LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2006, 23 December 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The "Manawatu Times" will not be published on Monday next'—Hoxing Day—and on January 2nd. The proposals for water and drainage for Otaki were carried at Wednesday's poll by an overwhelming majority.

Probate in the estate of the 'ate Mr Henry Wollerman, of Palmerston North, has been sworn at approximately £30,000. -

Holders of tickets in the Art Union recently held by the Wanganui Boxing Association, will And the results Of the drawing in our advertising columns.

The Palmerston North Branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association lia.-j received word from the .Repatriation Department that no applications under the Repatriation Act will be accepted by the Department after June u'i, 1922. The Longburn Freezing Works, which commenced operation.-? for the season on December 7th arc handling, on an average, 1600 lambs and 400 sheep per day. It is expected that the numbers will increase considerably after the New Year.

The Mayor acknowledges with thanks th e following donations to the Christmas Appeal Fund, viz.:—Mrs D. McGregor £2, Mr F. H. Cooke £l. Watson Bros. Ltd., per Mr N. Sinclair £2, Mr F. J. Shepherd £1 1/, Mr C. E. Dempsy £l, Mr C. N. Clausen £1 1/, Mrs I. W. Lovelock 10/. The Aotea Ladies' Association Football Club has accepted an invitation from the Thirty Thousand Club, Napier, to participate in the Mardi Gras during the holidays. Two teams will leave for Napier on Monday, Mr C. H. Bird accompanying them as manager, and Airs Bird as chaperone.

"Death due to accidental suffocation while lying in a perambulatdr" was the verdict returned by the Coroner at an inquest held at Devonport, Auckland, concerning the death of a three months' old baby who was put to rest in a perambulator and was found face downwards with life extinct.

A Taranaki paper stated recently that in New Plymouth, the price of butter had been twice reduced within a fortnight, the new price being 1/10 per lb. for pats and 1/9 per lb. for bulk butter. A "Manawatu Times" reporter was informed yesterday that the Palmerston North price for factory butter in pats was 1/6, the reduction from 1/9 having been made in the last fortnight. The dearest factory butter,, Red Rose, was being retailed at i/7 per lb.

According to an Auckland fruit merchant tho cargo of bananas now being discharged from the Navua, which arrived from Fiji early on Monday morning, has caused a collapse of the banana market in Auckland. This shipment, he said, arrived too soon after the large supply brought by the Tofua only a fortnight ago. Since the beginning of the month 34.574 cases and 3,117 bunches of bananas have been landed from Fiji and in another twelve days, on January 2, the Tofua will be due again with another fruit cargo. Not a wild goose chase. Carefully selected, bought and paid for, the brace of ducks were placed in a box and deposited in the gig, to await the pleasure of the Christmas shopper, who continued his spending campaign in a Broadway Ibtablishmcnt yesterday. Much fluttering and quacking heralded the escape and descent to the street of a portion of the festive dinner. Ducking and diving, as only a duck can, the bird led the crowd a merry dance. Intent, on capture at any price, the crowd, like the feathered fugitive, was content to risk the traffic. A youth, whose agility bespoke farmyard experience, prevailed, and the owner, on emerging from the shop, was surprised at the lusty greeting, "Here's your Christinas dinner."

"We lose more in our country by the existence of 2,000,000 unemployed than we shall ever get in value from German reparations over a period of 3G years," said Mr Reginald McKenna, chairman of the London Joint City and Midland Bank, and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, in an address at the Chicago Commercial Club on October 25. "When we see these tilings we really begin to doubt whether it is for the benefit of the United Kingdom that reparations should be paid, and whether the debts of the. Allies to us, if paid, might not prove rather a curse than a blessing." Mr McKenna added that Germany was called on to pay a minimum amount annually, which was possible only by exporting good 3 in excess of imports. "As fast as we endeavour to reduce our prices to meet foreign demand more marks are issued and sold abroad and down goes the external value of the mark. The consequence is that the German undersells us and you. He pays reparations, but at what a coat!" Mr McKenna said the war debt due to Great Britain was exactly what Great Britain owed the United States, and added, "As to the amount due to the United Kingdom, I am not only sanguine of receiving- it, but if it were within my power I would cancel it. I do not say the same of the American debts. These must be accepted in the form of commodities, as that is the only way in which foreign debts can be paid if ther are to be received at all." When buying a comfortable Xmas chair for boys and girls, select an all cane "Rosco" model. Two styles, natural or brown—superior workmanship throughout; all 12/6, no higher price. The C. M. Ross Co., Ltd., The Xmas Carnival Store.

