LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, 19 September 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A mill blacksmith is aflvel'tisin'.3‘ for a situation. The following vessels will be within wireless range to-night: -Mionowai, Manuka, Maheno, .Vl'om'al<i, Ayl'sllil'o, H01‘0af:1, and Tainui. In I'ang'C of Chafhmns: (‘ol‘in‘i‘}iic, Ol'il':x_ and Matatua. '

It is feamd that the dairy fal'mers will go in for raising the price of butter-fat ore long ‘if the Chance is given (_at:lt'vs the Grey Rivm: Argus). Dried mi?lk and other industries are giving openings in this 'direr3tinn, and it is stated flmti in some platms up to 2/ 01' more is ofl"orod for bu'rtm'—f:lt_

The theft. of passengms’ luggage from I'l-nmcars has (wcasioned the We]lington City‘ Council <3onsidel'able concern, for it has been called upon to meet. some very substantial claims. The claims lms been so extensive that the Council has decided ‘to seek flag-i_sla‘tion which would limit eacnh claim. to_ the sum of £5.

A witty Irish American, speaking at a London banquef, said that Germany’s appeal for an armistice for the sake of humanity after -her capacity for murder and robbery was exhausted, reminded him of a, famous criminal who, having murdered his father and mother, implored the clemency of the Court on the ground that he was an orphan.

After braving the stress of war, and being flown in that consummation of British naval troumph, the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet, the White ensign of H.M.S. New Zealand has found a restng place in the Christchurch Cathedrals The ceremony took place on Sunday, when Midshipman J . 0. Home handed the flag to Dean Car. rington. 4

.Apropos of the whines for mercy that keep coming out of GermanyRhine whines, as they are called——Dr Nicholas Murl"ay'Buller, of Columbia, said the other day: “Germany reminds me of a woman who, enteriiig her little boy in a new school, said to the teacher: ‘Leedle Frifzy he is delegate, und so, if he iss badt——und he will be badt somedimcs—-joost lick ".der boy next to. him, ‘und dat vill frighten him.’ ”

“There is an immediate market in Me*sopo'tam,ia. for many Icommo'd.ities which Australia can supply,” said Captain E. D. A. Bagot, of the Australian Wool exchange. _ “In -a few years,” he continued, “the completion ‘of the Berlin-B:aghdii7d railway will bring Australia within fifteen days bf London. There should be a ready market for Australian wines, boots," and metals, and if sufiicient enterprise were shown a very profitable and growing trade could be built up.

These are the «days of big‘ things_ And what do you think of a pen-and-ink artist making £70,000 a year! That is the little emolument which I hear, comes to Mr “Bud” Fisher, the American cartoonist, Whose “Mutt and Jeff” series run through a hundred Amei-ican papers every day, with something like 10,000,000 readers. Mr Fisher is a young man who has had the satisfaction of knowing that millions of people would consider :1 day ill spent if they did not follow the fortunes of “Muff and Toff” two grotesque ‘figures whose adventures daily convulsc a. continent.—London paper.

There has lately been some COI'I‘CS--ilpondence b.e‘t\\leen {the _;3l’ocal School. Committee and -the Education Hoard with reference to the provision of certain conveniences at the local school. The Boal‘d, at its last meeting decided. tlifit if the School Committee would raise £25 towards the work, the whole would be completed. Mr Johlin, on behalf of the Committee, accepted the offer, and don:lted:£s towul'ds the local contribu‘s tion. The work specified Clllbl‘a,(‘£S the erection of two shelter sheds the conversion of one shelter shed into :5, wood store, and saddle room, new tanks, laying on of town water Supply, and alterations to the nlaster’s resideuce.

