LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 113, 20 August 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hike thunder-clap that was experienced on Thursday put out of action over 300 telephones in New Plymouth. The telephonic staff were busily engaged yesterday in effecting repairs. Mr. H. S. Fitzherbertj S.M., held an enquiry yesterday into the dispute between the Taranaki and Clifton County Councils concerning the apportionment of the cost of maintenace of trie Junction road from Inglewood to New i*lyj mouth. In a letter to the New Plymouth Harbor Board, Captain Neckel, master of the barque "ViganeHa," which recently landed a direct cargo from Liverpool to this port, says: "I should like to say that I was most agreeably surprised at the depth of water at the wharf, and also the ease and safety with which! mjy vessel was berthed and was able toj lie alongside, more especially in view of what I expected from the information contained in the 'New Zealand Pilot, of 1908, by which I was led to believe the depth was ten feet at low water, whereas I found just on twenty feet at low water (spring tide), thus allowing the "Viganella," which was drawing 10 feet 6 inches when she arrived, to lie in perfect comfort during the three weeks she was alongside."

A mooting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of .Mr. Thos. Clare was held yesterday afternoon at Waitara. Tlie Deputy Official Assignee proposed to read the evidence taken at the public examination, but it was not thought necessary, and it was decided that no further action be taken.—'Mail.

His the Mayor, as president of the Beautifying Association, has received intimation from the Prisons department that prison labour will be available for work on Marsland Hill, and the gang can commence work next Monday. Tlie first work to be undertaken is the forming of new paths, giving a gradual ascent to the top of the hill. Mr. J. F. Eustace, formerly of Otaki, has forwarded to the Association a donation of native shrubs for planting on the hill. At the Harbor Board meeting yesterday, the secretary, Mr. Rennell, submitted a return of the shipping at the port for the first seven months of the present year, as compared with the correspond- J ing period of last year. The number of vessels was 227 in 1910, against 283 in 1909, a decrease of 56; the tonnage was 1010, 108,248; 1909, 132,589, decrease of 24,311. The imports amounted to 38,822 tons against 34,744 tons, an increase of 4078 tons. The exports were 7816 tons against 73C0 tons, an increase of 456 tons. The revenue was £6071 4s 9d, against £5666 3s 9d, an increase of £405 Is.

A few months ago (Mr. Tisch mentioned at a gathering of pioneers and veterans that he intended moving in the matter of erecting a monument to mark the spot where Taranaki's pilgrims first touched the shore. He has not forgotten his promise, and yesterday he submitted to the Harbor Board a rough plan of the locality of the proposed monument, which was to be placed at the top of the bluff near Mr. J. Fraser's house, and in the neighbourhood of the freezing works. He asked permission of the Board to erect it there, and also that the Board would grant the requisite stone from its quarries. Tile requests were unanimously agreed to. The monument will probably take the form of a pillar of quarried stone upon a concrete base. The Harbor Board's balance-sheet was "tagged" by tihe auditor, who stated that there was no authority in law for the payment of members' travelling expenses. The Board communicated with the Minister of Marine upon the matter, who informed them that there was some misapprehension in stating uiat payment of travelling expenses or members of tlie Board was at present illegal, as section 40 of "The Harbors' Act, 1908," provided that the actual travelling expenses of members to attend meetings of the Board might be paid, and there was provision in the fourth schedule of the Bill under section 40 to extend the power to the payment of travelling expenses when members attended meetings of committees of the Board or travelled on any business of the Board that was authorised by Ivhe Board.

At the Harbor Board meeting yesterday Mr. McCluggage suggested that tihe engineer should report upon the estimated! cost of constructing a. retaining wall along the beach to the eastward of the breakwater, with a view of reclaiming land, his idea being that the sand and silt dredged up from the hariboT bottom by the Paritutu should he pumped over the wall. He had an idea that this would be the most economical way of doing the reclamation work. Mr. Marcbant said that this would he a very expensive work, and he thought; it savored of adding, the frills before the Board had completed the very necessary works which they had undertaken, -rod which were their principal aim. in answer to Mr. Dockrill, the engineer saad that the pumping scheme of reclamation was very expensive. It would be cheaper to cut down the hill on the landward side of the road and use the spoil for extending the level land there.