runanga, lias received word from f!'° Westland Land Board, that the application of the Runanga Beautifying Society for a reserve to be used as a childrens' play ground has been granted. An effort will be made by the Beautifying Socftty to have the Ground cleared during the holidays.

Although he, received 2s Cd net for butterfat at his milking shed, a dairy farmer at Te Horo, Manawatu district has just leased his property, without the buildings, to an industrious party of Chinese gardeners for a term of years, at £17 10s per acre per annum. This would appear to be an extremely high rental, but the Chinese say. they Avill take £200-pcr acre each season for cauliflowers.

Referring to the inflation of land values an Ekefaihuna farmer told the Parliamentary Butter Prices Committee that in his district the Government had placed about 200 returned soldiers on the land. The settlers who hal sold out to them were putting their money out at interest, living in the towns, and waiting for values to come down, so that they could buy again. Land which & few years ago he had sold at £34 had since changed hands five times, and then the Government had bought it for returned- soldiers.

Remarking on a question of ours, as to what port dues Hokitika users of the Greymouth port are and have been paying, the Hokitika "Guardian" points out that 110 attempt has been made to dodge them — and so much was not suggested. It adds: "Hokitika has not made any attempt in that direction, ndr, if it is reeciA'ing any special concessions at presentj were those asked for from here? The existing tariff Avas fixed as a means to compete Avith the Hokitika port, so that the Government railway might reap a harvest in railway freights, , instead of steamers freights to Hoki tika. / • .

At Hokitika Warden's Court reference was made by tho Warden and Counsel to a decision given recommending of the grant of an amalgamation of claims by the Rimu Cold ■Dredging Coy Ltd. It was stated that this was the first application dealt with, under the recent Mining Act Amendment. Mr Murdoch stated the Company had spent upwards of £60,000 on the nrea and w-fcrc erecting a dradgo that would'cost £110,000. The Warden stated that he was satisfied the am^ncimenfr was a A r erv nee ossnry one. In this instance he had boon to tho scone of their operations, anft It could at once be scon the Company meant business, and they dcserv'ed every encouragement. • — .

Karl Kautsky has Ticcn expellbd frbm the Independent Socialist Party of Germany. Another intellectual victim, of the great war, Karl Kautsky, has since 1914 deserted tlife revolutionary position so brilliantly set forth in ninny, of his, oarly writings, whieli tiovortTioless +o-^ay arc as true as when hf-u-rotp thorn. Thus Ivmitsky koos under with 'th'-e Second International to the fremendons assault of his groat adversary Lenin, who since tho revolution has .•waged a violent literary conflict with him ac the theoretician of the Second International. — Exehavtgc. The extent of New Zealand's "drastic cut" in 'defence expenditure ns dis closed in the latest official return is that the .Government has permitted defence expenditure .in the first seven month of the present financial year to pxpoofl flint for tlie pnrr^sponcling period last j/ear hy

During November 99 vessels Avith a total net tonnage of 119,UU1, entered the port of Lyttelton, as against 142 vessels, aggrg^atmg i 17,85» tons during the corresponding month, of lastyear.

Harley and Co. Ltd., local" agents for Mitchelin motor tyres, received notice from their principal that tho price of the above tyr^e's are reduced from this date. ( This Company were the last to increase their price and the first to reduce^ame, and their pro duet is recognised as the best value on the market. " _ , , : % For the eight months ended November 30 ; 5595 immigrants have arrived, in New Zealand, and it is satisfactory to know that they have all been provided Avith accommodation and cuij[»ioyinent. Of this number 3205 were Go-vernment-assisted passengers, comprising 574 men, 185 i Avomen, /74 children, and 2390 Avere overseas settlement passengers made up of 1124 men, 595 avonien, and 671 children.

At Hokitika Bowling Green to-day the following rinks will represent the Greymouth Club in a match for the Ballinger Buckles against Hokitika Club:— F. White, C. Angel, D. Tennent, G. ■ Blackwood (skip) : R. Latta, McKeehnia, T. Baxter, J. Fletcher (skip) : Mclndoc, J. Steer, W. Reynolds, W. Blair (skip): C. Skoghiiul, McNaughton. E. J. Smith.. L. Aldridgo (skip) : F. Denton, Captain Ross, R. Johnston, P. Buck (skip"*: Colts. — Pullcn, Brebiicr, Graham and O'Neill (skip).

