LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is understood that Parliameftt will mci-t fairly lato in October next. Writes a correspondent to the Waimatc Witness (Manaia)l came away from the meeting on Wednesday night with the impression that Messrs Powdrel] and Co. have an uncomfortaible feeling that tliev have teen putting their money on the wrong horse, and that this lay at the bottom of their opposition. If this ii so, I trust they will admit their mistake and not persist in it, It is the welfare of the whole district for all time vhat has to be considered, and not the temporary interests of a few companies. Mr Corrigan, speaking at the Manaia mcetingon Wednesday night, said it was a peculiar thing that.southern members en the Harbor Board got hypnotised as soon as they went to New Plymouth. He thought Mr. Newton King and other New Plymouth members should set up as hypnotists. Mr. King: "You come up, Jim." Mr. Bridge, secretary of the Manaia Agricultural Committee, has been advised by the Director-General of the Agricultural Department that it has been decided to accept the proposal that Pie Waimate County Council take over the Jformanby Road Demonstration Farm at a rental of £ISO per annum for 21 years, the Government to pay a subsidy o? £2OO for the first year, to be extended for a further two years if council's administration meets with the Department's approval. Mr. Wilkinson, M.P.. announced at AVednesday's meeting that lie hn - 1 received word to the same effect-—Witness. At the Harbor Board's Kapuni meeting on Thursday night, there were about SO ratepayers present, and after the members of the board and the leaders of the opposition had addessed the meeting, a division was taken, the voting being equal—ll to 11 —several declining to vote. On the casting vote of the chairman, a hostile motion was therefore carried. We have a budget of letters to the editor which will be inserted as space permits.

The death o! Mrs. Emeline Webb, of Stratford, took place in New Plymouth somewhat unexpectedly early yesterday morning. It appears that Mrs. Webb camo to Now Plymouth on business at the beginning of the week, and was stayin? at tlin residence of her sister, Mrs. Arthur Owen, Powdcrham Street. She had enjoyed good health, and retired to bed in her usual spirits on Thursday nieht. after having partaken of some fruit for supper. At about 3.15 on Trial r morning Mrs. Owen was awakened In- a sound as of some,one choking in Mrs. Webb's bedroom. On coins; into the room, Mrs Owen found her sister in a state of collapse, 'Dr. Wade was immediately summoned, 'but when lie arrived he could only pronounce life extinct. The district coroner was notified, but it was not 'known last night whether an inquest would bo necessary. The demonstration concert given in the Empire Theatre yesterday afternoon by the successful competitors in the recent schools' competitions drew a large audience of children, and the little performers wer enthusiastically applauded for their work. The certificates were presented by Mr. 8. G. Smith, who acted for Mr. W. G. Keid, chairman of the committee, who was unable to be present. Mr. Smith mode appreciative reference to the work of the- judges, and especially to the Rev. W. A. Sinclair and Mr. F. WG. M'Lcod, who took the work in the elocution section, as, owing to the rearrangement necessary on account of the large number of entries, the judges originally selected were not able to act at the time. It is interesting to note that a summary of the successes gained by the different schools gives the following resijlt:—West End, 7 first prizes and 8 seconds; Central, 5 firsts, 3 seconds; Fitzroy, 2 firsts, 3 seconds. A New Plymouth grocer writes:—ln your issue of yesterday you refer to a paragraph appearing in the Eltham Argus, which commenced by saying: "la there any profiteering in New Plymouth ?" and then goes on to say that a purchaser went into a local shop in the morning and purchased a hundredweight of soap for 445. In the afternoon the purchaser met a friend who advised him that there was going to be a rise. He went back to tlio samo store in the afternoon and got the surprise of his life when he found the price had jumped from 44s to SGs. (Why should the purchaser want to take into stock two hundredweight of soap might well be asked by the storekeeper.) Surely it is not desired that the public should infer that any storekeeper would jump up the price of soap 42s in a few hours! The paragraph is not at all complimentary to the men doing business in New Plymouth, and, furthermore, it is not according to facts. Even with recent Tises, best household soap can be purchased in New Plymouth to-day at 45s per hundredweight and lower grades at less than that. TJie Argus said the jump was from 4-1 s to 60s, though the figure was blurred and could be taken for an 8. You will on doubt be glad to correct this. Another grocer writes, stating sonu is retailed in New Plymouth to-day from 37s per hundredweight for the cheaper grade 1:0'47s for the best procurable, and no rise lias taken place lately: further, that the grocery prices ruling in New Plvmonth are the lowest in the whole of the Dominion. "Elthamites." he adds, 'axe aware of this, judging by the number of orders received from their district," The Cunard Line (Australasian service) Commonwealth and Dominion Line, Ltd., has decided to include the port of New Plymouth among the Dominion ports at which it will operate. Messrs Collett and Co.. Ltd., have been appointed the company's local agents. Meetings of ratepayers to discuss the proposed New Plymouth Harbor Board's improvement scheme will bo held at Stratford on .Tuesday night and Inglewood on Wednesday night. Merry Perry Merithem got murdere«t and clutched in his dead hand was a whisp of copper-colored hair. Five wo-men-were thus implicated in the case. Tn fact, it looked as if every red-haired girl in New York was to be entangled by it. The picture is "Empty Pockets," a film versio'ij.of the great novel by Rupert Hughes, which commences a three-night season at the Empire on Monday nightIt is stated that certain soap manufacturers in the Dominion are about to close down (heir businesses. The cause of this is the impossibility of procuring eaustio soda. i i Don't sign the. Wowser Petition, because they are agitators, and should not be encouraged. I>»A rhould be interned during the wa» • *«<=>» our petition, which protects your frec' : -iCH't. Winter ills ami ..hw ,bfn» are soon [dispelled bv iwino- - '•*. , :<jue" Hot Watjer Boine. Aiwf. a comfort, never a | bower turn sur y economical — Icosts less thah u ■' innra year. Ask fca Twque.3