LOCAL AND CffiNERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1809, 6 May 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND CffiNERAL.

The Manuka sailed from "Wellington at 4.15 p.m. yesterday for Sydney.

Babbits are reported to be doing damage in many vegetable and flower gardens in Feilding. As showing the stagnation in trade, the steamer Royal Star, which reached Lyttelton from' Liverpool on Monday, carried no cargo.

A Wanganui broker states that a return ho obtained a few weeks ago showed that there were still 300,000 bales of Imperial wool in the Dominion. Tho Commissioner of Taxes (Mr D. G. Clark) will deliver a lecture at the Y.M.C.A. rooms in Palmerston North at 8 o'clock this evening, on tho incidence of the land and income tax. The throw-off for the Manawatu Hunt to-morrow will be on Mr H. G. Shannon's property. Rangitikei Line, at the corner of Kairanga-Bunnythorpe road.

Deer-stalking recently at Galatea (Rotorua district) Mr H. R. Bould, of the Stock Department, obtained two good heads of 12 points and 13 points respectively. The 12-pohiter was a particularly fine specimen. The old chess-players of the Manawatu Club have issued a challenge to the Palmerston North Chess and Draughts Club, for a match to be played ou Monday night next. Tho challenge has been accepted, and a good match should result.

Tho Kelvin Grove Hall Committee will hold another of their popular dances in the Hall this evening. The R.S.A. Orchestra will provide the music and town patrons will be .able to reach the hall by a This leaving the Post Office at 7.30 p.m.

A returned soldier lias complained to the Foilding paper that immigrants, especially young Irishmen —none of whom did a* day 'b war service—are replacing New Zealanders (and returned men at that) in public utilities in various parts of the Island. He gave instances of such occurrences in tho Wairarapa, and also at Palmerston.

A Palmerston North motor party were recently passing the Braeburn private hotel, which is situated on tho side of Durio Hill, and overlooking the main road, near the AVanganui bridge. Upou glancing up, the driver of the car espied a large stone coming straight down the hill towards his car. Instinctively he speeded up to his full capacity, and escaped the shower of broken slate from the roof, which roll upon the roadway. The manager of the hotel was advised and the polico communicated with. It is evident that some hoodlums were indulging in dangerous "sport." Down quilts.—New winter ranges just to hand, in full double-bed sizes, covered with best materials only and filled with pure down. Prices range from 90/' to £l"> W; marked for Stock Realisation Sale at 59/fi to Jl^ns. —The ('. M. Koss Co., Ltd., Furnishing Sect ion.

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

Potatoes placed on the Wanganui market are said to have been badly spotted.

A reduction in the price of cannei fish is expected to take place in New Zealand in the near future; A fire at Cloncurry, Brisbane, destroyed seven business' places, the damage being estimated at £30,000.

The population of Hamilton is shown by the census to be 11,439, an increase of 3901 in the last live years. A further reduction has taken place in the prices of kerosene and petrol, both of which are now in improved supply in the Dominion.'

The chairman of the Christchurch Prices Tribunal declares that profiteering, as it is commonly understood, does not exist in Christchurch. The second division of the Thorndon Association Football Club will play a match at Wanganui on June 3rd, and at Palmerston Xorth on June 4th.

No adv'ice regarding the opening of the oyster season or the prices to be charged has yet been received frow Wellington by Auckland officers of the Marine Department. The recent meat sales in Wanganui show that prices are gradually declining and the bidding will soon be so ridiculously ; low that the sales will have to automatically cease. Mr Joseph Dawson, the well-known bridge-builder, has recently constructed four suspension bridges in the Featherston County. These will bo officially opened at an early date; The miners at Taupiri and Pukemiro collieries took a holiday on Monday in observance of "May Day." There is a provision for this holiday in the Pukemiro award, but not in the Taupiri award. A widow, Mrs Lucy Catherine Pigeon, of Waikiekie, aged 68 years, when on the way back to her residence after calling at the post office, was suddenly seized with illness and expired on the roadside. The May number of the "Palmerstonian," the ( magazine of the Palmerston North' Boys' High School, has just been published. It is nicely illustrated, and contains quite a lot of information of interest to present and past students at the High School.

