LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Provincial Annual Conference of the Farmers' Union this year takes place at New Plymouth on Friday and Saturday next.

During the March quarter the population of New Zealand increased by excess of immigration over emigration (including members of the Expeditionary Force) by 12,581. This includes 490 "females. The natural increase during the same period was 3670, and of this number 1920 were females.

Yesterday morning Mr. A. Kean removed 1000 yearling trout (700 brown and 300 rainbow) from the Hawera hatchery for liberation in the lakes in the southern part of the district. The fish in the hatchery have just been stripped, and the take, which was the first for the season, was over 50,000. This is well above the average. Yesterday morning's New PlymouthWellington express train was a heavy one, and there was only standing room when it reached Hawera. Additional cars had to be attached to accommodate passengers joining the train here. The train was about half an hour late in reaching Hawera.—Star. The schools section at the South Taranaki Winter Show promises to be an important feature. Altogether, there are 86 classes, and in many cases substantial money prizes are offered. The keenest interest will probably be taken in the school gardens, writing, and essays competitions. In each of these, in addition to the ordinary prizes, a shield valued at ten guineas goes to the winning school. The. shield for writing, presented by Messrs Bennett and Sutton, of Hawera, is at present in the possession of the West End School, New Plymouth. That presented by Messrs James and Gillman, of Hawera, for gardens is held by the Okaiawa School, while the one presented by the Star proprietary for essays is held by the West End School, New Plymouth. Map-making, drawing, sewing, brushwork, and lettering are other classes open to school children. All entries must reach the secretary on or before June 14.

The Opunake Harbor Board has now (the Times says) taken over control of the wharf, and the N.S.S. Co.'a Arapawa will resume the Opunake shipping trade as soon as importers get into line and get their goods by the cheapest route—via the Opunake port.' The boat will call at Opunake as soon as sufficient cargo wan-ants the resumption. The bulk of our produce previously came by waterway, and there is every reason to expect that an increased amount will be directed through the port. The fact that the Harbor Board has taken control of the handling of the cargo over the wharf should make for more efficiency in landing the cargo. The resumption of shipping at the Opunake port is a, matter of importance to all, and every, facility Bhould be given the Harbor Board to make Opunake a busy port.

State control is not much in favor with some local authorities at the present time. When a proposal by the Mil-' ton Borough Council came before the Stratford County Council on Saturday to the effect that the time had arrived when a Government mercantile fleet should be established, the chairman said "that while he felt something should be done in the direction indicated he did cot favor the State having complete control. The result of the working of the railways showed how unsatisfactory this would be. He thought the end in view would best be served by the producers creating a fleet which could be subsidised by the Government. Admeasure of Government control would be all right but the main control should be with the producers. It was-decided to take no action in the direction suggested by the Milton Borough Council.

There is a serious shortage of milk for the Auckland city supply at present owing to the protracted Bpell of dry weather, states the New Zealand Herald. The city milk vendors state that supplies obtained from farmers are decreasing daily, and are likely to show further considerable diminution. A prominent vendor stated to a reporter that he had been obliged to curtail supplies to customers, and no milk was now kept in the shops for sale. The shortage was attributable to the drought, though at this time of the year there was usually a falling off in supplies. The position was rendered more acute by the fact that it was impossible to obtain supplies outside the ordinary channels, as dairy farmers who customarily milked for the factory were just drying off their herds. Farmers who milked for the city supply had to make special provision to have cows calving in the autumn in order to provide for a winter supply, but owing to the drought these cows were not giving their usual returns, and it was very doubtful if they would do so even if rain came in the near future. There was every indication that supplies to customers would have to be cut down still further.

May is the month when mid-winter (iresßea and costumes are being made. Now's the time to choose your fabric, ladies, while Morey's have such a fine display—it includes many smart tweeds and worsteds, all at moderate prices. Read Morey's announcement in this paper—then call!

