LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 19 July 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

1The smokers of Great Britain consume 40,000 tons of tobacco a yearMr S. G. Smith/M.P., stated to a News reporter that he believes that in a few weeks Taranaki will begin to--re-ceive shipments of sugar sufficient for its requirements. It is also probable that the New Plymouth distributor of sugar will be induced to build u;i a reserve supply, so that when rp^.ilar shipments are delayed and ihere'i« a shortage,. supplies will lie »• aihible from the reserve. According to the Daily Chronicle, Mansfield was greatly interested in a romantio wedding, the bridegroom Mr William Hebden, of Auckland, New Zealand, having crossed the world for a bride, Miss Lucy Cash, of Mansfield, whom he had never seen until his arrival in England the week before. Many years ago Mr Hebden married a cousin of Misa Cash, and during the war his four sons went over po fight for the Motherland. They spent their leave at Mansfield, and thus old ties between the families were renewed. Ihe sons mere wounded in the war, but have, been able to return home, and, his wife having died.^Mr Hebden opened correspondence with Miss Cash. Proposal and acceptance were by letter, and after a voyage lasting 50 days, he claimed his bride. "I honestly believe the boom has burst," gaid a Christchurch land agent to a reporter. He gave as his chief reasons for the development the withdrawal of advances to returned soldiers and settlers and the high prices of building material. "The housing problem is still as acute as ever," he said but prices have risen to such an extent that the people can't buy. The price of timber has made some big nses lately, and the fact that there is no money available for returned soldiers has made a great, difference. When the advances were in full swing two out of three of our clients were returned soldiers. Then the advances to settlers have been stopped, and moreover new business ventures have absorbed a lot of capital. Instead of taking up mortgages at 6 per cent people are buying up shares and debentures in companies which offer bigger returns and are as safe, if not safer, investments. There is always a possibility of a crash such as in 1893 which was entirely due to lending money out on inflated values, as is being done now. Profits in the land selling business have admittedly been big. Hardly any capital has been necessary and the operating costs have been comparatively small. Recently a well- £?^ n land a, gent sold his goodwill for fcIOOU and during five years he had possibly taken £10,000 out of the business. Nowadays practically every land agent in Christchurch has his motor car. Those who engaged in farm businesses made still greater profits The rate of commission is fixed by the chamber of Commerce, but often a "x 11 I s w£ lin S to pay double those rates to effect a good sale. I honestly! selieve. however, that the boom has mrst. Business has slackened off greatZ' Recently two agents have gone out >t business. Bigger firms will, of course, stand it out, while the small nan will go down or get out." H. Lee & Co. report a successful mart ale on Saturday. Poultry were in trong demand and realised pood prices. j fowls brought up to ll s 6d per Dair | nd roosters 6s. Geese sold at hipb igures. Table and seed potatoes sold , t full market rates, and for secondand furniture there was a big demand. ■

The City of Sheffield contributed 70 pc?r cent of the war material furnished by private firms in Great Britain during the war 3 according to a pamphlet issued by the City Council. At Lytt^lton at mi Viijjut on Saturday, Albert Steele. of Auckland, compieed one hundred hours' continuous piano playing, thus breaking the world's record, made by Albert Baker, at Sydney recently, by one nour. Some produce merchants in Tiraaru, in view of the plentiful supply of cheap potatoes, and the certain shortage of wheat before the next harvest reached the mills, suggest (states a Press message) that jjeopie should at onoa begin taking more potatoes and lets Lvead to economise in wheat. The Manaia branch of the Farmers' Union have asked Mr Ford to give a lecture on "Breeding, feeding and care of dairy cattle." Mr Ford has (states our correspondent) kindly consented, and intends to deliver a lecture on same in the Manaia Town Hall on Monday, July 26. No doubt a record attendance of farmers will, be present, as the subject is a very important on*. Free dental treatment for school children will shortly be introduced in Auckland (states the Herald). Recently the chief dental officer communicated with the Auckland Education Board and the City Schools Committee, asking for the use of a room at the Beresford Street School, at present used as a laboratory, as a dental sur- ! gery. The board and the committee ! approved of the room being utilised for the purpose. A flight by aeroplane from Auckland to Wellington, is contemplated by Messrs Walsh Brothers of the former city, and Mr Vivian. Walsh has been visiting towns en route, .with, a view to selecting suitable landing places. It is intended to stop at various place 9 on the way, and give short passenger flights. Captain Russell will be the pilot in charge of the machine. It is notified for the information of all concerned that thettiem c for receiving nominations for assisted' passages to New Zealand from Great Britain of wives or- fiancees of New Zealand soldiers has been extended until December 31. 1920. This date is to be final. Soldiers concerned should therer fore communicate with the TJnder-Sec_ retary, Department of Immigration, Wellington, before the time limit expires. James Phillip Hooper was charged at the Masterton Magislvitte'H Court last week with having committed forgery by altering; a W.F.O.a. ivjcipt to read £21 9s sd, instead of £1 i»s oi (states tlie Dominion's correspondent^. Hooper was recently commuted to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of obtaining eoods by false pretences from £he W.F.C.A. Masterton. The evidence showed that a stamp had been wrongly affixed to the receipt by one of the W.F.C.A. employees. The charge was dismissed on fhe submission by Mr T Jordan that there was no evidence to show that the receipt was altered with the intention of defrauding the W.F.C.A. The alteration had been made in order to deceive accused's wife, and that did not render accused guilty of a crime. The ladies of the Tawhiti School Improvements Committee held a sale in the Red Cross shop on Saturday. Excellent bus:ness was done and the takings amounted to over £40, making the amount now in hand approximately £60. A sheep given by Mr W. Allen, was first used in a. guessing competition, prizes of £1 and 10s being, offered. The first prize was won by b. J. Bennett, who guessed 68£lb, the correct weight. For the second prize four people tied, with a guess of 681b. They drew for the prize, and Mrs. P. Rangi was successful. The sheep was afterwards sold for 30s. A Camisole, offered in a competition, was won by Mrs Bailey, and a table centre by Mrs Short. A dinner was. won- by Mrs Mundy, who returned it for sale on behalf of the fund. Among the gifts by Mrs Ekdahl, junr., were four fowls, which realised £1 9s at one of the auction rooms. A cake offered as a prize in a guessing compe_ tition, weighed 61b llozs, and four people judged the weight correctly and divided the prize.