LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A cable from Melbourne states that the Federal Parliament will assemble on June 25.

Bicycle riders, etc., should bear in mind that lighting-up time is suntet (about 4:40 p.m.) and that the inspector will probably be out on the warpath at any time these dark nights. At the wool valuation held at Wangauui last week some 2000 bales were put through, making the total turnover since the season opened in October 39,835 bales —an increase of about 5000 bales on last year's output. / Stocks of cement in New Plymouth are very low, but a local merchant received a message on Saturday from Auckland as follows: "Unable to ship any cement by the E a raw a. The railway cannot Mipply trucks owing to the races and the holiday."

The Eltham Bowling Club are having improvements made to their green. All the old kerbing along the ditches is be'itg lifted, and new kerbing of totara substituted. The green is also being re-Jevelled and top-dressed. The toil for the top-dressing has been brought front Foxton, some ten tons of it being procured. The Foxton soil is considered particularly suitable.—Argus. The extremity to which Wellington residents aro put to secure supplies of coal has been strikingly evidenced during the past few days, by the receipt by a New Plymouth coal merchant of an order for two bags of coal for a Wellington lady. The coal was dispatched by rail, freight running into something over os, and, in addition, there would be the cott of cartage at the other, <jnd.

A number of returned soldiers who /ame bank to New Zealand by l the Pakeha and the Tofua reached New Plymouth by Saturday night's mail train. They were accorded a very hearty welcome at the station by his Worship the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) and several members •of the Patriotic Committee. The Citizens' Band was in attendance, and played a, number of selections during the long wait for the train, which did not arrive till about 9 o'clock. The men were in the charge of Captain Blyth.

It came out in evidence during the hearing of a claim for possession of a tenement in the Hawera Magistrate's Court on Friday that the defendant, by remaining in the house, was holding up a train of other people desirous of moving into houses. One of these people, who was at presont residing at Stratford and who was waiting to get into hit.' housrf in Hawera, said that he, too, was holding up a train in Stratford. The magistrate humorously suggested that it was a pity that the two trains did not clash, which might get over all the trouble.—Star.

The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society was; held on Friday afternoon last, Mr. W. F, Brooking presiding. The report stated that there had been an increase of business during the year. The society's securities had been very catefully scrutinised during the year, and were found to be of a firtt-class nature. The retiring directors, Messrs T. Furlong and W. C. Weston, were Te-eleeted, and Mr. E. Whittle was alected a director in place of the late Mr. J. B. Connott. Messrs C. F. Footc and C. H. Wynyard ware reelected auditors. On the motion of Mr. R. C. Hughes, the society placed on record at the death of Mr. J. B. Connett and its appreciation of his valuable services as chairman for so many years. The directors and secretary were thanked for their services during the year. At a subsequent meeting of directors Mr. W, P. Brooking was re-elected chairman for the entiling year.

A meeting of those interested in the formation of a commerce students' society in New Plymouth way held on Friday night last, Mr. Hugh Baily presiding. After discussing the proposal, those present formed themselves into a society to be known as the New Plymouth Commercial Society. A committee consisting of Messrs V. Duff, C. H. Wynyard, F. T. Davies, B. Andrews, and H. Baily was appointed to go into the question of constitution and report to a further meeting. Mr. Andrews was appointed hon. secretary for the time being. The committee is to report in about a fortnight's time, when Mr. Davies is to read a paper on "Income Tax! Returns," which will be open for discussion.

The New Plymouth electric tramways revenue last year was £10,051, as against £10,231 for the previous year. The drop is accounted for by the cessation of the service for three weeks during the epidemic and the stoppage of railway excursions and country picnics. The net loss was £B3O, without depreciation and renewals. Against this;, however, there is the sum of £1489 credited to the light department for power consumed. With a normal year, and with the increase noticeable in the traffic in April and May maintained, and the proposed economies brought into effect, this year should see the tramways sailing on an even keel, after depreciation, sinking fund, interest charges, etc., are fully provided for —a very satisfactory result for the fourth year's working of so complete and up-to-date a plant. It may not be generally known that New Plymouth is the smallest town in the world possessing an electricoverhead system of tramways.

It is stated that the insanitary conditions under which the miners are compelled to live, the housing question, and inadequate pay are some causes of the coal trouble. All thes.e things have been neglected, if not absolutely ignored, by the coal owners of every country, and it is the duty of the Government to protect the interests of the workmen against such a policy. Mr. B. Semple, M.P., has had 10 or 17 years' practical experience of the coal mines of New Zealand, and he speaks with first-hand knowledge of the conditions under which the men work. Come and heai; him and Mr. Parry in the Empire Theatre on Wednesday night at 8 o'clock.* GO THERE IN AN OVERLAND LltrHT FOUR. If you want to visit a neighbor many miles awav—go there in an Overland! If you wish to ran to town on business — go there in an Overland! In fact—wherever and whenever you wish to travel you will find the advantages of the Light Four Overland worth much more to you than the price you pay! Four times faster than horse and trap! Much more convenient and pleasurable than a train! The Overland is always ready—always speedy; it actually enables you to pay visits and make pleasure spins which were impossible in the past. 'Tis the most economical car to run—a cosy 5-seater that costs nc more for tyres and petrol than a 2-seater. Write for catalogue if unable to cftll.— A. Hatrick and Go, Ltd., Wanganui and Wellington. Local Agents: Spedding ani Stainton, Motor Importer#, New Plymouth. ' 37

Two degrees of t'rpat were registered in New Plymouth on Saturday night, about as cold a night as has teen experienced since the meteorological records were taken. A breeze from the snow-clad mountain was responsible for what is, happily, not a very common condition.