Members of the Kauwhata branch of the Farmers' Union intend holding a field day at the Wcraroa Central Development Farm on Monday next. There is much to be learnt from a visit to this model establishment and the visitors should spend a profitable day. During the month of April, 104 patients were admitted to the Palmerston North Hospital, 85 were discharged and .six died. Up till May 4, 11 patients had been admitted, nine were discharged, and none died. On April 1, there were G 8 patients in tho hospital. The State Fire Insurance Department shows a gross surplus on last year's operations of £75,280, which is allocated thus: Unearned reserve, £9509; investment fluctuation reserve, £3000; income tax, £15,567, leaving a net profit of £47,210. The total sum assured shows an increase of six and a-hali millions.

Despite the fact that New Zealand has just passed through a period of great prosperity, the cost of outdoor relief dispensed by the. Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards in the Dominion has more than doubled within the last five years. In round figures tho expenditure under this head has increased in five years from £40,000 to £82,000.

It is understood that the authorities arc instituting legal proceedings against a Palmerston firm of auctioneers in connection with the'recent meat sales. The trouble is said to have been brought about by the fact that the firm in question allegedly sold meat when the butcheries were required by law to be closed, thus committing a breach of the Act. ; \

Mr J. A. NashJ M.P., asked at yesterday's meeting of the, Foxton Harbour Board held in Palmerston North, if there was any truth in the statements being circulated that the Foxton bar was in a dangerous condition. Messrs J. Linklater g and W. Bock replied that the bar was not in a good condition. The. pilot had said that it was continually shifting, and apparently tho river now had a straight run, but the fact that there were two channels at present made the outlet dangerous.. Among many suggestive statements made by Professor Pririgle in a lecture at Dunedin was one in answer to a question about the effect of the payment of tb» German indemnity on tho British worker. "Whether Great Britain is able to,claim an ultimate share in the German indemnity or not," he said, "I think it would be a very bad principle to lay any great stress upon it. We ought not in considering tho future to think that we are going to get much out of it. If we do get it wo shall be very glad, but don't let us expect too much."

The sub-committeo of flic Mannwatu Patriotic .Society, set up to deal with cases coming under the Society's scheme for a partial distribution of its funds, stated, in the course of its report, that a great number of dependents of soldiers had, although entitled to, refused to apply for benefits under the scheme. These dependents had stated they would rather more necessitous cases receive greater assistance. The sub-committee thanked Mr J. Permain, the secretary, for the great volume of work done by him, and for bis neverfailing courtosy to all of the committee.

Mr J. Bushby Cowing, C.E., of the Public Works '.Department, Arthur's Pass, has kindly consented to deliver a lantern lecture giving the story of the Otira Tunnel, on Monday evening next at the Municipal Hall. Tho lecture will be under the auspices of his Worship the Mayor and members of the Borough Council. Mr Bushby Cowing recently gave a similar lecture under the auspices of the Canterbury Progress League to a full house." Admission will be free, and as the lecturer has come specially to Palmerston North, it is hoped that there will be a large gathering of citizens to hear the story and see the beautiful pictures of this great work.

It pays to insure. Consult Insurance Office of Australia (The 1.0. A.). Claims settled quickly. District Agent D. R. Smillie,

Yesterday being Ascension Dav. special services were held in several of the Palmerston North churches.

Up to the 5 o'clock adjournment, £SO was taken at the Will'ard Homo flower show in Palmerston. The evening's takings were approximately £3O, making a total of £3O. A proposal that a holiday should r>n observed at the coal mines at Kaitangata on Monday, in honour of May Dav, was overwhelmingly defeated at a meeting of the Miners' Union. The "Mercantile Gazette" of this week, writes as follows:—"The business conditions to-day are not unsatisfactory, at least they are not quite so bad as some people would like to think they arc."

