LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki, at the last census, had five per cent, of the population of the Dominion; it had four per cent, of the occupied area of the Dominion; and in the 12 months ended February, 1919, it furnished 11 per cent, of the Dominion's exports of produce. Provision is made by Gazette Extraordinary for securing a supply of butter for local consumption during the winter. If necessary butter will not be permitted to be exported should doing so trench upon the supplies Tequired to meet domestic needs.

One of the largest mail contracts in Jitice in the Dominion is that between Waitara and Awakino, which costs £I2OO a year for a daily service. Other four-figure contracts are the GisborneTokomaru Bay, Which costs £I3OO a year; the Wanganui-Pipiriki-Taumaranui £1250, and the Glenhope-Reefton £1234. The New Plymouth-Opunake service costs £OOO a year and the New Plymouth'Purangi service £425.

A short length of footpath in Egmont street between the A.M.P building and King street has been laid with 2in, concrete flags, and the same class of pavement will be laid between the post office and Silver street in Devon street. Should any further flagging be undertaken, under suitable circumstances a colouring pigment may well be used to prevent "glare." —Borough engineer's annual report.

Incidents are reported from Christchurch, in connection with the, licensing poll, in which voters pencilled comments of their own on the ballot papers. Some went the length of writing their names or initials under these remarks, and, as a consequence, the votes had to be invalidated. If a voter, however, contented him .elf with simply expressing his opinions without giving any indication of ins identity, or interfering with the two issue lines beyond striking one out, his vote was allowed as valid. Several voters as usual, obeyed instructions too literally, and struck out "Instructions how to \ ote." The annual meeting of the Taranaki A:-..-):mafi<-alioii .Society will be held .at the Soldiers' Club, New Plymouth thit evening. For the past two seasons the Noi-idy lias no! been able to proceed with ii-h and pheasant rearing, and it is hoped that operations' will be re-com-nicr.ced at an early date. At to-night's meeting Some important suggestions will be discussed and the Council hope that all gunmen and anglers will attend. The Melbourne, Ltd.. have some exrollen! flannelette comprising 32-inch striim; at 1/- and 1/0; 35in striped twiii*. >t l/H and 2/3; also Horrockses' »tpii....i ideal doth at 2/3; white and "inn,lette 1/0, 3/11 to 2i/M, the "-Mia Horrockses' best quality 30-1 .... -wiU, ' '

The mail train arrived at New Plymouth over an hour iate laist night. There were a large number of passengers travelling.

In connection with the Anzac Day celebrations, members of the Citizens' Baud are asked to assemble in uniform at the bandroom on Friday, at 1.30 p.m., for important business prior to taking part in the procession. The Mayor of New Plymouth has been advised that the Tnranaki men ex the Corinthic and the Maheno will be arriving by the mail train to-night. The Humes of the Maheno men Were published on April 14 and those per the Corinthic mi April 11. A radio message to the Shaw, Savill Company states that the lonic, with returning troops, will arrive at Auckland at 7 a.m. to-day.—Press Association. The Chief Postmaster at New Plymouth has been advised that the Pacific Cable Board notify that the traffic congestion lias been overcome in both directions, and the Paeifie route is now working without material delay. A meeting of the New Plymouth High Schools Board was to have been held last night, but at the time appointed there were only four present (Messrs. R. W. D. Robertson, chairman, L. C. Sladden, H. Trimble and JF. W. Atkinson), and as five constitute a quorum the meeting lapsed. A Palmerston North press message states that the Presbyterian Bible Class Conference decided that the executive for l!Hf>-20 should be located at Christchurch. The officers elected were:---President, G. M. Pottinger; vice-presi-j dents I>. Y. Wilson, W. S. M'Gibbin; secretary, S. Wilkinson; treasurer, *M. :'. A. !\. Simmers.

