LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Patea Mail, Volume XLIV, 24 November 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Try D. Jones, Egmont Street, for plumbing and timmiilhing repairs. Telephone 111.*

Several books, some suitable for teachers, are advertised for sale in this issue.

Book your seats in plenty of time for the "Pierrot Kiddies' " entertainment on December .'>rd. Tickets are now out, and a box plan is at the Town Clerk's office.

The following pupils of the local school have succeeded in gaining Proficiency Certificates: —Xorman Glenny, Madge Armour, rJdim Paterson, Hazel Cunningham, and 'Winnie Hemingway.

Figures show that Canada is now the largest nation but one in the world in the manufacture of automobiles, number of cars owned, and per capita distribution. The United States takes first place, and Greeat Britain third. In 1010, 04,000 automobiles were manufactured in Canada, and the industry employed .10,000 workers.

Some plumbers in Wellington, it is stated, have been charging as high as 1/- per hour Cor their labour, which works out at £0 Vl/- per week of -IS hours, and £S Hi/- per week of 44 hours. Many carpenters are said to have been getting from ?,/- to .'!/<> per hour recently. At the latter rate a carpenter would make £s S/- in a week of t,S hours.

The increasing use of reinforced concrete for buildings of every description makes the question of the behaviour of such structures in case of lire cxceodinlgy important. Owing to the tendency of the steel supports to become, overheated, there is a risk of the structure collapsing when exposed to lire. In order to obviate .this danger a British engineer suggests that steel tubes might be used in place of steel rods, and arrangements made to circulate water automatically through the tubes in case of (ire. He considers that the cost of such an arrangement would not be excessive, and that it would serve lo save the structure from collapse.

Many of those who were present at the reception to his Excellency the Governor-General in Christ church went home wondering to what heights of originality—or whatever it is—the Mayor may yet soar to, says the Press. At. Ihe conclusion of the reception, all present stood and sang the first verse of the National Anthem, The Mayor, who had presumably been saving his vocal [towers for a special effort, hastened to cry, as the last words were sung, "and God bless the Prince of Walees." The unauthorised addition lo the National AiUhem did not receive the Yico-regal recognition. The sentiment, no doubt, was endorsed by all, but the silence of all others present except the Mayor seemed to be tinged with astonishment.

Aii incident which gave much joy to eye-witnesses on Armistice Day in Queen Street, Auckland, was unrecorded liy the local press. On the stroke of eleven o'clock a gun was tired in Albert Park and on the instant a solemn and wonderfully impressive hush fell upon Queen Street. Presently calls of ''Take your hat oil'" were heard, and a well-dressed individual —lie could ha idly l>e called a man though he had long reached "years of discretion"— was seen unconcernedly walking down the footpath. Suddenly a "Digger," a fine 1 *i«.*" fellow, stepped out of a doorway where he had been standing al attention, and demanded "Take your hat off." The reply was a rude one, so I lie Differ snatched at the hat and its owner lifted his walking stick and struck the Dinner two or three limes across the neck. The latter, though big enough to have eaten his opponent, exercised great restraint, and contented himself with holding the oll'ending hat until the two minutes' silent period had elapsed, when when he throw it at its owner, and walked away unconcernedly. The owner of the hat walked off so quickly 'that ho could not hear some of the remarks of those who hud witnessed the incident.

A reward is offered for the return of a cast iron hood clump, lost off a motor ear recently.

A reminder is given of the meeting of bandsmen to be held in the Borough Council Chambers to-morrow, at 7.30

.The .shortage of kerosene has been so acute in the Poverty liny districtthat many dairy farmers have had to discard milking by machinery and resort to the hand method.

The N.Z. Miners' rederation has made a demand upon coal mine owners for a 25 per cent, increase hi the rates of pay retrospective from March I, [he last date on which the present agreements came into operation.

I'eplying to a deputation of unemployed in .Sydney on Monday, Mr. J. Can 11 (Minister of Labour) stated that the Government had warned unskilled labourers not to come to New .South Wales, as -already there were 10,000 such seeking employment.

The Canadian Government has prohibited the importation of horse hides, cattle hides, and sheepskins from Europe, Asia, South America, Xcv,Zealand, and Australia, with the object, of preventing the introduction of animal disease into Canada.

Mr. C. A. Lai-combe has an interesting replace advertisement on the second page of this issue, in which he notifies the arrival of a large stock of polishes, polishing sets, boot and shoe laces in both leather and English mohair. An inspection of this large stock is invited.

At the Supreme Court in Auckland on Monday morning the case of Samuel John Thorn, whose trial on the charge of murdering Sydney S. Hyrc occupied five days last week, and resulted in (lie jury disagreeing, was mentioned by the Chief Justice. Sir liobert Stout. His Honour said he had fixed 'Monday, November 20, as the date for the re-trial.

Advice has been received from Belfast that the linen mills are not working full time on account of the quietness of the trade. The high prices that are ruling have prevented many buyers from operating, Im! despite this fact (y.ti:'.:!,!':)!) yards were exported for the pr>st six months of this year, compared with '.\(\,7:','■'>,VAW for the corresponding period in .11)10.

In the course of the annual report of the Mangaohao Hydro-Electric Power League, submitted to the meeting tit Palmerston North on Wednesday, it was stated that the critical state of the coal supplies in the Dominion had provided a much-needed lesson on the vital importance of the development of the water power of the Dominion. There could be no doubt that had a more far-sighted policy with regard to hydro-electric power been pursued in past years the present disorganised state of social and industrial life in the Dominion due to the shortage of coal supplies would have been largely avoided. Congratulations were extended to the Minister of Public Works on the keen interest he hud taken in the matter.

