LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15973, 15 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A London cable states that the Felton Bequest has purchased for the. Nar tional Gallery a Victoria portrait of Countess Cavan, painted in 1751 by Allan Ramsay. Following upon a protest by returned soldiers, Dr. Ilirschfield, late German consul in Queensland, who was previously interned, but released on parole, has been re-arrestcd with, a view to further internment. The report of the educational eommittteo of the Anglac Memorial Fund states that there are 10,709 orphans in Australia whose fathers were killed in the war and recommends awarding them educational bursaries. Paris is without newspapers, while the elections arc on. Fifty journals have combined in the issue of a fourpage paper, La Pressc De Paris, whereinp: loading: writers express the views of their respective organs. Dealing with steamers’ accommodation in his annual report, Mr Gohus, local Inspector of Factories, mentioned that tho Act did not give inspectors sufficient latitude in inspecting accommodation, and ho recommended that amendments similar to those contained in Mr Veitch’s Bill might bo adopted. In the House of Commons, the Hon. Walter Long stated that the Hood cost £5,035.000, exclusive of guns. British naval losses since the Armistice were one light 'luiscr, two destroyers, two minesweepers, one submarine, three coastal motor-boats in tho Baltic, and two mine-sweepers and two monitors at Archangel. Tho Prince of Wales, in his speech at the National Press Club at Washington, said; Your instillations, ways of iife and aims are as democratic as ours. The atmosphere wherein I find myself is the same invigorating familiar atmosphere which I always noticed with my American friends. I deeply appreciate the hospitality of your Government in inviting and entertaining mfl so well. It lias been discovered that the new American steamer Bellbuckle, under charter to the U.S. and A. Co., which brought cargo from New Y'ork for New* Zealand and Australia, and is now discharging ait Wellington, has about eight fecit of water in No. 2 hold. The B elImgton cargo is not affected, hut a considerable quantity of lower cargo for Queensland, consisting of motor cars, machinery and general merchandise, ir.u&t have hccii submerged. Iho steamer proceeds to _ Sydney to finish discharging, and will then undergo examination. To drop over a declivity of 23 feet in a motor car, sweep away a G feet' galvanised iron fence, negotiate the trees of an orchard, pass on out into tho fresh air of the roadway, and be able t.> say “It never touched me,” is not what every driver can say he accompli died when practising for his “ticket.’ Yet it has been done, and the sceptical may see where the tornado on wheels made light of the fence concerned by standing on liver’s Pass Road above, tho Rhodes Convalescence Homo (says a v Grieymouth paper). By some moans tha > metorist-who surely deserves the name —passed over the channelling and footpath on the righ-hand side of tho road, he endeavouring, to turn, and proceeded down tho bank, at the bottom of which there is a galvanised iron fence, ,'rtia obstacle was flattened for some distance by the impact and the car went on, little damaged, through the orchard.

Owing to a typographical error in ycsterrtay's "Herald" we stated tha* the itjhow wuld be held on Thursday and Friday of next week. This should have read Wednesday and Thursday, and the letter will be observed as People's Day. An instance of the beneficial advantages of closer' settlement was quoted by Mr W. Morrison in his address at Westmere last night. He said that at Eapanoi 20 years ago there were only two farms; to-day it was subdivided and settled acd was in a very prosperous condition. It had its factory and hall, and was soon to have its school. H tie land was not flowing with milk snd honey, it was overflowing with butter-fat and money, and that was better. Bananas reached a record price in the Auckland fruit markets last week. On Thursday, cases containing about SOlb, were sold up to 38s, which would mean a retail price of at least 6d per lb. Hawkers' bananas—an inferior class of fruit—fetched 19s for a 601b. case on Friday, a very high figure. These ■prices arc the more remarkable, in view or the fact that November is the bestbanana month in the Islands, and that tie Talune this week landed 18,000 cases of prime' fruit. An extra demand for vegetable seeds, such :is. parsnips, carrots and salad stuff, exists in Dunedin, "where stocks are running low. The onusua-l demand ia stated to be due to the fact that many gardeners havo had to sow two or even three times, owing to the almost continuous cold weather causing a large percentage of the seed to perish in the ground, «<r stand still after germinating, thus becoming a prey to birds and crawling pests. Another factor is the bringing into cultivation of small plots of land not previously utilised, this activity being the outcome of the high price of vegetables. The obstinacy of a small donkey was the