LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 80, 30 December 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ono notable feature in the shops this Christmas was the marked difference in the quality of the toys that were being displayed and freely sold. The difference was ail in favour of the buyer, for if tho nrices were appreciably dearer the quality of the toys was not comparable with that of tho rubbish stamped "Made in Germany" which formerly constituted 80 ner cent, of the toys sold in this country at, Christmas-tide. The Americans, not remarkable always for durability in their manufnct'ires, believe in that quality as applied to toys, and most of tho highcrndo toys disposed of this year came from across the Pacific. Thero wero also a few solidly-made toys from EngVind. whilst quite a' lot wero actually rondo in New Zealand, and, it is understood, amply repaid their makers. The .Japanese toys of the.cheaper class aro of extremely poor quality, and not made to last, but in articles of bric-a-brac and high-class ornaments, tho Japanese display an artistry that cannot be denied.

: The payment of the war gratuity has been mentioned as one. of tho reasons why trade was good at Christmas time. Tho gratuity doubtless had an effect, but it must not be supposed that all the money paid by tho Government to Ihe returned soldiers went into immediate circulation. The gratuity, as v,t\s explained officially when the general scheme van announced, is not being paid in cash. The money is placed to the credit, of the soldier'in'the Post. Office Savings Bank or some other bank. Tho man may draw out the money in whole or nart as soon as ho likes, but as a matter of fact a very largo part of 'ho money is remaining on deposit at present.

About half-past -1 o'clock yesterday afternoon an accident occurred at the corner of Hunter Street and Customhouse Quay. A sailor named Reginald Salisbury, '18 years of age. a member of the crew'of tjie steamer Kaliu, was attempting to board n tramcar when he tripped, mid (lie wheel of a motor lorry passed over his left leg just a'bove the ankle, severing an artery. The injured man suffered the loss of a good deal of blood, but assistance was rendered promptly and he was removed to tho Hospital. His condition is not serious.

Tho reopening of the Point Halswell rond to general traffic, has placed an interesting drive and walk at the disposal of Wellington people. Some years fgo a bier blorfk of land on the hillsides overlooking Evans Bay was planted with trees by prison labour. Thcso trees, although exposed to as much wind as is experienced on Almost any part of tho Town Bolt, are making very good growth, and will convert 'an unused reserve n.to a park within the next ten or fifteen years. The chief danger, thev rill have to face in the meantime is firs. The proposal to erect a gaol for women on the prison reserve at Point Halswell seems to have been abandoned, and sooner or later this land should come info the possession of the city. Hanuka. are again shoaling in Cook Strait. On Sunday Mr. Silver and a launch party from Kanaka, Bay secured thirty-two fino hapuka and trumpeter off Palliser Bay. In several cases the fish scaled over 701b. weight, and the average weight must 1 have been well over -101b.

Bin ropes and small pulleys nearly accounted for the lives' of three men betweun Sumner and Lyttollon on Boxing Day. Tu tho afternoon Mr. Joyce, of Manning's Brewery, and two friends set out in a 23ft. yacht from Sumner for Lvttclton. During the trip much difficulty was experienced in controlling the boat, as the ropes would not nin in the pullev blocks. One of the men had become sea-sick, and was lying helpless in tho bottom of the boat, leaving only two to cone mitii the situation.. When off Tort Cooper a sudden gust of wind struck the mainsail, capsizing the yacht, and throwing its three occupants into the water. They managed to cling on, however, to 'he upturned craft until picked ut> l>v the motor launch Toi Toi, then on its way lo Lyttelton. .

"The barter basis of export trade is the, one overseas activity that expands," writes an American commercial man in the course of some references to the exchange difficulty. "Foreigners cannot afford to buy American goods extensively at present exchange rates, but they can trade such of their products as are available for American markets, Certain foresighted American exporters have hecome importers and nro accepting payment for exports in foreign commodities, marketable in the United States." Tho writer mentions that some American firms nro trying to meet the difficulty hv giving very extended credit, but this naturally is not satisfactory. Exporters are in a. condition of "painful uncertainty" and they realise that American export trade is bound to suffer.severely if the present, rates of exchange are maintained much longer. ' Speaking to a Dominion representative yesterday, a local bookseller stated that the Christmas trade this year in his line had advanced a goud third on the .trade of other years. The classics and fiction had sold specially well, while poetry had not been far behind. The salcs'of annuals, such as "Chums" and the "Boys' Own Paper," had been phenomenal. Ho went on to say that this year ho had sold more calendars fclnui in any two other years. Tho wholesale price of eggs last month in tho American city of Seattle was from 2s. Cd. to 3s. Cd. per dozen. Butter was costing wholesale 2s. (id. to 2s. 9d. per pound. For the purposes of comparison, tho dollar has been converted to English money at the normal rnto of exchange. Cheese was costing about Is. -Id. a pound wholesalo and Is, Cd. to Is. 7d.- retail. Tho Americans reported a reduction in the cost of living last month, and attention was drawn officially to the fact that the decline in prices synchronised _ closely with a reduction in the .quantity of money in circulation. 'lhe value of building permits issued in WniiK.iniii and suburbs for the currout vear is a record for the district. 'Hie figures for the Wangaimi borough were .£1112,393, as against .ElSS.aflfl last rear, for Oonville ,039,750, and for Castlecliff .£2B.l7s.—Press Assn. ' Some growers of pumpkins and French beans in lhe 'ITutt Valley report that their crops have been affected hy a frost which was experienced in the district on Saturday night. This is said to bo the third occasion on wheh crops havo been similarly destroyed this season,

