LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20256, 27 July 1937, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Currency In London.—Fine gold in London was quoted yesterday at £6 19s 9d an ounce (£6 19s lOd on Friday), the dollar at 4.97 J (4.975), and the franc at 133 1-16 (133 -5-6).

Congress of Faiths. —Three thousand delegates from all parts of the world are meeting at Oxford for the World Congress of Faiths, says a message from London.

Rain Renders Players Inaudible. — During the drama festival In the Winter Show Hall last night the noise of occasional heavy rain on the roof made the players inaudible to the audience.

House Burgled.—Burglars broke into a private house situated in the main street of Waipukurau during the temporary absence of the occupants and abstracted a bag containing jewellery and £2O in cash.

Soccer Land.—Dr. A. Taylor, in his address in Hamilton, last evening, stated that Scotland was known throughout -China as “ Soccer Land ” and he added that “ Soccer Land ” was the most generous contributor of all countries in proportion of its size to the funds of the mission.

Fine Spirit at Festival.—"l understand that a very fine spirit prevailed throughout last year’s festival,” said the adjudicator, Mr E. Campbell Laurie, of Auckland, at last night’s drama festival in Hamilton, "and 1 hope that the same spirit will mark this year’s fixture."

Patient Attacks Escort.—There was a great deal of excitement at the Hamilton Railway Station yesterday afternoon, when a mental patient,, who was under escort by a policeman, attacked his escort when the pair stepped off the train from Tauranga. After a scuffle the policeman managed to overpower the patient.

Time Told to Subscribers.—The British Post Office Department a year ago instituted a service by means of which telephone subscribers, on dialling for the time, were connected with a device which automatically repeated for them the correct time. The automatic clock answered 13,300,000 calls in its first year and the average number of calls per week is 300,000.

Support for Petition.—At a meeting of the Frankton Citizens’ Association executive held last evening, the action of the Garden Place Preservation Society in preparing a petition for submission to the Hamilton Borough Council, protesting against the proposed demolition of Garden Place Hill, was cordially endorsed, members of the executive present pledging themselves to secure the greatest possible support for the petition.

Off the Map.—New Zealand has no place on a map of the world printed in a pamphlet advertising the attractions of Japan (says the Press). Writing to a friend in Christchurch, Mr S. Ilickmott, who is touring the East, encloses the map, and directs attention to the omission from it of the Dominion. "A lot of the Japanese do not even know that we exist," he writes; and lie suggests that the New Zealand Government should do something about it.

Buttepbox Fines.—"We have to pay a fine of threepence a box on each of the boxes we are compelled to use," said the chairman of the Stratford Dairy Company, Mr L. E. Hann, when protesting against the enforced acceptance recently of a large supply of butter boxes from makers acting under Government control instructions. The fine was instituted, lie said, to discourage the use of inferior boxes when standard containers were available. Now the Government has Issued instructions that only inferior type could be used in view of the shortage of timber, but It had not removed the fine on boxes that had a monopoly.

New Zealand Purchase.—The New Zealand manager for the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Ltd., lias been advised by the head office, Manchester that the total amount of purchases from New Zealand for the twelve months ended December 31. 1936, was £4,701,465, showing an increase on the previous year of £563,585. The main items in these purchases were: Butter, £2,683,981; cheese, £788,956; meat, £1,174,286. "We should not be surprised," the manager writes, "if this makes the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Limited, the largest individual buyers and distributors of New Zealand primary products in the United Kingdom.”

Not a Failure.—Protesting against statements that the recent Imperial Conference was a failure, the Hon. It. G. Casey, Australian Federal Treasurer, slated in Auckland yesterday:

"1 do not pretend 1 hat all parts of the important questions," continued Mr Casey. "But 1 know of no better school for toleration and restraint than the Imperial Conference. All units of the Empire have different responsibilities, different neighbours, different points of view. We heard opinions of the leaders of Governments in all parts of the Empire. 1 do not pretend that everything said was accepted at Its face value. But as a result of the discussions we now know what wc have to face." With stocktaking very r’nsc at hand Hooker & Kingston Limited, have made further reductions in many lines that must i e cleared, for we do not carry over seasonable merchandise from one season to anollur. LadiesCoats clearing at 59/6, usually 84/-; Tweed Cost Hires, at 35/-, usually 55/-; Worsted Costumes, most suitable for early spring wear, at 69/6, usually 99/6. Ladies’ Handbags, at 7/ 11, usually li. 6 and 16 6. Triple weight Molleton, 36in. wide, at 3/ It, usually 4/11. Blind Holland, 42in. wide, at -, 9 yard, usually 2/11; Cottage Weave, 46in. wide at 1/6, usually 2/3 yard, are only a few of this week’s sensational bargains at Hooker &. Kingston Limited- rhe St< re for Better Value Always.**

Skl-lng Mishap.—Mr N. S. Coxhend manager of the Christchurch branch

of the Mount Cook Tourist Company, Limited, while ski-ing on Sunday, fell and fractured his left leg just above the ankle.

Mataki DredginO.—The telegraphed return of Mataki Gold Dredging, Ltd., for the week ended July 25, was 25 ounces for 127 hours' work and 7,500 yards treated.