Tweed liats for men's wear are extremely popular. Apart from being fashionable they are moderate in price and can be obtained at the Melbourne, Ltd., at about a third the price of fur felt hats. Ladies also are buying these hats freely for knockabout winter wear. Prices at the Melbourne are 8s fid and 9s 6d, in good shapes and variety of patterns Advice was received in Wellington recently that in connection with the flight from Newfoundland across the Atlantic to Britain, the proprietors of State Express Cigarettes (The Ardath Tobacco Co., Ltd.) have decided to encourage competitors by offering an additional prize of 2,000 guineas under the competition rules of the Royal Aero Club. This prize added to those already offered will mean a small fortune to the successful airman.

At a Labor Party ballot at Timaru Mr. P. C. Vinnell was selected a party candidate at the next gi:iii;rul election.

A stop-work meeting of Ui« wat«rniderij in Wellington decided ysstordny to hold ix secret ballot on tint <|U«it/o/i of the acceptance of the new n/rfiuninit, with the employers.—Promt Association.

The line Is now clear at the mine of the recent accident nutth of Tailiapc. The Auckland—Wellington express frame through on Monday morning, ami the ordinary time-table in likely to In: resumed to-day.—Press Annotation. A shipment of about 15 torm of pig iron for a Dunediu foundry in being shipped by the C'orimm. This makex something like 120 tons of iron the New Zealand Iron Ore Smelting Company has disposed of. Unfortunately there is no immediate prospect of obtaining tho fuel supplies necessary for resuming smelting operation*.

That somewhat erratic natural barometer, White Island, has been showing increasing signs of activity during the last three or four days, reports a Bay of Plenty paper. Last Sunday it put up a splendid display, in volume of steam, from about noon till late in the afternoon, and at intervals there were signs that it was being ejected with considerable force, the central column of the mass occasionally rising to heights of 6000 to 7000 feet.

A hold-up of the coastal steamer Storm at Wellington under novel circumstances was imminent on Friday. The officers and engineers strongly objected to the sheets on their beds on account of them being too small. Eventually the difficulty was overcome by larger sheets being procured, as the result of representations being made to the owners. The Storm sailed at 6 p.m. for Wanganui. "I sincerely hope there will be no revival of such a destructive process of gold recovery as that of dredging," said the Hon. G. M. Thomson in his presidential address to the Otago Institute, which is just entering on the fiftieth year of its existence. It is difficult to estimate how much every ounce of gold recovered by this process in Otago has cost—probably more than its own value —but one fact ia clear—that in striving to satisfy the lust for gold hundreds of acres of valuable land have been destroyed, and have been added to the waste places of the earth."

The only thing they could absolutely predicate with certainty of the man who had gone through it all was that he had got a very much more direct and simple way of looking at things (said General Russell, at Wellington, on Saturday). He thought that the returned soldier would be able to see through what he would term "camouflage" very much easier than before; that Words would not mean quite the same to him that they had before; and that he would understand better the terms of mutual sympathy and personal touch with his fellows.

The possibility of a new departure in regard to the banking business was foreshadowed by the Hon. Arthur Myers, Acting Minister of Finance, in his reply to the friendly societies' deputation on Thursday. The representations of the societies, said Mr. Myers, opened up immediately the question as to whether the present system in effect in New Zealand in regard to banking facilities was sufficient. It was a very big question, and one that was being considered. The societies had the opportunity for banking with a bank guaranteed by the State, and the stability of other banks would not be questioned; but whether the banking facilities were sufficient for the community was being considered, and would be considered by the full Cabinet on the return of the leaders from England.

