LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 132, 22 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A prisoner escaped from the Waiotapu tree planting camp yesterday afternoon, but was- recaptured in about .two hours, The usual weekly session of the-Juven-ile Temple, No. 25, was opened last night by Bro. N.T. Maunder. Thirty juveniles were in attendance. The programme-of readings was submitted as follows: Sifters R. Waldock, V., Pepperell,. .and U. iiiirtnell and Brothers Moody, Murphy, and S: Riley. The usual..weekly session of the. Esjmo.nt Lodge. 112, w.as opened last night by the Chief Templar, Bro. F. R. Pepperell. Next Friday evening a meeting, of the "Good of Order" Committee will ba held, when a large attendance is requested, as many important schemes are to -be discussed, including the annual picnic. At.eight o'clock the session was. declared iopen, and a large number of friends assembled at the invitation of our Chief Templar, in whose hands the evening's programme was left. A good programme, had been arranged, and was submitted as follows:—Overture, Mrs. H. Moverley: song, Miss Rees; song. .Miss V. Moveshead; song. Miss L. Stewart (encor.ed);. recitation, Miss Clarice Moverley; banjo solo, Bro. H. Rickctts; song, Ilev". Charteris; pianoforte solo, Mr. F. W. Boulton: recitation, Sister L, Lamerton; song, Miss Butler (encored); recitation, Jlis's Kees (encored); recitation, Sister R. A. Reid. Supper .was handed round by the sisters. A most successful evening was closed by the singing : of the closing ode. The accompaniments Were played, by Sister A. Legg, Miss- Moreshead, Miss F. White and Mrs. 11. Moverley.

"We fail to 9ee that fresh inducements of any substantial value are offered to the owner who may not already be fisposed towards subdividing and sellinghis land," says the Hastings "Tribune" in its comments on the Land Bill. "The only advantage offered is the provision of funds for survey and roading, which would be of use only to a needy owner who could not get the money elsewhere on like terms. As, however, such a one would probably be well mortgaged, and the Government advance is to take priority -of all other encumbrances, the mortgagee would need to ihave some very definite reasons for concurring in an arrangement which postpones his security to that of the Crown. In addition to this, the owner, and with him the mortgagee, having once committed himself to the arrangement, is tied hand and foot to the Minister. Whatever little advantage might be gained by availing himself of the Government offer of mouev for preliminary expenses is more than counterbalanced by the absolute surrender of freedom to contract and finance for himself. 'We cannot see, therefore, how this particular part of the measure is going to materially promote the object which it ostensibly ihas in view."

"To smoke or not to smoke" was- the question, which agitated the minds of the suppliers and threatened for some little while to disturb the harmony at the Oakura Dairy Company's meeting yesterday. On taking their seats those who were devoted to the fragrant .weed, lighted their pipes, cigars or cigarettes, and set out to intersperse a little quiet enjoyment into the dull monotony of the meeting. Suddenly a 'bomb shell was exploded in their midst, when a nonsmoker arose and asked if it was usual for smoking to be allowed, and if so he drew the Chairman's attention to by-law 24, wihieh said smoking should not be allowed in or around any of the company's buildings. It was pointed out that this referred to the factory or creameries, and that the Oakura Public Hall was not one of the company's buildings. This, however, drew the retort from the objector, that he did not mind people smoking in the open air, but foe certainly objected to receiving a second-hand smoke, particularly as he had just got up after 10 days' influenza, and he moved that the meeting be asked not to smoke. The Chairman said it was purely a matter of courtesy from the suppliers, who could not) be compelled to stop smoking unless they wished. Another supplier said that foe would admit smoke was objectionable to a sick man, and so it was only -right not to smoke. If it was only a question of likes and dislikes, foe would puff away strongly at two pipes. This appeal carried away as the motion was then seconded and carried. Suppliers remained without smoking for over an kour and a half, when the ordeal became too great to bear, and -by the consent of the objector tJhe resolution was tacitly rescinded, and those who desired puffed I away merrily, conscious that they had earned the thanks of their suffering confrere, wlhom they also returned to the head of tie poll on the directorate.

The band rotunda on- the esplanade was occupied on Sunday afternoon by a little card-playing school. Comment Heedless. A public meeting at Wanganui last night decided to ask the member for the district to endeavour to get the llarbov Bill in its amended form through Parliament this session, l.he IJarboi Board to subsequently submit the question to a plebiscite of ratepayers. That bright and nippy production, "Our Regiment," which is -being organised by Captain and Mrs. Lampen will be put on in the 'i'heatre Royal, New Plymouth, on November 14. The proceeds I will be in aid of the fund which is being raised to send a detachment of New Plymouth Territorials to Christchurch to compete in the military competitions.