cause of a good deal of fun to onlockers at Victoria Wharf, Devonport (says an Auckland paper). The owner was anxious to get it aboard of the cargo boat leaving at 11.45, but it stood still when half-way along the wharf, and despite all coaxing, and eventually much shoving and thrashing, nothing could persuade it to shift one step forward, although it had no objection to going back the way it came. The boat' had to leave without it, and the process of getting it to shift in time to catch the next boat was itiie cause of endless amusement. The Reform Government is not always sincere in its desire to give the country children every facility for education. A ease in point was mentioned by Mr Morrison at Westmere last night. After mentioning what an excellent Technical College existed at Wanganui, he said that not many country children in the district could use the facilities provided, on account of the inconvenient railway service. Time after time the Government and the Kailway Department had been asked to put on a carriage to the the early morning goods trains for the convenience of the country pupils, or even to allow them to ride in the guard's van, but each time the request has met with refusal. "Settlemont, more settlement, and still more settlement," was cue of Mr Massey'6 catch-cries when lie was in opposition," said Mr Morrison at Westmere last night. "He would provide land for the landless, and this is how lie did it. The Liberal Party had fixed the limit of first-class Crown or Native land to be held by one settler at 640 acres; later on, when land became more it further reduced the limitto 400. Mr Massey when he got into office ]roiaptly increased the limit to 666 acres of first-class land, 2000 acres of second class, and 3000 acres of third class." Mr Morrison said he had no objection to make regarding the areas of second and third class land, but he certainly considered the' area of firstclass land too large. "The Liberal Party has a record to be proud of, and it would be a credit to any party in any part of the world. It had kd the world in humanitarian legislation, and would, when it regained office, again lead the world. The Eeform Party, when in opposition, opposed the humanitarian legislation, saying that it would be useless, but row that it was in office it administered those same measures. It claims that it is the or-e and only Liberal party, and that it would put more liberal measures on the Statute Book than the other party. I had not teen long in office, but we must judge X'pon what it had already done, and I can't say that it has shown any indication of being more liberal than the old Liberal Party," said Mr W T . Morrison at West-mere last Bight. In his address at Westmere last night Mr W. Morrison expressed the opinion that some better system of purchasing land for soldiers should be adopted. The officers sent by the Department do not apparently realise how much money could be made off high-price land. They fcad turned down land valued at <£SO or .£6O per acre because they did not think it could be profitably worked by the soldiers. In Taranaki dairying land was selling from i>Bo to ,£IOO per acre. • Mr Morrison quoted one instance which came under his personal notice of where a Taranaki farmer and his wife had taken off a 50-aere farm JEIOOO in one year. "This showed," commented Mr Morrison, "what could be done on the land when it is properly worked and manao-cd." Another illustration of the speaker's contention that the land purchase officers ■were out of touch with the real values of land was also quoted. He said that the Government was offered a block of land in the district for settlement of soldiers. The offer was turned down. The land was eventually turned over to a syndicate m Wanganui for JSO per acre, and this syndicate, without touching it, turned it over at ,£67 per acre. •'Onfr of my opponents seeks to make a lot of capital out -of an incident which happened in connection with the Bible m schools question," said Mr Morrison at Westmere last night. Proceeding, the candidate explained his ])ositioii! He said that five years ago the views o? his opponent and his one were practically the same on this question, which ■was made a great deal of by the Bible m Schools League, and naturally Sioiight he would get a share of their votes. He was informed that he would not get any of their votes, so he sought an explanation. He approached the . Eev. Mr Batler, the Presbyterian Minister at Normanby and President of the Bible in Schools League. When asked for an explanation Mr Butler smiled, and said that Mr Massey had sent ronnd, or had caused to-be sent, a cirJ. cular to all Bible in Schools Leagues that if he was returned to power he would give the referendum that the Lsagues were asking for. Mr Morrison said that he considered the information H-as quite first-hand, and that he was warranted in using it. If Mr Massey has denied it he would have to accept ft. *Phe circular must' have been sent by some member of the Reform Cabinet, ftnd Mr Massey must accept responsibility for it.

