LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Anchor Shipping Co., advises that the sailing of the Kaitoa for Wellington this overling lias been postponed until 8.30 o’clock. Intending passengers are requested to note this alteration.

The Smith Family shilling appeal yesterday realised .11100, with Tatums returns still to rome. Last, evening a number of unemployed relieved lhe ladies who were selling badges during the day. The Smith Family expresses thanks to the ladies of the Poppy Day Committee, the teachers and scholars of the primarv schools, and to all others who assisted. The money collected will lie put to use almost immediately.

In view of the keen interest, taken this year by Ilawkes Bay potato grower's in the Government’s potato seed certification scheme it. is somewhat regrettable that the Government lias decided to discontinue the scheme for flic North Island this season (says the Napier “Telegraph”). A notification to this elleet was received at the Hastings office of the Department of Agriculture this week, the new decision having doubtless been reached on account of the enormous amount of work taken in hand by the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture this season.

ftalian newspapers which have reached the Dominion by the last, mail speak in terms of warmest, praise of (lie success achieved by Signora Yvonne Me rot ta (nee Miss Eva Weltb-Jones), on the occasion of her debut in Milan fast month Tiny “Journal L’ltalia” suvs: “A live success was obtained lust, night in an excellent performance of “Bolieme,” directed hv Maet.ro Mueei. Yvonne Minolta understood how to lie a ‘Mirni’—-one minute gay, the next melancholy, in an efficacious interpretation, wliieli moved. alTeeted and enthused the public, which was large and generous with applause, epceially after the first act..” The “Popolo D’ftiUia” is equally laudatory and says: “The Signora liad a beautiful reception. The success was candidly straight forward and warm heeane of the vocal quality and artistry of the egregious soprano.”

Suspicions that a fraud is being worked in connection with the purchase of tickets in Irish Free State Hospital sweepstakes are entertained by more than one Aucklander who has obtained tickets through an Australian office (says the “Star”). Although tickets have been forwarded from Australia following tlio receipt of the money, there has been no official acknowledgment from Hospitals Trust, Limited, Dublin. The sending of money to any lottery outside Now Zealand is prohibited, but it is common knowledge that tickets are easily obtainable from private addresses, which are those of tho agents of tlio promoters. Some time ago circulars were received by numerous Aucklanders inviting subscribers to the Irish sweepstakes. The circulars were “private and confidential,” and were distributed from Australia. The price of a ticket was 13s, and on tho application form it was stated that immediately after the drawing of the sweep each subscriber would receive an official receipt and result slip direct from Ireland. One Aucklander Ims received tickets from flic office in Australia to which lie forwarded Ids money in January, but he has had no advice from Ireland. In a cable published this week mention was made in the House of Commons that letters sent from New Zealand had been opened and the contents separated from the envelopes. It is thought by some that this refers to money sent for tickets in the Irish sweepstakes. The postal regulations provide that money sent to purchase lottery tickets and which has been seized by the postal authorities may be confiscated, but an official of the Auckland post office sairl this morning that it is- unlikely that senders would be deprived of their money. Money was rarely seized in Auckland, and if cases did occur it would lie returned.

A statement that many ex-farmers, who left the land in more prosperous times to follow trades and professions in the towns, are now returning to farming occupations, was made by a prominent, Hastings land agent in an interview this weak. Those men, he said, were of the very best type, both as citizens and as farmers, and they would do a great deal to assist in bringing a return of prosperity to this country. At least locally, added the agent, second-class land was not finding a market at all, but there was a ready market for first-class land, especially in small areas. Families to-day were taking up small properties and working (li’oin themselves. They could not afford to employ outside labour to any appreciable extent, and there was little of tho former practice of buying a farm and engaging someone else to do the work on it. The owners themselves were performing all the necessary labour. Re. ceiitly lijs firm bad sold a considerable number of what might be called oneman farms —properties of 100 acres carrying 50 cows, or 80 acres with 30 cows, or 200 acres with 30 cows and 150 ewes. In most cases, dairy farms were what was sought- afLer. Agents can find a good market for any number of oncnum farms,” the speaker concluded, “but the prices and terms must be reasonable. It does not rest entirely with tiie price, however. The terms must he reasonably good. People to-day will not consider the short-term mortgage of three or five years at from six to seven per cent, Tiic short-term mortgage is gone forever. The buyer wants at least from seven to ten years, and we are coming hack very last to the good old live per cent, inlerosl.”