A number of station hands throughout the district have been dismissed during the past fortnight (says the Eiverton "Star"). Many are turning their attention to rabbit trapping, good prices being offered for rabbit .skins. The higher price ruling for coal is expected to have the effect of causing the Wallsend mine at Brunnerton to bo reopened. Thirty-two years ago this mine was closed down because it did not pay. The coal w.is ih'en sold at 7/0 per ton on trucks at Wallsend.

Since the classes in bee-keeping were instituted, in 1915, at the Euakura Farm of Instruction, a total of 63 persons have passed the examination held at the end of each .season, and gained the Agricultural Department's certificate in bee-keeping. James Patrick Flinn, late clerk to the Hastings Borough Council, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to appropriating to his own use sums of money belonging to the Council, totalling in all £391 3/5. He was committed to tho Supreme Court at Napier for sentence.

Overheard in the train between Hawcra and New Plymouth: "Well, Jack, I sold those three old cows." "How much did you get for them?" "A couple of quid for three, and what do you think? , When I got back into Hawera T had to put another five bob to the three cows to buy a pair of boots." At last night's meeting of the Manawatu Patriotic Society, a letter' was received from Doctor D. H. Bett, in which he enclosed a receipted account for £26 5/. The Society had passed this amount for payment to Dr Bett in connection with soldiers' cases he had attended. The donation was accepted by the Society, which passed a very hearty vote of thanks to Dr Bett.

A point of, interest to husbands whoso wives run up bills was emphasised by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., at a recent sitting of the Christchurch Magistrate's Court. He said that the law clearly laid it down that where a husband made a wife a regular and adequate allowance, she must not use his credit to obtain goods, and if sho did tradesmen, could not recover from the husband.

A statement presented ito the Manawatu Patriotic Society at its meeting last night disclosed the various banking accounts to be as follows:—General account (dr.) £507 3/11; sick and wounded fund (cr.), £48,156 18/7; Anzac fund (cr.), £14,975 14/11; camp comforts and equipment fund (cr.), £159 16/1; interest account (cr.). £2084. The total credit balance of the j Society's funds was £64,869 5/8.

Great excitement was displayed by the younger, and in some instances the older citizens of. Palmerston North, yesterday afternoon, when the. central fireboll sounded a vigorous alarm. All descriptions of vehicles conveyed the future "firefighters" to the extreme eastern end of Ferguson Street, whero the outbreak was supposed to have occurred. The disgust of those in the running can be imagined, when they arrived on the scene, to find the firq engine about to return, to the station to report, "false alarm." xj

At Tuesday's meeting of the Mana* watu County Council, the following letter was read from Mr J. M. Johnstou, of Palmerston North:—"As a ratepayer of the County I stsongly object to any expenses being taken ,out of . County rates in support of the proposed deviation between Levin and Greatford. If a proportion of the ratepayers desire thiß quite unnecessary and extravagant expenditure let them pay for it out of their own pockets, but I contend it has no right to be charged i against the ratepayers." —The letter was received.

On the Statistician's figures (December last) unionists have universally received 3/ a week increase, and immediately the Statistician's figures went above 72 per cent, the railway workers had another Enquiry Board (states the "Public Service Journal"). The findings of that Board have not had much publicity, but the result was that ft 44-hour week waß substituted for ft 48-hour week, though in most instances the 4S hours are still being worked, and the extra four hours aro being paid for at overtime rates. This has satisfied the more militant section of tho Publia Service, and the sections which have al-< ways followed constitutional methodt are ignored. .

