LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160813, 22 November 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is reported that President Wilson mav receive Hie Nobel Peace Prize for 1920.

The Norwegian Government has prohibited the import and export Of Bolshevist propagandist literature. Tho engagement is announced from Lucerne of the Crown Prince of Eouir,ania to Princess of Greece.

A Sydney cable states that tho first ocean yacht race since 1914 was won by Bona.. The Governor-General’s Yeulba was second. The cries of a woman from a house in Auckland attracted the attention of her neighbours who, upon making investigations found that the woman’s husband was lying dead on the floor. The shortage of kerosene has been so acute in the Poverty Bay district that many dairy farmers have had to discard milking by machinery and resort to the hand method.

English newspapers are beginning to give prominence to the important meeting of Empire Premiers in June. One paper says: “The conditions which first created the Imperial War Cabinet have not been essentially altered.” The Northumberland has arrived at New York from Wellington with 162,000 carcases of lamb and, 25,000 carcases of sheep. Two other cargoes of New Zealand meat are due in a few _ weeks in the Matatua and Port Curtis. t It is expected that finest lamb will be sold at 28 to S5 cents, per lb retail. The heavy frosts in parts of the South Island have caused orchardists to have an anxious time. Some fruit growers, more , especially the smaller ones, have nightly taken the precaution 4io protect their trees. In order to do so every portion of the family wardrobe has been called into requisition.

Various organisations in the United Kingdom, representing three million exservice mefi, including the Officers’ Association, are 'uniting shortly in one league on a ndn-political basis. They intend, besides emphasising their own claims on the nation as championed by Elarl Haig, and endorsed by tho Kjng, to perpetuate the memory of tho fallen.

Fifty-three building - permits were issued by the Christchurch City Council during October, as ( against forty-five in the corresponding month of 1918. Of these ■ twenty were for St. Albans, thirteen for Lin wood, eleven for Sydenham, and nine for the Central Ward. Since April Ist, 342 permits have been issued, as against 274 for the corresponding period last year. A Berlin cable states that the Reichstag is debating sensational revelations regarding the transfer of the private fortunes of many Royal personages, aristocrats ■ and financiers to a Holland bank. A raid revealed that the Grits-ser-Philipson Company had arranged an extensive flight of capital abroad, including sums on behalf <of the Crown Prince and the Princes Eitel, Fritz, Adalbert, Oscar and August Wilhelm, and General Imdeudorff, who now has .£300,000 in Holland,

A sitting of the Supreme Court com* monoea here to-morrow, and will be presided over by hi# Honor Mr Justice Chapman. A London cable states that John Me* Comack has postponed his English engagements. Be sings at two concert* jii Paris.

The Wanganui E.S.A. Follies left to* day fot Palmerston North, where they play a two-night season, for Which advance booking indicates good patronage- , , , At the Granity Band Contest on Saturday, Westport Garrison BAnd won both tli 9 test selections and the quickstep; Westport Garrison No. 2, the quartette; A. McMastors, the cornet solo; J. Lowe, the euphonium solo; J. Sara, the trombone solo; W. Bennie, the tenor horn solo; A. Fox, the B fiat bass solo; and. J. King the boys’ comet solo. •

Advice has been received from Belfast that the linen mills are not working full time on account of the quietness of the trade. The high prices that are ruling' have prevented many buyers from operating, but despite this fact 62.632,900 yards were exported for tho past six months of this year compared with 35,733,600 for the corresponding period in 1919,

The New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company distributed about £460,000 in the Waikato, King. Country, and Thames Valley districts on Saturday. The money comprises advance payments at 2s per lb for both butter and cheese for October, the prices paid during August and September, Is 6d for butter and Is 9d for cheese, will be levelled up to 2s for each product. The latest registrations of new companies include the following;—Durie Vale Brick, Tile, and Pipe Company, Ltd., Wanganui. Capital, J815,000, in £1 shares. Subscribers Wanganui» John Jones, A. W. E. Walpole, B. McAneny, James Patterson, M. Pauli, P. Higginbotham, W. G. Herd, C. SSwan, N, Meuli, all 100 shares each, Objects: Brick, tile, and pipe making.

