LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1808, 5 May 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There aTe about 120 Chinamen at present resident in Palmerston North. The streets of Hokitika are to be lighted witn electricity as from Juno Ist.

A message from Ceylon states that good quality tea has again advanced in price. /

Stilton cheese from Southland is at present being retailed in Christchurch at 3/ per lb. Reductions in 'the prices of honey, oatmeal, and dates are reported in New Zealand this week.

A large ''tangi" is being held at Otaki over the remains of the late ehieftianess, Heni to Itei. The census shows the population of the borough of Hastings to be 9100, an increase or' 1188 compared with 1916.

The Imlay freezing works put off .a. number of hands last week, and a similar reduction is being made this week at the "Wanga.nui works.

A man who was arrested in Christ: church this -week on a charge of drunkenness had in his possession notes ami loose cash to the amount of £154. The committee of management of tho Manawatu Fruitgrowers' Association intends arranging for a series of scientific lectures for the coming year. Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., of Christchurch, has intimated that he will not order the suppression of offenders' names, except in the case of first offenders under sixteen years of age. A deaf and dumb young man, a resident of the Paraparaumu district, pleaded guilty at Otaki yesterday to two charges of indecent assault. He was remanded to the Supreme Court for sentence.

The "British Export Gazetttf" mentions that the firms of Fry, Cndbury, and Pascnll have amalgamated for colonial business, and are building a chocolate and confectionery factory to cost a quarter of a million in Hobart. At the ceremony of installing the Mayor of Palmersfon North yesterday, a very pleasant little surprise was waiting for each Councillor, as he took his seat at tho table, where he found an orchid and maiden-hair fern buttonhole, brought down by Mr P. Black from the Borough Preserve.

Special kapoc offer: Best Samaraiiß- kapoc, per II) 1/3; in 61b packets. 6/6; 1211) packets, 12/6. —The C. M. Kos.s Co., Ltd., Stock Realisation Sale.

For Children's Hacking Cough Woods' Great Peppermint Cure,*

A Dodge motor-car is reported to have been exchanged in the Wairarap:i recently for .1000 sheep. The Foxton paper gives currency to a report that negotiations arc being entered into d'or the reopening of the flaxmills at an early date.

A Sand on fanner sold seed oats some time back at 3/6 per bushel. A few days ago he was offered 4/:! per bushel for a similar consignment.

For the year 1010-20 no fewer than 40,1.11 persons received treatment in the .public hospitals of the Dominion, compared with 23,r>84. in 19.10-11.' The Bell Block Dairy Company (Taranaki) has accepted a tender for the erection of a new and modern factory, which will cost between £BOOO and £9OOO.

Xew rules under the Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act have been issued. They prescribe the quantities of petrol, etc., which may be stored and the conditions of storage. George Dunn, alias Burt, has been committed for trial on the charge of having caused the death of Marion Douglas Baird, aged 71 years, at Hastings on April 22nd.

A man named Daniel McFarlane has been lined £.l at Wellington for stealing an electro-plate tea-set, valued at £ls, from "the Denbigh Hotel at Feilding, whore he had been employed.

Local bodies have been advised that from May Ist the banks will make a charge of at least one-quarter per cent, commission to any local body whose interest coupons are made payable at a bank.

According to local agents the financial slump has not yet. affected the freights offering for coastal boats loading to Wanganui, and the amount ) of business being done there is at present normal.

The Director of Health (Dr Valintine), in giving evidence before the Hospitals Commission, stated that the nationalization of the medical service was bound to. come, but it should be introduced gradually. A recent reduction was made by the wholesalers in the price of sides of bacon by one penny per pound, ana hams have been reduced by twopence per pound. There has been no reduction in the price of rolls. Hams are now being retailed in Wanganui at 1/4 per pound. Lard also shows a decline of twopence per pound.

According to the Southland "News," the sawmilling industry in Southland has slackened to a slight extent, owing, no doubt, to the financial stringency, but very few men are out of employment, and they are not the best of workmen. Inquiries are being.madb by the employers for competent labour, and any available is readily absorbed.

Petty thieving appears to be prevalent in Palmerston North just now. On Wednesday afternoon the till at'tho shop of fruiterer and confectioner, of Bangitikei Street, was emptied of its contents at a period when a strict watch was not being kept on the shop. This is the second occasion upon which Mrs Nuttall has lost money in this way. The police have the matter in hand.

Says an Auckland writer: A bank note should be a pleasure to the eye as well as a comfort to the pocket, and should have a crisp, happy-tp-meet, sorry-to-part feel about it. Many of them nowadays give those who handle them a Reeling as if they were passing the dish-cloth. We know that paper is scarce and dear, but this saving up of microbes is carrying economy too far. Thero ought to be a bonfire and a new issue. • /

Hares are becoming a source of great annoyance to fruitgrowers in the Manawatu district. At the annual meeting of the Fruitgrowers' Association, one member reported that he had recntly planted a young orchard, and over two hundred of his trees had been completely destroyed by hares ring-barking them. The Association has decided to urge the Agricultural Department to make hares a pest, and to class them with rabbits.

A correspondent deprecates the many current rumours concerning the instability of various commercial institutions in New Zealand. This is b\it a reflex of the tendency to promote panic by such reports. People who indulge their proclivities in this direction should be punished. It is a dangerous "Hndulgence, as some of them may yet find. Those who carry romours of this nature seldom know anything whatever of the financial resources .of the institutions they so idly slander.

