NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1922, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Soldiers’ Bonus Bill was de- ; scribed as the “centre of political j storm” when the last mails left Tsew : York. There was a feeling on the part of certain Congressmen that tin- funds j received from the repayment of for- : eign loans might suitably lie used as a , means for paying the bonus. The Sc-, eretary of the* Treasury reiterated It is objections to such a plan, pointing out . that the money loaned to these for- : eign Governments was obtained by the [ sale of bonds, with the understanding ' that the bonds were to be retired as j the loans were repaid. He issued a ; further warning that any additional j burden of taxation, as be termed it j S uch as the bonus, may defer indefin- I itelv the return of prosperity. It . seems likely, said a, commentator, that; some measure will he enacted, and the j bonus may take the form of cash, j bonds, land and insurance, in varying proportions. In these days of high costs ol wages ; ami materials, it is seldom that build- j ings are completed within estimated ; cost, but an instance of this was i-e- ] ported at the meeting of the Wan- ; ganui Hospital Board. The architect, Air T. H. Ja.in.es, reported that the additions to the Taihape Hospital had been completed. The estimate for the work was, £3OBO, but the actual cost was £2640, or £440 less than the estimate. The architect explained that even while most of the material was bought on a high market, by judicious

buying and tho employment of day labour wherever possible, the expenditure bad been kept down.

Different cities have different ways. Mr ]». Meiizios, of Perth City Council stales that the Council gives all the encouragement possible to sports bodies. He instanced the case of a football ground with a lot of natural advantages, which wanted a grandstand and ball. The council was approached i v the dub of the district, and asked to improve the property in the direction Indicated, hut the Council had not the funds to proceed with the work The Council was then asked to lease the ground to the Club, in order that it could be utilised in different ways in order to raise the funds necessary for the improvements mentioned. This lease was granted, subject to certain conditions, which enabled the council to use. the ground for its own needs on certain occasions. The club then organised a moving picture show, and for sc mi m mths of the year' gave three al fresco entertainments every week, with the result that in two or three years they will have a ground m the form of a natural stadium capable of accommodating comfortably 120,000 people, and a ball in which the entertainments can be continued during the winter months. At the -end of the ten years the council is likely to possess the- best sports ground m the whole of Australasia. mu him ■■'ini ii * mtuuKßtaatatiiKUM