A welcome to the new members of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, Mrs L. A. Abraham, and Messrs F. Pycrof t and G. A. Monk, was extended by the chairman (Sir James Wilson), at the Board's meeting yesterday. They all knew Mrs Abraham as a born organiser, while Mr Pycroft, who was in close touch with the Friendly Societies, and Mr G. A. Monk, chairman of tho Horowhenua County Council, would be valuable additions to the Board. Tho chairman also welcomed back the old members and expressed his appreciation of the services of those who had not sought re-election. He said that special thanks were due to Dr. Whitaker and Mrs Gill. The latter had been the first lady member of the Board, and had done valuable work.

HEALTH versus DISEASB. There is one important.etep all can take when battling disuse. That In to be sure they are utilising the best drays . This, in other word*, mean* "Tike your prescriptions to W. p. Henderson." Drugs, like everything else, are in several qualities, but only the purest, freshest and best find their ■way into Henderson's Dispensary. Bring vour prescriptions here for satisfaction.—W. P. HENDERSON, M.P.S., Ph. C, by Exam., Dispensing Chemist, The Square, Palmerston North. )])

The game of basketball is reported to be gaining in popularity in Wellington. It is reported that an effort is to bo made to form a basketball club in Palmerston North.

The Marine, Department will shortly transfer the lighthouse at East Islaud to the mainland, states a Gisborno message. The Hinemoa next week will .convey the keepers to the mainland. According to the census, the population of Napier borough is now 14,370, of whom 694.0 are males and 7430 females. The 1916 figures were: 58(57 males and 0823 females, with a total of 12,690. The increase is 1680.

Present weather indications are for moderate to strong east to north winds, northward of East Cape and Kawhia, and freshening south-westerly to northwesterly elsewhere soon. The weather •will be dull and misty at times, with scattered rainfall in the northernmost and southernmost districts. The barometer is unsteady, with a falling tendency in the south. A well-known Wellington civil servant named Arthur Marryatt, who for many years has been prominently connected with sport, was charged at the Magistrate's Court yesterday with the theft of £lO7 5/, the property of the Government Life Insurance Department. In appealing for a remand for a week, the Chief Detective said that the total amount involved was over £3OOO. A remand was granted, bail being fixed at two sureties of £SOO each. At the Police Court, Hawera, yesterday, Leo Matthew Sogers and Eric Dadwell Eogers pleaded guilty to stealing butter from the Meremere factory and selling it to restaurants at lod and 18d per pound. Sentence was deferred awaiting the probation officer's report. Anthony Ulrich was charged with receiving butter, and was fined £lO on one charge and £5 on each of two other charges. Four charges against Zarnich Pasalich and Radich were dismissed. •

The Arbitration Court award for the New Zealand Federated Boot Trades Association , has been announced in Christchurch. Males' wages are to be 1/9* per hour, with a bonus of 3*d per hour, the hours of work being 44 weekly. Apprentices' wages will begin at 15/ weekly, increasing to £2. /Females who have served five years and upwards will receive £2 5/ per week, computed by the hour. Hot wax thread machinists are to get £2 12/6, their hours being 44. The award is a Dominion one.

Among many artistic exhibits of articles fashioned from benzine tins shown at the Willara Home flower show, was one bearing the following descriptive card: —"A Palmerston North ;boy's suggestion to Dominion boy scouts and schoolboys—twenty doll's cradles made from old tins oi every size and shape, decorated with coloured picture advertisements — offered for the benefit of little girls in'children's homes and hospitals, aim those with weary mothers.*' The rockers are screwed on, and form an unbreakable toy,

A preliminary enquiry is being held at Gisborne by the Collector of Customs into the outbreak of a fire on the schooner Fairburn at Tokomaru Bay at noon on Saturday. The fire was caused through the auxiliary engine back-firing, and the flames spread over the floor of the engine-room. No structural damage was done, ,but there was considerable damage to .the floo* of the vessel. It is said that had it not been for the timely assistance rendered by the steamer Kotunui and the Fairburn's crew's herculean efforts the vessel would have been destroyed. Fully an hour was spent in fighting tne flames.

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