LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 247, 18 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Town Clerk's office is advertising for a male clerk with three yearsprevious office experience. The guarantee fund for the coming Auckland exhibition now amounts to £13,430. It is proposed to continue the canvass until £15,000 has been guaranteed. j> Mr. Fred. Black, consulting engineer, anticipates .being able to visit New Plymouth in two or three weeks' time to inspect the proposid routes of the projected tramway scheme. The matron of the Old People's Home reported at the Hospital Board meeting yesterday that during the month everything had been working satisfactorily. Supplies had been very good and discipline had also been excellent. Mr. R. MeCallum, M.P. for Wairau, told some of his constituents the other night that the parties to the election petition against him were faced with tlw obligation of paying no less than ,€'looo to £1500; they had to pay all the costs. As the sum of £7OO has now been expended in connection with the erection «f the King fieorge Coronation building (or the Agricultural Society, the Minister for Internal Affairs has notified the Hi rough Council that the Coronation subsidy of £250 on account of the hall will ba forwarded at an early date. The Valuation Department is at present engaged in re-valuing the Fitzroy ward of the Now Plymouth borough at the request of the'old Fitzroy Town Board many months ago, and ha 3 written to the Council asking it to appoint an assessor to act on its behalf in the event of a sitting of the Assessment Court. Dr. Walker, medical superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital, reported at the Hospital Hoard meeting yesterday that during March 32 patients'had been admitted to the hospital, 30 had been discharged, four had died, whilst 41 were now remaining in the hospital. Nineteen operations had been performed during the month, making a total of 240 for the year. The month had been a busy one, added the superintendent, owing to the isolation block remaining full, while five patients were under treatment in the annexe. A Raetihi native, while "scorching" on the footpath, had the bad .luck to collide with Mr. W. Kerr, S.M., who was standing conversing with a lady. The dusky cyclist struck the magistrate on the side and spun him round like a teetotum, according to a constable's evidence. A summons was served on the offender, who admitted his delinquency, but win n the court sat he failed to appear; in fact, defied its authority. The police asked that a substantial penalty be imposed, and the defendant was mulcted in £2 and costs 7s. The sight of a name on the monument at Manaia brought to the remembrance of Mr. W. T. Jennings, ex-M.P. for Taumarunui. who was present at the banquet to the Prime Minister, an occurrence of years ago, which he related to a Star represnjtative. In the early days of the colony, all young men in Auckland were under arms, and had to serve in case of need. Young Jennings and a chum, then in their teens, had qualified for the militia. One day the friend suggested that they should' join the A.C.'s. He agreed, and in due course they presented themselves for examination." Jennings, being very slim, was not accepted; his chum was, and after only a short period of service was, with six others, killed by the Maoris at a place called Totara. Charitable aid is on the decrease in this district, omly one family in New Plymouth and two in Inglcwood being relieved last year. This must surely ehow the district to be in a prosperous condition remarked the chairman of the Taranaki Hospital Board in the course of his annual report. At present there were only five destitute children under tho board's care at New Plymouth, and one in the industrial school in Auckland, he continued. The system adopted by the board, whereby good homes had been provided for destitute children at no cost to the board, had been continued with the very best result*. It was a ( splendid system and there was no doubt that the great majority of these children would grow up to be good citizens and useful members of the community. "Measles and mumps, though infectious diseases, are not gazetted so under the Public Health Act," remarked Dr. Frengley at the Hospital Board meeting yesterday. He pointed out that at one time measles were gazetted as an infectious disease, but as it was recognised that the powers held by the local authorities then would not enable them to cope with an epidemic of measles, this diseaso had been eliminated from the list. It was probable, however, that both measles and mumps would be gazetted shortly. He also remarked that New Zealand was much in advance of England in dealing with infectious diseases, as tuberculosis had only been recently gazetted as an infectious disease in England, whereas it has been gazetted as such in New Zealand for many years.

