LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taihape Daily Times, 18 August 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“I have one suggestion to make,” said the engineer when the purchase of nl.a.c"hillery ,-was ulLdo.l' discussion :at the Eketahuna. Counfy ‘Council meeting on Saturday, “whatever you get, get English manufacture—they Will last.”

“How are we going to save the‘ £13,000 a year now wasted in ha_ul- - trains over the Rimutiaka,” dramatically asked Mr Mathcson at Mastel'toll ‘during a political address. “Walk!” was the laconic response from an occupant of the pit.

A case was cited at the Eketahunn County Council meeting in which an auditor from Vvellington was required for an audit in Pamerston North. The Railway Department refused to issue this gentleman a ticket, but Was agreeable to convey two big cases of books from Palmerston to Wellington, to enable the audit to be made.

“I have never seen Mr Hanan, but I should picture him as a weak, knockknced sore of individual, Wi’fllollt 3113/’ backbone. I can see him sitting back in his easy chair, and forgetitillg' that the children are being educated in -7:lovcls’.’— Mr J_ Hodgins at Palmerstons’ indignation meeting on Schools last week.

“Tlie home was all right--it Wlls 3happy home—until he appeared on the scene,” said a young female witness at the Wellington Magistratds Court on Friday. As she spoke She Doillted her finger somewhat vindictivciy at a man who sat in the body of the court, and who apparently did not appreciate the attention and interest bestowed on him. “Yes,” continued the VViI“IIG~“S,“my father hasn’t had :1 chance since he returned from the ‘front. He Cam-6 home one night covered with blood. His face was bady cut and there were the marks of where he had been stabbed. Yes, and with a knife, too——you could see the marks of the blade. ” It Was suggested to the witness that the cuts had been caused by contact with glass. “Nonsense,” said the lady emrfiatically “they were stabs from a kn'ife.’.’ It was intimated that divorce proceedings were about to ensue betWOCII the parties.

The Feilding Star comments as fol-‘

lows on General ‘Go<llcy’s name being conspicuous by its absconce in the list of rewards ’to the leadex-s’ of the na_ tion’s armies, cabled a few days ago;_. “And what has happened to General Godley, who was not the soul of New Zealand—los-t in the '-shuifle, 01- will our Parliament have. to Hand him out a million? ”

At a meeting of thc‘Frecmasons of New Plymoxrtlr last week, the follow. ing resolution was carried: The bre. thren representing the whole of the Freemasons in this district, do now most humbly express their «gratitude ‘to the Great Architect of the.UniVerse that he has been pleased to grant to us and our Alles a glorious victory to restore peace upon earth. We also desire to record our gratitiude to those who have. so gallantly responded ‘to the Empire’s need, and we cherish ever in our hearts and minds the memory of our honoured dead, who gave their lives that freedom, tru‘t»h, justice and peace may prevail in the world. We =a.fiirm once again our loyalty and allegiance to His Majesty fife King, ‘and to the ancient and honourable tra.di‘tions of our craft. ‘

Says the Auckland Herald: To do tardy justice to the schools Will. be expensive—for what the public and Pai-liamentnnay as well prepare in advance——but it would be still more expensive to continue to neglect education, and to undermine the whole foundations of nationhood. In almost every respect, save it the zeal and <-Tfieiency of the teachers, the pi-es-mt system has fallen behind requircnients. Schools are too snizill and too few; many have eonstrucfzlonal defects; there is not sufficient playing spaer. Children are being deprived of. their birth-right because Cabinets have grudged money for education. Parliaments have been indifferent, and the public. have not realised the dangerous lengths to which economy was being carried. All this must be changed The public is now .fully awake to the needs of the schools.

That there are still some undeSira.bles at large in the Dominion was sho"wn‘hy an incident that is said ’to have occurred in a oVVellington tramcar recently. A young fellow with a loud voice was boasting openly within the hearing of everybody that he had dodged military service. An elderly man sifiting by remarked that his four sons had gone to the front, and he would have been ashamed of them if they hadn’t. The young man returned: “Do you mean to say your sons were mugs enough to go to the front!” “Yes,” said the old man, ‘‘‘they went to protect -our women and children and cowards like yourself from the Hun, I think the atmosphere of the car would be sweeter without your presence. Out you go.” And he forthwitli proceeded to eject the shirker, when the conductor appeared just in ‘time to prevent :3. catastrophe. The general opinion expressed was that the conductor had come about two nlinu’tes too soon.

