NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 38

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A large shipment of fruit, consisting of 2084 cases in all, has reached Wellington by the Manuka. Of fhis, 1628 cases are for Wellington and North Island districts, and the balance is for Lyttelton. The Prime Minister (Mr Massey) has cabled announcing that the question of deciding the location of the School of Forestry has been postponed until his return to the dominion. An announcement to this effect was made at a meeting of local M.P.’a to consider the furtherance of Auckland’s claim as a locale of the school. Regulations gazetted provide that the special advances for building to soldier settlers Oil rural holdings, under 21 acres, shall be repayable in instalments spread over a period of 25g years. At a meeting- of tho Canterbury Progress League on the 6th, it was decided to establish a Central Committee to consider tlie question of unemployment, and to formulate a scheme for meeting the difficulty, the committee to consist of representatives from the Progress League, the Employers’ Association, the Labour and Repatriation Departments, the Trades and Labour Council, the Returned Soldiers’ Asocial ion, the Industrial Association, the Farmers’ Union, | and the Sheepowners’ Union, j The Commonwealth Government at the request of the Government of New Zealand has agreed to release 5000 tons monthly of Maitland small coal for gasworks. This is in addition to the coal now obtained by the New Zealand Government from New South Wales and used for the railways. Hitherto the gas companies have been unable to make a similar definite arrangement. The annual meeting of the Dominion Federated Saw-millers’ Association, representing 80 per cent, of the timber-producing interests of New Zealand was held last week. Members conferred with the Fruitgrowers’ Federation regarding the type of packing case used. The fruitgrowers expressed approval of the packing case submitted, and the sawmillers undertook to provide ample supplies of a particular design. At a Well ington City Council meeting a statement showing the financial position of the city was presented. The gross overdraft was stated to lie £381,796, while accounts in credit, as a set-off against the overdraft, amounted to £130.185 ; credits not set off, £15.288; advanced by the bank on the security of debentures. £96.265; public debt of the city, £2.455.800; less accumulated sinking- funds, £499.260; net debt. £1.956.600; assets, £4.000.000. It was agreed that (he figures disclosed a fairly strong financial position, notwithstanding the overdraft. The supply cf school books and stationery to school children at cost price, as proposed by the Education Department, was supported by the Canterbury Education Board. It was decided to compliment the Minister of Education on the stand he has taken. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand will meet in First Church, Dunedin, on Tuesday, November 15 next. The finances of the Central Methodist Mission in Dunedin are in a satisfactory condition. Instead of an overdraft of £698, which was the state of affairs when Air H. 11. Johnson took up the duties of secretary and treasurer 14 months ago, there is now a credit balance of over £77. Tho happy change was largely due to a successful sale

ot work hy ilie JUicues u.uici Him me distent eiioi ui ui lister Jean wiui a penny gene me wnicn luisea .&/oU. At the anniversary concert of tiie Central Ale moor st -Mission me annual report suu-liiibi-eu. oiateu. mat one notev\ ortiiy venture was me liu mailing ana opening m July last oi two lianusome rooms in me uoiugou iiaii lor tii© use oi tiie ousiness gills 01 me city as and Aunciieon rooms. ino \ciituie iiad provcu a great uoon to many g 1 as. bister Dimly Hull superintended tins work,,, and ieporta mat as many as oi gins nave uany used, me luneneon room ana net ween, no ‘tiia cU tile rest room. -it Hi© annual meeting - oi tiie local hr alien oi tiie -iLgypt L*eiiera.i -Yin-ion line annual report, wnioii reienea to tiie gcou tnat nub. arisen Irani the campaign by -ar jorucuej, was auopieu. JLne o-ahiuitj sneer .jCiiov.cq a Cxouiu Liiuauco Ox LvOo j.ds -td, mo income having increased by over me previous year. -Mi;>s v. . -Murray, no nau been live years in rue herd ana learned me language, Had given up the mission work during me war lo (revolts her..At to nursing v\oik at me Hunt, was now resuming me mission work. -viiss -Murray gave an uume>s uamnmg me vvo,k. and c.vphun.ng tiie diJiicintiea encountered. -L - reparations are- on feet ior tiie prohibition campaign m Jjmr cun «tnd suirounumg electorates in view oi me w men, m me ordinary course oi events, will take place i -* i December, locZ. .v lrcm me G imed j. emperance Reiorni Council waited cm the .Dunedin r'lcsuv tery rast week to suggest tiiat two ueiegw te. 3 he appointed to co-operate wim the prom bitten oxg nimruon. J.t was pointed out mac it was not ninny mu oil money would he a\ alia me on tins occasion lor propaganda work, and iiiev would have to aepc.id more on personal ehort. i iie jt* res oy tery passed a motion, assuring me association oi its co-operation . i d support, and decided to commend tiie session proposals for organ'.nation. At toe inoiituiy mtetnjg ui the Taieri River I rust last week it was decided txia.i> me policy regarding tne maintenance ot private crossings, bridges, and of bridges across waterways on puisne roads should be that tho trust provide the labour and the ratepayer the material; that the trust repair approaches and guard ieuces to the contour channel bridges provided the owners of the adjoining property find ino teams. Payment of an account for fuei used m pumping at the 1919 Hood was declined. At was deckled to try and settle appeals by ratepayers out oi' court if possible. As, presumably by error, the provision to collect the rates as security for logns raised by tiie j hue Henley, Otokaia, VVe.-.t Vaien, Alaungatna. and Berwick Boards had been omitted from (he Taieri River Trust Act, it was decided to ask the Government to make the necessary amendments to the Act.