Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JUNE 5. 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2136, 5 June 1920, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JUNE 5. 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Shannon road between Marotiri and Moutoa is in a Very rutty condition—the worst for many years.

Perfect weather was experienced throughout this district on the King’s Birthday. A large number of local sports attended the Otaki races.

Palmerston North Borougli Council is making application to the Minister of Internal Affairs for authority to increase its membership to twelve.

A New York police constable has been dismissed from the force for selling lottery tickets on which was printed “For the benefit of a poor family.” When asked by a police commissioner who. the poor family were, he replied, “My own.” Three young ladies boarded the up train at Otaki last evening. From a bag one of them produced a wad of notes and divided them between herself and companions—the result of the day’s investment at the races. The proceedings were watched with interest by .several male sports who were returning with empty pockets.

At the London wool sales there was a Water tone all round, and the withdrawals were much fewer and were confined mostly to inferior qualities. There was a firmer tendency for both merinos and crossbreds. Hlipes were slightly dearer. New Zealand lots sold include “Feilding,” 4s 3Jd. It is announced that the series will be curtailed and next week’s offerings will - lie reduced.

General Birdwood visited the. Bcturned Soldiers’ Conference at Wellington on Thursday, and was received with rousing cheers. He was welcomed by Dr, Boxer, the president. A civic reception was tendered him in the Town Hall, when there was a very large attendance. Speeches of welcome were made by the Mayor, Mr W. Perry, on behalf of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association, Dr. Boxer for the N.Z. R.S.A., and Mr Massey for the Goevrnraent.

A large and valuable motor ear, belonging to Dr. Sharp, of Otaki, was recently destroyed by fire. The doctor, after attending patients at his private hospital,' about 11 pan., was in the act .of lighting the lamps, when there was an explosion, and in a moment the car was on tire. Efforts were made to save it, but: the llaincs had too strong a hold. It is thought that someone, during the doctor's absence, bad interfered with the benzine tap, as it was fairly evident that the ground was saturated. There Was only a small insurance, and the doctor will be a hoavv loser.

A constant visitor at the sittings of the Returned Soldiers’ Conference at Wellington has been Mr A. P. Whatman, of Wairarapa, who has taken a great practical interest in the land settlement problems of exsoldiers. On many occasions the returned soldiers have expressed tlieii* regard for Mr Whatman and appreciation of the practical assistance and sympathy he has shown their cause, and they have more than once publicly acclaimed him “Mr Whatman, the Diggers’ Friend." By such an appellation he is generally known amongst them, says the Post.

The salary of Viscount Admiral Jellicoe as Governor-General" of New Zealand will bo £7,000 a year, £3,000 less than that of the Gov-ernor-General of Australia. Lady Jellicoe is a daughter of Sir Charles Cayser, a millionaire shipping magnate.. It is not generally known that when Admiral Sir David Beatty received an earldom and £IOO,OOO and Admiral Jellicoe, then in Sydney, received a viscountcy and £50,000, he cabled asking if he might refuse the money.. The reply was that there was no precedent for such an action. With true British, reverence for tradition, the admiral bowed to the inevitable, but decided to spend the monies on homes for British seamen.

Exclusive sources'of information regarding New Zealand are evidently possessed by the “Montreal Family,Herald,” which, in its issue of February 25th, stated; “Aeroplanes are now being put to a novel use in New Zealand, where a service has just,been started in connection with the fishing fleets, ■ The ’planes fly at an altitude of two or three hundred feet over the water and Spot' ‘the shoals for the fishermen working below. The fishers are warned of the presence, of shoals-by special radio-telegraphic apparatus.” The interest of the journal in New Zealand is not confined to its news columns, for an advertiser offers “New Zealand red rabbits” at five dollars a pair.

