NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2045, 23 October 1919, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

“There has been considerable talk of late about competition,’*-said a well-known Wellington business man last week, to a Times representative, “but in my opinion people are turning their eyes in the' wrong direction. Now, I happen to know that Japan has already had agents"in Australia and New Zealand spying out the land for trade. I don’t mean a Japanese envoy, headed by tom-' toms and accompanied by a suite attired ala Geisha, girl. I mean an unostentatious number of business' men to place Japanese goods on our market. And wc shouldn’t complain; wo really can’t grumble. Japan "was one of our Allies. Her warships coyvoyed our first war offerings in the shape of men, and now wc will trade with l\er. You can’t ringfence New Zealand. This Dominion is undoubtedly prolific, but she couldn't stand on her own resources for a week without some important industry suffering. We must look abroad, and when (bo world is our market, one is not surprised to find people buying in the cheapest market —they arc forced by dire necessity to do so.” * Is a tailor or other person who undertakes !o remove a slain or stains from an article of clothing liable for the paying out of the value of the article should the attempt prove a failure, and the stain be made worse than before ? Mr W. 0. Riddell, S.M., was asked to decide tli.i> question at the Wellington Magislrale’s Court last week by Mrs Hester Hurst Scager, who, in her statement of claim against J. T. Lewis and Go., set out that she look a costume lo the defendant company to have a small tea stain removed from one of the pockol llaps. When she next saw the costume coat the stain had been spread so badly by the “cleaning” that she was nol inclined (o wear it. The defence was that (he company could not bo held responsible for lho value" of the costume, for no guuranlco had been given—the culler had merely staled tliat.be would do bis best. The Magistrate found for I lie plaintiff in the sum of £lO and costs, the original claim having been for £l4. The costume coat is to remain in the possession of the defendant company.

A supply of about 28,000 1044-15 Stars for distribution among members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Form l , is arriving in the Dominion shortly, and will be sent to the" holders immediately the names and regimental numbers can be engraved. This work is being done by Hie Defence Department, and it is expected that the distribution will commence early in November. , The Now Zealand certificate of service will shortly be available. .Memorial plaques and scrolls are to be made at a special factory which is being creeled for the purpose in England. When supplies arrive, they will be distributed to the next-of-kin of all deceased soldiers, irrespective of whether their service was abroad or in New Zeeland. The personal effects of deceased soldiers are still coming to hand for delivery to next-of-kin. These fads show the importance of keeping Base Records, Wellington, advised regarding the correct addresses of returned soldiers, and of the next-of-kin oi deceased members of the Expeditionary Force, as a proper-distribution be promptly carried out unless the correct addresses are known by Base Records. Soldiers who were discharged in England, and who have returned to New Zealand, should also send their present address to Base Records, so as to secure -their medal.