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Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 225, 21 August 1940, Page 6

Britain First and Best. On consignments of goods received from England by a large Auckland firm is a design which has caused much appreciative comment in commercial circles. It is believed that most of the goods from England will in future bear the stamp. It says: “Britain Delivers the Goods—First and Best.” War Fund. Interest-free loans and donations for war purposes now total £2,513,154. They include: Mrs 11. Samuel, New Plymouth, duration and 12 months, £10,000; Mrs E, Green, Palmerston North, duration and six months, £100; Mrs N. M. Burnett, Woodville, interest on investments; Paliiatua Hospital staff, donation, £2 6s. Donation for Blind. The shareholders at the annual meeting of the Rongotea Dairy Company, yesterday, decided to make a donation of £SO to the funds of the Institute for the Blind, Auckland. The meeting was addressed by, Mr E. W. Simmons, of Palmerston North, who pointed out that the'institute expected to receive returned soldiers from the present war as from the last. Donations to Patriotic Fund. Contributions reeei/ed toward the National Patriotic Fund up till yesterday totalled £154.819 4s lid. The latest list of acknowledgements of donations includes a further £616 19s lOd from Public Service members which throughout the country are subscribing voluntarily on a regular basis. The Church of England Military Affairs C'omihittee has gi/en £616. The Guaranteed Price.

At the annual meeting of the Rongotea . Dairy Company, yesterday, the chairman (Mr W. C. Gloyn)' moved, and Mr E. N. Rowe seconded, a recommendation that the Government ■ he asked to increase the guaranteed price for dairy produce to such an extent as would cover the increased costs now being brought about. It was reported, as ail instance,''-that the cost of parchment paper had risen by 100 per cent this year and handling charges would be greater in several directions because of the 5 per cent increase in award wages.

Decline In Building. The total value represented by building permits issued in the larger centres during June was £774.036, as compared with £895,882 in May, and £506,543 in June, 1939, reports the Monthly Abstract of Statistics. The statistics for June, 1940, include 555 permits for the erection of new dwellings. This presents a decrease of 142 below the dumber for May, and a decrease of seven below the number for June 1939. Included in the- dwelling figures for June, 1940, were 327 houses, the erection ur which was commenced by the Housing Construction Branch of the State Advances Corporation, which also commenced operations on 41 new, dwellings in other districts. The aggregate value of permits issued in t'he larger centres during the first six months of 1940 was £4.704,652, as compared with £5.330148 in the same period of 1939, a decrease of £625,496.

Shortage of Figs. Unless tho Customs Department changes its present attitude regarding the importation of figs, it is considered by merchants that there will be none for the Christmas trade, says an Auckland report. Troop Training. Officers and non-commissioned officers at present encamped mn the Wanganui Racecourse are due to break, camp on Friday week, August 30. The Manawatu Mounted Rifles Regiment (motorised) will shift to the Winter Show Buildings, Wellington, where their training will be intensified. Labour Day Observance. There is at present no intention to abandon tho Labour Day holiday this year. The Minister of Labour has advised the Wellington Chamber of Commerce that there is no present intention of varying the statute for the observance of Labour Day, which will fall on the fourth Monday in October. Novel Education Scheme. Rabbits, monkeys, parrots and tortoises from tho Newtown Park Zoo will visit Wellington City and suburban public libraries in the next fortnight, to serve as living illustrations for the children’s story hour sessions. It is hoped during the school holidays to hold these sessions at all the libraries administered by the municipal sendee. “Quite Unalarmed.” An Aucklander whose aged parents are in England had a first-hand example of the reactions of the English people to Goering’s air legions the other day. Worried over the frequency of air raids in recent weeks, he cabled his parents, offering-them a passage to New Zealand and a home for as long as they wished to stay. The cabled reply was short, but to the point: “Quite unalarmed. Staying here.” Savings Bank Business. Deposits with the Post Office Savings Bank during June totalled _£2,304,747, as compared with £2,655,803 in May, and £2,363,406 in June, 1939, reports the Monthly Abstract of Statistics. Withdrawals amounted to £2,233,828, comparative figures for May, 1940, and June, 1939, being £2,862,805, and £2,847,796 respectively. Tlio transactions for the month resulted in an excess of deposits amounting to £70,919, as compared with excesses of withdrawals of £207,002 in May, and £484,390 in June, 1939. * Farmers’ Fortunate Winter. “The winter lias been the best wo have experienced for many years,” remarked Mr W. C. Gloyn, chairman of directors of the Rongotea Dairy Company, at the annual meeting, of shareholders of the company yesterday. “We have had very little rain and less wind than usual, although there have been some very hard frosts. Nevertheless wo are in need of rain to give the pastures that "spring fillip so essential in the endeavour to increase the production of all farm commodities, of which Great Britain is in such urgent need to-day.”

A Real Folk Song. “My definition of a folk song is a song of which the composer’s name is not known, but which 'aas been handed down from antiquity from mouth to mouth,” said Dr. Frederic Staton, of London, one of the adjudicators at the Wellington Competitions, commenting after hearing a folk song section. “It it were composed in the early nineteenth century, I don’t think that can be called a folk song,” A folk song, he said, must have atmosphere. There was always a picture to be painted, and there must be a vivid picture if the song were to be really successful. Importers Inconvenienced. Attention of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was drawn last night to the position of cargo brought to New Zealand from America recently in the steamer Armadale. It was stated that the cargo had been promised admission under second-period import licenses, but was now being admitted only under third or fourth period licenses, with consequent inconvenience to importers. “There’s no reason whatever for it,” said the secretary (Mr. E. M. Bardsley). “The goods are just lying in the wharf sheds, and the importers are being charged storage.” Better Housing For Maoris. Substantial progress is being made under the Native Unemployment Promotion Fund in the improvement of living conditions for Maoris in the Otaki district. In both the town and country areas marked improvements are to he seen, with several fine new houses. At one place a cement sheet that is being used is made of pumice and flax tow as a substitute for weather boarding, and plaster of paris with the other two materials provides plaster sheets for nailing to the inside walls. It is claimed that these substitutes are proof against dry rot, fire and water. Gifts To Britain.

A warning to the public against making gifts of sterling to Britain for the purchase of aeroplanes or for similar purposes, without first consulting the Government, was uttered by the president at last night’s meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The meeting discussed a letter from the Palmerston North chamber saying the council had expressed the opinion that New Zealand should do more to help Great Britain in her war effort. The council wished to support the proposal that New Zealand citizens should open a subscription list to raise sufficent funds t. donate 1,000,000 lamb carcases to the British Government as an indication of goodwill and the desire to assist the Mother Country. It had asked the Associated Chambers to find out if the Government would authorise the scheme, and asked the Wellington chamber to support it. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Associated Chambers.