LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The special order merging the Parihaka Road District into the county was passed at the meeting of the Egmont Comity Council yesterday. In reply to a cable from the Egmont County Council, Dr. Barrow lias cabled from London stating that he will arrive iu Opunake about the end of April. The southern express arrived in Auckland three hours late yesterday morning, owing lo the derailment of some trucks at Longburn.

The Marine Department advise that arrangement* have been made to dispatch ;• vessel to search for the missing schooner Awanui,

At l he Magistrate's Court yesterday a toiid agent's license was granted to Mc.--rs (.iilmour and Clarke, New Plyniouth

The Kew Plymouth grocers have voluntarily agreed to close their businesses at 5.30 us from March 31, thus coming into line with other portions of the TarariaKi industrial district.

Frank Morton, writing to the Auck-!-"i>! Herald from Australia, says there 's ■ o much dissatisfaction with the exist■ng Commonwealth Government and politicians that a return of the Labor party to power is inevitable. He views the outlook with misgiving. Copy of letter forwarded by Rahotu Native to Public Trust Agent, Hawera, in connection with some money due to him from the Egmont County Council: "Having the greatest opportunity in asking you to get my money, £2O, from the Egmont County Council, and then will you kindly send it along to me."

"Can nothing be done to stop the Government from spreading noxious weeds from their lands? They are appointing noxious weeds inspectors to worry'their neighbors and are the greatest sinners themselves. It was scandalous the way the weeds were spreading from lands purchased by the Government, notably at Parihaka," said a member of the Egmont County pnineil yesterday. It was resolved to forward a strong resolution on the subject to the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

Speaking at a meeting of the Egmont < Comity Council on Tuesday the chairman, Cr. W. R. Wright, stated he had had an interview with Messrs Parry and Kissel], Government electrical engineers, who informed him that in view of the ! probability that Opunake would be linked up with the national hydroelectric scheme, the Town Board would he well advised to instal a Diesel plant and not wait for water-power. A Diesel plant would be much more economical.

At a recent meeting, the New Plymouth Women's Patriotic Committee decided to allocate its funds as follows: New Plymouth Soldiers' Club, £SO; Salvation Army Institute, Kotorua, £SO; Y.M.C.A. (for use in connection with recreation huts being built for soldiers in King George's Hospital, Rotorua), £25; Crippled Soldiers' Hostel, Wellington, £25; Cambridge Sanatorium (for use in providing competition prizes and presents for the soldiers), £lO. The sum of £250 has already been forwarded to Sir Arthur Pearson for the Blinded Soldiers and Sailors' Fund. A balance of something under £IOO has been retained by the committee to enable them to continue packing goods for the soldiers in the convalescent homes. Speaking at Waverlcy on Friday, Mr. W. J. Poison said the only remedy against Bolshevism in New Zealand was to cut up the country into small holdings, so that any man who wished could get a piece of land. That was the secret of the prosperity of France, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. With a satisfied peasantry population there would be no danger of Bolshevism or the I.W.W. creeping in. New Zealand was already faced with a danger, although it was not as serious as in Queensland. The Government would have to be properly seized of the importance of closer settlement instead of playing at it as in the past. Mr. T. A. Cooper said that Mr. Poison's previous remarks had caused great interest at Palmerston North, at the by-election, Queensland was held up as a paragon of excellence by speakers like Messrs Holland and Fraser. It should be a warning to fanners to combine for their own interests. He went on to refer to the serious position that was likely to be created for the dairy farmers by the unlimited export of kahikatea timber from the Dominion. Other menaces were the shipping combine and the meat trust.

At the meeting of the Egmont County Council on Tuesday, Cr. O'Brien took exception to members of the council going away as delegates without being properly authorised. There was too much going on joy rides and charging the cost of the motor cars to the council. He moved that in future no delegation leave the council without having the authority of the council to do so. The chairman said he would like to hear of some specific instance, as he knew of none and did not want a false impression to go before ratepayers. Cr. O'Brien replied that the week before last councillors had gone round inspecting roads. The chairman said the committee had been regularly appointed. Cr. O'Brien considered it was highly improper that they should have gone round at the cost of the ratepayers. They had no scientific knowledge of road-making and should have sent the engineer. In other matters, too, the council was endeavoring to change the policy of the Government and also turned itself into a "supreme war council," and, on the impulse of the moment, passed a resolution that made it the laughing stock of the county. The chairman said that from an efficiency point of view it was right that the committee should go round and get the information to assist it in preparing its report. The engineer went also, and the expense was no greater than if the engineer had gone by himself. It was good business" for the ratepayers, in view of the proposal to raise a loan, that all the information should be obtained. Cr. Sinclair, as one of the committee, said that when he moved the resolution appointing the committee he intended the committee to be given the necessary power. Cr. O'Brien said the committee had exceeded its authority. Cr. Campbell, in seconding the motion, said he objected to the principle. The motion was lost, another by Crs. Green and Sinclair, giving the committee power to incur necessary expense in obtaining information, was carired.

■Stiff prices are going to prevail for ladies' and men's trench coats and raincoats for the incoming season. Wholesalers prices are practically prohibitive. The Melbourne, Ltd., however, are in a splendid position with regard to these goods, their managing director in London having- bought largely several months ago at favorable prices. The firm's prices are actually lesa than , wholesale.

