LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The United States of America has given £lOOO to the earthquake relief fund, states a message from Wellington. No fewer than 117 entries have been received by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association for a competition in designs suitable for a New, Zealand trade mark. They will be examined by a local committee before being sent to the executive of the New Zealand Federation. The next wool sale in Wanganui -was scheduled for February 23, but as the quantities available are not considered sufficient to justify holding the sale, this date has been cancelled. It has been arranged with the buyers to hold a sale on Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m., when it is anticipated that a reasonable catalogue will be offered. A solicitor who was appearing for one of the parties at a 'bankruptcy meeting in Auckland on Tuesday said there Were not many hire-purchase agreements for motor cars at the present time. “Practically all these motor car agreements are conditional purchase contracts,” he said. “There are hardly aiiy hire purchases nowadays.” /‘Do you know that there is a rule requiring you to give way to traffic approaching from the right?” asked counsel of a cyclist in the 'Supreme Court at Palmerston North. “That is not so,” Mr. Justice Kennedy informed counsel. “There is, however, a motor regulation which applies to motor vehicles.” A rumour that some hundreds of refugees from the earthquake area Were to° arrive in New Plymouth drew a large number of persons to the railway station last night. However, there were only a few passengers from Hawke’s Bay. No advice had been received by the local authorities that refugees were coming and the railway officers reported that special trains were not expected. The secretary of the New Plymouth High Schools Board received a wire yesterday from the Education Department stating that: “Recognising the difficulties of juvenile employment, the Minister had authorised the boards to extend the junior free places for a third year to' pupils not qualified for senior free places.” This concession will meet the eaSes of these pupils who have not rejoined the schools in consequence of the expiry of their scholarships. For the first time prisoners in Mount Eden Gaol were entertained on Sunday afternoon with the “talkies,” states the Auckland correspondent of the Christchurch Times. Silent films have been shown several times in the prisons at long intervals, but many of the 400 men Who witnessed Sunday’s performance had never seen the talking pictures before, for the simple reason that they had been sent to gaol before the birth of the new art.

A visitor from Australia stated, in answer to a question put to him by an Otago Daily Times reporter, that there were ample grounds for the fear expressed by many people in New Zealand that the proposed provision for the relief of unemployment in the Dominion by the Gbvernment was attracting a large number of workless from the Commonwealth. They are coming over here all right,” he said, “and you can take my word for it that mo<st of them are not looking for work. What they want is something for nothing, and they think they can get it here.” It takes more than the failure of the electric lights io deter Taranaki farmers from the thorough enjoyment of relief, in the shape of dancing, from the arduous tasks of the day. At the Warea ball held recently the lights failed during the second sitting of supper. The drivers of two motor-ears quickly stationed their cars so that the headlights flared through the side and back doors of the hall. Another removed a battery from his car and arranged a temporary light for the orchestra. This completed, dancing continued- as if there had been no interuption. At th© fortnightly stock sale at Gore on Tuesday, says the Southland Timbs, there was not a single head of cattle forward, while only four pens of sheep > were on offer. The sale was completed in less than twenty minutes, which must be something like a record for the yards. Several district farmers who have attended the sale regularly for very many years stated that they could not recall ah occasion upon which there had not bben some cattle, either stores or fats, on offer. Under ordinary conditions offerings of stock would now be gradually increasing, but up till the present this year the opposite has been the ease. With the low prices ruling district farmers are taking practically no interest in the sales.

The attention of butchers and others interested is drawn to the sale of butchers plant and fittings to be held at Eltham on Monday, February 9, conducted by the Farmers’ Co-op. Everything offered is in good order and intending 'buyers are recommended to attend.

Thb central executive set up at the public meeting held last night in connection with the organisation of relief measures for the earthquake stricken people is requested tb meet at the municipal chambers at 11 o’clock this morning.

The Melbourne Ltd. will commence their Annual Summer Sale bn Tuesday next, 10th inst. Elaborate preparations are being made to inake the forthcoming sale memorable from every point of view. The management has determined to reduce stocks sLt all costs, with the result that tremendous sacrifices are to be made in all departments where it is found that stock is out of proportion to the turnover. Full particulars will be advertised in Monday’s newspapers.*

Now is the time to refit the children for the School clothing requisites. Take advantage on cur sale and save money. The Hustlers, Devon Street, NJEL*