AROUND THE DOMINION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 239, 10 May 1933, Page 8

AROUND THE DOMINION

More Promising “The railways (reports the Government statistician) show a more promising outlook during the latest fourweekly period for which.statistics are available. The balance of operating revenue over expenditure is stall being maintained at an increasingly favourable margi. Tito close of the tourist season struck an optimistic note with a much higher complement of overseas ' : than was the case a year ego. la fact, the whole season has been considerably busier than last season.” Nothing if not Thorough The Government is nothing if not thorough, remarks the Marlborough Express. Even road metal has been taken into consideration by those who are administering the sales tax. At a meeting of the Awatcre County Council hist week a letter was received Mom (ho Customs Department stating that the exemptions relative to rubble as set out iu the first schedule, of the Sales Tax 1.932-33, will be regarded as embracing any form of broken stone of irregular shape, such as road metal or screenings, hut tarred stone or gravel was not admissible as rubble.

Blenheim’s Meat The suggestion has boon made to tlii' Marlborough Express by a wellknown stock auctioneer that the next few weeks are likely to witness a phenomenal increase in the price of mutton on the Blenheim market. He said that, as a result of the dry season, very little fat stock was now available in the province, and he believed that before long the market price would have doubled itself. As against this, however, he thought plenty of beef was available, so that there was a likelihood of more beet than usual being consumed.

Remarkable Grape Vine A remarkable grape vine, believed to be the largest in Now Zealand, is growing at the residence oC Mr. IT. O. Western, “The Lindens,’’ Mt. Pleasant, say’s the Marlborough Express. It was planted by Mr. Western as a. cutting 19 years ago, and now runs right round the house, in addition to which it has been trained 1 over a scries of pergolas. The total length of the vine is estimated at well over four chains. It has borne crops of from 700 to 8001 b of grapes for many years. On Tuesday, when the crop was shifted for wine-maldng purposes, the weight of grapes was returned as 8731 b.

Leniency Appreciated “This may be one of the real cases in which leniency extended by the CQiirt has been appreciated,’ said Mi. Noble, speaking on behalf of Geoige Nottingham., in the Auckland Supreme Court on Friday. Six months ago Nottingham was given a furthei chance and remanded by Mr. Justice Herdman for six months on a charge of being found on premises unlawfully by night. Mr. Noble reported that Nottingham had been workinghard and living a clean and respectable life. He was now in employment. His Honour said he was very glad to hear that Nottingham had been behaving himself. The police and probation officer’s reports were quite favourable. He would bo allowed his liberty and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.

Roll of Notes Unclaimed It seems remarkable that any poison in these days of financial stringency should accidentally lose a substantial sum of money an the street and vet set no inquiries afoot in the matter. Yet such is the experience of the Thames police, who were recently handed a small roll of notes picked up in Pollen Street, and all endeavours to trace the owaoi have so far proved unavailing, m spite or the publicity given to the imd. It is thought probable that the money may belong to a visitor, who did not d . cover the loss for some tunc aftci leaving Thames, and consequently was „o™w«ro o t tlie exact locality wltcro the loss occurred.

Farmer Electrocuted Richard Hampton, a tamer of Little Rakaia, aged 34, was killed on Monday when he came into contact with a fenc on to which a power lum had been blown. Hampton left bis home at 6 o’clock in the morning to bring in a team of horses. He did not return and his wife found him two hours later holding on to the wire fence. He was dead. hie break in the power line was 100 yards away.

French Matrimonial Methods When he was in Sydney some years ago ho had been approached by a French lady and gentleman who wished him to marry them, said the Rev. J Paterson, speaking at the weekly luncheon of the Wanganui Rotary Hub on Monday. Ho made inquiries and was surprised to hear that they were both married, but had left their husband and wife because of disagreements. Mr. Paterson told them that he was unable to marry them, upon which they were most disappointed, and asked him whether he would not give them his blessing. “I told them I could not do that either, whereupon the lady said that they would return to Noumea and announce that they had been married by the most charming clergyman in Sydney,” said Mr. Paterson.

Remarkable Escapes Remarkable escapes from injury were experienced by two people on a truck which turned a somersault into a creek on Friday, at the foot of Schedewy’s Hill, ui\ the Auckland main north road about seven miles irom Work worth. The driver, Mr, C. L. Herbert, of Warkwortbg and his wife, who was a passenger, were thrown clear and escaped uninjured. The mishap occurred when the truck had crossed a small bridge, which is below the level of the road. As the vehicle was regaining the road, it almost collided With an oncoming motor car and swerved, striking a girder of the bridge and somersaulting into a creek about six feet below the road. The truck, which was owned_ by Mr. Herbert, sustained little damage, and was later driven to Auckland under its own power.

Australian Burr At yesterday’s meeting of the Waitotara County Council, Or. A. G. Goldsbury produced a specimen of the Australian burr which he said had been found at Okoia. This weed was a serious menace, he added. It had thorns as effective as those of barberry and the burr caught in the sheep’s wool and gradually worked into (he skin where the thorns caused blood poisoning. He considered that the Department of Agriculture should be notified of (he discovery of this plant in New Zealand and asked to take prompt steps to ensure that it does not spread. It was decided to draw the attention of the Wanganui County to the matter, in view of the fact that the specimen plant tabled had come from land within its jurisdiction. It was understood that the burr was already on the first schedule of Noxious Weeds Act.

Sales Tax Payment Since the sales tax is by its nature the most complicated and most irritating form of taxation ever devised in this country, it follows that the. Government and its officials should take particular care to study the convenience of taxpayers and in every, way make assessment and payment as easy as possible. Payers of the tax have accepted the impost with philosophy, but naturally they do not see why the blister should be furthei in flamed by avoidable restrictions. The local collector of Customs, whether acting alone or not is not clear, has ruled that cheques or bank drafts for payment of the sales tax will bo accepted only if a guarantee is furnished, and this guarantee will itself be taxed by stamp duty. This is a quite indefensible condition. The Government has a right to refuse a cheque when it is surrendering a security, but it has always accepted payment of land and income tax by this medium, and there is no reason why it should not follow this custom in respect to the sales tax. The enforcement of the proposed condition would lead to a vast amount of inconvenience and delay, and it should therefore he withdrawn forthwith. —Auckland Star.

R.S.A. and Politics The recent trouble in the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association was mentioned at the annual reunion of the Hamilton Association on Thursday evening, when the guest of honour was Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. In re-, spending to the toast of “The N.Z.E.F.,’’ Sir Andrew said the R.S.A. would carry on the ideals for which its members had fought in the Great War. Those who struck the discordant note in Auckland were a dwindling minority. Referring to the past work of the association, he said the Government had proposed to reduce pensions by £135,000, but as the result (if representations made by the association, Cabinet had decided to make a reduction of only £62,000. Ho did not. think any further reduction would be attempted. The membership was steadily increasing, and now stood at 17,000. The introduction of politics would undermine the good the association was trying to do, and should be discountenanced. Sir Andrew spoke of the Canteen Fund, and said that £ISOO a month was now being distributed to deserving cases by the trustees. The grants made were of very great assistance, and it was the trustees’ business to conserve the fund as far as was possible consistent with the maximum use being made of it.