LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Cabinet has decided that Anzac Day t. 11s year will be observed as a full holiday. Nothing has been decided as to its permanent observance in future years.

In his annual report to the New Plymouth Borough Council the town clerkstates that the reduced tramway service ™ the Morley street line, which came into operation in December last, is estimated to effect a saving of about £3OO per annum.

The total number of sheep, cattle and pigs slaughtered at the New Plymouth abattoirs during the year ended' March 31 last was 11,054, being an increase of 555 on the previous year. The revenue amounted to £1615 17s lid, or £196 2s lid more than for the preceding year.

A Palmerston North press message slates that the Presbyterian Bible-Class Conference decided that the executive for 1019-20 should be located at Christchurch. The officers elected were:— President, (J. M. Pottinger; vice-presi-dents, D. Y. Wilson, W. S. McGibbin; secretary, S. Wilkinson; treasurer, M. G. A. IC. Simmers,

A Southland soldier, writing from Cologne (Germany) to a relative in Invercargill states that the'men had had a very fine time in the enemy's country and several New Zealanders had actually married German girls, while Canadian's and Australians had also taken Ilun wives to their bosoms. He states that the men were given strict instructions not to allow close intimacy to arise between them and the German®, but they did not interpret this to mean that they could not marry their hostess.

Tt was stated in a sheep-worrying case at Feilding that during the summer months, when herding fat sheep, a local drover received in payment from ,£3O to £32 per month. Examined regarding the values of dogs, an expert witness declared that a real good heading dog was worth £2O, and good forcer ("a quiet worker behind the sheep") from £l2 to £l-5. A 'South Island visitor had offered £2O for a Feilding dog was another statement by a witness.

For some time pa.st several residences in Sprevdon, near Christchurch, have received unwelcome attention from nocturnal visitors, who have created a great deal of alarm in the borough. A number of petty thefts have been reported to the police within the last fortnight, but during the last few days operations have been carried on much' more extensively. It is stated that though no large sums 'nave been stolen the thefts have been fairly extensive.

In responding to the toast of the visitors at the Waimate Plains Trotting Club's smoke concert, Mr. Brooks, of Auckland, said he was amazed at the wonderful condition of the roads and also the quality of the land in South Taranaki. He travelled all over the Auckland district and was glad to find that the councils up north were taking a leaf out of the Taranaki book and were going in for tarred roads.

in the course of his annual report, the New Plymouth Borough sanitary infipecior (Mr. R. Day) says: The outstanding need of the borough at the prescnl. tiine is an adequate sewerage system, to embrace the whole of the tow.'; This need was clearly shown in the epidemic. In the meantime the sanitary services should be further ex-imul.-'ii to embrace the more thickly populated areas in the outskirts of the borough. White touring the North the Hon. D H. Guthrie inspected the Omapere Lake and adjacent Crown Lands. A preliminary survey is to be made as soon as possible with a view to lowering the level of the lake considerably, and thus nmvatering the surrounding Crown Lands at present inundated. Referring to the project, the Minister said the result would be to bring into profitable occupation a considerable area of good land which could then be cut up for settlement in comparatively small areas. The extra wages and holidays recently granted to the New Plymouth trainwaymen, says the town clerk in his annual report to the Borough Council, amount in value to approximately £525 per annum. As the tramways are running at a loss it was necessary that the amount involved should be in some way passed on to the public. It was therefore decided to increase the price of the J s concession tickets (14 penny sections for Is) to Is 2d, thus doing away with the concession. So far this has not had quite the result expected, but it is too early to judge at present what the actual result will be-

Upwards of 000 applications for financial assistance have already ibeen dealt with by the Ghristetorch Repatriation Board. A considerable number of the applications have been from men desirous of starting in business on their own at count, and a fair proportion of the requests have been granted. So far, the board lias found that most Chrlstclutrch employers are very willing to take bad; returned soldiers into their employ, if the soldiers evince any inclination to return to their old jobs. The repatriation officer states that he does not think there is likely to be any difficulty this winter in placing returned men in work. "Apparently," says the Wellington Trades and Labor Council in its annual report, "the Government requires the camps for the purpose of making preparations for the next gTeat war. It may be noted, incidentally, that the daily newspapers contain columns of names of army officers who are being promoted in rank and pay since the war concluded. It would almost seem as if the National Government is helping its friends to dig into soldiering positions. It will bo the duty of the working people to challenge this military policy at this earliest possible opportunity." In connection with the discovery of a German mine on the beach at Rangitilcei, it is stated that at least fifteen of the mines laid around the New Zealand coast by the German raiders are still unaccounted for. It may be taken for granted that the number of mines remaining as a danger to navigation is substantially fewer, but an exact estimate cannot be made. Some of the mines may have sunk; others, after breaking from their moorings, may have exploded on outlying reefs or lonely portions of the coasts or may have drifted right away from the New Zealand coast It is considered most improbable that all the mines laid by the Germans will ever be accounted for, and this bejng so there will be a danger to be guarded against for a long time to come. Since the furnace at the ironworks was lighted on Tuesday last some highgrade foundry iron has been produced from the hard white iron which was put through. Yesterday a start was made with charging sand as it comes from the beach into the furnace. This will take probably thirty-six hours to reach the hearth, so that about Wednesday evening it is expected results will be seen.

The Kawaroa Park Committee desire to acknowledge with thanks gifts of cakes, for competition purposes, from the Hygienic Bakery, Mrs. J. D. Sole, and Miss Rita Sole; also a doll and push cart from Mr. Robert Sole, and lcwt. of hoine-made toffee from Miss A'Court, which was sold at the lollie stall.

In his annual report to the Borough Council the town clerk of New Ply month, m referring to the renewal of the agreement between the Council and the general, labourers in its employ, says: The cordial relations which have existed for so many years between the Council and its workmen is well worthy of special reference in this report. During the many periods of industrial unrest which have occurred in the past in different parts of the Dominion the Council's workmen have always adhered to the spirit of their agreement and no serious trouble has occurred at any time This has been due to the business-like methods adopted by the Union in its dealing's with the Council, any little misunderstanding which from time to time may have occurred have always been planed before the proper authority by the Union in good time and the Council has proved that it is at all times willing to remedy any real grievance. A feeling of mutual forbearance has therefore been engendered between the Council and its workmen and as long as t.hia feeling exists so will the present good relations continue.

AH the schools in the Taranaki Education District will observe a holiday on Friday next, Anzac Day. i The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency and Newton King draw attention to the Whangamomona Sale which _they are holding to-morrow (Thursday) "at Whangamomona. Full particulars on page S of this issue. Land buyers who wish to secure a farm 011 easy terms should read W. H. and A. McGarry's advertisement on page one. TRANSPORT ECONOMY. The problem of expensive and inefficient transport has occupied the attention of our tradesmen, commercial men and farmers. . British-made Thornycroft Commercial Vehicles have solved the problem for quite a number of progressive people, for heavy carrying, for dumping for delivery service, in fact, for .ill transport both town and country Made in five sizes from 30 to 40 h.p, with carrying capacities of 2, 2y 2 , 3, 4V 2 and 6 tons, there is a model for every purpose. Proved strong, most enduring awl reliable on active service. Write for particulars to A. Hatrick and Co., Wanganui or Wellington 5