LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 31, 1 November 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Postal authorities advise that! the s.s. Moana sailed from Sydney at 8 p.m. on October 28 for Wellington. She carries 377 bags of mails for New Zealand.

During tho wast month one Wellington petition in bankruptcy was filed, as compared wi'.'h none in October, 1310. For the ten expired months of the year thero' wore oight bankruptcies in Wellington, the same number as in the corresponding period of last year

At All Saints' Church, Palmerston North, yesterday morning, there was a very large parade of returned soldiers outho occasion of the unveiling of a tablet in memory of all soldiers from the Manawatu dist'rict who fell in the war. MajorGeneral Sir Andrew Russell performed tho ceremony. Tho tablet bears the names of

about 250 men. 'J ho Minister of Education stated in tho House-of-Representatives, iu reply to a question put by Mr. J P. Luke (Wellington North) that he intended to encourage the policy of moving inspectors from one district to another. He proposed to call a conference of inspectors in February next to consider 6o;nc very important matters,' including the primary school curriculum. Tho Dominion was snondiii" thrco millions a year on education at "present, including the erection of buildings and the purchase of sites, and he wished to be sure that the country w\< "Citing full value for the money.

Prompt action by Motorman Innis <aved the life of a little girl iu Vivian Street about half-past three on Saturday •iflernoon. Motorman [inns was driving i car bound from Newtown to Thorndon, when suddenly the child stepped oft the foot ath in front of tho tram. The ( ZCmn .applied the brakes, and brought the ear to a stop almost in•itinflv when it was only about, one foot nwav 'from the child. Eye-witnesses of the 'incident speak in the liighest terms of the smartness with when Motorman Imiis averted an accident.

I'or the purpose of reviving amateur athlcitcs in Petouc, a well-attended meeting representative of tho sports bodies of the district, was held last week. Officers for the onsiiing year wait elccled ns fplimv:—Seerelnry nnd treasurer, Mr J. \l Mncki'idge: committee, Messrs H. E. N'ichollSi C. B. Thomas, Jleynolds, Goddard E Kyan.E. Price, and 0. Findlay; Imnd'icappor, Mr. J Pollock; starter, Sir. E Price; iudges, Messrs. J. It. Lynskoy and .T' '$■ O. Sifcvcns; lime-keepers. Messrs Blyth and Jenness; call stewards .nm.l marksmen, Messrs. Reynolds and Goiidard; track judges, Mossrs. -Pollock and D "IViylor.

Candidates for the Public Service Entrance, Senior National Scholarship, and intermediate exnmina'.iious have beon notiiied that these examinations will commence on Holiday, November 22. The matriculation examination will begin on December 1.

The Defence Committee, of the House of Representatives recommended for favourable consideration the petition ot Mrs. Hannah Beattie, of Tai'tape, widow of the late Sergeant Beattie, of the Aew Zealand Polico Pores. Mr. W. S. Glenn (Kangitikei), in reporting the recommendation of the committee to the House, elated that the lata Sergeant Beattie served in the police force lor something like twenty-two years. He joined the Armed Constabulary in 1880, and was drafted into the police in 18S7. Ho served until 11)12, when ho contracted, in the discharge of duty, a disease that caused his death. Ho died after .paying nine months' superannuation, leaving; his widow in poor circumstances. Mrs. Bealiio had petitioned for relief, and Mr. Glenn and Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) urged that some assistance should be given to her.

Seventy-seven divorce cases have been set down for hearing at the Auckland Supremo Court, sessions, which begin, today. Thirteen' of the actions will ho defended. There were 88 divorces set down for the sittings just concluded, but only a proportion of these were heard.

"A Victorian merchant tells me that Victorians never expected-the potato embargo to bo lifted," said a Christchurch produce dealer to a "Lyttelton Times" representative on Friday. 'There is any amount of potatoes in Victoria, he says, and growers, in the Iwpe of getting better prices, have been holding the bulk of their crops, letting out only a little at a time. He beliovcs that there is a possibility, in consequence, ot the potatoes being carried too Jong, and of the growers losing heavily.

Complaints are made (says the Christchurch "Sun") that the fixed rates for flour are being exceeded by some memchants in their sales to grocers. A good proportion of the (lour manufactured in Canterbury is distributed by millers to eroccrs, but in cases where the merchant acts as middleman, he is allowed a discount of 2} per, cent, by the nuler, which is supposed to represent his piofit. Amending regulations gazetted on Anril 21 last made provision for this and also fixed the retail rates. that these appear to be ignored m some instances is doubtless due to the effect of tho keen demand just now fdr Hour by those who hold .the opimon that a scarcity may develop towards the end of tho season.

"The area sown down in.wheat is remarkably small,*' said Mr. W. J. Jenkiu president of the Canterbury Industrial Association, in summing up his impressions niter a tour .through the principal agricultural districts 01 South (Wc-rburv. When farmers were quesson for tlie email crop was the high cost of production. Wheat-growing was not profitable, so work was pushed on in other directions. Apart trom tins aspect, Mr. Jenkin found fanners wo.l Sued with prospects, though the sea,on is a menth late. Lambing P<*<»»' SSes «• high, and in one placo shearhi haFstarted already. Fruit crops are flour shing, and south of .Timaru linseed cultivation is increasing in popularity--"LytteUon Times."