According to 3. statement made by the manager of the Waikato Flaxmilling Conipany, the flax industry is in danger of dying out in New Zealand, owing to the increasing value of land, and high cost of labour. The diffieulty New Zealand hemp has, is to compete with Manila and sisal-—the product Of cheap labour. There is also the increased freight charges. The company is going out of business ill this district, and 170 acres of flat country is being converted into dairying land. Another miller eonfirincd these statements (states the New Zealand Herald), and said that flax hemp could only be prepared in paying quantities where the mills, were run by water-power, and where the flax \":3.s bought from farmers who had it growing wild on their property_ The industry has been affected by the railway restrictions. Over 400 tons of uninsured hemp is lying in store in Morrinsville, and cannot be I‘Clllo\'ed until the restrictions are lifted.

A sliortage of copper coins is stated to be one of the difliculties .tha’tconfront New Zealand tradesmen at present (says the Auckland Herald). Since the beginning of the war the banks have been unableto obtain more than :1 fractional portion of their requirements. This is believed to be due partly to the fact that the War created an abnormal demand for copper for use in the manufacture of munitions, and partly to the fact that -the new schedules of the retail prices of Various commodities have led to a greater need of pennies en the part of the purclmsers. The traln\\'n_\r services, of course, handle :1 very large proportion of copper in circulation, and the banks which have the t.ra.nlway banking accounts supply ‘the other banks with -as much of the copper coinage as they are able to spare. They, however, are unable to fully meet demands, and the shortage is stated to be occasioning considerable incoiiveriience in business circles. The Bankhof New Zealand is at present trying to arrange for the shipments of large consignments of copper coins from London.

Ladfes’ All Wool Ribbefl Hose in newll-leather Shades 6/11 per pair_--Collii-g's,<;_‘.;l;__and Gifford, Ltd.

A dark-coloul'edKaiapoi rug, lost

between Tiriraukawa. and the public hospital is advertised for.

Mr J. S. Burgis, late engineer to the Borough Council, has joined the stafi? of Taihapc Motors, Ltd., as electrical engineer.

A Press Association message from Dunedin states that the Star has authority for stating that the Hon. J. 'l‘. Paul will offer himelf as a candidate for Dunedin South at the general election in the Labour interest.

The troops‘~hi.p Ellengo is expecéfed to “arrive at Auckland «on August 28th, with 1100 men of -all ranks. Among those returning aré‘the following men from this district: G. T. Baldwin, Mangaweka; W. Bfough, Taihape; F. Edwards, Ohakune; Gr. 'l‘, Murphy, Tai. luape; S_ E. Sinclair, Taihape; J. J. Stock, Taihape; and D. W. Wilson, Raetihi. _

“In future,” said Mr Massey, to: a meat producers’ deputation at Wellington 011 Friday, “we are not going to depend solely on the Lon‘don market.” England was our market. He. did not say we should trade elsewhere, but he wanted to caution New Zealand producers about what would happen in America, especially in South America, Argentine, Patagonia. Chili, Uruguay, and Pialraguay were all producing meat. That might not afiect us very much, but would go to the United States, and he thought We should look to our English market.

The Union Line steamer Moana (says the San Francisco “Examiner” of July 3) was the first steamer to arrive from foreign ports yesterday after the dry law became effective. She solved the liquor question so far as ships are concerned. The Customs authorities had orders not to inter-fc-re with liq-uor on board so long as it was kept on board. All the inspectors had to do Was to see that it was not brought ashore. After a conference with Customs men Captain A. E_ Barlow gave special orders that no liquor was to ,-‘be used on the ship While in port, and that the steamer would consider itself “dry” until after it leaves and is outside the three-mile limit.