LOCAL AND GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 11 May 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Eight j ears under bond is the guarantee of our very fine Old Invalid Port Wine. Nothing better in the Dominion. Bell’s Special Reserve Scotch Whisky is paramount, likewise Lion Oatmalt Stout. Mark Sprot & Co., Ltd., Distributors.—Advt. Sportsmen, in the Cambridge district report that in some parts pheasants are plentiful, although they are hard to’ approach, appearing very Bags are reported to be small. A white heron has been Seen about two miles below Tuakau, on the One whero side of the Waikato River. The Auckland Acclimatisation Society’s ranger, who saw the bird, describes it as a fine specimen. During the month of April, 133 vessels with a total net tonnage of 167,548 tons entered the port of Lyttelton, as against 137 vessels aggregating 149,355 tons, during the corresponding month of 1922. Queensland State Insurance reduced rates by 33 per cent., and saved the insurers £75,000 in the first 18 months, and £200,000 a year for the next four years, besides havin gan average surplus of £60,000 over the first five years. Wo are very busy, each day brings its throng of thrifty housewifes. Our great Inventory Sale and its offerings of New Season’s Goods at end of Season’s low bargain prices is the great magnet which draws. You can always get a bigger variety and lower prices at McGruer’s, famous always for low prices.—Advt. Mr Gus Parkey, the well-known Westport sport, on behalf of W. Nahr, has challenged Jack Steel (Greymouth) for a quarter, or Cutbush (Greymouth) or Lcvastam (Westport) for a halfmile. the gate proceeds to go to tho Technical School Carnival Fete. Says a Scots paper: Splendid photograph. in the London “Times” (16/1 23). “Duke of York, who is a keen student of social and industrial problems ... in right-hand picture ho is seen watching a girl employed at work in a London electric-lamp factory.” As he stood watching, his pay was running on—£l92 a week. Mr A. Cork ill. who has been chairman of tho Inglewood County Council since its inception three years ago, has been compelled to resign his scat on that body owing to a technical breach of tlie law by having held office while being a director of a certain concern which supplied goods to; the council valued at £l6 4s 6d. Altogether there are 250 Leyland commercial vehicles in use on New Zealand roads to-day. Taking into consideration the fact that the Leyland Motor Company only commenced business iu New Zealand three and a-half years ago, we think this figure will prove what users think of the Leyland Truck. The Dispatch Foundry, Greymouth, are the West Coast representatives, having landed a two-ton truck by the Regulus. They also delivered to Mr Spiers, of Kumara, a four-ton truck to use in carrying timber from the various sawmills in his district to the Railway Station.—Advt. i

