LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16036, 29 January 1920, Page 9

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of the Conciliation Council is to be held in Wanganui within a few weeks, when the furniture dispute for the Wellington Industrial District will be considered.

There was a large attendance at the “Messiah” performance by the N.S.W. Orchestra and the Wellington Choral Union on Tuesday, the takings being £541 9s, making the grand total up to date of £7,628. There is a possibility of Wanganui going “dry,” at least so far as supplies of South Island beer are concerned. This commodity is rather short in local hotels and further supplies are difficult to obtain.

The Okchu beach on Thursday last was quite an interesting place, for thousands of mackerel were washed ashore, and picnicing parties carried away fish enough to last for several days. Thousands were left to waste after tho pionicers had taken away as many as they wanted. A returned soldier writes us from ids farm: “Sir,—We had occasion to buy some goods from a Wanganui ironmonger yesterday, and tho enclosed paper was used to wrap them up in. To my idea it is glaring evidence that some firms are still trading with our enemy, and Hie matter should be looked into. If it is proved against any firm, well in all fairness to the 16,000 odd boys that went under in the recent war severe punishment should be handed out to them. It cannot be old stock, for it is getting on for six years since war broke out, and I as a returned man feel that the Patriotic Association should be told about it.” The enclosure forwarded by our correspondent contains the name of a German manufacturer, who states that the firm is well-known throughout the world for Hie high standard of all articles bearing hia name.

A difference of opinion was expressed at yesterday’s meeting of the local subprovincial executive of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union as to the produce commandP , n . {w delegate had remarked that he considered the commandeer had been very satisfactory, whereupon another delegate said that he knew of an inKuuici , vo.ore part of a lot _of wool went to two different valuations. The wool was in each case exactly the same class, yet there was a considerable diiference in the prices obtained. Another mentioned the difference in price which was paid for the wool by the colonial spinners and the price which the public had to pay for suits and woollen goods. Another declared that the commandeer had absolutely choked off wheat growing in this district. Hie grower received 5s lOd for his wheat, but the miller was not compelled to mill all the wheat, and he alleged that millers in turn sold the wheat at advanced prices. The commandeer had not been pushed to its logical conclusion the speaker said; there were too many loopholes left for making an unfair profit.