LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 29, 27 February 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A team from lire New Plymouth Tei nis Club visited Hawera yesterday, an won a close contest by 11 matches to 'J. At the conference in Stratford yester- j day, Dr. Valintine suggested that it would be an excellent idea ii the three hospital boards in Taranaki were to meet in annual conference. Such a course would work for the good of the hospitals and of the community, and frequently prevent friction. It is probable that thus course will be adopted. The "enterprising burglar" was in evidence at Te Roti'on Thursday night. Someone e-ntered Jlr. Cleaver's stove, and was successful in getting a rather substantial haul. In money £8 is missing—a couple of pounds of which, by the way, was in copper coins; and apparently the stock was disturbed, but to what extent it was looted, if at all, is not yet ascertained.—Star. Mr. Turnbull, S.M., gave'his reserved judgment at Stratford yesterday morning in a case of interest to theatricals. Mrs. Ilennragham, actress, claimed £32. 10s from .Miss Florence Baines (Miss Lancashire, Ltd.), for wrongful dismissal, and the amount of a return fare to Melbourne. The Magistrate held that the plaintiff, was entitled to succeed an* entered'up judgment for £22 10s and costs.

Speaking at his reception at Auckland on Thursday night, Bishop Xeligan said that he wished to thank Bishop Lenihan, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, for his kindly act on the previous day in calling for cheers for the Anglican' Bishop of the diocese. "We are both Irishmen," he said, "but we have never spread our coats for one another. We are always glad to have tho opportunity to grip each other's hand. The Bishop of the Roman Catiliolic coiniuuiiion has signified his intention to devote a sum of money handed to hrm towards religious education for children. lam keen and shall be till t die, and it is the intention of both of us by all our means, and by all possible acts of denial to do all in our power to secure that all children have the same opportunity to. loam about God as about their arithmetic tables." At the conclusion of the hospitals'

conference in Stratford yesterday, Mr. Bellringcr moved a very hearty vote of thanks to Dr. Valintine for having given so much of his time to attending to the affairs of the Taranaki hospital boards. JTr. Button seconded. Mr. Jlareliant, on behalf of the Stratford Board, said it - wns exceedingly gratifying to find an officer oi such an exalted position placing himself so freely at the disposal of boards. Dr. Valintine, in acknowledging the vote, said ho was doing no more than bis duty, lie was pleased, too, to be in Taranaki amongst His old friends. Again, it was pleasing to come here, for as yet he had not had to find fault with t|lie management of the hospitals in his district—they were well and economically administered, the public hud patients getting full value for their money. He was sorry he couldn't say the. same of all boards, for some were administered so as to be satisfactory neither to the public, the patients, nor tho Department. There was urgent need for the co-operation of boards in

$ effecting economies -without impairing 4i efficiency of tlie system, Whilst most * boards were careful in purchasing sups plies, there was often great cxtrava- * ganec .in tlie use of dressings ,etc. He $ was going to remedy that, and it was * no small order. In tihat matter, and fa * another department which lie spoke of * in committee, he was going to speak S straight, with a view of helping tl ii hoards. I* In tllie current number of the Citizei \% the new Wellington fortnightly, appeal % a striking article by Mr. J. B. liobart on the banking monopoly and its relation to the present industrial depression. The article is the most outspoken criticism of the New Zealand banks .that has appeared for many years. Mr. Hobart has made a special study of his subject, and whether one agrees or disagrees with his arguments they will provide food for thought. He, contends that ''New Zealand wilih all its boasts of liberty and advancement, is the only country which has banking laws creating a monopoly; and the net result is a state of depression altogether unwarranted by the real wealth power of this country." The general trend of the article may be gathered from the following passage: —"Under the cloak of saving the Bank of New Zealand it was decreed that no new banks could enter or lie organised for business in New Zealand. We have to-day only five banks feebly trying to do business in a field whhfli is much 100 large for them. We have banks so overpressed by their policy of helping non-producers, land speculators, and English interests

that the interests of the community at large must suffer. We have by reason of the principles on which banks carry on their business a state of affairs which at any moment may bring about a recurrence of the times of 1892. This may appear incredible, but it is nevertheless true. Owing to our outrageously foolish banking laws there is no possible relief to be expected from the five banks which hold the monopoly of banking in the Dominion."