An exchange says that the cry of "pickpocket" was raised at the Levin races, and the people on the stand were amused to see a crowd of men rushing across the course in pursuit' of a scared-looking individual who dodged and doubled in and out of a fleet of stationary motor cars and then made off in the direction of the training stables with one or two hundred pursuers on his track. The pace warmed up. and several determined pursuers made attempts to clutch the suspect. This spurred him to renewed efforts, and he doubled bark and headed for the stand. Here he fairly fell into the anus of a waiting policeman, who took him in to his kindly care. As the chase had extended over a mile and a half the human hare was naturally in an exhausted condition.

The other day a suburban resident bought a carpel for which he was charged £.'lo (says the Otago Daily Times). At thesanie time an arrangement was made by which the iirm was to send a man to lay the carpet. On getting the article home the purchaser began to examine the adhesive ticket on it, and htinking it was rather thick applied some hot water. On removing the £."•(! ticket he found one underneath marked £-•". This one was also removed, and a third one showed £:?0; and to crown all this, the third one being removed showed a Ji tin 1 label marked £IS. The purchaser telephoned to the shop, countermanded the order for the carpet, and requested the presence of the manager of the linn. On his arrival, and after discussing the question of referring the matter to the Trades Tribunal, the manager agreed lo accept £IN for the carpel to avoid being prosecuted.

The most destructive lire that has occurred for .many years broke out in the National Mortgage Company's premises in t n vorcargill, in the Crescent block, shortly after '.'< o'clock on Sunday morning. When the brigade arrived the place was a seething mass of flames, and the two-storied brick premises were completely gutted, and nothing was saved. Flames broke out in the adjoining four storied building of the Xew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, the main portion of which was destroyed. Only part of the front oilices remained intact. It is estimated that it will cost over £ - 20,000 to reinstate the National Mortgage Company's buildings. The contents were valued at between £13,000 and £-'(1,000. The Loan Company's building - contained Soil bales of wool belonging* to the Imperial Government, besides a large quantity stored for clients. Valuable plant, a large quantity of seed, oats, manure and general merchandise were totally destroyed. Thes aggregate loss will probably reach £73,0011.

Potato blight has made its appear ancc in some of the crops in the Fcild ing district.

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., are holding a clearing- sale at the farm, Manutahi, on .Saturday next, of Mr. K. Cornwall's dairy cows (Jersey cross), and implements. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns.

it is stated that in Wairarapa buyers representing .freezing companies arc offering 30s and 2os for both wether and Cat ewe sheep. The price for lambs is 2.15., while beef ranges from £2 is to £2 5s per 1001 b., according to quality.

Margaret Allen, aged 47, who fell from a train from Taupiri to Auckland eight days ago, died at the hospital in Auckland on Tuesday .morning. She evidently fell from a carriage at the entrance to the Parnell tunnel, and been run over by the train. She suffered shocking injuries, with which she lay in agony on the rails all night.

A distressing accident occurred iit a. soldier settlement up the Wanganui b'iver on Saturday afternoon. John Amos, a returned soldier, while working in the bush, fell on a sharp stake cut supplejack, which entered the abdomen and pierced the internal organs. A horseman was despatched to Pipiriki for assistance, which reached the injured man shortly after one o'clock on Sunday morning, after riding over 2~i miles in heavy rain and pitch darkness. By daylight Hairick and Co. 's steamer started for the settlement, and getting the wounded man aboard, left for Wanagnui, sevenly odd miles away. Upon arrival there Amos had to undergo an operation. His condition is serious, though the doctors are hopeful that he may survive.

Senile amusing stories h:-.ve licen I old (if happenings on the racecourse, and thy following one shows (hat it pays .1 o keep an eye ou the other things as well us the horses (says the Malaurn Ensign). A lady who was sitting in the grandstand on the second day of the (lore meeting noticed something on the floor, which seemed to glitter, and on picking it up her lady friends said, '•'Oil, it's a piece of glass," to which the tinder replied that she would keep it for luck. Xext day she noticed an advertisement in the Ensign offering £5 reward for a valuable diamond which had been lost from a ring on ,the racecourse. She decided (o make another examination of the "lucky" piece of glass and was amazed to iind that, it was the lost diamond. It was duly relumed lo its rightful owner and the finder was .made the richer by £o.

In his notes to the Taranaki Herald the Stratford correspondent says: — The newly-formed union of dairy factory workers has lost no time in formulating its demands for increased wages and other concessions from employers. The schedule provides for the unskilled worker a minimum wage of £4 5s for six days, with persuisites and allowances worth at the lowest compulation another pound. His remuneration will therefore, if the demands are granted, amount to pretty well as much as that of a clergyman, .school teacher, or accountant may hope to receive after much hard study and passing of examinations. It is a somewhat unfortunate thing for the factory workers that they are asking for increased wages just at the time when from one cause or another their employers are beginning to doubt the long duration of the phenomenally high prices of produce. There arc undeniable indications that the market for cheese, if not for butter, is by no means likely lo be as firm as could be wished. In fact, it is pretty evident; that prices of all commodities have reached the peak, and have started ou the down grade. It is to be hoped that it will be a glide and not a crash.