LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to the block on the line at* Shannon the mail train did not reach New Plymouth until an hour and a half after schedule time last night. At a meeting of the Taranaki War Relief Association on Wednesday the question of making grants to soldiers either wholly or partially disabled was discussed at length, and Mr. Mills (Hawera) moved that the definition of "permanently disabled" be taken as a man whose ability to earn a livelihood is seriously impaired by his military service, it being understood that every ease shall be considered on its merits. An amendment by Messrs Percival and Atkinson that the word "seriously" be deleted from the motion was defeated, and the motion was carried.

Last evening the visiting members of the Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association were entertained by the New Plymouth branch at a social held in the Masonic Hall. Practically the whole of the visitors availed themselves of the invitation to be present and an enjoyable evening was spent. A number of addresses, interspersed with songs and recitations, were given. The local branch have invited the visitors to take a motor trip to the Mountain House on Sunday. Those who are prepared to go are requested to send their names to the secretary as soon as possible, so that provision can be made. The lectures for farmers arranged by the Taranaki A. and P. Society as an adjunct to the Winter Show, delivered at the Good Templar Hall yesterday, attracted only a very small attendance, though the subjects dealt with wwe of very great importance to every farmer. Mt. E. Dunn, of Anxoa, dealt with the methods of getting the best results from the use of milking machines, and Mr. J. W. Deem, of the Agricultural Department, spoke on the laying down and preservation of pastures. Both addresses were thoughtfully prepared and were listened to with evident appreciation. The discussions which followed helped to fix th? more important points in the minds of those who heard them. The full reports will appear in due course.

A member of the Taranaki War Belief Association remarked at Wednesday's meeting that a returned soldier who recently made application for the clothing allowance was a son of one of the wealthiest men in the district. In reply to the returned soldiers' representative, the chairman said the fact that the applicant was in good financial circumstances could not be taken into consideration in such cases. They could not be refused on these grounds. It was regrettable, however, that persons in such circumstances made application for the allowance. The chairman (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood) said that properly filled-in forms should be got from each applicant and the application gone into. Unless there were very special circumstances, however, the usual allowance of £5 was, made in nearly every case, and whenfl thought necessary, was sometimes inl creased to £lo.—Post. I Speaking at the School Committees'] Conference yesterday, during a discus-, sion on the need for providing a residence at each school, the president (Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P.), who is also a member of the Board of Education, said that this might lead to complications. He instanced, a case where the master of a Taranaki school had a family of ten, and after considerable battling the board had obtained a grant from the department for the erection of a residence, and now had to write and inform the department that the grant would not be required, because the teacher had applied for removal to another school. 1 At the meeting of the Taranaki Wan Relief Association in Stratford on Wed-' pesday Mr. D. J. Willis (Hawera Returp- j ed Solders' Association) brought up a Subject in connection with the graves of soldiers buried in New Zealand. He said that in some cases where relatives were not in very good circumstances the graves were not marked by any stone, and it was the opinion of his committee that in special instances a small headstone and concrete covering for each grave, should be provided at a cost of about £lO, a uniform system to be adopted, This would prevent some graves remaining nameless, and the concrete cover would keep them in order. It was resolved that a remit be forwarded to the Advisory Board asking the Government to take the matter in hand.—Post. During a discussion at the. School Committees' Conference yesterday on the introduction of a universal set of school books throughout the Dominion, so as to' overcome the expense incurred by parents in purchasing books when moving from one district to another, Mr. Morton, chief inspector, stated that whereas some boards allowed teachers the choice of a number of books the Taranaki board had adopted a uniform set of books throughout its district, thus economising the cost to parents who moved from one district to another in Taranaki. Moreover, the Department supplied books free in the case of a child moving form one education district to another in the middle of a year. Some expressed pleasure at hearing&is, which was news to them. Messrs Sfife Bros., butchers, Devon Street, are atpresent making one of the finest displays of beef ever seen in New Plymouth, and probably as fine a line as could be shown ImyVhere. The stock was fattened by of Pukearuhe, on the well-known White Cliffs estate, and offers a fine example; of the value for fattening purposes of T&od in North Taranaki. Mr. Greig is disposing of his property, and hence the st&k has been sold, and. Messrs Sole BrosA have been to some trouble in order to offer the line to the public of New Plymouth. Those interested in dairyingNstock are reminded of Mr. F. T. sale, which is being conducted by Mr. \Newton King at Lower Duthie Road, Maogatoki, tomorrow. The eow-a are all and in the pink of condition. The eai,e commences at 1 p.m., and luncheon \HII b., provided- ] A cheap dairy farm ai a going coßcera is advertised for sale on exceptionally easy terms by W. H. and A. Mc(Sarry, of Eltliam. i