LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 93, 13 January 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Replying to a request, of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association that, loans to soldiers for thq purchase of houses already built should not be withheld in the eases of married men who have no homes of their own, the [ Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands) states that Cabinet has given insiructions that applications for advances to assist in the purchase of dwellings other than those in course of erection- are to be considered only where special circumstances can be shown, mid where tile delay involved in awaiting the erection sf a dwelling would involve hardship to file soldier or liis family. "'rhe land boards throughout the Dominion.” the Minister states, “have been instructed to .give careful consideration io all those cases where special circumstances are claimed, and you can rest assured that wherever a recommendation is received from the board it will receive my most sympathetic consideration.” The new Telephone Directory will, be issued to Wellington city and suburban subscribers on or about January 19. The official recount of the Hutt River Board election, which was completed yesterday, resulted as followsßaldwin, 205 votes; Bowers, 230; Brasell, 371; Clendon, 227; Foley, 158; Mitchell, 346; P.mberton, 178; Strand, 393; informal, 7. Messrs. AV. T. Strand, J. Mitchell, J. Brasell, G. Bowers and S. Clendon have been, declared elected. The facility with which Marlborough can be visited by the present ferry service was exemplified this week. A party of people left 'Wellington on Monday at It p.m. Shortly after arriving at I’icton they travelled by service car to Blenheim, where they breakfasted. Then followed a two hours’ drive through the grain land of the Wairau. At 11 a.m. they returned to Picton, took a launch and lunched at a delightful bungalow on the sound near the Grove. A Quarter of an hour before the Arahura sailed from Pieton the launch landed the party at the foot of the steamer wharf there, and at 9.45 they were stepping ashore at. Wellington, after an absence of only 22 j hours.

An epidemic of measles -is being experienced at Northcote (says the Auckland “Herald”). It is reported that cases have occurred during the past two months in almost every second household where there are young children. A feature of tRe outbreak is that many of the patients have also developed whooping cough, the double illness having quite prostrated several young sufferers. Measles are also prevalent at present at Ilelensvillc, and one or two other places between there and Auckland.

Discussing cheaper food supplies, a leading- Christchurch butcher said on Monday that high running costs made it almqst impossible to carry out satisfactory price reductions. From January 1 of the present year a new award had come into force, making it compulsory to pay butchers’ assistants 12s. extra a week, and to work them four hours less. Within eighteen months the wages bill for his establishment had jumped from between £BO and £9O to £2OO a week, without the slightest change in the number of men employed. That increase had to be paid by the public, and, therefore, really cheap meat was out of the question. - “Lyttelton Times." The inability of the nursery trade lo supply certain varieties of fruit trees to growers last season gave rise to a strong movement in certain quarters, with the object of having ’tho embargo against the importation of Australian fruit trees removed. Referring to this fact in his address to the Nurserymen’s Conference yesterday, tho Hon. AV. No-s--worthy, Minister of Agriculture, said that although this embargo was imposed solely for the purpose of preventing tho introduction of disease, it was found advisable in the interests of growers to relax the existing regulations to some extent by allowing under proper safeguards the importation of those varieties of trees not procurable in New Zealand. The Minister stated that he understood that certain of the Australian nurserymen. had declined to ship trees-to New Zealand unless the embargo was entirely removed. Under those circumstances it behoved the New Zealand nurserymen to see that the fruit-growers’ requirements were fully and satisfactorily met. He had no doubt tiiat this matter had been attended to during the past year, and he trusted that no further cause of complaint from fruit-growers would arise. All nurserymen who have the interests of their calling at heart are confirmed freeholders, according to a statement of tho president (Mr. R- Nairn) at yesterday’s sitting of the Nurserymen's Conference. Giving point to his assertion, he remarked: “During the 'nineties, tho catch-cry of the politicians' and others was 'the leasehold.’ One of its greatest advocates —in fact, one of the ‘high priests’—lived in a rented house. Then, without warning to the public, he purchased it. The following week he came to the nursery and bought a. number of trees to furqish his newly-pureliaseu home. Previous to this he had never bought a tree, nor had he watched his garden for productive purposes. Even with the advantages arising out of a settled land policy, part of the nursery industry will be much affected by the wants of those whose homes are cramped within the confines of the city. Here the natural love for flowers, which is universal in the human make-up, will demand pot' plants and cut flowers to satisfy the desires of those who have no other way of gratifying their floral tastes.” » tt is understood that an effort is to be made to .induce Mr. T. ShailerWeston to consent to nomination for the Mayoral chair. An interesting performance took place during the holidays when i’wo men, Messrs. Brown and Garmonsway, entered the Mangawhero River in a 15ft. canoe at Pakihi, two miles from Raetihi, and sailed down that river to its junction with the Wangaehu River, and thence to the township of Wangaehu, where the train was taken to AVanganui. The trip feavs.. the AVanganui "Chronicle’) took eight, days, which were, full of incident. It is understood that this is the first occasion on which any party has attempted the trifl by river, and the feat seems hardly likely to be emulated for some considerable time. The Canterbury Plains are a great study in brown at present. Grass and crops have assumed the colour of khaki. Even the distant hills harmonise in the drab colour scheme. The only patches ot green seen by the traveller on the mam line are provided by the plantations, nnd Ihe bush on the far away slopes. The plains have an inflammable appearance—a carelessly thrown match or n vagrant spark might start a fire which would sweep n. wide area. Blackened fields ami a scorched plantation between Bankside, and Dunsandel are a grim memorial ol the fire of a week ago. Alongside the railway line much precautionary burning has been done. The dry grass and corse have been burned oft carefully and scientifically, so that, the risk of another fire rushing over the, countryside has been minimised. No ram has fallen since Boxing Day, December 27. A few good showers would be welcomed -by the farmers and then effect would be highly beneficial. Oat crons are being quickly harvested, and wlmat is ripening rapidly. I'here are some splendid .wheat crops waiting for the reaper and binder, and harvesting should be in full swing very soon. Now and amiin, on light or shingly land, thin crops may be observed, but on he whole farmers are. confident mt th ’ year’s wheat will thrash out well.-”Lyt-telton Times.”

