LOCAL & GENERAL.

Western Star, 19 March 1920, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Next Tuesday, 23rd hist., is a Bank holiday. The duty hag been remitted on Australian pork. There is a scarcity of pigs in New Zealand.

Two robberies are reported from Rotorua, and in one case an old man was attacked with violence.

\ Phenomenal rentals are being received for flats in Dunedin, where lettable bouses aire very scarce. With the. help of the Repatriation Board, a Diggers’ Sawmilling Co. has been formed on the West Coast.

The output of coal on the West Coast is increasing, and the position among the miners is daily improving. A very serious block has occurred in the Panama Canal, and this will interfere with shipping to New Zealand. Dennis Quilligan was arrested at Wellington on a charge of stealing furs and apparel of the value of £2ll. The Southland Girls' High School held their annual sports yesterday, and it proved; a most successful gathering.

The crops in the Lekes district are reported to be anything but good owing to the extreme dryness of the season.

Influenzal outbreaks are reported from various places, the latest being Stewart Island, where one death has occurred.

The W.C.T.U. Convention at Wellington passed a resolution urging appointment of women to the Profiteering Boards. Three imprisoned aliens have escaped from Featherstone, and, so far, they have managed to evade the authorities.

Riverton must be a good business centre. On Wednesday it was visited by noi less than seventeen representatives of comfmercal firms.

Canterbury farmers’ representatives resolved to urge the Government to have the meat commandeer continued until all the stores are cleared. North of Lumsden. several splendid crops of barley have been harvested. During the fine weather women harvesters were much in evidence. The Commionweatli Government has made a three years’ agreement with the Sugar Companies, and the price ia to be increased to £3O 6s Bcl per ton.

The United States Navy Committee has cut down proposed naval expenditure by sixty millions. Many Pacific projects were not considered necessary.

There is evidently a shortage of Police in New Zealand. The Department is inviting applications from eligible men between.the ages of 21 and 30.

There is a great shortage of houses in' all the towns, and although they are dear at present, property agents confidently affirm a further substantial rise in values. • Small, lots -up to seventy of the Traveimai .Estate near Tenmka were disposed of at auction at prices ranging from £2B per acre up to £94, Land values show no: decline anywhere.

Premier Hughes says that the Commonwealth Bank will not further increase its note issue. To stabilise prices, they would require to get back to a metallic currency as quickly as possible.

It is announced at Christchurch that arrangements have been made with a British Company to establish a self-contained iron and steel works in the Dominion to l work the Parapara iron deposits.

The sequel to the shocking murder of the postmaster at Ponsonby, Auckland, who was shot dead) without warning, has been the arrest of Dennis Gunn, aged 26. The motive for the deed was robbery.

Three men were charged at the Invareairgill Police Court with the theft of 75 cases of petrol from the warehouse of Briscoe and Co., and were committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court. Forged banknotes are 'again in circulation. They are Bank of England notes and Treasury notes. The forgeries are blurred in the printing, and show a crude representation of the King’s head and House of Parliament. There is much public comment on the question o-f railway men’s wages. The response to their demiand for an increase in wages has been the offer of one shilling a day, which the men consider totally inadequate. Unless, their demands are met, it is stated that the men intend to strike.

Travellers complain of the bill-of-fare at many places in Invercargill, They aver that lately the hungry man was informed that eggs, fish and bacon were “ off,” and they had to accustom themselves to tea without sugar. The rapid increase in tlje cost of living is teaching people to realise that happiness consists in having few wants.

Locally red cod are not thought much of as food. Informed of this, a| visitor said the red cod round the local coasts were only scavengers, and ho was not surprised to leani they were not relished. There was, however, no finer table-fish than a deepsea red cod -weighing 'ten or twelve pounds, and, in his opinion, it was preferable to blue cod.

Mr J. C. Thomson has received the following communication from the Minister of Marine:— * Reverting to your letter of October last asking whether the Pilot Reserve at South Riverton -could be vested in the Borough Council, I have to state that the question of vesting it in' the Council will be considered in connection with the preparation of legislation for the ensuing session of Parliament.”

Writing from Levin, North Island, to a friend, a. former resident of Riverton says that he was very much interested on reading Mr Tanhoc-k’s report on the beautification- of Riverton, At Levin they fiad held a carnival to raise funds for similar work in that town, and the financial result was tha~ the committee netted £I4OO, which would enable them to carry out- much useful work. Levin is a clean,' well-kept, and prosperouslucking town, ■

The Balcluthai District High School has been closed for .another week on

account of influenza.

Twenty persons are at present in receipt of charitable aid in Wallace-, five of whom have families.

Patients payments for treatment at the Wallace and Fiord Hospital for the past month amounted to £lB6 8s 6d.

The body of a woman was 'found in Palmerston North with her throat cut.’ The , circumstances are suspicous and indicate murder.

