THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. Saturday, April 16, 1910 TOPICS OF THE DAY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. Saturday, April 16, 1910 TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The"deputation representing the Pio Pio Saleyards Company got a very sympathetic reception at the hands of the representatives of the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company on Wednesday evening, and have good grounds for supposing that success will crown their efforts. If the new scheme for selling stock is adopted a better system will be brought into force, and some abuses quashed. Cases have been known where an auctioneer has done his best to realise a fair market price for his client, to be faced, at the last moment, with a refusal to sell. Such a practise is disheartening, and the proposed new way will stop it, by insisting upon a minimum price being fixed before the sale. The new saleyards company has excellent prospects before it, and there should be ample room for its operations. If losses are saved to the farmers, on those grounds alone it deserves encouragement. * * * * * * The coming borough election in Te Kuiti is causing a certain amount of mild excitement in the town. There are rumours of keen competition for the Mayoralty, and amongst prospective candidates for the Council a butcher, a journalist, a land agent, and a medical gentleman are mentioned. The electoral roll just printed gives over 450 voters and probably the supplementary list will increase the number to 500. It need not be assumed that all these will go to the poll. Owners of freehold land not residing in the borough will scarcely put themselves out to travel here to vote. And possibly a number of residents will not excite themselves. There is, however, good reason why all votes should be polled. We want a strong, representative, efficient Mayor and Council to carry out the large improvements necessary to make the town-all it should be from a residential point of view. ****** .The price of gas (not the oratoricnal kind) varies very considerably in different towns. Hamilton, for instance, where until recently a gas company bad control, se)}s af 10 shillings per 1000 feet, and 7s 6$ tp consumers for power or heating. Huntervjlle, where the Town Board runs the lighting, has just decided to charge 7a per 1000 feet, with a further reduction of Is if the account is promptly paid. For a small country town Hunterville compares more than favourably with moat other places in the price of its illumjinant. . j

A point of some interest to local traders is raised in the "Mercantile Gazette." It supposes an importer from London buying £SOO worth of goods at 90 days sight. If the importer has a balance lying at his bank it would pay him much better to ask his London wholesaler to draw at sight. For example: On demand the bill would be for £SOB 15s; at 30 days, £sll ss; at 60 days, £513 15s; and at 90 days, £516 ss. "It will therefore be seen," says the "Gazette," if we have the money available it is far better to ask the London merchant to draw on us at sight, for by doing this, we would effect a saving of £7 10s in connection with this shipment. Even if we are working on an overdraft and have to pay 6 per cent, to the bank for money borrowed by us, it would pay us better to have the bill drawn 'on demand,' or at a short currency, if we think we can turn the goods over quickly and pay the cash into the bank before the date when the bill would have matured under a longer currency. The question is well worth looking into."