LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The gardens at Brooklands and Maramii will be open to the public to-morrow (Sunday) afternoon. The Hon. A. M. Myers states that the ten million loan will probably be floated in March or April. Interest will be at 4i per cent., free of income tax.—Press Association.

Twenty Boy Scouts of the New Plymouth and St. Mary's troops are leaving on Boxing Day to undertake a trek (on foot) to Uruti and back. Commissioner F. W. Sandford will be in charge of the party, which will be away about a week.

The Gazette notifies that consent has 'been given by the Governor-General in Council to tho raising of tlie following loans by local authorities: Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, £20,000; Stratford Borough Council, £7000; Eltham Borough Council, £IO,OOO. The following items will be inciudad m the Citizens' Band's programme tomorrow afternoon, at Pukekura Park: March, "The Contemptibles" (Leo Stanley) i cornet solo, "Coming Home" (arranged by F. W. G. McLeod); hallelujah chorus, "Hark, The Merry Christmas Bells"; "Gems 'of Scotia"; march song, "Over There" (arranged by F. W. G. McLeod), and others. Collection in aid of band fund.

The New Plymouth tramways summer time-table comes into operation to-day. It provides for a 20-minute service during the morning, a 15-minute service right through the afternoon, and a 20miuute service again late in the evening. On the Morley-liliot Street run a lot of what, from experience, is known to be idle mileage is being cut out and the cars on this section of the route are to be rim to suit the traffic as it has been found to exist.

When the matter of the lighting of tlie wharf was under discussion at the Harbor Board meeting yesterday it was mentioned that special arrangements had been made for better lighting in connection with the handling of the Port Alma on her recent visit, When the vessel arrived, however, and Captain O'Shea saw the ordinary lighting ar--rangements at tlie wharf, he said it was all that he desired, and the extra lighting was therefore not required.

The directors of the New Zealand Fruit Growers' Federation offered prizes for the best three essays written by pupils in standards 5 and 6 in each of the nine education districts of the Dominion, based on information supplied in part 3 of the July, August and September issues of The School Journal. The following are the awards in order of merit in the Taranaki education district: Violet Ludwig (Tatu), Minnie Ansford (Korito), Rose Evans (Matau). — -Press Association.

Garden Hose that lasts for years—that does not burst, crack or kink. Ask for NORTH BRITISH RUBBER COMPANY'S GARDEN HOSE,- Ml hardware shops sell iW *

Private William Watt, who was killed in action on October 24, left the residue of his eatate, 'amounting to between £3OO and £4OO, to the Asliburton County War Relief Fund. Prior to enlisting he was an employee on the Longbeach Estate.

At 'Opunake on the 19th instant, before Mr A. Crooke, C.M-, the District Inspector of Factories proceeded against Messrs Liiul and Newell, of Avatuna, for failing to keep their wages and timo book as required by the .Factories Ac* Amendment Act 1910. It wa.s pointed out that this book is required to be Kept in accordance with the regulations under the Act, or else it would not bo possible to adjust differences arising between employer and employee. The court took into consideration that this was the first offence charged against defendants, and imposed a fine o£ £l, and costs.

At the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday l)oris Helen M'Cullough, who was remanded from New Plymouth on Monday, admitted the theft of a silk costume valued at £ls, the property of Mrs. Robert Hannah. Inspector Marsack explained that the accused was in the service of Mrs. Hannah for a short while, and when she left she took the costume. In a letter to his Worship the accused stated that her girl friends were all well dressed, and as she had no money with which ',to buy fine clothes she took the costdme. She further explained that she was married, and a maintenance order against her husband had not been complied with. She would take steps to recover money from her husband to pay Mrs. Hannah for the costume. On condition that she remained at the Salvation Army home for a period of twelve months, and took steps to recover moneys due from her husband, his Worship recorded a conviction and ordered her to come up for sentence when called upon.

A communication was received by the Taranaki executive of the Farmers' Union from Dr. Reakes, Director of the Agricultural Department, acknowledging the executive's resolution l of November IS re noxious weeds. In the course of Iris reply he said that the necessity for improvement in the existing Act was recognised, and further, he was clearly of opinion that the whole matter of dealing with noxious weeds to the best advantage required to be thoroughly reviewed and considered from every point of view. Mr. Buckeridge mentioned that Mr. Deem, Fields Supervisor in Wanganui, had discussed, the matter with him, and it appeared that the Department had not had time to draft adequate amendments to the existing Act in time to be dealt with in the Recent Parliament. The Department now proposed to frame a new Act immediately, and would subwit a draft to the executive for the noli of its members before it was pai, before Parliament. A meeting of the New. Plymouth Efficiency Board Trustees was held yesterday morning. - Present: Messrs. T. Furlong (chairman), E. Whittle and F. J. Hill (secretary). A considerable amount of correspondeace was received from Messrs. W. L.,?Ferguson and T. Moss, of the Efficiency Board, dealing with many matters that had bean submitted by the local trustees; Altogether some 24 cases were considered at the meeting, Several were for financial assistance for soldiers and their dependents, and all were dealt with satisfactorily. Others had reference to repatriation for special purposes, and these will be submitted to the proper authorities, with recommendations, as the Government has asked to be advised in respect to various applications, and local knowledge would be of great assistance.. A request was received for permission to establish a new business vr New Plymouth. The applicant pointed.out thkt no similar liusine?B had been .closed on account of the demands of the Military Service Act, so that there would be no competition with any absent soldief. The trustees decided to make a favorable recommendation. Correspondence was also considered dealing with the position of a local wholesale "business which had suffered through the staff being depleted by callg for military 'service, and also by the recent epidemic.

