TRICKS OF TRADE.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 337, 7 March 1884, Page 2

TRICKS OF TRADE.

We have not space for more than a few lines on the " bag question," which has suddenly become a burning one amongst the farmers, owing to the compact entered into practically by both wholesale and retail Dunedin dealers not to buy grain excepting ©n condition that the bags should be weighed in with the contents and not charged f«r. It need hardly be said that the farmers have our sympathy and support in the struggle they are making against the proposed change, and we hope to see at to-morrow night's meeting at Ckattoh men of all shades o£ opinion freely expressing their views on this attempt to rob honest men of their due. For it is nothing else. "We shall be met with the reply that the change will cut both ways, that the farmer will be compensated for the loss of his bags by the increased price that will be given for the grain with them thrown in ; but it is not so, and we want no further proof of this than the fact that the dealers have found a strong combination necessary to bring the change about. The ' Morning Hei aid' of yesterday well points out thaj; " The new system would operate very nnequally as regards different Gereals, and the loss would be greatest to the farmer on the lowest price cereal, viz., oats, which can least bear a loss. For example, if oats were at 2s per bushel of 401 b, the bug sold by weight wqukj bring about l£d, while with wheat at is per bup{iel of 601 b, the bag would fetch slightly over 2d, rec^qnp^ the weight in eaoh ease at 2|ib, The ordinary value of bags is fiomSdto 9d ; thus, sup? posing the farmer only to get the same price for his grain, in each case he would lose from. jOd to 7^d by each bag, according to its contents, 'fhc inequality o£ the arrangement is n&fc the : ,qi>ly ' objection, The miller would probably easily get j}d to (}d fpr second-hand bags ; ill sent to Melbourne or London, something, we do not kuovv exactly how much, would be got for them, and it does not seem i'.iir tliat all the profit should go to the ijuynr and all the loss be borne by the seller. Neither dqes it seem £air that the seller should get paid at a price, \ylri.eh would prove a loss to the buyer. The fairest course would seem to.be for each pany to p.-iy a fair §urn for the use of the bags— thu farmer in retupn £oi> th.c advantage of bringing his b:igs to m j?ket, the mjddlp-rnan jn'reUirn for the -^Wantage oi gating the m'* ia f"t° * ho h™,k en **•« conmm-.-r, and fao cqnsumer bec^hlum m ate;y:^tL.bn S^n^s ! though in a considerably u.^^a GoFMtjon." This puts the Gasp very fairty, and to our mind a compromise should be brought about by the buyer giving, say, 6'd for new bags, thus leaving each party to beara portion of vhe loss. The farmer cannot expect cost price for his bags after they have been knocked about, neither can the dealer hope .eventually to escape having to meet his opponent less than half way. We hope there will be no deadlock, There must be conciliation on both sides, and with such momentous issues we hope wise counsels will prevail. We require something like 500,09'J,0q0 bags for our New Zealand crop oh" 20,000,000 bushels, and if the farmers are to make a loss of 6d per bag they will labor iunder an annual tax to the grain buyers of L 12 5,000, those figures of course being leased on the assumption that grain will not rise jn price with the bags thrown in. We hope something more definite than a mere protest will be agreed ]to at £o-mor-morrow night's meeting ; and while on the subject we might remark that the proposal to fojmi a Farmers' Glu.b is an admirable on©, Such an institution should have taken firm root in the Chatton district long ago. Its utility csiinot be questioned, for apart from the interchange of valuable ideas that would be brought about by meetings and discussions, its officers would keep a general eye on fji.nan.eiaJ and other matters affecting the farmers, £h h e grain dealers find combination so' necessary, nijft^ y> : ,G throw out the suggestion "that .tlae far- , m.ers also wight .co-operate in many things— in ordering their supply of bag's for instance, which cpjild bo procured by this means either through local, D;anedin ? or Home houses at a much cheaper rqtte than individual purchasers can buy at P We make the settlers a present of this

suggestion, believing they will not be unwilling to adopt some such plan for lessening their burdens and helping each other. ■ . - .

A teacher is wanted for the Lumsden ■ public school. The Mataura contingent of the Southland Hussar.4 is requested to meet on Thursday evening foot drill, aid on Friday for mounted drill. * - The Home Government have offered L2OOO reward for the arrest-of the perpetrators of the recent attempted d3 r namite outrages at London railway stations. The police believe that three Americans are the guilty parties, and are endeavoring to discover their whereabouts. " A Member of .the Gore Domain Board " will learn with interest that the Eeserves Committee of the Danedin City Council and the Botanical Domains Board have held a conference with the resuk that the former will recommend the City Council to take over the Botanical Gardens. The ' Otago Daily Times ' is glad to learn . that Mr Duncan Wrigfat, who recently met *vith a severe buggy accident, is progressing satisfactorily. It is expected that in ■ the course of a couple of months he will be able to resume his evangelistic labors. The result of the Otago Education Board •lections was formally declared at a special meeting of the Bpafrd held on Wednesday. There were seven candidates, and 150 school committees voted. Professor Shand, the Rev. Dr Macgregor, and Mr A. C. Be^g headed the list, and were declared duly elected.