Kindly mention the "TIMES" when orrcaponding with advertisers

Good fresh dairy butter is at present being' retailed in Palmerston North at 1/5 per pound. Two racecourse "guessers" were sentenced to a month's imprisonment at Christchurch on Wednesday. One of them was a disqualified jockey. The "Levin Chronicle" states that rabbits are becoming numerous in the Waiopehu reserve in Upper Queen Street, especially along" the frontage to Gladstone Road. It would be as well it' the nuisance were dealt with before it becomes worse.

A smartly-dressed woman caused some surprise in the Arbitration Court at Auckland when she stated that she had not bought any clothes for the last three years. Under cross-examination the witness said a pair of shoes lasted her for twelve months.

Replying in the House of Representatives to a question by Mr R. W. Smith (Waimarino), the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister for Lands, stated that legislation had been prepared and would be brought down in the Wash-ing-up Rill to enable the lessees in the Horopito township to acquire the freehold of the properties leased by them.

The executive of the Palmerston North branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association last evening received a letter from the W r hakaronga branch, stating that Messrs T. H. I'. Davey, D. Newdick and E. Henaghan had been appointed a sub-committee to confer with a committee from the Palmerston North branch regarding the financing of the Whakaronga branch.

The question was raised at the meeting of the executive of the Palmerston North branch of the Returned Soldier;;' Association last evening as to whether in the event of a loan for house-building having been granted by the Repatriation Department and the money for the land only having been advanced, the Department were allowing the remainder of the loan to complete the building. It was decided to enquire into the matter. When would the hydro-electric power from Mangahuo be available for use in Wellington'.' asked Mr It. A. Wright, M.P., in the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon. The Hon. J. G. Coates replied that iic was quite safe in saying that up to date the work .had been carried out to programme; "and, unless anything untoreseen happened, in the way 'of financial difficulties or otherwise, he believed that the power would be available up to schedule time, that was to say, towards the end of 1923.

From Japan lias come a request to the headmaster of St. Andrew's College, Christchurch, for information regarding the college. The writer, Tomoyana Jsanro says: "Please send me your reports, bulletins, journal, catalogues and illustrated guide." The letter, although addressed to Mr J. K. Anderson, headmaster of the college, came through the Department of industries and Commerce. Whether it suggests the possibility of an application for admission to the school is not clear, but that St. Andrew's is becom. ing more widely known is evidenced by the fact that the latest pupil enrolled was from Buenos Aires. > .

As an indication of the laxity of the Lands Department in dealing with the ahairs of returned soldier settlers, it was mentioned by Mr J. W. Rutherfurd at the Returned Soldiers' Association meeting last evening, that he knew of several cases in which important documents had not been signed by the settlers. In one case the Department had a bill of sale over the stock on the soldier's property which had never been signed by him. The soldier was leaving the property and the Department was absolutely dependent on his generosity and honesty to leave what belonged to them on the place. In another instance there was an unsigned mortgage of £IOOO on a property from which the Department wished to evict a soldier and this left him in the position to dictate his own terms as to whether he would leave or stay. At the outbreak ot the war the little French gunboat Zelee was lying in the Papeete harbour. On learning of the approach of Von Spec's squadron the commander, Lieutenant Destremaux, decided to scuttle his ship, after landing her artillery for shore defence. It does not appear to be disputed that by taking this action Lieutenant Destremaux performed a most valuable service, since upon his improvised coast battery opening lire the Germans sheered off, contenting themselves with pitching a few shells into the town. Had he instead gone out in the gunboat and offered battle to the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau his tiny ship would been been destroyed at the first salvo, and very possible the Germans, intoxicated with this cheap victory, would have landed at Papeete and indulged in a little "frightfulness." Yet the French Minister of Marine of the day, M. Augagneur, took an adverse view of Lieutenant Destremaux's procedure and administered a .severe reprimand, which the officer, we are told, took so much to heart that he died. Now efforts are being made by distinguished French admirals to see that justice is publicly rendered to the memory of a gallant officer who "did the right thing under difficult circumstances."