The International Traders Limited, Sydney, having offered the Italian Government 200,000 tons of wheat at 15s 3d per bushel c.i.f., equivalent to eleven shillings f.0.b., the Imperial Government has notified Italy that the Australian Wheat Committee are the sole authorised sellers. It is understood Italy has been informed that in the event of unauthorised vendors failing to deliver, the committee will refuse to come to the vendors’ rescue, and will withhold supplies.

At the Sydney*night refuge and soup kitchen during the past year 54,726 men were supplied with meals, and 24,675 were given beds at the refuge. This is a daily average of 149 meals and 67 beds, and shows an increase of 24,310 in the number of meals supplied during the year and 864 in the number of beds. Women to the number of 1338 and six children have beer, fed, and ■shelter has been given to 577. This is some indication of tho poverty existing in the Australian dty.

A message to the Australian papers from Paris states that successful experiments have been made with a new vaccine, discovered by Dr. «%o;pedo, which, it is claimed, will cure foot-and molith disease within four days. Dr. Cepedo considers that the, infection is of a streptococcic nature, and hopes that the new treatment will replace serum injections. The highest importance is attached to the discovery, in view of the fact that the disease ha* cost Europe over 1,200,000,000 franca since 1918.

At the Court this morning, a wife mad© application to hare a prohibition order issued against her husband. In defending the case, the husband re* marked: “X don’t approve of it at all. I may have had a ‘spot’ or two but I am not so bad as I am made out to he.” After questioning him closely re* carding his earnings, the Magistrate informed defendant that he was go* ing to. place him on his trial during the Christmas season in order to see whether he could resist the temptation of drinking, and the case would b| adjourned till January 17th.

Tli© sitting of the Arbitration Court at Wellington next hlonday to consider the 9s bonus question will, it is considered, be the most important has ever taken place in the Dominion, and the adjustment of wages conditions generally is being deferred till the Court deliberates on the 'question. The demand of the Wellington waterside workers for increases in rates of pay has been deferred till the Court’s de* cisJbn, and it is also stated that the negotations between tho Amalgamated Society of Hailway Servants and the Government in the matter bf the longstanding demand for higher, wages have been similarly postponed. The gentlemen appointed 1 to represent the case, foi Labour are Messrs M. J. Reardon (Wellington Trades and Labour Council), T. Bloodworth (Auckland), and J. McCombs (Canterbury).

At tho Court this morning, on tho information of Mr Copeland, Borough Traffic Inspector, a number of motorists for exceeding the speed limit of lo miles per hour on the Great NorthWestern Hoad on October sth were fined from 20s, with costs to 40s. The lower lines were imposed in cases where the defendants appeared and pleaded guilty. Tire inspector stated that he did not take th© number ot any cars when the speed happened tc be less than 25 miles an hour. The Magistrate, in dealing {with on© defended case, stated that he did not consider 26 miles per hour an -excessive speed on this smooth-surfaced piece of road. However* the local body had charge of the thoroughfare and stipulated that 15 miles an hour was the limit so. motorists would have to abide by that decision. - A severe and painful accident occurred at the Mangapurua Soldiers' Settlement, Wanganui River, on Saturday afternoon. A returned soldier, John Amos, who wa* employed by Mowatt Bros., while working in the bush, fell on a sharp stake of cut supplejack, which entered his abdomen and pierced his internal organs. First aid was rendered at the settlement, and a horseman was immediately, dispatched to Pipirikv, for assistance. After a trying ride over twenty-five miles of rough country, in heavy rain and pitch darkness, the messenger reached Pipiriki shortly after 1 p.m. on Sunday. Hatrick’s river boat, the Waihora, immediately left for Mangapurua, but speed was impossible tfntil, daylight. A* Mangapurua the injured wi was taken aboard, and the boat started for Wanganui, seventy odd miles away. All possible speed was made, and Wanganui was reached at 1.16 p.m. yesterday, when an ambulance conveyed Amo* to the public hospital. Under unfavourable circumstances—it was raining heavily—the Waihora put up a creditable performance. Amos was operated on last night, and on inquiry to-day it was ascertained that he was slightly better. The home of tho injured man. is in Wanganui.

