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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18765, 19 January 1923, Page 6

It is now several months since a salvage party left Sydney for New Caledonia with, materials and equipment to refloat the tiveniasted barque Franco, the world’s largest sailing vessel, which went ashore on the south-western coast of the island on July 12 of last year. No information has been received of the result of their efforts, if they attempted the task; but a pilot trom New Caledonia, who boarded the steamer Glaucus during her recent visit to the islands, told Captain Reynolds that the ship was an absolute wreck, and was deeply bedded on the roof and holed fore and att in tho bottom of her hull. Even in moderate weather the surf could be seen breaking around her, but to all appearances she was still standing on an even keel, with all her masts in position and the portion of her hull above the water line not much damaged by the constant pounding of heavy seas ia rough weather. " The wool season is seeing the railways losing very heavily owing to motor lorry competition (says'a Wanganui paper). Lorries now bring wool from farms in all parts of the district right into Wanganui. Lorries have been right into the backblocks up the Wnitotara River, and brought the wool into town. Previously wool carted from up that, river has been loaded on to the trucks at Wailotara Railway Station, bub the lorries can now compete with the train. Lorries, too, take full loads of benzine to Taihape for less than the railway freights, and bring back loads of wool. Leaky tarpaulins and claims for damage to wool are poin.s which tell against the Railway Department.

Dining the last few weeks spurious half* crowns have been handed over the counter of one of the Napier banks, but they were easily detected and were promptly destroyed (states the Hawke's Bay Herald). r llio only counterfeit’ denomination in circulation seems to be the half-crown, and they are made of some base melal very mucn like silver, but lighter in weight and do not ring truly. The design is not so clearly executed as that on minted coins, but they are good enough to pass muster on some occasions.

Speaking of commissions on the sale of live stock, a member stated at a meeting cf the Wanganui Farmers’ Union that he absolutely refused to pay more than 2i per cent, commission, and had been successful in the stock he had sold of late. the chairman agreed that if all the farmers took the same stand, the commission would soon come down to per cent. Another member (says the lierald) mentioned a recent instance in which a farmer offered his place for sale and would not pay the ordinary rate of commission and would not; sign the sale note. The land agent soon came along with a" buyer at the farmer’s rate of commission, and the farm duly changed hamdft