A cup has been presented by the Gov-ernor-General, Lord Jellicoe, to the Auckland Regatta Committee for competition by the smaller yachts at the forthcomiim regatta.

The milking sertson m Otago is proving most successful, and heavy supplies ot butter-fat are Teaching the Dunedin factories lo lie made into butter. The supplies, in fact, constiute a record, and the AVaitaki Dairy Factory atone, will pay out no less than £40,C00 in a few days to cover the cost of the butter-fat purchased by it for the past mouth, says a Dunedin exchange.

Matters of importance to those interested in the boy scout movement were considered by the Dominion Chief Scout Commissioner, Mr. D. C. AV. Cossgrove, when in Auckland last week. One ol these was a’ proposal for co-operation in the work of the scout organisation and tho Young Citizens’ Ix’ague. Mr. Cossgrove oaid that the boys reached by tho league were not easily brought into the scout (movement, chiefly owing to the heavy cost of the uniforms. ‘That bar had now been removed as the scout executive had decided not. to insist on uniforms until they could be procured at a reasonable price. It seemed as ii the two movements could therefore get into line now, and the matter would be further discussed. A proposal to reorganise the Auckland province, which was mooted some time ago, was also considered. The scheme is generally to adopt the English system of local scout associations and the abolition of the existing scout districts.

A conference between representatives of the federated seainei/s unions and the shipowners was held in. Wellinffton yesieidav to discuss the demand of the unions for a cost-of-living bonus of £- a mouth. The conference was not open to the Press. At the conclusion of yesterday’s proceedings, a reporter was informed that the shipowners had made a certain offer, and that this offer would now be referred to the unions for thenconsideration. ft

The New Zealand Alliance has received the following cablegram I'ro'm Air. J. AV. Allison, secretary of the Scottish Permissive. Bill and Temperance Association, Glasgow—“ Final results; Forty-one nolicense; thirty-five limitation; four hundred and forty-six licenses cancelled.”

One hundred and sixty boys of all ages attended the St. Peters Mission Camp nt Otaki from December 27 to January 8. The boys, who came from all parts of AVellington. were housed in the buildings of the Otaki Racing Club. A\ Hiking excursions, bathing, and sports meetings comprised the camp activities, and during their stay the boys gave an entertainment in the local theatre, the sum of £l6 being raised for the sports. The Rei« T. -Feilden Taylor acted as camp commandant, and he was assisted by the following Officer-in-charge, Mr. Espines; adjutants, Messrq. R. Atkinson and G. Blackwill; directoi' of pastimes, Mr. J. Stewart; quartermasters. Messrs. H. Kinvig and Z. Southward; in charge of canteen, Messrs. R. Harley and H. V. Clark. Local farmers preseirted the camp with meat tor the whole period, and a AVellington firm gave the vegetables. The boys returned to town on Saturday last much the better for their brief stay iu the country.

