LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hnwc-ra County's popuation is 707-!, including Hawera Borough 3375 and Normanby 308. During October, the deposits in the Post Cilice Ravings Baik totaled £1 - 120,4-2ri 5s 3d, and withd-awals £fl(12,!)17 (is Id, leaving an excess of deposits amounting to £1(10,507 IDs 2d. The Christchurch Presr. understands that Armour and ('.. Ltd., of Australasia have taken over the meat export business of the late Mr* A. h. Joseph, of Christchureh, whose operations extended throughout the Dominion. Evidently the. day of the "hold-up" is not yet dead in California. Two days prior to the Maitai's arrival there from Wellington a street ear was "held up" at Berkley, a suburb of San Francisco, by a band of armed desperadoes, and the passengers were robbed of all their valuables. '•[ may tell you something which the majority of von have not heard before," said the Hon. (i. W. Russel at Burwood on Thursday, "and that is this. Our Motherland and her fair Dominions, even long before the war, had been menaced by the foreign spies within them. Early in the war there was a motor ear accident in France, in which some famous spies played a prominent part, and on them, do you know, there were found plans of every fort in New Zealand. We may truly thank God for the protection which our incomparable Navy is able to afford us."—Christchurch Press., , '_'_._.,

The Taranaki County Council .at its meeting yesterday agreed to bear'half cost with the Moa. Road Board in putting in a twelve-inch culvert at the junction of the Mountain road and Durham road west.

For September last the. cvpert of hides from Now Zealand totalled 11.081. valued at £24.872, asi against 22,503, valued at .145,387, for September, 11)15. For the first nine months of this year the figures were hides, valued at £514,000, as against 211,587, valued at £400,7fi0 for the corresponding period of last year. Rumours are afloat that trouble is brewing in the coal-mining centres (says the Grey River Argus). It is reported that the executive of the State Miners' Unoin visited Blackball on Wedensday to confer with the local union there. It is understood that a move is "on the board" to reduce the output from 1000 tons to 700 per day, so as to stop any export to Australia. Another question is that of a minimum wage of 12s per cent.

In .September last 7,270,144 supeificial feet of sawn timber, valued at £37.2(11, were exported from New Zeaand, as against 0,404,703 superficial feet, valued at £44.50(1 for September 1015. For the first nine months of this yea! the. figures were 51,440,355 superficial feet, valued at £44,50(1 for September, 1015. For the first nine months of this year the figures were 51.440.355 superficial feet, valued at £274.538, as against 5(i.02].55:! superficial feet valued at £278,700 for the first nine months of 1915.

During the month of September the Dominion's total trade, was £4,148.(185 (imports, £2.050,283; exports, £1.450,402), as against ,£4,747.118 for September of 1015 (imports. .£2,4(11,020; exports, £2.28(1,080). Excluding specif the excess .if imports over exports was £1.040,811 for September Inst, as compared with £205,053 in September, 1015 Taking the first nine months of each year, however, there was a considerable excess of exports over imports. For th" first nine months of lflili Xew Zealand's total trade was £40,044.582 (innorts. £in,4SS,4OO; exports £27,450.(183) as aaainst £30,(545.73.1 (imports, £1(1,140,20(1; exports, £20,505.527) for the "corresponding period of last year; while, excluding specie, the excess of exports over import' for the first nine month* of this year was £0.127.434 as compared with £5,055,010 foi the first nine months of last year.

The joke of the season is recorded isaiust the Customs Department in Wellington. Recently a well-known Christchurch wool dealer asked for permission to export a thousand hales of golden fleeces to America. He was turned down. He made repeated representations. It couldn't possibly be done. Then he heard that an application from Armour and Co's, representatives to be permitted to export one thousand bales o' crntellings to the United States had been granted. Burning with righteous indignation he took the firsttjiat to Wellington and interviewed the Custom! head He demanded an explanation. The head | was dumb-founded.. "To tell you the truth, Mr. ," he explained with great gentleness, "we didn't know crutcjiingwerc wool." "Did yov. think they grew on trees?" asked the exasperated southerner, and then, realising the genuine perturbation of his fellow victim tlie wool merchant's resentment was extinguished by a perfect gale of laughter, and he is now retailing tbe story, in places where men most do congregate as really the best be ever heard. Germany's effort to wrest the oil resources from Roumania are liable to go awry, judging by a statement made by Mr. L. R. McCollum. an American engineer who has just returned to the 'United States from Bucharest. He is a close friend of M. Take Jonescn. the Roumanian war leader. In the course of an interview in San Francisco. Mr. McCollum said:—"Roumania is determined that her rich oil fields shall be worse than useless to the Hermans if they con qucr. The secret order has been given to all operating oil companies that ",f the worst happens, nil productive oil wells are to be plugged. All fields not, yet productive, as well as fields owned' bv German and Austrian companies, will be put afire. All the English companies had already been -'plugged' when I left there recently. This plugging is effected by lowering a heavy wooden plug sixty feet down the well. Then the pipe is filled up with concrete to the surface. If the Germans want to operate the wells they have to drill through (10ft of concrete. The Roumanian Government has also ordered the destruction of all machinery on the oil fields should Germany obtain possession."

