LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15975, 18 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A record, price of 9s per bushel was paid for maize iu Sydney yesterday.

The Groat North Telegraph Company notify the re-establishment of direct com* munication between Paris and Frederic! a (Denmark). William August Tsaaes, a returned soldier, aged about 46 years, was found with his throat cut in a boardinghouse at Christchurch yesterday. The authorities estimate Victoria’s wheat yield at 13.578,134 bushels compared with 25,240,000 bushels in the previous year.

Lieutenant Pickles has completed an aerial survey trip from Sydney to Broken Hill and hack. His report will throw valuable light on the inland conditions of aerial travel for future use. A Sydney cable states that Fred Niblo and his wife (professionally known as Enid Bcnnct) are claiming iIO.OOO damages against the Australian Bystander for an alleged libel published on September 4th.

A stop-work meeting of seamen in. Sydney yesterday decided to give the coastal owners twenty-four hours’ notice of their intention to strike because the owners refused to come into line with the recent inter-State agreement.

Owing to the continued increase in the price of silver, the Commonwealth, Treasury contemplates the early issue, of five shilling banknotes. The Treasury is also considering minting new coins with less percentage of silver. A daring burglary was perpetrated at Grey Lynn (Auckland), early on Saturday morning, a cordial factory being broken into and the safe in the office blown open. A heavy ckargeAkff explosive was used, and residents ink the vicinity heard a loud explosion. Although not yet 19 years of age, 9 youth who left Leighton Buzzard workhouse to go on the training ship Exmouth, became chief petty officer and sub-instructor of wireless in 1914, and is now a wireless operator in the Malay States at A 250 a year. A Sydney cable states that evidence given before the Select Committee which is inquiring into the Child’s Maintenance Bill, showed that during the five year?:, 1914 to 1918, State workers lost 5,615,000 days through strikes. The Board of Trade has opened an inquiry to determine a living wage for women. 'Hie Auckland Provincial Employers’ Association is requesting the Government to fix the date of the elections as December 10th, if possible, it,being considered that if the elections are held later there would be a great dislocation of holiday business. It is understood that Mr Hughes (Federal Prime Minister) purposes to pay the soldiers a gratuity of Is 6d per day from embarkation to the official signing of Peace on Juno 21st, and to allow volunteers who did not leave the country a shilling a day for the time they spent in camp.

There is a scarcity of news printing paper in the United States and Canada, The Paper Controller of the latter country has intimated to the manufacturers that they must first supply the local market, and tinea tens to shut down on exports. This is bad news for New Zealand newspaper proprietors, who are dependent upon Canada for their supplies.

A telegram from New Tork states that clminiation of type-setting, one of the costliest operations of magazine production, by the use of plates, made by photographing the original type-written copy, has l>een accomplished in the October IB issue of the Literary Digest, consisting of SO pages. His radical innovation, which was brought about by a prinlei's’ strike, leads the publishers to suggest that “it is possible in this age of marvels that the whole future of magazine production may bo revolutionised by tho elimination of type-setting.” The make-up.of the magazine is no way changed, the only difference being that the stylo of tjpo is that used on typewriters, and is uniform in all the reading matter throughout tire number. The right-hand inside of each column is irregular, as in ordinary typewritten copy.

The energy with which the Americans are entering into the trade war was referred to by Mr Moritason, of Dunedin, in an interview in Auckland, “Every steamer passing through Hono. Inlu on her way to Australia, New Zealand, and the Orient,” ho said, “carries Americans whose mission is to secure trade or establish branches of American firms. A steel company proposes to start a branch in New Zealand, and a New York bank, lam informed, has \ the intention of establishing in all a Pacific countries offshoot banks, which ' will discount all American drafts on the various business houses for these purchases at 3per cent, without recourse,” Mr Moritz son considers that New Zealand should appoint as travelling representative a thoroughly qualified business man, whoso duty it would be to promote New Zealand trade hi fj» neighbouring lands.

The International Labour Conference , ias admitted Finland to membership. ' “Swanker” Pickering, of Palmerston North, forwards £4 for the Tainui Relief Fund. In sevsy days’ racing at Christchurch (racing trotting) the sum of £477,813 was put through, the totali--1 sator. The Pacific Cable Board notify that there is heavy delay on traffic from the United Kindom on Anglo and commercial Atlantic cables. Messages received this morning were dated 13th, 14th, and loth. Workers of the Liquor Trade Union in Sydney have presented an ultimatum to hotelkeepers demanding a 48-hour week and an increase of 17s weekly, in consequence of the Board of Trade's judgment, otherwise further action will be taken.

