LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 112, 5 February 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Strong objection is being taken by the local Repatriation Hoard to applications which are being received from men who have paid deposits on a business and desire the board to stand the loss, because Ike board turns down tho application for a loan on the ground that tho business would not bo a sound proposition. Many men liave committed themselves to take up an interest in a business before they have ascertained whether the Repatriation Board will sanction n. loan. No one should take for gmtited that their application for a loan will be approved, as whit uiay appear to the applicant a good proposition may, as far as the board is concerned, prove an unstable venture.

It is Announced that the Phoenix Assurance Company and the Norwich Union Fire Office have combined. The shareholders of both companies have agreed to tho fusion of the two concerns on the basis of an agreement drafted by the directors. The Phoenix Company, which was established in 1V92, absorbed in 1007 tho 'Pelican and British Empire Company, in 1000 the Law Life Assuranre Company, and in 1911 the Union Marine Company. Tho Norwich Union, which waa established in 1707, Absorbed in 1908 the Norwich and London Accident Insurance Company. It is understood Hint tho representation of both companies in New Zealand will bo continued as before, no changes being contemplated.

At a recent meeting of tho Wellington District Repatriation Board, .Mr. M. J. Reardon, on "behalf of the staff and the board, presented to Mr. T. Shailer Weston (chairman) with a handsome silver coffee pot on the occasion <f his marriage. Mr. Reardon i-poke i.t some length on the valuable work which Mr. Weston had accomplished, and Mr. C. W. Batten (District Repatriation Officer) spoke on tic-half of tho staff, referring lo tno great personal interest Mr. Weston had shown in every individual ease. Mr. Weston, who was wished every happiness for tho future, suitably responded.

The estate of the late Mr. Alex. Burt, of Dunedin. has been sworn for probate .it a valuation of under ,£SO,OCO. A bs. nuest of I'3oo has been made to the Dunedin Technical School, to be devoted to scholarships in practical trades—"Otago 'times."

Mr. T. Shields, who has taken a keen interest in swimming for n number of years, and who has taught hundreds of "men, women and children tho art, is continuing his free tuition this season. Instruction is being given by Mr. Shields at 7 a.m. and G p.m. daily at Oriental Bay, on the east sido of the band rotunda, this locality being veil suited for the purpose.

Apropos of tho high prices recently paid for property in the main street at Hawern, it is interesting to learn that a property in Hamilton realised <-E3OO per foot (100 ft. frontage), part of the property being freehold and tho balance Glasgow lease.

On Tuesday evening the ninth annual meeting of the Pelone Ambulance Van Committee was held, when the secretary reported that the total receipts were ,1.33 Gs., while the expenditure was .£35 Is. 3d.'; amount of expenditure over cash receipts, .£1 lGs. 3d.; balance in hand at tho beginning of year, .£l2 Is. 10d., leaving at the end of November, 1019, a credit balance of .£ll os. 7d. Tho following officers and committee wore elected: President, Mr. J. W. M'Ewani deputy-chairman nnd treasurer, Mr. \V. Clarke; secretary, Mr. AV. B. Gough; committee, Messrs. Turner, Silbery, Wight, F. AV. Greenfield, and W. H. Shardlow.

Recent, climbers of Ben Lomond have (savs the Duncdin "Star") seen sheep grazing near the summit—fine strong sheep, that move about the rocky slopes as n'iinblv as goats. A number of slips have taken place on the peak, but to all but tho incautious tho track is quite safe.

A London exchange says:—"The lowest tender for printing tho Peterborough Corporation's abstract accounts is 18s. Gd. uor folio. In 1018 the price was Bs., the previous vcar 4s. 3d., and in pre-war davs 3s. Gd.

A judgment debtor, obviously a hard-n-orkimr and'far from opulent man, apnenred at tho Magistrate's Court, in Christchurch recently and offered to pay off n debt at the rate of If. per week. "\ shillini a week?" said counsel for the creditor, very dubiously. "Are you n married mini with a family?" Yes, familv of nine," was the answer. "Nine! I. accent the shilling a week, Your Worship." counsel asserted with alacrity, amidst laughter.—Christchurch "Press."

The formation of a farmers' co-opera-tivo shipping company may lie discussed nt a conference of farmers' ro-operative sn'leties and other organisations during tli'e nresent vear (says mi exchange). A similar conference was held shortly after the outbreak of tho war, and it was then slated that a capital of .£5,000,000 could bo raised, and the Prime Minister was interviewed regarding the matter of a Government subsidy. Owing to the war, The matter was indefinitely postponed, and lallerlv it has continued to remain in abeyance, owing to the absence of information as to what Action the Imperial Government intends tii take in respect lo the control of shipping.

