LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3511, 24 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Yesterday was the 26th birthday of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.

The usual fortnightly dance under the auspices of the Taihape Fire Brigade will be held in the Three Star Hall to-night.

Jules Bloch, a Swiss millionaire, was fined sixteen million dollars for declaring only portion of his profit for taxation.

It i s the opinion of General Booth that New Zealand scarcely yet realises the important part New Zealand played in the war. „

Mrs Muncaster in another column uotifies that the toses, carnations, lillies and Burbank plum trees have arrived, and'are now ready for distri-

Several Otaki dairy farmers are offering 2/6 per week for winter grazing for their cows. The winter conditions as to pasturage are infinitely better than the average, but the stocking is heavier.

Fencing wire is difficult to obtain, but supplies are expected to come to hand at an early d'.fe. A merchant states that there are indications of the price being easier, although it was worth £7O per ton at present.

As will be seen by advertisement in another column Messrs T. E. Thomas and Co. are holding their first winter sale, which commences on Saturday morning, when reductions in all departments will be made.

On page six of to-day's issue will be found the prize-winning essay in the competition open to scholars at primary schools. The essay was on "The Visit of the Prince of Wales," and ' was contributed by Miss Doris Blockley, of the Taihapc District High School.

Instructions have beeii received from Wellington by the Labour Department, Auckland, that prosecutions are to be taken in connection with the recent strike of employees on the Auckland tramways. This will be under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act.

Mr Langdon Thomas George Turner, of Southeriihay, Belmont road, Scarborough, is stated to be the oldest Freemason in the world, having been a member of the fraternity for 74 year?. Mr Turner recently celebrated his one hundred and first birthday.

Several ladies who started an interesting conversation in the Magistrate' Court at Auckland were somewhat surprised when Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M , remarked: "There i s a room outside, ladies, where you can discuss matters/" whereupon those addressed promptly retired.

At the Magistrate's Court at Whangarei on Wednesday, Edward Hayes, residing at the Whangarei Hotel, was charged with being a bookmaker and making a bet in a public <, place on May 10. The Magistrate convicted defendant and imposed a fine of £SO and costs.

A cable message from London state s that the Government is giving full approval and assistance to the scheme for a world.-wide gathering of Boy Scout organisations in London in August. . All the Dominions are sending contingents. a s are America and many foreign countries.

During the course of an interview with a Daily News representative, Mr A, Morton, chairman of the National Dairy Association, remarked that the imports of cheese into the United Kingdom ha'd decreased very slightly since the outbreak of war, and the Imperial Government now found it had ample supplies on hand. This no doubt was the reason why the Government was allowing an open market for, cheese, while continuing the in s trictions in regard to butter.

The Hawera Star reports that -Toll's dairy company recently had returned from the railway station two crates Of cheese, which had been completely ruined for export by having had large slices cut out of each cheese from between the battens. It has been alleged, and on very good authority, too, that this is quite a common practice among the employees at certain works, but the perpetrators cunningly hide all trace of their work by prising the cheese round so that the damaged portion come s behind the batten of the crate.

j "1 have found there is a very pronounced Scotch element in New Zealand, and I am rather surprised that a good deal of fun is poked at the Scotch folk because of their alleged meanness and inability to appreciate a joke," said Mr T. J. Irwin, a magistrate of the City of Glasgow, who is on a visit to New Zealand. 'The hospitality of New Zealanders, however, is something to be remembered." Mr Irwin added: "Twice while walking along roads, passing motorists have invited me to ride in their cars. You never see motorists do that in Scot- • ]a» C,. v

The southward bound mail train which usually arrives at 0.00 a.m., did not reach Taihape until midday to-day, being delayed by slips on the line north of Ruurimu. An Auckland merchant is quoted as saying that his most recent advices from England were to the effect that the demand for matches was so great there that it was not expected that any orders could be accepted fifom New Zealand for a year or two. The manager of a large grocery business in Christchurch, discussing the subject of sugar.supplies, said: "There iB no doubt that hoarding by consumers has been going on, and it. has brought out some of the most despicable meannes s and trickery. The sugar position in New Zealand has created more liars than anything else, and it will take four generations of clergymen to set the public conscience right again.'' i Christehureh merchants have been advised by the British Empire Trading Company, Ltd., that it is discontinuing the allowance of 2J per cent, discount in the case of tobaccos. It i fi stated by merchants that this action will cut their margin of gross profit down to a bare minimum, and one distributor, in consequence, is giving up the handling of tobacco lines. U is thought that ..the action of the British Empire Trading Company means that the company contemplate establishing depots itself in the main centres. Japanese crockery. brushware, small goods of all description!, even bicycles and gramophones, are common enough in New Zealand shops, but Japanese condensed milk is a new one. A tin of this milk was taken to a meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association, and brought forth expressions of surprise, ranging from "That's something unexpected, even for the Japs," but members who feared for immediate swamping of the market by the foreign-made article felt relieved when the price was quoted at 1/9 wholesale. The price of New Zealand tinned milk is generally about 1/ retail. (

Only two more sale s at Addingtou will be held before the end of the month, and, as the last Wednesday is June 30, the sale at Addington next week will be the final one governed by; commandeer conditions. It is to be expected that holders of fat stools will rush stock forward, with a view of getting them in under the Imperial scheme. The <travl<? wi 1 ! be fiac»d with a new set of circumstances, particularly in regard to ,the disposal of sheepskins, and it'.will take some time before conditions settle down. The disposal of sheepskins is one question that must cause some uneasiness. With the accumulation of wool in store, it will mean that the fellmongers will bave to be prepared to hold their wool for some time, and this fact must weigh with them in assessing values—Sun.