T We lived in a time' when the veryground on which we trod seemed uncerand all our old ideas were in the melting-pot, and changes were taking place in everything, said the Hon. 6. W| Rnssell at General Russell'a reception at Wellington. "In our political, economic r and industrial ideals, may i express the hope that our distinguished guest, after the magnificent service he has rendered in the field, will consider the advisability of bringing those qualities of organisation, courage, and resource into the national life of the country by agreeing to take part in the public life o? the Dominion. The qualities he possesses were never more needed than they are to-day. i .And he haa learned the true value of the boy a of New Zealand. He has senu. | class feelings disappear. He has seen the son of the squatter marching side by side with the ploughman, the university professor marching along with the water-1 side worker, and the miner and the pro-1 fessional man going over the top together to face and chase the enemy." The world must be ruled by democracy. Any constituency, even Avon, would be proud to be represented by General Russell. A petition to which numerous signatures are being attached in the Wairarapa asks the Government to undertake the deviation of the Rimutaka railway line. A route has been surveyed, and levels taken for the construction of a line through the ranges, with an outlet at the Tauherenikau gorge. This route would give an easy grade, but the residents of the Wairarapa do not favor on the ground that it would not open up any good, country. The route most favored is By means of a tunnel through the hill into the Wainui-o-mata valley, then through the Orongorongo valley, with an outlet into the Wairarapa below Featherston. By.this means, it is stated, some excellent country would be opened up, and the saving in coal consumption, working expenses, cost of maintenance, and general upkeep of the line by way of the Summit would be sufficient to pay the interest on the construction cost. The petitioners intend also to ask the Government to straighten the Ruamahunga River by directing its course through the Pouawha lagoon.: By doing so the Wairarapa lake would-be turned into a farming area of 43,000 acres, and the 60,000 acres which surround the lake, and which are subject to flood during six months of the year, would be kept dry. A large audience gathered at the Wellington Grand Opera House on Saturday night to -meet "Low Kun," described managerially as "the world's greatest illusionist." The performance was not a success (says the Dominion)', and the audience showed its feelings in a most unmistakable manner. Mr. "Kun" was not without ability, but he did not attain show standard- His illusions appeared to depend upon mechanical aids that were not always forthcoming at the right time. He was really entertaining for five minutes, when he gave his demonstration of "defying gravity." He got his allegedly hypnotised assistant raised into the air and then failed to get him down again. Even direct pressure Would not move the invisible obstruction for some minutes. Finally the assistant came down very suddenly, a nd the encounter with the stage boards seemed to break the hypnotic spell. The audience was not patient .with Mr. "Kun " It threw things at him and occasionally counted him out., The management showed discretion in ringing down the curtain on an uncompleted programme at •bout 9.30 p.m.

In at least on© respect Saturday's welcome to General Sir Andrew Bussell was unique in the history of Wellington (says tlie Dominion). For, the first time in the history of the city there were four General* on the platform of the Town Hall at tlie same time, three of whom gained the high distinction during the present \var_ The four were? Major-General Sir Alfred Robin, C.8., (J..V1.G., Major-General Sir Andrew Bushc!l (who commanded the New Zealand Division in France), Brigadier-General G. S. Xlichttrdsofl (who commanded the New Zculniid Forces in England), and Briga-dier-General llart, of Masterton.

Thoao who had occasion to assemble; fi L the New Plymouth railway station iunt night had plenty of time to enjoy (lie scenery and the climatic conditions. Though scheduled to arrive at a little after 8 o'clock, the mail train did not steam into the station till 9.20, by which time a large number of those who had assembled to welcome the returning soldiers had forsaken the station platform for the fireside. It is stated the train was delayed at Westmere for 15 minutes, and at Patea 20 minutes awaiting other trains. At Ngaere a stay was also made, not to pic.k up passengers, but to give the engine a spell or to allow it to [rather more steam for the Stratford incline. Passengers wero loud in their complaints at the tedious journey, which, seems to be getting worse at the months go by.

The Melbourne, Ltd., have opened out fresh stocks and new designs in ladies' blouses, comprising voiles at 14s 6d and 1 15s 0d; radianta, 13s Cd and 14s 6d;' white and coloTed Jap. silks, 18s 6d to 24s Cd; white and colored crepe de chines 10 mojnme 29s fld to 355, 12 momme.34s 6d to 38s Cd.