.Advice that lie did not wish to receive a deputation from the Wellington Football Association regarding the introduction of the Soccer code into the school was contained in a, letter received from Mr F. Martyn Renner, principal of Roilgotai College, at this week’s meeting of the association (states “The Post”). The letter was in reply to a request made by the secretary. “Your insistence upon I lie request that I should receive a deputation comes as a surprise to me in view of the opinions so frankly expressed at your association’s last meeting,” slated the letter. “No deputation could possibly add very much more to your association’s case either by way of information or of criticism publicly by individual members of yoiir executive committee. The decision which my staff and I have come to is that the recognised school game for winter shall he Rugby football. I must therefore respectfully decline to receive a, deputation Rom your association.” The chairman (Mr W. B. Hicks) said that as Mr Renner was definite on the mat--I,or it was no use the association approaching him because any argument put op would make no difference.

In another column of this paper will he found an advertisement of tlio Ruin bow Ball, particulars later, watch papers.

At the Rewa dance to be bold in the Volina to-night the Marlborough junior representative* will he the guests of Lhe evening.

“I have always been a Labour advocate, ami if breaks my heart to-night In discuss tbe reduction of wages, lint, should six or seven men be considered before tbe big body of the ratepayers, who in many instances have suffered drastic elds': 1 ' In that vein a councillor at the J’orl- flialmers Council meeting spoke, to a motion which meant a reduction of wages and salaries for the councirs employees, who it was staled, bad not yet bad any cut (reports (be “Star”). Tbe rouncii, after a very lengthy discussion, decided to reduce, salaries by £25, to put off two men, and to ration tbe balance of tbe. men to five days per week.

Advices from Sydney state that tbe Stevens Government does not intend to abolish the Slate lottery, blit will limit the number Kif lotteries to be conducted each year, and will ensure that the whole of the nut, profits will go to the hospitals. A committee, representative of h he hospitals and charitable organisations, will probably la; appointed to control the lottery operations, and give ell'eet to the basic principle that every penny derived from the lotteries shall he solely for the henelil, of (lie hospitals. The Premier, Mr Stevens, said that if was estimated that the profits from the State lottery for the year ended .‘loth dune would he £725,000. Actually £(1.51,OS!) profit was paid into the Treasury during Mr bang’s regime, and out of this the whole amount paid to hospitals was only £441,533. .It was clear, therefore, that the late Premier had diverted £192,000 from State lottery profits into other avenues of expenditure. Mr Stevens said that there was no doubt as to tin* serious plight of the hospitals, and if the lotteries were abolished there would be this added burden of £725,000 thrown on the taxpayer. Protits from the lottery were a. big factor of revenue, and until the incomng Government prepared its plan for financial rehabilitation be could not determine what tbe attitude would be.

'l’lie, discovery by tin Auckland landlord that bis tenants bad chopped down liis wash-house and used it for firewood is said to be by no means an isolated example of a form of vandalism from which many properly owners are suffering at the present time, (states the “Herald”). The pilfering of electric light bulbs and fittings, the removal of load pipes, curtain rods, window blinds, door knobs and gas stoves, and neglect to replace broken window-panes and cupboard doors are some of the ways in which unscrupulous tenants endeavour to cheat their landlords. What, for instance, can a landlord do when lie finds that liis tenant, has disappeared with all tlie flowers, shrubs and hedge plants in liis garden? That happened at a house a month or two ago. The landlord, ruefully regarding the stripped flower beds, angrily upbraided the tenant when he eventually located him. “Well, all I can say is the 'garden was intact when I left it,” returned the tenant. ‘‘lt must have been the neighbours.” And that was as far as the landlord ever got. But all the tricks of the trade cannot heat the experience of an Auckland lady who owned a house. The tenant paid liis' rent regularly for six months, when payments suddenly ceased. 'The owner, wondering what had happened, decided to call upon her tenant and seek an explanation. When she got there she found the house had disappeared. The section was absolutely vacant. She made inquiries and learned that the tenant had sold the house for removal to a builder, who had demolish, e l it and disposed of the timber for firewood. The matter was placed in the hands of the police, but the tenant had disappeared into the void, and not a trace of him has' been discovered to this day.

