CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6494, 14 April 1908, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

THE FINANCIAL YEAR. Publication of the balanceHsheet of the Bank of New Zealand for the financial year ended March 31st is awaited with much interest, owing to the peculiar conditions which obtained during, th© past six months. The high rates obtaining for money in London and the substantial increase in the advances and discounts as disclosed by recent financial reports bring an element of unusual interest into th© statement of the transactions of the bank for the year. W© understand that the statement will bo entirely satisfactory to the shareholders. TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION, The quarterly gathering of th© New Zealand Teachers' Superannuation Board is to be held on Tuesday, April 21st, in Wellington. As it will be practically the annual meeting, soon© interesting information in regard to the position of the fund will be available for the Board. A few cases of ordinary retirement at the age of, sixty or sixty-five have to be dealt with, and also some death claims and refund applications from those who have left the service. CARICATURING THE CZAR. A German artist settled in St. Petersburg has been sentenced in Russia to fifteen years' penal servitude for caricaturing the Czar. The ©6n of a Munich merchant, h© studied with great distinction in. Munich and Berlin. In St. Petersburg he joined the staff of a comic paper as caricaturist, and speedily won fame. Some time ago he was induced to caricature the Czar for a Nihilist paper. Later he drew a picture rendering the Russian Government ridiculous. His parents have now received new® that for drawing these pictures their eon hae been sent to the Siberian silver mines. NOT. UP-TO-DATE. In some respects the General Post Office authorities of Wellington are right behind the times. * For instance, they close the mails for the train leaving for Wairarapa at 4.15 each afternoon punctually at 3 p.m., and they have no late letter-box on the premises for the convenience of th© public as they have at Palmerston North and other places. A person desiring to post a late letter for a train leaving an hour and a quarter after the mail closes has to carry it to the railway station a mil© distant. No doubt this is a typical instance of local postal methods, but it is not creditable, because it is not up-to-date. A FLUTTER AMONGST INVESTORS. For a week or two rumours have been assuming concrete form with regard to the affairs of a land ag'-nt who has been in business in Wellington for the past year or two, and it is probable that in the course of a few days the matter will become public knowledge. Th© particular proceedings which have involved the person referred to in his present difficulties seem to have consisted in dealing in imaginary properties, or selling and receiving money for properties which hod never been placed in his hands, and were, as a matter of fact, not for sal© or sold. It is stated that by dealing in fictitious properties and persuading gullible investors that th© titles would be forthcoming by-and-bye, he has become involved to an extent exceeding ten thousand pounds. He is also reported to have “taken down" a firm of bookmakers for a large loan. OPPOSITION HYPOCRISY. What is our chief trouble in New Zealand now? asks th© "Wairarapa Daily Times/* and adds: Is it not a Socialistic measure, known, as th© Arbitration Act, which harasses every productive industry in the colony? At the present time it menaces th© farmers, a body of men which is supposed to lean upon the Opposition for its light and leading. Does the Opposition demand the repeal of the Arbitration Act? It does not; it is afraid to take a step of this kind. It is os much a friend of the Socialists as is Sir Joseph Ward. Last session a petition was sent into Parliament from Maeterton and presented by Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P., asking for the repeal of the Arbitration Act. This demand did not proceed from the Opposition, for it does not possess suffiedttot backbone to make a stand of this kind. As far as we can see it is playing th© game of the Socialist. It is not sympathetic with th© Socialist, only it won't fight him, THE PRICE OF MEAT. Retail butchers in Wellington received notice yesterday from the wholesale suppliers of an increase in prices as from that date. Beef is put up in price one shillin' 1 ’ per 100 lb, and mutton on© farthing per lb. Heads of families need not take alarm at this. They are not going to be asked to pay more. It is explained to us by a retail butcher—a “small man/' he calls himself—that he cannot pass the increase on to the customer. In the first place one shilling per 100 lb is not divisible into fractions that can be charged to th© consumer. In the case of mutton, this argument

