LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The police have been notified that the motor-car which was missed from the New Plymouth borough hydro-elec-tric works on Tuesday evening, has been recovered at Stratfora.

“If you can’t get round the world any other way,” said the Rev. John Dawson in the course of his address at New Plymouth last night, “just intimate that you come from New Zealand, the land where the Anzacs came from. Thousands of people who had never heard of New Zealand before now know because of the deeds of our brave lads.” “In Switzerland I came across a grave o-f a New Zealander, a Taranaki boy in the Auckland regiment,” said the Rev. John Dawson at his meeting at New Plymouth last night, “and it was as tenderly eared for as if it had been the grave x>f one of Switzerland’s own sons.” Mr. Dawson said he nau taken the opportunity of having a photograph of the grave taken, and tms had been forwarded to the deceased soldier’s brother in Taranaki.

“We live by our exports,” said Mr. Massey at Feilding, “and so long as our exports keep up we are doing very well.” Mr. Massey said that New Zealand’s imports during the financial year ended March 31 last had a total value of £35,792,780. The exports for the period represented a value of £43,812,500. The figures were subject to slight revision, but they showed that the excess of exports over imports amounted to more than £8,000,000. That could be regarded as a very satisfactory position.

“Beef has never been so cheap in New Zealand as it is at the present time,” said Mr. F. G. Cobbe, of Feilding, to a Dominion representative. He related that a neighbor of his paid £9 a head for cattle two years ago, and he had to accept £7 a head for them. In another instance a neighbor «my on Sunday last drew his attention to some fine heifers, which he had paid £2 5s to £3 per head for. “If it wasn’t Sunday, would they be any good to you at* 30a?” “No,” he had to say, “not if you made it 20s. Not much good in buying heifers when beef is selling at 18s per 1001 b.” “During the whole of my recent tour abroad in Europe and America, I saw nothing to compare with what I saw in Taranaki this morning,” said the Rev. J. Dawson, at New Plymouth last night. “I think your glorious mountain never appeared more beautiful than it did this morning,” said the speaker in going on to tell how delighted he was to be back again in New Zealand, which he still thougnt was the finest spot he knew on the earth.

“At one time it was thought that there would be a tremendous amount of unemployment during the present winter,” said Mr. Massey at Feilding on Wednesday night, “I do not think there are many people who think so now. We seem to have got round the corner—the long faces have disappeared, and the people have begun to see that the bottom has not dropped out of the country. They see that we can meet our engagements, and they are willing to face the remaining difficulties that arg before us.” His Honor Mr. Justice Reed, m addressing the jury at the Supreme Court at Wellington, laid stress on the infallibility of finger-print evidence, which wa-s regarded as conclusive proof where Snger-prints were identified. Not only were finger-prints so identifiable, but those of almost any part of the body. Palm-prints were as unequivocally Identifiable as finger-prints. Glass was probably one o-f the best mediums for retaining finger-prints, or any such polished surface, from which, by special methods, the prints were to be readily photographed. Warm woollen top coats made of heavy colonial tweed, double-breasted and belted, are being sold at the Melbourne, Limited’s, gigantic bargain sale for 79/6. marked down from £6 12s fid; boys’ fine oilskins reduced from 35s to 22/6. Wonderful value.

A printer's error altogether altered the meaning intended to be conveyed in a verse sung at last night’s prohibition meeting. As printed the passage read: “Keep us from plague and dearth, Turn Thou our woes to mjrth, And over all the earth, Lest there be peace.” The first word in the last line should have been “let,” not “lest.” Mr. J. S. Jessep, in conversation with a Dominion reporter, said he would like to point out that the Meat Board had no intention of endeavoring to alter the economic conditions of trade or to do anything likely to jeopardise New Zealand’s interests in the markets of the world. Their desire was to see the Dominion producers received a fair deal in the Old Country, and that they had a fair share of the price paid for whatever they disposed of. In the past many recommendations had been made in that direction, but they had not been adopted because, mainly, o-f lack of cohesion amongst the producers. That difficulty had been removed, anu he felt sure they would find that the Meat Board would justify the confidence placed in it by the large majority of growers. He left New Zealand with confidence that he would be able to participate in some work really worth while.

