NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 261, 23 July 1915, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

FLOOD AT TE KUITI

RAILWAY LINE BLOCKED,

MAY BE CLEAR TO-MORROW

TE KUITI, This Day

Heavy rain caused the Maugaokewa River to rise to flood level and portions of the town were inundated. The racecourse was several feet under water, and the railway between Te Kuiti and Otorchanga was submerged. Traffic is held up by a slip on the line at

the sam e place as last week, causing gi'ea£ Itroublq. Tire rtajin lb as new ceased and if there is no further fall the line should be clear to-morrow.

PRICE OF WHEAT. A GOOD TIME COMING. 1 <>:• [ SOUTHERN MILLS HEAVILY 1 STOCKED.! I The increased cost of wheat and flour was discussed by a leading member of the trade. “There can be no question,” he said, “that during the’ past eight or nin e months prices have ibeen inflated to an artificial extent. This, in my opinion, is due primarily to Government interference. From the outset the Government have been dealing with the restriction of exports, and dabbling with the market generally in an attempt to regulate prices. “This had the effect of creating among merchants a lack of confidence, and the importation of certain lines was restricted owing to uncertainty as to Government artion, whish was indicated from time to tirn e in more or less vague terms. This refers particularly to wheat which would never have reached its present high price but for th e intervention of the Government. The position now is most extraordinary, nearly all the millers in the Dominion hav e been milling consistently in order to produce bran and pollard for Australia, where high prices obtain. In consequence stocks of flour have been accumulating. “The mills of the South Island are heavily stocked, and the outlet is limited. This must result in an early drop in price, of which the Dunedin decrease is the first indication. Seeing also that conditions in Australia are favourable for a good harvest, and that' wheat will be arriving Dora that quarter in a short time, there seems to be every reason for the public to anticipate reduced prices towards the -end of the year.”

BILLETS FOR SOLDIERS.

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS

DOING

1 ; Replying to a question from the member for Eden regarding the advisa-. bility of giving preference to wounded soldiers in the appointment of caretakers, watchmen and messengers in the Government service, the- Prints .Minister stated yesterday that the matter had. been dealt- with." in a '•'minute oi the Public Service M«WamisfeiOUer on

May- l.ota last, fui' utiauie -read 'as follows: ,‘*(1) Returned soldiers ol go on record, and whose history before they left for the war, is known to be V tO '• CC • v fc.« u t, O V Lv- k/ki * v-i C , w iui temporary cicncai cinpioyiat-iu u' such id available. (-) Special couMho. alien lu be guen to tne employ - ment of relatives of soldiers killed or disabled during the war, provided the Commissioners are satisfied that a reasonable necessity for this exists” Mr E.- Newman (Rangitikei) asked the Minister for Lands if in any future scheme of land settlement and administration provision would be mad e for giving preference over certain areas to returned soldiers, mor e especially to men who had been on active service in the present war? Such provision had been made in New South Wales, where larg e areas of land had been set aside for this purpose, and this was reported to have had a most stimulating effect on recruiting.

“The matter has already received the consideration, of the Government,” said the Minister for Lands (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) in reply. “The following circular to Commissioners of Crown Lands, dated June 4th, has been issued: “To all Commissioners of Crown Lands. —Land for Returned Soldiers. —It Ls th e intention of the Government to set aside blodks of land for selection by members of the expeditionary forr.es, on their return to the Dominion, and in order to expedite such proposal I have to ask you to be good enough, to report as, to what lands in your district, are .suitable for the purpose. Please forward a schedule of the lands, and .give a few particulars aa to locality;, .access*,- quality, suitability, and approximate/ price- per acre of each block; -also forwarda lithograph showing, position of same. It has been suggested that a certain, area of lands suitable for fruitgrowing should be set apart as the fnut-indu&r try might be particularly suitable toreturned soldiers, and you ■will therefore please Pay special attention to any lands dn-your district for fruitgrowing, and send a separate report thereon.’ ”