GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1996, 28 June 1919, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

The King lias been pleased to approve the alteration of the title “Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force” to that of “Secretary of State for Air.”

For the first time Australia is about to mint her own bronze coins. The necessary machinery and dies are in readiness, and the first lot of bronze pennies was to have been turned out by the Melbourne Mint last week. The Sydney Mint is to deal with the halfpence.

A remarkably brilliant rainbow was seen in London concurrently with the receipt of Germany’s intimation to sign the Treaty. It had scarcely disappeared when the Woolwich saluting guns announced, the restoration of peace. The guns continued for 15 minutes, and there were lively demonstrations in the West End." ®

“There seems to be a general idea that a man is entitled to buy a drink just on the stroke of six, spend two or three minutes in consuming it, light his pipe, and gel out of the bar in leisurely fashion,” said Mr P. V. Frazer, S.M., in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court. “That is not the law at all,” continued His Worship. “When'the law says the bar must be shut at six, that is just what it means,”

A highly honourable action (states the Milton paper), and one worthy of record, is reported on the part of the parents of the young men Keen, who was sentenced for the Milton Post Office burglary. From their hard-earned savings of years Mr and Mrs Keen have repaid to the Government every penny between the sums stolen and that found after their son’s arrest. The amount thus paid totalled over £CO. .

“These City Councils do a lot too much in committee,” declared Hon. G. W. Russell, at a meeting in Richmond (Christchurch) last week. Matters of vast importance were referred to committees, where there were no reporters, and much of the matter never come before the full Council, and consequently the press or public did not have an opportunity to judge. It was time a reform was brought in.

In conversation with a Wairarapa Age representative, a master builder of Masterton stated that the cost of building to-day was not due so

much to the increase in labour and material as to the modern conveniences required. People a few years ago were satisfied with a zinc bath and plain fireplaces. To-day they insisted upon an enamel bath (costing £l-1), tiled fireplaces in every room, expensive panellings, the best of gas fit tings, and all sorts of other luxuries.

Another 2fi replies have been received by the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce relative to its circular urging that the main arterial roads should be placed on a better basis. Of these, 18 were in favour of the remit, five against, and three neutral. Those favouring the recommendation included the Wanganui Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce, and the Auckland and Dunedin City Councils. Some of the replies favoured Government construction, hut not Government control, of the main roads.

That there is something in the cry made by some of our correspondents that young men should he encouraged to go on the land was very forcibly explained on Friday by a man who had come out to New Zealand four years ago and with his family had cleared £3,000 in that time off a section on which he had paid a deposit of £3OO, the whole of the money he possessed at that time, the proceeds of the sale of his tailor shop in the Old Land (says the Auckland Star). The man knew notin'. of farming whatever, hut was willing to learn, and, with the good result stated above.

’Two “Diggers” who had looked upon the wine when it was of many colours, wandered into Piccadilly Circus, and their altercation with a policeman soon became a rough-and-ready wrestle. One of the “Diggers,” beyond advising his friend, took no part in the stunt, until a second constable appeared. The soldiers had the better of the en-

counter. Both got their opponents down, and sat on them; then one observed, “These blokes want reinforcements,” so ho got one of the constable’s whistles and blow it. As if by magic about twenty policemen appeared on the scene, and the odds were realised as overwhelming. Both “Diggers” j,t once threw up their hands, and shouted “Kamerad! Kamcrad!”

Says the Masterton Times:—Why ; should household coal cost £3 a ton : in Christchurch and £2 2s a ton in i Hamilton? Why are eggs 3s sld per doben in Wellington and Is 9d per dozen in Ashburton? Why is the humble onion 4d per lb. in Napier and Old per lb, in Waihi? To j take a group of manufactured arj tides, why should a bottle of Worj coster sauce cost 7£d in Waihi and lid in Whangarei? Why are wax vestas Is a dozen in Oaraaru and 9d a dozen in Alexandra? And Avhy 1 can the Dunedinites buy water biscuits for 5d per lb. while the inhabi- , tants of Napier have to pay SJd? ; a 25ib. bag of Hour costs 4s Gd in I Christchurch, and 5s old in Masi terton, while a /lb. bag of oatmeal ' eosts 2s 43d in Christchurch, and 3s ! W ." ihi< Wl, y? And why shouldthe Taihape citizen pay 9d for a 1 Packd of cigarettes which the Ashburton tobacconists dispense for I 7 * tl? Answers to these questions | would throw quite a lot of light on the cost of living question,