The Times Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 778, 24 October 1922, Page 4

The Times Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1922. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

When an advocate in the Arbitration Court ati Wellington was contending that women employed in restaurants should have more than one substantial meal .during the clay, Mr Justice Frazer stated that be did not eat more than one substantial meal a day, and did not think more was necessary. “Half of what we eat to nourish, the doctor.” the same time he agreed! that heavy manual labour did require substantial food. It seems ridiculous that while the ru|e of the road is “keep to the left” the rule of the footpath should be “keep to the right.’’ yet such is the force of custom that certain New Zealand towns which are making an attempt to, bring the twain 'into unity are finding the row a hard one to hoe. Wanganui has a white line 'town the footpath, but a pessimistic City Councillor in Christchurch thinks that signs hung on everyone’s nose will be necessary before , pedestrians itbere observe the “keep to .he left” by-law.—Waikato Times.

“We nothing extenuate, nor aught set down in malice.”

In an Invercargill butcher’s shop (says the Southland Times) was a display that was a tribute to the productivity cif the province. Six iambs, off a gross weight of 2681b5, which gives an average of 44 2-31bs, is something unusual ati (this time of the year,, while the faat that they were only two months and eighteen days’ old bespeak a mild climate and plenty of good nourishment. A young lady in Scotland., who had passed all her examinations as a nurse and who wished to come to New Zealand to rejoin her parents, who had recently come to the Dominion wrote to the High Commissioner ‘saying she would: be willing to act as* a nurse in l’eturn for her passage, to any sick person needing help on the voyage ouit. She got a reply stating that there were over 200 applications for such positions, and that only very rarely was a nurse asked for and there was little hope of getting a portion as nurse in an outbound steamer. “We in New Zealand have as good a railway system as any in the world/” sa'i,d the chairman (Mr C E. Daniell) at the annua/ meeting of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce (states the Age). ‘’When the late Lord Northcliffe had stepped off the Main Trunk train at Hamilton he said with reference to the three hours’ trip of 80 miles from Auckland : “My word, that’s a good run.” Coming (from a visitor, that was something to be proud of, Mr D. M. Graham “Yes, but that’s in Auckland.” —(Laughter). “We grumble at the administration,’ 1 ’ continued the chairman, “Instead of trying to realise their difficulties and help them.”

An old resident of Auckland states that the winter of 1859 was very similar to the present one it was remarkably fine, and dry, and was followed by one of the hottest and driest summers known in the province. The Westei'n Springs and tfie Cabbage Tree Swamp, then looked upon as li)ie most permanent qf water supplies, dried up, or at any rate became mere mud boles ; wells in many instances failed, and' the people were put to severe straits for delinking supplies and stock! suffered severely. In those days of course, population was scanty, tanks and w’ells were plentiful and there were practically no” large industries to swallow water.

The desirability, and (indeed! the necessity, of roads of a sufficiently high standard to carry all classes of traffic became more apparent each year, and it is now generally recognised that this standard can oniy be attained by proper organisation and modern equipment. The severe tests applied to road surfaces by swiftlymoving and often heavy motor traffic have induced some local bodies to adopt a more modern and permanent method of surfacing than mere metalling’. The result of their experiences has demonstrated that it is more economical to adopt this system than the previously existing systems of contraction and maintenance. ■

A good story has just been related to me (says a Napier writer) by a friend who vouches for its accuracy. A Hawke’s Bay sportsman recently won £lO at a meeting, and on his return home placed the money lin a pocket of an old garden coat, not being desirous that his wife should' know of his success. A .few days afterwards he found himself in want of funds, and so decti.decf\ to again become possessed of the £lO. On going to the place where the garden coat was hung, however, he found that it was gone. He instituted the most diligent search for it., but all his efforts to locate its whereabouts ended in failure. He then approached his “better half,” and asked if she knew where it was. and she replied that she had charita’bly g>iven it away to a person who had called for old clothes.

