LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160722, 7 August 1920, Page 7

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A most contemptible theft' has been reported at Gisborne. The Harbour Board has all ambulance waged Which is not under lock arid key p‘n account of the fact that it may be needed urgently at any moment. During the last few days some mean thief has stolen the blanket, bandages, and other equipment from the wagon. A private company with a capital of .£IO,OOO has been _ successfully formed in Wellington to import and exploit British film productions. The new company will be under the managing directorship of Mr G. D’Arcy Allen, who has recently returned from England. The capital has been fully subscribed, and operations are to be commenced forthwith. The subject of clergymen’s stipends was referred to in Auckland by the Anglican Bishop of Nelson, Dr W r . C. Sadlier, who said that at present no clergyman in his diocese was receiving less than £3OO a year. This year the minimum would be raised to .£350, and later it would probably be increased to £3OO. The clergy was also entitled to a substantial pension on retirement. , The only “passengers” on hoard the Leitrim, which arrived at Aucklandfrom Liverpool, were fifteen head of prize cattle, consigned to Hawke’s Bay, and one Shetland pony of rare blood. The animals were accommodated on deck in specially-constructed shelters, which did not prove equal to the strain of an Atlantic crossing. The shelters were carried away, and the ship’s crew were treated to the spectacle of a valuable Polled Angus bull wandering about the deck with heavy seas washing overboard. It is quite refreshing to hear a Minister of the Crown say that he intends to really push along some project. At the conference of delegates from hydroelectric boards in Wellington on Wednesday, the Minister of Public Works (Hon J, G. Coates) said the object of the Goveminent was to push on with the hydroelectric schemes. He was keen to see how quickly New Zealand’s wonderful resources icould he developed. The Otago scheme would be given close consideration, and it was a matter of months before it was known what the Government was likely tef do there. Mr Coates said he aimed at the satisfactory development of hydro - electricity throughout New Zealand. And so say all of us,—Wairarapa Times. An important conference of delegates of the Returned Soldiers’ Associations is to take place with the Minister of Lands at Palmerston North on Saturday week in regard to matters pertaining to the soldiers’ settlement scheme and the housing of soldiers generally, at which the Wanganui Association will be represented. ’ The executive of the local Association has been particularly active in the past, and for the district it governs has been instrumental in securing grants for approximately 300 farms and houses. There are still a large number of members of th. Association who require both land and houses, and it is the determination .of the Association not i to rest until ( he legitimate rcquire-M incuts of each individual soldier havel been met. I Persons requiring small quantities of! building timber frequently find it difficult to get their wants satisfied, more especially during the present period of building activity. A Wanganui resident explained to a “Herald” reporter to-day how, through the instrumentality of a friend, ho overcame this little difficulty. The few hundred feet of timber he required had been on order for several, weeks, when one day he mentioned his trouble to a friend. The latter had had a similar experience, so he “tipped” the yardman, and the experiment worked like magic. The informant, also tired of waiting, tried a little “palm greasing,” with equally satisfactory results.’ “Of course,” he added, “it makes the timber very dear, but what can a fellow do when he is in a hurry. It is like travelling on the ferry service, where, if you want concessions, you have to ‘tip’ to get them.” Speaking in the House the other night, the Hon. W. Nosworthy struck a popular note when he condemned th© disloyalists within our gates. Mr Noswortiiv said there wore persons trying to paint the country black in order to prevent people from coming here, and it had come to his notice that some people had gone Home with that object in view. He thought the leader of the Labour Party and some of bis colleagues who came to this country to benefit themselves, and did not want anyone else to benefit himself, should be put bag and baggage out of New Zealand. Anything in the nature of disloyalty should be firmly put down, 'the Liberal Party was shattered, but there were some elements on the Opposition side whi) would bo welcomed on the Government side to assist in fighting the section to which he had already alluded. This was a day in which reason ought to prewail. Every right-, thing person will heartily endorse Mr Nosworthy’s remarks. Wairarapa Times.