NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3645, 4 December 1920, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

PRICES OP FOOTWEAR. AUCKLAND, Dec. 3. A meeting of the Auckland Boot Retailers,' Association passed a resolution recording their firm belief that there was no ground for any anticipation that prices of footwear will apj preciably decrease in the present o* """', immediate future. IMPORTATIONS OF BOOTS. AUCKLAND, Dec. 3.

Some figures indicating the extent to which *ths imported article is flooding the market so far as boots are concerned, were given by the Prime Minister last evening. A return recently furnished, he stated, showed that for four months from July to October this year 49,509 dozen pairs of boots, valued at £492,450, jiad come from overseas. For the corresponding quarter last year there were imported 15,220 dozen pairs, valued at £112,642. NEW ZEALAND FINANCES. AUCKLAND, Dec. 3. The Premier states that the latest i cable, though not definite, indicated V slight improvement in the prices of Coarser wools. A large shipment of dairy produce is already on the way to England, and this month the first shipment of free meat will be despatched. We can look forward to the value of exports again exceeding the value of imports, and the financial position will be relieved to the extent. FINED FOR PROFITEERING. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 3. Bernard Francis Darley (trading as Wallace and Co.), in the Magistrate's Court, was fined £25 and costs for' ,selling to R. E. Alexander (Director of the Agricultural College, Lincoln! half a gallon of Borol patent medicine for 45/. Evidence showed that the Wholesale' prices paid °y defendant was 25/. ' A LINK WITH THE PAST.. V WHAKATANE, This day. * A curiously shaped skull and some bones, obviously ancient, were found at the back of Whakatane. Dr. Buck supposes the remains to be those of a pre-historic race, whom the Maoris called Ferneaters, and intends to make ' a further exploration. He says that Whakatane is the most historic spot In New Zealand.

ONE BIG UNION. WELLINGTON, This day. Mr O. Grayndler, general secretary of the New Zealand "Workers' Union, has received a telegram from Auckland stating that the Auckland' General Labourersf Union, comprising over five thousand members, had held a Ballot 17n* the question of joining the New Zealand Workers 'Union — otherwise known as the One Big Union movement. The result of the ballot was almost unanimous in favoru of joining.

SUFFOCATED BY GAS. AUCKLAND, Dec. 3. Mr B. S. Briggs, one time Mayor of Parnell, was found dead in a little room at the rear of his old premises last evening. He was last seen alive at 12.30 yesterday by a woman who used the telephone. Mr Briggs was In the habit of using the little room at the rear of the Auckland Meat Go's, shop, Parnell, where he kept a rhange of clothes. When he went there yesterday he remarked that his nerves* were all gone to pieces. When he had not returned home, Mrs Briggs Tang up Joseph Brown, who went to his room. The door was locked. Mr Brown therefore broke the window pane, and, looking through, saw the dead body. He called a policeman, who broke open the door and found Zfcfr Briggs apparently suffocated, for the gas jet was turned on in the room. An inquest will be held.