GENERAL NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 558, 12 April 1913, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The home founded by the Queen at Whitstable out of the money presented ny the "Marys of the Empire" upon the occasion of Her Majesty's coronation, is being put to an extended use. The home was built for the use of working girls in London in need of change and sea air, but it has been found that that accommodation is requred only during the summer months. Her Majesty, therefore, has given directions that, for tfae remainder of each year, the home shall be set aside for the use of ladies in poor circumstances who are earning their living. Each is called upon to contribute towards her support at the rate of 12s weekly, and there has been so great a rush of applications for admission upon these terms that no more can possibly be considered for twelve months.

Mr Lorimer, a member of the -Trade of Empire Royal Commission, stated in an interview at Syduey, that the general prosperity of New Zealand was obviously the result of a rapid and steady development of the land. "An outstanding feature of the extraordinary development," said Mr Lerrimer, "is the manner in which production is increasing. This is very gratifying, as there is an unlimited market in England for Australasian produce." Scarcity of labour, he added, is one of the most vital problems in New Zealand. As the result of his northern tour the Hon. W. Fraser expressed his surprise at the great extent of land suitable for profitable farming that he had passed. It was clear, he said, that the North had not been onequarter developed, partly owing to the costly nature of road work in the peninsula, and partly to the fact that a considerable area belonged to the natives, who paid no road rates, thus greatly increasing the burden of the local bodies. He expressed the hope that the knowledge gained by his trip would enable him <6 make good use of whatever money could be spared fothe furtherance of settlement in that Dart of New Zealand.

Short-weight as wei! as substitution is an evil provided against in the new food regulations, and there has already been an interesting development in the retail butter business as a result of what the housewife gets in response to her order for a pound of butter is often a pat an ouice, or even two ounces, short of a pound weight. The wholesalers who put up butter in pats for grocers have had warning over this practice from the Health Department, but they met the posi tion by advertising their brands for sale at so much per pat, instead of per pound. Now they have received a further checkmate in the new regulations, which prescribe that the nut weight must be shown on the wrapper. They may continue under stress of competition to cut the price of pats, but the cautious housewife need not be misled into thinking she is getting cheaper butter. If the weight does not coincide with that specified on the wrapper, a complaint to the local health inspector will probably have good results. The Vegetable Fibre Committee is still making experiments with a view to obtaining a wool pack which will prevent deleterious vegetable fibre irom getting mixed with the wool. The difficulty has been to obtain something not too expensive. One very satisfactory paper-lined pack was submitted, but the price is about 9d above that of Calcutta jute bags. Another, from Dundee, worked out at 4d above the Calcutta price. The latter, in which the paper is fixed to the inside of the bags with pitch, will undergo its full trial with this season's shipments from Australia. Paper twine has also been submitted to the committee, which regards some of the samples as remarkably useful and attractive, and recommends them to growers. A minority report signed by Mr H. F. Little and Mr W. Acton Adams, as representing the growers, expresses the opinion that unless the manufacturers, i.e., the buyers, will bear a portion of the cost of the packs, there is not much hop& of a solution. There are indications that the sort of pack required will cost 4s, and the minority feels confident that growers will not pay the whole of this.

For children's hacking cough at night Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, U 6d, 2s 6d. %