LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 5 April 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

—— Recent wool sales have enabled South Island growers to clear the bulk of their holdings (says the Dunedin “Star”). There is very little now stored at Dunedin, Timaru, and G’hristchurcn. Some Southlanders are still retaining, but not in large quantities. The North Island pastoralists have not so far quitted to such an extent as their rivals in the south.

The depression prevailing in the Brunner mining district has had very little effect on the revenue of the Brunner Borough for the financial year just closed (states the “Grey River Argus”). All accounts owing by the borough have been met. and there still remains a substantial credit balance. It is quite apparent that it should be possible to reduce the rates for the coming year.

Wholesalers in the provision business in Dunedin say that there is just now a lull in trade, but not such as to arouse anxiety, since the quiescence comes about naturally (says the “Star”). Immediately before the imposition of the sales tax buyers stocked up freely, laying in enough of most lines to last awhile, and orders thereafter lessened as a matter of course, but as the hoarded supplies run out they must be replaced so long as men, women, and children continue to eat.

The sixth biennial conference of the British Empire Service League, to which the New - Zealand R.S.A. is affiliated, will be held in Great Britain during July of this year. The conference was originally to have been held in Australia, but the venue has been changed on account of the ill-health of the grand president, Earl Jellicoc. New Zealand will be represented at the conference by Colonel Stewart, a past president of the N.Z.R.S.A., in conjunction with .Messrs Crawshaw and Drew, who are the dominion representatives on the Empire Council of the League in London.

It is proposed to form in Nelson an Accountancy Students’ Society. All connected with accountancy in Nelson, am! students in particular, are invited to attend the meeting to-morrow at the Institute, when a general outline of the moxement will be given and discussion welcomed.

Mr Isaac Horton, of Belgrove, was admitted to the Nelson Hospital to-day suffering a fractured rib, the result of being kicked by a horse this morning. The membership of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association has now reached 1,961, which is more than a hundred ahead of the total at this time last year. The membership of the New Zealand R.S.A. at the end" of February was 15,970, and it is anticipated that, when the figures for the financial year, have been compiled, the total will be considerably in excess of 16,000. The Christchurch Association is the largest and Dunedin ranks second on the list,

Just arrived ! Ladies’ Tailored Tweed Coats, smartly cut, belted styles, Brown, Bottle and Wine. Only 42/6. At McKay’s.*

The Marlborough Sheep Owners’ Union recently wrote to the Canterbury branch urging the necessity for a reduction in handling charges on wool etc., and giving particulars of cases of alleged exorbitant charges for handling produce. It was stated that, with prices of primary produce as at present, it was impossible to maintain the previ ous scale of handling charges on produce from the farm. The letter was received by the Canterbury executive at its meeting last week, and it was agreed that a considerable rise in prices, or. alternatively, a further reduction in costs, was "required if primary production was to continue as an economic proposition.

Talking of the conditions being face! to-day, Senator \V. Massy Greene stated at the New Zealand Club luncheon in Wellington that they called for the best that was in neople. The conditions were such, he believed, as the peculiar genius of the British race was best calculated to deal with. “When we turn to what has been done in the Old Country, he said, “and when we remember that some two years ago the nations of the world were drawing money from England as fast as they could because they bewail to doubt the capacity of the grand Old Country to pull through, and when we now see the Chancellor of the Exchequer; standing up in the British Parliament and saying that funds, are pouring in to the extent that Britain is embarrassed, it is evident that they have, come to the conclusion that Britain is the one place in the world where money is safe to-day,-and we get some idea of the wonderful recovery Britain has made. I do not think we are going to get out- of the trough of the. depression we are in easily, hut I believe we will get out of it, and .1 believe thq,t those countries which are predominantly of British stock will be the first to emerge from it.”

Underground peat fires in Seymour Park, Mount Roskill, were the cause of an unusual accident on Saturday morning to a four-year-old boy, Ray Lee, whose parents live in Acorn street, Mount Roskill (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The boy was riding his tricycle over a grassy patch a considerable distance from where outbreaks of peat fires had occurred several days before. Suddenly the surface of the ground collapsed and he fell into a hole about 2ft deep, surrounded by smouldering peat. A passer-by ran to help him, but before he could be extricated the boy had received severe burns about the arms, legs, and thighs. It was not necessary to admit him to the Auckland Hospital. The danger from peat fires has been realised for some time. Occasionally, when a rubbish fire has been started, the deep peat deposits under the surface have become ignited, the fire thus stated being particularly difficult to extinguish. The Mount Roskill Fire Brigade has in the past found that holes sft deep have been burnt. The smouldering fire can spread over a wide area without any signs of its extent being shown on the grassy surface. When a weight is placed on the thin layer of earth and vegetation, however, it immediately collapses, exposing the burning peat below. Sometimes the only way to prevent the fire from spreading is to trench around the area affected until the'clay substratum is reached, in most of Sevmour Park the peat layer is sft or 6i’t thick. On Saturday the brigade was called shortly after the existence of the fire had been made known, and was able to extinguish the outbreak by completely flooding the area.

When the Supreme Court adjourned last. evening counsel for the accused asked if he could be released until to-day on his original bail. “It is the invariable rule now,” replied his Honour Mr Justice Blair in refusing the request “that, once a man has surrendered to bail he remains in custody until the trial is over.”