The Bishop of London, speaking regarding his efforts for the re-union of Christendom, said he wanted to see a re-union brought about with the Wesleyans, but in any scheme they “must never throw over the historic orders of the Church of England.” A Wellington telegram stiftcs that advice has been received of the death in England of Mr J. W. Joyflt, formerly principal of the Nelson College, and subsequently registrar of theN.Z. University. The deceased had acted as London agent for the University for several years past. A Beaumont young man with a penchant for chocolate had a unique experience a little while back (states the Tuapeka Times). He had provided himself with his usual Saturday night’s suply of a well-known brand and on Sunday proceeded to share his case with a lady friend. To his surprise it refused to break, and on closer investitation, he found securely embedded in the centre a well-worn rubber from a lady’s heel. At times very amusing if not ridiculous requests are made by the camera field, but the following is probably unique:—On a receut Sunday several parties went out on Lake Rotorua fishing from boats. One boat, containing some military hospital patients, came to grief, aud the occupants were thrown into the water, where they remained for some time clinging to the upturned boat until another heat came alongside. The latter contained a can-era fiend, who calmly requested the ‘"rescue” to bo deferred for a few moments until he obtained a snap!

A. curious point in regard to an old English law ’dealing with dogs, which lias only be'-n altered within the last few years, was mentioned by his Honor Mr Justice Chipman .it the Supremo Court at Palmerston recently. Though the dog had been for centuries a domesticated animal, said his Honor, it was not recognised as such by law in England. The result was that no one could be apprehended by the police on a charge of haring stolen a dog, but many London thieves were brought up and nunishcd on charges of having stolen a collar. The following badges of rank have been authorised for warrant officers and n.c.o.’s of the New Zealand Military Forces: —Warrant officers. Class I; Stalf-Bergeant-major, instructor, Royal Arms and wreath; ; sergeant-major New Zealand Army, Medical Corps, Loyal Arms and Geneva Cross; all other warrant officers Class I, Royal Amis. ’Warrant officers. Class II: Quartermaster-ser-geants New Zealand Army Medical Corps, crown and wreath and Geneva Cross; all otiier qnartermastcrsergcants, crown and wreath; squadron, battery, troop or sergeant-major, crown. N.c.o.s staff-sergeant instructor and staff-sergeant accountant, crown and four inverted chevrons on forearm. At a woll-atiendi'd meeting at Easttown Workshops, held at lunch hour yesterday, the following resolution was passed: “That in view of the indisputable evidence placed before the Railway Co min i nee and Parliament in support of the appeal and the right of railwaymen to increased wages to members of the Second Division and the expressed wish of all members of the House to meet the demands, we regret that Mr Massey deemed it necessary to appoint a board to consider the case. It bus already been proved that this will mean further delays, and as the cost of living is slid rising, we urge that tlx; board nice.lag fee hastened, so that immediate relief may be given to members of the Second Division.”

A good story was related at the Supreme Court recently by Air Justice Chapman duilng tin- hearing of an appeal arising out or the decision in a cas ■ v-ie- 'ionsly heard in Woodvilie in which a dog nud been run over and hilhd by a motor-car. Counsel were wrestling vercaliy \vith the point at issue as to whether the driver had been guilty of negligence when his Honor intercepted. Many years ago, said his Honor, a case was heard before a Magistrate in which a vehicle had come into contact with a cow on a narrow road on a hill abutting the sea and bad knocked the bovine into the water. Tiie animal was drowned and compensation claimed on the grounds cf negligent driving. After hearing the evidence the Magistrate non-suited the plaintiff, holding that the cow, having been on the wrong side of the road, was guilty of contributory negligence.

There is a prospect of a valuable oil "strike’’ at Cheviot, on the Seaward Ranges, and Dr Henderson, Government geologist, has arrived there to carry out a survey for the Government, ioero is a good deal of suppressed excitement in the district. At present two shafts have been sunk, and thev indicate oil very clearly. The Government geologist will make an exhaustive examination for the reservoirs. A party has taken options or concessions over a large range of country, including the Seaward Ranges. Seepages of gas and oil occur in the strata, and the country is typical oil country, but quite unlike anything prospected 'so far in New Zealand. A bore is said to be down at a place called "The Brothers,” and here the smell, at all events, is accessible, and it is understood that the Government will be given an opportunity to take over the “strike” if oil is found. Hie presence of oil has been suspected in Cheviot for many years past, and 20 years ago a bore was sunk in limestone country, but those who had the matter in hand did not go on tvith it.