LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The New Plymouth Defence Rifle Club have decided to postpone the opening day of the shooting season on account of the probability of very unsettled weather.

Yesterday morning a draft of CI men left for camp. Those who went from New Plymouth were.: A. C. Clark, O. A. Evans. F. King, M. J. Lawn, W. B. Paton, A. J. Randall, A. H. Taylor, A. B. Wilson, and A. E. Woodward. At a recent meeting of the New Plymouth Returned Soldiers' Association the question was discussed of forming a permanent firing party to attend funerals of local returned soldiers. It was decided to ask through the local press for volunteers from among returned men w!ho would be willing to act; and that they hand in their names to the secretary-of the association at the Soldiers' Club.

In advocating a remit for the education conference, at yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, favoring increased salaries for male teachers, Mr. P. J. White laid before the board some particulars of salaries paid in England and America. He contended that if the Education Department was to attract to the teaching profession the best brains of the community the salaries paid to the headmasters of the large schools would have to be more in keeping with salaries earned in other professional occupations. He thought it was not too much to expect that men having charge of the largest schools should be able to earn up to £IOOO per annum. He pointed out that men who entered the profession looked upon it as a life career, and he did not think the present £430, which was practically the maximum, was much inducement to the men of brains to give themselves up to the work.

Tuesday was the anniversary of the big Are in Dannevirke that laid low the business heart of the town and in two hours destroyed.the work of a lifetime. The anniversary has been marked by the Dannevirke Evening News by a special illustrated issue, described as a "Dannevirke Reconstruction Supplement," an attemp* "to tell how tho reconstruction work of a year has repaired the destruction of a day—an advertisement of self-reliance and business courage that, with an army of workers, has given the re-made Dannevirke commanding rank amongst the inland towns of New Zealand." The pictures go to substantiate the claim. Dannevirke business men evidently have faith in their town, their district, and themselves, and are backing it accordingly by raising from the ashes, phoenixlike, a greater and better Dannevirke. Such courage, faith, and self-reliance deserve the fullest measure of success, and there can be little doubt they will achieve it, as they deserve. June Caprice star,s at the Empire tonight, to-morrow, and at both sessions on Saturday in the Fox six reel feature, "Every Girl's Dream." This picture is announced ts ho bes phoo-idyll ever made by the dainty June. It is a charming play of childhood, love and adventure, and sets a new mark fn June's career of making clean, delightful pictures.

CLLNcnrtR. CROSS TYRES are all good—the quality is uniform. Finest rubber, expert chemists, latest machinery, skilled workmen, all ensure utmost value in the BRITISH CLINCHER CROSS. Try a set. 3

The lovely new white Fuji silk made up into blouses and sold at 259 fid at the Melbourne, Limited, is creating quite a furore among tho ladies. This material is quite the newest thing in silk fabrics, the quality, texture and soft finish feeing remarkable.

"NAZOL" for Influenza and -Catarrh.

West End School is entering eight teams in the schoolboys' tug-of-war at the hand carnival.

In speaking yesterday at the meeting of the Education Board on the matter of education being a continuous process throughout life, Mr. P. J. White said ho had in his mind the cape of one of the most successful business men in the Dominion, who, after he had reached the age of 00 years, had besoms a competent shorthand writer.

At tile monthly Land Board meeting yesterday progress authorities were grante'd to the extent of £1286 to discharged soldier settlers lor advances for improvements on their holding in the way of stock, fencing and buildings. These progress payments are on account of a maximum of £750, which each returned soldier according to his industry mid capacity is entitled to apply for in connection with his holding. A full agenda paper of sixty items received the Land Board's consideration at their usual monthly meeting yesterday, but the business was despatched at a sufficiently early hour to enable membei's of the board to visit the Parkes Settlement at Kaponga, selected by discharged soldiers in September, 1017. All the selectors in the block are milking and supplying the local factory this season, and several of them started supplying last season owing to the assistance afforded by the Crown in stocking their holdings. In advocating increased salaries for male teachers at the Education Board meeting yesterday, Mr. B. Masters said the salaries at present paid Were not attracting men to the work, and it was fast bteoming a women's profession. Mr. Trimble retorted that it always had been, to which other members replied that something should then bo done to remedy the trouble. Mr. White contended that a salary of £450, which was practically the most that any man in the profession could reach, was not sufficient to attract men who placed any value on their brains.

