NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10610, 8 June 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Otago executive of the Farmers’ Union is protesting against undesirables being sent into Uie country by city magistrates.

TJie now price for buik butler will be Is oil'd, ex freezing store. The present price of Is od is for fresh butler, ex factory door. The increase is said to be inevitable.

It is understood that local bakers have been notified that. the Government, through the Board of Trade, will not permit any change to be made in the price of the four-pound loaf during the current month.

Negotiations have been completed by the representatives of the Whn.ll- - Borough Council and the North Auckland Land Board, for " the acquisition of more than a million feet ef timber for the erection of workers’ dwellings in Wliangarci.

The increased cost of living affects the members of the medical profession in common with all other members - of tho community, and the Otago division of the. British Medical Association* New Zealand branch have decided to increase professional foes. The increase takes effect forthwith.

Mr E. Hill, secretary of the Greater Wellington Town-Planning Association, writes;—At the annual meeting of this association the other evening a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Press for its support of town-planning principles ns advocated by tbc association, and for tho way in which our meetings had been reported during the past year. Please accept these thanks from the association.”

The Government Labour Bureau report for the month of May shows a total of 135 applications for assistance In the matter of obtaining employment. Of this number IIC engagements by employers and, workers were completed, while four other men were assisted by reduced fares. Twentytwo new applications fron? employers were received, as compared with 15 for the previous month. The total applications received during last week was 35. Of this number 25 men were placed, 19 in Government work and 6 in private employment. Included in the. number assisted were 9 returned soldiers.

The buildings at the new AVI Tako Prison Camp, near Tyerftham, arc now almost completed. They have been constructed by prisoners under the supervision of prison officials. The same labour was used last year to make the road giving access to the camp. In designing and-laying out the camp, it has been the endeavour to avoid anything prison-like in ap■jveaiiancc, as all the men detained here will be short-sentence offenders, who are' deemed capable pf reformation. Most of the prisoners are engaged now In draining the swamp and making a largo vegetable garden. Pigbreeding has been commenced, and later cattle will he placed on the property. Development will occupy some years; but already some directly reproductive work is being done. *

A Tc Awamutu resident who was recently in Sydney has written 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. cigarettes (kl for 12, Gold Flake (id a packet of 10, bacon Is 3d per lb, tailor-made suits 7 guineas to 10 guineas, the hatter being the highest price 1 discovered anywhere for the best imported tweeds; black or tan boot® arc 25s a pair; ton is Is 9d tier lb; meats are similarly lose costly, bast steak being 10d,-beef Sd, mutton sd. . Fruit, of. course, is very cheap. Vou 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. ‘

Tho latest issue of “The Katipo,” the official organ of the Xcw Zealand Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, refers 'in a loading article to the recent promotions at tho head of tha department. “If general experience counts for anything,’’ remarks the “Katipo,” then Mr 1!. B. Morns can claim to bo the most thoroughly train'd man who ever occupied tho secretarial chair, for at one time or another ho has either filled or relieved in most of the more important positions in the department. The advantage of opportunity has been his right through and the service will watch with tho liveliest interest how deeply the lessons which opportunity brought have been impressed, and with real curiosity how they will bo applied during his term as permanent head. The increase of authority given to Mr Shrimpton will he more than welcome to the telegraph side. . . . Mr Shrimpton Inns worked long and hard to fit himself for his present post, and we believe his broad outlook and close acquainticoship' with technicalities and details will moan much for the service and the public which employs •it. The new first assistant secretary, Mr Markman, is one of the younger generation. In congratulating him, may wc express the hope that as his share in tho departmental policy of the future-, ho will-see to it that the talent which undoubtedly exists outside +ho head office may have the opportunTTVs that have, been largely confined to head office men in the last decade.

Defining the attitude of the Government with regard to collections or donations in aid of the famine-stricken populations of Central Europe, tins Hon. G. J. Anderson (Minister for fnternnl Affairs )states that it is the wish of the Govcvimicnt to assist all who are charitably disposed in the direction of providing assistance to distressed Europeans. He would notify hy Gazette. shortly that pursuant to tho War Funds Act, while he could not authorise street collections, bazaars, sales, art unions, or the collection of money hy any similar methods, it would he quite lawful for funds to bo raised hy a general appeal, ,hy any person at a public meeting, from church congregations, or other assembly of persons, or for the person so appealing to receive such subscriptions, ■provision would'he .made hy the Government for the transmission hy cable, through the High Commissioner for New Zealand, without cost, of all sums so raised, provided they worn paid to the nearest approved war fund for remittance to the Pndcr-Seereta.ry, Internal Affairs Department, Wellington. or were forwarded direct hy tho person representing the collective donors Personal donations would ho similarly remitted. In order to prevent any inconvenience, all remittances could he made hy payment to any branch of the Bank' of New Zealand. to the credit of the Public Account. the deposit receipt to be forwarded. with notice of pnvment to the nnder-Reeivtnry. Internal Affairs Department. Wellington, when an official acknowledgment of tho donation -ould be .made

Tlio Gear Meat Company, Ltd., paid yesterday an interim dividend for the iirsl six months of (id per share (dj per cent.) on its new capital.

Id is Excellency the Governor-Gener-al will hold an'iinestiture at Government House at 10 o’clock to-morrow morning, when about eighty honours, mostly military, will be conferred.

A lecture was delivered, on the subject of “Socialism and Housing” by ilr T. Brindle at the Trades Hall on Sunday night. Pointing out how private' enterprise had failed, he- declared the remedy to be in the extension of State and municipal activity on Socialistic lines.

Tims a, rather amusing ‘'correction” in the,columns of the Rotorua “Chronicle” ;—“The unauthorised intrusion of a ‘t’ into a word in a paragraph in last Wednesday’s issue, had effects inconvenient to the occupants of St. Luke’s Vicarage, making it appear that garments sent there for transmission to Auckland in response to the appeal of Sisters Hannah- and Esther would be ‘patched. • It should have been ‘packed.’ ”

It- has long been customary for the contesting teams in Rugby matches to cheer one another a.ti the conclusion of the game,: and to pay a similar compliment to the referee. ■ The fact that this practice (is falling into disuse was pointed out by a member of the Wellington Rugby Referees’ Association, ■i T. H. Jones, last evening. Mr Jones remarked that the association should request the Rugby Union to point out this growing breach of football etiquette, to the members of the teams.' -

"At Wftratah, in the North-West corner of Australia. stated General Birdwood at the Y.M.C.A. yesterday, ~-111 old man came up and said to liim, “You are from Devon, bain’t you?” {“Yes,” ho replied, ‘‘and you are. too. When did you come out here?” “Fifty years a no/’ said the old man.” ‘Did you have any sons at the war?” asked General Birdwood. - “Not all too old,” wa.s the reply. “Did you have any {grandsons out there?” “Yes, plenty of grandsons,” proudly replied the’ old ; man. “I can’t say how many, but I have 170 grandchildren in all.” (Applause and laughter.) General Birdwood found that there wore five generations living there—the old man, son, grandson, great-grandchild, and great--1 great-grandchild. ■ (Applause.)