LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Yesterday the Mayoress (Mrs. C. H. Burgess) took about a dozen convalescent soldiers to the mountain house, where lunch was given and a very pleasant day spent. The Rev. J. Napier Milne, superintendent of the New Plymouth Methodist Circuit, commenced his ministry in Whiteley Church yesterday, preaching to good congregations at both services. A public welcome will be accorded Mr. Milne on Tuesday evening. A London message states that thieves ransacked Sir J. Ward's attache case on board the Channel steamer from Boulogne to Folkestone. The documents were not disturbed, and only a goldmounted fountain pen is missing.

"Taranaki is probably the richest endowed part of New Zealand—perhaps of the world" —thus a member of the Parliamentary Industries Committee now in New Plymouth. He was greatly impressed with the richness of the land, the small areas, the good roads, and the general aif of prosperity, also with the progressive spirit of its people.

At a meeting of farmers held subsequent to the meeting of shareholders of the Farmers' Meat Freezing Works a resolution was passed, on the motion of Mr. D. J. Hughes, seconded by Mr. W. R. Wright, pointing l out to the Acting Primje Minister the urgent necessity of more insulated ships being sent to New Zealand to carry frozen meat to the Home market.

The Hon. 0. Samuel, who has always taken a very practical interest in cricket in New Plymouth, has written to Messrs Whittle and WilUs, forwarding a subscription towards the cost of a new ground. He says:—"l enclose my cheque for five guineas in aid of the effort to revive cricket—a clean and healthy sport, good for mind and body, wishing you success."

The Tarurutangi Dairy Company has been advised by the dairy produce grader that their factory occupied first position on the list of grades for the year ending March 31, ,1919. The letter adds that [the number of factories exporting cream butter through this port is twenty-five, and congratulates the factory on the position it attained. Mr. Street, the manager, has been in charge at the factory for the past eight years.

1 In the course of his remarks at the meeting of shareholders of the Farmers' Meat Freezing Works, one of the speakers said that, if proof were wanted as to the necessity for the establishment of these works in Taranaki, it would be forthcoming in the fact that but for tXe existence of the works there would be about 80,000 fat sheep and lambs and about 7,000 head of cattle on the farms in the district at the present moment, with no hope of getting them slaughtered before the winter.

A meeting of the Western Park Board was held on Friday evening. Some accounts were passed for payment, after which the members reviewed the work done during the last six months, and were satisfied with results. It was agreed to take away the iron fence in Morley Street, and replace it with a live hedge and boulder stone fence near the entrance. The works committee were also supported in their plan of constructing a flower border at the entrance at Outfield Road, and keepiim the macrocarpa waste wood for the bon°fire at the peace celebrations.

The members of the New' Plvmouth ; Citizens' Band played a programme of selections at the New Plymouth Public Hospital yesterday afternoon. The fine weather tempted people out, and the hospital staff considered the crowd the largest ever seen in the grounds of the institution. The band played in each of the courts between the wards, the programme lasting about an hour and a half. The items were principally request numbers. At the conclusion, the matron, on behalf of the staff and thanked the band, and expressed preciation of the service rendered, and hoped, if possible, more frequent visits would be made.

All roads will lead to the Kawarpa Park Picnic on Easter Monday— a day's outing for young and old. The children's races will start at 11 a.m., to be followed in the afternoon bv other events of a spectacular nature. Keep this day in your mind and don't forget to be at the Kawaroa Park Picnic on Eastei Monday.

Members of the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth (SecondGroup) are notified that subscriptions will be due and payable on Monday' April 14, at the Secretary's Office, Currie Street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. «ad 7 pm to 8 p.m.— Advt

Mr. J. Thomson, w]ip has recently been appointed a 9 Native Land Purchase Officer, is at present in town interviewing the local natives regarding the Government, purchasing their interests, so that the present lessees, who are holding perpetual leases, and in some cases only leases for ten years, under the West Coast Settlement Reserves Acts, may be able to purchase the freehold.