Reserved judgment in the case In which A. G. Sainsbury, farmer, of Silverdale, sued E. J. Rogers, pig breeder, of Ngaruawahia, for £2OO for alleged misrepresentation over the sale of certain pigs, was given by Mr W. H. Platts, S.M., at Hamilton on Tuesday. The case was formerly heard by Mr H. A. Young, S.M., when a verdict was given for defendant. The case was one in which Sainsbury ordered a number of first-cross Berk-shire-Devon sows in young to a pure bred Berkshire boar, from Rogers. The litters, however, proved to be largely white and showed Yorkshire characteristics. Rogers contended that the sows were as specified for, and the question arose as to whether a sow from a black father and mother could have white progeny when mated with a black boar. The evidence waa conflicting, his Worship considering the preponderance of evidence in favour of plaintiff, and in the following respects defendant failed to carry out his contract with plaintiff. All the seven sows supplied were not. flrstcross Devon-Berkshire; they were not in young to a pedigree Berkshire boar; some were not in young at all; defendant did not supply details showing that the sows woo of a large litter-bearing ancestrv. His Worship therefore gave judgment for plaintiff for the full amount claimed, £2OO, and costs.

Haymaking due! Select from our new and wide range advancing all you require in high-grade and durable Implements. Best scythe blades from 10/-, scythe handles 8/6, hay forks from 4/3 to C/9. Also on sale: Reaping hooks, scythe stones, oils, greases; everything for a successful season.— Manson and Barr, Ltd., Palmerston North.*

To purchase Nelson Moa.tos' Tea is a guarantee that you get quality. Only choicest of teas Imported. Famous for their aroma and richness of flavour. Buy Royal Tea and Willow Pattern Brands.*

The re-valuation of the Borough of Palmerston North has been commenced by the officers of the Valuation Department.

The Rev. E. H. Statham's residence at Mornington, Dunedin, was totally, destroyed by tire early on Wednesday morning in the absence of the occupant. The house was insured for £I2OO, and the furniture for £SOO. A member of the executive of the Palmerston North branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association mentioned at the meeting of that body last evening that a man worth £40,000 to £50,000 in property in this district who had recently come into his office, had to borrow £l, as he could not get the bank to honour his cheque at the present time.

In mentioning cases of hardship In connection with soldier settlement, the secretary of the Palmerston North branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association told the executive last evening of the case of a nurse who had to leave her poultry farm, into which she had been linanced under the Repatriation Act, owing to her being unable to make it pay. That the municipal authorities of Palmerston North are studying the convenience of picnickers at the Esplanade is evidenced by the fact that a structure has .been erected there. and gas rings installed. The "billy" may be boiled for the small charge of one penny. There are four gasrings inside thfe white-tiled well, and penny-in-the-slot metres have been installed. The meters have been regulated so that one pennyworth of gas will be sufficient to boil one kettle of water. During the Clvristmas holidays, however, the picnickers will be "on a win," owing to the fact that certain ironwork cannot be completed in time to put the whole thing in proper operation. It has, therefore, been decided to allow the public free use of the gas rings during the holidays. The structure, which stands übout 4 feet high, is situated about six chains beyond the Tea Kiosk, on the left hand side going in from the main entrance.