A settler in Pohangina tried the effect of sheep dip on a smiill patch of pennyroyal. The weed ia still living, but three fine mother-fed calves are dead.

The Riverton District Brass Baud will render a programme of music at The Rocks on Sunday. One of the items will be a military fantasia, entitled “ The Young Recruit.”

Wm. Todd and Co. submitted to auction on Wednesday, on account of Mr S. Hehni, a number of sections facing -the beach. Nine were disposed of, the highest price being, £SO.

Jas. "Hazlett, J. T. Counsel!, and David McDouga.ll, were each fined l £5 on the reserved judgment of Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., for alleged netting at the mouth of the Waimatuku.

At a clearing sale held at Groper’s Bush last week a number of pullets from Mr Provan’s strain of poultry brought ■ 13/6 each, while a line of lambs realised only 9/-. A bicycle belonging to Mr H. J. Walden, and horse covers, the property of Mr Jas. Thistle ton,- were amongst the articles stolen by the burglars who visited Riverton on Sunday evening.

Mr Masters, who was returned for Stratford,, has lost his seat, through a petition alleging corrupt practice, in. that a free picture, show took placet on .the evening before the election. The Hon. Mr Hin© was his opponent.

It is stated that a commercial ;traveller is touring, Hawke’s Bay as representative of a German hardware firm. The prices are said to be moderate and the quality right. The beginning, no doubt, of a deluge of similar genti’5 T ! . ..

It is understood (says the Southland Times) that the Grand Hotel Proprietary Company has acquired the Aparima Hotel, Riverton, which will be run under the management of Mr G. Rutherford along with the Southland Club and the Grand.

As the result of a heavy nor’-wester which blew on Monday a- number of bush fires were raging in the Longwood ranges, and sawmillers had an anxious time, in saving their mills from the flames. A change set in cm Tuesday, when welcome rain fell and extinguished the fires.

It is stated that the executive of the railway workers has*received advice from some of New Zealand’s eminent lawyers that they cannot be deprived of ' their superannuation, provided that they give adequate notice of their intention individually or collectively to leave the service.

A motor cyclist had a painful experience on Wednesday evening. He had his leg hanging out of the sidecar whilst the driver was turning on the road in South Riverton, when, Ids foot was drawn in between, the driving, chain and the sprockett, with the result that several of his toes were taken off.

A dance will be held in More’s Kali bn Easter Monday night after the pictures. The management have made arrangements for looking after the cloak room, so that the experience of the last Easter dance is not repeated. Mrs Beer’s orchestra will supply the music, and the price of admission is reasonable,.

The Deputy-Mayor (Or. J. 0, Hymens) invites ratepayers to a meeting to be held on Monday evening to consider the proposal of the Southland Electrification. Scheme and make arrangements for the canvass in connection'with the Poll on the 27th inst. The matter is a most important one, and warrants a full attendance.

The price of butter during the coining winter is likely to rise, and in the opinion of certain mdrdhants is expected to reach 3/-. Whether the Prime Minister will allow this charge to be imposed remains to be seen. Should the price become prohibitive the waterside workers, we understand, will refuse toi load vessels with, butter. J, Carroll, who has been stationed at Riverton for a number of years, has been promoted to be a sergeant, and transferred to Wellington. During bis stay in Riverton he has proved himself an efficient officer. Constable Carroll took over, besides his other. duties, that of Registrar of Electors for Wallace, and carried through the Referendum Poll and Election with marked ability and_|o the complete satisfaction of the-' Registrar General, who complimented him on his work. We congratulate himi on- hie promotion.

Specialties in Children’s Wearing Apparel at (lie Progressive Stores. All kinds of wearing apparel for Children are .manufactured' in our own

factory by expert cutters, special supervision being given that only the best of materials are made up and in the latest and correct styles. This not only means that you are enabled to purchase at a much lower price, but that you are getting the best of quality. Satisfaction guaranteed. Children’s all wool Tweed Coats, sizes 16 to 30in, according to size, from 23/6, 27/6, 36/- to §2/6. Maids’ Rainproof Coats, all sizes, from 55/6, 58/6, 59/0 to 79/6. Children’s Cotton Dresses, in all sizes, in Crepes, Cotton, Tweed, Gingham and Zephyrs, from 10/6, 12/(3, 13/6, 15/6 to 19/6. Children’s Knitted Chats, in Grey and Marone, in sizes 18in 23/6, 20ini 24/6, 22in 25/6. We have also a big selection of Children’s Millinery. Smart Ready-t'o-wears, 6/11, 7/6, 8/6 to 17/6. Trimmed Velvet Hats, in all. shades and ..shapes, from 12/6, 13/6, 14/6 to 25/6. Beaver Hats in Black, Brown, and Saxe; untrimmed 25/6, trimmed 26/6. These goods are now open for your inspection at H. & J. SMITH, Ltd., Progressive Stores, Tay street, Xnverqargili, and) Main street Got©.— (Advi)