OHUTU NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 12 June 1919, Page 4

OHUTU NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent)’

The Mock Election, postponed from the previous week, took plac.e Last Friday evening, and there was a large attendance of the public. Mr Arms, vice-president of the Social Club, presided, and the speakers drew for plmces, it falling to .Mr R. C. Lalor (Labour) to lopcn the campaign. He was followed by other speakers in the order named: Messrs J. C. Ross (National Government), M. Goldsbury (Independent), VV. T. Ashton (Liberal), D. McCorkindale (Radical), and D. Jackson (Reform). The speakers, after placing their views before the electors, were each su_bj'e_ct to five minutes “question time,” and those present‘ took ‘full adtstantage -of the privilege, and many and varied were the questions. The Labour candidate was asked, “If he were in favour of a man wearing two pairs of socks on these cold mornings?” He answered that he didn’t think there was any man in the room who could «aflford two pairs at their present prices.

The National Government candidate asked a fellow-candidate if he were in favour of taxing single girls over 21? and he was answered in the saflirmative, when another candidate got up and wanted to know “if the reason for the Goscernnient candidate wanting to tax girls was -his diificulty in getting one?” sThose present enjoyed the joke, rand, strange thing for 3. would-be politician, the Government supporter blushed. Voting papers were given to those present, and Messrs Clinton and Eng were appointed scrutineers. Later the Chairman announced the result as folfiowsz f‘M~r MeCorkingdale 18 votes (elected), Gnoldsbury 8, Ashton and Jackson 2, Lalor 1, Ross 0. The result was received with applause, which was renewed when the newlyelected member rose to return thanks.

During the evening the prizes won at -the previous euchre evenings were presented, the winners being: ‘Miss Campbell, lady’s prize; Mr Clinfon,’Gentleman’s prize; the booby Winners Being Mrs E. Torrey, lady’s; and Mefforkindale, gents. Mrs Arms kihdl3%_,don6tted the prizes. 4 . _ _‘

A hea.l't.y vote of thanks _to the speakers, and 9.. similar ‘compliment to the Chair brought fho speaking 1 part of the evening to a close, those present then partaking of ra. t.a.s_teful _p supper provided by the ladies. ' The Taihape Co—operative D-airy Co. got two third prizes at the Waikato Show, while Mr Alex Ross secured two second prizes for onions. The rainfall, as recorded at the school was 1.164 in. for the month of May.

In your issue 10f last Friday, Mr Editor, you dealt with the high prices that are obtaining for land,‘ and your remarks can be applied particularly to Palmerston and vicinity. The Wl-iter has just spent a week" there, and the one topic of conversation, apart "from peace, is’ the OIIIOI‘IIIOLIS prices that land is fetching. To give a few instances: A small farm of 135 acres, one mile from town, was bought If} few months ago at £l3O periacre and the new owner has refused £2OO for it; A farm of under 20 acres in the borough is under oifer at £250 per acre, while farms ranging from 80 to 250 acres in extent, and situated was far as 18 miles from Palmerston, are selling at £BO to £lO5 per acre. Those qualified to express an opinion state that the price of land is likely to rise to even higher values, but they give two reasons for the high prices: Firstly, that the" coming sugar lof milk, a by-*»(Jc~ndm~.t made ‘E"-toms whey, will make butter—fat equal to 4/6 to 5/ per Ib., and, secondly, that farm'ers are buying land for their soldier sons. One Wonders where it is going to end, but two classes are making a, good thing out of it—the land lagent and the money lender. L