OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 1937, 4 October 1921, Page 4

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

The former enemies of Germany have yet to solve practically the problem of extracting a large measure of reparation from Germany without injuring their own industries now, or ultimately placing Germany in a dominant position in the world's markets. Tho future is so charged with uncertainty that no estimate of what Germany will pay New Zealand is worth very much. — Auckland “Star." It ie a familiar condition in commercial life that when there are large proiits, easily made, there is waste, and this has been tho case in New Zealand’s national affairs for years past. The country’s abounding prosperity enabled it to shoulder without much inconvenience a large measure of un-business-like method, which was often dictated by political considerations. It can no longer afford to do so. Tho Government must now look twice at every pound before it spends it, and make sure that it is spent wisely. The country looks to Mr Massey to give a strong lead.in this matter. If he docs he will make more friends than enemies.—Auckland “Star.-’^

A whole holiday will be observed by the schools in Palmerston North on Labour Day. The market in Chrißtchurch is at present bare of prunes, merchants' stocks having been exhausted. A resident of the King Country states that both Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu were erupting volumes of ashes on Friday last. Tho Auckland Acclimatisation Society proposes to liberate 500,000 trout fry this season, and has already set free 214,000.

At the Luncheon Club in Palmerston North to-day Mr Rod Boss will talk on "Esperanto, the international language, its construction."

Several trout weighing from 31bs to ■ilbs have been taken from tho Manawatu River during the last day or two by Palmerston North anglers. Yesterday was the celebration of the Jewish New Year, SGBI of the calendar. The fast day, the most holy under the Jewish religion, will be observed on October 12th. The Masterton milk vendors commenced selling milk at sixpence per quart on Saturday last. This price has been ruling in Palmerston North fop some time past. In view of the possibility of the woollen mills not being established in Wanganui, a New Plymouth paper suggests that a splendid inducement is offered that town to extend its hydro scheme.

William Healey was fined £2 and costs at Foxton by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., for being on licensed premises during prohibited hours. The defendant offered the excuse that he went to the hotel to see his. brother.

A young man named Thomas Smith Dixon, a clerk in the Lands Department, has been remanded in Wellington on a charge of stealing £5 10/-, the property of the New Zealand Government. Further charges are pending, involving a sum of £BO. In an interview Avith a "New Zealand Times" representative, Sir John Findlay, who has just returned from England, stated that in his opinion Mr Massey was tho only man in our public life to-day who is really qualified to grasp the handle and successfully deal with the great and pressing problems we have in front of us.

At yesterday's meeting of the Manawatu Land Drainage Board, the chairman, Mr E. Wood, stated that in future it would be advisable to "batter'' the drains which they had cleared, instead of deepening them, according to the existing method. Under the present system of clearing, the tops of the drains fell in, and consequently a great deal of extra work was entailed.

At the Supreme Court at Wellington on Saturday morning, Charles H. Koxborough came up for sentence before tho Acting-Chief Justice (xMr Justice Sim), on a charge of escaping from custody at Palmerston North, and on six charges of breaking and entering. Prisoner, who was undefended, admitted that he had been in trouble on several occasions. fte was sentenced to terms of six months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative. He was declared to be an habitual criminal.

The headmaster of the Campbell Street School, at last night's meeting of the committee, referred to an incident which showed how harshly the regulations of the Education Department operated. He stated that \>ne of their smartest and most efficient teachers, who had seen considerable war service, had asked for a fortnight off, so that he could do another duty for hia country, and get married. He had been granted the vacation, but because he had not applied for sick leave, ho received pay for one "week only.

Eeferring to a few of the innovations which, she said, make school conditions in Canada rather more attractive than they are in New Zealand, Miss Roche, a West Hamilton teacher who has been visiting Canada "on exchange," particularly mentioned the holding of- cinematograph entertainments. Each Canadian school is built with an assembly hall large enough, to accommodate the entire number of pupils, and here, for one hour each week, the pupils and teachers enjoy really excellent picture programmes, screened by the headmaster and his assistant. The exhibitions are given during school hours, and enjoyed by staff and pupils alike, the programme consisting of specially selected films dealing with industrial subjects and travel, and usually a good comic picture. The children themselves raise the money to purchase tho cinematograph outfit, and the films are supplied free of charge, by tho Education Department.

The Eketahuna "Express," in discussing the Main Boads Bill and the Motor Bill, says:—"lt has been authoritatively stated in Parliament that the progress of the Main Boads Bill depends upon the fate of the Motor Bill. The introduction at different times of two Bills so interwoven creates a rather complicated position. We are told that the revenuo from motor taxation will be paid into the Consolidated Fund and we are led to believe that the im-. position of the taxation is for the purpose of providing money for main arterial roads. We have not seen anywhere that there is a definite provision that all the money collected shall be applied as indicated, and the probability appears that once in the Consolidated Fund the identity of this money will be completely lost. It may, or may not, in full be spent on the main roads. Now what is going to happen if the motor taxation proposals become law and the Main Boads Bill does not? Then the motorists as a class would be directly taxed to contribute to the general revenue, and- the roads would not be a bit the better off. Motors have become an essential service the Dominion oyer. They already contribute to the general revenue by way of Customs taxes. If they are to contribute further, much more will be heard of tne matter."

