LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 10 March 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bluff oysters are selling in Christ church at 7d per dozen on the shell

A steamer arrived at Auckland from Cardiff on Monday with 6239 tons of coal for the New Zealand Government.

The Masterton Borough Council announces that there will be a penalty of 10 per cent, added to all rates remaining unpaid at 5 p.m. on Wednesday next, the 15th. The ruins of the engine shed at Cross Creek have now been removed and the work of rebuilding will be put in hand immediately. At least one of the engines that went through the fire, the “K,” i s past repair. An inglorious record is that of William Hickling, Av ho was on Tuesday, at Palmerston North, convicted of military default by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., for the tenth time. Hickling has been fined £37 in all, for failing iu his obligations, has served 28 days military detention, and has been deprived of his civil rights for the next five years. On this occasion another £5 fine was added to his list. Some alarm was occasioned yesterday morning by a vigorous grass fire which spread from burning garden refuse at- a residence in Cole street near Pownall street. A freshening breeze took possession of the flames, which overran the section and threatened to spread to neighbouring sections. The fire brigade was summoned, and with the help of a reel managed to get the outbreak under control.

In a discussion by the Central Chamber of Commerce (Wellington) on the Rimutaka Deviation the report of the president- on his visit to the Wairarapa with reference to the Wai-nui-o-mata deviation, was considered; and it w<a s resolved that the council was thoroughly in sympathy with early steps being taken with a view to providing some alternative route to that over the Rimutakas, and that its assistance would always be forthcoming to that end. Mr C. M. Luke commented on the great cost that would be entailed by the two tunnels —one a mile long and the other upwards of three miles long—on one of the proposed routes. Mr J. R. Salt: The increased value of the land would pay for the tunnels.

The Masterton County Council’s rates have come in very satisfactorily considering the financial condition of the country. At present there is only about £750 outstanding. What is stated to be a record weight pig for the South Auckland district was killed at the Te Aroha Bacon Company’s works last week. It weighed 611 lbs in the dressed state. The jockey A. Orrell, who, shortly alter his return to Australia from was suspended for two years for alleged improper practices at a recent meeting at Newcastle, wa s successful in his appeal to the A J C Committee against his disqualifies .I decided fry the executive of the Wairarapa provincial district of v, 7 armers Union yesterday, that Mr \V. J. Polson, Dominion president be invited to address meetings id Masterton and Greytown at the end of March or the beginning of April. An itinerant vendor of tomatoes (relates the Clutha “Free Press”) did good business at Balclutha saleyards recently, where he backed his cart in and sold 250 cases of tomatoes at 10s a case. The tomatoes were purchased by him at’ 5s a case, so that the enterprising vendor’s profit was something like £62 10s for the day—better than shearing sheep’ Heads of families will not extract much satisfaction from the announcement that there is to be a reduction of a penny on the price of the 41b. loaf (says the Eltham “Argus”). Of course any reduction is welcome but •when there is such a surplus of wheat that a quarter of a million bushels has to be exported to Japan a greater reduction might well have been expected. There will be no cheap bread whilst the subsidy system lasts; and as long as it docs last tjie Canterbury wheat growers will have “a good thing on.” ’ “We aJ! know the dramatic change that has taken, place in the price of wool during the past year,” said Mr ‘ T. O. Haycock, at the Farmers’ Union executive meeting yesterday. “There has been a rise of 30 per cent, in medium quality wools, and

we all hope that by this time next year there will be a further rise of from a Id to 2d.” Mr W. A. lorns said that reading a wool sale report and attending a sale were two very different things. The newspapers only gave the top prices, whereas the quotations for the majority of the wool were much lower. W’ith reference to a resolution passed by the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union regarding the freezing workers’ award, and asking Parliament to amend the law to enable appellants to have a rehearing of their case in the Arbitration Court within three months of the award being made, the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) wrote on January 20, informing the executive of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union that such a proposal had already been considered on several occasion. In any case, farmers could not obtain a rehearing of the dispute, as they were not the actual employers. At the meeting of the executive yesterday it was decided to write asking Mr W. Milne, secretary of the North Island Freezing Works Association, what the present position was in respect to the freezing workers’ award.

Two-seater &s»son car for sale. New five-roomed house for sale. Youth for dairy farm wanted. Compel ent ploughman seeks position. Washing and cleaning work by day wanted. First-class dairy cow, close to pro fit, advertised for sale. R. H. Anker, Greytown, will sell from his motor lorry to-day, nex: iSniitli, Sons and Davies, a choice assortment of apples. The prize money won by competitors at the autumn show held last week is payable at the secretary’s office today from 10 o’clock. A gorgeous window display of dahlia blooms is now to be seen at Mr J. W. Hodges’ shop, Queen street. Orders for next season’s planting are now being taken. Visitors to the Soldier’s Carnival will to-morrow be glad to know that Messrs Neill and Wotton will have a liberal supply of light refreshments, including iced drinks, etc. Particulars advertised on front page. X. R. B?own has just received “South with Scott,” by Captain E. R. G. R. Evans, C. 8., D. 5.0., R.N., price 10s 6d. Captain Evans was second in command of the British Antarctic Expedition and took over Captain bcott’s position as leader after his death. R. H. Hill and Co. are showing a 'fine selection of fitted and unfitted Mouse, week-end, ‘suit and dressing cases. Manufactured in London of solid leather from finest quality hides, all of which are guaranteed by the makers to have been in the tannirg pits for five years, they are strongly recommended for durability, settee, value and as useful presentation or personal gifts. 9 Visitors and residents of Masterton and district requiring a first-class luncheon or supper should visit the Touto ac Suite rooms, Queen street. The rooms, which are under the personal supervision of the proprietor, Mr H. H. Scott, are conducted on the most modern lines, and the appointments are thoroughly up-to-date. Hot luncheons are served daily and meals may be obtained at any hour.. A specialty is made of fish and chips to take away. KUR VAR VANE (Rcgd.) The Recognised Remedy. Three important points are indicated in the treatment of Varicose Ulcers and Bad Legs. Supportive, Protective, and Curative. Kurvarvane possesses all these qualities. Local agents, Gordon’s Pharmacy, Masterton. Prices 4/6 and 6/6.