does not hold good, a* the extra farthing could, of comes, be asked; but there it

another consideration. It is this: If the butcher in a small way raises his tariff he will lose his business, because the wholesale companies, which also do large retail businesses, will keep to the present scale of charges, and thus capture the trade The increase makes the prices charged to retail butchers twenty shillings per 100 lb for beef and threepencehalfpenny per pound for mutton. LOOKS LIKE A HOAX. The burglary at the Art Gallery has all the appearance of a clumsy joke. The stuffed keyhole, the dark lantern, and “jemmy” left ostentatiously lying around, and the departure of tho “marauder” with a picture which, whatever its artistic value, is quite unmarketable, and, therefore, intrinsically worthless, seems like a piece of gratuitous buffoonery which will bo explained, later on. It gives us no more thrill than if it had been reported that a “miscreant” had broken into Mr Massey's boudoir and got away with the Opposition policy. OBITUARY. The Farmers' Union, which is boldly acclaimed as a live lion in certain quarters, seems on close examination to be pretty much of a dead dog. At tho annual meeting of the Manawatu. branch on Saturday the chairman remarked with pathos that despite the efforts of a paid organiser only eighty members out of a nominal members nip of 260 had paid their . five shilling subscriptions. Hei was quit© at a loss to account for it. “W© come her© month after month and w© see the same old faces,” he complained mournfully. “Nobody even comes to us with a grievance, if they would only com© along and give us a slating it would show that thdy took some interest in the Union.” If the chairman doesn't know what tho trouble is w© can tell him. The farmer is prepared to support and support handsomely any institution for tho benefit of his calling, but when he seels who is at the head of the movement and knows that it is intended to make him a political stalking hors© he weighs in shy. The farmer knows his friends. CROCODILE TEARS. Tho Squatters 'Minion is still weeping bitter tears over the unfortunate Grown tenant who is not allowed to obtain the freehold and sell the land purchased for him by the State to the exploiter and the land-grabber. It is also very lachrymose because it says the State has “looked up” 9,000,000 acres of land, and is spending j 6500,000 a year on the purchase of estates for common ordinary individuals who have not sufficient capital to purchase the holdings which the generous landholder is willing to turn over to them on the freehold system—for cash. Everybody who knows anything is aware that the 9,000,000 acres of land which the State has “locked up” will eventually be opened up for settlement on the leasehold system, and that the accruing rents will provide revenue for educational and other useful put* poses. But the 'Minion has not been established to tell the truth, but merely to answer a purpose. v»e shall be convinced of this public-spirited journal's bona fides only when it comes out from behind the thicket and boldly advocates the repeal of the Land for Settlements Act. No newspaper and no politician has had the nerve to do that for quit© a number of years past. We challenge the squatters journal to force the issue.

LAND SPECULATION AND BANKRUPTCY.

The light of publicity was yesterday thrown upon the involved transactions of a land dealer in Wellington, who found himself in the Bankruptcy Court. The explanation submitted by him of the causes which led up to his financial embarrassment showed that for the last four years he had been operating more or less extensively upon a system of land exchange. He acquired property after property by exchanges for other lands in which ho was interested, giving small monetary considerations and completing the transactions by mortgages. While the price of land remained high things went moderately well with him. hut when values commenced to recede his one-time successes assumed another hue, and he was brought to the Bankruptcy Court by a pressing creditor with liabilities amounting to over £ASXS and nothing to meet them with. Mr A. Simpson, the Official Assignee, remarking upon the position disclosed, said there were no doubt many others similarly dabbling in land who would severely feel the pinch in times of depression.