The Parliamentary trip to Samoa, Sir .lames Allen stated to a soulhevn reporter, is not at all likely to he interfered with by the attitude »t the Jleriihant Service Guild. Hn state*! that ho s'-iw no reason for supposing that 1 ere would lw any Hitcli connected faith the trip As for tho proposal that the i.arty should visit the American 'island he stilted that an invitation hid not yet been received, but probably it was on the. way.

Mr. Bodkin, beeretary to the Railway Workers' Industry Branch of tho Australian Work-era' Union, sneaking in (Sydney it fortnight ago, forcibly condemned direct action. lie said: "I have been deeply interested in the progress of arbitration, and while I can find ninny faults with it, it. appears to me, on reviewing direct action methods, Hint arbitration is by far the better method. To ijuolo lirokon Hill, n section of the people there mostly depend on direct action in order to gain their ends. Nine years ago the miners in that centre were bettor off by fully 10 per ..out. Mian were the navvies in the Sydney district. Since then tho Broken Bill miners have resorted to direct action, and by that method they have lost many months' work. The railway workers during thai period have lost no time, nnd have depended solely on arbitration. They have gradually improved their conditions until at the present time they have passed the Broken Hill men by increases of fully 20 per cent, in wages. This in itself is sufficient ground vir me to be satisfied with the advice I gave my members a few years ago in urging them to fctiek to arbitration. Then, take the seamen in their recent dispute. After having been out on strike for several months they resumed on their original demands—3ss. per month increase. The loss in. wages to these men ran into ma'iy thousands of po'inrls. Tho whole of that period (lie Australian Workers' Union was interesting itself in the Board of Trade, and we got increases of 31s. a fortnight as nganst the 35s a month obtained by the seamen."

In reference to the cables «ii""esting "colossal" profits made by the "British Government out of their contract with Australian and New Zenlr/id woolgrowers, the fo lowing from the "Bradford Wool iiecord. of November 20. gives nteresfnig details on the matter:-"Tho price ot wool at the recent auctions in London easily makes- a record in the i.istorv ot the colonial trade. Trices, varticuInrly for merinos, have wen so'greatly s:nee Iho colonial wool sales ,ie're resumed that they nre commanding a front deal of outside attention. Paring the recent auctions the Government icomred at least £125,000 per day. Wool lias realised ,£SO per bale move in Jondon than the price for which Ihe Government was willing to sell it. ft •» mute possible that high priced wools will shown profit of .« a bale. A com paris.on l ls , mn(lC between f.ppra'sements in Australia and sale prices in London for some well-known clips. Tim? seven bales of scoured sup. cbg. 11, branded S. Wilson over Krcihloune, which was i>pnraised at tfijd., sold for 123 d. Fifteen bale* scoured Ist cbg, H. S. Wilson o\er hreildnmie, appraised at 33d, made Ilsd. Right bales of scoured sup. cbg. IT, brand"(l S. Wilson over Bute, appraised at Afijd, made 121*1. Fifteen biles K-oured super combing from Lai Lai, appraised 'it -lid., made 115-1. Fourteen bales' greasy sup. cbg. IT, J.M. over N., over Wt. Napier, which were epprnised at Wd., made 683 d. Twelve bales greasy el)k„ bellies, from ML Sclunck. appraised at Hd., sold for 37' d. The Wool Record estimates that Od. per lb. v-ill "over all expenses.

James M'Alister, a country <jsi(or to tho Taraimki races, yesterdnv dropped dead on the course. It is reported (soys n Press Association telegram from New Plymouth) that ho recently received medical treatment.

An Australian pastornlisr, who was employed in buying British wool in tho «outh of England and in Ireland, sryu that tho sooner we return fo the open market for wool the liottor (reports the "Otago Times"). He formed the opinion that there is a ring amongst English manufacturers, and thiit foreign competition would give a healthier tone to tho market. In this connection it is : oticenblo how eagerly Australian -wools have been snapped up in America lately. ' Tho "Sheepbrecder" of December states tbiil record prices were triven at Ihe Government wool sales in Boston for Australian wool. A lot of deep-stapled niper wool? in the grease, Gi's to 70's, realised nearly 72.5(1. per lb. Fifteen lots skow«t.'n. scoured \nlue, of from 110(1. fo 131.5(1. per lb. j while ,14 lots brought IGOd. or more, scoured price. American house? nlso nnid the record at the J,ondon sales for Queensland merino combing s< (,ure*l —viz., lOld. per lb. in several instances. The opinion of the wool journal is that the general outlook for raw material is good. Th's is the opinion of the New S-Vviith Wales pastonilisr, who says that he cannot understand the reported favourable attitude of a largo proportion of wool-growers towards the pool. Be is sure that, if they had lieen in touch with Bradford lately they would alter their opinion. He considers that for too many big fortunes were Made in Bradford during the war for a. eontniintion of war conditions lo be henl'hy for A uttralin n woolgrowers.