w—. A rate of 4s 6<l per hundred sheep has been decided on by the executive of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union as a fair price to pay for crutching this season. From to-morrow, the price of bread will be reduced to 6d per 21b loaf sold over the counter, ail extra A<l being added for delivery ariff a further Jd for booking. Before the local branches hold the next shoot for the Farmers’ Union Shield it has been decided that the targets shall be made to conform with regulations. A Scottish farmer who sold his estate with the intention of settling in New Zealand is at present making inquiries for land in the Palmerston North district. Ho is astonished to find the difference in the prices ruling here, compared with Scotland. As an instance of the high wages earned by some workers in the United States, Bishop Locke stated in his address at Palmerston North that operatives in the rolling mills received as much as 100 dollars per week, equivalent to £2O in our money. The award under which members of the New Zealand Drivers’ Federation are working will expire on March 17. ; Proposals for a new award have been drawn up by the federation, and were presented to the employers yesterday afternoon. A Christchurch paper states that the new telephone charges will be ae follow: —Private residences. £9 per annum; besiness premises, £lB per annum. The authorities stMe that the announcement is premature, as the matter is still under roneideration. “One of the biggest cursee we have in this country is the men who gam- i hie in land,” said Mr W. A. lorns, ! at the meeting of the executive of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union yes- 1 terday. Several members signified their cordial approval of these sentiments. ft has been decided to form an •amateur operatic society in Hawera, ■ and that the initial performance shall i“The-Country Gir’.’ A full orchestra of 22 instrument. has already been guaranteed, and a room for re- I hearsals has been secured. Golfers: if you have tears, prepare to shed them now. M. Briand, the French Prime Minister, has expressed his profound contempt for golf, at which he tried his hand under Mr Lloyd George’s guidance. “It is a game for school boys, ” said the French Prime Minister. “Englishmen cease to be children. Cannot you enjoy a country walk,” he asked Mr Lloyd George, “without hitting a <dlly little ball?” Some consignments of new season’s fowl wheat from the South have arrived m Wanganui and the retail price being asked is 25s per bag. The quality is stated to be good. Appar- 1 ontly there are several grades of fowl wheat on offer in the South and the prices vary considerably. It is antici- ! pa ted that when the price settles down eventually after the thirsty season, good quality wheat will be rein the North Island at 6s per bushel. An important decision affecting land agents was given by Mf Justice Sim at Dunedin a few days ago. An agent had received £5OO as a deposit o i the purchase of an hotel, the sale of which was completed. He deducted his commission from this amount and paid the l>alance into Court. His Honour held that as the agent had not received an authority in writing to sell the hotel, as provided by section 13 of the Land Agents Act, he was not entitled to deduct his commission, although he had effected the sale. . Judgment was, accordingly, i given against him. It was stated that the Land Agents’ Association intends lodging an appeal. The dun is in a state altogether remarkable, according to a statement made by Mr Clement L. Wragge on Sunday evening. “Sixteen nuclei of energy in the photosphere were counted O s afternoon.” said Mr Wragge, “IwTides smaller ones. The disturb- ( e«l areas are in two main groups, the! larger solar storms are about 30.000. miles in diameter. Evidentlv theee | new v heavals in the sun are due to some tranoons cosmic influence and they •' probably without precedent at th : time, jrhen the sun’s minimum shou l ordinarily he ruling. •It will N* of great interest to note how’tho earth ”osponds. and some response is inevitable. Probably volcanic and seisini action, with hurricanes and heavy cloudbursts, will be reported eventually in various parts of the world with electro-magnetic disturbances.” The inquest concerning the death of Thomas George Miller was conclude 1 at Pahiatua by Mr J. D. Wilson, District Coroner. Dr. Dawson 4 said that on the man being admitted to the hospital from Woodville he smelt of stale beer. There were no marks of violence. A postmortem showed that the skull was fractured afla there was a clot of blood several inches long. Death was due to the injury to the skull and hemorrhage following. His impressron was that the fracture h d been caused by a blow with a smooth round instrument like a ruler. It might have been caused by a fall. The Coroner returned an open verdict. There was no evidence to s how how the fracture was caused. In his opinion the man was drunk when he was allowed to leave the Masonic Hotel and so was the witness Egan. Although no one saw him it was reasonable to suppose the man fell while in that condition. The writing prize s at the Pahiatua Horticultural and Industrial Society’s Show were awarded as follow:—St. 1. Margaret Finch, St. Bride’s School (Masterton), 1; Irma Webb, St. Bride’s Convent (Mastertoni, 2. St. ll.—Willie Ford, St. Patrick’s School. Masterton, 1; Eileen O’Leary, St Bride’s School, Masterton, 2; Tom McCracken, St. Patrick’* School. Masterton. v.h.e. St. lll.—Petei Fast wood, St. Patrick’s School. Mas terton, 1. St. IV.—Thos. Robinson Mangatainoka School, 2. St. V.— Mary Hampton, Mangatainoka School I ; Harold Dunlop, Mangatainok; Sehool, 2. St. Vl.—Jean Reichenbach, Mangatainoka School. 1; Ar thur Walkley, Mangatainoka School 2. The standard of work in the lowei classes was particularly high. Th judge* congratulated Willie Ford (St Patrick’s, Masterton) on his goot