As showing the difficulty in getting primary education for children in outlying districts, Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., has brought under the notice of the Auckland Education Board recently two matters that had been represented, to him by parents. One was in regaru to a school being built at Awamarino, and the cause of the delay. The reason assigned was that the inspector made two attempts to get into the district to report, but the roads were -so bad he had to give up the attempt. The practice in some schools of not allowino- the younger children in the family to°use the standard hooks of their elder brothers or sisters is against the regulations issued by the education boards, and inspectors have been asked to inquire into complaints. Mr. G. A. Lamb, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association, states that the shipping of cheese for the Old Country is going on at a slower ™ te than the producers desire. The loading does not keep pace with the producing, therefore the stock is accumulating, though not at the rate it was accumulating twelve months ago. The difficulty about getting the cheese away originates in the shortage of outward cargo from Britain. Some ships have to make the voyage to New Zealand in ballast. Until outward cargo is freely offering in the Old Country, and until the cost of working steamers is reduced, freight space from New Zealand must be limited, and owners are hardly likely to reduce freight charges. That the favorable impression made by the New Zealand troops in Germany still obtains in that country was the impression gained by Mr. S. Gordon, a Wellington business man. during a recent tour of Germany. ‘Of all the troops that were billeted on the Rhine, the New Zealander left the best reputation,’ said Mr. Gordon. “And for no part of that reputation does the German honor the New Zealander more than for his morals,, and his attitude toward the German women. The mere mention of the fact that you come from New hs land is sufficient to get a hearty baud shake and everything that can possibly be done for your comfort is done. New Zealanders, through their spending, are spoken of in the same breath as American millionaires.”

So far there have been no importations to New Zealand of Baltic timber since, the war, says the Dunedin Star. Advices are received in Dunedin that Russia and Finland have large stocks, and these have been thrown on the London market, with the result that the prices in England receded about 30 per cent. The Baltic ports were, at last advices, still closed on account of ice. To compensate for that blocking the manufacturing from timber was being carried on in both Russia and Finland, and as soon as the ports are blessed with open water these goods will be shipped to British and other ports, and probably cause a further reduction, which will 'further bring down the price of this much-prized timber.

We have to thank the “8.K,” Book Depot, New Plymouth, for review copies of “My Magazine,” “Red Magazine,” and the “Noved Magazine” for March. The first-named is' a well-known favorite, with a very wide circle of readers, and tne present number is full of illustrations and good reading. The “Red” contains articleci by Ethel M. Dell, H. Mortimer Batten, Ellis Pearson, Fred M. White, and other popular writers. The Novel is up to its usual standard, being full of topical reading sure to find favor.

The tender of Mr. S. J. Sullivan, the well-known manufacturer of high-grade furniture, has been accepted for the fittings for the Commercial Bank, New Plymouth. Ladies are cordially invited to view the new shipment of tweeds for skirts or coats now displayed at Morey’s. The prices are decidedly reasonable for such high quality fabrics.

The N.Z. Loan ami Mercantile Agency Co. are holding their sale at Te Wera to-day.

The. Press Association forward the following:—On March 21 a Press Association telegram came from Hokitika concerning a case in which a Mr. Alison sued the Diggers’ Sawmill Company for £4OS for an allegedly dishonored promissory note. The defence alleged, inter alia, that Mr. J. D. Lynch, who was' not a party to the action, and who was not called as a witness, had agreed to use the bill for security purposes only, but passed it on to plaintiff Alison in settlement of a debt due. The defence further alleged that the promissory note was not binding on the company, and that it was not properly stamped. On these latter grounds the judge gave judgment for the ‘company. Unfortunately in the last sentence of the message the word “on” was altered in transmission to ‘‘and,” the effect of which was to make it appear the judge upheld the whole of the defence instead of only the question of irregular stamping. In. fairness to Mr. Lynch, it is proper to say that tXiat- portion of the defence referring to him had nothing to do with the decision in the case, and we regret that the telegraphic mutilation should have made it appear that it had.