hi a letter acknowledging the Borough Council's resolution with regard to military training the Hon. J. Allen, .Minister of Defence, remarks:—"Please convey to your Council my very high appreciation of their courtesy in sending me the resolution and also'tell them liow gratifying it is to find that they realise the importance of our national* training and are so worthily upholding it." The executive of the St. John's Ambulance Society met at the Town Hall last night, the Mayor presiding. The secretary/Mrs. E. Dockrill, reported on the year's work, the finances showing a substantial credit balance.' The examination of the nursing class at the Technical School, consisting of 44 students, will take place on Wednesday. A 'hearty vote .of thanks was accorded Mrs. Dockrill for organising classes- at Inglewood and New Plymouth.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Egmont Lodge, 1.0.0.F.M.U. was held last evening, Bro. I. Morrison, N.G., presiding. There -was a fair attendance of memebrs and visiting memebrs. Two candidates were admitted, Bro. J. H. Williams, of the Petone Lodge, acting as conductor. The auditor's report and balance-sheet for the September quarter was read and adopted. The membership at the end of the, September quarter was 231, including 15 females. One member died during the quarter, and five left through other causes. The accumulated funds of the Lodge are £6893 10s 9d. The High School Boys Annual Sports will be -held on Thursday. Entrants for the Old Boys' Race (100 yards) have been handicapped as follows :—L. B. Webster scr., J.- Sto'hr scr., I. Grant scr., S. ■Paul y„yd., A. R. Standish %yd.. E. Humphries, %yd., A. Humphries V.vd.. K. C. Webster %vd., A. Bewlev 2yds., R. Paul 2yds., J. Dufl'in 2vds., W. Dockrill 2yds., E. Cutfield oyds., J. Box (1 yds., A. Melsaac Gyds., F. Clark Ovds., E. Grant oyds., C. V. Day 7yds., A.'ll. Osborne 7yds., R. Okey'7vds., J. Pott 8 yds., S. Hoby Byds., N. D. Day 9yds.. R. Baily 9yds., S. J. Asher 10yds,, F. Callagnan 10yds., S. Okey 10yds., F. Brown 10yds., D. Newell ,10yds., G. Newel 1 11 yds. :'. A correspondent writes to the Dominion:—Whilst travelling from Napier to Dannevirke on Friday night last on a slow train a sensational incident occurred, which calls for the close attention of, the railway authorities. Whilst negotiating a sharp curve between Matamau and Piri Piri, at a rate of 25 miles an hour, the oecupants of the first-class smoking compartment ■ were, bewildered with the knowledge that the carriage had attained so great an angle that many of t/hem made a hasty rush for the platform with the intention, of leaving the train. It was with difficulty that one found one's equilbrium, and an idea can be gained as to how great the angle was from the fact that the packages "stowed away on the racks were thrown to the floor, much to the discomfort of those who happened to be beneath. This is not an isolated occasion that feav has been thrust upon the luckless traveller at this portit, and it is hoped that the authorities .will take this matter up with a view of instructing the drivers on this run to exercise more care for the welfare of their charges. Plans are being prepared by the Borough Engineer (Mr. 'C. Skitrop) for a comprehensive system of numbering all buildings in the Borough. The work will lie done in sections,,which-will be put in hand as the plans are finished. Devon street will be first tackled, and the plan for this section is now under preparation. The houses and buildings in this street will be numbered from the Waiwakaiho boundary to the southern terminus. In reality the sections, not the houses, are being numbered. In the outskirts a number will be allocated to every 25 feet of frontage, and in the centre of the town—where closer subdivision is more likely in the -future—to every 12 feet of frontage. Thus a house may be numbered, say 21, and the building immediately adjoining it 25 or 27, and so on. After Devon street is disposed of the numbering-of Courtehay and Gill, and the rest of the streets running longitudinally will be put in hand. The houses in the cross streets will be the. last to be numbered. The longitudinal streets will be numbered from east to west, and the cross streets from north to south. The numbers will be made of aluminium, and, from a sample showed to a. reporter by the engineer, will be very neat in design. Householders will be at liberty to purchase the numbers from either the Council or private es-tablishments,-but they will all have to be of aluminium and of the uniform pattern. In all probability a small charge will'be made by the Council for affixing the. numbers to the buildings, but tenants will have the option of themselves undertaking the work. Mr. J. 11. Collier, of Creswick Terrace, Northland, Wellington, has written to the Borough Council reminding it that it is 50 years ago since the death of Colonel Edward Gibbon Wakefield in Wellington, and yet there has not been the slightest public or other acknowledgment of the great and grand services lie rendered to us. to the Empire, and to posterity in securing New Zealand to us, in spite of the strong opposition of the Home Government. Mr. Collier adds: "In the light of past history there cannot be the slightest doubt that if it had not been for his actions in connection with the Earl of Durham in forming *ad directing the New Zealand Colonising Co., this fair land of ours would have been the property of France Costly memorials' have been raised from time to time by the public in -honor of much smaller men, but nothing -has been done to honor or keep green the memory of Colonel E. G. Wakefield and his five brothers who did so much in building uj this grand young country and forming and establishing all the cities and towns of any importance that now exist in the Dominion, with the exception of Auckland." The writer concluded by sug-! gesting that the Council should confer with other towns interested with a view to arranging for some public acknowledgment of the services of Colonel Wakefield. In reply, the town clerk (Mr. F.

T. Bellringer) has written as follows: "His Worship does not think this is a matter for the Council to take up. but there is in New Plymouth a committee styled the Early History Research Committee, of which the Mayor is chairman. This committee is engaged in collecting records of the early days, and his Worship will bring the matter before the next meeting of this committee with a Tiff* to something being done." The war in the Balkans has begun in earnest, and the Great Powers will be lucky if they are not involved. Austria, looking ahead, has started to get more guns. It is a question as to who will win. There is no question about the statement that Crescent Tea wins in the tea trade competition. Three grades, 2/-, 1/10 and 1/8 per lb. It is good tea, and is good all the time.—Advt.