LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tiu 1 National Mortgage Company of New Zealand has made a profit of £53,5!I0. A final dividend of 8d and a bonus of 2s 3d is declared. A Press Association message states that the Wellington master linkers have decided to leave the price of bread to. householders at lid for the 41b loaf and increase the prices to hotels, restaurants and shops. A man named Robert .John Riley appeared before Mr. IT. R. Cattley. J.P., at tiie New 'Plymouth court yesterday, on a charge of failing to make implication for enrolment under the Military Service Act. 191(1. Accused was remanded to appear before the magistrate at 10.30 a.m. io-day. The Crown tenants as a whole in the northern part of the Tai-anaki district '•re complying with settlement conditions a good deal beyond the actual requirements of their leases, according to the Crown Lands RangerV- report placed before Wednsday's Land Hoard. The fields officer for that locality submitted report'covering the previous quarters inspections, showing that out of a total of -10 selectors visited there were only two defaulters, viz., one for personal residence on the land and another for deficient improvements, 'fhe total area included in the 40 holdings referred to was 10.001 acres, and whilst the value of statutory improvements required was £7504, tinholiU'rs, according to the ranger, have effected improvements to a total value ■:f £fc2,!!l3. Considering the drawbacks in the way of scarcity of labor and high prices prevailing under war conditions for bush falling, fencing wire, building material, these figures speak well for the energy and industry <u the settlers in that part of the Province. The members of the New Plymouth Citizens' Band have always shown a readiness to give their services to assist every deserving cause. They have again given fresh evidence of this by their decision to devote the proceeds of the collection to be taken at the concert to bo given at the Ngirnotu beach to-morrow afternoon to the fund for the relief of the Raetihi settlers. The concert was u specially arranged one, am 1 , the culled ion was to have been devoted to the band's' own funds, but the men have generously foregone their claim in favor of the. needs of the sufferers by the recent bush fires. Police braces Is 9d pair at the Melbourne, Ltd; other brae, ■ correspondingly low. For instance: Boys' strong braces Is pair; men's extra strong Samson braces Is (id; President braces 2s lid; Shiijej President braces 3s Cd; ifldia f-** ; belts crub colors Is earf 1

The New I'lyinou.h Bovs' JL".h School building organising committee has gratefully arccpird Ihe oiler of the Taranaki Amusemcnls Company, Ltd., to devote ! Ihe net proceeds from Everybody's an,. | the Kmpire Theatres on Good Friday, lo the building fund. The fact that ihe Haravva, in the face of a tremeudous gale, safely moored alongside (he New Plymouth breakwater on 'Tuesday is n first-class advertisement for ihe* harbor and should inspire confid'l..,-- in the safely of the pori amongsi. ihoc in shipping circles who have bithevio 'cen doubtful on the matter.—lOltlnim Argus. A meeting of the New Plymouth National Fdiciency Trustees was held yesterday, Messrs. T. Furlong, Jr. (chairman,. ]■. ..Vhittle and F. J. llill (secretary) being present. V considerable ainoiiiii o! liu-inee.s was tiv.asaeted. Si\- '"• l cases relating io soldiers on service <»' aboul. lo leave for tlie front were considered and dealt villi. Since ihe last meeting- ihe svciv'asv has sent and received some fifty leliirs relating't<iinatters w'thiii (lie jiiri, diction of the trustees, a vole of ilianks was accorded to J'r. A. IS. «!,!,-,.„ for procrn.g a tenant for the pn.peny of an absent soldier. Mr. George Synie, manager of Messrs Symo's sawmill in the kaetihi district, which was destroyed by the disastrous (ire, is in Ifawera. Conversing with a Slur reporter yesterday morning he said the district befw. en Horopito and Kaetihi is a scene of desolation, and no one can have any idea, of the damage which has been caused unless a visit is paid to the scene. The lino's sawmill, with others in the district, was complete! ■; ,I P . si roved, together with about €7OO worth of sawn timber, which was ready to go out. The employees and helpers stood by the mill until :>.;!0 o'clock on Tuesday morning .villi pumps with the hope of saving it, hut a big tree fell on the pipe, and the fire-lighters could not stand Ihe strain any longer and had to give in. The miller, have suffered s< -■ ion-- loss in the destruction of the bush, which was worth about ,€ls per acre for milling right g The loss lo the millers would be something in (be vicinity