LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 28 April 1934, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Parents and householders resident in the Hampden street school district ~re reminded of the social advertised to'be held in the schoolroom on Monday evenliifr next the 30th inst., when opportunity will he taken to welcome the new headmaster, Mr A. C. Price. Tim annual report ami statement ol accounts will he placed before the meeting. euchre card party is also being arranged and Slipper will he provided. There will he no charge for_ admission, but ladies are invited .to Lrim r a basket. The annual meeting of parishioners of the Cathedral.parish of Christ Church will be held a t 7.30 p.m. on Monday. 7 th May, in the Marsden Church House ‘Library. The Marsden recreation ground meeting called for Monday evening, has been postponed till Tuesday Ist Mnv.

The 1933-34 trout fishing season ends on Alonday and with the prospects of i fine weather and the rivers in good t condition following a fresh during the : week, no doibt there will be many an- ( glers out for a final fish this week-end. "'The system of selecting Rhodes , scholars does net always succeed in j getting the best men,”’said Professor A. H.'Toeker in an address to the Pub- ( lie Service Administration Society in , Christchurch. He had mentioned the ( case of an undergraduate student at Canterbury College who was selected a , few years ego by examination and oilier ( tests' to occupy a post on the score- ( tnriat of tlic International Labour Office ( at Geneva, defeating Rhodes scholars ] and others who lmd been candidates for the position. It was rather notorious, said Professor Tocher, that the Rhodes scholars in the past—not only in New . Zealand—had not proved to be the type hoped for by Rhodes when lie founded the scholarships. Thai crockery suffers more at the altitude of the Alt. Egmont mountain houses was mentioned bv the. chairman of the North Alount Egmont Committee when referring to the need for heavy replacement of this part of the equipment of the hostelry. The intense cold in winter rendered the crockery brittle, hence the large proportion of cracked and chipped cups that) had to be replaced. Thopgli for a time there were some indications that house rents in Wellington had begun (o fall, that tendency lias now ceased, remarked a city land and estate agent to a. “Post” reporter, and rents appear to he hardening, the result, of course, of a shortage of houses and of self-contained fiats to let. The speculative builder, who built to supply market demands, was generally in no’ position, to recommence operations, anxious though lie was to get to work, and serious though the house shortage was, remarked “The Post’s” informant, while on the other hand a huge sum of money lay in the banks at fixed deposit earning a considerably less return than would °he obtainable on a safe investment in first mortgages on residential properties. “The building trade is one of the standard maior industries in a developing country,” he added, “and, directly and indirectly, the trade provides employment for contractors, builders, architects, painters, decorators, plumbers, electrical engineers, drainlayers, bricklayers, labourers, timber merchants, joinery shops, furniture manufacturers, paint manufacturers, ironmongers, manufacturers of general equipment required for a new home, and, of course, Hie staff employed m the various establishments from whom materials are purchased. If a means is found to put the building trade properly under way again it will take a long time to catch up on the present house shortage in Wellington, even if every carpenter gets back to his old job and works overtime.” The Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Rev. Dr. M. JBrodie, laid the foundation stones ot two new churches at South Westland recently-, one at Wataroa and the otliet at Weiieka, Both churches are in the newly-formed parish of Wataroa, ex--1 tending from Alount Hercules to Big Bay (200 miles apart), which is under tlie charge of the Rev. Father Quinn. It is stated to be the first occasion in church history in New Zealand in 1 which two foundation stones of churches in the same parish have been laid on the same day. Marked enthusiasm was shown by the settlers ' in both districts, despite torrential i pain. The church at Wataroa will be ■ dedicated as “Tlie Church of Our Lady [ in the t.oods.” Tlie two-acre site for the presbytery and for the church at 1 Wataroa was given by Airs Butler, ! sen., whose husband had some years I ago given the site of the old church.

The Now Zealand Shipowners’ Federation recently issued a memorandum urging the Government to exclude American and other foreign shins from carrying passengers and freight between British Empire ports as long as British ships are debarred form trade between the ports of the country affected The “Shipping World” in an article dealing with this memorandum, says: “In New Zealand where appreciation of the value of British shipping services has never been as lukewarm as in some of the Dominions and where high value is attached to the economic principles which should govern all shipping, public opinion is thoroughly aroused. The anxiety of shipowners as to the injurious effect of subsidies is finding its echo in the newspapers, as well as on the platform. . . . According to the memorandum, the total monetary assistance given American vessels in the Aus-tralia-New Zealand trade is £354,745 annually for two Matson liners, and, if the new vessel Luline is included, it would amount to £455,321. As is well known, these vessels are competing for trade between Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia, although British ships are barred between Honolulu and San Francisco. The result has been that one New Zealand vessel has already been withdawn from the New ZealandFiji service, and, according to the memorandum, “it is inevitable that the intercolonial service cannot be maintained on the present scale in the face, of the severe incursion of American liners.’ Whether the drastic remedy suggested in the 'memorandum be adopted or not, the fact that such a proposal has been made in a British Dominion rather than the -Mother Country may do good.”

