LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A marked shortage of blankets and good, rugs is being experienced in some parts of New Zealand at the present time. The next annual conference of the W.C.T.U. (Taranaki, Wanganui and Wellington districts) will be held at New Plymouth. The evening at the Whiteley Club on Monday was spent in the question box. Many interesting and present-day questions were discussed and much enjoyed by all present. Mr. C. E. Bellringer presided. Yesterday was midwinter day, and generally alluded to as the shortest day. The hours of sunrise and sunset, which have been 7.24 a.m. and 4.36 p.m. since June 12, will remain unchanged till Saturday, when the sun will rise a minute earlier and set a minute later, but only two minutes will be gained by the end of the month. Speaking at a Labor meeting in Wellington on Sunday night, Mr. Robert Semple said:—“No intelligent man who has been through a strike wants to go through another. I have seen the wretchedness and the misery they cause. To me the strike is a nightmare, and I want to see the day when the strike in New Zealand is as extinct as the Moa.” The coal workers of England, now on strike, are helping to keep New Zealand workmen out of employment, according to a Wellington business man. One result of the strike, he says, is that several hundred New Zealand fiax workers are still waiting for the mills to open. But, apart from flax, the strike is reported to have adversely affected our wool and our meat industries. Speaking at Palmerston the other evening, Mr. R'. IT. Scott, of Auckland, president of the New Zealand Poultry Association, stated that from his observation of the poultry farms in both islands he was sure that the production of eggs would increase 100 per cent in the near future. The prohibition of egg pulp had protected the industry to a greater extent than any other industry in New Zealand.

The extraordinary feats of memory by which the text of the Bible was preserved through the ages without being committed to writing were described by Dr. J. H. Hertz during a lecture at Auckland. “I myself know hundreds of men,” he said, “who not only know the five books of Moses from end to end, but the entire scriptures, the whole 39 books, in the Hebrew. There are hundreds of men alive who know the entire Talmudic literature by heart, a much more marvellous feat of memory.”

On opening his mail yesterday a New Plymouth importer was again pleasantly reminded of the advantages of direct shipments to New Plymouth. A line of salt was bought c.i.f.e. Wellington, some time ago from America and the shippers now advise that they have been able to secure space in the Waiotapu direct to New Plymouth at the $12.00 pei’ ton rate, so were enabled to invoice c.i.f.e. New Plymouth at the original quotation, thus saving the coastal freight and Wellington handling charges. The saving in handling is also a considerable item, as this was salt packed in 51b linen bags enclosed in sacks, and very liable to be torn. Another firm advised that a line of dried fruit was being invoiced c.i.f.e. New Plymouth at the price originally quoted c.i.f.e. Wellington on account of getting the direct freight by the Waiotapu.

The damage done to the Hawera through being thrown against the breakwater by a heavy sea at Patea recently is evidently of an extensive nature (says the Wanganui Chronicle). The starboard side for a distance of 54ft. has been considerably knocked in. The force of the impact can be judged from the way even the decking has been bent in in keeping with the dented side. Had the steamer been plated with iron instead of wood she would assuredly, soon have settled. As it was the skipper berthed her at the wharf and discharged the cargo, which was but little damaged. After temporary repairs had been effected by Messrs. S. Woods and Son, Ltd., shipwrights, of -Wellington, \he, came on to Wanganui under her own steam. The Hawera will go on the slip at Putiki to-day. The work of repairing the damage will occupy many weeks.

Two liners will load at New Plymouth this week, the Ft'deral Line’s steamer Suffolk (8838 tons) and the P. and O’, liner Peshawur (7948 tons). The Peshawar is running under the auspices of the New Zealand Shipping Co. The Suffolk, which will berth this morning, will load 10,900 freight carcases of meat from the Taranaki Farmers’ works at Smart Road and a quantity of cheese from the Producers’ stores. Loading will occupy about three days. The Peshawur is scheduled to leave Wellington to-morrow, arriving here on Friday and will take up the deep-sea berth immediately on the departure of the Suffolk. The Peshawur also takes about 10,000 freight carcases of meat. After the loading of these two vessels the. quantity of frozen meat remaining in the Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Co.’s stores will be approximately 60,000 freight carcases.

Speaking of co-operative banking at Levin last week, Mr. W. J. Polson, president of the Farmers’ Union, quoted the systems of land banking in Denmark and Germany as illustrations of what could be done. Groups of farmers joined together and really gave a joint and several guarantee that they would hoijor each other’s credit, up to 50 per cent, of the security offered. The bank then issued to the farmer a bond which he could sell at current rates. A small amount was paid towards an insurance fund against any farmer making default. But so successful had these banks been in Denmark, that large profits had been distributed to the members out of these funds. He contrasted this with the way the farmers’ own bank in New Zealand treated them, mentioning that it had recently made profits of close on a million. If they put money in on fixed deposit they got a very low rate of interest indeed. If they wanted an advance, they knew what happened, and the bank actually charged them for holding money in current account. In Denmark the farmers got the current rate on current accounts from their land bank. (Applause.) Everything in connection with the forthcoming ball under the auspices of the Park Tennis and Croquet Club in the Coronation Hall on Tuesday, July 19, 1921, is going with a swing. A strong committee of ladies will have charge of the supper arrangements, while the music, under Mrs. George’s management will be everything that can be desired. The duties of M.C.’s will be in the capable hands of Messrs. C. B. Webster and F. Robertson, who will have +l *e assistance of members of the club.