A ship's fireman was arrested by Detective Tricklebank yesterday on a charge of stealing a case of butter, valued at £a. The accused will bo brought before the Magistrate's Court this morning. Further evidence of tho presonco of light-fingered gontlenien in Auckland is the experience of a well-known Komuern resident, who was relieved of .£4O Iranian- the other day (says the "Star'). ITii received two cheques earlier in the day, and converted them into notes, unfortunately, for the wad was Inken from his pocket, Hie thief doing his work in such a wav that it came as a great surprise and shock lo its Into ownor to find that he had bean relieved of tho inonoy in such n nimble manner. 'Members of the light-fingered fraternity wore well ;'ii evidchco at Ellerslie races on Friday, and a number of people, in addition tu such losses as they may have sustained at the iobilisator, found themselves roiieved of tho cash they carried in their pockets in tho. course of the dav (slafes the "Star"). Tho modus operandi was not by any means new but it is a method (hat has been followed •.villi more or less success since the ( ! ays when oeoplo first commenced to wear pockets", and to gather together in crowds at racecourses and other places. Tho crowd at the races wa.s an' exceptionally large one, and tho crush at (he totalisato,- ami pay-windows afforded an excellent opportunity for the sneak thief. Ono gentleman, who prides himself on being rather wide awake, and certainly not a novice on the. racecourse, managed, after considerable difficulty, to purchase a number of tickets on a certain horse, which subsequently paid a fair dividend. When he got out' of the crash he found that lie had been relieved of a bundle of notes totalling nearly .£lO, "Luckily for me," h> remarked, "they missed my totalizator tickets." Another follower of tho races is reported to have been deprived ol about nCS. A well-known Christchurch pressman, who had come (o Auckland for the holiday season, found that he had been relieved of £AH ■ while in a crowd on the lawn. Nor did ihe lightfingered gentry, confine the.T •itentious wholly '■ men. ' A lady, assured that she hail "i 'd n winner," hurried to the totalisiv, with her bag on her arm to "get the money on." When sho finally pot to the vicinity of the ticket window, through the crash, and went to her bag for the cash, she' found that the bag was missing, and all that remained on her arm was tho handle. It is evident that the authority controlling 'bathing from off Cheltenham beach is not going to tolerate sun-bath-ing (remarks tho Auckland' "Star"). Either fioni inexperience of the law governing sun-bathing, several young peoplo of both sexes ventured out on tho beach at Devonport on Friday in costumes which apparently did not come within the regulation outfit. A man ii blue administered a little i.dvico on the subject and the party look advantage of it. Lieutenant-Colonel T. A. Hunter, Director of Dental Services for tho Defence Department, has been appointed head of the school dental servic branch which is being organised by tho Education Department. Colonel Hunter was in practice inDunedin. and wns mainly responsible for Iho organisation of the Dental Corns which attended to tho dental needs of tho troous both in New Zealand and abroad, and earned a very high reputation for efficiency. He was appointed director in 1915. The scheme of dental examination and treatment for school children was formulated by the Hon. J. A. Hunan. cx-Ministcr of Education, and provides for a more thorough examination of the children's teeth, an educative campaign and treatment. To meet the needs of outlying districts in tho matter of treatment some of the motor ambulances used at the front will bo equipned for use as travelling dental clinics. Several other dental officers are to be apnoinled.

"Tho woollen and worsted goods trade is still holding its quiet trend," stated "American Prices Current" Inst month, "Clothiers aro still bringing (heir influence to' bear in the men's wear field to induco parly action on the new heavy weight season. Openings next month would he in accordance with ideas expressed in some quarters, but well posted mill agents regard this as a little too early. The raw wool situation is not unlikely to chance in tone during the next six months. Even wool dealers themselves are showing evidence of belief that Mime of the efforts now being made may succeed in reducing the price of wool. Tt is understood that the attitude of the Boston wool trade is now in favour of n protest against further shipment of Australian wool for auctioning there after ilio iniiial shipment now arranged for. Worsted yarn spinners show a conservatism of sentiment which is leading to the condition where some refuse, to take advantage of the immediate'situation to sell far nhead at ton nriccs. They would prefer to do business on a lower basis if {lint could be brought about easily and naturally, and they will give it a chanceto develop."

When expressing tho thanks of both the soldier? and tho Y.M.C.A. Committee to Mr. W. Goudie and those associated with him at Trentham on Christmas afternoon for the great pleasure they had given to tho soldiers, both on that dav and many previous occasions, Mr. C. R.'Smith drew attention to tho fact that Mr. Goudie had'taken out to Trentham and Fenlhorston since the war started something like three to four hundred concert parties, which had been greatly instrumental in helning to break the tedium of camp life and had given n great deal of pleasure to the men in camp, both those in the hospitals _ and those in active service. Mr. Gondio offered himself for the front at tho beginning of the war, but owing to defective eyesight he was turned down. He then made up his mind that the 'best way he could be of service was to organise concerts and assist in the recreation for the men from time to time, and right royally has he given most valuable assistance in this wav. Tho secretary of the Y.M.C.A. states that Mr. Goudie has never failed when called on in giving his best for the benefit of the soldiers through this channel.

Up to tho present time the holiday season in Wellington has not -been marked by any serious amount of crime. Very little thieving has lieen reported to the police authorities, whose principal attentions have been devoted to the gathering in of stray individuals who have been imbibing both unwisely and too well, It js satisfactory to note, though, that (he number of offenders against the law of sobriety appearing in Police Court daily has been comparatively small. There has been a certain amount of activity on the part of and die fact that some people have been cpiiollv relieved of fairly considerable sums of money should be sufficient warning to tho public that it is perilous to carry much loose cash alxmt with them.