Eltham business men have resolved to support a provincial Saturday halfijoliday. Roderick tanuenfer was charged al the Court this morning with failing to pay a fine imposed! by the Territorial officer for being improperly dressed while on parade. Defendant, who did M Leo Fromont was charged at the ■[’curt this: morning with wearing a overcoat at a time when he Vas not attending paradm Defendant seated that he had borrowed the coat and was under the impression that it was r. returned soldier’s coat. He was fined ss, with costs. At the Court this morning, Robftt S Thompson was charged with driving bis motor car past a tram car that had stopped in the Avenue on October 13th. Rata Reynolds stated that the tram stopped opposite Messrs Williams and Harper’s, and just as she alighted she was struck by the defendant’s motor car. The wheels went over her legs. Defendant took her to a chemist’s shop and later sent her home in a taxi. Defendant, who sent a letter admitting the offence, was fined 40s, With costs 11a, . London dairy shopkeepers are being victimised by a prepossessing and elu* sive young woman who, by means of > worthless cheques, recently obtained several sums of money front , j!3O to =£so. She "obtained about £2O in her latest attempt. The thief, who is probably the agent- of a gang, selects « fashionable area" for her activities, and ascertains the names and addresses of customers who, are well known at a local dairy establishment. She, then on the manager of a dairy chop and inquires whether he will cash a cheque for bet mistress, Lady “X.” The request is made with such charming simplicity that no suspicions are aroused. . As well as the high cost off living the high cost of dying afflicts some New Zealanders. Or at any rate the high cost of coffins. Before the Auck* land Prices Investigating Tribunal the other day a complaint was read as to the price charged for a coffin, a coum try resident asserting that a neighbour had been supplied at a much cheaper rate. Another complaint was that .against a doctor, who was alleged to § have sent in a bill “out of proportion to f services rendered. Yet a third was ■J concerned with the supply of firewood \ to Auckland. Profiteering was alleged • * between the price which the wood was procurable in the country and the price at which it was retailed in the city. As indicating the increase in values Ixi Auckland during the war period, it is significant (says the New Zealand Herald) to note that the 188 dwellings for which permits were issued in the 1915-16 period were valued at .£119,631. while the 19 * dwellings for which permits were granted during the year ending 31St March, 1920, were valued at ,£211,180. The average value of the 183 dwellings in the 1915-16 period was approximately £336, while the average value of 190 dwellings erected in the 1919-20 - period was over £llOO. This increase in the cost of houses was largely due to the higher prices of all classes of building material and the higher scale oj wages. Inspector Cruickshank, of Greymouth, one of the best-known members of the New Zealand Police Force, will retire a; the end of the year. Inspector Crnickshank is well known and well, rememtefed ia gftwiy centres in both Islands. ©Dining te New Zealand from Scotland, he joined the force as a trooper ontho Otago goldfields in 1878. In 1880 he was transferred to Dunedin, and after spending ten years there went to Lower Hutt, where he took charge. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1900, and transferred 'to Wellington, whence he went, two years later, to Dannevirke as officer in charge. While stationed at Napier in 1911 he was made sub-inspector. Subsequently he was stationed at Dunedin, Timaru, and Auckland, until, in 1915, he was promoted to his present position of inspector in charge of the WestNCoast police district. He intends making a trip to Scotland in January to visit relatives and friends. An unhappy state of affairs is disclosed in the Fire Inspector’s report on Napier’s fire services made available recently. The storage capacity of the reservoirs is limited to the extent that at times the ordinary daily domestic consumption almost exhausts the supply, and the position from a fire point of view is daigerous. Large areas of the borough, portions of which, such as Napier South, are thickly populated. are yet without any main fire reticulation. Altogether, the supply of water,''and in great part the available working pressure for fire extinction purposes in Napier, is inadequate to the extent that at times conditions in that respect become highly dangerous and a serious menace to the safety of the town. The Council is endeavouring to improve tKe water and pressure, and seeing there is practically an unlimited supply of water to be obtained within six feet of the surface, a number of wells could be sunk in suitable positions in the Napier South area.