NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10669, 16 August 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The search for Mrs Maud Barnard, of Hall direct, Wellington, who is again missing from her home, continues, but so far no trace of the missing woman has been found.

Mortgages registered in Wcstfand amounted to 220 for the year ended March 31st, involving an amount of £175,318. During the same penoo 122 for an amount of £102,18y were discharged. During the month of May 20 M-oro registered to tho .value of £9495, land itwelvo discharged, the amount being £3483.

It is said that substantial supplie* of superphosphates are coming forward from Japan, and that arrangements for supplies have been madjej whicn should provido almost sufficient for Now Zealand's requirements during the coming spring. TJiey approximate 17,000 tons. Tho first shipment to arrivo at Wellington will bo 4000 tons in the Moika Maru. Further cargoes for other North and South Island ports are on tho way.

A return of land settlement, which has been issued by the British Ministry for Agriculture, ehows that tho total number of applications received from ex-service men in Bnglaind and Wales wtas 36,831. for 639,023 acres; 7818 men were a-waiting interviews or standing over, and 15,501 had been approved hut not provided with 'holdings. Exservice men and civilians provided -with holdings since December 18th, 1918, numbered 7133, the acreage being 105,305. The total acreage acquired for small holdings with the Minister's approval since that date was 198,751.

In connection with tho forestry deputation from Auckland, it was mentioned bv Professor A. P. W. Thomas that at tho proceedings at tho recent University ■ SenJito a discussion took place on the question of the distribution of different spheres of work among the collegos in tho Dominion. It Was agreed that Auckland was tho most suitable placo for a school of agriculture and forestry. As Canterbury was fully represented on the Senate he claimed that it was an impartial opinion, in which Canterbury shared. _ Regarding tho question from a Dominion viewpoint, ho asserted that Auokland was far bettor adapted to tiho growing of trees than any other part. In support of this lie referred to rainfall and tho fact that tho Auckland district waa onoa almost entirely covered with forest, and was its natural home.

A decree nisi has been granted by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) on tho petition for divorce in the case or Samuel Taylor against Harriett Taylor on tho ground of desertion. Mr JA. Tripe appeared for petitioner.

Tho price of petrol at Auckland, Wellington, .Christchurch and Dunedin has been fixed as under: Class- A, case of 8 gallons, 32s 6d; tin of four gallons. 16s 3d; less than four gallons, per gallon, 4s 3d- Class B, 2<s < 6d, 13s 9d, 3s 9d.

At the Supreme Court, Auckland, says a Press Association telegram, Louis ron Eimen confessed to a senes of extensive thefts from shopkeepers, and was sentenced to seven years reformative treatment. Alfred George Clogg, convicted for breaking, entering, and theft, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

Duncdin fanners, says the Star, are evidently expecting -high prices fottheir sheep. A well-known firm of butchers last week received an offer of several lines of fat, wethers totalling ovor 2000, at prices ranging from 50s to 60s. most of them being at tho latter price The prospects of cheaper mutton "are not promising.

A sensational decline in the price of silver recently occurred in tho United States following upon tho financial crisis in Japan. The price dropped from one dollar to eighty cents per ounce within a few days. The Government, however, announced that it would buy ".strictlv American produced" silver at one dollar per ounce, which steadied the market. Some 5,000,000 ounces were purchased at that figure.

The National "War Memorial Com. mitteo has considered the . three schemes submitted to the Parliamentary Committee-. The- meeting was adjourned for a week in order to obtain further particulars. Inquiries aro being made through the. Hijrli . Commissioner for certain information relating to Now Zealand's battlefield memorials. Already some sites in Flanders have boen .acquired.

The Prime 'Minister has received information from Australia that the Federal Government has reWved the embargo against the export of 'superphosphate and the materials for its manufacture. Large quantities of superphosphate are turned'out in Australia as the result of supplies of tho material obtained from the Pacific-. Now Zealand is very' short of superphosphates at present.