Lieut.-General Motiash, Director of Demobilisation, states that tlie granting of free passages to wives ia causing a rapid increase in the number of marriages of soldiers (says a Loudon cable message to the Australian papers of February 11). The total now exceeds 10,000. Transport is becoming a problem, and efforts are being made to secure additional ships. The slowness of the trains (other than the mail trains) in Taranaki is proverbial, but the services north of Auckland take a lot. of beating. One train from Helensville to Auckland averages !."> miles an hour, whilst another maintains the traditions of the line by attaining the remarkable speed of 12 miles an hour. And we are living in the year 1919! A frequent saying of Mr K. Semple is (hat if Christ had been in New Zealand during the war lie would have been "gaoled" as a ''pacifist" or an "Hiitimilitarist." He repeated his opinion as a member of a Labor deputation to Sir James Allen. "If Christ had b"en on earth, Ue might have prevented Ih» war," replied the Defence Minister, lie added that the teachings of Christ had not prevailed with the Germans, and therefore it had been necessary for other nations to act in self-defenCp agaiii.H aggression.

Says the Auckland Herald: —'•'! i. ■ ■ is a place in the Dominion for a Minister who will, grapple energetically with the problems of n.\-e>;, -tructioii, repatriation, land settlerncnr, and immigration, and who will lead Cabinet to the consideration of railway and road construction and the scientific development of the country's natural resources. Sir Joseph Ward need not lack for work. If he is not required in Paris he will find plenty of urgent business in New Zealand to en.jge his attention till Parliament meets.

Early dippi, ■ at Ocean Beach one morning witnessed an nn.usual spectacle in these part , say i«■ Bluff Press. Thousands ;,■ ' linniii..:. ni' thousands of mutton-bir.' . were engaged in a raid on a shoal of sardines or some other small fish that were close inshore. The birds moved over their prey with the density of bees that are swarming, and literally fought with each other for possession of the surface of ihe water. After gorging themselves for upwards of an hour or so. a leader flew seawards, followed by a procession so regular and symmetrical that it must have extended itself into a line thirty or forty miles long by the time the last bird ieft the shore.

At the meeting of the Fitzroy School Committee oh Monday evening the question of enlarging the school grounds was again discussed, and a sub-committee appointed to present a report on the matter. The headmaster's report alluded to the benefit of the extra room recently provided, but expressed a desire to have a communicating door so as to sav& much valuable time. He also submitted a list of suggestions for improving the grounds, and installing gymnastic apparatus. A committee was appointed to consider and report on the proposals. The average attendance was reported as •211. out of a roll of 2-24. It was stated in a Cbristchurch telegram recently that Mrs. Zillah Fairhurst, relict of Mr. Thomas Fairliurst, had left £IOOO to the Cbristchurch Hospital. Her lawyers (Messrs Innes and Uncley, of Pulmerston North) now announce that the deceased had made Hie following additional legacies: £IOOO to Dr. Barnardo's Homes, £SOO to Palmerston North Hospital, £-200 to the Weslejan Church (Christehurch), and £SOO to the Methodist Orphanage (Papanui). Mr. and Mrs. Fairhurst were well known in the Palmerston North district. For some years Mr. Fairhurst had the lease of the refreshment rooms on the Palmerston railway station, and also leased the dining-car on the Wellington-Manawatu portion of the line. Pie subsequently went to Ohristehurch and took over the lease of the dining-cars on the Christ-ehurch-Dunedm railway, which he carried on until the Railway Department assumed control.

. Few people think that the British designer of motor-cycles sets the fashion where main principles, and indeed where most of the details of their construction, are in question. American machines display an originality of their own, but for the rest the policy is for the most part one of imitation, usually of the British model. As one of the earliest and consistently the largest productive centres, Britain can claim to be the leader in this important •industry, and indeed until some few years back', when the United States came into the field as a competitor, England had the market, practically speaking, to itself. Since ,1014 English motor-cycle firms, both large and small, have had to relinquish their plans for the development of motor-cycle design, and turn their plants over to munitions and other war work. In the meantime they have lost their oversea export trade, to the benefit of American manufacturers, so it goes without saying that the British makers will be keen on regaining the Australasian trade, and it should not be long before English post-war models, embodying the latest constructive ideas, are on the market.

There is considerable diversity of opinion amongst civil engineers as to the most suitable material for permanent road construction—concrete or tar macadam. The Auckland City Council lias definitely pinned its faith to concrete roads for city traffic, and has decided to go in for the best concrete roads it is possible for it to get. The City Council, however, is fortunate in being able to procure excellent materials for its purpose close to hand. Gravel concrete has been put to one side, and broken metal, broken metal screenings, and sharp washed sand are the materials used. These are laid to a thickness of eight inches, and not carpeted at present with tar. Some lengths of road have been down in these materials for nearly twelve months, and so far show practically no signs of wear. It is not intended to carpet them with tar until it becomes necessary, as it was desired to save this cost as long as possible. Where grave! concrete has been used it has been found necessary to lay the carpet of tar after a comparatively short time. The cost works out at about 12s per square yard. The proportions used are one part cement, two parts fine aggregate, and three and a half parts coarse aggregate. Ask distinctly for SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT, or else you may receive one of the manv substinv™ The GEJ TOINE SANDER LXTRACT cures colds, fevers, indigestion; prevents infectious diseases and heals ulcers, poisoned wounds, skin diseases, burns, sprains, etc. It is much more powerfully antiseptic than the common eucalyptus and does not depress or irritate like the latter. LADIES, "CLINCHER, TYRES'* us used in the GREAT WAR are sold by /ill Uycle Dealers and are guaranteed six, sine, twelve and fifteen month* J8