“Political conditions have remained stable throughout the last few years and our Government has, following overseas precedents, placed on the Statute Book legislation converting the internal debt of the Dominion on lower interest bases and spreading the indebt eduess over long terms,” said Sir Har old Beauchamp, of New Zealand, at the annual meeting of the A.M.P. Society in Sydney yesterday. “In this connection we think that it is distinctly hard on a lending institution such as ours, that it should be compelled to accept the reduce .1 rate of interest without review as to monetary conditions for the extended terms. it is quite conceivable that with a return of great industrial activity interest rates for money may within the near future enhance by 20 to 25 per cent. Our mortgage investment in the Dominion are being well looked after, and while we have to ‘nurse’ our farmer mortgagors and grant time for payment of interest, it is confidently expected that the increased prices now being realised for wool, unitton and lamb, to which I have referred, will bring us in by the end of the present. produclivo season a large portion of interest arrears besides interest for current year. Our Government lias not vet seen’ fit lo reduce income taxation in the Dominion and the incidence of this impost on the Society remains very high. Tt increased 3 limes in 1931. ami there has been no easing of the burden since.’’ Tiie attention of sheep-farmers is directed to an advertisement in this issue in connection with the disposal by public auction of the “Bcdliills” run in the Nelson and .Marlborough land districts.* A “Mad Hatters' ” ball, in aid of the Motueka Catholic bazaar, will be held in the Institute Hell. Motueka, on Fridav. 11th May. when patrons arc assured of an enjoyable evening.

‘•I think wo all agree that the other man's garden should he thrown open to the public, although sometimes we are not so keen on doing the same with our own.” remarked Sir R. Heaton Rhodes at a meeting of the Canterbury Horticultural Society when members were discussing the removal of frontage i fences (reports “The Press”). He said that while the system was quite satisfactory in America, the Englishman generally liked a )ittl e privacy. Speaking as one of the society’s judges, Mr M. J. , Harnett, Superintendent of City Re- ; serves, said that shelter fences were frequently necessary for the cultivation if ( certain kinds of plants. The removal ! of fences in general was favoured, but ' no one would be penalised in the com- ' petitions for not doing so. The Nelson Ministers’ Association de.sires to remind all the churches and their congregations, that, commencing from next" Sunday, (29th April) the hour of the evening service will be altered from 7 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. as the provision of the Daylight Saving Act for the alteration of clocks by half an hour for this season will, for the time benig, cease to operate on that day. During last week 9639 tons of freight were railed through the Otira tunnel. In the corresponding week last year the amount was 7747 tons, arid in 1932 it was 9859 tons. The aim of the Centre, party' proposed to be created by Cblonel Eric Campbell, who organised the _ New Guard, is to set an example to ail political paities in usefulness and general rectitude (writes the Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne “Argus”). It is to succeed at those points at which, lie says, the existing parties fail. It may; biit public opinion is unfavourable. ■•There is no hope in the Parliamentary system,” says Colonel Campbell, “while there are professional politicians and party politics.” So he is forming another party. He would be well advisbd to sit down and consider where his enthusiasm has led him. 1 lie proposed Centre party will be just as much a party as any other. If not, its name should be altered. There is a possibility, too, that some politicians regarded as being professional may become attached to it. All would be paid as other politicians are, paid. “Existing parties have failed to combat the menace of communism,” he says, and he thinks that he can do better with his new party which is not a party. There seems to he something wrong with Colonel Campbell’s logic, but doubtless be will rectify it Leading men in the city concede that lie rendered valuable service with the New Guard, but they cannot see eye to e ve with him in this new political adventure. The opinion that the recent trade agreement arrived at between New Zealand and Belgium was a step m the vicrlit direction was expressed by Mr M! G. C. M'cCaul, at a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. He said that there were many millions of potential consumers of New Zealand dairy produce in the highly industrialised. countries of Europe, and the Govern--1 ment should negotiate with these couni tries for the interchange of products on favourable returns. He also urged that ; the Government should revise the most- ■ favoured-nation treaties as soon as possible with a view to undertaking the i systematic development of commercial i treaties in foreign countries. Referring to apprenticeship prob--1 lems, the annual report presented to a | meeting of the Canterbury Builders’ and | Contractors’ Association stated that the , committee viewed with alarm the small * number of boys being indentured to the trades connected with the building industry (reports “The Press”). While it J was understandable, owing to the many ’ restrictions and the. uncertainty of a con--1 tinuity of work, it was, nevertheless, deplorable and pointed to a shortage of skilled craftsmen when normality was - reached again, added the report. Tiie i position appeared to be beyond the asso- * eiation’s control, but any help that i members could give towards the solving . of the problem by the more generous em- ; ployment of youths was distinctly a duty , devolving upon them. r JTowever good times might be there 1 have always been between 3000 and , 4000 men connected with the building ■ trade in New Zealand out of work, i said Mr B. Moore, sen., at the annual i meeting of the - Canterbury Builders’ s and Contractors’ Association. At any > time during the last 40 years, with the 1 exception of the boom vears just after s the' war, there were always up to 000 f men in Christchurch out of work, f Even in boom,; times there was no diffii enlt.y in securing men, he said. Every- - one "to-day registered as unemployed, - but men could not do it then. “To- ; day,” lie added, “they were unem- - ployed; then they were just ‘out of i work.’ ”

The Nelson Harmonic -Society wili give its first concert of the present year at the School of Music on Thursday evening next when selections from Gounod’s charming opera,' “Faust,” and a number, of miscellaneous items will be presented. The price of admission is half a crown and seats may be reserved at Berg’s for three shillings. Tiie final leliearsal will be held on Tuesday evening.

A note of optimism about the future of the poultry industry in New Zealand was sounded by Mr S. F. Marshall a member of the New Zealand Poultry Board , and secretary of the New Zealand Ut'l u ” Poultry Club when addressing a meeting of disabled soldiers in the .lellicoe Hall, Christchurch (reports “The Press”). Mr Marshall said that since the Poultry Board had been set up, the prospects for farmers Had become much brighter. It was anticipated that tiie exnort rf eggs would be controlled in such a way that there would lie little or no risk of financial loss.

Loyal Nelson F.odge, M.U.1.0.0.F., will hold a carnival dance to-night. For the Monte Carlo, Lucky Spot, and Balloon dances prizes will bo given. Streamers, twilight and tap one-stage will be included in the programme. Mr H. Williams will supply the music.