LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Eltiiam- Borough Council has voted #IOO towards the celebration of peace.

According to a London cable the English estate of the Hon. Henry Miller, at one time 'Speaker of the New Zealand Legislative Council, ja assessed at £5227.

A London cable states that the remains of the late Sir John forest ro being conveyed to lYemantle on board iliii City of Roona, which sailed froia London on March 2S.

The disestablishment of the District High School at Hawera, and the establishment of a Technical High School are notified by the Minister for Education, the Hon- J. A Hanan, in last week's gazette.

Drilling operations were resumed last week at the Blenheim Company's bore ; and the depth has now been reached a mile or i>2SO feet. The country ■being passed through is sandstone, strongly permeated with gas, and the indications are regarded as favorable.

In his address on Saturday afternoon at the Empire Theatre, <Mr W. D. Powdrell, in referring to brewers' profit, said tlicv were not spent in the development of the country or in the establishment of new industries, but in increasing the weapon for knocking down humanity.

The fine weather of yesterday afternoon tempted a large number of people to Pukekura Park to hear the recital given by the Citizens' Band. It was estimated the attendance was a record one. The items played by the band were mostly request numbers, and were greatly appreciated. The collection was in the vicinity of £l3.

At Christehurch, on Friday, the HonG. W Russell gave figures regarding the alleged influx of Asiatics to the Dominion. These show that for the period covering the yeais 1915 to 1918 and the first two months of 1919 the arrivals exceeded the departures as follows:—Hindus, 2-22; Chinese, 242; Japanese, 55.

In speaking of the compensation of the liquor trade in the event of prohibition being carried, in the course of his addreas on Saturday afternoon, Mr A. Hawker said we should pay the brewers out and be done with the thing. He continued: "We should have paid out the big land-owners in the same way long ago, and we would have made a lot of money that had gone to private individuals" The members of the Hawera. branch of the business men's National Efficiency League, including Messrs Powdrell, the chairman, and Mr 0. Hawken with Mt A- H. Johnstone, chairman of the New Plymouth • branch of the league, will Visit Inglswood on Thursday evening and address the people on the question of the hour —tbe prohibition of the liquor trade- The Mayor of Inglewood will preside and a good meeting is expected to hear these gentlemen who have been holding very successful meetings in other parts of Taranaki. At a public meeting at Eltham on Wednesday the following resolution was carried:—"That in the opinion of this meeting it is highly desirable that a permanent memorial should be established in Eltham to celebrate tha glorious victory of the British and Allied arms, this memorial to fittingly record the great part played by New Zealand soldiers in the titanie conflict so happily terminated." Mr. Wilkinson pointed out that the Education Reserve was available. The tenant was prepared to sell his interest in the property, and he felt convinced that if they did not take this opportunity they would bo making a big mistake. If they bought out the tenant's interest he was sure the Government would be prepared to sell its interest in the property at a reasonable price. At the dairymen's meeting on Thursday the chairman (Mr A. Morton) referred to the forthoming visit to Taranaki of the Parliamentary committee, reminding those present that suggestions or evidence concerning the dairying iiidutsry would be welcomed by the commission. One thing would most certainly have to be placed before them, and that was the great inconvenience caused nVanyi cheese factories by shortage of cheese crates, due to the fact that the Railway Department was unable to supply sufficient trucks for the transport of the crate 3. Among other matters which it was considered might be placed on the export of hides and the minimum interest placed on home property Mr Powdrell also deprecated the action of the Government in interfering with the industry by flying the nriee of their produce. A committeo comprising Messrs A Morton, W Powdrell, and J. B. Murdoch were appointed to give evidence before the commission. It was pointed out that this in. no wav prevented any other factory or private individual also giving evidence —Argus-

In an interesting letter to his mother (Mrs. E. F. Spray, Midhirst), Private Alf. Kivell states that before leaving Cologne Norman Corkil] and himself went deershooting in a neighboring park, and got a deer. Whilst they were dragging it home some Germans met them, and, getting a horse, dragged it up to their barracks, where the New Zealanders skinned and dressed it. The hide is being preserved, and the boys are bringing it home with them. Private Kivell is now in England convalescing. In a previous letter lie says that in Germany the people are pretty quiet, all the sting being out of them. It was noticeable in a visit to the Cologne Cathedral that the Huns had shifted a lot of the most interesting sights 011 account of air raids. It surprised him to notice the number of Germans that could speak English—almost every other one that was met. Regarding the Lea Qucsnoy action the writer says that one section lost seventeen killed or died from the effects of bging gassed. Fritz used a new sort of gas winch one could not smell; the writer could not speak for a week after it.

