LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The total number of passengers carried on the New Plymouth trs«ns during the year ended March 31 was 1,393,871, compared with 1,416,141 in the previous year. The passengers per car mile averaged 7.2. The units generated at the New Plymouth Borough Council's power-station in the year ended March 31 totalled 1,918,475, compared with 1,609,630 in the previous year. The amount used 'in street lighting was 87,680 units and through consumers' meters 943,443 units. The Auckland City Council has confirmed the proposal for the purchase of the Auckland tramways, and has authorised a loan of a million and a quarter for that purpose.

Fifty-six acres of Crown land in the Wellington Land District, 382 in the Auckland Land District, 2160 acres of settlement land in Otago, 974 in Southland and 699 in the Wellington Land District have been gazetted for returned soldier settlement.

Wellington Polide Headquarters oo Saturday night received advice that Constable Dick, of Maryborough, had effected the capture of J. J. Slijn, one of the German internees who escaped from Featherßton Camp. No details of the incident were given.

Strange finds are sometimes made in the intestines of animals slaughtered at the city abattoirs (says the Dunedin Star). Nails of all kinds, wire, tacks, and pins are met with every day, but last week the find was unique. A young heifer was found to have swallowed a Bank of New Zealand ten shilling note. The note was almost a new one, and in a good state of preservation. Arrangements have been made by Sir Joseph Ward, Postmaster-General, with the British Post Office authorities to make use of the ships conveying troops back to New Zealand to carry mail matter in cases where a quicker dispatch can be made than by the San Francisco or Vancouver routes. It is thought that the use of troopships in this way will be much appreciated by the people of the Dominion. The Westmoreland was the first troopship to bring a mail under these conditions.

A successful euchre party and danoe was held by the Waireka Sports Club in the Roland Hall last Thursday evening. A large number were present. Mrs. Aldridge won first prize for ladies (donated by Mr. Pellew) and Mrs. Brooks second p'rize. The gents' first prize was won by Mr. Beaver (donated by Mr. Richards), Mr. Combe winning the second. Dancing was kept going till midnight, the duty of M.C. being carried out by Mr. A. Yardley. An Australian soldier told a London pressman that he was talking "lucky escapes" with a Tommy, who related how a big German shell, landing in the "reserves," caused some consternation. "Just as the smoke was drifting away," he said, 'I saw a man coming out of one of the shellholes simply dripping with black nrud—so covered with it that you couldn't see anything else. He was one of your Australians.'' "Yes, but how did you know if you couldn't see anything but mud?" objected the Australian. "Oh, I heard what he said!" replied the Tommy, quite seriously.

When the soldiers who returned on Saturday by the Kaikoura left Egypt they did not notice any signs of unrest among the people, but it was observed that the natives were becoming cheeky. Most people are under the impression that the censorship was abolished shortly after the Armistice was signed. They will, therefore, be surprised to learn that the censors are still at work in V. ellington, and scrutinise all cable messages, inward and outward. ' Suitable woods being scarce, a Paris firm claims to have been successful in making furniture out of reinforced concrete. The result is excellent. Almost any article can be made, and, whether desk, chair, or table, it looks like a highly-lacquered piece of furniture. Moreover, it is not heavy. Ehglish manufacturers also have been experimenting, and at least one firm is opening a new factory near London.

An interesting discovery was made at the Maori workshop at Bowentown, by Messrs R. W. Bell and S. M. HoVell, of Waihi (says the New Zealand Herald). Westerly gales had moved the sand and exposed a portion of this ancient workshop. A further investigation was then made, with the result that an almost complete set of stone and bone implements associated with Maori work was found embedded in the sand. Ultimately about 200 stone adzes, gouges, anvils, and hammers, together with a number of pieces of moa and whalebone implements and greenstone articles, were unearthed. The curator of the Auckland Museum, Mr. T. F. Cheeseman, who had already visited the recently discovered workshop, says that the articles will prove a valuable adjunct to the museum which it has been proposed to erect in the Auckland Domain.

An address on rating on unimproved value is to be given in the Fitzroy Hall to-night, commencing at 8 o'clock. Farmers on the coast will please note that, owing to Friday next being Anzac Day, Mr Newton King's Eahotu cattle sale will be held op the following day, Saturday, 26th inst. DRINK HABIT CURED. TESTIMONY FROM BALCLUTHA". "Your Drinko medicine has proved beneficial and I am thoroughly satisfied and truly thankful." So writes :» resident of Balclutha. This experience is endorsed by scores of other grateful people. No matter how long your friend has been addicted to drink, you owe it to him and to yourself to give this wellproved remedy a trial. Treatment is not expensive and can be given secreti ly if desired. There are no ill afterenVts. Powders won't hurt the most delicate. Booklet fully describing Drinko, and copies, testimonials, free in sealed envelope on request. Write in confidence, stating if Mr., Mrs., or Miss. Lady Manager, Drinko Proprietary, 212, A.C. Lambton Quay, Welling!/ - *. .For Children's Hacking Cough Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.

One of the effects of the shortage of timber in England, due to military needs, has, been the use of a much inferior class of wood for packing cases for overseas consignments of drapery. The head of a well known Auckland firm mentioned that it had suffered considerable loss by damage to goods thus packed, through mildew and dampness from the sap in the timber, brought out by the heat of the holds. The principal goods which had been damaged were hosiery and woollen knitted wear.

Eecently a motor car containing three men drove up to the Salvation Army Female Home in Cohuna Street, Brunswick, Victoria. One of the men, asking for the officer in charge, explained that he wanted to see the plumber. He was taken away for the purpose, and the other men went to the laundry and asked for an inmate of the home. When she came out the men provided her with a cloak, and said she was to come with them. The girl complied, and has not since been heard of. She was about twenty years of age, and was not in the home on the order of any court.

The East has its own ways. There was a strike in the cloth market at Bombay, which took a comic turn, the men lying in the gateways and inviting the masters to walk over their bodies. The cloth merchants, thus outmanoeuvred, were obliged to leave, and the market was closed. One wishes (says the London Observer) that strikes nearer home could be conducted with gestures equally dignified and symbolic, but, so far as the latest advices go, nothing is further from the intentions of the Clyde men than to invite the masters to walk over them, or, indeed, to take anything lying down.