LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 283, 24 August 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postmn6ter-General announces that an arrangement has been made, under which depositors in the Post Office Savinss Bank at Wollingiion South who desira to make withdrawals from their accounts promptly may obtain payment between 3 and i p,m, daily (except Saturdays), provided that fib* notices of withdrawal, which are dealt with at the Wellington chief office, are handed in at the WelUngflbn South office not later than noon of tho,day on which payment, is desired.

Large numbers of letters for the United Kingdom-and of newspapers for the United States, are posted prepaid at the minimum rates, although iihe weights are in excess of those to which such rates apply. Tho Postmaster-Gen-eral reminds tho public that the rates m'o as under:—Lexers for United Kingdom: 2d. for first ounce or fraction thereof, and Id. for each additional ounce or fraction thereof. Nowspapers for United States: Id. for the first 4 ounces and Jd. for each additional 9 ounces. Numbers of letters for Japan, China, and certain countries of South America ara also posted bearing post, age of 2d., whereas the minimum is 2{d. The only South American countries to which 2d. letter postage applies an Chile, Pent ftnd Paraguay.,

No traco has yet been found of Mrs. Elizabeth Brirnard, who has been missing since August 9. It is noted in general orders issued yesterday that next year (1921) only five New Zealand cadetships at the Royal Military College of Australia will be'open for competition. The death of Councillor 6. Frost

mokes a vacancy on tho City Council, W whether it mil bo necessary to fill it, in view of the fact that three representatives from the recently absorbed Karon borough are now members, ia a point yet to be decided. The general election, t|oo, takes place seven months hence. According to thef Act. iftie election should take place no fewer than twenty days from tho dato of death and nos more than twenty-five. As the tinio dates from yesterday, tho election would have to bo held between September 13 and 18, which makes it awkward as the big loan poll is fixed for September 15, As there are already seventeen members of the Ci'V Council—instead of the usual fifteen—the dropping of tho byelection altogether may bo. the solution of the trouble.

An inquest was held yesterday morning by Mr. AV. G. Eiddell. S.M., '.oucuing the death of Catherine Jacobson, who was found dead in bed at her home, M'Kenzie Terrace, on Saturday morning. The m«lical evidence showed that death was duo to heart failure, and the Coroner found accordingly. At the meeting of the Manawatu SubProvincial Executive of the Farmers' Union, 'hold at Palmerston North on Saturday, a remit was considered in favour of establishing an agricultural college in the Palmerston Nor;li district, This was strongly supported by delegates hi the Palmers;on North district, but waa strongly opposed by pthers from down th line. In the course of discußBion it was claimed that Palmerston North waa the natural centre for a North Island Agricultural College, but, •on the other hand, it was pointed out that tho Government had practically decided to have the college at the Weraroa Farm, where there were at present the facilities for such an institution, and the remit waa eventually rejected.

At the monthly meeting of tho Manawatu Su>Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union held at Palmerston North on Saturday, tho secretary and organiser, Mr. G. W. C. Moon, reported that at the beginning of tho present financial year there were 813 financial members, and 106 had joined since, bring, ing the present total up to 931. The Woodville branch, which had seceded from the 6ub-provincial, had now decided to rejoin.

An Auckland Press Association tel»gram reports that the auction 6ale of the D.H. and P.G. properties at Nukualofa realised .£711,110. Bobenl Compton, of Suva, bought the head station at Vavau for ,£15,200, and six other stations for i 813,370, the Niafoon properties for £Si% and Ninaloputabu > for .£4BIO. The Burns Phily Cbmpany'fl investment totalled .£57,150. Tindall and Ross, Auckland, bought the Haapai station and one Vavau property for .213,960.

The oircumlocutary methods adopted by the Manawatu Sub-Pronvincial Exe outive of the' Fanners l " Union of dealing whlh remits from branches has been the cause of a good deal of dissatisfao tion amongst members of the union (says our Palmerston North, correspondent),- It is' claimed that under the present meiihods no finality '.an lie reached with respect to many remits of importance until they have been through the branches, tho_ 6ub-provincial ■ ex<"'u« tive, the provincial executive, and ■ finAlly the Dominion conference, and ti'ul by tho time they reach there in most cases their usefulness has gone. At the lasv, meeting of the sub-provincial executive at Levin, tho delegates decided to cut red _ tape and dealt" with some of tho remits as matters; of urgency, communicating direct with the Government on these, and within a week replies wore received which in some cases wera .satisfactory. However! this expeditious method did not appeal to some of tho older members, who wished, to continue the old filiate of things, and protested strongly at the new departure. At last Saturday's meeting of tho-sub-provincial executive at Palmerston Nonlh, a remit came forward urging the Government to use every endeavour to secure a free market for New Zealand butter in Great Britain, and ill was proposed to deal with the matter as one of urgency. Mr. J. Balsillie, the representative of the provincial executive,' however, prOtesited against this procedure ag illegal, and left the room as a protest, with the Tesult that no further business could be proceeded with as the number presenil did not constitute ft quorum. It was decided to send delegates to the provincial executive meeting to bo held at Marton next Saturday, and osk for an extension of fjie powers. of th© sub-provincial union in dealing with remits.