Children and Stage Work.—"lt is always refreshing to see the excellent team work In children’s productions." said the adjudicator at the drama festival in Hamilton last night. "Somehow’ it seems to be contagious."

Not a Worker.—"l am not a worker; I am a farmer." This remark made by a Maori member of the audience at the welcome to the Hon. P. C. Webb in Ruatoria, was greeted with loud laughter, which was renewed when the Minister said: "I hope the Farmers’ Union takes a note of that," says the Herald-Tribune.

Brewing an Art.—Brewing, according to Mr C. M. Lagan, who was the speaker at the weekly luncheon of the Timaru Rotary Club, was to-day an art. Home brewers, he said, claimed that they could make beer, but they were inclined to think it was good because they produced it themselves. They drank It themselves and suffered afterwards. Actually, they knew nothing about making beer.

Gambling In Australia.—" Children, almost from the time they are born, learn to gamble in Australia," said Mr G. N. Rabone, w’hen addressing the Citizens’ Lunch Club at Palmerston North. The speaker pointed out that about 30,000 lottery tickets were sold daily for the New South Wales lotteries, while gambling on horse-racing, dog-racing and football was also extremely prevalent.

Bobby Calf Prices.—Dissatisfaction with the price paid for bobby calves was expressed at the monthly meeting of the Waihl branch of the Farmers’ Union. It was decided to take no action this year, but to endeavour to ascertain the full value of calves by next season with a view to Improving the position. The secretary was Instructed to write to the Dairy Board in this connection.

Bank and Employment Taxation.— Tho Queensland National Bank, Limited, has advised the Commissioner of Taxes, New Zealand, that during the year ended June 30, 1936, dividends were paid as follows: —Ex 1935 profits, £35,000; ex 1936 profits, £35,000. No part of the profits out of which these dividends were paid has paid unemployment relief tax and/or special income tax in Australia.

Cambridge Building.—Good progress is being made with the erection of a block of business premises on the east side of Victoria Street, Cambridge, for Mr E. H. Leigh, chemist. Messrs Wilkinson and Company, of Duke St. have now let a tender to Messrs Speight, Pearce, Nlcoll and Davys for the remodelling of the whole frontage of their premises. The contract price Is about £I7OO, and when completed the new front and offices will greatly Improve this portion of Duke Street.

Children and the Cinema.—Children under 16 yee-s of age are not admitted to cinemas in Austria, Dr. Paul L. Dengler, director of the AustroAmerican Institute of Education, Vienna, told the New Education Fellowship Conference in an address at Wellington. Dr. Dengler raid that the reason for the restriction introduced by the Labour Government in 1918 was that films of very poor taste were shown. An exhibitor who disregarded the law was warned the first time, then fined, and, at the fourth offence, might find his theatre closed. Special provision was made, however, for the exhibition to children of educational films.

Australian Banking.—"lt is a thorough and painstaking report which will be of Interest to New Zealand ns well as to Australia,” said Mr R. G. Casey, Australian Federal Treasurer, at Auckland yesterday referring to the recent report of the Royal Commission on banking and monetary affairs.

"The Commonwealth Bank comes In for a mild degree of criticism arising

out of the exercise of Its functions as a central bank in the years of the depression. As one who has been in close touch with the bank for a good many years, my impression Is that the criticism, which is direct but not harsh, represents wisdom after the event. As Napoleon said, we would all be first-class generals If we could forecast the result of the battle.”

Important Property Deal.—An important deal In city property Is the purchase by the Government of the Bowen Street Private Hospital and grounds, extending from the Turnbull Library to The Terrace, Wellington. The property, which covers threequarters of an acre, was owned by Mrs F. E. Herbert, widow of the late Dr. W. E. Herbert. The price pail was £39,500. The property has to be handed to the Government on August 21. Some perturbation is felt at the prospect of the early closure of the hospital and the Medical Association will probably make representations to the Government asking for a delay in taking over the property to enable provision for another hospital elsewhere.

Gap In Tenders.—The Auckland Electric Power Board recently called for tenders for a supply of insulators and supplementary ironwork. Five offers were received. The price of Hie only New Zealand firm was £1579 10s Bd, as against prices of £1124 9s 9d, £ll3O 5s lOd, £IIGG 13s 4d and £1282 4s 6d submitted by four English firms. Though members ex-

pressed a desire to grant preference to the New Zealand firm, it was felt that a difference of £4 55 was too great a gap. It was decided that the board should accept the lowest tender unless it should consider that the New Zea-land-made insulator shoul d receive preference and in the meantime the matter is to be brought to the attention of the Department of Industries and Commerce. Differences in labour costs are blamed for the difference in prices. Freedom of Speech Interference with freedom of speech was being overcome in the United States of America, but there were still relies of it. said Dr. K. do F. Brunner at a somuiar or the New Education Fellowship conference in Wellington. This was sometimes shown by hostility of the Individual -states to officers of the Federal Government. I)r. Brunner related how the secretary of a Federal department intended to give an address In one of the states, but met with opposition from the authorities, who refused her permission to speak in anv of the buildings under their control. She solved the problem by addressing her audience from the -steps of the Dost Office, controlled by the central Government, and threatened to call out the regular army in defence of her rights’