LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 20 June 1932, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“It is customary to blame the banks and the banking system for our position,” said Mr M. S. Spence, speaking to a Napier audience. “People imagine,” Mr Spence continued, “that if the exchange rate was raised to 120 or 130, we >vould get the benefit of tb e 20 or 30 per cent., and the people at Home would pay for it. That is not the case. An increased exchange rate would simply amount to a shifting of wealth to the farmers, while the importers of the country would have to bear tbe cost.” Tlie New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, has decided to make advance payments of 9Jkl per lb. butterfat for finest grade cream supplied for tbe manufacture of butter and per lb. butter-fat for milk supplied for cheese-making during May. The advances for butter and cheese for the previous month’s supply were lOd and lid per lb. respectively, while for May of last year suppliers received advances at the rate of lid per lb. for butter and 8d per lb. for cheese.

Illustrative of the advancement which is being made in the rehabilitation of Napier, a statement issued by the Chief Commissioner, Mr Barton, reveals that at the end of the year there will be 130 shops in new permanent buildings on the devastated area. The number tallies with the total of the shops now accommodated in temporary buildings. Every cllort is being made by the municipal authorities to assist the owners of the new buildings in securing the transfer of shops I rom the temporary blocks. Steps are in train to secure the demolition ol all remaining temporary buildings at the earliest possible moment. —Dress Association.

A beautiful coat in Natural Musquash perfectly matched skins, full pouched collar and lined host quality crepe do chine. Regular value 39 guineas. ’lbis week's special 32 guineas. McKay’s.*

All trimmed millinery, including matrons lads, 5/11 cadi.’ Mid-Winter t-'aio at “The Auckland.”*

2 only Brown Kolinsky Fur Coats, selected pelts and lined Art Silk limeade, worth 11 guineas. Special this week, 9 guineas, at McKay’s.*

Persons holding doer-skins are requested to communicate with A. E. Tasker and Co., who have a prospective market.

A Black - Coney Seal Coat with skunk, opossum collar and cuffs. Full fitting style and worth 22 guineas. Special this week at 18 guineas at McKay's.*

The funds controlled bv the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief As. soeiation for the benefit of ex-soldiers and their dependants now total £83,966, a reduction of £2938 on Ibe total six month ago. It was reported at a meeting of tlie executive o! the association last week that the funds of kindred 'Southern organisations were as follows; The War Relief Association of Wellington, £26,450; the Otago Patriotic Association, £44,500; t|ie Wairarapa Patriotic Association, £33,000 ■ the .Southland War Funds Association, £29,000; and the Canterbury Patriotic Fund, £29,000.

Speaking to a press representative today a local real estate agent remarked that quite a lot of inquiries for farms wek> being received from other districts. Intending purchasers, however, wanted to buy at to-dav’s values, whereas owners could not afford to let their properties go at such a price. Quite a lot of good farms were being offered and the opinion was given that quite a lot of business could be done on th® bnsis of pre-war values. Not many properties were changing hands, but recently a farm in the Waimeas was disposed of at a pre-war price. In the Riwaka district land specially suitable for tobacco gloving had changed hands at- £IOO an acre.

