LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3427, 5 March 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'- The adjourned meeting in connec~ ltion with the Soldiers’ Memorial Fund will be held in the Town Hall Supperiroum this evening, at 8 o’clock. The !question of extending an official Wel’come home to those who served over‘seas will also be discussed.

The amount paid by the Imperial Government as on the 29th February, on account of wool, meat, butter, cheese, and other produce under requisition Vis £128,580,000. WOOI (the biggest item) represented £53,769,596, and frozen meat £42,748,490.

As there were only the required number of candidates nominated for the Waimarino Licensing Committee. an election was unnecessary. ‘The committee consists of Messrs D. L. Brown, Taumarunui; L. S. Fo1;d, Manunui; J. Maher, Taumarunui; J. I. Mdnfl'ies, Taumarunui; and W. H. Wackrow, Taumarunui. -

New Plymouth‘ is adopting a novel means of coping with lack of accommodation for an increasing stream of visitors. A syndicate is erecting a “canvas town,” which will provide temporary housing for some 600 people. Being situated in a favourable position, it is anticipated that the novelty will result in a very considerable demand.

The. monthly abstract of statistics compiled_by the Acting—Govel-nment Statistician shows that at December 31st the Dominion population Was 1,164,408, representing an increase on the year of 56,035, or 5.36 per cent. This: is the largest percentage for the comparative period (ten years) covered by the abstract. The population comprised 588,908 males and 575,500 females.

Speaking at the Methodist Conference now sitting in Auckland Rev, E. T_'”Cox, who is head‘ of the Auckland Methodist Mission, quite frankly confessed that he frequented ho-tel bars in the course gf his work. “I go re-guiai-ly through the bar parlours of different liotelsgi’ he said. “The men like to see me there, to ‘talk to "10, and to have me drink with them. They resp°ect the pai-sons for doing it, too. Once :1 barman put a ‘stick’ in my glass. They saw him do it, and they made him pour it down the sink and give another.”

Reference was made recently in a telegraphic message to the high prices paid for rabbit skins in the London market. It was explained to a Star representative that there is an increasing demand for rabbit skip; to make “sealskin” jackets. Bunny is looked upon as a pest by agl-icu'ltur-ists, but if the present high prices He maintained for skins, then trapping should be a remunerative occiipntion. Winter skins rule about six to the pound, and at 13/ to 15/ per lb, the catching profession should soon become popular. ,

A sensational and exciting chase was witnessed in Karangahape road; Auckland, on Friday evening. Shortly before seven o’elock a young man walked into the New Zealall.dj'Clothiilg Company’s shop and requested to be shown. an expensive hut. This was duly displayed, and the fit was pronounced excellent. The visitor mentioned that on second ’thought he considered a hat in the window would be more in keeping with his suit, and he asked that it should be brought to himto try on. Just as the shop asistantreached for the hat in the wiildo\\' the supposed customer made 9. dash for the street, with the expensive hat in his posession. Several of the shop assistants were quickly in pursuit, but their (luzll'i'y, whoWwas fleet of foot, dashed down Newton road. and, taking a side street, succeeded in getting away.

As a result of a serious street ‘fracas in To Awamutu the other night several offenders were brought before The Court and stiff fines imposed. According to the Auckland Star, the trouble arose out of a. quarrel between Hindo farmers and Europeans. The Hindus were ejected from an hotel and stood in the .street, cursing and using thl'eateniug behaviour. The white men were inveigled in a. quarrel, blows were struck, and soon the fracus became a miniature street riot. The Hindus and whites concerned. appeared in Court badly battered. Constable Doyle,ithe officer in charge of Te Awarnutu, said the Hindus were becoming a menace to the women and children of the district. They came to town. once a week; always got drunk and looking for trouble. All tlrorrgh ‘the Waikato it was the same. Hotelkeepers now refused to serve them with drink. Each Hindu was fined £lO (or two months), and the three whites received three months, one month‘, and a fine of £5 respectively.

A Manawatu farmer bought 160

acres near Dannevirke last season at £4O per acre, and sol\d out last Week at £57.

The following vessels will be With.in wireless range to-night: Pateena, Max-aroa, Wahine, ~Kiwi, Riverina, Westralia, Athenic, Port Stephens, Northumberland, Paloona.

Messrs- F. Ward and Co. will hold their usual Saturday sale to-marrow, when 30 White Leghorn fowls, a. motor cycle, young pigs, potatoes and 300 cases of fruit, besides a lot of sundries, Will be sold.

The Rangitikei County Council has decided to request the Railway Department 'to erect houses for its pormanont employees resident at Marten Junction, as the housing problem is rendered Illol'é acute by railwaymcn ocupying the houses than iotherwise would be the case.

In one line of merchandise the turn of the tide has come in favour of British industry. VVellington merchants last week were quoting British-made fencing wire ‘at £5 per ton less than American wire, which hitherto has commanded the market, because of its cheapness. U

The Chinaman is not averse to profitceriirg. In a certain Wairarapa iownship the European tiadesnien were rationing sugar in 21b quantities. A Chinese tradesmau who had a fair stock on hand, taking advantage of the demand for sugar for jam—making purposes sold out at 25/ per 5611) bag, which represents over 5d per lb.

The sale is ’ceported of premises belonging to the National Bank of New Zualand an the corner of Queen and \Vyndham Streets (Auckland_) to the Bank of Australasia. The purchase price is £122,500. The presexgt building is of brick, with. three storeys, and has a frontage of 133 feet to Queen Street, and 103 feet to Wyndham street.

A good deal of sneak thieving in the Okato, Warea, and Puniho districts has been reported to Constable O’Neill, of Rahotu, for some time past. As :1 result, Constables O’Neill (Rahotu) and Clouston (Opunake), armed with Search warrants, and accompanied by several civilians, made a raid on the premises of Magon Bros., of Newall Road, Warea. As an outcome of this raid, says the Taranal«:i .\"evv.<, Frederick and Charles Magon, woll-kl'(:\\'n farnlc-rs of the distrier, were an-'<-stod and brought to New Plymouth lock-up last night by Constables O’Neill and Clouston. They will be brought before the Court, when it is understood that :1 number of charges will be preferred a{_,aillst them.