LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue XXXXI, 15 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"Once it is decided what is the legitimate price of a pot of vaseline profiteering will stop,-' remarked Mr Jull amidst laughter at last week's meeting of the Napier Harbor Board.

One result of the new restrictions on buiiding would appear to be the compulsory postponement of the rebuilding of the main grandstand on lliccarton racecourse, Government having withheld the necessary permit.

The Wellington" correspondent of the Dunedin Star telegraphed: "It is understood that 50 recommendations have been made to the Prime Minister for consideration of Cabinet when making new appointments to the Legislative Council before Parliament) meets at the end of the present month.

"I saw any amount of timber lying idle on the West Coast owing to difficulty in getting it shipped away," said Mr R. Masters, M.P., in an interview with a Daily News representative. There were stacks and stacks of timber at some of the mills visited, and it could be got away if there was more shipping available.

A party of dairy factory direotors ami managers visited the Ohura coalfields on Sunday with the object of ascertaining the quantity and accessibility of the coal deposits. The party returned to Stratford yesterday mornlnß- and expressed themselves as well satisfied with what they had seen, being quite enthusiastic about the future _°lds °f deveI °Ping tQe coal-

Edward Magon (31), Charles Magon (29), and Frederick Magon (Jl), will appear at the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court to-day (says the News), and will be charged with setting fire to a three-roomed dwellinohouse of a value of £150, at "Rahotu 1! on November 17 last year the prol -perty of Rua Bishop. They will be further charged with setting fire to a dwelling house containing furniture and household effects, with intent to defraud the Cnited Insurance Company.

A meeting of ladies was held in the Tawhiti school yesterday afternoon to consider the question of raising funds tor the improvement of the Tawhiti school and grounds. There was a good attendance, and after discussion it was decides, as part of the effort to be made, to hold a sale of produce, etc m the Red Cross shop on July 3 Canvassers were to collect from householders either gooas or cash. ' A fairly large sum of money will be required io do all the committee has in view, and gifts of any kind which will assist in swelling the funds will be welcomed.

A secret ballot to decide whether the offer of the employers in respect to a demand for increased wages will be accepted or not, and :in the event of it beir& rejected, whether they will favor adopting extreme measures to secure the union's claims, is at present being taken by members of the Auckland Gas Employees' Union (says a Press telegram). The ballot papers ar e returnable before this evening, at 5 o'clock. At a special meeting of the union, held on the 9th inst., the company's offer was rejected, and the ballot is. being taken to confirm or otherwise the resolution.

Discussion on a proposal made by th© Hawera Borough Council, "that the duty on children's footwear should be removed, with a view to affording relief to parents of families during the present abnormal times," was discussed at a meeting of the Birkenhead Council last week- (says the Auckland Star). Councillor Skeates moved to endorse, th's, and to add children's clothing. Councillor Wood seconded;. -Councillor Taylor could not, g*,ve his support to the proposal if it meant the admittance of these goods free from Germany, Japan, China and India. Councillor Skeates thought this would be covered by the preferential duty, but was quite willing to make it clear that the resolution referred to British goods. Councillor Walton opposed the resolution, while Councillor Hadfield pointed out that the raw materials for this industry were raised in New Zealand, which should be able to compete with the imported article. No action was taken.

A Hamilton Borough Councillor was awakened at an early hour, the. other morning by an irate resident (the Waikato Times reports). Upon going to the door he was met by the'query: "Do you know that my house is under water " The councillor sympathisingly replied in the negative. "You are a borough councillor, ain't you?" The councillor admitted that he occupied that exalted .position, but pointed out that he was not thereby endowed with control oyer the elements^ and that under the circumstances he could do nothing to relieve the position, especially at the hour of 4 a.m. The resident left evidently thinking that he had a grievance against the councillor, and the councillor returned to bed convinced that a seat at the council table is fraught with some drawbacks, not the least of which is having to bear'with the menaces of inconsiderate and irate electors.

The Ngatoro, wtih a cargo of 1200 tons of cement arrived at New Plymouth yesterday afternoon from Whangarei. The six principal distributors of cement in Taranaki have been appointed by the Board of Trade a committee, to decide the best means of disposing of cement supples in the province. A tentative meeting was held in New Plymouth to discuss the question with an officer of the Board of Trade, anid a • scheme of distribution was agreed upon. In the future, any one requiring oement will be required to make application for it on a special printed form, and explain fully the purposes for which it is required. This will be considered by the committee, which will decide whether supplies should be granted.. On his arrival in Stratford on Saturday night, Mr Masters received a letter from the Prime Minister stating that to further meet the requirements of southernj Taranaki, a special shipment of 120 tons would be coming by the Hawera, of which 50 tons was to be allocated for workers' dwellings, 20 tons to the West Coast Refrigerating Works (Patea),, and the balance to be distributed under the direction of the Board of Trade.

The Melbourne, Ltd.. is showing a nice new series of ladies' georgette and crepe-de-chine blouses in; up-tor-date designs. Many of the new models . are beautifully embroidered, while ! some with colored bead effects are decidedly smart. Prices range from 45s to 59s 6d, and, at these prices, are the best value in the Dominion. — Advt. ) . Progandra quicki/ cures Corns.— Advt. "YOU WANT A FILL?" | "Right." Try this "Desert Gold" Flake Cut, or do you prefer the mixture? "Desert Gold" is a blend of the world's choicest "weeds" manufactured in the Dominion. A purer, more satisfying product does not exist. No burning of the tongue, no after effects of oversmoking with ."Desert Gold." It's your smoke.—Advt.

A meeting of all teachers interested in school football will be held at the Hawdra Man School, on Saturday morning, at 11 a.m.

lhe following is an extract from the annual report of vthe National Dairy Association', dealing with the prospect of the prices for the coming season: "From reliable informatr'on received, the Imperial authorities have decided to fix a maximum retail price for butter and cheese, the prices for which are to be respect.vely 3s and Is 8d per lb. This will mean a lira ted free market." The shipper will receive a value equal to the amount left when there is deducted from the 3s per pound the cost of ocean freights, marine insuraince, dock, and landing charges and the cost of distribution through wholesale agents and retailers. This will leave, in the ease of butter, the net result of 2s 3d to 2s 4d per lb, and in regard to cheese from Is 2d to Is 3d per ]b. Much, of course, will depend on the cost of distribution,, including tbe profit to the retailer.

Boring its way through more than 13 inches of armor belt steel, a 16-inch projectile produced at the new American naval ordnance plant at South Charleston, W. Va., the third' shell fired out of a test group of fire met every requirement that the naval officers believed to be a record in big shell production (states a Washington report). Of the three private plants that .have contracted to* produce 16----inch projectiles for the navy, officers said two had failed to produce a safisfactory shell in 15 months, while the third shell of the first group from the naval plant came up to requirement. The 16-inch projectile, which weighs 2100 pounds against 1400 pounds of the 14-inch shell, will be turned out in quantities at the South Charleston plant for the 16-inch guns of^the dreadnought style ships under construction. Two of these ships, the Maryland and the Colorado, will be launched! in the spring.