LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Outside Visitors to Baths. Outside visitors from 46 towns in Ne>v Zealand and Australia took hob salt water baths at the Napier Municipal Baths during geptember. The total number of baths taken during the period was 1229, of which 511 were by Napier residents. The takings amounted to £49 2/-, as against £44 8/- for the correspondxng month of last year. County Council Works. Tenders for the Hawke's Bay Covmty Council' s 'summer ' tar-sealing progrsunme have now closed, and the council has asked the Main Highways Board to approve tlie tenders for the Te Mata-Tukituki and Waiohiki-Pakowhai main highways, Approval for the other four woj;ks for which tenders were called, will probably be asked for as soon as further particulars in regard to the tenders are obtained. Duke of Cloucester Cup. The race for the Duke of Gloucester Cup on the Hastings racecourse next Saturday is causing a great deal oi interest. The liandsome gold cup, donated by H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester, together with the twO miniatures, have arrived in Hastings, and to-day were exhibited in the window of the House of Blackmore, Heretaunga street, where they .will again be on view during next week. Large Timber Contract. A contract that would mean that 200 carloads of logs would be hauled daily by the Canatlian Pacific Railways ior the next seven years, was let while Mr. K. McLeay was in Canada recently, according to information in his address to the Napier Chamber of Commerce. Tlie timber had been acquired by Japanese, and purcliased in the busu, and it was intended that they should supply their own labour, feli the timber, and supply their own steamers for shipment abroad.Water In Coai. "I have heard of water being blamed for the quality of inilk, but not for the weigkt of coai,'' commented the magistrate, Mr. W. H. Freeman, during the hearing in Invercargill ot a case 111 j which a coai vendor was charged with carrying sliort-weight coai. Counsel for deiendant had told the Court that the coai was bagged when it was wet, and as it was not delivered until two days later it was possible that the loss of moisture had accounted for the shortage in iveight. The use of a hoso before delivering the coai was smiliugly suggested by the magistrate. New Health Stamp. A fairly strong demand for the new health stamp, particularly by stamp colleetors, was evident in Hastings and Napier yesterday, when the stamp was placed on sale for the lirst time. The demand continued to-day, particularly large quantities being purchased by sehoolboy colleetors. Many of them passed through the post yesterday afhxed to first-day covers issued by tlie Hawke's Bay Philatelic Society, although no covers have been issued by the Postal Department. The health stamp is of attractive design ana will no doubt be sought after by colleetors and dealers all over the world. Democratic Britain. "Wliile on niy way across America, I overheard a complinient paid to Great Britain ,by some Ainericans returning from the Coronation," said Mr. K. MoLeay in his address to the Napier Chamber of Commerce. "One of them remarked, and this was endorsed by others, that Britain to-day - was the best governed country in the world. When jt is considered that Britain is the most democratic country of them all, one cannot help but feel a great deal of pride in the fact that democracy, as we see it and as we act up to it in the British Empire, lias not i'ailed." Fishing Licence Retused. Tlie operation of the Industrial Efficiency Act has prevented a Dunedin tisiii merchant irom purchasing . and working a fishing boat tor tli© purpose of ensurjng an adequate supply in his skop, reports tlie Dunedin Star. Dissatisfied with the amount of fish available on the wholesale market, he made arrangements ior the building of a 37ft. launch, but his application to the Bureau of Industry for a licence under the Act was refused because it was considered that the Dunedin's fishing fleet was large enough to supply tbe market, and the operation of another vessel would result in economie waste. Objections to the granting of tlie licence were, of course, raised by iocal fishermen, The merchant states, however, that he considers the fleet far from adequate. The fleet, he said, had been badly depleted during the depression, and now that times were better it seemed reasonable that licences which had lapsed sliould be recommissioned. items From the Estimates. The Budget Estimates, dealiog withi thousands and in some cases with millions, cannot escape a few items that to one not ''in the know" are distinctly ludicrous. For instance, in the account of the Feusions Department, on a page dealing with several hundred thousands of pounds, appears the item, "For attending to push bel|, £6 13/5." The receipts of the Health Department show £50 received i'rom the 'sale oi material to be used in a pluuibers' exumination. In every departmenb appear grants made to men engaged in the dcstruction of rubbish and old records. Tlie Legislative Department' s accounts show £6 19/3 expended on members' gymnasium equipment, 10/ 1 for the fumigation of books in the General Assembly Library and 25/- for piano tuning. Many of these items appear under "contingencies, including unforeseen expenditure." To meet the cost of "winding" and repairing of ciocks tbe Legislative Department' s estimates have allocated £50 for 193738. The hire of furniture for a function held by the Internal Aifairs Department cost £3. The Marine Department asks for £1, the cost of getting ietters translated into Maori, and "reward for services rendered'' amounting to £1. Further on one reads tbat the Department of Labour was forced to buy bread worth 5/8 in order to test for accuracy of weight. Prqsentation sets of New; Zealand coins cost the Deyrtment pf Jntcrngl bfc*