NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11657, 23 October 1923, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

For the 12 months'ended September 30th. 537 motor-car 6 were registered by the Hamilton Borough Council. The different makes of cars numbered 45. There were 259 registrations of one popular machine and 35 of another make. Other cars registered during the period number from 32 downwards.

Three hundred objections were heard by the Assessment Court at New Plymouth against the valuation of farms in Taranaki by the Government. The main grounds of appeal were the allegation that the unimproved valuations were on too high a scale, while tho values placed on the improvements were inadequate;

“When taking moving pictures of Invercargill to-day I had great difficulty in getting the town to look busy enough/’ said Captain MacDonald during his address to the Southland League (says the Southland “Times”). “I persuaded all the taxi-drivers to parade the street, and worked as many tramcars into the picture as possible, and thu-s produced a semblance of hustle; but it was busier than you’ll see it for many a long day.”

“Fruit trees bear prolifically in California, and I know of one fouracre farm there where 4000 props were required to support the heavily laden trees,” said Mr R. Tanner, of Longburn, at Palmerston Ndrth. He added that during his recent visit to America he had learned that £4OO per acre was sometimes paid for an orchard coming into bearing. Orchardists were coming from all over the world to take advantage of > the great opportunities for success which .were to be found in this nart of America.

The Wanganui representative of the Provincial Advisory Council of ih»? British Empire Exhibition, Mr H. Hague Smith, has received information that it had been decided to allocate 50 square feet of wall space in the New Zealand Court for each of the various provincial districts. It inquired whether the district would be able to provide sufficient pictures to fill this space. The matter will he dealt with by the publicity committee working under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, when the report of the canvasser has been prepared.

The pound is a losing proposition as far as the Waitaki County Council is concerned (remarks the “Qama.ru Mail”). Recently a somewhat wild hull was brought to it (and, it took the ranger a full day to get it there). When it did arrive it chased tha poundkeeper out of the yard when he tried to feed it. It cost the council about £2 in advertising and feed. Eventually it had to be shot, and :t cost the council another £2 to butv it. The next straying bull will probably bo allowed to continue straying as far as the council is concerned.

Two requests for compensation were received by the Auckland City Council from motorists whose cars were stated to have been damaged by collision with safety zones. One of these was from the acting-chief postmaster, who stated that a Government car had collidled with the zone in Customs street, and the chauffeur, a careful driver, considerably injured. It was affirmed that the zone was not specially lighted and this had occasioned the accident. In each case the council decided to disclaim liability. It was mentioned that in one case a claim had been sent out for damage to the safety &one.

A strong protest was made at the meeting of tho Farmers’ Union at Invercargill in connection with the high price at present being charged for cement (says the “News.”) Mr J. Smith said the matter was a very serious ono and explained that the high price was brought about through one company paying another cement firm to closo down. He thought it was scandalous that they should be charged &s lid per bag seeing that they were able to get it cheaper during tho war. The meeting decided to bring the matter before the Dominion Executive of the Farmers’ Union and the Board of Trade

Mr Leslie Murrell, who has secured one of the Southland Acclimatisation Society’s licenses t-o ishoot Wapiti, has been in Invercargill making arrangements for the coming tourist season. In about a fortnight’s time, Mr Murrell will leave for Doubtful Sound, where he ha* a tourist accommodatilSft house (says the Southland “Times”). He is going out after Wapiti ns soon as the season opens, which will be about March 16th. He says there is every prospect for a good, season, and that those who hold Wapiti licenses should have no difficulty in filling them provided they have stalking ability. The prospects for the doer season are abo good, and practically the whole of the Manrtpoun block has been taken up. Mr Murrell wa© recently appointed rancor for the Fiordland National Park.

Accommodation is stated to be at a premium in Greymoutli at tho present time.

The Danncvirke Power Board has decided to issue a booklet tor propaganda purposes. It will show the charges to be made for current.

The art of “keeping to the left” is gradually being learned by the Wanganui public, and it is noticeable that the bigger tho crowd the better they seem to regydate themselves (states the “Chronicle”).

“If I had been a few j*ears younger, I would have taken it out of vour hide,” said an angry gentleman to the bankrupt during proceedings at Invercargill, adding thoughtfully, “or you would havo taken it out of mine.”

The building staff of the Wanganui Education Board at present consists of It carpenters, three painters and one motor driver. At a meeting of the board reference was made to the need for building a new and larger workshop.

