GENERAL NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 February 1917, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

Returned soldiers are being taught hand weaving at Geelong, South Australia. After ten Jays’ training a man can produce plain worsted tweed at a rate of a yard an hour Allowing his wages to bo 2s, this tweed, which is said to be of a quality unsurpassable, can be sold at 7/6 a yard, including a substantial profit. After three months the man can make his own living. A hen more men are made available and the scheme is in full operation, other classes of weaving will be undertaken, and even the looms will be home-made by Anzaes.

In Christchurch the general opinion is that something will have to be done with expedition in the way of restricting purchases of coal, as there is notnearly enough coal at present in stock to go round, reports the Sun. Some legalised restriction is necessary in order to cope with the situation that has arisen. Many people who have been in the habit of buying their coal in half or quartern lots have been ordering by the truck. This large supply is kept in reserve, and the usual monthly small-lot orders continued. Stocks are fast running out Some of the small men 's yards arc almost depleted, and there seems nothing for it but goingout of the business in such cases. The small man is hampered, too by the heavy book debts he has to carry. There is a movement on foot to initiate a purely cash business for all dealers and all sections of the community, and it is likely that this will be brought into force before the winter. . As showing the difficulty of obtaining adequate supplies, one merchant told a Bun reporter that he had been able to get only three trucks of Westport since Ist December. In the ordinary course of events he would have been laying in coal at the rate of about a truck a day in order to prepare for the winter trade.