LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18255, 17 February 1931, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Queen Mary of Yugoslavia, who at present is visiting Bucharest, is reported to be suffering from smallpox.

A decision to await action by Parliament before revising staff salaries was reached at a meeting of the Waitemata Electric-Power Board yesterday.

Mails which were despatched from Auckland on the 13th . ultimo per R.M.S. " Niagara ” via Vancouver were received in London on the 15th instant.

The Hawke's Bay Tribune at Hastings yesterday recommenced publication with a four-page paper distributed gratis, In the same way as the revived Daily Telegraph at Napier.

A businessman points out that one difficulty in the reduction of salaries in the Civil Service at present, which the public have to face, is the English exchange rate, which actually means an Increase in the price of quite a number of necessary articles in the near future.

The operations of the WestportStockton Coal Company, Ltd., for the year ended December ,31, 1930, resulted in a working surplus of £3961, compared with a Joss of £5316 the previous year. No dividend has been declared, the surplus being used to write off depreciation.

The Union Steam Ship Company's old passenger steamer Mararoa was scuttled in Palliser Bay, three miles off Tauraklrae Head, yesterday in 142 fathoms. With the bottom blown out by a charge of 901 b of blasting gelatine, the old ship sank like a log four minutes after the shot had been fired.

A charge of using premises as a common gaming house was admitted by Zoe Purdy, clerk, in the Police Court at Auckland yesterday. Counsel said accused had accepted the position of clerk as she had been unemployed. The magistrate imposed a fine of £3O.

The following company has been registered in Auckland:—C.A.M.E. Sandsoap Company, Limited, soap manufacturers, etc., to take over the business of John Charles Patton at Hamilton. Captial, £650 in £1 shares. Subscribers: J. C. Patton, 300 shares; Charles Dunbar and William Henry Fuller, 175 shares each.

The directors of Huddart, Parker and Company, Limited, have declared, subject to audit, a final dividend of 3 per cent, on the preference shares, arid 4 per cent, on the ordinary shares. The transfer books will be closed on March 4 to 14. The ordinary dividends for the years ended December, 1929 and 1928, were at the rate of 10 per cent. Fourteen per cent, was paid for 1927, and 16 per cent, for 1926.

The Auckland University College Council yesterday awarded the Lissie Ralhhone Scholarship to R. W. Lowry, a student at the Auckland Grammar S'Chool. It is awarded upon examination for excellence in the subjects of English and history. The 'Wilson and llorton prize for the best student of the year taking the course in journalism was awarded to Mr J. 11. Penniket, of Parnell, and the Sir W. Cecil Leys prize for an essay was awarded to Mr L. Moir, of Mount Eden.

By permission of the Dean and Chapter, the Bishop of the Diocese will lecture at St. Peter’s Hall during Lent on the Lambeth Conference. The first lecture will be given on Thursday, February 19, and the others on succeeding Wednesdays.. The lectures will begin at 8 p.m.’precisely and opportunity will be given afterwards for question and discussion. There will be no charge, but any, entirely voluntary, offerings may be given at door. These will be devoted to the Maori Missions in this Diocese.

To-day is Chinese New Year of the old style calendar. The Nanking Government officially abolished the calendar China had in use for centuries and ordered the adoption of the Homan. However, outside the capital and Kuomingtang centres the Chinese have disregarded the edict, and still abide by the old day. The Chinese in Hamilton being members of the Kuomingtang there will be no elaborate outward celebration of the event here, but custom dies hard, and there will no doubt be many private functions.