“Ifc is the question of quality and not- tho prioc that the Danes first think of when marketing their produce,” said Mr Allison at a meeting of the dairy factory directors in Southland. To this fact the speaker attributed Denmark’s sticcees on the British markets.—{Southland “Times”).

There was a fairly heavy fall of snow at Lake Monowai during the past week, while it was reported that the Waiau river at tho site of the power house for the Power Board’s scheme rose to a height of 3ft- 7in, about normal. The highest rise recorded up to the present time in the river was 4ft Sin above thu normal level 6ome time ago.

The number of patients who have arrived at Palmerston North to the Hickson Mission by special train from the New Plymouth line totals 224. They came from the following stations:— New Plymouth 87, Lepperton 15, Inglewood and T'ariki 24, Stratford 13, Eltham 30, Hawera 43, Waverley 10, Aram oho 2.

A Palmerston North sportsman says there m good shooting and some ex citement to be obtained among tho wild pigs in the country adjoining the Wanganui River at a distance of 20 miles from town. These animals have bred from tho stray Maori pig© )n hundreds, and as food becomes scarce are aggressive, if not actually dangerous.

Floas on the Main Trunk express are one of the latest causes of complaint against the Railway Department. A passenger who was returning north by that train, told a Manawatu "Times” reporter that she had had not a winlc of sleep in her expensive “sleeper ’ on the down trip because of these vermin. She found an ordiuary secondclass carriage far more comfortable.

It is reported that several angling enthusiasts of North Taranaki, whose eagerness to try the streams caused them to anticipate the opening of the season by a few hours, were not successful in evading the watchful eyes of the rangers. The names of one or two prominent men in the province have been mentioned as being possible recipients of “blue papers.”

Heavy rain fell in the back portion of Wanganui county during the past few days. A big slip has occurred at Mangaowhi, there are eleven ©lips on the Matahiwi track, while slips have occurred on the Wangaeliu Valley road (says a local paper). In Waitotara noun tv ©lips nave occurred on tlie Rnngitatr.u East and Ahu Ahu Valiev roads

“In theso day© of lax book-keeping it is rather refreshing to find a man who lias got into an unfortunate position with some record of his business dealings,” said tho Deputy Official Assignee (Mr A. J, C- Runciman) at a meeting of creditors at Dannevirke, when he produced the bankrupt’s books disclosing the whole of his business transaction©.

“When we got the tourists to come here,” said Captain M. B. MacDonald in the course of bis address to the Southland League, “we shall conduct large parties of them around the country as expeditiously as possible (says an exchange). The .American on holiday wants to ©ce and get everywhere. When lie is away for three months he doesn’t want to spend six weeks coming and six weeks going home again.”

“There is no shortage of coal for household purposes owing to tho protracted mining dispute and the supplies at present available mee»t all demands,” remarked Mr P. E. Thomas, secretary of the Palmerston North Wood and Coal Merchants’ Association. “We do not anticipate any shortage at present,” ho added, “and the position is quite satisfactory from the household point of view.”

“That is quite a good exhibit for an agricultural show,” commented Mr I. G. L. Hewitt, S.M. (president of tho Assessment Court) at O'kato, when one of the objectors to the recent Government valuations produced a trailing blackberry vino, about 15 feet in length, which, he said, represented six months’ growth. Amidst laughter the objector declared: ‘lf the gras* would grow as long as this, I wouldn’t be hero to-day. ’ ’

“There are too many freezing works, too many factories, and too many farmers fighting farmers for the good of New Zealand,” said Captain Colbeck, in an address at Te Poi. “More centralisation was required. An American visitor to New Zealand had stated that if the freezing works, were run continuously for 50 days they would clean up the wholo of the export of sheep and cattle from New Zealand for one year.”

A Wanganui business man, in referring to the increased telephone charges, said that the department contended that the increases were necessary to make its working profitable, but the public who had to pay the piper found it difficult to believe that the department had reached the pinnacle of economy in staff matters and the height of efficiency in organisation. He also pointed out that with the 6witch-over to the automatic exchanges it should be possible to reduce the charges instead of increasing them.

Tho drawing of the Wellington Artillery Band’© art union wa© held at the Garrison Hall on Snturdav evening. Lady Luke, 0.8. E., and Mrs M. M. Gard’ner drew the tickets. The winning numbers arc announced in this issue. Winning numbers should be sent in to the secretary as soon a© possible.