Local and General

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 August 1935, Page 4

Local and General

The H.B. shop window adjoining the new building being erected in High Street, Hawera, for Messrs. <T. R. McKenzie Ltd. developed cracks early this week and last night the plate glass fell in. The situation is under export observation and it is stated that there is no danger of structural damage to the H.B. building.

An itinerant vendor of shares met his match in Matamata a few days ago, when he endeavoured to sell some stock to a business lady who happens to be a member of the Matamata Chamber of Commerce. After a glowing description of the money-making possibilities in the script, the salesman remarked, “Of course, you would not know their value on the Stock Exchange, but they are rising well.’’ “Yes,’’ returned the lady, “I notice they ‘rose’ recently from £5 to £3.’’ Exit the salesman.

Before his departure from Hawera yesterday, Mr R. H. Nesbit, resident Australian Trade Commissioner, thanked members of the Hawera Rotary Club for their part in arranging the screening at the Grand Theatre during the morning of educational pictures dealing with Australian life. Since leaving Wellington on Monday the pictures had been shown to over 2CCO children, and of this number 1000 were from Hawera schools. Mr. Nesbit also thanked the Hawera Theatre Com. pany and members of the staff for their assistance. “Australia has been accused of dumping butter in England, thereby spoiling the prices received by other countries,” said Mr R. H. Nesbit, resident Australian Trade Commissioner, at the Rotary Club luncheon in Hawera yesterday. Australia’s actions in “dumping” her produce did not accord with what he understood of the term as, although she sent considerable quantities of butter to England, she would not sell below the market rate, Mr Nesbit continued. Australia contended that her butter was up to world parity, though on the average it did not grade as high as Now Zealand butter. Mr. Nesbit gave brief details of the Patterson plan and the butter equalisation sehe7ne which had superseded it, and which had the effect of giving the farmer a price based on the prices for home and overseas consumption.

HUNTINGTON’S. ’Phone 2118. Our advance display of new spring coats is very pleasing, the oatmeal tonings predominating. The tailored models are again in the forefront for smartness; shades of blues, brown and black. Delightfully new washing prints have also opened, including gay designs to make pert frocks for the junior miss. Inspection invited. —Advt.

Pew people would imagine that an ordinary penny could be pressed into a narrow sheet, of metal foil more than loin in length. However, an Auckland youth who placed a penny in a jeweller’s hand press obtained a strip of foil 15Jin long iTud about an inch wide in the centre, tapering toward the ends. The foil was very flexible, and possessed the brilliance of a new coin.

“There is no such thing as mass production in education to-day,” stated Mr H. Atm ore,' M.P., a former Minister of Education, when, in the course of an address at Palmerston .North, he assailed the Government, and the present Minister of Education for their action in rationing 253 teachers whom he had himself appointed with the object of reducing the sizes of classes. He said the Government's action had made a farce of this objective, and it had excluded five-vear-old children from the schools.

“It must be well over ten years since we first asked the Government to increase the penalty for the theft of a motor vehicles,” said Mr W. A. O’Callaghan, president, at the annual conference of the North Island (New Zealand) Motor Union. “Our first representations were coldly received, but notwithstanding regular) rebuffs we continued to urge the necessity of firm measures if this class of crime were to be stamped out. It is pleasing therefore to be able to record that the Minister of Justice now advises us that it is hoped that it will be practicable during the forthcoming session of Parliament to introduce the necessary legislation increasing the penalty for car stealing.” At the height of a recent storm, members of a Hargaville household heal’d a tapping on the glass on their front door. The tapping continued, and when the door was opened a strange bird, apparently attracted by the light, flew in almost exhausted. It was caught and made comfortable and liberated again the next morning. During the day a strange bird was heard calling in the nearby bush. From the description given—a shiny, blackgren coat spotted with blue, a. long tail and beak—authorities state that it was probably a member of the dotterel species*

For some time the motor unions of New Zealand have been endeavouring to secure for members the privilege, when they are named as defendants in court proceedings, of being able to give evidence on commission in their home town to save the expense of what might be a lengthy journey to appeal iu the court where the prosecution is instigated. At a sitting of the Palmerson North Magistrate’s Court, Mi J L. Stout, S.M., had a little to say on the same subject. “I do not agree with the taking of evidence elsewhere,” he said. “I would rather have it taken here. I would rather have the witnesses in the box. . A great deal depends on how they give their evidence and act here. A lot of untruths are told In court in connection with motor accident cases, and t j take evidence on commission would be opening the door a hit wider.” Record prices are being paid on local markets for shipments of Californian lemons which have recently arrived in New -Zealand. Whereas a year ago these lemons were selling on the markets at from 39s to 40s a ease, at present the price is up to about £3 10s, due wholly to the further duty placed on imported lemons. The result naturally is to divert buying to New Zealand lemons, and the overwhelming different between retail prices is having a very great effect. Californian lemons, for example, are selling retail at 3d each; while the New Zealand product is to be had for fourteen, twelve ancl ten a shilling. The Dominion lemons, it is stated, are good fruit, the only difference from the imported lines being in the curing. If New Zealand lemons were better cured it seems there would bo very little need for any imports, and present indications point to an increasing demand for Dominion lines. Three Thames Valley motor transport operators who Jia.ve just returned from a trip to the United States or America discovered, that second-hand motor vehicles cost almost as much as new models. They had contemplated buying vehicles for use or sale, but quickly discovered that it would not he a paying proposition. They found that, contrary to the belief held here, vehicles were not scrapped when they had reached what was thought here to be the end of their economic life, but that they remained in • use till they were in such a condition as would attract attention on any New Zealand road. Cars were very numerous, and naturally there were enormous numbers at the wrecking stations, but they were all real wrecks. Despite this the prices asked for spare parts was very high in . comparison with Now Zealand prices.