There is quite a little inside history in connection with Mr Massey’s cable to Mr Lloyd George. On the Saturday when the cable from the British Government arrived there was an interesting function at Government House. lit was the occasion of some investitures of titular honours and! a reception. The ceremony was over. Gaily dressed ladies and gentlemen were gathered about in Little groups when his Excellency Lord Jellicoe and Mr Massey were seen to enter one of the side rooms. Shortly afterwards other Ministers who were present were seen making their way for the same room. Onlookers smiled, they thought that the jjllustrious ones were merely enjoying refreshment in private.' But they were making history. An important Cabinet meeting was being held, and in about three minutes a cable was on its way to Mir Lloyd George intimating where New Zealand stood if her help was required. —ELtham Argus.

In Weddells annual review of the imported dairy produce trade, the following passage appears :—‘From a chronicler’s point of view, the first complete year of trading in butter and cheese 4i nce 1917 was perhaps the most interesting period in the recent history of the industry; but for producers and traders it was a time of worry and anxiety. Events of far-reaching importance followed upon each other with disconcerting swiftness : the markets responded with violent movements to unusual and diverse influences and: a feeling of nervousness prevailed, even when no apparent cause was, discern able. Drought, industrial depression, Continental exchange fluctuations,, strife in Ireland, irresponsible handling of Government stock, rapid changes in consumptive demand, foreign buying, delays in discharge of steamers, attempts at artificial control by large New Zealand holders —all in turn contributed to aggravate the chaotic condition of the markets during (the past year The withdrawal of Government regulation seemed to leave traders with no ordinary standards by which to measure their operations, and the result was what ought to have been ordinary fluctuations on ft he basis of actual supply and demand were transformed into “booms” or “slumps” with, in some cases, disastrous consequences.”

On Thursday evening of last week, a billiards match took place in Mr W. J. Short’s saloon between Mr E. J Goodhew, an ex-Auckland chain, pion, and Mr O. Short, the wellknown Pukekohe player. The former conceded the latter 250 in a game of 750 up. A good game resulted in a win for Goodhew by 10 points. According' to figures compiled by Mr il. J. Lowe, Petroleum economist, of Iho Bureau of Mines in the United Stales, Hie supply of gasoline is gaining on the consumption in America. While the consumption of gasoline lias increased, the reserve slocks held in the United Slates are at present the largest in the history of that country. At the date when the figures were compiled by Mr Lowe, at the request of the American Automobile Association, the slocks totalled 825,230,000 gallons, an increase of 21 per cent for the same period in 1921, and 36 per cent over 1920. The increased copsumption was only 7 per eenl, notwithstanding the great development of motor traction.

A tribute, to the way in which the English brides of New Zealand exsoldiers are settling down to life in the backbloclcs was paid by the Rev. 11. Johnson, of Dargaville, in the course of a speech at a mass meeting of women held recently. The speaker slated that he had three soldier settlements in his district, and there was not one woman there who had not proved a success. Some of the English girls had been workers in the large industrial towns of England, but nevertheless they had adapted themselves to pioneering conditions in the backblocks with wonderful pluck, and were proving themselves in every way the worthy helpmates of their soldier-settler, husbands. One of the most famaus historic buildfings in France, the Palace of Versailles, is seriously threatened with partial collapse by reason of a mushroom, according to a report just issued by the authorities who have been investigating the conditions of the woodwork. A fungus, which (the scientists call phellium 'qryptar. um, develops inside the wooden beams which have been rendered fire-proolf on the surface, and! then, subjected to damp, transforms them into pulp. The damage done is already considerable, a large number of beams and rafters having thus been destroyed. Wonderful carved wood panellings also are badly affected. The scientists are now trying to determine what can be done to remedy the damage, or at least prevent its spreading. At a recent meeting of cheese factory suppliers, at which certain of the “heads” of the New Zealand Dairy Go.. Ltd., were in attendance, a supplier told the following story: Mir A——. a dairy farmer, went to his shed to get his four-cow milking plant in readiness for the evening milking. When reaching up over one of the bails tp obtain ithe first set of teat-cups, he exejaimed: “IThis one is for Mr Goodfellow and Mr J,. B. Wright.” Upon securing the second set, he said: “This is for Mr Sinclair and all of those blokes who ride round in motor cars,” Set number three was for the “Head office in Hamilton.” Coming ito the last set he announced: “This is for myself and the mortgagees.”’ This fltUe anecdjote caused no end of amusement amongst those present at the meeting.