An amusing satire on the New South Wales State Labour party’s policy was prepared just before the Lang-rcjection election by the United Countrv party, which broadcast copies throughout the State (states a Sydney writer). It was printed in the form of a dcbentuie, and was of the value of “one Lang.” Over tlie pawnbroker’s sign of three balls (super-imposed on which are caricatures of Messrs Lang, Garden, and Lenin) appeared the words Starvation Debenture” and the Soviet emblem of the sickle and hammer. The debenture “contract” was inscribed as follows: “The waste-paper commissioner of the Soviet slave State promises to repudiate to the bearer bis promise to pay £21,000,000 (which he has not got) on payment of the usual 5 per cent, commission. Contracted outside the moratorium.” On tlie reverse debenture” was described as “a pawnticket policy ol waste-paper rations for starving people.” After quoting from Mr Lang's policy speech of 1930, -in which he said that Labour had set its face against repudiation, the document stated "that Air Lang proceeded to “repudiate hi s repudiation of repudiation by repudiating everything.” “Remember,” it proceeded, “the Government Saving Bank, tho one-in-three workless, the £20,C00,000 deficit, the £11,000,000 driven to Victoria, the £4,000,000 of new expenditure, tlie £7,000,000 of interest bilked, the £7,000,000 mortgage steal, the £13,000 lent by Lang at 5 per cent, to the ‘Labour Daily’ outside the moratorium, ‘appropriate,’ ‘repudiate, confiscate,’ ‘hypothecate.’ The countryman must shut the gate. Help the United Country party to snip tho latch on Lang on lltli June.” There is a good demand-for a quantity of Delicious apples packed for export to South America which are being sold in the Auckland market (states the “N.Z. Herald”). Of the original 5000 cases a good proportion has already been sold, realising comparatively high prices, 5s 91 to 6s a case. Owing to tlie quantities of apples which came forward to tho Fruit Control Board for shipment being in excess of what could be disposed of in South America, the board decided in the interests of exporters to sell the fruit locally.

It is announced in the May number of “Tho Southern Cross Log” that the now Southern Cross will be launched at Messrs Samuel White’s shipyard at East Cowes on 22nd June. The ceremony will be performed by the Viscountess Bridgeman after a short service conducted by tlie Bishop of Portsmouth. The ship is to he dedicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Pier, Thames Embankment, on 20th July, on the afternoon of which day the annual meeting of Lho Melanesian Mission will take place at Church House, London. The London representatives of the Melanesian Alissiou are making an appeal for gifts of many kinds to be sent out to the mission by the new ship. An anonymous gift of £155 has been made for an operating theatre at the Fauabu Hospital, in memory of the late Thomas Pugh Beddoes, F.R.C.S. The Rev. L. Lambert, Rector pf Stafford, has offered the mission a motor launch for use in the Banks Islands.

An illustration of the decline of self-reliance noticeable in people of to-day was given by Air J. S. Barton S.AL, at a meeting in Napier. The weakness of the present system, he said, was not so much bureaucracy as the “debauchery of the people by teaching them to lean oil the Government, taking away their self-reliance.” He quoted an instance of a man who thought that too much was being asked of him when it was suggested that lie should clear away bricks in order that the borough might put up a chimney for him.

Approximately six and a half million passengers were carried by steamers belonging to the Devonport Ferry Company during the past twelve months. This fact was mentioned at the annual meeting of the company (states the Auckland “-Star”). Vehicles transported across the harbour by the company numbered 280.000, and it is estimated that the total distance covered by the ferries was over 205,000 miles. The services were carried out without serious mishap. In two years only one trip in the company’s time-table has been missed owing to accident.

Prospects pointed to a payment of llJ,d per lb butter-fat in his district, on the average for the season, stated a Tarnaki coastal farmer last week, though suppliers to some factories would be receiving Is a lb. (reports the “News”). Production had fallen off to a certain extent because farmers had stinted with fertilisers, trying to economise. This year, however, they were sinking every 'penny they could get in top-dressing, and he considered if prices were reasonable next season the position of the Taranaki farmer should be much more stable.

2/3 yard for N.Z. all wool dress flannels. Mid-Winter Sale at “The Auckland.”*

Fur Coats that are properly made from well matched selected skins. Special prices this week at McKays." 6/11 for 24 oun:o heavy brown .jute row covers. Mid winter sale at “The Auckland.”*

“A dry cough, with great difficulty in clearing the throat,” says Dr. Amos Cardwell, a London throat specialist, “is often a result of excessive smoking. Smokers should try to discover a brand of tobacco which does not cause irritation.” Sound advice ! hut unfortunately not always easy to follow. Brands of tobacco which do not cause throat-irrita-tion are not exactly as common as blackberries in Autumn —at all events in the Old Country. Here in Maoriland we are better off, ’because our toasted tobacco, so popular with smokers, neither causes irritation of the throat nor burning of the tongue. There’s no harm in a hundredweight of it! All these virtues it owes to the fact that it is toasted (or roasted) by the manufacturers. This pro cess rids it of most of its nicotine (often present in excess in imported tobaccos), and gives it its famous flavour and aroma. Four brands only: Navy Cut No. 3, Cavendish, Riverhcad Cold and Cut Plug No. 10. Of course, there are imitation’s!—-the penalty all great successes have to pay Fur Coats of quality! Special prices this week at- McKay’s.*

