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Otago Witness, Issue 3875, 19 June 1928, Page 47

Mr W. Goodfellow, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, is of the opinion that Sir George Elliot’s advice to amalgamate the Meat and Dairy Control Boards is worthy of serious consideration. The Dairy Board, as now constituted, is, he says, costly and cumbersome, and amalgamation would give the dairy industry adequate service in regard to shipping, insurance,- advertising, and the super vision of cold storage at comparatively small cost.

“I am very optimistic as to the outcome of the campaign,” said Mr H. J. Manson, New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Melbourne, when making reference, a few days ago, to the campaign in Australia to attract more tourists to the Dominion (says our special correspondent in Wellington). The director of the Government Publicity Office (Mr A. H. Messenger) is at present visiting Australia in connection with the launching of a publicity campaign, for which -the Government recently made a grant of £5OOO. Two publicity officers from New Zealand have already commenced work in the Commonwealth, in readiness for more intensive concentration, as the tourist season months approach. “ I feel sure,” said Mr Manson, "that the campaign, with its canvass of Australia, will lead to an increased influx of tourists to the Dominion during the coming season, and I feel confident that the expenditure in the direction of advertising and propaganda work on behalf of the Dominion will be more than justified and compensated for, as we have been somewhat handicapped for funds for this work in the past.”

Mr G. W. Johnstone told a good story when making a presentation to Mr R. Bennell on Saturday. It appears that the late Mr J. A. X. Reidle, Mr BenneU, and Mr Johnstone were once fellow-pas-sengers from Melbourne to Dunedin. They were strangers to each other, and it was a rough trip. The #hip was doing her utmost to stand on her head, and Mr Johnstone did not care how soon she succeeded. His torture was increased by a vocalist with a very strong raucous voice, -who sang song after song with amazing zest and endurance. Presently, there appeared at Mr Johnstone’s cabin door the rubicund face of Mr Reidle, who asked in a kindly manner if he could do anything for the sufferer. "Yes,” replied Mr Johnstone, “throw that ass overboard who is giving an exhibition of gargling in the music saloon and chloroform the accompanist. He has a good touch and may come in handy in NeW Zealand.” Mr Bennell was the accompanist.— (Loud laughter.) In reply, Mr Bennell admitted his part in the affair, and stated that though it was a terrible trip, he had formed a friendship with Mr Johnstone that he trusted would last till time should be no more

,From the proprietors of Capstan Navj Cut Tobacco we have received a large photogravure of the All Blacks for 1928. An interesting supplement gives in one part the name of the players, their weight, etc., and in the other the official itinerary, presented in such a way as to be used for framing purposes. Subject to approval by the county ratepayers, the Rangitikei County Council has adopted a scheme put forward by the county engineer, Mr S. A. R. Mair, for the improvement of 164 miles of main highway in its extensive county, which extends from Bulls nearly to Waiouru. Mr Mair has prepared a seven-year programme for bringing the highways in the county up to modern standards. The total cost of the work is estimated at £240,000. Of this sum £98,630 will be spent in widening and preparing the roads for bituminous treatment, and £141,370 will be expended in the bituminous surface treatments. Under the present subsidy basis of the Main Highways Board a contribution of approximately £141,119 will be due from the Highways Fund and the county will have to find £98,921. According to the latest issue of the .Monthly Abstract of Statistics, the retail price index (Dominion weighted average) for the three food groups as at April 15 was 1545 (on the base average prices in four centres during the years 1909-13 = 1000), a decrease of 10 points as compared with that for the previous month, and an increase of 44.4 per cent, over that for July, 1914. The price of sugar is still decreasing steadily, though only slightly each month, and this, combined with seasonal reductions in the prices of onions and potatoes, is reflected by a decrease in the index number of the groceries group of 37 points. Butter shows a slight, and both bacon and eggs a sharp increase in prices resulting in an increase of 30 points in the dairy produce index number. The movement in - meat prices since April has been negligible, the index number for the group showing a fall of only one point. Expenditure on food constitutes somewhat less than two-fifths of the expenditure of an average household. In order to present a more complete picture of movements in retail prices generally, statistics regarding the retail prices of clothing, drapery, and footwear, and miscellaneous items of family expenditure, are collected at quarterly intervals, and when combined with the indexes .for food, rent, fuel, and light, approximately 87 per cent, of the ’ average household expenditure is represented. The April indexes for food, fuel, and light have been combined with the” February indexes for the rent, clothing, and miscellaneous groups. The resultant all groups index is 60.9 per cent, above that for July, 1914, so that it now takes £1 12s 2d on the average to purchase what could be purchased for £1 in that month.

The date of the Otago farmers’ excursion to the West Coast will probably be Thursday, June 28. The visitors will probably run straight to Hokitika, will visit Kakatahi on the Friday morning, and the Rimu dredge in the afternoon, going on from the dredge to Lake Kanieri. They will arrive on Saturday morning in Greymouth. The entertainment in Greymouth will probably include trips to Punakaike, Rewanui, and Lake Hochstetter, via Nelson Creek. Mr F. Pawson, railways business agent, who arrived at Greymouth on Saturday, is conferring with the president of the Farmers’ Union, who hopes to have all the arrangements for the visitors’ reception and entertainment completed during the next few days, after a conference with other bodies which will be joining with the Farmers’ Union.

The Christchurch City Council has decided to revert to the proportional representation system of election. That school children should have impressed on them as part of their school curriculum, dangers attendant on street traffic, was advocated by Mr H. Halliday at the meeting of the Otago Motor Club on Tuesday evening. This question had been brought before the authorities before, said Mr Halliday, and although in a few isolated cases, teachers had taken it on themselves to instruct the children to use every care when crossing busy thoroughfares, he thought that it was a matter for either the Education Board or the Education Department to take up. He moved:—“ That a deputation from this club wait on the Otago Education Board and bring before it the necessity for impressing on all school children the dangers attendant on street traffic.” Mr G. T. Thorne seconded the motion, which was carried, and it was agreed that the deputation consist of Messrs A. E. Ansell, and the mover and seconder of the motion.

The wrecked trawler Thomas Bryan has been abandoned to the underwriters, the New Zealand Insurance Company and. the Alliance Assurance Company by the owners, Messrs Sanford, Ltd. (says our Auckland correspondent). A visit to the vessel on Thursday showed that she was bumping badly and beginning to break up. A very large hole had been made in the seaward side through pounding on the rocks, and water was pouring into the hull. Since Thursday heavy weather has been experienced on the Coromandel coast, and the fierce gale with heavy seas which prevailed during the week-end caused further damage. Nineteen bankruptcies, including 14 in the North Island, were notified in last week’s issue of the New Zeeland Gazette.

A Press Association message from Wellington states that, although search parties -were still out up till yesterday, there was no sign of Mervyn Hodgkinson, who was- lost on the on Monday last.