Writes the, "Times" special correspondent:—The. JPalmerston North Hospital Board has decided that the. present fee of 3a 6d shall he increased to 6s per day for patients with no children; 5s per da/y for patients with one or two children ; 4s per day for uatients with three, children and over; and 4s pox day for children up to 14 years of age. Those increases are to come into fqgco at the commencement of the next financial year.

The Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee, will meet. at the Supreme Court Buildings, "Wellington next Friday for the purpose of selecting ono of'tour candidates for the special -war scholarship offered by the Rhodes Trustees. His Excellency Sir Robert Stout, Acting-Governor-Ceneral, will preside. The selected candidates are as follows: —Auckland University College, M. P. 0. Voalo; Victoria University College, Mr J. E. Brodie; Canterbury University College, Mr S. P. McCallum; Otago" University, Mr H. J. BybuM. ,

Tho president of the Petty Officer*' Social Club in H.M.S. Renown (Mr Charles H. F. Robinson) has written, to tho Wellington Commercial Travellers' Club in the following terms:—"Tho members of tho club desire mo to offer on their behalf their grateful thanks and appreciation of the kindness, courtesy, and entertainment which you extended toward them during the recent visit of this ship. Believe me tho thoughtful and kind manner in which you treated us will never be forgotten. Tho club-would like youi acceptance of the enclosed photographs as a small .souvenir to recall happy memories."

A Taihape resident has just received a letter written by a friend who returned to England a' few months ago. The writer states that tine people are rationed now onlv in respect to sugar and butter, the allowance of sugar being lialf a pound per week. Sugar is Is 2d per pound,' and butter is 3a 6d per pound; but there is no scarcity of margarine at Is Id per,pound. Currants are eellirie at Is and Is 2d per pound, and some other commodities axe proportionately high in price. The writer adds that rents are much lower in England than in New Zealand, and that wages in England are apparently better than in New Zealand.

The acuteness of tho newspaper situation in tho Homeland is reflected in tho statement that since the war the cost of paper has risen fivefold, wihilo printing charges to-day approach a rise of 200 per cent. This has necessitated a largo increase in the price of many popular papers. The price of the "Nation" and of the "Spectator" has gone up from 6d to 9d, whilst other weekly journals have been increased from 6d to Is. Tho price of "Tho Times" has risen from Id to 3d, and of "The Times liiterary Supplement" from Id to 6d. The "Manchester Guardian" has increased from Id to 2d, and this example has been, followed by a number of other daily papers. ,

The work of the Repatriation Department doea not appear to have slackened off to any extent./ The last four meetings of the District Board have dealt with 317 applications for various purposes. Of those 75 were for business loans, and 118 for furniture loans, the balance being for training in trades and general. In addition there aro numbers of businesses already ' established requiring attention and supervision. The employment section still shows numbers of applicants and there-are a number of soldiers who have taken up work in order not to be idle. These men are looking for employment offering more prospects. The department is therefore anxious that employers should communicate every vacancy to the office.

The following letter from a correspondent of the "Liverpool Mercury" is of interest: —"I am willing to risk my reputation as a public man if the worst case of smallpox cannot be effectually cured in three days, simply by cream of tartar. This is the sure and nCver-failing remedy: One ounce of cream of tartar dissolved in a pint of boiling water, to be drunk when cold at short intervals. It can bo taken at any time, and is a preventive as well as a curative. It is known to huvo cured in a hundred ' thousand cases without a. failure I hare myBelfi.:restored hundreds by this means. It never loaves a mark, never causes Winducss, and always prevents tedious lingering. If people would only try it and report all cures to you, you would require many columns if you gave them publicity." .

The members of the "Welljfßton Price Investigation Tribunal have returned from Taranaki. where tbey have been holding inquiries, and have resumed sittings at Wellington.

The R.M S. Marama has been delayed in loading at Wellington by therecent rainy weather, and her departure for San Francisco via ports has been postponed till 8 p.m. to-day.

From to-day tho commission on money .orders for payment in Canada and tho United States of America, will bo reduced to 6d for each pound or fraction of a pound, and the rate of conversion is to be altered from four dollars eighty-seven cents to tho pound sterling, to four dollars thirty cents, in tho case of Canada, and lour dollars in the case of tho United States.

