LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 11 February 1933, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Interviewed by a “Post” reporter regarding his resignation of the chairmanship of the Development of Industries Board, Mr J. Pearce Luke, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, said that on receiving the appointment he was given definite instructions that the work of the committee must be strictly confidential to the Government. In effect, the committee acted purely in an advisory capacity. “It is on account of the Government not giving effect to any of the recommendations made to itthat I felt constrained to sever my connection witli the committee,” he said. Mr Luke added that he wished to make it quite clear that his resignation neither arose from nor Avas connected with nis attitude upon the exchange issue. The latest addition to the New Zealand Post Office's list of prohibited addresses is the British International Association, Zoppot, Danzig. This organisation is conducting a sweeptake on the Grand National Steeplechase, to be run iii Liverpool, England, on 24th March. The first prize is and prize money aggregates £GO,OOO. Thousands of tickets have been sold in New Zealand during the last two months. The sweepstake comes Avithin the general lottery ban in New Zealand. Another address to which the ban applies is 22 Menzelster, Friedenau, Berlin. Visiting Wellington at present in connection with the visit to New Zealand of the pleasure cruiser, Carinthia, Mr A. Thompson, manager for Thos. Cook and Son at Auckland, said that up to the middle of January the outAvard tourist traffic from New Zealand promised A’ery well indeed (reports the “Dominion”). The bookings and prospects for that month were the best since he had been manager in Auckland, but the imposition of the high rate of exchange “cut it off like a knife.” Since then not only had there been a lack of interest in tours abroad, hut a good many of those who had booked to leave in March and April had been forced to cancel on account of the added cost, and the general uncertainty created by the higher exchange. While the outward business from New Zealand ivould suffer, Mr Thompson said the new exchange was most favourable to people visiting New Zealand from England, as they could get £125 worth of travel and entertainment here for their £IOO. It might he a little late to have much effect in that direction this season, hut Mi Thompson was pretty sure that if the rates remained as they ivere at present, there would he a lot of people visiting New Zealand.

A recommendation to call off the present strike was passed following consideiable discussion at a meeting of Patea unionists this Aveek (states the “Taranaki News”). As a result of several months of idleness some of the men are stated to be forced by circumstances to resume at any cost. Although strike had not yet been called off. several men resumed work on Wednesday. It is understood that ten old unionists returned to Avork at the Waitara freezing works on Wednesday, and that between 20 and -30 applied for their old positions in the afternoon, but were refused as there ivere no vacancies. On Tuesday the killings at the works totalled 4600, and on Wednesday over 4000 sheep were killed, besides a number of pigs and cattle.

That there are some people avlio are prepared to back up their contention that honesty is its own reward by pracical demonstrations of their belief was proved in a very direct fashion during tlie present ivecli to a man ivlio was unfortunate enough to lose a wallet containing £ls (states the “Otago Daily Times”). The loss was advertised, and in a very short time the loser was visited by a small boy who informed him that his father ivould like him to call, as ne thought he had something that would interest him. On arrival at the fruit shop of the small boy’s father, the owner of the wallet had no difficulty in identifying the wallet and proving liis claim to it. The lost money was handed over and the delighted owner took two of the pound notes ivhich it comprised and handed theni to the finder. This money ivas gentlv but firmly refused, and no amount of discussion ivould induce the finder of the wallet to accept tlie reward. Finally, the owner of the money threw a 10s note on the counter and hurried out of the shop ivithout waiting to ascertain what happened to it, but thinking as seriously of the honesty of the finder of the money as of his own good fortune in retrieving his loss.

“Half tlio fish caught is wasted. aivl we are told tlmt the elimination of waste would be a big factor in conquering the depression,” a Port Chalmers man connected with the fishing industry told a “Star” reporter this week. He considered that a fish manure plant was badly needed, and, in addition to the manure made from waste, there would also be such by-products as oil and fowl meal. Such a plant, which could be started for an outlay of £2,000 would boost the fishing industry. The monthly meetings of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union will be resumed in Burrough House on Tuesday next, at 3 p.m. Visitors and friends will be cordially welcomed.

