IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 22486, 22 January 1935, Page 4

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY Missing Car Recovered. The motor-car owned by Mr James Brownlie, which was stolen at Gore on Saturday night, was recovered in Broughton street, Gore, near the dairy factory, yesterday morning.

Expensive Plants. The total value of the plants to be shown in the Southland section of the national flower show to-day and tomorrow has been estimated as being in the vicinity of £550. One exhibit alone, a rare Japanese dwarf pine, has been valued at £2OO.

A Unique Exhibit A unique exhibit at the depot of the local organizing committee for the national flower show yesterday was a fig tree with some fully grown fruit on it. The tree was grown at “Lennel,” the estate of Mr F. G. Hall-Jones, a prominent horticulturalist.

A Cold Snap. Southland spurned summer and adopted winter all in the course of a few hours yesterday, and by nightfall the temperature had dropped considerably. During the afternoon and evening the rain squalls were punctuated with hail showers, some which passed over the city being very heavy. Unsettled conditions prevailed for the greater part of the day.

“Russians Pouring In.” “Shanghai, especially the International Settlement and the French Concession, is swarming with Russians who are seriously affecting the white man’s chances of pegging away at a decent wage,” Mr R. White, formerly a member of the Awarua wireless staff but now of Wellington, told a Times reporter yesterday. Mr White, who has just returned, by way of Melbourne, from a 12 months’ trip to the East, added that the Russians were willing to work for the same low rate of pay as the Chinese receive in order to eke out an existence. Trades Picnics.

On Wednesday, which is the day fixed for the annual trades picnics, business activities in the city will be practically at a standstill. All shops within a radius of five miles of Invercargill are required under the respective Arbitration Court awards to be closed in the following trades:—Grocers, butchers, drapers, mercers, boot and shoe, fancy goods, hardware, crockery, book and stationery, furniture and furnishing trades. Hairdressers’ assistants are also required to be given a full holiday. The grocers’ picnic will be held at Orepuki, while the staff of Herbert, Haynes Ltd., are journeying to Tuatapere.

New Riverton Industry. It has been learned that the name of the concern which proposes to establish a chemical works in Southland is Amalgamated Chemical Industries. Benzine and oil from coal—acetone for explosives, formalin, and power alcohol from wood, produced by low temperature carbonization, are the principal objects of the industry. It is understood that certain aniline dyes, drugs and fine chemicals will also be made from coal-tar. Situated on what could easily be converted to an important little harbour, Riverton, the chosen location, is surrounded by suitable wooded and coal areas. It is stated that the industry is what is known as a “key industry,” for the chemicals made are as essential for warfare as for domestic and civil undertakings.

“Healthy and Happy.” “ ‘Healthy* and ‘happy’ are the words best fitted to describe the youngsters at the Health Camp,” said Mrs Stanley Brown to a Times reporter yesterday. “There can be no doubt that the children are deriving the greatest benefit from their sojourn at Omaui.” As an instance of the improvement in physique being made by every child Mrs Brown stated that there appeared to be friendly rivalry among the camp occupants to see who could put on the most weight. One youngster, when questioned by the speaker, had made the proud boast that his avoirdupois had increased to the extent of five pounds! “The public has been most generous in its response to an appeal for assistance at the camp” Mrs Brown continued, “and donations of foodstuffs are arriving daily. There is still a demand for potatoes, however. One donation that was especially acceptable was a gallon of ice cream sent by an Invercargill milk vendor. A treat such as this means a great deal to the children.”

Cheap Cigarettes? About the middle of last week there appeared in the Invercargill, Timaru, and Oamaru newspapers a startling advertisement setting out the details of a “liquidation” sale of tobacco stock. It was startling in the sense that many popular brands of cigarettes and tobacco were quoted at prices that were 35 per cent, below the manufacturing cost. The genial philanthropist who so unselfishly offered these undoubted bargains to the smoking public did not reveal his identity in the advertisement, says the Dunedin Star, but preferred to cloak himself with the not very informative title of “Liquidation Sales,” Box —, Dunedin. Not Timaru, Oamaru, or Invercargill, but Dunedin. He invited customers to “send to-day for a parcel lot of your favourite brand,” adding that he would supply any size of order while the stocks lasted, and pay postage. As everyone who smokes is only too well aware of the price he has to pay for that necessity, there was an immediate rush to cash in on an offer of such unbelievable good fortune, and “Liquidation Sales” was swamped with money from would-be purchasers. Unfortunately for them, it now is alleged that the huge stocks necessary to fulfil the flood of orders exist only in the imagination of Mr or Messrs “Liquidation Sales.” The Dunedin police have detained a man in connection with the matter, and it is highly probable that there will be further developments.