LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 266, 2 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Operations at the Mount Egmont quarries were resumed yesterday, Twenty-one weddings were celebrated in Wanganui during Easter. Big hauls of flounders have of late been secured by Pieton fishermen.

The East End Bathing- Reserve Committee has at present a credit balance of £B2. The total receipts from the picnic held 011 E.-uter Monday' were £7O, and the expenditure £3O. The plans of the levels of Young street from Morley street to Cutfield Road have been approved by the Borough Council and the engineer has been authorised to obtain the necessary easements.

Tlic London Times, in a special article on increased armaments in Europe, points out (says a cable to the Sydney Sun) that the world's Press have not sufficiently noticed the influence of Russia on German projects. ''When Germany, with (i 0.000.000 of people," says the article. "begins to play beggar-my-neigh-bor with Russia and her 100,000.000, a wild-cat tax of f00.0D0.000 on the fortunes of the rich is likely to be only the first of series. Russia's peace strength is 1.400,000, and her annual influx of recruits averages 440,000. By a stroke of the pen the Tsar can balance the projected additions to the German Army. Russia lacks neither men nor resources, and her army organisation lias vastly improved. Therefore the German Army Bill must be condemned for its sterility before it is passed, in so far as Russia is concerned.

A meeting of. the East End 'Bathing Reserve Committee this week had before it plans for the conversion of the present buildings into a two-storeyed .structure, including a large hall and a balcony. The new building will be 32ft. Gin. bv 32ft. (iii)., with a oft. balcony surrounding the four sides, and steps leading up to the ball, which will be used as a tea kiosk. A suggestion was made that the Borough Council should be approached for a subsidy, it being mentioned that, no fewer than 20.000 people had visited the reserve since January, The meeting decided to arrange for a deputation of the citizens of New Plymouth to wait on the Borough Council at. its next meeting, asking for a grant of £IOO for the erection of the tea kiosk at the East End. It was also decided to get an independent, builder's estimate of the cost of the building, the architect's estimate for material only being E22S. The committee also decided to petition the Council for the control of the .Mount Byron Domain, adjoining the present reserve. ..

The cost of living is advancing verj; rapidly in Auckland (says the Star)J The latest commodity to be raised in price is bacon, which, with an increase of 2d per lb, is being retailed at Is 9d per lb. Eggs cannot bo bought under Is 9d per dozen. At a special general meeting of the Ngitere Dairy Factory Company on Monday, there being nearly 70 shareholder present. It was decided to erect a new factory in concrete at a cost of £SOOO. It was also resolved to increase the capital of the company to £IO,OOO bj the issue of 7000 new shares.

' The lion, secretary of the Foreshore Improvement Society acknowledges with thanks the following subscriptions (per Mr. J. H. Hcmpton)llessrs. A. Alexander 11, D. Teed £3 3s. W. If. Jury £ii 2s, S. Teed £1 Is, F. S. Pluintree IDs, .1. H. Hempton 10s, R. 11. George fis, Mr. Adlam ss. The total subscriptions te date now amount to £29 3s Gd.

The Borough Inspector (Mr. Tippins) has been authorised to engage the services of the Borough solicitors to appeal against the decision of the Justices of the l'eaee in the ease against Dr. Wylie for driving without a light. The ease was before the Court last week, when it was dismissed on the plea of defendant's counsel that although it was after sunset it was not dark, the street lights not having been switched on. The committee who are arranging for the entertainment of the Prime Minister (Mr. W. F. Massey), and Mr. Fraser (Minister of Public Works), met yesterday and made their final arrangements. It was decided to hold a banquet in the Brougham street Hal] on Friday evening, at 0 o'clock. Tickets may 'be obtained from members of the Borough and Taranaki County Councils, and from members of the Chamber of Commerce, or *t the offices of these bodies at a cost of ss. *)

