LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19631, 18 July 1935, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bank Rate Reduced. —A cable message from Amsterdam slates that the bank rate has been reduced to three per cent.

Influenza In Sydney. —An ex-resi-dent of Hamilton, writing from Sydney, says that influenza is raging there and everyone seems to be suffering from it.

Qlidlng Record. —Mr J. C. Neilan, of Seaham Harbour, a doctor’s son, established a new British* gliding duration record yesterday, says a message fiom London. He remained in the air 13 hours 7 minutes.

British Retail Prices.— At July 1. the average level of retail prices in Britain, as compiled from the Ministry of Labour’s statistics, was about 43 per cent, above the level in July, 191 a, compared with 40 per cent, a month earlier, and 41 per cent, on July 1, 1934.

A Short Sitting. —The monthly sitting of the Cambridge Magistrate's Court at Cambridge yesterday was one of the shortest for a long time. It took four minutes to transact the few civil claims, there being an entire absence of criminal charges. Mr S. L. Patterson, S.M., presided.

Concert at Hospital. —An entertainment which was greatly appreciated by the patients was given by a Hamilton- concert party which visited the Bailey Ward at the Waikato Hospital last evening. The programme included songs by Miss R. Sutherland aud Messrs G. O. Jones and J. Woodward, recitations, Miss N. Waite; national dances, Miss D. Gilmore, and bagpipe selections, Miss H. Clothier.

Loan Money. —“lt seems incredible that our elected representatives, national and civic, should still think m terms of ‘borrowed money, when public works are undertaken. It is so easy, and profitable to the community, to monetise our own wealth for all our requirements without incurring debt, said Mr Marcus James, speaking at the Currency Reform Study Circle in Hamilton last evening.

Farmers’ Trading Profit. A net profit of £10,388, after making provision for rebates to shareholders, was earned by the Hawke’s Bay Farmers Co-operative Association, Limited, for the past year. In the previous year the profit was £11,402, but no Provision was made for rebates. A dividend of 6 per cent., unchanged, is being paid and £ISOO is being transferred to the reserve fund.

Interesting Discovery. —When conducting experiments to determine the amount of silt carried by Mid-Canter-bury and South Canterbury rivers, the irrigation experts now working at Temuka made what pomises to prove an interesting discovery. They found that in some of the Canterbury rivers such a high percentage of fine silt with a definite food value was often ■carried that if the water could be deposited on the countryside its effect would probably he highly beneficial.

Steamer Delayed. —Several members of the crew of the steamer Pakeha, which had been in dock in Wellington to have a leak repaired, failed to report for duty when the vessel was ready to put to sea at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Some drifted back, but at 8 p.m. there were still one or two who could not lie found and the sailing was postponed until yesterday morning. The Pakeha finally got away at 7 a.m. to continue loading at Lyttelton, Bluff, New Plymouth and Auckland.

Level-Crossing Elimination. The Main Highways Board, the Railway Department, and the Unemployment Board are co-operating in an investigation into the possible elimination of several of the worst railway crossings in Canterbury. No definite decisions have yet been made, hut it is stated that at least three or four of these crossings will be done away with by the erection of overhead bridges. For each crossing, plans of the necessary bridges and ramps are being prepared with the view to estimating the cost. All the crossings are admittedly dangerous. It is believed the proposals are part of a more extensive Government plan to eliminate all dangerous crossings.

Porter’s Prompt Action. —By prompt action a porter at the Waipukurau railway station this week brought the south-bound express to a stop in time to prevent a fatal accident. As the train was moving out oT the station a woman who was In one of the carriages bidding farewell to a friend attempted to alight. The porter on the station, realising that she would fall under the train, jumped on the carriage and prevented her from carrying out her intention. At the -same time he applied the Weslinghouse brakes and stopped the train. A few weeks ago an elderly woman was killed at the Waipukurau station in similar circumstances.

Runaway Motor-Car. —A plate-glass window of a tobacconist’s shop at Ellerslie was smashed by a motor-car about C p.m. last evening. The car was observed to move slowly away from the kerb down a slight grade, but it was not until it travelled erratically across the road that onlookers saw something was amiss. Gathering momentum it narrowly missed a bus, and then mounted tho footpath and crashed into the window of Mr L. Pilkington’s shop in the Municipal Buildings. The impact diverted the car back to the road, across which it careered and came to rest against a stone wall on the opposite side.