A PRICE-LIST OF PRICELESS BARGAINS AT THE MELBOURNE, youths' displaced post office overcoats, 9/6; boys' knickers, 2/11 to 4/11 youths' smart tweed top-coats, 13/6 to 17/<i; youths' raincoats, 21/0 to 26/9; boys' oilskin coats, 8/H; men's riding oilskins, 12/9 to 19/0; men's blue military coats, 23/6 to 27/6; men's saddle trousers, 6/9, 8/6, 10/0 to 13/6; men's'Kaiapoi tweed suits, 29/6; Petone tweed suite, 35/-; splendid saddle-tweed suits, 39/6; smart fancy tweed suits, 39/6 and 49/fi; genuine indigo coating suits, 65/-; men's raincoats, 29/6, 32/6 and 39/6; "Hydrotitc" coats, 37/6 and 40/6; famous "Pegamoid" riding coats, very light, 55/-; men's Kaiapoi socks, 3 pairs for 2/6; men's strong shooter boots, nailed of plain, 7/6; women's chrome 2-bar shoes, 5/11; children's chrome boots, 5/11 to 8/11; boys' splendid heavy chrome boots, with slugged soles, 10/9, sizes 1 to 5; boys' strong school boots, 6/11 and 8/11; men's famous welted boots, 16/9, in seven different styles. Blankets and rugs I Look out for special prices next we^ek.— Advt,

It has been decided by Cabinet to appoint veterinary surgeons to the Defence Department, the salaries recommended by the Department being approved. Owing to the death of Mrs. Arthur Biff, the committee of the North Tarapaki Hunt Club has postponed the opening of the season, which had been arranged for to-day. At the Hospital Board meeting yesterday Dr. Frengley, District Health Officer, was present, and explained various matters in connection with the administration of the Public Health Act. There is to be a contest for the mayoralty of New Plymouth this year. At noon yesterday, the hour of closing, nominations were received from the present Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) and Mr. r. S. S. Medley. The Stratford County Council consists of nine members. At yesterday's meeting six members were talking at once, one was signing cheques, another was perusing the accounts, and the ninth was looking rather bored. On the 13th inst, on the motion of Mr. Roy (Messrs. Roy and Nicholson), probate of the will of the late George Benlington Jones, of Warea, farmer, was granted by the Supreme Court to the executrix named in the will. The millinery dass has commenced at the Technical School and will be continued on Friday afternoons. The class is in the hands of a competent instructress, and those who wish to gain some knowledge of up-to-date millinery ■hould join early. Messrs. Mellsdp, Elliott and Co, of Palmerston North, have received intimation from the Union Steam Ship Co. that the Orient Co. has cabled its willingness to take Mrs. Elliott back to Colombo, provided a £IOO bond is entered into for her leaving Australia. This, is being done. The mail train was again delayed last evening. This time the delay was caused by a "borse, which strayed on to the line near Moumohaki, and was fatally maimed. A troop of Territorials were aboard and they quickly alighted and went to the rescue. The cow-catcher to the engine was damaged, but the train got under way in half-an-hour. The local Territorials, along with the companies in Taranaki, left by special train yesterday afternoon to go into camp at Hawera. This is the first encampment held in Taranaki since the inauguration of the Territorial system, and much interest is being evinced in it. New Plymouth's contingent was as follows: A Coy, 2 officers, C2 rank and file; B C'ov. 3 officers. 87 rank and file, including 20 who joined at Bell Block; staff 2. The first of the series of socials in aid of the funds of the Western Park Board was held in the Brougham street hall last night. There was fine weather and a crowded attendance. The early I part of the evening was devoted to | euchre, the ladies' prizs being won by Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Bennett, and the gentlemen's prizes by Mr. Tunbridge and Mr. McGiven. A bounteous supper provided a pleasant interlude, after Which dancing commenced and continued vigorously till one o'clock to the captivating •trains of Mrs. George's orchestra, Mr. W. McLean officiating as M.C. The other day the Minist?r of Agriculture was being harangurd by a Taranaki farmer on the necessity for the breeding of dairy cows only from parents of proved butter-fat qualities—cows whose bucket performances and subsequent testing figures made them worthy progenitors. He emphnsised that the influence of ihe sirp was. /is far as his experience went, greater thnn that of the dam. He pointed to a fine Jersey cow in the paddock, and to her vearlinor calf. The farmer \v*s asked if the calf were by a "butter-fat pedigree" bull. His answer was a little surprising. He knew the name and pedigree of the bull to which his fine cow had been mated, but knew no+hing of his butterfat antecedents. Which shows the necessity for instruction in these matters, and also invites consideration of the old injunction to "practise what you preach." »