GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18818, 5 March 1931, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

A cable message from Sydney announces the arrival of H.M.S. Dunedin from New Zealand.

Tlie Mayor of Invercargill's earthquake relief fund passed the £IO,OOO mark yesterday.

A cable message from Melbourne reports that “The Argus" fund for the New Zealand earthquake sufferers, closed with contributions totalling £4494.

A cable message from Sydney reports that two hundred officers and marines of H.M.S. Dunedin will march through the City to-day in aid of the earthquake fund.

Last evening in the Century Baths the Star Swimming Club held a 100 yards championship race for the Lindsay Cup. Following was the result: J. Duncan 1, W. Lillico , J. Gillen 3. Won by two feet. Time, 69 l-ssec.

The chairman of the Levels County Council stated at the monthly meeting yesterday that the Council was finding work for the unemployed, eleven men having been put on. The engineer (Mr T. Black) said that so far all the men put on were two-day men.

The Rangitata river has been discoloured all this week, and salmonfishers have been unable to operate. It is expected that the river will be clean to-day or to-morrow, when it will be ascertained whether the salmon "run” has commenced, as Is asserted by some fishermen.

The average price per bale at the January wool sale In Christchurch was £6 0s 9d. At the sale on Tuesday the average was £lO 0s lid. The increase of £4 per bale on 13,100 bales totalled £52,4000. The average this week was only a farthing below the average for the Christchurch sale in March last year.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Levels County Council, the chairman (Mr T. B. Garrick) made reference to the earthquake disaster in Hawke's Bay. and a motion of condolence with those who suffered bereavement was carried in silence. The chairman also stated that the Council had done its share so far as contributions to the relief fund were concerned, a donation of £IOO having been made.

A 20 per cent, reduction is to be made in the classified rate for fat stock railed from stations north of Matamau for the remainder of the season. The Minister of Railways (Mr W. Ai Veitch) announced that the Government had decided on this concession in view of the disorganisation of the freezing industry in Hawke's Bay. The Meat Board had suggested the need for a concession, offering a grant of £IOOO toward the cost.

The substantial increase in prices realised for wool at the Christchurch sale has been received with considerable satisfaction in commercial and farming circles in South Canterbury, and has had a heartening effect right through the business community. It is hoped that this is the turning point in the depression, and it is pointed out that if the rise in values of wool is maintained, this wifi be reflected in prices of sheep, as a result of better prices ‘for skins.

The need for economy in every direction was stressed by members of the Levels County Council yesterday, and towards the close of the meeting the chairman had a joke at the expense of the Council. Natural light in the Board room not being too good, the electric lights were switched on, but later when conditions improved, the lights continued to burn. Eventually the chairman (Mr T. B. Garrick) remarked: “Turn off the lights. We are preaching economy and are wasting light.”

A great deal of inconvenience has been experienced by drovers in South Canterbury as a result of farmers leaving road gates open. This complaint was brought before the Levels County Council yesterday by the chairman (Mr T. B. Garrick) who said that gates were being left open, and sheep which were being driven to works or saleyards made in through the gates, and valuable time was lost rounding them up again. He requested county ratepayers to see that their gates were kept closed.

Local Druids will be interested to learn that P. G. President Bro. R. W. Simpson has been appointed by the three Grand Lodges in New Zealand to represent them at the Biennial Conference to be held in Southampton on }6th June. As this will be the 150th anniversary of the Druidic Order in England, it is expected that thei j will be delegates from Germany, America and other countries and amongst the excursions arranged for them will be a trip to Stonehenge.

Conditions at Port Napier are reported to have improved considerably since the earthquake, and arrangements are now being made for a large number of vessels, both overseas and coastal, to call there. Three large overseas vessels —the Commonwealth and Dominion Line steamers Port Victor and Port Pirie and the Shaw Savill, and Albion steamer Mamilius—are loading in the roadstead this week. Repairs have been made at Port Ahuriri to allow the Richardson Line coastal vessels to discharge and load without difficulty at the wharf, where H.M.S. Veronica was' berthed. Owing to an increase in trade with Napier the Union Company's steamer Waimea, which has been laid up at Auckland since the earthquake, is to be recommissioned in the east coast trade, and is to be despatched fo. Gisborne and Napier next Tuesday. Advice has been received that the breakwater wharf has been repaired, and is available for shipping, and in consequence arrangements have been made for the American steamer Golden Cloud to load refrigerated cargo at Napier for America next Friday. It is understood she will be the first overseas steamer to berth at the breakwater wharf since the earthquake.

The Main Highways Board having intimated that it was not prepared to subsidise work done by the unemployed on main and secondary highways, the Levels County Council, at Its February meeting, decided to approach the Board with a request that it should waive this decision. It was stated at yesterday’s meeting of the Council by the engineer (Mr T. Black) in reply to a question by Mr C. E. Kerr, that no reply had been received to the Council’s communication, and In view of a meeting of the South Canterbury Unemployment Committee to-night, it was decided to telegraph to Mr F. Langbein (representative of No. 15 District Highways Council on the Board) asking him to ascertain the decision of the Board.

In sending a remittance to the Earthquake Relief Fund, the Presbyterian home missionary at Granity, Mr Walter Humble, wrote as follows: “My parish appreciated very much the help given by our Church throughout New Zealand in 1929, and knowing from bitter experience the urgency of the need, I hasten on behalf of the GranHy-SeddonviUe parish to send ten pounds (£10) for immediate use in the Hawke’s Bay district. There has been no time to raise it; we are sending it and then raising it. Our Church finance is sadly on the wrong side; our people are working less than halftime; and there are many calls upon them at this time, but we feel something must be done, and at once, for our stricken people in the Napier district. We have been comforted to comfort.”

The fortnightly meeting of the United Ancient Order of Druids was held on Tuesday evening, Arch Druid Bro. McCone presiding over a large attendance of members. Correspondence from various lodges, was dealt with. The sick bards reported on the sick brethren, showing eight on the Sick Fund. Sick pay amounting to £27 0s 8d was passed for payment, also three maternity claims and various lodge accounts. A letter from a distressed brother was held over till next lodge night. Bro. Bagby, of Lily of Temuka Lodge, was present and received a hearty welcome. The question of Juvenile Lodge ages was left in the Grand Lodge representatives hands, to be brought up at the Grand Lodge Session. P.A. Bro. Kilgour, convener, gave a comprehensive report for the committee set up to go into ways and means of reducing contributions and to help brothers in distress. The committee's recommendations were unanimously adopted. The committee were accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Fast Arch Bro. Kilgour reported on the Juvenile Lodge, and stated that all was going well towards starting a Juvenile Lodge of Druids. The Lodge was closed in the usual manner.

We are on the way to a lower “cost of living” basis, and hardware prices are being brought into line by England, Mcßae's. Compare these prices for guaranteed goods. Full size axes 5/11, threequarter axes 5/3, half axes 4/3, useful hatchets 2/11, English flat files three for 2/6, mowing machine oilers lid, and genuine Wellandvale hay forks 3-prong, 4/6. For the economical housewife there are wooden jam spoons at 5d each, high quality enamel mugs lOd, 1/-, and 1/3, English nail brushes 4d each, harvest knives and forks 1/6 per pair, and patty trays 9 and 12 hole at 1/- each. Study economy and buy high quality hardware at bedrock prices from England, Mcßae’s