"THE WILT CHINEE.” A sidelight is thrown upon the manner in which Chinese aro deposited in Australia without paying the poll tax by a gentleman who has resided in China for some years. This may explain to some extent the statement recently made in Australia by a traveller who said he came across a colony of Chinese in the north engaged in growing opium. The form of procedure adopted by the Chinese immigration officer is bold but simple, and. if successful, pays handsomely. He makes a proposal to any likely shipmaster bound from Australia that his wages can be largely increased, without any risk, by landing Chinese in Australia, .£lO being ofiered as payment from each passenger. The vessel would be cleared for her port of destination in the usual way, the "passengers" shipped from a junk outside the harbour, and on arrival landed in the north of Australia. It is alleged that under existing conditions it is possible for hundreds and thousands of Chinese to enter the Commonwealth by the widely opened bact; door, with the aid of a few mercenery shipmasters. Some officers are said to be making a living by shipping Chinese to foreign parts. THE WIDER VIEW. An excellent illustration of the proper working of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Act—though the Butt Borough Council did not think so—came under the notice of that body last night, in 1907, according to a report, forty-two patients from the district were treated at Wellington Hospital, and £44 13s was paid in fees. At the same time the Council was acquainted of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board’s demand for contributions. Hurt Borough’s share being .£177 8s id. Councillor Ward asked why it had gone up from £l4B. The answer was that valuation bed increased. Several of his colleagues objected to so large an amount being paid out when the return in the way of hospital treatment was so small, and it was decided to raise the question of hospital contributions at the next Municipal Conference. Nobody suggested that it was a matter for congratulation that only forty-two rendeote of the district

required hospital treatment. If Lower Hutt was visited by calamity and disease, and a large proportion of its population required the service© of the Hospital staff, the Council would probably say it had quite enough trouble without having a heavier hospital bill to bear. The system is designed to make rich communities, happily free from disease, boar a good share of the cost of hospital treatment for poor tricte, which otherwise would be crushed beneath the double burden of disease and debt.

NEWS NOTES. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court have been adjourned for a week, viz., from the Uth until the 13th of May. The financial statement of the Hawke's Bay County Council shows that the year commenced with a debit balance ot =010,908, and ended with a credit balance of il9oo. The Wellington Golf Club wall open their now golf house at Trontham on the 25th inst., and invitations have been issued to friends of members to attend an “at home" in the new building on that date. Negotiations between the Moulders' Union and the employers with reference to an agreement as to terms of work have proved fruitless, and the union will in all probability make application to the Conciliation Board for an award. The Johnsonville Rifles went into camp at Johnsonville on Saturday evening with a muster of twenty-five men under Lieutenant Willis, The men will remain in camp till after Easter. Sergeant Mills and Acting-Sergeant Kirk (corporal) are in charge of the tents. The late Mr Allan McLean, who died at Christchurch last year, left property which has been certified for probate at <£596,904 13s lid. It is estimated that after the affaire of the estate have been settled personal property to the value of .£570,207 will be left. The real estate will be worth about <£20,700.

The annoyance caused to ’ pedestrians in the vicinity of the _ Botanical Gardens by disreputable individuals has resulted in steps being taken by the Kelburne Ratepayers' Association to ask for further police protection, and also for streetlamps along the path from the tramway power-house through tho Gardens to Salamanca road. -

The price of butter did not change at all ik Wellington yesterday. The fall of a penny per pound which, took place in the city last week did not occur in the country, whore the former high prices still prevail. It is difficult to eay what prices will be in the near future. If the weather continues fine quotations will fall, but should there bo a bad spell they may become higher than. ever. Delays in sending oversea goods to the Raugitikei district have been responsible for the Marten Chamber of Commerce invoking the assistance of the Wellington Chamber to effect improvement. The applicants point out that goods not infrequently remain, a week or more > at the Wellington wharves before being sent inland, this causing dislocation of business and financial jobs to country tradespeople. The New Zealand branch .of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners is taking steps to extend the operaations of the society in the Dominion by establishing' branches in various places at which the organisation, has not previously been, officially represented. The membership in the Dominion ie about 2000—in Wellington 350. Last year *£92,000 in benefits was paid out by the society iu various parts of the Empire. The export trade is dull Osays the "Dunedin Star"). Compared with conditions in previous autumns there as a marked decrease in business. One skipping company, who despatched three full steamers to Great Britain each month last autumn, only have one Homeward .sailing a month this autumn, and many ports have to be visited in order, to obtain a full cargo. A large amount of wool is being held back until the September ©ale in London, when better prices are expected. Shipping companies anticipate an improvement of business next month.