"It hai occurred to mo that tliorc arc groat possibilities for technical woric among the Maoris in domestic, in agriculture, and in the various trades" wrote Mr. A. dray, Director of Technical Education, in his report to the Board of Education yesterday. ■Proceeding, he said that on Saturday last, through tin kind offices of Messrs. Fox and Buchanan, of Waitara, he was invited to speak at a native gathering at Mahoetahi. Hewas most courteously received and listened to by the people gathered there, and he understood that the Maoris would form a committee among themselves itorder to further this work. He suggested that the Department be approached with a view to getting free tuition and free railway passes for the young native people. Mr. Gray considered that the. young people among the Maoris were worlh training and developing. Referring to this matter. Mr C. A. Wilkinsoi? M.P., said he regarded Mr. Cray's remarks as most valuable, and,he urged the Board to make representations to the Government emphasising the importance of giving favorable consideration to the proposal, The Hoard concurred in Mr Cray's views by adopting the report. Mrs. R. A. Dn( ton, representative o*' the Dingo Medicine Co., Ltd., is now in Tnranaki establishing the only insect powder packed in New Zealand by Britishers. This is the now famous Flikeelo, which is meeting with great success. Other lines manufactured by this company are also much in demand. Tinpresent season is the time for the use of Dingo Eucalpytus which has won no less than ten gold medals. After a trip round Mount Kgmortt Mrs. Dutton reports a most (successful business visit to Taranaki. 1 THK MELBOURNE, LTD. CHILDREN'S WASHING HATS. • , A smart showing of these good? is on view at all the Melbourne, Ltd.'s six stores. White linen hats for boys or girls with or without cords, Is 3d Boys' khaki washing hats, Is 3d. Boys' smart mercerised cotton tussore lint--, with silk cord, Is lid. Pure Jap silk tussore hats, 2s 3d. Extra fine quality ditto, 3s fid. Large size wlito linen 'hats for girls and young women, 2a 3d. All above washing hats are guaranteed not to have brown, paper interlininjja .in ..the brims.

Tlie Mayor and Mayoress of New Plymouth will be present at the drawing o"' tho art union at the concert and dance to be held in the Kgmont Road Hall to-night, in aid of tho Wounded Soldiers' Fund.

A sequel to iu« appeal made ly Mr. J. Vickers, of Kadnor, who recently lost three heifers which had licked paint from the grass near tho Radnor school, arid died as the result, was heard at t:i« Taranaki Education BojWs meetinfr yesterday, when Mr. Vickers was voted £lO a* compensation.

A visit will be made to AVaitara this evening by the Director of Technical Education (Mr. A. (Jray) and the Chief Agricultural Instructor (Mr. R. A. S. Browne), who will put before the members of the local School Committee schemes for technical and agricultural instruct ion.

The Press Association wired last night:—Private Mark Taylor, .". litem ber of the Australian forces, ha> been reported wounded and admitted to hospital on October 10, suffering from myceardiae degeneration in a mild form. The next-of-kin is given as Mrs. Elizabeth Saunders, a sister, living in New Zealand. In view of the vagueness of this address, the Base Records, Wellington, asks anyone knowing .Mrs. Saunders' address to communicate therewith.

The subject of* incidental allowances to School Committees was referred to in a letter received by the Taranaki Education Board yesterday from the Canterbury Hoard. The writers stated thai during the last ten years the cost of fuel had considerably increased, and that wages were also higher all round. Tlie cost of maintaining the schools bad proportionately increased. The Canterbury Board, considered that the ordinary capitation to Boards should be increased by at least Is per head. Members of the Taranaki Board expressed tho opinion that many committees failed to expend the whole-of their revenue, and that there was little .doubt thehy should do so. The Board decided to support the Canterbury Board in its representations.