For over an hour on a recent Saturday evening the coast-line from Dunkirk to C'apc Grisnez was seen clearly from Deal, shipping at Boulogne Harbour was visible, and many people declared they saw the Dover Patrol Memorial, which was erected on tho French coast somo time ago. At any rate, those with telescopes wore able to see persons moving about on French soil.

Tho non-appearance on Saturday morning -of a member'of a jury engaged in considering an action for damages caused an unu&ual stir at the Supreme Court, and anxious inquiries for the missing man were made. After some little timo he v>'»s located, and he then explained that he had thought tho action terminated on Friday evening, when the case for the plaintiff had concluded I

September 17th is "Balboa.," or Pan-Pacific Day," being in commemoration of the discovery of the- Pacific Ocean by Vasco Nuinez do Balboa on that date. Men from Pacific lands meet on that day and discuss the best methods of bringing about international goodwill and co-operation amongst the peoples of their respective countries. At Honolulu it is the custom to hold a Pan-Pacific banquet with a table reserved *or each race of the Pacific represented at the gathering. Judge Borsfc left the United States on his tour before the nomination of !the candidates for the Presidency, so is not able to speak- of the possibilities of the contest. Tho Republican and Democrat candidates, he said, were both strong, patriotic men, and each, stood'for what he believed was in the best interests >i the nation; but neither' supported any sentiment which would strain, or break, the present close relations between Great Britain and America. . Modified _ prohibition would be one of the major issues of the election, to permit the use of lighter wines and beers in the home. Quite recently the Farmers' Union executive passed' a resolution urging the Government to make available fox ordinary settlement any Crown lands which have been set apart for soldiersettlement and which have not been taken -up by returned soldiers after two ballots; in the case of new blocks the soldier ballots to be held at not less' than, three .or more than six months' interval from the first ballot. A reply has been forwarded by the Minister for Lands, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, to the representations made. After reviewing the matter, the Minister states that in the circumstances he could take •no general action at present as desired-by the union.

In the Paramount Theatre last evening -Mr H.. Holland, M.P., delivered ui 'lecture on "Broken' Hill." There was.a fairly .(large number proBent, and tho chair was occupied by Mr Arthur Cook. Mr Hollaid gave an idea of the history and industrial position -of Broken Hill and its discovery. 'T3ie speaker spoke at great length on tho "Big Mining Company," its dividends. German interests, the industrial battlus of 1892 und 1908-0, and tho recotda of disease and death. He appealed to all to help the starving women and, ohildren at Broken Hill, and to contribute"' to the fund as liberally as possible. At the oonolusion of his address Mr Holland was accorded a. hearty vote of thanks.

Judge Borst, who was recently in Wellington, was speaking of the relation between America and England when the questioner remarked that there appeared to bo a strong section in tho united. States antagonistic to Great Britain, but the judge indicated that ''noisy," and not necessarily "strong,"'. better described this section. "Tho people of the United States," continued the judge, "believe that tho -friendship existing between tho United Stales and Great Britain during' tho world war exists to-day, nnd they have the strongest feelings of friendship towards the English people. There are a few agitators who can always draw a crowd and receive attention in the Pi ess; but I am a firm believer in the dictum that every man who preaches sedition, and is disloyal to a stable, humane Government should be * either curbed or deported."

"Life without sport, life without tho element of chance, tho risk of things, would be very dull, very dull irdeed," said Sir James Carroll at the annual reunion of the Canterbury Owners' jand Breeders' Association. "When suffering humanity needs help, a little attention, where does' it get them? From the world's sports 1 (Applause.) From the battler to tho millionaire, the same spirit, the. stimulating spirit of sport carries us on. But we want to do more than to live in the world of . sport. We want to weld together, to secure a strong cohesion throughout the Dominion. Otherwise there is danger of the enemy invading the sanctity of our preserves. We must. be a 6otid_ body all over the country. The cunning sport, tho intriguing sport, we have no time for, but if we can master the field of genuine sport, the cunning man, the intriguer. i""? 1 , become subservient." U-jl-k.u-c.)'