Gift of Pictures. —A notable gift to I lie National Art Gallery is announced by 11 io secretary of the Board of Trustees, Mr F. It. Bass. It consists of a selection of water-colours and drawings of the late ,1. C. Biclimond, which, apart from their high merit as works of art, are of great historical interest. .Most of" the pictures are early New Zealand scenes and landscapes, and as records of bygone days their value, cannot he measured in terms of money The gift has been accepted by the Board of Trustees from Mr F.smoml Atkinson, executor of the will of the late Miss D. K. Richmond, who was custodian of the collection of pictures and drawings left by her father.

Each day of House and Baking's Sale I,rings fresh releases of Oddments (bat are priced absurdly low lor clearance. With stocktaking now in progress all odd lines, remnants, fashions, must be cleared. Original prices are ignored. Remaining small quantities, broken ranges, odd assortments ol this season's regular lines! 5 our great opportunity! Seize it and lake full advantage'of securing real quulily goods at genuine bargain prices at House and Baking's Winter Sale! Bon’t fail to inspect the wonderful sale values in Hosiery ami Gloves at House and Baking's! You'll be well advised to secure your requirements nowl***

Currency in London.— Gold was Quoted in London yesterday at £7 Os lid, the dollar at 4.96 and the franc at 743, compared with £7 Os Hid, 4.953 and 74 11-16 respectively the previous day.

Trinity College Examinations. —The annual practical examinations of the Trinity College of Music, London, will be held in Hamilton from Friday, August 2 till Monday, August 5. The examiner for all music subjects and elocution will be Mr Adolph Mann.

Tallong “Tiger.” —Believed to be “the Tallong tiger," which for years has been hunted by farmers at Marulan, Brayton and Tallon districts (New South Wales), a huge wild dog was shot recently. It was caught in a dingo trap at Brayton station. The “tiger’ is credited with having destroyed hundreds of sheep.

Use of Unemployed. —“The staff employed were 98 per cent unemployed" and did their work exceptionally well. I take this opportunity of thanking them- all for their good service and loyalty," said the secretary of. the Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association in reporting on the recent winter show at Palmerston North.

Car Parking Not Popular. —“ Ono very disappointing feature is the comparatively few who take advantage of the car parking facilities on the grounds," said the annual report regarding the recent winter show at Palmerston North. “The charge is only one shilling, and for the whole show only 422 cars were paid for.

Communists Arrested In Japan. The Tokyo correspondent of the London Times says the police arrested 137 Communists, of whom 37 were women, on charges of attempting to resuscitate the Japanese .Communist Party. An extraordinary feature of the case is the allegation that the Communists are acting on instructions from New York

Honey-bearing Trees. —At the meeting of the Te Aroha branch of the Acclimatisation Society there were, on exhibit samples of branches of honeybearing trees, including honey lucerne in full blossom. The trees were planted by members in order to provide winter food for bell birds, which were introduced into the district recently.

Teachers Appointed. —The following appointments of teachers were authorised at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday. Sole teachers: Miss B. G. Ivey, Puketaha; Mr G. 11. Glynn, Waimatanui; assistant mistresses: Miss M. E. Bullen, Cambridge District High; Miss J. M. Carnachan, Te Awamutu District High; |Mlss :S. B. Anderson, Kerepeehi: Miss E. S. Giddy, Motumaoho.

Meat for British Navy. —For the first time, the Westfield Freezing Company, Limited, has secured the whole of the annual contract for the supply of corned beef to the British Navy. Previously supplies were drawn from several countries with Westfield supplying the bulk in the past two years, but this year the total quantity required by the Navy, amounting to over 1,000,0001 b., will be supplied from the Westfield Works. During the past few weeks the comp an f has been busy filling the contract, which means extra employment at the works and in the tin and box-making industries. The beef is packed in lib., 21b., 41b. and Gib. tins, and the bulk of the total quantity is now ready for -shipment. The meat is shipped to the naval victualling depot in Deptford, England, from which point it is distributed to the various naval stations throughout the world. Corned beef is not used as liberally in the Navy as in former years owing to facilities for carrying fresh meat. However, the contract this year is larger, due possibly to the extension of naval services.