Westport “News” has an unbeaten record, if current rumour is correct. They say the ‘‘News” has never yet backed a winner in a Parliamentary contest. It’s not many newspapers that can say that! Our Granity correspondent writes:— “I was under the impression that a tablet to the memory of those brave lads who fell in the war was to be placed in the local library, with the names of our fallen lads inscribed. I hope the matter is in the hands of those who will see it completed.” i The ladies’ committee of the Westport branch of the N.Z. Labour Party have engaged the Theatre Royal, Westport, for July 13th, for a plain and comedy ball. Each year the Labour ball has been a success, but they in- | tend to make this the ball of balls. j The report of the Abattoirs mana- | I ger (Mr W. Hughes) presented to last 'night’s meeting of the Borough Caun- ’’ cil stated that the total fees collected | for the month had been £123 6/11. > i The following animals had been ex’amined: Cows 4, bullocks 165, sheep’ 633, lambs 206, pigs 9, calves 32; one sheep had been condemned. < There is only one leading and up-to- j date store in this town. Why waste your time going elsewhere ’ F’ollow the crowds and you will find yourself at i McGruer’s Busy Bargain Store. Now ; on, great Inventory Sale, the Busy Bargain Fair of the year. All the new i Winter Goods at Bedrock Sale Prices. McGruer’s, Greymouth, Reef ton and Hokitika.—Advt. It is expected that very shortly a concentration will be made of men and materials on the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. At present there is a (Public Works survey party in the heart of the Urewera. This party, it is reported, is to continue with the survey of the line from Taneatua to Opotiki. The railway has now almost reached Taneatua, which will be the terminus for some time to come unless the work is vigorously prosecuted. A careful investigation of tHe situation in regard to cattle tick in the ’ Rakauroa and Matawai districts has been completed by Mr D. M. Bess, Inspector of Stock. He states that the spraying stations at Toatoa and Oponae are now in full working order, and regularly carry out spraying operations on all horses and dogs passing through with drovers in charge of cattle. Inspector Ross considers that an annual inspection of stock in the area would be of great assistance in preventing the gradual spread of the tick into the clean country. From Glasgow “Forward”:—“You miners of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Fife- • shire, and the Lothians had to allow . your wages down so that you could meet American competition, hadn’t you? Well, listen to this from * Industrial Solidarity’ (Chicago. 27/1/23): — ‘The liquidation of American mine labour is being urged as a necessity for meeting foreign competition. No such , need exists, as American mine labour could get twice its present pay and still be cheaper than the English, be- • cause of its greater productivity. Nevertheless, the campaign thus conducted should let the. minors know I what they are to expect.” They may expect, we take it, what the British j miner has already got. ’ ’

W'estport “News” crows pardonably: “While the East Coast towns are experiencing floods that are records for the past thirty years, Westport is . ’ enjoying an unprecedented spell of line weather. The rainfall for April was 1.24 inches. We have to go right back to 1904 to get anything approaching this, the rainfall in April of that t year being 2.99 inches. Summer wea- - ther in the. late autumn is not, how- ■ ever, an unmixed blessing, as drapers, ■.clothiers, dressmakers and others in t the clothing line are finding that wins ter goods are hanging on their hands, d instead of being, as they usually arc •s at this time of the year, in keen deimand. ” , Although we are not short of leaders of men we do not sufficiently employ s them. Take the case of Mr Horatio t Bottomley, whose tonicsome utterances in this journal give inspiration and comfort to the most lugubrious souls. j. Mr Bottomley exerciser an enormous . influence with his pen and voice. Are [. recruits wanted? He gets them! Is g there a strike to settle? He can pour •r oil on troubled waters. Is there a cause to plead? He pleads it suecess1 fully. His crusade for a ‘ business GoI vernment’ is well remembered. Its e fruits are now to be observed in new J, committees appointed to get things r done. Yet his great talents are most- ■- ly exercised ‘unofficially.’ There is e much more work that Mr Bottomley could do. He is a force in the Static His services should be ultilised more 5 and more by tho Government.” The r Government is now utilising BottomP ley’s services—picking oakum!—“Forward.” i i r Coke! Coke! Coke! Cheapest fuel r on earth. Users of coke—and all who are interested in cheap fuel should use it—are requested to place their n orders for same without delay. Three j bags delivered for 2/6. Loose loads ) by arrangement. Cash must accom- ) panv order. Orders received at Gas - Office, the Borough Chambers, or bv o any employee of the Gas Department. ■ —Advt. II A social to farewell the Rev. T. • n Brooke, Secretary to the Methodist Home Missions, on the occasion of his q approaching retirement, was held in £ the Methodist Church, Westport ,on Tuesday evening, and was well attended. The Rev. Brooke gave a very interesting address on the ■early mission I work among the Maoris, and the exccl- ., lent results attained. He also described th-e tercentenary celebrations of Methodism in New Zealand, held at the Bay t of Islands, and generally stressed the j good work done in the Home Mission r. field. Mention was made that West- •. port’s quota to the fund was £33, 0; i which, there was every reason to believe, would be well surpassed. Mr. | Warren spoke in an appreciative strain l of the life and work of the Rev. Mr. . Brooke, and moved that a vote of . thanks be accorded him, the vote be- [ ing carried by acclamation. During . the evening songs were rendered by > Alisses Parfitt and Went, and Mrs. [ Hoare, and anthems by the choir. Mrs McKinlay and Mr Hoare acted as accompanists. The Salvation Army play- ■ ed a programme of music at the door of the church. The Rev. Pickering 1 thanked all who had contributed to the suecess of the evening, which clos- ' ed with a bountiful supper, supplied bv ! • the ladies-