A frightful case of the effects of drink was brought under the notice of the Wan^anui police on Wednesday. A man named Brown, formerly engaged as clerk to a local blacksmith, some six months ago received a sum of LSOO from home, and of late, with his wife, had been spending the "money in hard drinking at home. It is said that the pair have disposed of five gallons of beer every other day, accounts tor which cm be produced. A person called at the house on Wednesday, and found the man lying dead on the floor with his head under a bed on which was his wife raving from the effects of drink. She did not know her husband was there. The place is described as very filthy ; the two who have had no children, having lived in a most degraded state. Inform ition was given to the police, and the woman has bjen removed to the hospital. / The passengers who left Invercargill by the morning train for Kingston on Wednesday had a novel experience, reporis the ' News ' of last Moaday evening. After passing Parrawa, where a delay of some hours .occurred through thoj floods causing a break in the line, it was thought that there would be no further trouble from that cause. Such, however, was not the case, for soon after leaving Athol another break was observed a long way ahead. Speed was accordingly slackened at a point where the water had encroached to within a few feet

on each side of the line. Here hundreds of rabbits had collected, and a3 the engine advanced they took to the middle of the xailAvay, and ran before it like a flock of Bheep, in* constantly lincreasing numbers as they went. Some of the passengers who had been bewailing their ill-luck in having . to return to Lumsden for the night, becau c elated at the prospect of sport, and jumping out of the train they were soon engaged in a regular rabbit oatUie, In some cases walking sticks were brought into play, in otLers chunks of coal did' equally good execution. How long the slaughter would have continued it is hard to say, for the hunters had rabbits to the right of them, rabbits to the Jleft of them, and rabbits in front of them, all hmrying and scurrying in mortal terror, but pat as the train drew up at her enforced stopping place the bunnies, unable to go further ahead, plunged right and left into the water, and swam for dear life. The water was thick with them^and the probability ie that fow of them lived to reach their burrows on the higher country. Returning officers,present and prospective, will read with interest a report of the case at the Invercargill R. M. Court, D. Shea Lawlor v, Southland County Council, claim Ll9 18s lOd for services rendered and expenses incurred as returning officer at Lumsden. The sum of LlO 16s lOd had been paid into Court. The point at issue was whether or not the plaintiff was entitled to be paid for work done prior to the election, arranging for polling places and deputy returning officers, fee. The defendants admitted theirliability for the necessary expenses plaintiff had incurred, but contended that his specified fees a3 returning officer were payment in full for all] services rendered in connection with the election.— The plaintiff, Thomas Perkins, and A. 0. Henderson deposed that the charges were reasonable and t lie expenses necessary? — Duncan Campbell gave evidence as to the expenses of travelling. —R. P. MacGoun stated that the fees were LI 11s 6d for the nomination, ami L 3 3s for the election. There wj.s nq |llpwance for extra daya* Plaintiff hud acted on previous} occasions as returning officer, and had never made any. claim nor got any allowance for extra days The fees were for all the work of conducting the plec^qn.— Thomas RJacGibbon, County Chairman, gave cp,rrqbp,ratfye evidence.— Th§. CifcrlU't W3§ Qi opinion that t,h.epe were ch.ar.geß in the pla;r +iffil§ claim WM^ 9 n \tfd nqt be. allowed, but on the other baH!? thought the County Council had not treated him fairly pi connection with hiß hotel expenses. &c. Several items would be struck out, and judgment given for Ll4 JOs }04, coats L 3 sa. '""The following extract from a letter ad.dressed to Mr Dolamore. Chairman Gore I Athenaaum, by Dr Hislop, of the Educatjpa Department, Wellington, will interest many of our readers: —"I have the honour, by direction of the Minister of Education, to in- [ form you that the number of libraries that haye made due application for a share of the Public Libraries subsidy of L6OOO is 350, and that their receipts from public library rates, subscriptions, and voluntary CQnjtrjlbntions for current maintenance amount to L9,G27 3s id. To this is to be added L 8,90 0( being a nominal addition of L 25 to the receipts of each of the 356 libraries, making a total of 1y18,527 3s 4d. The amount o£ subsidy payable to any library befng limited by a resolution of the General Assembly ,to LoOj thirteen libraries that would otherwise h ivo received larger sums will each receive this maximum sum only, or a sum of 1,650. The amouut on which the remaining 343 libraries receive subsidy is L 15.515 19s 6d ; and the balance of the vote (L 5.350) available for distribution amongst them affords a subsidy of GslO^din the pound on this amount. The gi^nt payable to your library is L2l 5s 10d," 'Receipts of Gore library, as anppved on examination, L3(5 15s; addition,' L2o, f Jeaving a sum on which subsidy is payable* pf L6l las. This leaves the subsidy at 6s 10.|d jn the pound L2l 5a J.Q$ ; aa stated in the doctor's le

