NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1929, 21 January 1919, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

Among the strange experiences of patrols, a state of affairs found by one of these voluntary helpers would be, probably, hard to beat (reports the Christchurch Press)> In the same room as that occupied by the patient she found no fewer than 17 cals. The patrol declined to send any more soup till the inspector had dealt with the cats, and the matter was reported to the proper authorities. An illustration of commercial integrity lias been given to several Auckland merchants recently by the receipt of remittances from a former customer Avho is now resident in Australia. In eaeli case a letter has been received containing an account bearing a date in 1888, a cheque, and a brief note to the following,effect: “When I left Auckland in 1888 I was unable to pay the enclosed account. This 1 now enclose, with 5 per cent, interest.” The original accounts bad been carefully preserved, apparently with a conscientious intention to discharge Ibo obligation when improved circumstances permitted. Thus amounts which have lung since been written off as bad debts have been paid in two and a-ltalf times the original sum, (he cheque in one ease being for £4O. Mr A. G. Bignell, chairman of the Wnnga.nni Harbour Board, announced that last year had brought a record revenue, and record increase. The figures are: —1917 revenue, £20,403; 1918 revenue, £23,711, an increase of £3,24(8. The expenditure for (he past year was £23,084. The chairman said there would be no fear of meeting the interest on the £150,000 loan when it was made use of, and he anticipated a much greater increase, of revenue next year. It was remarked that outside people and firms seemed to have more faith in the port of Wanganui than local people, as was proved by (he fail (bat wool was now being sent to Wanganui from Ha.wera, whereas previously it was sent to New Plymouth. “There are more lies told about farming profits than in any other business,” said an ex-farmer the other day, and he went on to explain. “Hear (be farmers at the factory in the mornings,” ho said. “They will talk of the big cheque they’ve got, and mention the number of cows milked, quite omitting to slate, however, that the herd includes several heifers in addition! Heifers are not cows, so they don’t, count, (hough a good heifer will often give as much milk as a poor cow. Then, again, a farmer buys some stock, puls if on some fattening fodder crop, and sells it again later at an increased price of a few shillings per head. 'Yes/ he wi!} say, ‘I did jolly well out of (hose ewes. I made three bob a head on I hem.’ But he never reckons (he cost of the crop or (he rent of the land that fattened them. Yes,” with a sad shake of the head, “there’s a deal of lies told by farmers!” —Taranaki News.