While working at Messrs Griffin and Sons Ltd., factory yesterday a youth named Charles A. Jones, aged It) years, son of Mr and Mrs A. Jones of The Wood, Nelson, had the misfortune to get his hand caught in a cog. ■ The youth was admitted to the Nelson Hospital where it was found necessary to amputate a finger. The hospital reported to-day that the patient was progressing satisfactorily.

“It is unfortunate that the rise in taxation lias come at a time when the public was looking for reductions in the cost of , living,” said Mr David Milligan, one c;f Wellington's leading merchant tailors, when asked yesterday how the sales tax would affect his trade (reports the “Dominion”). “I do not wish to be pessimistic,” he said, “and L realise that the Government has 10 meet desperate situation, but a rise in taxation must tend to discourage buying. It has been hard enough to meet overhead expenses, and tailors will not be able to shoulder any further burdens without passing them on. The rise in exchange of 15 per cent, arid the additional 5 per cent, sales tax means that tailors will be taxed one-fifth higher than formerly,” continued Mr Milligan “and it stands to reason that we will not be able to go on indefinitely without handing the added burden on to the public. Business in the tailoring trade was particularly good during the month of January, and it is a pity that the extra taxation had to come at a time when the public had regained confidence and were starting to buy.”

The average age of the West Coast representative cricket team at present in Nelson playing for the Hawke is 28 years, as against 36 years, when the West Coast team came to Nelson in 1925 in quest of the same trophy. Only three "members of the present "team, T. McIntosh, G. Knapp and H. S. Nightingale, played in Nelson in 1925. M. Marshall is the “baby” of the present side, being 16 years of age, whereas in the 1925 team Nightingale (27) was the “baby.” Marshall leaves New Zeolond next Tuesday for Melbourne where nt has a position as assistant groundsman at the Melbourne cricket ground. He will be coached in cricket by the Australian captain, W. M. Woodfull.

Perhaps very few people have noticed the fact,‘but not since there was almost a chain of voluntary appearances for traffic and by-law breaches at the Magistrate's Court at Greymouth some two months ago, have there been any similar apearances (states the “Argus”). With voluntary appearances, offenders were able to save the 10s Court costs, but apparently as these appearances were becoming so frequent and meant such a loss to the Consolidated Fund, the authorities decided to discontinue the practice. In any case, motorists and cyclists have, exercised greater care, and the ordinary appearances before the Magistrate are now very limited. An Australian business firm, writing to a client in Gisborne under date 31st- January, states: “At the outset we would like to extend to you our earnest sympathy in the decision of-the New Zealand ' Government to increase vour exchange from 10 to 25 per cent, on English purchases. Having been through the bitter experience in Australia. we can fully appreciate what iit means to have the extra impost, and also to realise how disconcerting it is in business having to reconstruct the whole of your prices.” The trustees and matron of St. Andrew’s Orphanage desire to thank the following for gifts for the use of the institution: Mesdames Burnett, Walters and Ross, Messrs A. V. King, Gilbert, Randall, Marshall and the Public Hospital.

The Regimental Band willjgive a concert at the Botanical Gardens to-morrow (Sunday) evening at 8.15 This will be the hand’s last concert at tlresßotanicrl Gardens prior to the band leaving for the "Dunedin contest on Friday next. The band should be heard at its best as it has been trained up to contest pitch. Mr Farrell, solo cornet player of the renowned Wanganui Garrison Band, and who came second in the Dominion championship at Wellington last year, has been engaged as professional cornet player to accompany the Band to Dunedin. He will be playing with the baud to this concert.

According to news by the latest mail from U.S.A., a Rugby football revival is in process of taking place in California. The promoters appear to have in view matches against the New Zealand team en route to, or from, England in 1936. Whether' or not it is the propaganda of the English and Australian Footbaii Leagues that has stirred up the old Rugby enthusiasts is not stated. In December the Rugby promoters started a revival of the old Californian Rugby Union and they staged a Rugby rally at Ewing football field in San Francisco. A former Welsh player, T. St. John Wood, has taken over the secretaryship of the revived union, and Jim Wylie, ex-All Black of 1913 and Auckland player, has undertaken coaching work for the union. Jim Wylie returned to California after touring that State with the All * Blacks in 1913 and took up an appointment as football coach in in Stanford University.

