NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 July 1918, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

NAVIGATION OF COOK STRAIT. MUST BE DONE IN DAYLIGHT. WELLINGTON, this day. It is officially announced that as a matter of precaution it has been deemed advisable that ships navigating j Cook Straits should do so as far as f possible during daylight. Shipping companies have been invited to conform to this arrangement. The Mararoa, the usual Saturday ferry steamer for Lytellton, leaves at three this afternoon instead of at 8 o'clock. PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. STATEMENT FOR FINANCIAL YEAR. WELLTNGTON, this day. The net profits of the Public Trust Office for the financial year ended 31st March, 1917, after retaining £20,000, were £48,692. It has therefore been dircted by Order-in-Council that from the surplus profits a sum equal to one. tenth of the total amount of interest received during that year shall be credited as a bonus to such estate or account, provided that the amount of all the said ibonus shall not exceed £30,000. SHORT-WEIGHT BUTTER. MAKER'S APPEAL UPHELD. WELLINGTON, July 18. The appeal of Messrs Joseph Nathan and Co. against the decision of Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S.M., wh imposed upon them a fine in January, 1917, for selling short-weight 'butter to William Campbell, grocer, was heard by Mr. Justice Chapman this morning. Counsel for appellants said that on January 8, 1917, Campbell purchased 481 b of butter from the firm, the packages being labelled lib. On January 10 Inspector Cowdery purchased a package of the butter from Campbell's assistant, and, on weighing it found that it was five drachms short. A charge was laid for using a misleading label, under section 12 of the Sale of Fooa and Drugs Act. It was contended that the short weight was caused by wire in the defendant's cutting-machine being too closely adjusted. On the same day that the inspector was said to have hought the butter at Campbell's, he also purchased from another store the same brand of butter, which was well over weight. His Honor, af.ter hearing evidence, said that a probable case had been made out, but he thought that something mere should be made out in a case like this. He i did not think it had been proved as conclusively as it should have been. The appeal was allowed. COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE. WELLINGTON, July 19. j The Council of Agriculture passed a resolution that in the opinion of the Conference there should he only one breeders' society for each breed or animals, and one register for each. That the Conference considers it advisable, on account of the shortage of shearers, that all sheep-owners should be asked to engage, wherever possible, one learner to every fd"fcr shearers, or part thereof. That the Department of Agriculture be urged to certify to the value or otherwise of all sheep-Sip mixtures offering for sale in the Dominion, with a view to ascertaining whether the mixture put up may be deemed a satisfactory dip for killing ticks and lice on sheep. That in view of the want of uniform treatment of pastoralists of foot-rot, which has seriously increased in Hawke's Bay this year, the Government be urged to make exhaustive experiments, and advise as to the (best treatment. That further steps be taken to urge I upon the Government to have investigations made for the cause and prevention of dry rot in turnips. That the Government be urged to conscript for national work all eligible enemy aliens and persons of en- ( emy descent who might claim exemption fron: military service by reason of their enemy parentage. It was decided to urge the Government to make mandatory those clauses in the Rating Act giving power to local bodies to exempt bona fide show grounds from taxation. A motion that the Conference at its rising should adjourn sine die was withdrawn after discussion. The following Council was elected: North Island—Messrs Q. Donald, E. A. Campbell'and E. Hall; South Island—Messrs J. McPherson. G. A Macdonald, and W. D. Hunt. The Conference has concluded.