An interesting question will shortly come before the Supreme Court by way of appeal from the Magistrate at Dannevirke in the case of Small v, Tryce, a claim for .£2OO for damages for the spreading of a fire lit by defendant's manager. The defendant claims among other defences that his manager lit the fire to meet fires raging all round and. so to protect Tryce’s property and also Small’s which lay behind. The ease therefore evolves an entirely new principle. The magistrate gave judgment for the plaintiff for .£IOO and costs. The defendant has appealed on the facts.— "Age.” The recent award of the Arbitration Court in connection with the wharf labourers’ dispute, and more particularly with regard to the provisions relating to preference to unionists, has so far worked satisfactorily. Both the employers and the mesa seem disposed to do all they can in the observance of this clause of the provisions. The union bae instituted a system of buttons for its members, each bearing the number of the unionist as recorded in the books, and this badge enables men to speedily show their registration with the nnion. It is not anticipated that there will bo much difflouly in applying preference, as the membership of the union now numbers about 1400. The membership of the Waterside Workers’ Eederation lost year more than doubled, and returns to hand so far go to show that a similar increase will bo reported for the current year. "He who hath wealth must be watenful and wary,” especially when there are children about (says the "Wairarapa News”). A Carterton settler the othsr day was moving, and -his ‘‘better half” was clearing up the resulting debris. In the room where she was working there was a table, on the table was a ledger, and between the pages of the ledger were seven one pound notes. Also in the room was a bright little four-year-old girl—a very good little girl, who sat in a corner and amused herself with, a pair of scissors while her mother worked. The child finished her play, the mother carefully swept up and burned the accumulated scraps on the floor, end it was then found that the baby had opened the ledger, taken out the pretty notes, cut them into little pieces, and oast them among the rubbish on the floor. The bank is seven pounds richer and the settlor poorer by that amount. Such is life!

Some of the results of recent developments on the London butter market are told in a private advice received, by an Auckland shipper. In the course of the letter appears the following:— "The markets in this country during the first half of this month were more excited and higher prices ruled than I ever had any experience of for more than twentyifivo yeans. The reaction, however, has no v set in with a vengeance. Importers a few days before the arrival of the lonic were asking as high as 152 s for first grade New Zealand creamery, and yesterday they were pushing hard to s-il at 144 s without effecting a clearance. Secondary butters at the beginn'ng of the advance rose quite in proportion to creamery, but buyers refused to pay the top prices asked, and went right on to margarine mixtures. I am afraid the butter trade will suffer permanent injury, as the margarine manufacturers hare succeeded in putting some splendid mixtures at quite low prices before the public, and the most prejudiced shopkeepers are taking on to them, and say that their customers, after getting ever the first shock, take quite kindly to their use. As they can lie retailed and •how a handsome profit at Is, it would not surprise me to find numbers of people continuing to use the beet mixtures even after butter comes down to be eold at Is.”-