It has been suggested by tho secretary of the Town-Plonning Association i\hat advantage 6hould be taken of Captain Russell's visit with his 80 h.p. de Havlland to have aerial photographs taken of Wellington and district. Aerial photographs are used for making pre* timinary and final surveys for twonplanning, housing and general development schemes. While aerial photography jis said not to be very well adapted for contouring, by means of oblique photographs and the aid of shadows a good idea of tho more prominent undulations can be obtained. The idea, says l tho secretary of the association, ie certainly worthy of consideration, and the city authorities would be well advised to go into the matter at once while the visiting airman is here.

Many persons interested in the fine arts found their way yesterday to the exhibition now being held at the Paterson Art Gallery. An exhibtiion such as this serves to stimulate the art lover and the public Jove of art, while it serves also to increase the estimate of eaclvfor the individual artist's work. Each artist exhibiting has been an exhibitor throughout the Dominion for a number ,of years, and each knows the limitations within which he can successfully find expression with tho medium, be it oil or water-colour,, ■in which he works. It is a hopeful sign for Now Zealand art that each has striven to produce pictures which will be on additiaon to tho art of the world, for they have within them all the qualities that' make for permanence. The exhibition, which will bo open for several days, is fret to all who caro to view the pictures.

A Supreme Court action which will cause considerable interest in legal and judicial circles has been instituted by Mr. P. B. Fitaherbcri, barrister ana solicitor, of New Plymouth, against President Anheson, of the Aotea Maori Land Board. Mr. Fitzherbort is claiming £M 0 damages for alleged slander, which is said to have been uttered by Mr. Acheson at a sitting of the Native Land Board at Hawera last month. The action will come on for hearing at the December seaslon of the Supremo Court at Now Plymouth. Tho writ was issued by Meßsrs. Johnstone and Croker, of New Plymouth.

Aocording to tho latest military general orders officers seut to, England or India for courses of instruction or exchange shall draw Imperial rates of pay and allowances as from January 1 last.

The manner In which tho dairying industry has been developed in New Zealand, arid the enormous production from small areas, has greatly impressed Mr. F. T. Nicholson, of Pretoria, who is visiting Auckland (says tho "Herald"). Dairying in South Africa was now rapidly expanding, he said, Before tho war a (treat deal of the buttor and practicajly all .th*. cheese consumed in that country ws? imported. South Africa now supplied all'its own needs and exported considerable quantities of buttor and cheese to Britain. Hams and bacon were also .being exported in large quantities, whereas prior to tho war thesa commodities had been imported.

The establishment of safety zones in Auckland for the convenience of passengers boarding and alighting from tramcars at busy etreet intersections' was stated by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, to have been thoroughly justified by the results. Ho said tho drivers of motorcars and other vehicles were now accustomed to them, and the Works Committee of tho council would permanently mark the zones, a sthe present lines wero only temporary ones. The question ol lighting tho standards at night with safety zone discs was also being considered, and no doubt the system would bo extended ea occasion warranted.— "Now Zealand Herald." ,

It is rarely that Dunedin experiences a frost like that of a recent Sunday morning. The lagoon at Tomahawk was frozen over to a thickness of half an inch. Mill that had been delivered early was a solid block.

A novel suggestion was made by Mr. E. H, Northcroi't, president of the Hamuton Law Society, at the annual meeting of the Waikato Land Agents' Association, held in Hamilton (6ays the Auckland "Star"). Mr. Northcroft asked why tho land agents 6hould not work in tho interests of their only real clients, tho purchasers. Agents, he suggested, should set themselves up as land experts and give expert advice. They would not be paid on the commission basis,.but should charge tho prospectivo purchaser bo much per day for their services. It would then be to the advantage of the agent to put a man on a property as cheayly as possible. If the Land Agents' Association was put on a proper tooting this could be worked quite well, and it would undoubtedly have a tendency to brink the price of land down to its real value. A good many of tho present curses of excessive dealings in land were due to tho fact that agents were working on a wrong system. The Question was asked ' whether the. agents should work for the seller for nothing. Mr. Northcroi't thought they should. The suggestion was not favourably received, and' no action was taken in the matter.