The retail prico of 2s. sd. per lb. for butter when the transactori «-booked does not appear to be charged by main p£e» i/Wchurch,. any* an exchange.' Some are charging 2s. M. pel lb! but many are giving credit at the price of 2s 3d., which is fiicd for cash sales,

On the 10th- of this month an election will he held for the positions of repicseiitativo on the Wellington Hospital .(Hid Charitable Aid Board lor the combined district of Hutt County and Upper Hutt Town District,, and for tho combined district of Makara County and Johnsonv lie Town District. For the former, Mr. Angus J. M'Curdy, the sitting member, has been nominated, while tor the latter, Mr. R. Bould, of Johnsoimlle, is a candidate. Mr. J?. T. Moore, the retiring candidate, is not seeking re-election.

The Union Company has announced a new scale of charges for the Picton-Nel-son service, which in future is to be maintained by two steamers-tho Mapoiirika and Arahura. The new rates will be as follow --Wellington and Picton, saloon 205., steerage 155.; Wellington and Nelson, saloon 255., steerage lis. 6d. These rates will date from the inauguration of the new service to-day. «o return tickets will be issued.

As a result of the recent slump in the price of hides in America and Australia, the prices of boots and leather goods— which have been very high for the past two or three years—have already been affected in Wellington, and reductions aro reported to be the order of the day. Big l stocks of boots and shoo* are said to have been piled up by Australian manufacturers and warehousemen when prices were high, and with a demoralised hide market they are .seeking to unload in New Zealand. s

A pickpocket evidently was at work at Newtown.Park on Saturday, during the Labour Day sports, three persons having valuables taken from them. One mau was deprived of a gold watch chain.

The quarterly criminal sessions of the Supreme Court wHI be commenced this morning. A fairly lengthy list is to be dealt with. His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman will preside.

The Hutt and Pctone Homing Pigeon Club flew a race from Mauriceville on' Saturday, the winning bird being Sir. W. Donnelly's B.E.C. Ripper No. 310-17. Messrs. Home and Flowers'.RC. Silent King No. 100-18 secured second place, and E. Shaw's R.C Red Ribbon was third. The winning bird averaged 40G5 yards per minuto.

On Saturday, Captain A Flemyng, of

the liner Surrey, was taken to the hospital seriously ill. His place has been taken aboard die Surrey "by the first mate, Captain Holland, and the other officers have each been promoted a step.

The prospects for anglers in the Rotorua district this season are said to be excellent. The season for trout fishing in tlie district under the jurisdiction of the Tourist Department, opens to-day, hut usually the anglers who ply tho rod and line in tho thormal regions do not. indulge largely in tho pastime till rather later in the season. Tho lakes of t!he district have recently been systematically nettod, in order io diminish the number of fish, and provide u, better food supply for those remaining. Many of the largo iish havo thus been takon from iQio lakes, I and this season's catche3 aro expected io be comprised'of smaller iish than' previously.

Tho great demand for ainpty bottles was shown by one of tho documents in connection with a case heard nt tho Supreme Counl in Auckland last week (says iin exchange). It was atntod that Mift Auckland brewery company required 11,700 dozen bottles for a ten-day period last month, and received 7160 dozen but. lies during tho period. When it is considered that dealers and hawkers deal also in bottles of other kinds than those in question, some idea may bo obtained of tho magnitude of the business.

\ rather unusuaul case came before Mr. \\' R. M'Kean, S.M., at Auckland on Saturday morning. A husbind and wife had been wparnted for ton years, and the latter had received an allowance tho whole time. The lnwband purposes visilin" hii homeland, in tho East, and the wife through Mr. M'Liver, wanted security for her allowance. Mr. R. Singer said Che husband was mcreiy going for a trip, and was prepared to give security that his wife's allowance would be continued. He suggested that a sum should oe lodged with the Publio Trustee sufficient to pay the wife £2 per week Mr. M Ivean decided to adjourn uhe case in order that the two counsel could draw; up a satisfactory agreement, without any order from 'the Court—"Star."

"Why should New Zealand's earefril anil thrifty housewives bo prevented I'rom netting a good, wholesome, and palatable whstituto for butter when such an nrliele is procurable in nil. other civilised countries'" Such was thj query propounded to the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce last week in a \ ti tor asking support for repeal of Ac margarine laws in view of the high price butter. It was staged that a margarine IS ws about to be started in Auckland The matter was referred to the I Dairy Committee.

A„ area of 4000 acres,. formerly the Porott kauri gum reserve, sitnnwd about 20 n les from Whangarei, w to be opened S r "election by discharged soldiera on to homestead system The North Aiictam! Land Board arrived at this decision ati to meeting last week. The area Is