At last nighf/a meeting of the Borough Council the town clerk reported that after advertising for a junior clerk for the borough office, at a salary of £65 per annum, only four applications had been received, and all were from young ladies. Several youths had made inquiries as to the duties, but apparently the salary was not sufficient to induce applications from them. As the work is such as to require a youth, the clerk was given authority to re-advertise the position at a much-increased salary. In his annual report to the Borough Council, the engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) says): I again draw attention to the lack of conveniences at Marßland Hill. The Council will, in a report to be submitted later, be asked to give this matter consideration, for, with the probable resumption of excursion traffic and the increasing number of persons visiting the show places—of which this reserve is one —there should be at least a convenience for public use. The Mayoress solicits sprigs of rosemary from those who have plants in their gardens, for use in connection with the Anzac Day celebrations. It is desired that every school child should be provided with a spray of the flower on Friday. Those who can assist in this way are asked to leave bunches of the flowers at the Good Templar Hall to-day, and children who cannot provide themselves with sprays may receive them from the Mayoress at the hall on Friday morning. It is Mrs. 'Burgess' intention to go with the junior branch of the Women's National Reserve (the N.P.G-'H.S.) at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning and lay flowers on the graves of the soldiers buried in Te Henui cemetery.

The New Plymouth borough engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook), in his annual report to the Council, says: The cost for maintenance of streets, including scavenging, general cleaning, watering, repairs, proportion of yard work, paid holidays, working expenses and supervision, crushing and rolling metal, haulage, weeding, averages approximately 30s per chain or £l2O per mile over a length of 40 miles out of nearly 70 miles of roads. As the revenue allotted to works does not vary to any considerable extent any rise in price of materials or wages very Beriously affects the position and although every endeavor is made to meet applications from ratepayers for work in their neighbourhood it is not always possible to comply with these demands.

American newspapers have been try inn to discover '.nv many apples .t»d>tm and Kve ute in the Garden ot Eden. Or reporter said Eve S and Adam 2 (Eve ate and Adam too). The Nebraska Herald says Kve 8 and Adam 8, total 10. The Mississippi Gazette does not see it. Eve 8 and Adam 82, total 90. "Oh, no!" says New York Judge, "our contemporary is entirely wrong. Eve 81 and Adam 812, total 593." The, Ohio Advertiser reasons this way, Eve 814 herself, and Adam 8124 Eve, total 5938. The Illinois Telegraph shows that to be a small portion of the banquet and asserts Eve 5142 know how it tasted, and Adam 28142 see what it might be like, total 36,284." Wheeling proves that to be wrong, having had a representative on the spot. He declares Eve 8142 ruin the human family, and Adam 81242 have a share in the ruin, total 89,384. What a lot of apples were necessary to inves* modern civilisation!

That enterprising and progressive firm, the New Zealand Clothing Factory Company, Ltd.—popularly known through New Zealand as the "H.B."—have lately made alterations and additions to their Devon street shop premises in New Plymouth, which not only provide them with the much-needed extra space in order to cops with a rapidly-expanding business, but wJiieh constitutes a distinct improvement in the general appearance of the street frontage. The eastern wall of the shop has been pushed bacii about five feet and this space, from the window to the rear of the premises has now been included in the suction of the shop occupied by the company's boot department. The exterior has now a uniform and well-balanced appearance, the two smaller windows on either side of the large central show window being ot the same size, and enable the management to display their s-plendid stocks to still greater advantage. Inside, the ladies' fitting room has been altered and extended, and improved arrangements made for attending to the wants 1 of gentlemen patrons. All the new shop fittings that have been installed are of beautifully figured oregon, worked up in panel (bsign, with.pleasing effect. The extra space also allows for the carrying of the .larger stocks, which, have become necessary, and for their more effective display The alterations,; are a distinct improvement to the appearance of the town. In to-day's issue the "H. 8." have a replace advertisement in reference to their boot stocks, in which ladies' shoes are specially featured. The Anzae Hall to have been held at. Eltham Town Hal! to-morrow (Friday) evening, has been postponed until Wednesday next, April 30. A reminder is giveln of to-night's meeting in connection with the New Plymouth Harbor Board loan proposals A meeting is to be held at Inglewood at 7,"i0 p.m. and a meeting will also be held at the Soldiers' Club, New Plymouth at S o'clock. Meetings will also be held at Bell Block and Ngaere tomorrow at 7.30 p.m. For Bronchial Cough, take '''/oods' Great Peppermint Cure.

