NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2637, 25 September 1923, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

In the Carterton Magistrate’s Court this week, cheque butts were produced by the defence as proof of payment, in the majority of cases no receipts having been obtained. Counsel for plaintiff pointed out that although the cheques may have been issued, it did not follow that the plaintiff received the money. His Worship pointed out that, the use of cheque butts as proof of pa}’ment was a very unsatisfactory method.

“They have been asleep in England for 50 years as far as legislation on the question of betting is concerned,” said the Rev. James J. North to a New Zealand Times reporter recently. “And they have all sorts of queer findings concerning it. For instance, there is one that it is lawful for a club to run a lottery, and it is laughable to see how the membership of these clubs is rushed to the hundred thousand mark by those anxious for tickets.” A humane policy has been adopted by the Raglan County Council in the matter of collecting rates from returned soldiers. A returned soldier settler, whose rates were considerably overdue, writing to the meeting of the council last week, stated that after paying expenses he had scarcely enough to pay his “tucker” bill, and he asked the council to relieve him of payment of the past year’s rates, promising to fulfil his obligations in the future. Several councillors testified to the applicant being a hard worker who was considerably “up against it,” and it was decided t,o

grant the soldier’s request. 'A, plant—an amorphophallus — which produces the largest flower in the world, arrived at Kew Gardens, London, from Sumatra. One can appreciate the size of its gigantic flower when it is said that a man standing upright can barely reach the top of the central spadix with his out-stretched hand, and that with open arms he can scarcely reach half-way round the circumference of tlm funnel-shaped spatlie. Suggestive of some titanic candlestick, this monstrous bloom is impressive in more ways than one, for it has an odor which has been likened to “a mixture of rotten fish and burnt sugar.” A debenture loan of £240,000 at 51 per cent, is to be raised by the Bank of New Zealand for Jhe Auckland Electric Power Board. The bank has agreed to endeavour to place the loan in New Zealand at par, putting the debentures on the market either now or at a date to be fixed by the Board. The bank undertakes to take up the unsold portion at March 31st at 97 net in provided the principal and interest be made payable at Melbourne, with the option to the holder of change of domicile to New Zealand. The commission is Id be one per cent, on the whole £240,000. The bank expresses the view that it is probable rates m Australia will advance.

A novel and certainly very suitable method of commemorating the memory of those who gave 1 heir.lNes in tlie Great War has been carried out by the people of Oamaru and surrounding districts. The traveller going south will notice every few chains along the highway, little shelters and on investigating will find that these shelters each contain a young and suitable tree. Each shelter bears* a copper name-plate upon which is engraved the name of some lad from the district "dm made the great sacrifice during the war. Where possible relatives tender these trees and in the near future an avenue will stretch for miles throughout the country. . The regulations which exclude the public from the platform of terminal stations inflict a hardship on women travelling with children in the matter of getting luggage aboard the trains, states the “Herald.” The conference of the National Council of Women, which opened its sittings at Auckland this week, will consider a remit which suggests that the attention of the Railway Department be drawn to the need for an adequate staff of porters. It is suggested that, if the department is unable to make satisfactory arrangements with its permanent staft, licenses he issued to outside porters authorising them to render such help as is. required at a reasonable fee.