The difiieulty of hetzring the evidellce of the witiiessr-s at the inquest yesterday was very zwute. What with the “ticking” of the I'ypewritel', and the hum of coiiversution at times going on in the body of the court, ii’ made the taking of evidence difficult. Early in the niorning the -typewriter was shifted, and the Coroner made a. vigorous pl~otest- against the talking, which he said was carried on by persons who certainly ought to know Mbetter. If this continued he he would have the court cleared. .\t‘ter this there. was a. defizided change for the better, though even then the coudi. ti0n..~.; vsere not ideal_

Foul'lnellelll‘el'ed an omnibus in London- Three of the were Australiaii uniforms, while the other was a wandering musician, earryilig a concertina. The four c-ligagicrl in animategi conversation, to which the unkempé: musician contributed an intelligent share. By-and-by two of the soldiers and the musician left the ’bus.e Then an Englisman ventured to remark to the remaining Australian, “It's surpris»ing how you Australian follows talk to anyone you come across; I’m no great shakes socially myself but I do draw the line at a street musician.” The Australian looked at him. “I don't know wllat you mean over here by ‘great shakes socially’," said he_ “l_’nl 21 graduate at .\lelboul-ne Univer.<il'y In_\/-'.~'o]l’. But in my country it.’s an 11n(lerst.ocd thing i'll‘lt 311)’ 111110 with brains Has :1. right to be lieurd, and the ros'r"—\vii‘-.1 somewhat dire signifieance—“call hold their tongues."

Last year 7,496,715 railway tickets were printed in Wellington, the largest number (781,916) being printed in December.

The number of sheets «of postage and other stamps of various values printed by the Government. Printing Ufficc last year was 1,086,268, the number of stamps 148,402,873, and the value £3,418,361 10/4. In addition 35,000 war loan cel'tvificates_, of 3. value of £791,900 were printed.

There has been a fall in the price of paper since the close of the war, ‘states the Government Printer in his annual report, but prices aare still high, and it is difiicult to gauge the future, in this respect. It is certain, however, that it will be some time before the position ‘becomes normal, and it is doubtful if prices will ever come back to pre—wa»r rates. With considerable difiiculty the printing oifice has been able to keep up stocks, though at. the present time, by reason of «the improvement in shipping, the position is easing oif, and more regular supplies are coming to hand_ '

The proposal to construct a grand highway from one end of the Dominion to -the other as a. memorial to the soldlers who fell in the war, is not favoured by the conference or New Zealand farmers now sitting in Wellington. A 1-emit was considered by the delegates yesterday suggesting that the highway be constructed upon the best modern principles, and ‘financed jointly by‘ the Dominion Governnlenf and the local bodies. The majority of the delegates held that the formation of a road would be no fitting monument to the‘ moinory of the fallen.

In View of the daily depletion of the white pine forests of the Dominion, as a consequence of the keen demand for the timber for butter-boxes and cheese crates, the millions of feet of birch timber going to waste in Otago, Southland, and the West Coast, an authoritative opinion -on the use of birch for".cheese crates must prove very timely. The experience of a dominion shipping man is well summarised in a letter which has beenreceived by Mr G. A. Lamb (secretary of the South Islan(T"Dail’y Assoeiation).. The letter reads: “In shipping cheese ex—Westmoreland I notieed that crates made of red timber (birch or beech) stood the extra. handling much better than cases made of white pine. I should strongly recommend for your benefit the use of more of the former timber. This is my private opinion, but I thought as I have supervised the handling of cheese for many years my opinion might be of some interest to you.”

li-lelbourne men who complain of the cost of fitting out their wives. for a Melbourne Cup "nieeting, will feel ashamed of their parsimony when they compare the cost of dressing a; Wife for the Melbourne Cup with that of dressing her for Ascot, reniansks the London eorrespondeiit of the Age_ The expense of Ascot, which is alfifiys ‘high, has been increased this year by the reign of high prices in the shops, and by the fact that Royalty announced its intention of attending the four days of the meeting instead of two, which was the niaximum in the past years. There is no limit to what as society woman can Spend in dressing for Ascot week, with its riot, of entertainments, in addition to the racing, but the following prices represent a moderate ‘estimate of the cost. of dressing a wife for the four days of ‘the racing: Folll‘ frocks at £4O to £7O each, wrap £4O, parasol £ls to £2O, four hats £2O to £3O each; pair of suede shoes £5, four pairs gloves, 20/ to 30/ each. No wife who has any respect for he rhusband’s position—and all Wi\'(‘s are more keen in keeping up their husband's position than husbands themselves are——eould dress for this yeal"s Ascot meeting much ‘under £4OO.