Discussing the prospects of a rise in overseas prices for our produce, Dr. 11. Belshaw, Professor of Economics at Auckland University College, when addressing the Economic Society in Auckland on the exchange question, said he thought it would be unwise to “bank” on any such rise happening. In order to put the Dominion right there would need to he a rise in overseas prises of roughly 60 per cent. They might rise, hut he thought the future was very uncertain. The political situation, in Europe especially, was extremely disturbed. He quoted from an English economic paper, which held that there was no certainty that gold prices had reached minimum. Personally he thought the essential point in regard to British conditions was that there was ample credit available in Great Britain, but at present the British manufacturers "were not disposed to avail themselves of it, because 'they were uncertain of being able to dispose of their goods at profitable prices. The view had been expressed that what was wanted was an expansion of lending on an international scale — international cheap credit over a long period. That, plus a scheme for scaling down reparations and' debts, might be expected to improve world conditions. ‘‘l am sometimes saddened bv what I see in our picture houses,” said the Governor-Generalf, Lord Bledisloe, when (replying to the settlers’ welcome at VVaiuku, reports the “New Zealand Heraid.” His Excellency said he believed that the picture house was a means of providing the people with 'good entertainment and making them happy and jolly. It could also be a great engine for demoralising the people and injuring the minds of young people. Lord Bledisloe said Her Excellency was in accord with him, and they wanted to ask all right-minded people to see that the public demand was for a wholesome form of entertainment in New Zealand. If the public, through their representatives. made their wishes known, there would be no lack of response by British producers, and others, to turn out- good films, far more interesting, exciting and adventurous but less dangerous.

In union with the 31st Annual International Eucharistir Congress —opening in Dublin this weok—(in which the entire Catholic world is closelv embraced) a retreat is being preached in St. Mary’s Nelson, and commenced at the first mass yesterday morning. All services were very hugely attended. The Very Reverend Father Creagh C.SS.R. is the missioner. and in the evening he preached a most eloquent and instructive sermon to an interested congregation dealing chiefly with the existence of God, as proved by natural law and supplemented by Divine Revelations, first in the old Jewish order, and later, in the religion given to the world by Jesus Christ—the living and ever-present founder of the church The retreat will be continued throughout the week—in the morning masses and also in the evening services, commencing at 7.30. The Reverend Father O’Connell, S.M., officiated in the devotional exercises and imparted the Benediction.

Valuable work is being done by the eleven adjustment commissions set up under the Mortgagors Relief Amendment Act, according to a statement made by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in reply to a question concerning the activities of these bodies. Mr Cobbe said the commissions had been kept busy for some time, and a large number of cases had been taken before them. It was their duty to investigate cases referred to them by the court under the Mortgagors and Tenants Relief Act of last session and they also had other duties concerning the relief of mortgagors under earlier legislation. Under the relief Act of last session the commissions renorted to the court on cases considered by them, and they were empowered to make recommendations to the court. Several Jarge and important cases had come before tin; commissions and they-had been able to arrange for satisfactory settlements, which meant that the court was ..not forced to spend time of them. Apart from the investigation of mortgagors’ circumstances, the commissions were concerned with the rights of mortgagees who were entitled to protection and whose incomes were naturally affected bv applications by mortgagors for relief. From the work being done by the commissions it was clear that the relief legislation had been necessary, and that it was doing much to, alleviate hardship among a great many people all over the country. The half-yearly summoned meeting of the Loyal Nelson Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F., will be held on Wednesday next at 7.30 p.m., at the Oddfellows’ Hall.

5/11 pair for full fashioned pure silk hose. Mid-winter sale at “The Auckland.”*