LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Taranaki Daily News will not be published to-morrow (Good Friday), but will appear as usual on Saturday and Monday (Easter Monday).

The Borough Council decided last night to run an ordinary tramway and bus timetable on Good Friday.

During a discussion at the War Belief Association meeting yesterday Mr. Spratt stated that the Canadian Government was providing' limbless jobs for limbless soldiers, and in this respect the New Zealand Government were lacking.

In his. monthly report , to the New Plymouth Borough Council, the engineer (Mr. W, H. Cook) states that the attendance at the baths was 1841 adults and 261 in school squads. The revenue was £lGl7s 2d.

At a railway presentation at Hawera on Tuesday reference was made to the wages question, particularly the slow promotion in the service, instances being given of men in different branches of the service only receiving Is a clay above the minimum wage after eighteen years' service, and others with the same service were still receiving the minimum wage. Locomotive men with fifteen years' service, it was stated, were getting the same rate of pay as men with five years' service; Hopes were expressed that the special conference fixed for May 5 would have good results, thus placing the wages question on a better footing.

Mr. H. L. Spratt yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki War Relief Association that the association should consider the question of making grants to returned soldiers' wives in the nature of a "baby bonus." Manv returned soldiers were not in a position to meet the evtra expenses incurred at such a time, and this would prove of great assistance. He spoke very strongly in favor of the proposal, which, he hoped, would be placed before the annual meeting. Mr. C. E. Beilringer also favored the idea, remarking that he would place it before the New Plymouth committee with a view to having it brought before the annual meeting of delegates. The daring Blondini Bros, will again be performing at the Kawaroa Park Picnic on Easter Monday. Several new items will - be introduced to the public for the first time, so don't miss seeing these daring performers on the 1 high wire Easter Monday,

Building permits to tlie value of £7095 were issued by the New Plymouth Borough Council during the month of March. The last of the absconding seamen from the barquentine Thrasher, which left New Plymouth on Monday afternoon, was arrested by Constable Hadler yesterday afternoon. He will appear in ilie Court this morning.

Mr J. T. Ward, honorary director of the Wanganui astronomical observatory, has consented to give a lecture on astronomy at New Plymouth on the evening of Monday, 28th inst., in the assembly hall of the High School.

At last night's meeting of the Borough Council, when the question of some improvement to the footpaths on the Dartmoor Estate was tinder consideration, the Mayor said he thought the work ought to be done, but the unformed roads in the borough should be dealt with by means of a special loan, and the roads put into permanent order. He did not believe in doing them in piecemeal fashion.

A meeting under the auspices of the Frankly Park Settlers' Association was held last evening to discuss the question of rating. Mr. Nash put the case for the unimproved values system and Mr. J. Austin for the present system. A general discussion followed, a good deal of interest being manifested by those present. Mr R. Morgan, Waitara, stated at the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday in reference to the matter of giving training to workers in the case of a new outbreak of the influenza, that in response to his apepal about 20 ladies had offered their services, and Dr Campbel had undertaken to give them training in nursing gratuitously.

In the course of his monthly report to the council, the Borough Engineer says:—"lt must bo apparent to all observe that our channels are becoming eyesores, with so many crossings over them, and they are a fruitful source of trouble in Wet weather. I shall be placing a report before you dealing with the question, in which recommendations will be made for consideration." The Borough Council decided last night that the Mayor Bhould ask the citizens to observe Anzac Day as a holiday. In coming to the decision the councillors were of the opinion that, notwithstanding the many holidays, the day was too sacred to be allowed to pass without fitting observation. The opinion was also expressed that the present way of declaring the holiday was unsatisfactory, and a hope expressed that the Government would, in the future, proclaim the day a statutory public holiday. The manager of the New Plymouth Borough Abattoirs (Mr. T. J. Reakes) reports as follows for the month of March:—Slaughtered for local consumption: Cattle 180, calves 25, sheep 567, lambs 112, pigs 78, sucking pigs 5; tripes cleaned 159, calve's head 1. Compared with last March, they show an increase of 32 yattle, 83 sheep, 39 lambs, and 28 tripes, and a decrease of 1 calf and 30 pigs. Seven cattle and 1 pig were condemned.

A meeting of the sub-committee appointed to carry out proposals in connection with the Ambury Memorial was held on Monday afternoon, when it was decided, weather permitting, to have the obelisk unveiled to-morrow at 3 o'clock. The Rev. Mr. Sievewright, as pastor of the church which the late Mr. Ambury attended, will deliver a short address, and the ceremony will be performed by His Worship the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess). In connection with the above, anyone desiring to be present at the ceremony and not having their own cars, can book seats at the Tourist Office, when the necessary arrangements will be made.

In the course of a supplementary report made to the Borough Council on the matter of street works for the year, the engineer, (Mr. W. H. CoOk) says:"Owing to the lateness of the warm season, tar work did not commence for some six weeks later than in previous years. Consequently this class of work had to be concentrated upon, otherwise there was risk of at least one of the arterial roads being left over until next season, which was undesirable, as, with another severe winter, it may have meant repairs before tarring was proceeded with. We have, therefore, got rid of long haulage at a time of the year when it is least wanted, and this will allow of putting in hand work closer into the business portion of the town.

At yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board the question of having trained workers ready in ease of a recurrence of the influenza epidemic was considered. The chairman stated that the hospital authorities were willing to take a limited number of women at & time and give them training in the elementary requirements of nursing. Mr Andrews asked if it would be possible, in the event of a number of women in any outlying district suefy as Okato, offering their services, for'someone to go cut from the hospital and give them lessons in nursing. If so, he thought the use of the hall could be obtained for perhaps the cost of the lighting if it yrere wanted at night. He pointed out that the greatest difficulty in the epidemic was in getting trained women, or even partly trained, to assist with the nursing. The board decided to advertise that the hospital staff would give the training, and to invite those, wililng to assist to communicate their names to the secretary;

" The mails which left New Zealand on February 25 arrived in London on the 12th inst.

On the motion of Mr. Quilliam, probate of the will of the late Mr. William Old has been granted by the Supreme Court to Messrs Sidney Edgar Sarten nnd Robert George Wells, the executors therein named.

A reminder is given of the meeting convened for to-nijrht at S o'clock to form a ratepayers' association. The object of the association is not to act as mere critics of the council, but to aid it by friendly criticism and suggestion, and to support it on all.approved appeals for loans and for the development of the town. Those who, in the past, hrfve complained will have the opportunity of expressing their views and advocating their proposals It is hoped that there will be a large attendance of both men and Women ratepayers.

The Chief Postmaster states that the Vancouver mail which was notified to close at New Plymouth yesterday will not close till 8 p.m. to-day

The New Plymouth Gas Coy., Ltd., notify that they will be closed for the Easter holidays from this evening till Tuesday morning. Miss Campbell, matron of the Public Hospital, wishes to acknowledge with thanks another donation of £js to the Lonely Soldier from a friend, also a number of returned soldiers' parcels from the Tarnnaki Amusements, Ltd. Householders should note tlmt household refuse generally taken on Friday and Monday will be removed on Saturday of this week.