It is now Mr Scullin’s duty to tell the people of New South Wales how they may devise a better method of electing the Legislative Council, than that proposed by the Stevens Ministry (writes the Sydney correspondent of the “Argus’). The Attorney-General (Mr Manning) has issued a detailed reply to Mr Scullin’s - statement on the coming referendum, a statement which even some friends of Mr Sculliu believe was illadvised, as it aids Mr Lang, rather than those who wish to have government by the people. There may not be complete satisfaction with the plan to have the two Houses of Parliament as now constituted elect the new Legislative Council, but the retort, “What would you propose?” reveals the fact that there is no workable alternative proposal. This being so, critics properly refrain from “queering the .pitch” of the Ministry and benefiting Mr Lang. One suggestion made has commended itself to a few, but there is a strong preliminary objection on the score of cost. It is that there be an election in the constituencies, two electorates being - required to elect one member of the Legislative Council. This would mean a Council of 45 members. The suggestion goes further, as follows: —In order that the Council may be a worthy Chamber of rovision, a Chamber elected by matured minds, only persons of 30 years and upward should vote, and they would require to have tin additional qualification that they had been born in Australia or had resided here for 30 years. The cost of a special electoral roll, however, might be prohibitive.

The Nelson Provincial Farmers’ Union executive yesterday made a grant of £2 towards the Hawkes. Bay A. and P. Association’s fund for the introduction to the Dominion of a parasite to combat the white butterfly which has wrought so much damage to crops in the North Island this year.

The Nelson Provincial Farmers’ Union executive decided yesterday to invite Captain H. M. Rushworth M.P. for Bay of Islands (Country Party) to address Farmers’ Union branches in the Nelson district.

The attention of Nelson College old boys is directed to the advertisement postponing the annual general meeting of the Association from Monday to Tuesday next.

“I had rather a trying experience once upon a time,” writes Mr Robert Seeley in a London weekly. “I was a young new chum then, one of a- party of prospectors in Northern Quecnslcincl. One day I wandered away from camp and got ‘bushed.’ It was nearly three weeks before they found me, and I had some adventures in the meantime, believe me! On the third day 1 ran out of tobacco !—Smokers will sympathise ! I shall never forget the first smoke I had after I v/as found ! —delightful 1 But nowadays I find the tobacco I used to smoke when on the wallabi has lost its savour. Over much nicotine in it. Since coining to Maoriland 1 have smoked New Zealand toasted,’ and ask nothing better. I understand its peculiar fragrance, and comparative freedom from nicotine in this incomparable tobacco are due to its being roasted. It is certainly the finest I have ever smoked —and the least harmful.” Mr Seeley refers to the four famous toasted brands —Riverhead Gold, Navy Cut No. 3, Cavendish, and Cut Plug No. 10*

Smart two-piece Suits (Coat and Skirt) in Wool Afgalino. Rust, Green, Red, and Brown, from 35/-. At McKay’s.*

Girls’ Winter Coats, neat Fur Collars, plain and belted styles, 24 to 36-inch, from 22/6. At McKay’s.* Coats for Easter Trippers! The very best value in smart Coats in the new Fancy Diagonal or Bouclc Weaves, showing at McKay’s. From 89/6.*

Business men arriving at Auckland by the Aorangi this week were unanimous in their opinions that better times are in sight and the worst of the depression is over (states the “Star”). “Australians are. not squealers in any sense of the term,” said Mr H. Berry, of Auckland, >vho returned after spending five weeks in the Commonwealth. He added that prominent merchants had informed him that Australia was no longer turning the corner, but Had definitely turned it. From his own observations he came to the |Conclusion that things were better all round. A bank superintendent said that there was a healthier tone everywhere. “The farming community and tin storekeepers will still have to be nursed for some time,” he continued, “and this will be done. Since the bank crisis in America many commercial men have been viewing the banking system of Australia and Mew Zealand, and the opinion : s general that our system is splendid. What is necessary for the good of New Zealand and Australia is a greater measure of reciprocity between the two countries. There is a lot of feeling in Australia in certain quarters against the Dominion, and the fruit embargo has had much to do with it, but I think that if the right methods are adopted a relationship will be established in. the interests of all.”

“The record number of 10,075 patients was admitted to the Auckland Hospital during the year just closed,” stated the medical superintendent, Dr. J. W. Craven, at a gathering on Saturday evening. . Although 800 more patients were admitted, the total cost had been about £6OOO less, being approximately £107,000, compared with £113,000 in the previous year. From 7000 to 8000 operations were performed annually at the hospital. Last week eight cases of appendicitis were admitted in one day. The patients now included a larger proportion of people who had been used to luxury, bu<t who had been affected by the economic depression. Everything in the hospital was of the very best and it was equipped with the most modern apparatus. The radium stored and in use and the X-ray plant were valued at £BOOO. The Auckland Hospital now compared very favourably with those in the other chief centres of the Dominion.

Some idea of the North American apple competition which New Zealand has to meet in the British markets may be gathered from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company’s trade report for February, stating that from the Okanagan Vailey in Western Canada 723,000 boxes were sent to Great Britain during the winter months, also 651,000 boxes from United States shippers on the Pacific Coast. The Eastern Canadian apple exports and United States contributions to the British market for apples are, of course, very heavy in their season when New Zealand and Australian are not available, but the trouble is that the North American shipping season may be prolonged to even beyond New Zealand first arrivals.

Thrown from a cart and half buried under a heavy load of turnips, Noel Copestake, the three-year-old child of Mr George Copestake, a Warkworth farmer, had a remarkable escape from serious injury on Friday morning (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The boy was sitting on the load < f turnips in a spring dray and his father was walking beside the horse. Shying at some object, the horse stopped suddenly and began to back towards a steep slope. Before the father could do anything the cart ran down the slope, dragging the horse with it. Then the cart overturned, half burying the children under its load. When his father extricated him, however, the boy was found to have escaped injury apart from some bruises and scratches. The cart, with the horse attached, righted itself and continued its career down the hill, hurtling over a fence and turning over several times. It finally came to rost in the gully below. The horse, now freed frqm the cart, fell on its back with its head and shoulders in a water hole. It was unable to regain its feet and was drowned. The cart was damaged beyond repair.