LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Two first-offenders for drunkenness appeared before Mr. A. Orootc, S.M., At the New Plymouth 'Police Court yesterday. One man, who wag arrested on Saturday night, was convkted and discharged, and the other, who was found drunk on Sunday afternoon, was fined ss.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of the following for the Mayor's Christmas Gift Fund for the 'boys at the front: A Friend, Ms; S.N., 10a; Dally New ß staff, £5 sa.

A "Flower Day" held at Whangarei on Saturday realised £2OO, £7O of which is for the Waistcoat Fund. The total including mock court proceeds, for the local Sick and Wounded Fund is approximately £6oo.—Press Association. Mr. William Belcher, secretary of the Seamen's Union, has resigned his seat on the Otago Harbor Board (states a Press Association telegram), giving as his reason, in a lengthy letter, that he has been thwarted at every turn, and that the mere fact of his bringing forward a motion is sufficient to secure its rejection.

Yesterday afternoon, the last spike (a silver one), of the permanent way for the trams to Moturoa was driven, in, the presence of a good number of spectators in addition to workmen employed on the line. In the absence of any civic official, Mr. Thos. Knowlca successfully performed' the ceremony. The Defence Minister (says a Wellington telegram), has received information from the Naval Intelligence Department that the Tofmv with 448 invalids, left Suez for New Zealand on September 23, and is expected to arrive at Port Chalmers on October 20. The Willochra, with 560 invalids, left Suez on September 25, and is timed to arrive on October 30.

Tie extraordinary advance in the price of fat stock of all descriptions, in conjunction with increased running expenses—i.e., horse feed, etc.—has had the effect of making the butchery trade a very hard proposition. In fact, many butchers all over New Zealand have been forced to go out of trade in despair. In spite of the increased prices of stock, however, the New Plymouth and Fitzroy ■butchers, as will be noticed by advertisement, arc adhering to their catalogue cash prices, but have unanimously decided to charge Id per lb extra for delivery and booking. For the future no discounts whatever wllj be allowed. At the Midhirst Hall on Friday, the annual scrhool concert attracted a packed house. A most enjoyable entertainment was given by the following:—Junior girls, junior boys, Miss Eileen Dudding (recitations); senior pupils, junior pupils, senior boys, Misses Alice Sullivan, Huße, Savage, Sullivan, Mesdames Linnell, Tapp, Messrs. H. Mail, F. Dunlop, Hamilton, Lcnnoll (songs) j senior girls (dancing steps). Mr. E. Matsers, who presided, thanked all those who had contributed to the success of the entertainment.

In an address on "War—Money—Economy," in Dunedin the other night, Mr. H. D. Bedford, lecturer on economics at the Otago University, touched (says the Otago Daily Times) on the question of the difficulties which had arisen on the American exchanges owing to the vast amount of gold which wes being sent to that country by the Allies in payment of the commodities purchased by them. Mr. Bedford said the position, shortly put, was that "Britain had been trying to buy without goods, and trouble came. As soon as she waß able to deliver goods as money in payment for her imports from America, difficulties arose, showing that money is goods." Speaking on the need for economy, the lecturer said that the Queen Carnival was badly conceived —it was a terrifiu blunder —seeing that the energies of many men and women were devoted simply to the transference of money, whereas had this energy been devoted to actual productive industries the nation would have materially benefited. Mr. Bedford said he had himself by his own labor, put down two acres of ground in potatoes &b an earnest of his convictions on this point. It was a time when everyone should be organised to produce something which would benefit tho Empire. The Daily News has the biggest circulation of any paper between Wellington and Auckland. It covers the whole of the prosperous and closely-settled province of Taranaki, and as an advertising medium cannot be equalled. Advertising charges on application. Mr. S. W. Strang, Opunake, writes;— A paragraph appears in the Opunake notes that the business has been taken over by Mr. Stranger. Would you kindly correct this, as tho practice has been taken over by Mr. Gow, and will be carried on under the supervision of Mr. S. W. Strang, solicitor, Opunake?" In connection with the Red Cross mart at New Plymouth there will be a jumble sale to-morrow afternoon from 2 to 5 o!'eJ.ock. Any contributions will be gladly received by the ladies in charge. The Daily News is on sale at Stratford at 0 a.m., Eltham 8.15 a.m., Normanby G. 40 a.m., Hawera 7 a.m., Patea 8.15 ajn., Manaia 7.30 a.m., Kapuni 8 a.m., Kaponga 7 a.m., Awatuna 7,20 a.m., Matapti 6.45 a.m.

During the week ended September 21, butter to the value of £9330, and cheese to the value of £ISCS, was exported from New Plymouth ports. The annual meeting of the local branch of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be held this evening, at 8 o'clock, at the Town Hall. All subscribers and sympathisers are urged to attend.

A patriotic demonstration held in Victoria Park, Greymouth, yesterday, was a great success. The weather was beautifully fine and the procession was the best ever seen there. Sports of ail kinds were indulged in, and the sum of over £2OO was received.—Press Association.

The Chief Postmaster writes:—"ln connection with the recent war-tax instructions, I have now to inform yon that all articles posted without the halfpenny war-tax- will be surcharged doable the deficiency."

It is safe to predict a bumper house at the Theatre Royal next evening, when the drawing wQI take place for the Overland Oar which fits Civil Servants aro raffling for Che Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The committee reijuest all persons outside Hew Plymouth who are holding books to send them in at once, as all books not in the hands of the secretary by nine o'clock on Thursday night will be excluded from the drawing. The following are the Melbourne's prices for boys' strong ribbed stoekmgß with white, blue or red turn-over tops:— Sizes 4 and 5 2s Sd, size 6 2s 9d, sizes 7 and 82s lid, size 93s 3d. These stockings are best colonial make, and the wear is guaranteed. In this issue we publish particulars of the lease of *he well-known Coffee Palace, New Plymouth. The present lessor is leaving the business owing to file lease running out and his other taginess arrangements taking up too much time to devote the required attention to this business. As will be seen by th« advertisement, he is quite prepared to sell the furniture and fittings to the incoming tenant at valuation, and this opportunity to a good man to obtain a paying business from the day of possession without putting much capital up should be eagerly enquired for. The agent, Mr. Newton King, will be pleased to supply full pttTtiontere on application.