Th<? polling for the election o£ tin Lum<? den licensing committee resulted in the return of the following gentlemen : — Messrs I T. Johnston, T. Black, J. McLeod, T. Thomas ! and J. W. Bradmore. f . The tender of Mr Main ha 3 been accepte d for the erection of additions to the Presbyteri?n church at Mifcaur.i. We have not heard the exact amount, but believe it is about L2OO. ' Mr Green appeared at yesterday's m n rt- '■ ing of the Southland Land Board on behalt o£ the Gore A. and P. Society to have section 82, block 16, reserved and vested in the Society for show purposes. The Society had no grounds at present, and importaufc shows were being held annually. The land was open for some years, but no applications had been made for it. The ground was stated to be shingly, and contained a lagoon. It was resolved that the Government be requested to reserve the land in terma of the application, as it was un3uited for agricultural purposes.—Mr LE. Reade appeared on behalf of the trustee in the estate of F. Fraser, to have the money accruing for improvements on deferred payment section in block 16, Gore,. paid over to him. It was stated that the owner of the section had been in arrears, and a resolution had been arrived at that the money for improvements be held in lieu thereof. The amount of arrears was stated to be Ll5O, and value of improvements LSO. It was therefere resolved that the Board cannot acknowledge any daimjby the trustee. — The following application to capitalize was granted: George McGregor, section 687, Hokonui.

At Wednesday's meeting of the Otago Land Board, Mr Vincent Fyke, instructed by A. F. M'Keuzie, renewed an application for license to occupy section 11, block VIII, Crook>ton. He had been iui'ormed by the settlers in the district that during the past twelve months only one bull >ck team had camped on the section. Mr Stout rem irked that even il! otily one te tm had camped there he would b-j in favor of still reserviug the section. Such reserves should be established in every di-trict. Mr Duncan objected altogether to such reserves, as being a nuisance in any district. She Board refused the rehearing. —The Iload Board of Knapdale wrote asking that the sum of L 248 at tLeir credit be granted for expenditure on roads in blocks 1 to V£ and XI to XII, Chatton, and block I, Waik.ika. The following resolution regarding the application waa minuted : " The Board cannot sanction what is aske 1 unles3 it is shown that the moneys to be received are to be expended for the benefit of the block-} of land from which the same wore received ; plans showing the road lines to v b 3 forward to the Board.!' — The following applications to purchase sections held under defei red-payment lease were approved of : W. Johnston, section 2, block I, Chatton ; A. Johnston, section 1, block 11, Waikaka, and section I, blook I, Chatton ; A. D. Johnston, section 2, block 111, Waikaka ; J. H. Sarginson, section 17 block I; R. Sheddon, section 3, block II ; ; J. Reburn, section, section 15, block I ; T. Reid, section 13, A B and C, block I (all in the Waikak >) ; and G. . Divers, section 5, block X, Wai pahi.— Capitalisation was authorised in the following cas«6 : J . Wybrow, section 29, block VIII, Toi Tois ; A. Clifford, section 2, block XVII, Crookston. The monthly meeting of the Gore School Committee was hold on Wednesday evening there being present — Messrs Beattie (chairman), Gardner, and Fletcher. The head teacher submitted a leagthy report, from which the following extract is made : — "The attendance still continues to increase, the average since the quarter opened being 143 while the roll number is now 210. This is the highest yet attained in the school. With an average of 150 the school would be entitled to another pupil teacher ; such an addition to the teaching power would prove of great service." Continuing his report the teacher asked the committee to secure four additional desks for the infant room ; that a 1 defective chimney in the same room be seen to ; and that something should be done to more effectually carry off the surplus water j from the west and north sides of the school. The report was received and directed to be transmitted to the Board of Education, with a request for a vote for the necessary funds as also for 5.Qs for boxes, to c'osets. The head teacher also sent for the information of j the Committee an account of the proceeds [ and expenditure of the recent school coni cert, from which it appeared that the gross takings after defraying expenses were Ll4 10d 4d, which h,ad been expended as follows ; To, chemicals. a,nd appapatusj, LS l(ls, j to apparatus for infant room, LI 10s 6d ; to. erection of swings, etc., L 9 14s 10s. The chairman reported that in regard to sanitary matters arrangements had been made for J. Williams cleaning out the promises j while Mr G. ardner reported re drjll th.at the head teacher b,ad made arrangements fhgrefqjc, to b,e practised from one to two hours every Thursday. At South Dunedin the temperance party gained a decisive victory, returning five candidates. '£he. cesqlutjon of the Dunedin grain buyers, only to 'buy gfuin' -vyjth, fyags, included, has created a good deal of feeling amongst the farming community, and on Saturday night a largely attended meeting $£ farmers, was bald atNgapara, at which ttie fcjljo^i'ng resolution ' wag passed ;— * ". That the farmers sell their, grajri and bags 38 heretpfßre, and, pledge themselves to sell 10 no Othe? way, and further, t&at £h.ey seek I the cd-^^&S 0 * Qt^ v GGlS.mHniti§3. fl I - — . „.v.i-r.----,- ~:n