of €2.1(1.00(1, and this 'was certainly a conservative estimate. The New Plymouth telegraph staff have had a very strenuous time during She disorganisation of Ihe service through Ihe effects of ihe gale, but they have acquitted themselves in a manner worthy of (':'■ high reputation of the oflae. ("i Thursday all messages north ud south came via Auckland, hut from 0 a.m. yesterday one wire was working from WangaiHii and one from Wellington, in place of the five available under normal circumstances. In the evening the service was still further improved, and it; is expected that to-day will see (he complete restoration of the service. Considering' that some sixty poles were blown down between oitea'and llawera, the Department has done its best to meet the trouble, and though there has been much inconvenience over tho delay the local staff spared no efforts to minimise this, besides carrying on the heavy work of handling all Taranaki messages. The matinee programme at the Kmpire this afternoon includes the third episode of "Peg o' Ihe King" and a fourreel comedy drama, "The Commuters." Other pictures to be shown, will be "The Stolen Booking" (two-reel comedy) and tho "Co-operative Weekly." At the night session the tine Frohman feature, "John Glayde's Honor," will be screened for the last time. Tlie 7Hh anniversary of Whiteley Memorial Church will he celebrated by special services to-morrow. The preacher both morning and evening will be the Rev. W. A. Sinclair. In the evening a musical service will be held. Miss Cocker will sing "There is a Green Hill"; Mrs Cooper will sing 'Thou Shalt Bring Them In," and. Mr ']'. Fredric will sing "The First Pak-i Sunday." The choir will render anthems. A special offering will be taken for the reduction of the church debt. In this issue wo insert particulars of a first-class coaalal dairy farm advertised for private sale by Mr. Newton King. The farm is situated at Omata just two miles outside the borough of New Plymouth and for several years Mho owner has had a milk run in New Plymouth. The homestead is very comfortable and taken right through the property is a very desirable one. Very early application is necessary. ■

The Salvation Army are having their minimi Harvest Thanksgiving Festival on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Tlrro will he special music by the band and harvest songsters. The platform will be made into a farm yard, and the hall tastefully decorated. Commandant and Mrs. Scotney will conduct the meetings, and special offerings will be taken up to help the local corps. The public are invited to attend. T)av sales tickets for stalls or D.C. at Everybody's can lie purchased at Collier's any time to-day. Patrons are reminded that to-night's programme includes '.lie final episode of the popular serial, "The Iron Claw," and also the lirsi enisodo of an equally attractive continued drama, "The Girl and the Game," a railroad drama starring the during and popular actress, Helen .lOlmes. in a sen--alioinl series of life and death adventures. Several member of the Kawaroa Park Committee made a trip to Waihi on Tbursdav. the occasion of the patrintTt. nicnic, and spent a verv enjoyable afternoon. Arrangements were also made in connection with the visit, of the Waihi school children to the Kawaroa Park picnic on Easter Monday. A large lorry is heiuL' chartered to convey the crowd. A biff effort will be made by the tug-of-war team to retain fhe challenge cup now held by the school. Rex Reach's famous novel of the wild and lawless life in the f.-.r north, ''The Barrier.'' has been adapted info one of the most successful features of the motion picture history, and under Iho direction of E. .T. Carroll will be shown at Everybody's next Tuesday and Wednesday nkdifs and at a special matinee \\ ortne'sda \ 7 afternoon. The fame of this picture lias already reached New Plymouth and it is certain to attract crowded houses. Seats may be reserved at Collier's and dress circle patrons should note that there is no extra charge for reserving. The Red Cross Mart, which for to-day lias received its supplies from the Omaia, Tataraiinaka and Oakura districts, has been abundantly stocked with an extensive variety of excellent gouds. A lovely lot of meat lias conic to hand, including some fine young mutton, lamb, pork, a small quantity of veal and any amount of poultry. There will, of course, also be ample supplies of homecooked dishes, cakes, broad, jams, jellies, pickles, preserves, as well as all kinds of fruit and vegetables. The shop will open at 9 am. promptly. In out advei'tisiii't columns May and '\rrnwsmith, Ltd.. invite the public t,& inspect their new bakehouse on Wednesday next,