A Te Awarautu resident who was recently in Sydney writes to friends suggesting that there must be a conspiracy of high ’prices in New Zealand. “Beer is 3d to 4d a glass over here,’’ he writes. “Capstan cigarettes (id for 12, Gold Flake 6d a packet of 10, bacon Is 3d per lb., tailor-mdde suits seven guineas to ten guineas, the latter being the highest price! discovered anywhere for the best imported tweeds; black or tan boots are 25s a pair; tea is Is 9d per lb.; meats are similarly less costly, best steak being 10d, beef Bcl, mutton scl. Fruit, of course, is very cheap. You can get the best possible meal in the best hotels or in ■ first-class restaurants from Is 3d to 2s. It looks as though there is something wrong in New Zealand profiteering somewhere, surely,” he concludes. ;

The monthly meeting of the local Stale School Committee will be held on 'Monday evening.

The offertories nr All Saints’ Church to-morrow will be given to help the work of the Maori Mission. Mr J. Bett, of Palmerston N., was married at Wellington on Thursday. Mr and Mrs Belt and’the two Misses Bett left for Sydney by the Manuka yesterday.

If you intend kidnapping a girl, do it yourself. Bryant Washburn hired a man to do it, and the man stole the girl himself, in “The Gipsy Trail, at the Town Hall, Monday, supported by “The Silent Mystery,’’ at 7.30. .

Mr James P. Cooke, Nelson’s oldest business man, has died at the age of 84. He was born in'Gloucester, and arrived in Nelson on Christmas Eve, 1851), by the ship Golconda. For a great many years he was a prominent Oddfellow ami Mason.

The London Times, referring to the Jving’s Birthday, comments on the expanded idea of sovereignly in relation to the Empire. The King is now Sovereign of each of his-peo-ples as well as of all collectively. Similarly, the Prince of Wales visits the Dominions, not as heir to the British, but as heir to their own Sovereign. /It is a distinction with a difference, the full realisation of ivhich will solve many difficulties.

It seems that H.M.S. Chatham, which lias been presented to Xew Zealand by the Imperial Government, has a closer association with the Dominion than has been made apparent. In speaking at Wellington , on Thursday, General Sir William Birdwood said he was glad to see that the Chatham had been chosen, for it was from that vessel that he carried out the evacuation of Gallipoli. He supposed that on that ship he had spent the three most anxious nights of his life, tiiehrst two nights being during the evacuation of the whole of the troops at Anzae and Suvla, and the other night being one of greater anxiety dating the bringing olf of the troops from Cape 'Hellos.

A few words uttered by General Sir William Birdwood at his reception in Wellington on Thursday, in regard to the effect of the Gallipoli campaign were listened • to with tense interest. It was true, he said, that they had to evacuate, hut it was also (rue that before leaving the force had destroyed the (lower of !he Turkish army. Turkey had to send her best troops to defend the Peninsula, and the Turks talked ahout it as “the slaughter house.” By their work on the Peninsula the troops laid the foundation of Lord Allenby’s victories in Palestine, and in saying that he did not detract in any way from the work of those brave troops- who fought so gallantly in the latter area.

The utter recklessness of motorists anti the increasing number of fatalities was discussed at the Manawatu County Council meeting on Tuesday. Unfortunately the main road through the county has been the scene of a number of accidents, more than in any other county, and (he Council have received a number of protests from settlers, who are afraid to send their -children to school on account of the, excessivespeed through the county. It was thought that something on the lines of American laws'should be adopted. One of the chief laws is that drivers cannot drive a motor without a license, and that infringement of the law means conliscation of that license. It was felt that fines as at present enforced were not heavy enough. It was also urged that motor vehicles should have reflectors which would indicate traffic coming from behind.

The Wellington Education Board has ordered a fresh election of the Lyall Bay School Committee on the ground that the chairman of the old committee refused to allow the meeting to elect its own chairman, and took the chair himself. The main contention, however, was that the ballot papers provided by the old committee were handed out indiscriminately by various persons, and riot by the chairman, and it was said that of the persons present some received more than one ballot paper. The Poxton application for a fresh election in 1019 had much stronger grounds than those set forth above for a fresh election, but the Wanganui Board whitewashed its chairman’s illegal act in presiding at the Poxton meeting, and brushed aside the other allegations, and refused a fresh election. This Wellington Board is to be commended for its sense of fairness.

