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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16898, 22 November 1920, Page 2

It is stated that in the Wairarapa buyers representing freezing companies arc offering 30s and 25s for both wethers and fat owe sheep. Tho price for iamb is 2os, while beef ranges from £2 Is to £2 5s per 1001 b., according to quality. Tho nurses of the New Plymouth Hospital succeeded in raising tho sum of £l9 lOat by tho sale of flowers in the streets on Saturday. Tho money is to ho utilised tb stock the Christmas tree at tho fair to bo hold in tho ''Workers’ Social Hall during tho first week in December, in aid of funds for tho Clarko Memorial Hostel. Tho statement accounts of the Nganiotu Seaside Committee for tho year ended October 30 shows receipts amounting to £768 6s Id, including rents £164 14s Bd, picnic £265 Os Id, seaside queen £233 0s lOd, grant Borough Council £62 lOS3- share sale of properties £42 15s 6d, donations £235. After meeting all expenses the committee is able to loan* to the Ngamotu Seaside Resort Co., Ltd., £456 10s 2d. Tho assets of tho committee amount to £2105 9a lOd, and there are no liabilities.

The buying of motor-cars goes on as briskly as ever, states the New Zealand Herald. In fact, according to one' dealer, business has never been so good as it is now. Largo numbers of machines are arriving, but the market is eager and quickly absorbs them. "There is no indication at all that. people arc holding olf,” an importer said. Tho adverse rate of exchange,- ho added, made no difference. His firm was not altering its .prices, because they believed that the rate of exchange would not stop where it was. The tendency of retail prices to .fall in tho United States was' not yet reflected in New Zealand. The majority of the United States factories whoso motor-cars were most in demand showed no tendency to fall. On the other hand, in many cases the dealers had been guaranteed against alteration in the factory prices. • Many motor vehicles are being imported for commercial purposes. There is said to be an especially heavy demand for motor-trucks suitable for the carriage of metal and timber. Sufficient of these machines could not he obtained, said the manager of one firm? United States motor-cars form the preponderance of those arriving at present. One man has just received the first of 11 machines ordered from England in October, 1918, and it woukl probably be some months before the last arrived.

Some housewives prefer darning hubby’s socks instead of playing while “No Rubbing” Laundry Help does the weekly washing.*

Owing Co very unfavourable weather, Saturday’s bowling fixtures had to be postponed.

One of the pleasure boats being built in Auckland at present is a small racing yacht of the one-design class, to the order of the Governor-General (Lord Jollicoe). His Excellency intends to have a larger yacht built for next season.

"One hundred barrels of fuel y>il have been received from Australia out of 200 ordered; the landed costs work out at £27 per ton' as compared with £8 2s 6d one year ago,” stated the Gisborne Borough Engineer in his report to the council last night on the electrical department.

Owing to an error in the Press Association message on tiio Timaru murder trial the evidence of one witness was made to read as though accused had asked her to write him as E. Irving, L. A. Lodge and F. H. Lindup. L. A. Lodge and F. H. Lindop are bank officials and the message should have read that they gave expert evidence as to accused’s hand-writing.

"Compulsion in finance always leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, but that is a matter, which cannot be helped, and is the result of a necessity which has given Mr. Massey no choice.' The test of the cqgntry’s credit will come when loans have to be renewed in London, as unhappily it will be beyond the power of the Finance Minister then to dictate what interest shall be paid.” —Mercantile Gazette, f

In the libel action brought by John Furniss against the Dominion and New Zealand Herald, the jury awarded plaintiff £l5O damages, £IOO to he paid by the Dominion, with costs on the lowest scale, and £3O between the New Zealand Herald and the Weekly Nows, with costs on the highest scale. The Dominion, owing to reporter’s error, bad stated that Furniss, a returned soldier, was “a mental case.”

A big firewood project is reported to be well on the way at Reikiorangi. Logs are to bo hauled from hillsides by haulers and sown np by electric saws and the finished product hauled to the railway by motor lorries. A large amount of capital is being expended by® a syndicate, who mean also to engage some 50 hands. Wellington will not bo short of firewood next winter if tho hope of the promoters is realised.