The Tarariaki Hospital Board has received a very appreciative letter from the medical superintendent of the Auckland Hospital (Dv. C.. McGuire), ill recognition of the services rendered Uy the "nurses who went from New Plymouth to ■the assistance of the Auckland Hospital. After expressing sympathy with the local institution in connection with the death of Nurse Waits, Dr. McGuire says: "We are infinitely obliged to. your board for sending a sister and four nurses to Auckland to help in'our hour of trial. They acquitted themselves marvellously, and we appreciated their services. Yours was the only hospital that came to our assistance, and we shall never forget it. : We regret that your district has aiso suffered grievously through this terrible epidemic, and trust it is now abated." Continuing, the doctor said that out of a staff of 180 nurses in tlieir hospital 109 were attacked, at the time of writing 50 were still off. duty.. There had been over 800 admissions to the hospital and 187 deaths,: . , . "It has 'been a terrible time, and .we. trust that none of U3 will have to go through such a trying ordeal again." Santa Clans ij coming to The Big Store, Waitarav on' Christmas eve. lis wants all the kiddies to come (from 2.30 to 4, and 7.30 to 9) and tell him what to put in their stockings. Como and

shako hands with old Sania CJaus for luck.

Special Christmas services will be held at Whiteley Church to-morrow morning and evening. Choruses from "The Messiah" will be sung by the choir. Solos will be sung by Miss Young, Miss Ethel Duff, Rev. N, H. Fapakakura and Mr. R. L. Cooper. The preacher will be the Rev. W. 4- Sinclair.—Advt. "Wanted—A Mother," is a World picture, which gives little Madge Evans an opportunity to bo even more charming than ever. She goe3 through some're&lly adventures before she finds the required article. Tho first screening of tlm delightful picture takes place at Everybody's matinee this afternoon. The Salvation Arnjy Band will be carolling this year, and Commandant Rowlands would like the public to treat them well as the band is buying some new instruments. This year they hope to have much stronger band numerically, as they expect some of the bandsmen who have gone to the front will be returning. Donations will be thankfully received by Commandant Rowlands. The attraction for the Empire matinee this afternoon " will be "A Modern Lorelei," with a gooi.array of supporting pictures. The swno picture will b<e screened - again- io-iiight for the last time. On Monday and Tuesday "Babbling Tongues," described as tho sensation of 1018, will ba presented at the Empire. For mutual comfort and in order to relieve the Christmas rush, the manage : ment of The Melbourne, Ltd., respectfully requests the public to purchase their > iiday requirements at once.

'3STAZOL" for Influenza «nd Catarrh.

It is stated that the cost of fighting the influenza in Masterton end the surrounding district will be over £ISOO.

The Auckland City Council filled two vacancies on that body by the appoint* ment of Mr G. W. Murray and Mrs Emily Herbert Maguirc. This is believed to be the first time that a local body hai taken advantage of the alteration of the law last sesion, by which a local body may fill extraordinary vacancies.

Stair changes in the Taranaki group (No. 8) are announced as follows; Ser-geant-Instructor F. Crompton, New I'iymouth, arid Staff-Sergeant B. E. Storr, temporarily stationed at Hawera, have been granted their discharges. Stalf- ! Sergeant A. H. Gray, Palmerstou North, has been transferred to Hawera.

Inglewood evidently owns something of a rarity in the person of the land" lord of the Inglewood Hotel, lie having in court yesterday apparently .astonished the magistrate by frankly owning up to a breach of the law. He was complimented by the magistrate for his candour, and received a practical "let off" bv a fine of only twenty shillings.— Record. V..

J }l e Jaranaki- Wanganui Synod of the Methodist Church, sitting at Stratford, affirmed as fundamental the principle of religious education, and expressed regret that the educational authorities have not been able to make a satisfactory endorsement of the principle in connection with national education, and that Until a satisfactory settlement of this matter* has been reached the policy of denominational education be endorsed.—Post.

' It was stated in evidence at tho Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, during the hearing of a case of theftj that several thousand cases of' butter were shipped by the Kemuera. The butter was placed in railway pox wagons at-the cool chamber, wliero it was tallied, and a further tally waa taken when it was being shipped. The tally taken at the cool stores and the ship did not agree, and it was found that 45 boxes of 'butter had baeu stolen between the two places. At a meeting of the executive of the Taranalu Farmers' Union on Thursday Allowing resolution was carried: 'That this executive desires to place on record its very great appreciation of the splendid services rendered by doctors, regular staff at the various hospitals', volunteer nurses, and volunteer workers generally, throughout the country during the recent epidemic, and extend their sympathy to those who have given their lives in the cause of their fellow countrymen in this grea,t . affliction," . A proposal that, in, the interest of the health of the community,'the craves of all influenza victims should-be "scaled for s,ll time has been placed before the Minister for Public Health. The point raised concerns those applications which may be made iii the future for relatives now living to be buried in the same graves as those who died' from tlia epidemic, Reasons why the graves should be sealed have been advanced. 1 The Minister has promised to give the proposal careful consideration'. '

Australian jewellery in reported by the Ch'istchurch Sun to Juivo made ft strong and successful bid for favOr in. New Zealand. Since the war, it is stated, English firms have been* practically prohibited from manufacturing articles of gold, and exports of them" havo become practically non-existence. Stocks of them in Australia rose from 50 to 250 per cent., but the Australian manufactures have been largely drawn upon to meet tlie current deinund, and that at hardly any increase of price on pre-war ratfes. Stocks of watches are reported to be very low in Nov? Zealand, and prices about 100 per c&at up on SVSMf rates. . ,