A point arising out of the report of the Director of rcclmical Education (Mr. A. Cray) was mentioned by Mr. C A. Wilkinson at yesterday's meeting of the Tnranaki Education Board. The Director reported that he had issued | instructions to the truant officer to prosecute the parents of defaulting pupils attending the compulsory classes at the Technical College. Mr. Wilkinson j.scid he considered that each individual 'case should be brought before tl'.i Board before prosecutions were authorised. Mr. K. Dixon expressed thei opinion that the Board had virtually vested in the Director discretionary power. The Director, in reply, said he had intentionally been lenient during the imst year regarding defaulters. Since ibe compulsory .'lasses had been instituted no prosecution* had been nude-. Mr. firay said the Board would be advised of any proposed prosecutions bei'oi\> the Mimmonses were issued, lho Director's j'i |'ort was adopted

At the Land Board »ienr:ni yesreri'ny hi comnmiiicntioii was read from the ruder-Secretary for Lands, Wellington, ' with reference to the examination by Local Land Hoards of discharged soldier applicants for land* situated in other land districts, provision for which is. made in the Act. It was pointed out that when sections, set apart for returned soldiers, are of such a size and nature that the advance of £M\i) made 1 by the State would be wholly inadequate for the initial fencing, -purchase of stock, &e., it would be worse than useless to open them for ballot to men without means, or those unable to command some financial assistance. The settlements would he a failure in their inception, and a wrong would be done by inviting men to undertake a hopeless struggle. The Board decided that in nil cases, and especially when dealing with section? requiring p. fair amount of capital to work successfully, to re quire proof or means or financial backing and not to put soldiers on holdings unless there is a reasonable possibility of their being able to carry through. The aim of the Board will he to place suitable settlers on suitable •holdings, and to endeavor to provide smaller sections for those soldiers who cannot be allotted lands requiring the expenditure of large sum-: of money for development of the land.

The atmosphere was electrical for a fciv moments prior to the closing of tlie lengthy meeting of the Taranaki Education Hoard yesterday afternoon. An account for £1 Us Sd for requisites purchased by the Klthnm School Committee from .Messrs. C. A. Wilkinson, Ltd., was referred to the Hoard, and Mr. H. Trimhie, noticing the account, rose mid took strong exception to the Hoard having any business dealings with a firm the principal of which was a member of the Hoard. The principle, he said, was n wrong one, and lie could not emphasise the point too strongly. Before Mr. Trimble had concluded his reyiarks, Mr. Wilkinson rose and warmly took Mr. Trimble to tusk. ■ "Mr. Trimble is jumping to conclusions," lie said. "He wishes to insinuate that I want to use my position as a member of tlie Hoard in order to further my trade. I absolutely refute it. This transaction has nothing to do with the Hoard. Tile Klthnm Committee, requiring a few articles niuile the purchases at my shop. 1 knew nothing about it until n moment ago. And Mr. Trimble is trying to make capital out of thematter. I am surprised at him! There is no reason at all for his remarks. I have never dealt with the Board!" The chairman (Mr. 1! Masters) said he had always taken cart' not to do business with the Board. Mr. E. Dixon expressed tilt! opinion that members made a sulli-' eieut sacrifice for tlie Hoard as it was, and it was not fair that they should he precluded from doing business with it. Mr. S. U. Smith rose to n point of order, and said the account was not before the meeting. The matter then dropped. With the near approach of Christmas housewives are naturally turning theii attention to renovating and renewing their stocks of sheets, pillow cases, blankets, casemrijt cloths, towels, quilts, etc. The Melbourne, as usual is to the fore with special low priced standard llines from famous manufacturers such las Horroekses', Crewdson's, Jan. Finlay land Co., and the Kaiapoi Woollen Mill. Several town properties owned by the estate of the late John Jury will be offered for sae by Mr. Newton King at his mart on Saturday, ne.vt the 25th. inst. The properties are situated in Devon. Outfield and (.'nine streets and comprise l.'r acres with dwelling house and a quarter acre wiili five roomed cottage. Should the larger piece fail to find a buyer it will be offered in three smaller pieces, on one of which the dwelling house is situated.