THE PROHIBITION POLL. World-wide experience shows that increased national prosperity haa followed wherever Prohibition is in operation. In considering the whole question of Prohibition, the National Efficiency Board gave special attention to this matter, and its report pointed out that "the diversion to more productive trade channels of the money now spent in liquor will more than counteract the loss of revenue received from this service." This sentence from a report by an impartial body of business men is the best answer to the question of revenue. The figures presented by the Efficiency League clearly show that when New Zealand votes Prohibition we can look forward not only to increased national prosperity, but also to a much greater revenue than we now secure from the liquor traffic. Strike out the top line on Thursday, A pril 10. £4

Mr, G. V. Pearce, M.P., denies that he has acquired 4000 acrea of first-class land. He says, in reply to Mr. Powdrell: "I have not acquired half that area, and a portion of what I have acquired is useless sandhills."

"The names of many of the members of the new Progressive Party have been mentioned to me," said the Hon. D, Mac Donald at Christcliurch on Friday, "and some of these gentlemen will have to turn double somersaults to convince the people of the country that the views they are expounding to-day coincide with their political opinions of a few years ago. lam of opinion that it is not the future welfare of the country that is causing these gentlemen great anxiety at th« moment, hut rather their own future political welfare"

A conference of station holders of the high country was held at Christcliurch on Friday to discuss taking necessary steps to destroy keas. The speakers agreed that the ravages of the birds were becoming increasingly serious. Instances were given where sheep had been killed at even 700 ft. abov sea-level, ami it was feared that the birds might take possession of (lie whole country. The meeting resolved to ask the Government to declare keas nc ; ous birds, and give a grant of 5s per head for killing them; also that it should be compulsory for county councils to employ men to kill the birds.

In speaking at the Empire Theatre on Saturday afternoon, Mr W. D. Powdrell, in referring to the State control aspect of the liquor question, said the trade was now the most regulated and restricted business in the country—it wa<s controlled by an Act of Parliament with 600 clauses, and in quoting records of the increases of convictions for drunkenness, said that it eeeined to him that every addition of clauses to the Licensing Act made for more Convictions for drunkenness. He had come to the conclusion that the trade could not be controlled.

A somewlmt serious accident occurred at the breakwater about seven o'clock last evening, to a man who recently came from Australia to join the crew of the barquentine Thrasher. It appears that lie was either going on board or leaving the vessel, and by some means or other missed his footing and fell Into the sea. In doing so he must have come in contact with some of the structure of the wharf or vessel. He was pot out of the water <hy some of those belonging to the vessel' and Dr. Blackley was summoned. On examination it was found that he had sustained a fractwo of the base of the skull and some liroken ribs, and his condition was considered serious The doctor ordered hi 3 removal to the hospital Speaking at the dairy companies' meeting at Hawera on Thursday, Mr Powdrell remarked that a lot of factories appeared to be afraid of paying a levy of Is per ton on cheese to get information on the spot regarding the dry milk, sugar of milk industries, etc. They would rather pay 1 per cent royalty, or£l 2s fld a ton for years, than look around to see if there was not another way open to them. It reminded him of the idea of a lot of old people, | that you must not go into the water until you can ewim. So long as they had men of that description in their factories so long would they have stagnation. Mr Williams (Meremere) regretted tiie parochialism that was apparently restraining a lot of factories from joining in with Is levy to send delegates away. They ware like the fisherman who was anxious to land a big fish, but begrudged the worm that lie had to put on the hook to do it with. Tt is quite evident that many years will lapse before Taranaki will benefit by the advantages of a Government hvdro-electric scheme- With the object of ascertaining when the Government undertakings are likely to be able to supply Taranaki with electric power' the Hon. W. Carncross. M-L.C., communicated with the Minister of Public Works (Hon W. Fraser), from whom he has now received the following reply:— 'I cannot possibly tell you when' the Government scheme will extend its advantages to Taranaki, as it will depend upon how long the Mangahao and Arapuni schemes take to construct. These two, however, T fear, must be linked together before power can be sent on to Taranaki." As the above undoubtedly indicates what reply the Minister will give to the deputation to wait upon him at Stratford, it is quite evident that this ''""trict must look elsewhere for power. There ia now no reason for delay.— Argus. John Gillespie, Normanby Town Board foreman, was badly crushed by a fall of earth at the electric light powerhouse on Saturday morning. He was taken to Hawera Hospital. A painful accident occurred to the Rev. X S Barnett on Wednesday, the Patea Press reports. It appears that Mr Barnett stooped down to remove a bot fly that was annoying his horse, when the animal lashed out, kicking Mr Barnett on the temple. Medical aid was summoned, and it was found necessary to insert several stitches in the wound. Mr Barnett is progressing as well as can be expected. At the mart, New Plymouth, on April 5, Mr Newton King will offer by public auction a property of 80 aores, situated at Koru, which should be well worth the inspection of young farmers with small capital. The property is offered for sale by the trustees of the late Samuel Julian, and they are anxious to effect a sale.