In startlingly dramatic circumstances two ministers were struck dead by lightning recently in a tent at'Springville, Indiana. A congregation of Free Methodists had filled tho canvas structure, a huge affair, to listen to tho Rev. John Timber, a well-known evangelist, and during his exhortations a thunderstorm burst over tho regioff. The preacher seized upon it to illustrate tho point of liis remarks. “If lightning should hit this tent and strike you dead, how many of you would be prepared to face yphr God?” ho queried impressively. Hardly laid tho words left Fis lips when a bolt did strike tho tent, killing the Rev. Henry Lenz and the Rev. B. W. Huston, wiio were beside Mr. Timber on the platform burned fife evangelist himself dangerously, and knocked down several of tho congregation. “The period of hesitation continues,” says the Now York Guaranty Trust Company’s circular -for September 10, “duo 'chiefly to uncertainty regarding tho course of prices in the immediate future. The judgment of most observers is that before tho end of the year a definite trend will make itself felt, and tho opinion is general that lower levels will prevail. For several mouths tho recession in wholesale prices has been continuous, and it will be reflected in tho retail markets as soon as dealers recognise the inevitable necessity of taking some losses in order to stimulate the lagging purchasing of the/public. Until that turn comes, tbo present disposition to make commitments,' with extreme reserve will continue. There is great improvement in the (congested condition of tho railroads, although tho strike of anthracite coal miners, which has resulted in new arrangements for the allocation of cars, lias interrupted the smoothing-out process. All business is feeling the effects of thocredit stringency. The nop movement fs proceeding satisfactorily. . “What I saw m Germany,” says Mr. J. C. Cooper, of Master ton. “convinces me that Uic people are just struggling to Jive. Auouier aspect of Gorman lifo that struck mo was tho number of men who are suffering from nervous disease duo to shell-shock, and tho vast number of ill-nurtured children with faces like those of old men. Trade with Russia- seems to be entirely out of the question. Their roubles are hardly worth tho cost oriprintiug. Indeed, 1 met a man who told mo that ho had bought 10,000 roubles for £2. Lenin has accomplished what he set out to do in Russia—destroy capital—but he realises that until ho has destroyed capital in the rest of tho world Russia will bo in a hopeless position. Until ho is able to say to tho worker in England, ‘You make ploughs and machinery for the Russian peasants for nothino- or else you have no bread to eat,’ Jio°lias in no' way accomplished his pm> pose. Ho realises perfectly that his system rs useless unless it is worldwide, and this is the aim of tho Bolshevist/ There is certainly no hope for trade with Russia so long as tho Soviet Government remains.” Twenty women, ox-war workers, eager to find-an outlet for their engineering abilities, have started a business under tho titled of “Atalanta, Ltd.” (states an English exchange). Enginecring captured their affections, and thov have taken a largo factory in the Midlands, subscribed towards tho capital needed, and have booked orders for almost immediate delivery. Lady Parsons wife of Sir Charles -Parsons, is the chairman of the. comany, and all the women workers are skilled and practical engineers. The secretary has been a technical superintendent in a largo factory, and one of tho women directors has'had five years’ experience of the commercial side of engineering. Tho women hope eventually to produce almost any article, including motor-cars and cycles of their own design. They have already secured two large Contracts one for pump machinery parts for draining the devastated areas of France, and another for hosiery needles. Profit-sharing by the workers is part of their plan. One of the first to adopt engineering as a profession, Miss G. L. Entwistle, has been elected the first woman member of tho Society of Technical Engineers.

L. A. Nolan and Go. advertise a sale of furniture for Friday next on account of Mrs. J. Clarke., Ladies' Tho Melbourne’s the place for corsets. Famous D. and A- brand, made in Canada. Those corsets are unsurpassed for comfort, fitting and wearing qualities, and arc much better value than foreign - niakes. Prices 14s 6d to 20s od.‘ “The beauty of ‘Fairy Wonder’ Washing Powder.” remarked a lady the other day, “is that it does the washing completely without having to use extra bar soap, like so many of the others on the market. _ ‘Fairy Wonder’ has proved a real fairy to me in ray house, and 1 recommend it to all my friends,” All grocers stock it.*

All Paris is laughing at the story of the well-known actress, whose famous bust burst during the pinning on of a Legion of Honour decoration. It appears that a nervously clumsy Ministerial representative drove the pin in to its fullest extent? Instead of the onlookers hearing a scream of pain they heard a report, owing to the piercing of a kind of semi-circular balloon ■which the actress was wearing'.