• in the borough of New Plymouth, for the year ended March 31 last, 85 building permits were issued, buildings of over £SOO in value included 20 dwellings, many running over £IOOO each. The following are the chief business buildings erected, or in course of erection: Wooldridge's garage, additions to freezing works, Daily News office, Newton King's garage, alterations Kurta's shop, and dormitory Girls' High School. The value of these buildings it £0778.

A fire occurred at Mr. F. Wylds' residence at the roar of the Presbyterian Chuttch, Hawera, about 4 a.m. on Moll-) day. It originated in the wash-house and then attacked the back of the house. Mr. nnd Mrs. Wylds were away on a holiday, leaving their five children in the charge of the housekeeper. The prompt arrival of the brigade,, snys the Star, averted a tragedy, as the two women and all the children were asleep, but were roused by the brigade and rescued just in the nick of time, for just after the last child had been taken out the flames burst through the bedrooms. The outbreak was subdued in a very short time, but the loss will be considerable. The property is owned by Mr. Cowan, of Hawera. An unusual case was heard at the Police Court at Taumarunui last week, when the police prosecuted Thomas Gavin, bush manager, Mahirakau, for having abused and insulted the head teacher of the Waitnhi public school in the presence jif the pupils. The charge was laid under section 157 of the Education Act, 1914. The defendant pleaded guilty, and said that, as the teacher had expelled his son from the school on the previous day, he went to get an explanation, and lost his temper. The magistrate fined the defendant £2 and costs, £2 49 Gd, and expressed the opinion that the penalty as set out in the Education Act w.as not adequate. A well-known Christclmrch journalist, who has been on service with the N.Z. E.P, for the past two or three years, writing to a Christchurch pressman from London, under date March T. says; "I don't know whether it has leaked out to New Zealand, but. Lord Northcliffe is dreaming of world conquest. His latest project, according to Fleet Street gossip, is an 'Empire Daily Mail,' on the lines of his paper here and the Paris edition. His scheme aims at the establishment and publication daily of a 'Daily Mail' (with extensive cable services, features, etc.) in Toronto or Montreal, Capetown, Sydney, and, Wellington, and he is reported to be prepared to spend £3,000,000, and more if necessary." Cr. Sigley, a candidate for the mayoralty of Wanganui, is responsible for the following: "My idea is that we should make Lord Jellicoe's visit memorable to the young folk by means of an allschools' naval pageant. If my fellowCitizens place me in a position to give effect to this idea, I shall ask the authorities of all the schools, public and private, to co-operate in working up such a pageant as I suggest. Each school will be asked to provide one or more tableaux illustrative of some outstanding event in the history of the British Navy, and to arrange for all children not taking part in these tableaux to become part of the great living "Red, White and Blue," which would form the background for the grouping of the tableaux. Such a spectacle would, I feel sure, be comparatively easy of accomplishment, would give to Lord Jellicoe's visit an educational feature of incalculable value, and would, I am confident, delight the great Sea Lord as no stereotyped ceremonial could possibly do."

The March number of the "Journal of Science and Technology" contains a report of the discovery of a flgureine at Mauku, Auckland. Mr. Ebdon Best deals with the subject, around which a romance Could be written. The little figure is made of steatite. It was picked up in unploughcd land, uninhabited until twenty years ago; but Maoris occupied the lands in pre-European days. Here, embedded in the clay, the little figure was found. It looks like a portrait of an ancient Chinese personage of distinction. Steatite and soapstone are identical. How did it get where it was found and how long had it lain in the clay? It is placed by Mr. "Best with the mysterious Tamil bell found on the West Coast. The dress of the figure is that of a pre-Manchu Chinese, which, in some respects, survives in the Korean national costume of to-day. Possibly some great junk out of the China Sea's wandered down into these waters and was never able to return, finally going to pieces on the coast in a westerly blow. The wrecked vessel would fall into the hands-of the Maoris had it survived the seas, and the wreckage that came ashore would be divided amongst them. The figure is not like the soapstone images now made by the Chinese, mostly for the tourist and sailor trade.