LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Dominion Conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association concluded at Wellington yesterday. The. Clifton County Council yesterday agreed to support the Stratford Borough Council in requesting the Government to take the necessary steps to make Saturday afternoon a universal half-holiday.

"The fiction that we got now .is simply piffle," said a gentleman at last night's meeting of library subscribers, when urging that the committee should endeavor to cater for a more solid class of literature for those whose tastes lay in that direction.

The Bay of Islands County . Council forwarded to the Clifton County Council a series of resolutions urging that the necessary legislation 9hould be introduced in Parliament giving local bodies full power to enforce the payment of rates by Maoris. The Clifton County agreed to the proposal. Wo wonder whether any member of Parliament during the approaching session will try to induce the Government to submit a return of twelve months' land sales in Taranaki, showing the prices and the Government valuations on which the tax is paid (says the Wellington Post). If such a return were compiled, would the average Government valuation be ono-half the sale price? Would it be one-third? The point 13 vital, because the difference between valuations and prices has reached a dimension that has 110 relation to the proper conservatism that a valuer may legitimately employ. No one expects the Government valuers to lead the market upward \ it is reasonable that they should lie cautious and should exercise a steadying influence. But the gap between valuations and prices is such as to prove either that the former are hopelessly low or 'out of date, or that the latter are outrageously high. At present, the only cheap thing about a farm is the Government valuation. That fact is of no advantage when the owner seeks a loan, but in;iy provide some consolation if, 011 a future falling market, borrowing gives place to sorrowing. In the meanwhile, however, the Government loses the revenue. The owner's return and the State's return are based on utterly irreconcilable quantities.

Messrs. Burgess, Fraser and Co., Ltd., advertise particulars of a shipment of benzine to arrive early on July 12th. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. draw attention to their Stratford Sale on Tuesday, Bth June, at 12 o'clock. Full particulars appear on page 8. The practical housewife Who uses "Fairy Wonder" Dry Soap, saves money as well as time. With "Fairy" it is unnecessary to light the copper and the washing can be done in half the usual time. One large packet of "Fairy" is sufficient for twelve wjhings. Give it a trial. All groewi stock it-