Before the war Germany had almost a world-monopoly for fancy leather goods, such as handbags and purses, and no fewer than 30,000 workers were employed in this industry, which had a yearly turnover of some five millions sterling. It is good to learn now that in Sheffield and Birmingham great preparations are being made, to meet the requirements in the demand for leather-made goods. Manufacturers here are seizing to the full the opportunity given them by the war to secure the trade. But German factories, too, are ready to start again, and while British workers'are looking to the future with confidence, they feel strongly the necessity of restricting competing imports. The Board of Trade is shortly holding an exhibition of light leather goods. As further the decline in freights by Japanese' steamers, the ''Japan Chronicle" of February 1 states that "it came as a great surprise that a vessel of 9,000 tons, which would have fetched ii 14s last summer, when the charter market was at the zenith of its prosperity, was chartered at the rate of £ 1 14s. It now appears that arrangements have been made for a new steamer of 9,000 tons to be chartered to the Osaka Shosen Kaisha at the same rate for the February delivery to be employed on the North American service for one round voyage. Seeing that there is no immediate prospect of improvement in the general situation in shipping circles, it is anticipated in some quarters that charter rates will witness a further decline.

The annual meetings of householders I in the various school districts in Tara- { naki are to be held to-night for the purpo3e of electing school committees for the ensuing year. In the schools of the New Plymouth urban area very little interest is being taken in the elections save at West End, where there are nineteen nominations, viz., Messrs W. J. Bennett, J. Brokenshire, E. J. Bullot, J. Garcia, J. A. Hawker, J. S. S. Medley, J. Sanders, A. K. Smart, and W. W. Thomson, who comprise the present committee, and Messrs C. D. Arnold, R. W Blackburn, G. E. Blanchard, A. H. Carter, A. Edgecombe, J. E. B. Hoskin, F. Julian, H. Kenny, A. 0. Murphy, and D. Parrott. At the Central ten candidates are standing for the nine seats, whilst at Fitzroy there will be no election, only the required number now being nominated.

Mr. W. D. Powdrell, speaking to the Industries Parliamentary Committee at Hawera, drew attention to the great shortage of workers' dwellings adjacent to their works, and, in fact, in every town on the coast.- This shortage was seriously interfering with their industries; they could not get adequate labor because the men could neither get houses to live in nor board or lodging in town. The shortage of this labor meant that many thousands of pounds were lost to the country, and meant that they could not make the utmost out of their industries. If the Government undertook some adequate building scheme he was sure that many industries would guarantee the Government against any loss if they built suitable houses and sold them on deferred payment. The chairman remarked that the housing problem was a very important one, and the Committee would give it very serious consideration. It appeared that the employers'of labor and the i Government would have to try and arrive at some solution of the difficulty.—Star. Mr. Geo. H. Buckeridge brought under the notice of the Industries Committee, at Hawera, the fact that there were uo lime deposits in Taranaki, which meant that farmers had to go outside the province for their requirements. The consequence was that farmers were prevented from participating in the concession granted by the Railway Department, as the lime, which was obtained either from Nelson or Kawhia, had to be partly borne over sea. Oversea lime was prevented from benefiting by the railway concession. He explained further that a co-operative lime company was formed for the .benefit of farmers, which would work the limestone quarries at Kawhia. A license would have to be

obtained to instal the electric power required in connection with the works. The company would be able to give lime to' farmers at a much cheaper cost than at present. Mr. Wilkinson suggested that Mr. Buckeridge should put his request in writing, and the committee would endeavor to secure the railway concession and the other request for the company. From C'ourban, France, Mr. Joseph' Lewis, secretary of the Wellington Patriotic Society, has received a letter from his brother, who is on active service there. The writer says: "I have been out here six months with the Independent Air Force, and I can assure you tha't we have done our bit towards making Fritz put up his hands. The Independent Force was established with' the sole idea of bombing German towns, and we were allowed to 'carry on' in any way wc thought fit, without waiting for orders from the R.A.F. or the Army. We have our main stores and aerodrome here. It is a vast camp, about five miles around, situated about twenty miles from Nancy, and within easy flying distance of the Rhine. We we're the main support of the "Yanks" in all their big advances. Their headquarters are only about thirty miles from here. The week before the armistice was signed we had the giant Handley-Page machine (now on its way to India) ready to bomb Berlin, and we should have made an impression, as one of the bombs she carried weighed nearly a ton."

The New Plymouth Harbor Board invites ratepayers to attend a meeting at Harvey Road Junction, Tatu, oi: Thursday next for the purpose of considering the board's proposals for raising a special loan.

The Melbourne, Hi., are offering a stunning line of men's gabardine raincoats at !)ss, in assorted shades of browns and fawns. The;'value is superb and the coats' compare' favorably with similar goods on the market by at least ten shillings. Can be had with step or military- collar.