GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 26 June 1924, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The retail price of butter in Auckland province, was increased as fiom to-day by one penny per lb. A large willow tree fouled 'ho evliuders of the Wanganui town bridge and the efforts made to dislodge it have so far proved unsuccessful. A grower at Richmond, Nelson, is picking green peas and sending them tq the Wellington market, where they are realising 5s per peck. The return is equivalent to about £IOO per acre.

The gale last week at New Plymouth sank a fishing launch and drove another ashore. Targe concrete 'block. l at the breakwater end were scattered, but no damage was caused to the structure itself. The projected killing of a large number of horses at the Tokomaru Bav freezing works has been abandoned, owing to the objections raised by a considerable section of the Maoris. The horses were to have been rounded up from the Ruatorca district, where dairying will shortly be commenced, and it was estimated that close on 2000 would be collected. The opinion as to what exactly a farmer’s services are worth was greatly divided during the bearing of a fencing dispute at the Morrinsvillc Magistrate’s Court. A witness was asked it be thought a farmer's time was worth 2s 6d an hour, or oven Is an hour, on the farm, and he answered emphatically, “I do not” in cadi case. Another witness considered 2s 6d rn hour an excessive amount for a farrnei to charge—ls 9d per hour would I o ample. A third witness, however, considered that he would pay 2s 6(1 an hour to a good man. The fortnightly meeting of Court Southern Cross, 3123, A.0.F., was held on Tuesday evening, Bro. T. C. Baker, P.D.C.R., presiding over a fair attendance. The AVoortwards reported that two brethren had declared off the sick list since last meeting. A letter, conveying fraternal greetings, was received from Past Secretary Bro. T. Harris, P.D.C.K., who is now resident in the North Island. Bro. T. C. Baker, P.D.C.R., acquaint-

ed members with the hospital scheme rules, and explained some interesting points. One candidate was introduced and duly made a member of the Court and Order. Accounts, amounting to £32 (is fkl, were passed for payment.

At Christchurch on Tuesday., Mr Justice Sim dismissed a motion on behalf of the Official Assignee, to have payments made to Timnrn creditors by Frederick William Cochrane declared void. Cochrane, who filed last year, distributed assets amongst his Timaru creditors, Baying nothing of thirtytwo creditors in Christchurch, to whom he owed £1026, and they were excluded from participation in the payments. The motion was moved by Mr Donnelly for the Official Assignee, and was opposed bv Mr Campbell, of Timaru, for G. T. liawson, of Dawson and Porter, Timaru.

“It is no use shutting your eyes to the fact that if the moratorium is lifted it will affect a considerable number of farmers, even in your own flourishing province,” said the Dominion organiser (Mr T. Buxton), at the Farmers’ Union Conference at Invercargill, when the question was under consideration. “During my visit to Southland I have spoken to several farmers who will be seriously affected if they are forced to find the necessary money to repay their overdue mortgages, and those about to expire. In some cases the owners have several thousands of pounds sunk into then farms, and if they are compelled to repay the mortgages immediately they will be compelled to walk off their farms \rithout a single penny.”

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, before Mr E. D. Mosley. S.M. judgment for plaintiffs by default was given in the following undefended civil cases: W. Scott (Mr Inglis) v. T. Mai* haroa, claim £39 16s sd, costs £5 8s fid; C. C. Paterson (Mr Inglis) v. G. Quigley, costs only, 12s 3d; C. S. Frasei (Mr Webber) v. Frank Mason, claim £l4 2s, costs £2 18s; J. Ballantyna and Co. (Mr Webber) v. J. J. Kelly, claim £l3 6s 6d, costs £2 17s; F. H. King and F. S. Shrimpton (Mr Campbell) v. T. J. Roonev, claim £B2 10s, costs £5 Is 3d. On a judgment sum mons S. Taylor was ordered to pay the Canterbury Builders’ and General Labourers’ Industrial Union of Workers, the sum of £1 14s forthwith, in default three days’ imprisonment. Demetrius Sorenson was ordered to pay .C. A. Clark forthwith, amount of claim, £o 11s 6d, in default five days’ imprisonment.

Allegations that the methods employed by the Southland Electric Power Board in the prosecution of Die scheme wore wasteful and extravagant were expressed by several speakers at the annual Provincial Conference < i the Farmers’ Union. The main point of contention was that many of 'he lines being erected were along roads where there was not a possible chance 'of revenue being received, and tnat the board’s officers were not thoroughly aecquainted with the district througn which the reticulation was being carried out. The wanton waste of material was also severely commented on, and it was contended that as a result of this alleged lack of supervision the ratepayers were being unduly penalised in the matter of expenditure, for which they would eventually be rated in order to make up the deficit to be faced in the early years of the scheme. .