“The increased interest in afforestation at the present time is most hopeful,” remarked tho president (Mr. R. Nairir, of Christchurch) nt yesterday’s sitting of the Nurserymen’s Conference- “The Government of the day is alive to its importance, and has made it a live question in its policy measures. The forward policy planned by the Department of Forestry will reflect itself among those who holfl land, and at an early date we may look tor large planting schemes to bo 'undertaken by our landowners. A Canterbury gentleman, who is filled with the tree-planting spirit, stated to me that as an investment for the future, planting trees for timber purposes was a much more profitable investment than a life insurance policy. Let such a doctrine grip the public mind and we shall have such a stimulant to the nursery business as we have not yet experienced.”

Speaking at yesterday’s conference of th'e Nurserymen’s Association, the president (Mr. R. Nairn) expressed the opinion that the prospective fruit-growers of the Dominion would gradually increase in numbers, even, if the prophetic warnings of a slump should bo heard in the land. Tho price of fruit in New Zealand today wasi higher than ever, and the supply could not overtake the demand. The export of fruit had yet to be placed on a large and favourable basis, and when that dav arrived this industry would be one of the best for those portions of New Zealand which possessed a climate as their best asset. The producers of fruit trees still, had bright prospects in front of them.

Satisfactory progress is being ’nodo with the development of the Southland Power Board’s scheme for the generation of power from Lake Monowai, 602 miles from Canterbury. The scheme provides ultimately for 20,000 h.p., and Solves an expenditure ot £1,500,000. Intervliewed in Christchurch, Mr. AV. llinehev, r.cfiiig-e.mirmau of the board, said the road is practically completed from the rail head at Tuatapiri to within five miles of the power station site. A totara wood pipe a mile long and six feet in diameter, will be a feature of the installation, which will be similar to Lake Coleridge, except that the head in Southland will be 187 ft. as against 480 ft. at Coleridge. A sawmill has been cutting totara for the pipe line, and a contract for its construction lias’been let to a Sydney engineer. A suspension bridge is being erected over the AVaiau River to carry the powei plant. A thousand poles have been lam'ied at the. Bluff from Sydney. When the whole scheme is completed in about three years—there will he about 165 miles of pole line. On’.y 8000 h.p. 'will' be developed at first, and the plant will serve the whole of Southland pud parts of the Clutha and Bruce Counties.

Several aeroplanes from _ Canterbury are temporarily operating in Otago. A machine, owned by the Canterbury Aviation Company, with Captain Gray as pilot, flow over tho city oil. I ri.day on its wav to the Taieri. This machine was not expected till the following day, and there were cattle in the landing paddock. As the aeroplane descended they became very excited, and omo-beast got' in a position where neither the pilot nor bis companion could see it, with the result that the machine collided witli and killed it. The under carriage of the aeroplane was damages.

Prices for lamb for export at present rilling i.u Auckland me rather higher than in tho remainder of the Dominion, savs the “Herald.” The reason given fuj- this is that [here is a considerable market for New Zealand lamb in A7ancouver. Auckland supplies most of that demand, owing to shipping conditions, and the increased competition has had the effect, of raising the prices. There is a fairly good market, in Canada, while a certain amount of the lamb also finds its way to file United States. Prices are rather higher chan they were last season. Tenpence per lb. on the hook has been offered to growers. Owing to the Reason being later than it was last year, it is not possible to say at present how supplies will compare with those previously coming forward. The possible diversion of land used tor fattening lambs to dairying in consequence of the increased prices of butter and cheese, has hardly had time to manifest itself so far as this season is concerned. Prospects are a little vague at present regarding the market in tlio l inted State... Th" alarm felt by the sheep-producers in that country, aiid the action they are taking to have a, Jiiriff barrier imposed against New Zealand lamb, as they also ctmiand against wool, leave (he situation clouded, so that those engaged in the industry are not prepared to predict anyconcerning th* outcome.