LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Newton King lias decided to open an extensive Branch business in Manaia. The annual sports of tlie Mew Plymouth Technical College will be held in Pukekura Park on Thursday afternoon. The following are the complete census returns from the Westland district: Hokitika, 1916 2059, 1911 2291; Kumara, 622, 713; Boss, 491, 040; County of Westland, 4088, 42741; totals for district, 7290, 7991; decrease, 701. In the Magistrate's Court vesterday, before Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S"m., judgment by default was given for H. Weston against H. W. Alexander, of Tataraimaka, for £1 4s.

Considerable overtime is being worked in the shirt-making and tailoring trades of New Plymouth. Referring to the tailoring trade in his monthly report, the local agent of the Labor Department (Mr. J. Wakelin) states that it is in a remarkable condition, considering the number of young men who have left tlie district.

Satisfactory progress is being made in connection with tlie completion of the band rotunda and the approach gates at the East End Bathing Reserve. Arrangements are being made for the construction of a dam at a point below the swimming pool in the Te Henui River, and it is the intention of the committee in charge of the reserve to have the pool ready for swimming sports during the summer.

On Saturday night an accident occurred to a motor-car while proceeding up Burke's Hill, Eltham. The car, owned and driven by Mr. S. J.'Nairn, was being driven up Burke's Hill homewards. It appears that when rounding a sharp turning in the road the car capsized, throwing the occupants in all directions. The other occupants of the car were Mrs. R. J. Nairn, her four daughters, Florence, Violet, Daisy, and Flora, also Mrs. Nairn, junr., and her infant daughter. Mrs. E. J. Nairn suffered a broken wrist, and .her daughter, Florence, was severely cut about the face, and received minor bruises. The rest of the party escaped with shock and slight abrasions. Now then men- It's time to place your suit oricrs with the "Palatine." Don't wait until the big 'Xmas msii commences, let us take your measure now. We make a special feature of suits to measure and guarantee satisfaction in every detail. The Palatine, New Plymouth.

In spite of conditions that arc prov ing a very serious handicap to most other clothing organisations, the Melbourne Clothing Company's sale offers suits for men and young men at comparatively grcatei values tha never Before. The man in need of a 'Xmas suit should certainly buy nov and make n considerable saving. Note: Deposits accepted at sale prices] suits to be held for later delivery. You will lose two shillings worth of the best music you have ever heard if your are not at the big concert m tlie HexDton Hall, Okato. December U

fiood progress is bning made with the preparations of- the 'J'aranaki A. nnd P. Society's new show grounds at YV'aiwakaiho. Mr. 0. W. Browne, wlio is in charge of operations for the Society, has the cattle pavilion and lioi-hc boxes well under way, .-ind will he shortly commencing the sheep and pijr pens, Messrs. Boon Bros are also progressing with the erection of the grand stand in concrete. A bottle was picked up by Mr. 11. Adlam, of Wailn, on the beach about four miles north of Waitara last Wednesday, containing the following note: "H.M.N.Z.T., Tofia, Sunday, March a. From Private C. K. Davis, from Hamilton, to Mrs. Davis, c/o Jmlay Saunders, Sehvyn street, Wanganui. I am quite well and not sea siok yet. Anybody finding this note please send it to the above address.''' The original note ha 3 been forwarded as requested.

"In the light of what I saw in OJreat Britain, .1 think there is a tremendous amount of waste energy in New Zealand that could be devoted to war work," said Mr. J. G. Cooper, general manager of the Taranaki Farmers' Freezing Company, who has just returned from a visit to Britain, in the course of an interview. "In Knglawl and Scotland I saw thousands of women engaged in all classes of

occupations usually followed by men. 1 saw as many as 5000 women proceed to France m connection with war requirements. New Zealand had done well in connection with the war, but she ..■ould do a great deal more, particularly with regard to female labor."

At the Hawera Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Mr. Dixon said he thought the Chamber should make a request to the railway authorities to have the 7.25 morning train from Hawera to New 'Plymouth speeded up, also the late evening train from New Plymouth to Hawera. If this were done it would give people a longer day in New Plymouth. He mentioned that the Department was losing a lot of passenger traffic, because people could make the journey more quickly by motor-car, and he further stated that on one occasion he had left New Plymouth at five in the evening, practically an hour after the train left New Plymouth, and had caught it at Stratford. He moved in this direction, and that the Chamber write to the Eltliam, Stratford, and New Plymouth Chambers, requesting their co-operation in the 2natter. The motion was carried.

Representations were made on Monday by .Air. H. J. H. Okey, M.P., to the Tavanaki County Council, in which the Council was asked to favor the principle of exempting agricultural societies from pn\ inf.' rates on properties they owned. Mr. Okey said it was proposed to introduce a Bill in the House exempting agi'icultural societies from rates. At present local bodies had discretionary power in the matter. Considerable discussion followed Mr. Okey's request Cr. J. Andrews did not favor the suggestion on the ground of justice. Ho considered the Council should be just to the ratepayers before it was generous to agricultural societies. Cr. D. McAllum considered the Council, in acceding to the request was forming a precedent he did not like. It was stated that rates amounting to £ll 2s per annum were derived from the Tarunaki Agricultural Society's grounds at Waiwakaihc. Ci. A. Morton said the rates would he very much in the future when the impiovements were cll'ected. It was finally decided to endorse the principle referred to. Cm. J Andrews and McAllum dissented.

