OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3397, 23 April 1919, Page 37

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

"I paid 3s 3d a dozen for eggs, so you can see how the expenses of running arestaurant are going up," said a restaurantkeeper in the Magistrate's Court at Masterton

A Patea County councillor stated that the other night over 40 head of stock and horses wandered over tho Wnitotara roade and footpaths. It took the council's workmen two days to repair the damage done. A suggestion was made at the meeting of, the T'aranaki War Relief Association oft Wednesday that a " baby bonus' might be instituted by the association to assist soldier fathers whose earnings are not very largeThere is a substantial deficit in the guarantee of £3OO for season tickets given to the Chautauqua organisation by Auckland guarantors, who have been called upoa to make up the amount of the guarantee. According to an announcement made by the Hon. D. H. Guthrie at Whangamomona recently. Cabinet has agreed that in future all new blocks of land opened up for settlement are to be connected with the telephone service before - being disposed of. This will do much to overcome the isolation experienced by settlers in the back-blocks. An epidemic of farm selling appears to have seized the Cheviot settlers (reports tho Christchurch Press), no fewer than 12 farms having Changed hands in as many months, the greater portion within tho last six months. Prices paid in each case for froodwill appear fairly high, but when the tenure,. 999 years, is considered, prices are no higher in proportion than thoso paid for freehold.

The Public Trust Office has been authorised to lend £50,000 to the Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Authority has also been given by the Government for the raising of the following: loans by local bodies.—Johnsonville Town Board, £3000; Kairanga County Council, £3000; New Plymouth Borough Council, £10,000; Palmerston North Borough Council, £300; Patangata, County Council, £25.000. At the last meeting of the Teacher*' Superannuation Board in Wellington a. matter which caused some surprise was the announcement that a further sum of £894 had been transferred to the unclaimed contributions account, representing the contributions of persons whose membership of the fund had lapsed, and who had not applied for a refund of their contributions. The total amount of unclaimed ccntribution« ia now £I2OO.

There is proof of the shortage of manufactured commodities in Europe in the fao* that many ships are coming out to New Zealand in ballast, through no cargo being available for them (according to tho Christchurch Press). This throws a vessel's earnings on tho return voyage only, and consequently helps to keep up the freights, which incidentally are not fixed by the sniping companies, but by the Shipping Controller in London.

Describing the methods of transport on the great American lakes, Mr W. H. Hamer (engineer to the Auckland Harbour Board) stated in a report on Tuesday that a striking feature was to see large vessels 2300 miles inland from the sea, and 605 ft above sea level, camouflaged, and loading war materials for France. There were vessels up to total displacement of 17,500 tons operating upon the lakes. At tho Police Court at Invercargill on Thursday morning u young man named Thomas Watson M'Gill appeared before the magistrate (Mr G. Cruickshank), charged with carnally knowing a girl under the age of 16 years. Mr Russell appeared for tho accused, who reserved hie defence, and was committed for trial -at the next sitting of the Supreme Court. Bail was. allowed in tho accused's own surety of £IOO and two sureties of £SO each.

Having succeeded in arranging for a. limited supply, of fuel, tho directors of the New Zealand Iron Ore Company have decided to resume smelting operations at an. early - date (reports tho Taranaki News). Provided all goes well and further supplies of fuel come to hand, it is hoped to keep, the furnace going continuously. The quality of the iron produced at the last run was so satisfactory that tho purchasers are anxious, for further supplies.•

A report was received in Masterton on the 14th that a human skeleton was found in the bush near Mount Bruce road on Sunday. TTho gruesome find is believed to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a Mr Corrigan (ibout_ 18 years ago. Mr Corrigan was residing with his son on a property at Mount Bruce, and was believed to have been lost #uring a snowstorm. Directly he was missed

by his son search parties were sent out, and although 100 persons secured the locality for two weeks no trace of the missing man could I e found. Slaughtermen in the employ of the WaingMva freezing wor&s are now receiv. ing 55» per 100 for the slaughtering of sheep. Some of the men can earn as much as £lO 10a per week.