On tho night on which he assumed office tho Premier of New South Wales (Mr Slovens) got in touch with the police (records the “Argus” correspondent). So many curious things had boon done by the police under improper political influence' that there was an unfortunate weakening of confidence in them. Apparently .'Mr Stevens appreciated this fact, for almost his first official act was to call the chief officers of flic force before him, ar.d to have them repeat their oaths of loyalty to the Government. No well-informed citizen takes exception to this step; it is regarded as a necessary and, therefore, wise nfbasure. The Premier and the police force had to know where each stood. They soon knew. Mr Stevens tells tho story with a humorous anti-climax. He wanted to know how the city was accepting the sudden and sensational change of Government, and whether there was resentment. The police officers went away, ascertained the popular opinion, and then reported. “A fine feeling for the new order and all that it connotes” was the purport of their verbal statements. There was something more, however, in addition to the bare official reports. It was this : —“There is a wonderful feeling about tho city. There has been a good deal of drunkenness to-night, and the offenders are mostly your own friends.” Mr Stevens is .1 teetotaller and a leading Methodist. “'flu' opinion in Wellington appeared to ho that the Unemployment Hoard is heartily sick of the whole thing and would hand it over to tlie hospital boards,” remarked Mr W. E. Broderick, chairman, at this week’s meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board, referring to the offer of the hospital hoards at their recent conference that they would he willing to handle the relief made necessary through unemployment, as they had the machinery necessary for dealing with that class of work. Tlio meeting of the Wanganui hoard (reports the “Chronicle”) decided that in conformity with Ihe resolution passed at the Hospital Boards’ Association Conference, relief given because of unemployment should ho discontinued at the end of the pres cut month. The onus was on the Un employment Board in that respect said the chairman. They had promised that they would lake over at the end, of Ibis month and the hospital hoards had budgeted for a period to end then.

Is the Education Act oul-of dato re gardiug the method of electing members of hoards? The Act lays down specifically the routine to he followed by returning officers, and no matter how they hurry they cannot complete the process in loss than seven and a half weeks,-while after that almost, another week lias to elapse before the newlyappointed members can take office. It is contended the period is unnecessarily prolonged (says the “Taranaki Daily News”). It is maintained that a period of five days between the election and the dato of opening the papers would he sufficient. The regulation stipulating a wait of fifteen days is apparently a relic of earlier times. Then mud roads and tlie absence of motor-cars, telephones, and speedy mails often were responsible for a- considerable delay between tho time of dispatch of the voting papers on election day and their receipt by the returning officer. Now, it is contended, conditions have improved so much that if is unnecessary to wait such a long period.

It is notified that a Eucharistic Retreat will he preached in SI. .Mary’s t.lnu'ch from to-morrow (Sunday) to 26th instant in union with the 3lst international Eucharistie Congress at Dublin. The preacher will he the Very Rev. Father Creagh, O.SS.R.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Nelson, is offering for sale several seclions in Ihe Kaiferiteri, Mamin and Opuraru survey districts.

After a fairly lengthy period of inactivity, the Tarakohe Cement works have resumed operations in the quarry, and it is hoped next week to have every depart merit working. in the old days water troughs vve.ro very common on roadsides throughout the country, but with the coming of motor vehicles these troughs have in many cases fallen into disi epuir or disappeared altogether. However, as the horse appears to he coining into liis own again various local bodies are making arrangements to have the wafer troughs prepared for use once more. In the Taranaki district it is staled that twice the number of horses are to he seen on the roads to-day cojnpaied with two months ago.