NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20482, 6 February 1930, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

BILLS OF EXCHANGE. " The rise of our modern credit system is in a large measure due to the banks, not so much, perhaps, to the way they have handled actual money in bulk as to the- way they have assisted traders to make the money the basis for the use of representative money, cheques and bills of exchange, and such other credit instruments," says Mr. W. F. Spalding, in the course of a series of articles in the Times Trade Supplement on the banker's place in commerce. " To-day the commerce of the .country, particularly its foreign trade, is largely financed by a species of international currency—the bill on London. That bill has a wonderful reputation, which dates from tho gradual adoption of trade policy recommended, if not inaugurated, by that groat seamanhe was a great -statesman, too—Raleigh, Bills of exchange are really instruments of indebtedness; but they are regarded everywhere as equivalent to, or representative of money. As such they have been long recognised in the world of commerce and by courts of law as absolutely essential to trade and finance. The finance of imports and exports, the remittances to and from all countries, the payments of sums large and small between parties near to and remote from each other, are made through the medium of bills of exchange. In fine, bills of exchange are one of the most important factors in the elaborate credit system by which modern commerce is carried on."

ROAD ACCIDENT PATIENTS. . The cost of accommodating persons injured in road accidents has again been emphasised in the annual report of the Voluntary Hospitals in Great Britain. It states that a heavy liability has fallen on voluntary hospitals during the last few years owing to the large increase of patients due to accidents on the roads. Last year the association issued a memorandum which showed that these alone were responsible for additional hospital expenditure to the amount of £250,000, whereas the total amount contributed in return, either directly or from compensation money, was only £25,000, or a bare tenth. Nothing has been deviped since then to lessen the strain or to lighten the cost incurred. Furthermore, the number of motor vehicles increases year by year and the report of tho National Safety First Association proves that the number of motor accidents increases in exactly the same proportion. For these and other reasons the British Hospitals' Association, foreseeing Parliamentary action on third-party risks insurance, has determined to press for recognition of the hospitals' claim and to obtain the legal status that will help them to recover the cost of treatment from those who can well afford to pay, either directly or through policies of insurance. This will by no means meet the heavy cost they incur through prompt and skilful service to the victim and to the public generally, but it is a necessary and indicative measure, and experience will suggest the next step to be taken to right a glaring anomaly.

WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS. " Normally the water supply of the country is barely sufficient for its needs," the Times Trade Supplement remarked recently. " Increase in the population, the migration of industry to the waterside, and the vast quantities of water needed by such new industries as the manufacture of rayon and beet sugar have combined to create a situation in regard to the water supply that must cause anxiety. Obviously tho health of the population and the amenities of many districts depend absolutely upon the maintenance of a plentiful supply of pure water, but that is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure. Motor transport has made it necessary to give the roads a hard surface from which impurity is at once carried into the streams, and tho increasing volume of water used in industry and for domestic purposes has tho dual effect of depleting supplies and increasing the problem of disposing of the effluents of towns and factories, while tho modern uso of disinfectants and of chomical products in industry makes tho problem of treating offluents infinitely more difficult than is tho case with crude sewage. Probably tho drought this season accentuated the danger from pollution, but the recent wholesale poisoning of fish in many places affords clear evidence that the subject cannot be neglocted, for water which cannot sustain fish life must bo unfit for consumption by animals and human beings. Even a system of drainage which provided for the direct conveyance of effluents to the sea though extremely expensive would not entirely meet the case. Unpleasant as the thought may be, tho population on the lower reaches of rivers must use tho water coming downstream, oven if it has beon first polluted and then purified.

ARGENTINE TRADE TREATY. Cordial approval of the trade convention between Britain and Argentina was expressed by Sir Malcolm Robertson, until recently Ambassador in Buenos Aires, in addressing tho Argentine Club in London. It had been said that fie disapproved of tho D'Abernon Mission, which arranged tho convention, but Sir Malcolm said that mission went out because ho asked for it, and he was closely associated with it. He entirely approved of the covenant and did his utmost to get it through. Continuing, ho said that in all our history no more interesting convention had been negotiated. It was tho first of its kind and was nothing more than a system of block exchange. According to tho Argentine law purchases had to bo mado in tho cheapest market and while Great Britain could not compete as to prices, when it camo to quality there was nothing that could compete with her products. Tho Argentine railways wore now going to have real rails, locomotives and railway trucks. This was just n beginning and was setting tho pace. In securing the reduction by 50 per cent, of the duty on artificial silk advantage had been taken of Britain's free trade, position for tho first time in history. They had not undertaken never to put duties on Argentine imports and if the policy of the British Government or tho British people should change some time in tho future tho Argentine Government would simply put back tho duties on silk. It was a simple proposition and there was nothing in it for anybody to be frightened about. Tho President of tho Argentino Republic was a convinced friend of Britain, for the very good reason that ho happened to bo a whole-hearted patriotic Argontino. Having the interest of his country alone at heart, he realised that in tho international sphere the Argentino bread was buttered on the British side.