The fund for the building of the place of meeting for tho Wellington Unitarian Free Church is now close on .£llo®. Ratepayers and residents in those parts of Karori which have lately been amalgamated with tho city should note that the supplementary district doctors' list closes at 5 p.m. to-morrow. The. headquarters staff of tho Solvation Army intend conducting a ten days* campaign in this city early m May, During tno Easter campaign to bo hold in Hawke’s Bay BrfgnuTcr Albiston will bo tho officiating minister at the marring® of two Hastings soldiers. Councillor Brodie has given notice to move at tho meeting of the Miramar Borough Council on tho 23rd inst: “That tho borough engineer bo asked to furnish an estimate and report for the extension of the Scatoun tram line along to a point known as Marshall's old store iu Worsor Bay, and that tuo Council take steps: to have tho extension carried out as early as possible." Tho report from tho Medical Superiifc tcndcut of Wellington Hospital in regard to the allegation of prematurely discharging a scarlet fever patient was received last night by the Hutt Borough Council, which, requested its dark to inquire of the Wellington Hospital Trustees when they propose utilising tho land purchased in Lower Hutt for tho erection of a cottage hospital. The harvest festival of tho WellingtonSouth branch of Che Salvation Army wa*s continued last night In tho Newtown Citadel, Major xmtlon, of tho headquarters staff, leading and conducting 1 th j thanksgiving. Excellent vocal ana Instrumental music was given, emphasising tho fact that tho Army has given greater attention to tho subject than formerly. The flowers, fruits, and produce with whioli the citadel woo decorated, were mofffly the gifts of th* soldiers and their Menus. The fine dieploy of wheat and otCcr cereals cam* from Blenheim. “What is the policy of the Opposition! Wo are not asking what it is saying, but what Tc is doing ? Are not the money lords in its ranks spending enormous sums of money in acquiring nowspapeJ support, in hiring journdmtm mercenaries big and little to fight their bat> tie for them in ,tho coming general election? The money is their own, and they are free to spend it. but if they win by such means, what will be the result? Our present task-masters ore Socialists* our future ones would be Plutocrat©. On th© whole we would almost as soon put up with the Socialists."—Wairarap* "Daily Times."

It was pointed out by a prominent military officer yesterday to a "Times'* inquirer that the Johnsonville Hotel ia only about one hundred yards from the camp to be occupied by the defending force during the Easter manoeuvres. This officer also remarked that the attacking force would camp in proximity to the hotels at Pahautonui and Porirun. He claimed that tho canteens which will l)e provided for under the regulations being under the strictest military supervision, will be preferable to the free us© of hotels. It is, of course, possible that officers commanding the rival forces may prohibit volunteers from going out of bounds, and it is certain that orders in regard to visiting hotels will be issued.

Hie Honor Mr Justice Cooper, sitting in Chambers yesterday morning, had before him a Native Land Court matter in which ho mado an order for the removal of a caveat in respect of cott-iin. lands known as Mangatainoka J. No. 4, No. 2. Mr Young appeared in support of the motion, and Mr Lynch for Judgu Jackson Palmer, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. An order was also made in tho matter of the Mangawoka Sash and Door Company, fixing May 30th os the date by which all creditors musrt prove their debts or be excluded from the benefits of any distribution. It was directed that advertisements to this effect should be inserted in certain papers named. Mr Lynch appeared, on behall of the creditors.

The whole Court smiled during the hearing of the evidence in the bakers* dispute at Mastorton. before the Arbitmlion Court, when a witness said ho hod mistaken the unaccepted recommendations of the Conciliation Board published in the papers as on award by the Arbitration Court, and thereupon demanded an increase of 5s per week in aoordanoa wrth the same. For seven weeks ho drew # this technically "unearned increment, when the employer learned tho true position, and tho wages straightway dropped to their normal level. "Were you asked for the extra money back t J * Mr S* Brown with a smile. Not much I replied the witness, "There was no dispute in tho first place about whether I wag worth it.”—"Age.” .i adße ,, T - W. Pusher,' President of the. Aofcea, Maori Laud Board, and Mr H Lundius, a, member of the Board, last week visited the Waimarino for tho purP? SO of inspecting certain native blocks' of milling timber which ora at present the subject of, applications under tho special section of bust year’s native washing-up bill. This section, which was intended to protect tho interests of the natives in respect of such land, provided completion of any negotiations that might bo already under way. Under this proviso some ten thousand acres of tho finest timber country in tho Waimarino, between Baetihi and Ohakune, are now involved, and Messrs Fisher and Bonding will report through the Board to the Government on the matter. The matter is of great importance to native landowners.