LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The takings at the four days of the Manawatu winter show were over £3OO in excess of the four days at the Waikato winter show.

A special meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held yesterday in committee, and a number of executive matters were dealt with.

Mr. G. F. Jago, secretary of the Taranaki Rugby Union, received word yesterday morning that the match, Springboks v. Taranaki, had been definitely fixed for July 16 at New Plymouth. There is every prospect of the Wanganui freezing works being cleared of mutton and lamb before the opening of next season. In addition to the Port Curtis, which is talcing a large consignment of produce from the works, the Suffolk is also to load there, while the Kia Ora has been fixed to load in the roadstead during July, and .her allotment is approximately '45,000- freight careases. The Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Nos worthy) informed a Wellington Times representative that he had brought before Cabinet the request of the New Zealand Nurserymen’s Association for compensation for nurserymen who had had their young trees destroyed on account of fireblight. had been decided, stated the Minister, to refer the matter next session to the Agricultural, Pastoral,- and Stock Committee for consideration and report. At the quarterly meeting of the Fitz•roy Ratepayers’ Association last night a member asked for informatign concerning any further developments in the proposal to widen Mangorei Road at its junction with Devon .Street. The president (Mr. R. L. Parkin) replied that the borough engineer was awaiting a favorable opportunity to use the spoil before cutting down the bank. It was decided to urge the Council to expedite the work of widening the corner. Members of the Whiteley Club visited the Old People’s Home on Monday and entertained the inmates with a concert. Songs were contributed by Misses Blanchett and Cooper, Messrs. Reid, Packman arid Holden, and a duet by Misses Fenwick. Elocutionary items were given by Misses Hartnell and Kivell, and readings by the Rev. Elliott and Mr. Packman. The Rev. W. J. Elliott presided, and the singing of. the National Anthem brought a very pleasant evening to a close. The annual report presented to the annual meeting of the New Plymouth Horticultural Society last night referred to the children’s display at the horticultural shows as follows:—“The children made some display, but the committee think that the young people should support their sections better. Perhaps parents and elder brothers and sisters will help in this matter. The committee suggest some arrangement to enlist the youth of the higher classes of the schools as junior stewards.” The committee further suggested that the society provide seeds to be used in school gardens, on the distinct pledge that the flowers and produce be entered in the competitions. One of the topics of the day (says the Dunedin Star) is the story of how a certain life assurance company doing business in New Zealand managed to reduce its tax payments. The tale is here given as told. The Government allows life assurance companies first of all 2 per cent, deduction from interest earnings; that is to say, if a company earns 5 per cent, it is taxed on only 3 per cent. The Government allows a further reduction of half, the general taxation —such companies pay 4s 5d in the pound instead of 8s fid. On ordinary debentures the charge is a fiat rate of 2s 6d in the pound. The company referred to —so runs the narrative—get rid of a number of its mortgages and bought debentures with the proceeds. On these debentures the department wanted td charge the 2s fld, but the company contended that the half concession came in, and as a fact it paid the Is 3d and left the Commissioner to sue for the other Is 3d. In the result, after consultation with the experts, the position taken up by the company is found to be sound in law and unassailable.

The question of ratepayers helping to expedite the carrying on of street works by taking up Borough Council debentures was put before the quarterly meeting of the Fitzroy Ratepayers’ Association last night. The case of Govett Avenue, which had been tar-sealed as the result of the Frankleigh Park Association taking up six debentures, was instanced, and it had been suggested a similar action should be taken in Fitzroy. In the schedule of the £57,000 loan there was an amount of £560 allocated for tar-sealing the footpath from the Henui bridge to Darnell Street, and this would mean the association and the ratepayers adjoining the street finding £9l in order to enable the debentures to be sold. It would be a question of picking out the most urgent works and then endeavoring to secure 'the assistance of residents. The meeting favored the debentures proposed and a sub-com-mittee consisting of Messrs. S. J. Smith, C. . S. Foote, and R. L. Parkin (president) was appointed to report in a fortnight’s time on the question of which works should be taken up. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd.-, wish to draw clients’ attention to their Matau sale, which they are holding on Friday, July 1, 1921, at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue.

A severe earthquake was felt in New Plymouth at 1.30 this morning. The shock, which was at first very pronounced, lasted for fifty seconds. It gave the impression of a double “shake”, slackening off after the first disturb'ance and then gaining strength again. At the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday S. M. Riley, licensee of a wineshop in Hawera, was charged with having supplied liquor to youths under 21 years of age. He was found guilty and fined £lO with costs. J. Quinn, a barman at the Central Hotel, was found guilty of a similar offence and fined £lO. H. E. Card, the licensee, was also fined £lO. There is no likelihood of a butter shortage in the Dominion during the present wintef, asserts the Auckland Herald. There was a large increase in production during the season just closed, and substantial stocks are said to be held in the various butter-producing districts. The position, as far as Auckland is concerned, is that a certain quantity of butter is still being manufactured, and the bulk of it is going straight into consumption. The quantity held in the grading stores after the last of the Imperial stocks have been taken by the Mamari will be about 44,000 boxes. The new season’s make will be coming to hand in about six weeks, and the quantity held in store will be ample for all requirements in the meantime. Much less butter than usual has been sent to the south this season, and the immediate southern demand is not expected to be very great. The decrease in the quantity required by the southern districts this season is said to be due to the mild weather that has prevailed having made possible a greater autumn production than usual. The profits of the bank of New Zealand in this time of financial stringency were fabulous, Mr. Archer stated at a meeting of the Canterbury Hospital Board last week. Many commencial men were at their wits’ end, and many farmers were facing bankruptcy. This year the bank’s profits were about 40 per cent, on the paid up capital, and he referred to the net profits, after setting aside amounts for all kinds of purposes. The fact of the matter was that the bank, had been bleeding the public of New Zealand to such an extent that it did not know what to do with its profits. Only last year it gave to its shareholders a free gift of £1,125,000 of accumulated profits, and on that free gift this year it proposed to pay a dividend of 13 per cent. “I do not want to go into details,” Mr. Archer added, “but it strikes me as extraordinary. The bank holds £4858 of our money—our credit balance —on which it will not give us a farthing of interest, although in England they give interest on credit balances. But they are letting out our money to other people at interest, and they want to raise the rate of interest to 7 per cent. It is a monstrous position, and we are not justified in paying 7 per cent, unless they force us to pay, and even then we should not pay without protest.” The W.'C'.T.U. will hold a social afternoon to celebrate White Ribbon Day in the Whit&fey’Hall, on Thursday, 30th inst., a.t 2.30 p.m. The Rev. A. H. Collins jWill speak and a collection will be ta.lZen. Tiie. attention ‘of householders and the public generally is directed to McGruer 'and . Co.’s advertisement respecting their big drapery sale. The firm have taken over the premises formerly occupied by Messrs. J. and J. Auld, Devon Street.

In this issue Messrs. Fairbrother and Pickering are offering three very nice properties for sale. Included in the list advertised this week is l one where the owner will accept a good mortgage in part or full payment. This should be worth enquiring about, and farmers who wish to dispose of their properties would be also well advised to let this firin have particulars of their farms.