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Shaw, Savill and Albion liner Tamaroa, which arrived from London and Southampton at 8.45 last, evening remained in the stream for the night. Hie medical examination will be carried out at seven o'clock this morning and afterwards the vessel will berth at Central Wharf. There are 122 passengers.

A party of deep-sea anglers arrived at Russell by launch yesterday frpm Kerikeri, having flown from Hobsonville in two Moth aeroplanes. The machines flew at an elevation of between 2000 ft. and 3000 ft., and a fine panoramic view of land and sea on either side was obtained.

A grant of two-thirds of the estimated cost of erecting a dental clinic at the Birkenhead school has been approved by the Minister of Education, according to advice received by the Auckland Education Board yesterday. The clinic will serve the Northcote, Birkenhead, Birkdale and Glenfield schools.

An election to fill the two vacant seats on the Birkenhead Borough Council, nominations for which close to-morrow, is assured. So far the returning officer, Mr. J. W. Cocks, has received the nominations of Messrs. Frederick Morris, George Pugh and Robert Moffatt Beswick,

A peculiar circumstance attended the selection of a jury in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. The prisoner was making his third appearance before a jury in the present session. The first jury had returned early in the afternoon with a verdict of guilty against him and another man, and their names had accordingly been replaced in the box before the drawing of the' jury for the third trial was commenced. The second jury had b6en chosen while the first was in retirement. By a strange coincidence rvery member of the first jury was drawn tor the third. As counsel for the defence had the right to challenge only six of the jurors called, this might have meant that the prisoner would be tried by at least six of the men who had found him guilty on the earlier charge. However, Mr. Hubble, who was appearing for the Crown, had foreseen the possibility of such a position arising and He stood aside the twelve jurors in question, leaving it open for counsel for the defence to exercise his right of challenge, if he wished, in respect of six other jurors. Several were challenged.

Metalling of the Whangarei-Auckland main highway between Warkworth and Waiwera is being proceeded with and if fine weather is experienced for several weeks a long stretch should be laid. The Public Works Department anticipates completing this section before the end of the summer. Work is also to be commenced on the Topuni-Te Hana section and tenders for 8000 yards of metal have been called.

Race patrons returning at night last week from Wairoa to Gisborne were furnished with a little excitement at the foot of the Morere Hill, where widening and regrading have "been taken in hand recently with the object of removing soma narrow bends and steep pinches. As a result of rain the new formation was very slippery when the race traffic reached it, and the drivers of cars had some difficulty in passing through. The slippery section of the road did not extend for more than a few chains, bat its condition was reminiscent of what the service drivers and others had to contend with before the roads were metalled. A team of horses was available to render assistance to cars, and one or two drivers were glad to call on the services of the team.

Twenty-five minutes after the eleven other jurors had taken their places in tho Supreme Court in Wellington on Tuesday morning the twelfth man walked quietly into Court and sat down. All eyes were centred upon ,him. He was exactly 25 minutes late! It is not tho correct thing to keep the King's Judge waiting, and everybody wondered what punishment would be meted out to the delinquent. Tho silence was relieved by the registrar demanding: "Mr. , come round here. Just tell His Honor why you kept tho Court waiting." "I am sorry, sir. I thought ilie Court sat at half-past ten and not ten o'clock," was the explanation forthcoming. "All right. Do not bo late again," cautioned Mr. Justico Reed. A moment later the wheels of justico were revolving once more.

Tho remains of the steamer Hawea, which had lain in the New Plymouth harbour since tho wreck on Juno 12, 1888 have been practically all removed as the result of recent dredging. Only a small portion of tho stern is left. While that portion of tho iron hulk which has been exposed to water erosion has suffered considerably from rust, the greater part of the vessel has been embedded in the sand and is reported to bo in as good condition as at tho timo of tho wreck. From a depth of sft at low tide tho locality of tho wreck has been dredged to a depth of 21ft. A small brass signal cannon is among tho articles recovered from tho wreck. Captain W. Waller, the owner of the fcannon, intends to liavo it remounted. Although it has been immersed for over 40 years its condition is not impaired. The cannon is one of a pair, but the other has not yet been recovered.

The danger that attends the practice of sun-bathers at tho Napier baths in carelessly Cossfng matches over the parapet abovo tho Top seats after lighting a cigaretto was illustrated recently. A lady who was sitting at the foot of the wall on tho outsido of tho baths had her dress ignited by a match unthinkingly thrown over when still alight by of tho patrons of the baths.

Only £BSO was outstanding when the 10 per cent, penalty was imposed on unpaid rates in the borough of Motrinsville. Last year £I3OO was owing. Rate notices for £9420 wero'sent out and up to Saturday £8573 had been received hy tho town clerk. During this week £4721 was received. The total was swelled by many large sums from owners of extensive property.

"It's great to see the ydnng people bathing here without fearing tho sharks," said a visitor from Sydney as ho viewed a crowd swimming at Evans Bay, Wellington, tho other day. "If this was in Sydney you would not see anyone in at all. Onco tl\o peoplo did not mind, but now it is just a question whether a shark will get you or not when you dive in tho water. The only place you can go for a swim at Sydney now with any degree of safety is Coogee, because it lias got a shark-proof net. Hie other beaches will, of couso, follow suit in timo."