Mr Joseph Jackson, -while riding his bicycle in Grogan’s Lane last evening had the misfortune to break his front forks. He fell heavily to the ground, and was rendered unconscious, but upon arrival at his home, he was little the worse for his experience. Twenty commercial travellers (who were held up in Greymouth as a result of the weather conditions) had a group photo taken yesterday in Tainui Street to commemorate the hold-up. They called themselves ‘ ‘ Orphans of the Storm.” Twelve of the “orphans” are leaving at 7 this morning per motor car. Rothcrmere’s Press stunts in the past, of course, discredit his present one, ami few people take seriously his defence !of Poincare’s brigandage. He is now running Poincare, just as he ranßcitomley week after week and month ! after month during the war. We reJ member, for example. Lord Rother- • mere's amazingly foolish article in the I “Sunday Pictorial” (25/7/15): —“Mr k Stewart Chamberlain, the cx-English . German, lamented the other day that Gern any did not possess a MAN. . . * Greymouth to Wellington, via Gibbs' i Reliable Service Cars and Anchor Comipany’s steamers, through booking and ' reserved berths. Mark Sprot and Com- ‘ pany, Ltd., agents for Gibbs’ Motors. (—Advt. ! j. no “Manchester Guardian r'ommer- ) cial, ” in discussing the introduction of , French coinage into the Ruhr Valley, reviews what happened in the Saar Valley vhwn the mark was replaced by the franc. When Ruhr coal was being sold at 300 marks a ton. Saar cqal, paid for in francs, was costing the equivalent of 863 marks. This may help to suggest the influence the new’ currency w’ould have on all prices. The coal consumed in Saar manufactures formerly accounted for 15 to 20 per cent, of the costs of production; it now ac- , counts for 35 to 40 per cent.

Members of the local executive of the British and Inter-colonial Exhibition to be held at Hokitika, are notified that the first meeting of the executive will take place iu the Borough Council Chambers to-morrow at 8 p.m.—Advt.

“No land which permits the sick, tho incapacitated workman, the widows and orphans to’ starve has the right to be called civilised. Society has already some hundreds of years ago abandoned punishing even the greatest criminals with hunger, and even in the barbarous stages of humanity the children of criminals were not subjected to hunger. What do we see now? In his riper years the worker loses his strength. Now* he can work no more. Are we to permit this rich country to reward him and his children with starvation?” —Lloyd George, in 1909.

Tho Order of Service on Sunday in St. Mary’s Parish, Hokitika will be as follows: —Hokitika, S a.m. and 7 p.m.; Kokatahi, 10 a.m.—Advt.

Gilbert Stewart appeared before Mr Jesse Steer, J.P., at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning on two charges of drunkenness and casting offensive matter on a public street. Sergeant Fryer appeared for the Police. Defendant pleaded guilty to the charge of drunkenness and not guilty to tho second charge. After the arresting constable, Constable Paddy, had given evidence, Stewart was convicted and discharged on the count of drunkenessj, and convicted and fined £1 on the second charge.

Strike a true note, “Bells”; ask for “Bells”; it’s as clear as a bell; in white bottles, mild and good. Bells’ Perth Special Reserve Scotch Whisky is extensively dispensed by the leading hotel in the Dominion, the “Royal Oak,” Wellington, owned by New Zealand’s oldest and most respected licensee. Hotelkeepers who wish to enjoy good patronage should follow the lead and sell “Bell’s.” It makes trade. Mark Sprot and Company, Ltd., Sole West Coast Distributors. —Advt.