One boarder in a Wellington private hotel had an almost providential escape from death during last Friday night's storm. He was lyin<* on his bed, which was placed direetlv beneath a skvlight, when, without any warning, an earthenware chimney-pot crashed through the skvlight. and fell into the bed. only inches away from the man. who was slightly cut 'by the shower of shattered glass which fell upon him. After the news of the accident had spread through the hotel, there was much moving of those beds which were below skylights.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr. E. Page. S.M., gave judgment for the plaintiff by default in the following cases:—George Penrce v. John liimlton, claim £3 ss, costs ss; The Phoenix Co., Ltd., v. Taranaki Farmers' Co-op. Society claim for balance due £(! l!)s Sil (28s Gd); Thomas R. Julian v. George Tnia, claim £4 !)s (20s); T. C. List v. Charles Ernest Meyenberg, claim £i:i 5s (£1 10s Gd). Judgment summons.—Weston and Weston (Mr. C. H. Weston) v. William Pycroft. An order was made for the payment of the amount claimed, £1 0* 9d, forthwith, or in default two days' imprisonment; the order to be suspended for one week.

According to reports from America, the yield of petroleum in the United States during 1812 decreased by about 250,000 barrels from that of 1011. The total production for the year was approximately 420,000,000 barrels of 42 gallons, the value being £30,000,000, which represents an increase in value of some £3,200,000 over the previous year, despite the reduced quantity of oil produced. The Eastern oilfields mostly declined in production, but in California there was an increase, the San Joaquin Valley fields being still at the height of the gusher stage. It is stated that, as before, two-thirds of.the world's production was supplied by the United States. It was alleged against the Omata. Dairy Co. in the Magistrate's Court yesterday that thev had permitted an excessive amount of moisture in butter. Mr. J. Johnston (chief grader at the Motnroa Freezing Works) prosecuted oh behalf of the Dairy Department, nnd Mr. J .13. Roy appeared for the f'omnanv, which admitted the office. The Magistrate (Mr. Pace) a fm>' of £2O. Mr. Roy pleaded that this was the Company's first offence and that the Company being only a small concern, the amount of the fine would fall particularly heavy on the shareholders. Mr. Johnston admitted this, stating that the Omata Companv was the smallest ill the district. The Magistrate remarked that he treated it as a serious matter, but under the circumstances he would reduce the fine to £lO, with costs.

The following was cabled to the Sydney Sun last week from London:-In the present eritieal situation of European politics the diplomats of France, ISritam, Russia, and Germany are eagerlv watching one another to 'see which takes the. first step. France's spirited response to the proposal for the military aggrandisement of Germany, it is pointed out, has done more towards ensuring peace today and war to-morrow than any diplomatic move in living recollection, M. Poincare's accession to the Presidency also put more electricity into the FrancoGerman situation than has been there for many years, and the appointment of M. Delcasse as French Ambassador to St. Petersburg constituted nothing less than a direct challenge to Germanv. the answer to which lias vet to be 'men. When it is given it may stagger* theworld with its suddenness.

Tn the Magistrate's Court yesterday the Inspector of Awards proceeded" against a young man named James Steel for having committed a breach of the Tarnnaki Painters' and Decorators' award in that being a non-unionist lie had failed to join the Union within one week after receiving from the secretary of the Union a request to do so. The Inspector of Awards (Mr. .T. Slaughter) prosecuted, while the defendant appeared in person. Clias. W. Hooker, secretary of the Union, gave evidence to the effect that he had served Steel with the requisite notice The defendant stated that the award had expired on February IS, so that there was now no award in operation. The Inspector rejoined that the notice had been served on January 20. Resuming his defence the defendant said he believed in Unions, but was against men being forced to join them. He denied that the «ward could compel him to become a unionist. In reply to this Mr. Slaughter pointed out that the defendant was simply being prosecuted for a breach of the award. They could not force him to join the Union, but he could be proceeded against for non-observance of the conditions of ths award. As the Inspector asked for only a nominal penalty, the Magistrate inflicted a fine of iss, with witnesses' expenses amounting to ss. *

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