We have received a copy of The Scot, the first issue of the school magazine of Scots College, Wellington. It is well produced on good paper and contains full accounts of the usual school activities. The school lias progressed very rapidly. Starting with a roll of 14 boarders and 24 day boys in 1916 it had at the beginning of this year 136 boarders and 74 day boys—a total of 210.

A good example of court humour was heard this morning from a. witness in a case arising out of the ownership of a boat, which, it was claimed, had been lying in the mud near the prison embankment in the estuary for five or six months (states the Southland Daily News). Counsel for the defence was examining an elderly witness: “The boat was regarded' as a derelict wasn’t it?” The wdtness was puzzled. “I beg your pardon,” he said. “The boat was a derelict, wasn’t it?” repeated the counsel. “No-o,” replied the witness hesitatingly. “It was a flatty.” Following the example of the Bench, the court indulged'in a broad smile.

The news that Professor Garstang, of Liverpool "University, the director of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, is about to excavate the Crusader city of Ascalon, will set his- 1 torians agog for details, says an English paper. One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Ascalon was the birthplace of Herod the Great, and the' scene of many conflicts in the Crusades. Saladin and Richard I. captured it in turn, and the Sultan Bibars razed its fortifications in 1270'. Familiar enough to Old Testament readers, the city’s name also survives in current speech through its derivative “shallot, ’ a vegetable that originated outside the walls of Asealop. The, prospective wheat yield continues to exercise attention among farmers and others in Canterbury. It was stated the other day from Timaru that semi-official statistics collected per medium of »ards from growers indicated an area of 214,000 acres, as against an actual area of 142,000 acres last season. It was suggested that the area might be increased to 250,000 acres on account of cards not being sent to a number of farmeils. Trade opinion in Christ-, church, however, is that the send/-' ■official figures will probably bo near the mark. The estimate included the area sown and proposed to be sown, and shortly after the collection of the cards the double flood washed out some areas and prevented others from being sown. This* it is contended, will fully offset any under-estimate caused by the nonfilling in of cauls. It is stated that the area sown in the lower part of midCanterbury and throughout South Canterbury is very satisfactory, but the North Canterbury district area will be smaller than expected. “I could not buy coal and had none at home. If I had no money and my wife wanted bread I should steal it,” was the somewhat extraordinary defence made by a waterside worker, Thomas Daniels, when ho- pleaded guilty at the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to stealing 241 b. of coal, the property of the Railway Department, from the waterfront. “That may be so,” replied Mr. F. K. Hunt, SAL, “and I would not send you to gaol for stealing bread if your wife was starvingT'jjut you would have no right to steal under any circumstances. You earn quite good enough money to buy coal, and you know very wel,l that a definite warning was given that coal thieves would be sent to gaol. You are sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment, and consider yourself lucky at that.” The theft took place in September, and in order to obviate the necessity of having Daniels locked up the officials who caught him with the coal took his name and address. However, a false name was given and Daniels discarded his glasses and sacrificed a moustache in the interests of his liberty. However, lie was again recognised by one of the officers and steps were then taken to ensure his appearance at court. / According to some of the competitors in the essay writing section of the Mastertun Savage Club competition (says the Wairarapa Times) the “Three Fishers” must have haw some strange adventures during tlieir sea trip from Wellington to Cnstiepoint. In one it states that “the'launch was tossed from wavo to wave.” Another describes the fine weather met with during the first three days of the voyage, and the raging gales that besot them for the next tliree days. One little girl asks* “What did these men do wltcn the engine broke dowu and the storm arose—did they turn back as New Zealanders always do, or did they ,go on like true Britons?” A geographical expert explains that “when the engine failed they called- in at Napier for repairs.” Still another budding author informs us of the' return of these men from the war, “some wounded and some dead, and unfit for work of any kind, so they decided to go fishing,” and to put a final graceful touch to his work a kind-heart, ed little lad asks the people of Masterton to ho' “lenient with their motley, towards the three fishers.” The general standard of the work submitted is very high indeed, and the judges are having considerable difficulty in making the, awards.