“Wo are finding it exceedingly difficult to keep the backblock roads in repair, on account of the falling revenue, and it is quite on the cards that these roads will have to be let go out of repair altogether, unless things get better. There are large stretches of these roads from which almost no revenue is coming.” The speaker was Mr J. Higgins, Grey County Engineer, and his remarks were made to a “Star” reporter. “Will it not be possible to collect additional revenue from the farmers, to pay for the roads, when they secure the benefit of the high exchange rate?” asked the reporter. “They have to get it first,” drily replied Mr Higgins. “The only hope we have is that this 25 per cent exchange rate may assist the timber trade. In that case we should have more royalties. It is only the timber royalties that carry the County on: it is not the rates.”

“Representatives of the institute have been closely associated with the endeavours made by the Allied Building Industries to relieve unemployment, and a fair measure of success has been achieved both in arranging for new work to be undertaken and in the carrying out of alterations, renovations, renewals, etc.,” states the annual report of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. “It is sincerely hoped that the Government will realise the position and assist the huge army of men usually associated with the buildilng trades" who are now among the unemployed. The institute submitted evidence to a committee of the House of Representatives on the provisions of the proposed legislation dealing with building construction, but when the Bill was brought down at the last session of Parliament further objection was made to the Minister in charge as it was considered the proposed legislation would hinder rather than help the objects for which it was being enacted. As a result of this further representation to the Minister it is hoped that satisfactory legislation will be passed at .in early date.” Fruit exporters are advised in this issue that heavv supplies are urgently required to meet the Port. Wellington’s allotment.

Much of the timber land around Mount Egmont will be stumped and improved if the new unemployment relief scheme which the authorities have in view is put into being (reports the “Taranaki Herald”). The scheme provides that areas of land now occupied but not producing anything approaching their full capacity will be cleared and given all-the-year access. As payment a portion of the land so cleared will be taken and there will be settled on it producers who are now unemployed. This was mentioned on Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the Inglewool County Council by the chairman, Mr R. Stuart. He said that there were large areas of land in the west riding of the county in the vicinity of the Surrey, Norfolk, Durham, Dudley, and Egmont roads, which he considered would be ideal for the operation of such a scheme. At the present time very little, if any, of the land was producing its full capacity, yet it would require a lifetime of work, no matter how industrious the farmer was, to get the land into good working order. On the completion of the work on the farm, continued Mr Stuart, a certain percentage of the area, to be arrang'd with the owner, would be taken as payment for the work, and an unemployed man settled on the section. The area of the section taken would be sufficient for the earning of a living. At a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Murchison, before Messrs E. F. Patou and H. F. Worthington, Justices of the Peace, W. B. Evans was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment on a charge of theft of a pair of gum boots from a Public Works camp at the Shenandoah. The Bench intimated that the sentence was imposed as a warning against thefts from camps. Accused, who pleaded guilty, was formerly employed at tlie camp.

A decrease of over £50,000 in the value of motor vehicles imported into New Zealand in 1932, compared with the figures for 1931, is shown in a return prepared for the “New Zealand Herald” by the Comptroller of Customs. Last year motor imports were valued for purposes of computing Customs duty at £520,537, against £578,038 in 1931, a difference of £51,501. The number of vehicles imported also decreased, there being 3602 motor-cars, commercial vehicles and chassis brought into the country last year, compared with 4014 in 1931, a difference of 352. In 1930, motor imports were valued at £2,478,.410. By far the largest number of motorcars imported last year came from the United Kingdom. There were, in addition to the British total of 2537, 358 from Canada, 146 from the United States, two from France and one from Italy. In 1931, British cars also headed the list with a total of 2414, while there were 482 from Canada, 475 from the United States, 13 from Italy, two from France and one each from Belgium and Germany. The monster combined fair at Coney Park w’ill be continued to-night, weather permitting. The amateur circus, animal acts, and all attractions will be in full swing. The procession of animals will go through the town at 7.30 p.m.

Members are reminded of the annual meeting of the Scottish Society ns advertised.