LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4533, 28 February 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Auckland Wai; Memorial Citizens’ Fund has now reached £145,000The Minister of Customs has announced that the resumption of trade with Germany will come into force as from September 1, next. ' The Auckland Hospital Board has 34 contributing bodies, representing a capital value of £60,000,000. Hannan and Felton will row at Nelson about the end of April for the Australasian sculling championship. Some of the wooden vessels built during the war for the Commonwealth Government and sold in August last to Sydney buyers at £2OOO each are to bp placed in trade between Australia and the East. The local Methodist choir is at present hard at practice on the oratorio “Crucifixion,” to be presented during the Easter services. Mi; L. Foster is conducting the practices, and will i?e glad of the help of a number of people who are prepared to assist. Another 50 tons of cargo salvaged from the Wiltshire arrived at Auckland yesterday. It is stated that the Wiltshire has now completely disappeared below the water line, though at low water about 2ft of the fore stem is visible. Mr Holland, M.P., has predicted that “it is possible there will be another election next year.” He believes “Labour will have a big say in the next Christchurch North election.” At a bankruptcy meeting in the estate of Alec Cook, carpenter, of Hamilton, the Deputy Official Assignee was asked to lay the facts before the Crown Solicitor with a view to prosecution, creditors being dissatisfied with the general conduct oi tne bankrupt. In connection with their Harvest Festival services, the Methodist Church held a social evening and sale of produce on Monday evening. The choir rendered several items 'most acceptably, and Mrs Marshall and Mr L. Foster sang solos. The display of fruit and vegetables decorated a very large stall, and at the sale of these goods high prices were realised, the sale realising over £l2. 'A proposal is afoot to form a Conservator ium of Music in Christchurch (states an exchange). It is announced that negotiations are now proceeding with a famous overseas musician to take up his residence in Christchurch. He is understood to be Mr Skalski, who succeeded Mr Verbrugghen at the Sydney Conservatorium. On Monday evening the Parish Hall was well filled, the occasion being the szle of produce, fruit, etc., from the Harvest Thanksgiving festival held at St. Paul’s Church on Sunday last. The hal! was prettily decorated for the occasion, and a generous display of produce which was arranged to advantage on the various stalls met with keen competition, and good pricer, were realised. Admission was free. A dainty supper was organised by the Ladies’ Guild at a nominal cost. The members of the Ladies’ Guild are to be heartily congratulated on the' success of their efforts, as sufficient money was raised to free the church property of debt. During the evening musical items were contributed.

Negotiations are still proceeding respecting the marine survey at WaikoItopu harbour (states the Poverty Bay Iler.ald). At the last meeting of the Wairoa Harbour Board correspondence was .received from the Marine Department stating that the Tutanekai had left on her northern tour, and would not be available meanwhile to sweep the anchorage,, and that endeavours to obtain H.M.S. Veronica for this work were unsuccessful. Messrs Hay, Vickerman, and Lancaster wrote offering to sweep the anchorage with the I)jinn. The chairman reported that the board was not prepared to proceed with the sweeping at present. It was decided that the chairman should proceed to Wellington to interview the Marine Department.

The principle of a tax on motor vehicles was advocated by a number of speakers at the conference of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers at Auckland. Among them was Mr F. Shannon, engineer.to the Matamata County Council, who suggested the imposition of a £6 tax on all motor vehicles, bringing in a national revenue of £250,000. Capitalised at 5 per cent, this would produce a loan of £4,500,000, which would be sufficient to bujld 1125 miles of concrete roads. The speaker did not believe his suggeston would be adopted, as the motorists were against the principle of a tax, and the settlers imagined that the revenue produced from the tax would be pooled, ■ and some localities might not reap their proper share of the allocations from the fund.

There will be widespread interest in the significant disclosure made at the meeting of the Waitemata County Council regarding the fate of some returned soldiers on the land (states the Taranaki Daily News). The clerk (Mr C. A. Cawkwell) in reporting a large amount of rates outstanding, stated that some of those affected, returned soldiers, were practically starving and could not pay rent, let alone rates. He had consulted the Nprth Auckland Land Board in the matter and was informed that the properties of the soldiers were mortgaged to the King, who could not be sued. Tn .the event of foreclosure the board held itself liable to the current year’s rates only, but the speaker contended that the mortgagee was liable for rates for the whole period, and these were recoverable. A member of the council said the Land Board was not responsible for putting the men on t the land. There would be quite a number of foreclosures this year. It was decided to obtain legal advice. A test case against the Land Board will be taken, if advisable, for recovery of rates for the whole period of default.