The F'Tnnnfn Boron ffh Comic H, .of their IPPt •montiiMf. •pocpf./i n r"»i-^.t-. in view of grave rumours as to the affairs of the Grey Hospital and.vjuaritable Aid Board, the Council ask their representative to - attend the next Council meeting and give a report on the affairs of the Board." Several members of, the Council stated that, as tho Council had to pay certain mo-uus to the Board, they had a right to knoAV how the money was expended.

It seems as if even the business clement are expectant of a slump setcing in any day'noAV in spite of them in. New Zealand. Evidently -undercutting by dealers who buy now more cheaply than those who secured largo stocks some time ago is the form tho slump is likely to take at the start. ost importers and middlemen are at present buying cheaply in small lots. A fall in soap and other prices is reported in cities, and the business element anticipate other reductions era long. It is certainly tinic. a faft began in grocery prices, judging by the wholesale rates. "

In connection with the use of tho tcicgraps for the purpose of janding the seasons greetings the pubnc are advised to ladge these messages not later than Wednesday the "22nd. and 29th. December respectively to em.uro delivery by Christmas Eve and NeAV Year's Ea^c The printed text of "Greetings" telegrams must not be altered, and they Aviil be sent ±ov a uniform charge of 9d, eleven words being allowed in the address and signature, any excess being rated at one penny a Avord. From the; 20th iust. to the 2nd proximo,- inclusiA r e Xmas and New Year Greetings telegrams (non-code) may be accepted for Apia and Raratonga at a charge of 9d ]>cr word.

In the cities, and especially Christchurch, a Christmas rush of visitors has set in, and accommodation on the ferry steamers is taxed to the utmost. No accommodation caji now be" booked for women till after Xmas Day on the ferry run. It is time the State wns in a position to preA r ent any- such deadlock by putting on extra- ships.

The warkcrs at the Bcalcy end of the Otira 'tunn'cl are asking that the bonus of 10 per cent, in their last agreement be now paid, instead of waiting till after a year has. elapsed. In view of the rise in the cost "of iiving, there is nothing surprising about the demand, but it seems the Public Works Department will refuse it till a year lias elapsed. The nven may consider it necessary to stop till the payment is made.

At the quarterly mooting on Thurjy fJf>T- o f +I,r«*Gre^ ■Rvt I pii r>* +i, o TTih^rnian Society, Mr H. MeKeowcn was .muuioi- was icjioitcu uji.Ui.-y uai u-u.w Lite iv-y^i^ta As/X - LjxU y»V/Oiiiig 1.:.vOV.OUV.U uy iur uiooe 01 an/ jjioviouis Quarter. "xae Kiyinuership is uticruabuu uacii succeeding meeting oy the atuiussion of new members tour being initiated at this meeting and two proposed. JDr. Maßrearty intimated a sngnt increase in his medical fees to "Loago Patients. As no increase had beea made in the scale of charges for the last fifteen years the branch willinglyacquiesced. Nominations for offices were taken, and were numerous. Regret was voiced at th e retirement of Brother P. Blanchfield from The Trcasurership after many years able and loyal service to the branch.

Sir A. Conan Doyle will have a try to deput or explain anything. In his feeturesfj-ho is reported as giving "interesting spirit descriptions" of heaven followed by the remark that there was no such thing as hell/ those who had done ill on earth remaining in 'grey waiting-rooms " -until their souls were purged. All the talk of |p was founded entirely on theological fiction. The Reformation had* erred in abolishing puijgatory and prayers for the dead and in establishing hell. If in seances an evil spirit was encountered it was the duty of a Spiritualist, if he had the Christian spirit, not to run away from it, but to try and improve it. This was done in the rescue circles of Spiritualism in Melbourne where violent untrained spirit??, perhaps twenty in a night, took possession of Uie medium in turn, and- werV; soothed nnd talked to and taught to rvrav, anri asT-Tod to come back next' week, and many testimonies were received from such spirits as to the good done them. He had once heard a spirit sobbing, and lie did not want to hoar it again. This was the spirit of a boy whose mother had declined to commuuieato through the medium on th& ground that the spirit 1 was a ctemon. This taught the duty of luimanifcy to the spirit. worM* _, '*~ • . 1