Speaking yesterday at the Education Board meeting in reference to raising the age up to which children should be compelled to attend technical continuation classes, Mr. P. J. White said he was of opinion that technical education had not yet reached that stage of efficiency necessary in order to compel children to attend classes up to 18 years of age. The chairman of the Board (Mr. Masters), in speaqing on the supject, said if the age were increased up to 18 the position would be very hard on the parents with two or three children between the ages of 15 and 18, if the latter were made the age for leaving school. The assistance of three children of those ages to a man on a farm might mean all tho difference between success and bankruptcy. In speaking of subjects which might be taught at continuation classes, when some remits for the education conference were under consideration at a meeting of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday, Mr. Trimble suggested that some young men ought to be taught business but amplified his suggestion with the remark that business management was not a subject that could be taught in schools, any more than farming could be taught in school. Continuing, Mr. Trimble said he thought for young men contemplating going into business, a course in somfe literary subjects would be highly beneficial. In this he was supported by the chairman (Mr Masters), and Mr. White, who regarded any subject that tended to broaden the outlook of young men as of distinct advantage m business relations. The Land Board yesterday in committee dealt with ten applications from discharged soldiers for assistance in acquiring various holdings of freehold and leasehold lands under the provisions of the Soldier Settlement Act of last session. This mode of settlement is becoming more popular with the returned men, as it enables ttiem to pick their future homes in their own particular district without the delay and uncertainty of the iballot system. In addition to financing the soldiers into possession up to a certain figure, the Land Board is empowered to recommend additional advances thereafter for clearing off existing mortgages on the land, acquiring stock, completing improvements, such as bush felling and grassing, fencing and any other improvements of a permanent character. If the soldier owns a section, provision is also made for advances up to £750 to enable him to build a house, and this concession is being availed of by men engaged in centres of population where employed. Mr. J. Kearns, J.P of South Kawhia, has been subjected to some annoyance over a young man who was in his employ in 1916, and who went away with the 21st Reinforcements." Though fighting in France on July 12th last, he was posted as a deserter by the Defence authorities, and Mr. Kearns was called on by thepolioe to give Knowledge of bis whereabouts. He placed the matter in the hands of Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., who has received a reply from the office of the Recruiting Board, Wellington, to the effect that the'posting of Joseph Burke, laborer, of Te Waitere, was a mistake. The Defence Department cannot understand why the local postmaster did not forward on the usual notice to the reservist care of Mr. Kearns, who employed him. This is the third case tho member has unravelled. One Private Read was found by a Board of Injuiry to be a deserter. It was afterwards proved that Read was in Wal-ton-on-Thames Hospital at the time-lance-Corporal Large, of Te Kuiti, was posted as a deserter, and at the time he. was wounded in France. Detained back military pay in both these cases was .allowed these soldiers.

Tliß improvements suggested some time ago in the equipment of the board room of the Taranaki Education Board, have been installed, and are much more in keeping with the dignity and requirements of the board than the old arrangements. The board table has been made in the horseshoe pattern not uncommon in the meeting chambers of public bodies, and provides accommodation sufficient for about nine members. A special table for the chairman has also beeri made, and placed at the opening of the shoreshoe. The tables contain a drawer for the use of each member. The feature of the new furnishings is that they are the product of the board's own workshops. The tables are of polished oak and are jointed together in such a way as they can ho easily taken apart and enlarged. The Work is of a high'olass order, and is a distinct credit to the -workshop. The new chairs, which are of the most modern type, were not made by the board's workshop. The new furnishings give the board room a much more august appearance, and Will greatly facilitate tfte work of members at fcoard meetings.

Meetings are heing held at Kltham and Stratford for the revival of the bands at these places.

"This Government is raising all the money for the war by means of loans, whereas it should he from current revenue. The Labor Party," said Mr. Hoi land, M.P., in an address at Palmewton North, "will Jay hands on the moneyed people of this country to obtain all that is wanted."

The quarterly meeting of the New Plymouth Troop of the Legion of Frontiersmen was held last night in the Foresters' Hall, Lieutenant Goldsworthy presiding over a good attendance of members. Visitors were present from the Awakino and Egmont troops. At tlie conclusion of the business, an hour or two was spent in social harmony. The heavy rains of late have effected severe damage to the Straiford Borough electrical works at the power-house on the Patea, a jscour out taking place on Tuesday morning early, as the result of which the generation of current suddenly ceased, and some days must elapse before repairs can be completed to allow of the resumption of the works. The eastern wing of the weir broke away, it is surmised, as the result of heavy timber being washed down in the flood, and the resultant scouring by the rushing waters made a serious breach- An immense amount of silt and debris is carried down the Patea at every flood, and the weir has always been a source of much anxiety and expense to the company and now to the council—Post.

Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P. for Tauinurunui, interviewed by the Auckland Star with reference to the recent New Plymouth by-election, said he had gleaned, in conversation with a number of farmers, that the change of opinion in the electorate was owing to the National Government not commandeering the whole of the products of the Dominion, and also of failing to deal drastically with the imports of articles used by farmers and the public generally. In Mr. Jennings' opinion, Mr- Smith, after gaining experience, will become a valuable public man and an asset to Parliament.

' In moving at. yesterday's meeting of the Education Board that a remit be forwarded to the coming conference asking that the salary and allowance of a teacher in a Grade 0 school be the same as that of a Gxade 1 school, the chairman (Mr. R. Masters) said the position at present was that with the capitation allowance of £8 per annum per head of average attendance the total salary payable was £O4. The board if it wished could call upon parents to make up the difference in salary or to provide board and lodging. He considered the position was penalising to tlhe back-blocks settlers. It happened that with all attendance of one more scholar, constituting a Grade 1 school, the salary payable was £i2o, with £2O horse allowance. .A building wa3 provided, costing about £240, • and attogether the capitation worked out at about £ls 14s 9d per head of average attendance. This was a distinct disadvantage to the Grade 0 schools, and it could not be expected that teachers would go back into those districts for £64 per annum. In Grade 2 the capitation was £8 10s Od, and in Grade 3 (in which the largest number of the Taranaki schools were) £lO 13s lOd. He considered an effort should be made to raise the salary and allowance paid to teachers in Grade 0 schools. Other members of the board supported the chairman and the remit was adopted. Alice Joyce has a difficult role to play In the Vitagraph drama, "The Woman Between Friends," and she makes a complete success of it. The play is' the film version of Robert W. Chambers' celebrated novel, "Between Friends." The climax is especially dramatic. This picture shows at Everybody's to-night and to-morrow, and it is supported by "The Shell Gamo," a Metro five-reed comedy-drama starring. Emmy Wehlen, and the twelfth episode of the "Mystery of the Double Cross."