Tho latest mail contains further news of good performances by George Davidson, the New Zealand champion sprinter. At the London Athletic Club’s autumn meeting at Stamford Bridge ho ran in ! the 100 yards, receiving half a yard from the scratch man, W. A. Hill, of the Surrey Club. The race was’won by a competitor who received 5< yards’ handicap; time, 9 4-ssec. Davidson finished third, about 1} yards behind the winner. In the 100 yards Invitation, Davidson again started off the half-yard mark. He put on a very strong finishing spurt and won by half a yard. The result was as follows;—G. Davidson (New Zealand), ,)yd., 1; F. Mawby (Surrey A.C., syd., 2; H. M. Deeley (Finchley H.) 4yd., 3, IV. A. Hill (Surrey A.C.), scr., 4; A O. E. Smith (Surrey A.C.), 3,lyds., 5. Time, lOsee. Davidson also took part in a meeting of the Surrey Club, of which he is on honorary member. Ho was one of a relay, team which easily secured, a victory. At a meeting of the Molinari Athletic Club, David-; son put up a fine performance in tfie' 220yds. flat. • W. A. Hill and F. Mawby also took part. Although at the bend the Now Zealand champion was ’baulked accidentally by the Surrey men and had to slacken speed, he succeeded in outpacing Hill in the straight, and won in good style by about a' yard. The time, 22 4-ssee., wms very good considering the deadness of tho track and the check Davidson received. Davidson gained another victory at an evening meeting of the Herne Hill Athletic Club, when he won a 220yds. handicap. He had,to give away 33yds., and had the outside running, and then won by a yard.

Chinese form the deck and stokehold crew of the English cargo vessel, the Walton Hall, now lying at the New Plymouth wharf. They are under the direction of English officers and four; quartermasters.,

In our report of the proceedings at the Magistrate’s Court on Monday fast an unfortunate error occurred in respect to a case for debt. It should have read Joseph West v.-‘ Henry Hambling, the former being the plaintiff, not the defendant, as would appear from our report. ■ ' • '

Tile baby voting competition arranged by the fPlunket Society concluded on Saturday and resulted m a win for Baby Hamilton, the Kawaroa Park nominee, who polled 4500 votes. _ Baby Dawson* nominated" by the . Victoria. League, was second with 4200 votes, and Baby Waldio (Lepperton) third with 4065 votes. The receipts for the baby contest amounted to £96, and Baby Day at Kawaroa Park £SO. The prizes for the first seven babies on the list may be had at the Plunket Rooms any day between 2 and 4 p.m. Ample supples of cement are being received in connection with the hydro-, electric wrffks at Rakauroa (Poverty Bay). Tile contractors received an offer of 4000 tons of Norwegian cement in barrels of 2571 b. at a landed price practically the same ..as it would cost to bring cement from New Zealand works;'one of the conditions of the sale being that the firm should take the whole consignment. The lowest quotation for all imported cement is from Norway, which has to buy coal at Newcastle (Australia), and snip it to Norway for the purpose of manufacturing the cement, A "Wanganui pressman who ha£ occasion to call upon a Maori resident the -other day accepted an invitation for a cup of morning tea. Evidently tlio hospitable Native considered that his pakeha friend might like a little additional nourishment,'as when the fragrant cup made its appearance it was accompanied by a dish containing four fried duck eggs, a large slice Or ham, several potatoes and a boiled schnapper. The visitor, when he got over his first astonishment, remarked with mild apprehension that the compassing of the feast was a 'bit' beyond him, but the amiable host .immediately consoled him with the remark: “Oh, you have two hours yet before the train goes.” An unhappy state of affairs is disclosed in the Fire Inspector’s report on' Napier’s fire services, made available recently. The storage capacity of the reservoirs is, limited to the-extent that at times the ordinary daily domestic consumption almost exhausts the supply, and the position from a fire point of view, is Large areas of the borough, portions'of which, such as Napier South, are thickly populated, are yet without any main fire reticulation. Altogether, the supply of water, and in great part the available working pressure for fire, extinction piljposea in Napier, is. inadequate to the extent that at times conditions in that respect become highly dangerous and a' serious menace to the safety of, the town. The council is endeavouring to improve the water supply and pressure, ajod seeing there is practfoally an unlimited supply of water to bp obtained within six feet of the surface, a number of wells could be sunk in suitable positions in the Napier South area. To-morrow at 9.30 Webster Bros, are selling 20 boxes strawberries and at 2; o’clock 800 cases Nelson apples. ;