- A Taranaki paper says it has been mentioned that a dairy farmer in the Kaponga district had made £l7 per acre out of his laud, and he had no special advantages over his fel-low-fanners. It was also stated that a supplier to the Riverdale factory, Mr Griffin, has done considerably better. He farmed 481 acres of first-class land, and from it he was paid for 12,804 lbs. of fat, which at 2s per lb., equalled £2,819. Allowing even a small margin for pigs, calves, etc.., this worked out at roughly £27‘per.,acre. Mr Griffin, of course, farmed intensively, and farmed well, but it only again demonstrated that from small areas of first-class Taranaki land, whereon lucerne, root crops, etc., were grown, and where a good class of dairy cow was kept and properly, managed, a very good income indeed, could be made. It is contended that with butter-fat at Is (id per lb,, and good land at £IOO per acre, a farmer could do well if he farmed judiciously. The best dairy land in Taranaki is now selling at over £IOO per acre. ' 4

The Auckland tramway men are on strike in sympathy ’with the Jockeys’ Association. No trams are running.

For stealing' a bottle of whiskey, 'Valued at 10s, a Wellington waterside worker was yesterday fined £5 or 14 days 1 imprisonment. ■ Owing to sickness, the attendance at the local State school is much below the average., Stds.V. and VI. have now removed from the /Town Hall to the school. The tutor of" the W.E.A. Economics Class will meet local students and any of the public whp wish to attend, at All Saints’ schoolroom on Monday next, at 8 p.m. Mr A. W. Hogg (father of Mrs Waimvright, of Foxton) is seriously ill in Masterton, and his condition is causing his friends and relations much anxiety.

If you were the wife of a wealthy man who inherited a craving for drink, and lie neglected you, would you seek pleasure outside the home? See what Virginia Pearson does in “The Love Auction,” at the Royal on Monday. At Wednesday’s silting of the Manawalu Licensing Committee, Mr Haniell, of Messrs Cooper, Daniell and Co., represented the owners of the Family Hotel, Foxton, and Club Hotel, Shannon (Estate of late T. G. McCarthy), and Manawatu Hotel, Foxton (Staples and Co.). The annual meeting of the local Horticultural Society will be held in the Town Hail supper-room on Wednesday evening next, when the annual report and balance-sheet will be presented for adoption,..and officers lor the year elected.

“Zamille,” writing to the Auckland Star, says: —“1 desire to announce that, spurred by the example of the ladies’ meeting recently, I have decided in future that I shall not pay more than 14 guineas for a suit of clothes, £2 10s for a hat, £3 for a pair of hoots, 9d for a cup of tea, and a shilling for a packet of cigarettes. The cost of living must be met by self-denial.”

On Monday, at their Eoxton sale yards, commencing at 11.30 o'clock, Messrs Abraham and'Williams, Ltd., will hold an unreserved clearing sale of dairy stock on behalf of Mr Ken Easton, who is giving up dairying. The herd is a particularly good one, and those in need of first-class dairy stock should not miss the opportunity thus a Horded of procuring same. For full particulars see advertisement.

The Canterbury Steamship Co., in a letter to the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, says: “We are anxious to keep our steamers running to Wanganui, but if the people cannot force the authorities to provide better facilities to give quicker despatch it cannot be expected that wc, as a business linn, will put on still more tonnage to run at a loss, as wc are doing at present, even with in(reused rates of freight, all of which, are swallowed up in increased rates of pay, extra expenses and delays. Immediately the Harbour Hoard will receive cargo from (he ships’ slings at Castlecliit, we are prepared to put on Ihe'UCalm’ lo nm consecutive trips to and fro between South era ports and Wringanui, with full cargoes. Steamers can only negotiate the river to the town wharf with

half cargoes.” The Harbour Board has already officially notified the Canterbury Steamship Co. that it was prepared to receive cargo at CastJeclitr.