LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 167, 14 January 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Our Opunakc correspondent write* tliat Wednesday lms been declared by the Town Board the statutory half-holi-day for Opunakc.

The secretary of the New Plymouth S.P.C.A. would 1)0 glad to roceivo outstanding subscriptions immediately, as tlie half-yearly balance will have to bo drawn up soon. 'Tor any body of men to be together for monlths and doing nothing—well, they should be ashamed to do it."— Slab of wisdom from a ratepayer at the Opunakc Harbor Board's loan proposal meeting at l'iliaina. The New Plymouth Borough Council lias decided, in view of the present press of work connected with the tramways ami street work, to liold fortnightly meetings in future, instead of monthly meetings. The secretary of the Expansion and Tourist' League wishes to notify that lie has a vacant seat in a motor-car for a trip to the Mokau. Any person wishing to do this trip should take advantage of the opportunity and send his name in to the secretary at once. A slight collision occurred yesterday in Wellington harbor between the collier Maisie, from Delagoa Hay, and the Mararoa. The collier was lifting anchor when the wind blew her across the bows of the Mararoa. The latter steamer was uninjured, but the Maisio had several platea j slightly buckled. The secretary of the New Plymouth S.P.C.A. has received from Mrs Gault, of Tnglewood, tho sum of £2 8s as a donation towards the funds of the Society from the Tnglewood Girl Scouts and their officers. Mrs Gault will be asked to convey to the sco§ts the Society's thanks for their generosity.

The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth S.P.C.A. was held yesterday, when purely routine business was transacted. The inspector's report disclosed nothing of a serious nature, lie had been' keeping a vigilant eye on all parti of the 'district, and had attended Inglcwood, Waitara, Tariki, and Stratford. Major l'\ W. Sandford, who is in charge of tho boy scouts from New Plymouth, in a telegram to the Daily News, states that the troop arrived at Tc Avolia yesterday uiul were in great form, though the weatheV is hot. The lioys marcliM IS miles on Monday. Everyone is interested in them. The troop expects to leave Tc Aroha to-day. Reckless motor-car drivers came in for some condemnation at tire hands of Cr. Colli* at the meeting of the New Plymouth B'ormigh Council on Monday night. lie stated that on the second day of the New Plymouth races he had seen from Jiis house three narrow escapes froin injury of pedestrians at the hands of reckless motor-car drivers. The Council will take steps to have additional traffic regulations on the occasion of future race meetings. At the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council on Monday night, Cr. I-loal.v drew attention to the need for strictly enforcing tho 'by-laws regarding the keeping of stables in a sanitary condition. Some he had seen were far from sanitary. The Mayor remarked that the inspoctor had the matter in hand, and liad reported that most of the stables in New Plymouth were properly attended to. He had already prosecuted ono man for not keeping his stable clean.

Mayor proposed at the Borough Oounc.il meeting oil Monday night that the engineer .should formulate u scheme for making a carriage drive and promenade 'along the water front from the Waiwakaiho iiiver to Ciovcr street, and from the baths to tho breakwater. Tho matter was eventually deferred, councillors expressing the opinion that it would be better to later form a more extensive scheme for making the waterfront such as an up-to-date wateringplace should possess. The Mayor made a. tentative, suggestion that a bonus might be offered to the person who sent in thc\ best plan for the work. A plucky incident took place at Akatarawa, near Wellington, last week. Mrs. A. 15. Whyte and party motored from Trcnthnm to Akatarawa for the purpose oi bathing in the river. While they were seated some distance away from the river bank one of Mrs. Whytc's sons, aged six years, wandered over to the river and, tripping on a stone, fell into deep water. His .brother Douglas, aged thirteen years, immediately dived in to the little fellow's assistance, The latter, however, hampered his brother's efforts by frantically clutching hold of him. Seeing the boys' predicament, .Mr. A. Perrett, who happened to be fishing in tho locality, dived in after tlienu lie was unable to get them ashore, but succeeded in holding them up in the water. By this time the cries of those in distress had brought the main party on the scene. Fully clothed, Miss May Moss, daughter of Mr. 11. W. Moss, manager of Messrs Jolmston and Co., who was one of the party, dived into the river and succeeded in bringing the 'boys ashore. Mr, J. G. W. Brodie also dived in to their assistance- The elder boy was unconscious when rescued, but once on land he soon recovered. The hoya are sons of Mr. A. E. Whyte, secretary of the Wellington Racing Club, and United States Consul.

Buy your Kodak now, from the Davies Pharmacy, ntid enter for the £SOO competition for the ten happiest pictures.

The Westlaiul Jubilee celebration? Were concluded yesterday. The following are the pay-outs for the undermentioned factories for December: Haweia, £ 1(1,207; Normanby £2720; Ararat#, .C 1303; Mells £2Btifj. —Star.

The churclies of New Plymouth are organising a united meeting for next Sunday evening to protest against the action of the local Borough Council in extending tlhe hours of billiard saloon* till 11 p.m.

At a meeting of the Technical College Advisory Board last night, a vote of thanks was accorded to Mr 0. 11. Saunders, manager of the Empire Picture proprietary, for the benefit entertainment which he gave for the College on Christmas Xight. The following is the team from the New Plymouth Fire Brigade to take part in the live-men events at the Fire Brigade demonstration at Waitara on January 2!):—Lieut. A. Tioon, Foremen J. Clarke and 11. Ford, Firemen W, Sadler and W. Rocli. Emergency, Fireman I l '. Doughty. Firemen li. Ureen, C. Allen, ami F. Doughty will also compete in other events. '

A working bee under the auspices of the Taranaki Agricultural Society will be held tomorrow afternoon to fence oil' a portion of Mr R. Johnstone's property on the Avenue Road for the purpose of providing fodder for stock at the forthcoming show. As Mr Johnstone lias kindly given the society the use of his property, it fe hoped that there will be a good muster to do the work. It is reported that there are 40 cases of small-pox in the Maori pas near To Teko (sftys the Whakntanc Press, of Wednesday). ]'t is stated that one child has died from fllic dread effects of (.lie disease- The Health authorities are maintaining complete reticence over the matter, but it is rumored that some twenty fresh cases of the epidemic have been discovered within the past two or t'hreo days.

A special meeting of the Technical College Advisory Board ivas held last night to consider the applications received for the positions of Commercial and Engineering instructors to the Technical College. A largo number of applications were received for both positions, and it was decided to recommend certain appointments for confirmation by the Education Board at the special meeting of that body held to-dav.