LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. The Defence Departments has decided* ifco double the allowance paid to soldiers treatment in hospital, but who are not provided with board and 'lodgings. The increase will be from 2s. to 4s per day.

The weekly meeting of the White!ey Young People's Club was held last night, there being a large attendance, the Kev. J. Napier Milne presiding. The evening was devoted to a "Question Night," and good discussions took place on a number of matters which proved profitable for consideration.

At a meeting of shareholders of the New Zealand Dairy Association it was decided to amalgamate with the Waikato Cheese Company and the Waikato Dairy Company, the voting being: For amalgamation, 32,807 shares; against, 2744. The Cheese Co., Ltd., favored amalgamation by 3421 votes to none, and the Dairy Company by 19,405 votes to 70. Reference was made at the New Plymonth Borough Council meeting on Monday night to the necessity for amendment to the motor regulations, notably with regard to dazzling headlights, and also making it compulsory for lorries to have side mirrors attached. The whole question will be gone into at next meeting, when the town clerk will bring down a report. .

A little boy named Richard Way, aged 10, son of Mr. J. Way, of New Plymouth, met with an unfortunate accident yesterday morning. It is stated that whilst he and some other boys were on an express near the Coronation Hall a dispute arose and Way was knocked off the vehicle, with the result that he received a broken collarbone and was removed to the hospital. At the meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council on Monday night reference was made to the necessity for providing public conveniences. During the discussion ■yhicli ensiled it was evident that the opinion of the council was divided on the question of sites, one section appearing to favor upper Brougham Street and the other lower Brougham Street near the railway yards Eventually the matter was deferred until next meeting. The waterside settlement is regarded by both sides as merely temporary, writes our Wellington correspondent. There appears.' to be no doubt that the waterside workers will renew their demand for increased wages at the end of the year, whatever changes may have taken place meanwhile in the cost of living. In the meantime the men are still able to demand extra payment for the handling of "dirty cargo," and this term shows a tendency to widen in its application.

The success of Madam JohnstonTopliss is further in evidence' by the fact tlmt at a concert held in Wellington about a month ago, and at which B'he was one of the principal singers, hundreds were unable to gain admission, and a repeat performance had to be arranged. Wellington people, however, are not yet satisfied, for 'Madam Toplias advises the secretary of the New Plymouth Male Choir that she has been recalled to Wellington- for another performance. From there she will come to New Plymouth by to-night's mail train to fulfil her engagement with the Male Choir Society for Thursday and Friday nights' concerts. A very interesting lantern lecture was given in the Good Templar Hall last night by Mr. D. N. MacDiarmid, 8.A., dealing chiefly with mission work in the Soudan. Mr. MacDiarmid has had a varied experience in North-Eastern Africa. His first trip took him up the Nile and through the Soudan to faraway Uganda, then across Victoria Nvanza, through British East Africa to Mombasa. During the war Mr. MacDiaimid, as a Y.M.C.A. field Secretary with the Australian Forces, was tent to the Oasis region of the Libyan Desert, and there saw most of the campaign 'against the Senussi, while more recently; because of his knowledge of that country, he was transferred to the Soudan to initiate Y.M.C.A. work for the British troops at Khartoum, Atbara, and elsewhere on the Red Sea coast. After 18 months of such work in the Soudan, during which time he covered 17,000 miles by rail, he had to leave the country on account of ill health, and, after a short time spent at Jaffa and Jerusalem, he returned to New Zealand. At the request of the Soudan Education Department, he is now hoping soon to return to Africa to supervise a scheme of Government and mission work

for the uplift of the Soudanese ajid the checking of the increase of Mohammedanism. His lecture last night was attended by a large number of people, and, with the beautiful views shown, vi as followed with much interest. His Worship the Mayor presided, and, at the conclusion, a vote of thanks was accorded

the lecturer,, and also the Mayor and Mr. N. T. Maunder, who operated theJantern. Education, Prohibition, Equality of the' Sexet'—all are important. Each reform has earnest, thoughtful advocates; who suggest that their peculiar reform is the one essential before real progreas can be made. The highest of : education is that which trains the mind to think on all questions;. Educationists awj.keen on well-trained minds, contending- that until the mind of the race is set:oji the right course no real advance is possible. The Prohibitionists say that you cannot jiirain a mind that is clouded with liquor. Others say that until the principle of tex equality is understood then no reform can really bear good fruit. When thought out, we can only conclude that education is the vital thing. A welltrained mind brought to bear on, any problem will get all the facts and analyse the past history of each section of the problem, and the verdict will be well in accord with justice, and must, obviously, advance the race. The Labor Party speaks) to-night at the Empire Theatre. The party is keen on education —education on all matters. It knows that until the public thoroughly understand the complex l question of production mid distribution there is no real hope of sound reform. They have, therefore, sent two of their leaders to place their views on the coal question (which is the burning question of the day) before the people of New Plymouth. To-night in the Empire Theatre at 8 o'clock.

A social will bo held in the Omata hall on Wednesday, June 4, at 8 p.m., for members of St. John's English Church and their friends. A reminder is given of the animal meeting of the Westown Progressive Association, which takes place at the West End Bowling Club's pavilion at 730 to-night. The meeting was postponed last week on account of the weather interfering with the attendance. for rough roads have CLINCHER ,giv« more miles than mo3t tyres and : <T£KES fitted to your cycle! They | ensure a freedom from tyre irouble, and [are guaranteed six, nine, twelve and fif[teea months. ft)