LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tt is estimated that there were over TOO motor cars present at the Opunake iii'T* .vesterday. An Auckland press message states t'inr (lie shortage of coal, due to lack of trucks, has resulted in supplies for trie city rhvhical power station running loWer than desirable. In considering the report of the engineer at last night's meeting' of the Borough Council, the fact was mentioned that there had not been a burial at Te Ifemti cemetery during the month of February. As a matter of fact, there has not been a burial in the cemetery for seven weeks

The primary schools junior life-saving competition for (he Hughes eup took place at the municipal baths yesterday. The only entries were one team each from tlie Central and West End schools. Mr. N. A. Christiansen acted hs judge and gave the award to the Central team (13. Ainos ami R. Gibson), who secured 174} marks, the West End being given lCfl marks. The matter of the celebration of the anniversary oi' Ihe formation of the Province of Taranaki was discussed at last night's meeting of the Borough Council. The Mayor said he did not see why Taranaki should not celebrate its anniversary, the same as every other province did. He thought the day (March 21) had been observed only once or twice since he came to the district, Or. Collie said the day used to be observed when the races were held on that day, but since the races were altered and held in February, the holiday had fallen into disuse He thought it ought to be kept up. It was decided to approve of the day being kept as a public holiday. Regarding the prices of ail-wool cashlucre hose, the Melbourne, Ltd., have received further advices from Home to the effect that prices have considerably hardened since the armistice, and that no reductions, if aiiy, may be expected before autumn, 1919. The price of wool remains very firm and Wages have been further advanced.

In his address last night. Chancellor Bradford pleaded eloquently for high ideals and wide visions. He said no man over got tlie inspiration for buildmg an ocean-liner by looking at a street water-trough, hut hy taking in the expanse of the mighty ocean. And so in life a wide view was necessary to inspire to lofty ideals. The Raglan County Council had asked the Minister of Public Health to veto a big Maori gathering proposed to he held at Ngaruawahia next week. The council states that the gathering is undesirable in view of the possibility of a recrudescence of the influenza' epidemic. He had requested the Chief Health Officer to obtain an immediate report from the Health Officer at Auckland in connection with the proposal.

Mr. W. I. Raymond, chairman of the New Zealand War Contingent Association, London, in a cable received in Wellington, says:—"Eighty-four wives sailed by Athenio, many others following . Strongly advise steps being taken provide suitable temporary accommodation on arrival pending permanent arrangements by husbands. Suggest also similar action at other ports. Suggest confer with Minister of Defence."

In referring, in his address last night to the establishment of t'ie League oi Nations, Chancellor Bradford ?«id that the League would have to establish a mortal, and lie knew of no better place than New Zealand where such a capital should he set up. In all seriousness he proclaimed this view, and said men from eVory nation gathered here could deal with the trreat questions that would he (heir business, free from the intrigues of politicians and commercial men risht u"nr the heart of nature and near to this heart of God.

The first of a series of social dances in connection with the Waireka Sports Club took place last night in the 'Foresters' Hall, Gill Street. There was a large atteudance and the evening was spent in eards and dancing. Mrs Moverley's orchestra provided the music and Messrs A. Yardley and J. Cross acted a? M o,'«. The euchre prizes were won by Mrs Tmniah and Mrs Waters and Messrs Milman and H. Gaylard. An excellent supper was provided by the ladies.

if rumor tells true, it is quite on the cards that Wellington may witness an attempt by the people to cheek profiteering, particularly in the sale of local produce. A Dominion representative was on Tuesday informed that a number of persons (whose identity was not disclosed) were working towards the establishment of a consumers' league on American lines. The aim of the league would be to fix a reasonable price for commodities, enforcing its views by judicious application of its combined strength to the more flagrant offenders. In the initial stages the league would deal chiefly with the price of commodities produced in New Zealand, as, to judge what was a fair profit on local lines would generally be easier than to judtre what was a fair profit on imported lines. Nothing has yet beer, done in the way of securing members.

Frequent reference is made in English literature to the expression. "Dead Sea fruit," by which term is meant somefhinj barren, tasteless, worthless, unprofitable, or ungrateful. Tt may not be generally known that there actually is such as product as Dead Sea fruit.'and doubtless it is from that fruit which the saying is derived. A trooper -ritin.'r from Palestine says:—"Round the shores of the Dead Sea was to be found a fruit tree bearing a fruit called by us Dead Sea apples. It was a small fruit with a large stone inside, and the we sometimes Used to see the Turks gathering (hem. At last T understood the expression 'Dead Pen fruit.' meaning disappointing or not up to expectations. The anples were all stone. Another sort of 'Dead Sea fruit' was the bathing. True, one canot sink, but who wants to float. ■r. n brine-tub? It is too urn'' only bathed once in the Dead Sea. That was quite sufficient for me!"

