“UNFAIR" DUTIES'

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1935, Page 10

“UNFAIR" DUTIES'

TRANSFER OF MORTGAGES. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VIEW. ' The stamp duties on transfers of mort- ’ gages were grossly unfair, Mr. F. W. J Homer alleged at a Hawera Chamber of t Commerce meeting last night. There ; was only a nominal duty payable on the issue of a new mortgage but on a ; transfer the rate was 5s per £lOO. : In a recent deal the duty had amount- . ed to £l7 10s. ; It was moved as a remit to the Asso-- ■ dated Chambers that, since most transfers of mortgages were made simply for . the purpose of refinancing and to save the mortgagor the cost of this charge in subsequeni charges, the time had arrived when the ad valorem stamp duty on transfers should be abolished. It was decided to express the chamber’s appreciation of the Railway Department’s Taranaki night train proposal and to suggest that consideration be given to the provision of sleeping ac- , commodation. ' The Associated Chambers reported that [ only one chamber was in favour of the present system of telephone charges, the ’ others, all preferring a flat rate. It was decided to hold examinations ’ again this year and Messrs. E. K. Cameron, R. S. Sage, E. M. Bardsley and B. McCarthy were appointed to arrange ' for them. ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY CONCERT. ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME. i A fine selection of orchestral, vocal and instrumental items will be given at the 5 Hawera Orchestral Society’s second concert of the season in St. Joseph's Hall . on Tuesday next. The main items to be r given in the first part of the programme > will be given by the orchestra. They will be the “Fra Diavolo” Overture I (Auber), the tubular bell intermezzo, “Bells o' Somerset” (Jan Hurst), a nauticI al medley on old sea shanties, “Capstan and Windlass” (Reeves), and three Eastern sketches, “In the Bazaar” (morning), “Interlude” (afternoon) and “The Dance” (evening) (Howgill). The orchestra will be conducted by Miss E. Dowling as guest conductor. There will be featured on the second ! part of the programme the Hawera Con--1 vent Ladies’ Choir, all the members of 1 which are trained singers. They will sing 1 “Cronos the Charioteer” (Schubert), ’ “Rosebuds” (Geibel), “The Spinning 5 Chorus” for Wagner’s opera “The Flying ■ Dutchman,” and “The Shepherd’s Dance” 1 (Edward German). The soloists will be ’ Miss M. Lander (soprano), Misses P. ■ Ekdahl and D. Gilmore (vocal duets) and I Mr. G. H. Gibson (baritone), who was ■ commended at the recent Wellington i competitions. All are pupils of the Ha- ; wera Convent. There will also be items i by the Hawera instrumental quintet, consisting of flute, oboe, clarinet, horn . and bassoon. BAND BALL A SUCCESS. ~ BIG GATHERING AT- PATEA. A gay assembly in plain and fancy dress made merry at the Patea Municipal Band’s ball in the town hall on Tuesday, both the band and Vinsen’s orchestra contributing the dance music. The interior of the hall was transformed with spiralled streamers of yellow and blue, the design being both novel and pleasing. A similar idea was used in

4 A. CUlUiai IVIV-CX WCU3 J-li the supper room where daffodils and freesias were employed in the table decorations carried out by Mesdames G. Laing and F. Spooner. Mrs. F. Ramsbottom and a committee directed the catering arrangements. There was a large number of dancers in fancy dress, the judges having a difficult task in deciding the prizewinners. The awards were as follow: Mr. J. Cunnison and Mrs. F.- W. Locker (Emperor and Empress of Abyssinia) most original, Mr. R. Adams, C. Beauchamp and T. Burgess (Tom Mix and his horse). Mr. R. Adams was invested with mayoral chain and robes in recognition of his successful candidature in the mock mayoral contest for the band’s funds. Cheers were given for the unsuccesful candidate,. Mr. J. Back. REALTONE TALKIES. “MADAME SPY” DRAMA. Love, intrigue and adventure comprise the nucelus of a picture that is more than an evening’s entertainment in Universal’s powerful continental drama, “Madame Spy,” which is being shown on the Realtone Talkie circuit. Filled with action, teeming with suspense to the last reel and abounding in romance it is a picture that is as educational as it is diverting and exciting Fay Wray in the title role gives an exemplary performance in a characterisation that will delightfully surprise her many followers. Opposite her in the featured male lead is Nils Asther, one of the handsomest leading men on the screen and an actor of merit The story goes back to those hectic days of 1915 on the German-Austrian-Russian border, when all of Europe was aflame The beautiful Russian girl who sacrifices everything to serve her country in the only way she knew how and the cross-roads she comes to when love crosses her path make one of the most absorbing pictures that has been seen in a long time. A great cast includes Edward Arnold, Noah Berry, John Miljan, Vince Barnett and Rollo Lloyd. The director, Karl Freund, has ~ turned in a masterly job on a subject he knows well. DOUBLE STAR AT KAPONGA. “Take a Chance,” showing at Kaponga, is the story of four sideshow carnival entertainers who go to New York and win fame and fortune on Broadway after many hectic adventures which carry them back-stage, into a crooked gambling hall and finally to the home of Long Island s socially elite. “Love Birds,” on the same programme, is the funniest picture in which Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitts have ever appeared together. Tire tricky story is so filled with hilarious situations and witty dialogue, and the stars enter into the spirit of the thing with such a will that the result is nothing less than a sure cure for the blues.