NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1924, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

At the annual conference of the Executive Council the N.Z. Public Service Association in Wellington, Mr ]{. Siuel, president, expressed appreciation of the Government’s action in granting fortnightly pay to Public .Servants and mentioned the fact that the Association had been advocating this for years. Mr Sinel said that the Public Service Commissioner himself had of later years not been averse to it, but the opposition usually came from the Accounting Departments, and several .Ministers of Finance were appealed t . in vain to grant this request. Some months ago the matter was again represented hy the Association to the Prime Minister, who announced that the matter would be tixc-cl up satisfactorily, but ill the last month or two it appeared that the authorities were still being passive. To-day, however, the Prime .Minister has kept his promise— much to the delight of poorly paid Public Servants.

The railway expenditure for the period ending June 31st was C 1,185.138, and the revenue Cl ,483,-100, showing a gross surplus of L'297,317. The corresponding figures last year were; Expenditure. Cl ,321 ~">B3 ; receipts. Cl.523,89(1; gross surplus. C 302.307. Of this year’s surplus, C21().00(> is gained on the North Island lines, the balance being for the South Island. The North Island receipts were C878,(58ll, and the expenditure L'(!(i2,(i(>s, and the South Island receipts were C'903,775, and the expenditure t'533.483. In tin- North Island the expenditure was equal to 75.41 per cent of revenue, and in the South Island 8(5.51 per cent of revenue, against 7(5.22 and 85.73 per cent respectively last year.

A man who wanted to go to gaol, the prison in which there is a shortage oi labour, and the statement made by a police officer regarding tlit* shortage liroiiglit an element of comedy into the Dunedin Court proceedings recently. The man (relates the "Star”), who received three months in keeping with his wish, had been but lately discharged, and during his previous stay he had made himself very useful to the authorities, being a painter bv trade. Work lie had undertaken wa> not finished at the time of his discharge, and as lie is a true craftsman, the desire to complete his contract is said to have contributed to his action in giving himself up and asking to lie “ taken in.”

A statement worthy of consideration liv farmers was made to a “Levin Chronicle" representative recently by Mr A. Horn, who manages for Ids father the well-known Jersey breeder Mr R. L. Horn), of Koliu. Speaking of lucerne, of which lie had a one-year-old acre patch, Mr Horn stated that he considered it a very much overrated crop, and that whilst not denying the fact that considerable quantities of fodder could be cut from it. he was of

opinion that cow-grass was an even better crop. “ It,” he stated, “cowgrass received the same thorough cultivation, liming, and manuring and attention as does lucerne, it is my opinion that on the average land it would heat lucerne out of sight.”