Speaking at the meeting of the Hawera County Council on Tuesday, the chairman (Mr. J. B. Murdoch) stated that, with regard to the manufacture of a tar process, for their roads, the council had entered into a tentative agreement with the makers of a process. He was now satisfied, after having the engineer's report, that the material was good, and the council was now entitled to go ahead with the making of this; material at their depot, and to complete a proper agreement which would give the council the sole agency for Taranaki.—Star.

On Thursday last the Baptist Church Literary and Debating Society held its fortnightly meeting, when a lecture was given by the Bev. 0. Blundell, entitled "The Heavens Declare the Glory of God." The lecture was illustrated with lantern elides, which were shown by Mr. N. T. Maunder. The, views, which are the property of Mr. Blundell, are a very fine pet, and, with the interesting manner of their description by the lecturer, a very enjoyable evening was provided. Votes of thanks were passed to Mr. Blundell and the lanternist at the conclusion of the lecture.

With a view to assisting the proprietors of the Avoca Coal Mine to secure labor tho Mayor of Christchurch (Dr. Thacker, M.P.) has telegraphed to the Hon. A. M. Myers, Minister for Munitions and Supplies, asking that 15 hutments used at the military camp at Trentham should be transported to the mine in. bulk to be used as miners' cottages. The Mayor is taking this step (states tho Lyttelton Times) because the proprietors have told him that if suitable accommodation is provided at the mine for men and their families there will be tufficient labor to work the mine, and they will be able to send into Christchurch 250 tons of coal a day.

Speaking at the smoke concert of the Wellington Old Navals' Defence Rifle Club, Colonel R. J. Collins.' stressed the importance of rifle shooting as a national asset The war, he said, had taught the people the value of a knowledge of rifle shooting, and it should not he regarded merely as a sport, but as a necessity ia the interests of national defence. Prior to the war many people were inclined to rcoff at rifle shooting as a useless form of sport, but Colonel Collins ventured the opinion that much of the success which attended the troops on the battlefield was due to the training they had received on the rifle range. He considered that rifle shooting should be made a national duty, and the Government would do well to consider the question from that point of view. "There are some wastera among the returned soldiers, and we want the public to realise it," said Mr. D. Seymour at the Returned Soldiers' Conference in Christchurch. He mentioned that one of the problems of the Returned Soldiers' Association was to deal with such men, and they brought pressure to bear in order to try and overcome the difficulty. In most cases men who were wasters now were wasters before they went to the war, except a few whose powers of control and resistance had been weakened by war experiences. There were also many who claimed that their dowpfall was due to haying been away at the war who were worth "nothing at all," and the association had to deal firmly with them. Mr. E. F. Andrews, of Auckland, also stated that, in his opinion, the wasters now were practically all wasters before they went away. Speaking of early disorganisation in Belgium, General Richardson remarked in Christchurch the other day in his address to the Bed Cross workers, that he had seen ladies go light -up to the trenches, lift the wounded men, and put them into the vans;, but Germany violated the use of the Red Cross, and finally the rule became mutual that the Red Cross flag was not recognised y by either side. He could spy of Gallipoli that whenever the Turks put up the flag it" was respected; but on the other hand, British hospitals had been shelled, and one of the most deplorable things he had seen was the state of the hospitals. "I believe when the true story is written;" the General added, "that you will find that our prisoners of war in Turkey were treated most abominally, and that our prk-onera of war in Germany were treated—what shall I say—normally. I have questioned nearly all our prisoners of war who came back after the armistice was signed, and the great majority told me that they had not been illtreated in Germany, but had had too little food. That they excused be-, cause the Germans were short of food themselves,'; but a different story came from Turkey."

The Melbourne Ltd. are still able to supply a limited number of men's flannel undershirts at 6y lid, navy flannels at 8s lid, Mosgiel fine natural underwear, shirts and pants, 13s 6d and 14s Vid; winter-weight neglige shirts in union ana Horrockseq Ideal cloth 0s 6d each. TJie Loan and Mercantile with to draw attention to the clearing sale on account of Mrs. John Smith on her farm, Opunake Road, Cardiff, on Thursday next, June 6, at 1 p.m. Full particulars on page 8.

The Hawera office of tie New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., are procuring from Mr. R. J. Linn for shipment to Victoria three 2J-vear pedigree Bed Polled cows in calf. These are being obtained for Captain Syine, of Victoria, and will be thipped to Melbourne as soon as freight is available.

A famine in blankets! At present it is; almost impossible (regardless of price) to get a pair of colonial blankets at any mill in New Zealand. Lucky for Waitara The Big Store has just! received a bale of British grey blankets, bought a year ago 'before the rise in price, and now offered you at almost pre-war prices. See page four. Fanners who want a leasehold dairy farm aa a going concern should read W. H. and A. McGarry's advertisement on page one. t DRINK HABIT CURED. TESTIMONY FRQM 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 ha? 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 secretly if desired. There are no ill aftereffects. 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 Mian. Lady Manager, Drinko Proprietary, 212, A-G. Lambton Qua& Wellington^