Writing h'jiii Cologne to a relative on i-iis journal, y. -U ft. J, Andrew:;, wellknown in Jiltliaii!, niter relemug 10 his dreary surroundings consequent on being in .Hospital, stated t-iut when en i'uniu i'roin i-nmce to Uennany, after dropping down into tlie Valley of the .\u'us.j, uiey passed many Hun cfligiw strung ur, to lamp posts, cable wires, and the like. "ft seemed to us,'' lie states, '-very umusfng to see these straw men dressed in full Centum uniform, strung up by the neck and swaying in the bree/.e. I should like to see produced the picture of cur lads leaving Yerviers, 01 happy memory Almost every man carried a flag, banner or streamer. The Hags ticks were pushed d"\vn the barrels of rifles, in the hat bands, about the horses' harness —all bunded to our lads by the huge crowd that assembled for the send-off Bat ii was impossible to produce a photograph as tlie official New Zaalanl I'iiiurJ'.ajiher was somewhere else at tho time, I guess. Then inarching through ('ci":. r ii ■ was a wonderful scene, and while erotesing the wonderful Hohen-7'ilU-ni bridge, ever the Rhine, I thought how fine it would be if only one could get a postcard of the whole movement to pass down and abov.t—the conquerm' •"crops, eh, what! In the Wonderful "Pchlnssr." wlirre our Ist and 2nd battalions arc billeted, whoever would imagine the N. Zeddcs would reside there? Whoever thought the N.Z. flcg woirld fly from tin flagstaff of this huge building known as the palace? Pome day I mav strike a good photograph of this ■building showing our flag. Demobilisation is proceeding, my turn coming with a batch to leave next Sunday, but I miss this until T am well enough to return to the battalion."

THE PROHIBITION POLL. Yesterday's issue of the Dominion contains a long account of a remarkably successful gathering held under the auspices of the New Zealand Efficiency League at Wellington Town Hall on Sunday night The meeting was addressed by the Rev Father Cronin and by Mr. Charles Todd, a prominent Dunedin layman of the Roman Catholic Church. Extraordinary interest was evinced—in the Dominion's own words: "Long before the time for the meeting to commence the big hall was crowded in every part. The overflow was sent to the concert chamber, and still before tlie hour appointed for the meeting to commence the doors had to be locked. Numbers of people still sought admittance." Father Cronin quoted eminent Catholic dignitaries in favor of prohibition. Eighty-six per cent, of tlie population of Quebec was Roman Catholic, and prohibition was only carried in that Canadian province through the ell'orts of the Catholic clergy Indeed, thirteen out of fifteen Roman Catholic bishops there, including Cardinal Regit', of the diocese of Quebec, stand absolutely and wholeheartedly for complete prohibition. Father Cronin and Mr. Todd ate making a tour of New Zealand ill the interests of prohibition, ' J

We notice, s*y« the Manawatu Times, that clataoUr is being renewed for the Government control of the main arterial roads and bridges. There are those who profess to believe that a body of "experts" stationed in Wellington wilt give the eoantry better results in this respect tbjah can be given by local bodies' engineers. If they don't rally knoW better than that experience is of no use to them. We say that the Government will not attend to the main toads as well as the local bodies, and the cost will be greater. If a sample of Government road-making is required let those interested look up the statistics of the Wellington-Hutt speedway submitted to Parliament. Roads cost money, but they cost more money done by the State under "expert" supervision than by the local bodies under commonsense control with an eye on the ex. side of j.he ledger. Manawatu roads are not to be compared with Taranaki roads. That is because they have got more push and vigor and better grey matter under their skulls in the cow country' than we have here. But that is not an argument for the Government to intervene. It is an argument for the general electors to vote live men into local body control.

The Christchurch Press reports a drop in the price of the following New Zealand goods:—Tinned tongues, by from 2s to 3s Cd per dozen tins (2d to 3'/ 2 d per tin), locally-made candles by id per lb; extract of meat by 5s per dozen (Sd per packet). A reduction is expected (in June) in the price of baking powder. With respect to dried fruits the Press states:—"Up to the present there has been a good drying season in Mildura, and it is anticipated that there will be a record crop of currants As far as sultanas and lexins are concerned, these arc also looking well, and the quality this year should he good. Whether there will be a great quantity of fruit for export depends on the future weather conditions. The Mildura Fruitpacking Association, which controls the export of sultanas and currants, has advised that at present it cannot state what the prices will be this year, but it is prepared to book orders at an open quotation. Quotations have already bepn made for new season's Californian prunes, but, on account of the heavy stocks in dried fruits, buyers are holding off for the present." When we get towards the end of March it's time to think of winter coats. Have you made your choice yet, madam': We believe you will find the very pout yon arc seeking at Morcy's. Conic and see. Read Morey's advertisement in this paper. Throe small choice dairy farms arc advertised for sale by w! H. and A. McGarry, Eltham. See page one. One of the features of the Cafe Chantant last year was the delightful daiiciiig by Miss Edwards' little pupils from )!awera. The fact that they are to appear again at the Old Girls' Concert on March 27 and 28 will no doubt ensure a crowded house on both' nights.