At the Magistrate’s Court this morning two first offenders (drunkenness) were, each fined bs, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. • Captain Norwood, of the Australian Y.M.C.A., succeeds Rev. Fort Newton as pastor of the London City Temple until March, 1920, when he will resume work in Australia. At 12.10 this morning the Fire Brigade were called out to extinguish a fire in the Avenue near Liverpool Street. The fire proved to be among shavings at the rear of a house in course of erection. No damage was done. A roving and pugnacious bull suffered an unfortunate fate when the _ train from the Waira-rapa was coming through the Ma-nawatu Gorge last week. While (he train was emerging from one of the tunnels it pulled up sharply. The bull had charged the engine. Beyond the temporary stoppage of the train, the animal’s misdirected energy had no effect on the object of its fury, while, by the force of the impact, the illstarred bovine itself was decapitated. Mumps has been prevalent throughout the whole of the Auckland district, and all schools have been affected more or less. The other day about 100 pupils of one suburban school were absent swing to the malady. The Health Department authorities state -that it’is not a bad type of mumps, but at the same time parents are advised, to use reasonable care in the treatment of their children, and not to allow them to catch a chill, which is simply done at this time of the year. “Bverv where we went,” said Mr J. H. Stewart, who has just recently returned from America*, to a Christchurch Press representative, “it was astonishing to bear (he adverse criticism of President Wilson. The people have apparently lost faith in him. In San Francisco he had a great reception, but when wo talked to the people everyone we met seemed to have something critical to say. They reckon he had no right to go to France. I saw him driving through the streets, bowing to everybody ne could see, and X have never, Seen anyone looking soi haggard. Rice is a scarce commodity nowadays, and is soaring up in price compared with pre-war rates, when it was considered one of the cheapest forms of food which could be procured. To-day from 8d to lOd per lb is being asked. Those who know the market, state that there is little prospect of improvement until next Mav, when the new crow is gathered. The Australian supply is said to be very limited indeed, and recent consignments have advanced in price, although this has not been passed on the public, to whom the retail price is still 8d per lb. A well-known Auckland merchant stated that he had managed to place an order in Australia for two tons at >£66 a ton, three times as much as it would have cost six months ago. In reference to a paragraph appearing in yesterday’s Dominion to the effect that the local Steel Pipe Company had purchased the well-known coastal steamer Aorere, we leam from Mr A. G. Eignell that the vessel is intended to freight steel pipes to Blenheim, where the Company has secured the contract for the whole of the pipes, etc., required for a high pressure water supply for that, town Owing to the difficulty of obtaining cargo space for Blenheim, the Steel Pipe Company considered it advisable to control its own shipping arrangements. Some necessary alterations are required to the steamer, and when completed the vessel will at once be placed in her new commission. It is expected the Aorere will commence her running within a few weeks. We wirii the neve owners every success in their venture. There are at present in New Zealand two women representing the British Government, who are making inquiries as to the suitability of New Zealand for immigration of women who had served in the* various women’s auxiliary services in Great Britain during the war. In order to assist the British representatives, the New Zealand Government is making inquiries through its officers in various parts of the Dominion as to the prospects of women workers obtaining employment, and, the wages which they are likely to receive. Inquiries are being directed as to the«opportunities for housekeepers, lady-helps, cooks in institutions, motor mechanics, farm work, such as milking, harvesting, ploughing, tending of stock, making butter, and cheese, etc. The women will be able to arrive in New Zealand about the middle of next year, A sensational occurrence has been reported to Detective-Sergeant Ward from Eskdale (states the Napier Telegraph). A man there was shot in (the neck. His wounds were considered so serious that he was later removed to the Napier Hospital for treatment. It is alleged by three men that they were taking a short cut across a property on Saturday night when they were called upon to stop or they would be shot. 'lbis command was promptly obeyed. Immediately a shot rang out and the three took to their heels. A second shot rang out and one man received a large number of pellets in tbe upper portion of his back, arms, and nc-ck. According to the police inquiries the owner of the property thought the men were trespassing and fired into the air. As the men scattered lie fired again into some trees with the unexpected result as stated above.