The opportunities in the Dominion for women to whom social and welfare work appeals or who wish to take up nursing is the subject of an article in the current number of the "Nursing Mirror." The question was first referred to in the October number under the title "Opportunities for Nurses in New Zealand,'' but in view of tjhe fact that facilities for acquiring passages under the Overseas Settlement scheme have been extended, the inducements held out for those of the nursing profession are again tabulated, though it is pointed out that ships are very full at present, and it is necessary that only those who have definite employment in view should be allowed the accommodation that is available.

The closing of the first term of the Palmerston North Girls' High School was celebrated yesterday with a social gathering of teachers and pupils. The prizes won at the swimming sports were presented by Mrs J. Murray. A programme of musical and vocal items was contributed by some of the pupils as under:—Pianoforte solo ("Rustle of Spring"). Miss M. Stokes; song ("Wyoming Lullaby''). Miss G. Lauren son: dialogue ("Misunderstood"), Misses D. Ferguson, 11. Litchfield, F. Lawson, A. Johansen and W. Mardon: dance ("Irish Jig")_, Misses E. and M. Wilson; song (""Little Mother o' Mine"), Miss M. Millar; dance ("Sailors' Hornpipe"), Misses K. and N. Nash. Dancing .was afterwards indulged in. The head prefect, Miss P. Nash, made an appropriate farewell to Miss D. Hunt, one of the staff, who ia leaving the school.

A large shipmue of wallpapers of exclusive designs have been landed by Messrs Alexander Clark Ltd., ■of Kitzhcrbert St., to synchronise with the extension of their premises.

A sitting of tho Arbitration Court is to be held in Palmerston North on .June (ith.

Xo fewer than 1132 illegitimate births were registerd in Xew Zealand during the year 1919.

An official count of the recent poll in Ciisborne on the half-holiday question, gives a majority of one vote in favour of Saturdav.

Welcome rain was experienced yesterday in Napier. It was the heaviest since October, and looks like tho breaking of the drought in Hawke's Bay. A London cable message states that there were record receipts at the Leicester match, the takings amounting to £lG2o. of which the Australians"' share is £027. ,

In reply to a question at the sitting of the Hospitals Commission yesterday, the Director of Health, Dr Valintine, said he would like to sec the whole of the medical and nursing services under the control of tjhe Department. Present weather indications are for moderate to strong north-east to southeast winds, squally at times about Cook Strait. Cold, changeable weather may be experienced generally with a scattered rainfall, particularly in the East Coast districts. The barometer is unsteady with a rising tendency.

A Levin orchardist informed a "Chronicle" representative that a large proportion of his apple crop hat! fallen from the trees during the past month. He is unable to account for this, as he has never experienced it before. His loss will be pretty heavy as the fruit had not matured.

The poor demand from farmers for agricultural implements is severelyaffecting the business of manufacturers in Christchurch, and there has been a steady reduction in hands on the part of a number of foundries. A large concern has now reduced its working period to seven hours per day on ordinary week days, with the exception ot Saturday, when it will close.

Mr Albert Spencer, president of the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association, says that observation throughout New Zealand has convinced him that things industrial and financial are rapidly coming right, and that Labour is taking a stronger hand in its own affairs with excellent result. The labour, industrial and financial outlook is brighter and there is not the slightest cause for alarm. At the Magistrate's Court at Wellington yesterday, Charles Lennox- and George Gould were committed for trial on a charge of theft of tobacco and military stores, valued at £143 4/8. Bernard Hyland pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing -£2Ol 15/3, the property of the Gordon and Gotch Proprietary, and was committed for sentence. The accused was employod as a customs clerk for the firm, and voluntarily surrendered to the police/

The inquiry into the allegations of Private Thompson /against Captain Hotop, at the Featherston Camp, were continued 'at Wellington yesterday. Further evidence was called to the effect that Hotop was seen in an intoxicated condition on one occasion, and 'unable to support himself. These statements were denied by witnesses for Hotop, who stated that they freI qucntly saw him during all that time, and never once under the influence of drink.

The following telegram from Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., Mayor of Palmerstoa North, was read at the sitting of the Hospital Commission in Wellington yesterday: "Conference contributing bodies this district held Friday last unanimously decided enter, emphatic protest to Commission against proposed differentiation in the rate of subsidies payable Hospital Boards, and the unreasonable reduction to 12/3 in the pound concerning this district; also, that all boards be treated alike, and that the subsidy be pound for pound. Eegret unable send delegate. Kindly place matter before Commission." A Soutbbridge motor-cyclist, while riding to Christchurch a few days ago, had a rather terrifying experience. When between Doyloston and Irwoll lie discovered his clothes to be on fire. Promptly dismounting, he left the bicycle on the road and made for the nearest water-race, but he did not reach it until his nfbtor clothes were almost burnt off him. His undercoat was burnt to the waist, and the trousers had one leg burnt off. A passer-by fortunately had a spare pair of trousers, which the motor-cyclist donned, anc" J! eturned to Southbridge, nyich in spirit and with a severely burnt hand. A pipe he had placed in ! the pocket of his overalls had dropped some burning tobacco into his clothes. He is not likely to soon forget the. lesson.