It's always economy to consider quality as well as price, and upon this basis the new season's stocks held by the C. M. Boss Co., Ltd., will be found equal to any comparison test for quality and value. All goods are priced upon to-day 'a lowest quotations, as window displays indicate. Every day is. •bargain day at the Stora for .Value,*

The "Patea Press" understands that there is every probability of operations at the local meat works being resumed shortly.

A pronounced shock of earthquake was experienced in Palmerston North at ten minutes past ten o'clock last evening. The movement appeared to. be from east to west.

A Thames telegram says:—The body of Charles Squires, 68 years of age, a recent arrival from Canada, was found on the Taruru beach on Monday morning. Letters indicated the intention of suiciding.

A Vancouver cablegram, published in Australian papers, announces that, the doctors have ordered that when' Mdlle. Lenglen, the champion tennis player, returns to France she must discontinue tennis indefinitely. A Sydney cable states that in a final interview Lord Northcliffe stated that ho found three- elements which spelt success in life: concentration of purpose, health, and the seizing of Dame Fortune when she pays a visit.

The present indications are for strong easterlies northwards of East Qape and Kawhia. Moderate to strong northerly and westerly, winds, squalls at times, elsewhere. Dull and misty weather may be expected, with rain' following generally. The barometer will fall in the north, and is unsteady in the south.

The Levin "Chronicle" says:—A fine specimen of the skink or scincoidiaa, a species of the lizard family, waa captured by Mr N. de Mey in the bush at Kawiu Road yesterday. The little creature was beautifully Inarked in green and grey and its tail in lighter shades, altogether, a unique native that is rarely observed now.

A Wanganui resident, who was walking home along the river bank on Saturday night, slipped and rolled down the bank into tho water a few hundred yards below Dublin Street bridge. His cries for help attracted a number of people to the bank, including Constable Hedgeman, who assisted him out. The man was unable to swim.

George Brookes, 14 years of age, employed on a farm on the Hauraki, Plains, disappeared last Wednesday.'. Apparently ho walked to Coromandel, where he boarded a big launch and put to sea. The engine was useless, so he hoisted the sail. Tho police were' informed, and set out after him. The> boy was overtaken sailing merrily across tho gulf. He had eaten only a few biscuits during the five days.

s Two passengers by the early train to • Oamaru on Monday had a narrow escape from death (says the Dunedin "Star"). Just as the .train entered the Sawyers Bay tunnel a rifle bullet whizzed past within an inch or two of a lad who was standing on the platform of one of the carriages. It then passed through to, the inside of the carriage, missing by six inches the head of an adult male passenger who was sitting in a corner seat. It is suspected that the bullet came from a rifle which two young men who were standing on the platform of tho adjoining carriage were. handling at the time. The matter has been reported to the police. Keporting on the results of her 'in* quiries among the poor of Christchureb, a lady member of the Social Welfare Guild of that city said that there were several families homeless, while dozens, of families were terribly overcrowded. Many others had an order of the Court' to be out of. the house by a certain date, and they had no prospects whatever of getting a home. The effect on the health of the mother was very bad ) indeed. Many women, if not already ill, were on the verge of a nervous collapse. Especially in the case of expectant mothers was the position ter* rible, for they had in many cases, be-1. sides the housing problem, the unemployed position as well. In such cases the Guild could only relieve the position by clothing the children and giv ing. relief until employment was found. An instance of robbery being regarded with quite philosophic calm by the man whose goods were stolen is reported in the latest issue of the "Aus--tralasian Grocer." The account of the robbery shows that one night recently burglars raided the shop of Mr D. Bob* insbn, grocer, of Ballarat. After break-' ing an iron gateway and smearing the, i window pane with treacle to deaden the sound of falling glass, they took from the window 12 quart bottles containing what appeared to be first-class whisky. As the damage to the win-, < dow was covered by insurance, and the. whisky bottles contained merely water coloured with vinegar, the grocer's loss' was a very light one, and he considered' himself more than compensated by tha- 3 thoughts of the robbers' discomfiture when they tasted their spoilß. The Melbourne polico record a case in which a burglar, after breaking into a suburban office and,blowing open a safe found only a few entry books and a piece of cardboard containing the me*> sage: "Cash gone to the Commonwealth Bank ; try therel" . .

A special train, carrying immigrants who arrived from England by the Bemuera on Saturday last, passed through Palmeraton North at 11.45 o'clock yesterday morning. The passengers, who we're destined for all Corners of the Dominion, expressed theft delight at the appearance of the country to whichthey had come to make a home. Amongst the passengers there were 29 , girls, who had been engaged in England as domestic servants. Several of the immigrants had found employment at Auckland or further up the line, but the majority' of them were proceeding to Wellington and Christchurch. There were also several large families travelling with the party. .Most of the men who arrived will be engaged as farm labourers. When the vessel arrived in' Auckland it had aboard no fewer than 67 children under the age of 14. The immigrants stated that the trip out was' a lovely one, and the conditions on board ship were most satisfactory. It 1 was universally agreed by the travellers that England was a good place to' be out of, at the present time. "Busy Week" at Collinson and Cun- , ninghame started well yesterday with Jap matting squares. To-day's special feature is all wool coat frock fabrics for 6/11 yard, shown in window 11.-To-morrow afternoon "Bargain Base-' ment" from 2 o'clock with some lines shown in window 12. Thursday only for 9/11 blouses. Friday and Satur-, day morning free silk stocking*". witl»A2/6 kid shoes.*