The Taranaki County Council was on Monday invted by the Board of Trade to furnish information with regard to the six worst noxious weeds on the arable and grass lands of Taranaki. Cr. C. Andrews facetiously suggested that the Council should reply, "Blackberry one, blackberry two, blackberry three. "How about the other three?" askco' Cr D. McAHum. "Oh, blackberry four, olaelcberry five, blackberry six," quickly came the reply from another councillor, amidst general laughter. The chairmai. 'ailed for suggestions, and the names oi three weeds were quickly forthcoming. "Blackberry, gorse, and ragwort," wen -loted. "How about ox-eye daisy?" suggested the chairman. Discussion at once ensued upon the demerits of ox-eye daisy, and Cr. W. Binnie stated that this weed was eradicated by mowing it twice when in flower. "Ox-eye daisy" was noted. "Spio"er-wort" was- the next weed referred to. The question of deciding Jic sixth worst weed took some considering, the honors for some time being easy between docks and pennyroyal. It was mentioned by Cr. Binnie that eows were partial to docks at certain seasons. Fennel was also suggested as being worthy of mention. It was finally resolved to name blackberry, gorse, ragwort, ox-eye daisy, spider-wort, and pennyroyal.

Interesting circumstances were connected with a charge of failing to observe the terms of a prohibition order, preferred against a. man named J. D. Kecuan, before Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yester day. The defendant, who was represented by Mr. P. B. Fitzherben, «.t first pleaded not guilty, and the police intimated that a remand to Hamilton would be asked for. The plea was then changed, and the offence was admitted. Counsel explained that the charge was three years old. Keenan had bean accepted as a soldier in one of the reinforcements, and 'ho had spent some time in camp. He was about to be passed for active service ,when he was found to have varicose veins. An the result of this discovery Keenan was referred back to liis own district to be operated on, and he was ordered to report to the military authorities again. He went to Inglewood, and there became intoxicated. He was arrested, and brought before justices on a charge of having no visible means of support. Being in a maudlin state, Keenan was then unable to say anything foi himself, and, in spite of the fact that he was an undischarged soldier, he was committed to prison for three months. Keenan Jiad served this term, and was now brought before the Court in connection with a breach of an order committed in Ha'milton three years ago. Mr. McCarthy convicted defendant, and ordered him to come uj> for sentence when called upon.

A lecture will be delivered by Mr. R. E. Hayes, Registrar of Friendly Societies, Wellington, in the Good Templar Kail to-mororw (Thursday) evening. The lecturer will speak on "The Finance Act as Applying to Friendly Societies."

COWS AFTER CALVIXG—Failing to Cleanse. This is a frequent trouble in a cowshed, and the symptoms are so obvious as to need no description. It is imperative that it should be attended to without delay. SYKES'S DRENCH makes cows clean quickly in the natural way, thus preventing catarrhal discharge, which is apt to result in Contagious Abortion. It also acts as a preventive against Milk Fever, Mammitis, etc. Price Is fid per packet, 18s uer dozen, It costs 3d to drenjh a cow.

A Wellington wire states that the Board of, Trade is investigating the recent advance in the price' of flour. A record shipping profit is reported. A neutral firm, a year ljjo bought a British Hteumci, whihe, was titr&iidoil on ihb Mouth American count, for .LISOO. The vessel luib now been resold for ili'i,000.

A volunteer (said to be slightly "elevated" at the time), who presented himself tc the authorities in the Nelson province recently for enlistment, when asked what branch of the service he favored, replied: "Oh, I don't know. I think I'd like to join the. tanks." A Mastertor. mar received * HuVpnse on Wednesday. He was accosted in the street by an apparent stranger, who handed him two shillings, with the remark, ''Thank.- very much. I borrowed that from you nt a street corner in Wellington tvc-lve years ago."

Referring to the prospect of the meat supply in New Zealand in the course of an interview or. Monday, Mr. J. C. Cooper, general manager of the Taranaki Faimers' Freezing Company, said he did not anticipate a serious shortage in the future though there would probably be a slight shortage next year. He recognised there had beci. ar. abnormal demand for beef on account of the war. but pointed out that the possibilities of expansion in the North Island were enormous, He said large numbers of calves were killed every year, and these could be saved in the 'future. Large areas of unoccupied Crown Maori, and uncleared land could be used for stock-raising. Mr. Cooper expressed his confldenae in the future of the country from the point of view of stock raising. "There were as many as six Zeppelin raids when I was recently in England," said Mr. J. C. Cooper, in an interview on Monday. "The raids are regarded in much the same way as a show is. The damage done to military property has been practically nil, although public indignation has run high when the Zeppelins have caused the deaths of women and children. I had an interesting experience when crossing: the Midlands by train. It was at night, and a Zeppelin was observed to be following the train. On reaching a tunnel the train stopped and stayed there for three hours. All blinds in the carriages were drawn, a severe penalty being meted out to anyone raising a blind. When the irain emerged from the tunnel the danger had passed."

Mr. .T. O'Comicll, a well-known Manaia settler, lias taken np 200 acres in the Raglan district, and has at present a number of men engaged getting the tim ber dewn and clearing the land. It is good grass country and should be well adapted for sheep. Though it is one of the oldest settled districts in those parts it has made practically no progress, and the town is as primitive and us backward as it' was 30 years ago. (t lias a small but happy population to whom the active concerns or interests of active life mean next to nothing. But withal there is the happiness of an unruffled content—quite the atmosphere for a man who is not troubled with worldly desires or ambitions and wishes to enjoy the calm of a peaceful but unaspiring life. The chemist chiefly supplies the town with mill: from a small but tame herd and opens his store one evening in the week—Saturday usually —for the sale of drugs. The local barber is employed as a rouse-aboiro at the local public house where you have to hunt hiiti up if you require his services. Now and agnin the town makes a passing show at waking up, but for some time to come yet it should be a good place for an extended rest cure. Tn fact Raglan is still asleep.—Witness.