LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Several members of the Taranaki Education Board paid an official visit to the schools in the Mangdrei district yesterday. The mine-sweepers Mallow, Marguerett, and Geranium arrived at Wellington from Sydney at 3.40 p.m. yesterday. A JDunedin message states that, under the will of the late A. Souter, who used to hawk with a van in Central Otago, the Salvation Army will receive £IOOO, the Bamardo Homes £ 1000, and the Ross Home for Old People, North East Valley, £IOOO.

Word has been received by the Collector of Customs at New Plymouth that the mine which was found on the beach at Oakura on Wednesday morning would be exploded on Saturday morning. The party who will carry out the work arrive by the mail train to-night. A Wellington message says that a conference of delegates from the branches of the Welfare League will shortly be held in Wellington to decide on the political attitude of the league and to make arrangements for entering on a vigorous campaign throughout the country in accordance with the objects of the league, Opunake turned out en masse on Wed* nesday evening to extend a welcome to all returned men of the Opunake district. The speakers were the local clergymen and Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., and the Hon. W. C. F. Carncross, M.L.C. During the evening songs were given by Mrs. C. Feaver (2), Messrs Papaka* kura and T. liughson, and items by the Opunake Male Quartette. The band then played the National Anthem, and the first part of the evening terminated. Refreshments were then served to those present, while the hall was cleared for dancing. This was continued till after midnight. Speaking at Opunake on Wednesday evening, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., aaid New Zealandera never faltered in their I duty, and New Zealand was always solidly behind her Boldiers, and no other country iiad treated her men better. (A voice: No! Nol) He said he knew what he was talking about. Some said that the Government should shoulder all the burdens, but he was not in agreement with that. In answer to an interjection that Mr. Massey was having a good time at Home, Mr. Wilkinson said that Mr. Massey had done a good work, and he did not envy him his job. The work of a politician was not all that it was cracked up to be. The Hon. W. C. F. Carncross, M.L.C., said Mr. Wilkinson was a. man of the, utmost loyalty, who had done and Was doing a 'great work for his country,, jle' knew many' mothers could speak of the kindness shown them by°Mr, Wilkinson. He himself had been in England and in France, and had heard nothing but good of the New Zealand soldiers. ..Hi3 advice to the returned, men was to get out of uniform aiid back to work as quickly possible, and not to wait for the Government to do everything for them.— Star.

Elsewhere the Taranaki Farmers' Meat Company makes a direct appeal to its shareholders and others to subscribe to the issue of £50,000 offered. Several important points are made. They are: (a) The directors do not want donations —they are offering an investment, (b) The company has 'reached the dividendearning stage and'investors can rely on fretting interest on their miriey. ■ (c) All dividends are free of income-tax. (d) The terms of the issue aTe very easy. It takes practically three years to call up the whole amount, (e) The directors suggest that the simplest way out of the difficulty ?.* to double present holdings of shares. They tried this method with their own shares.

To-night the East End Bathing Reserve Social Committee are holding a big long-night dance in the pavilion, proceeds to be on behalf of the Elliott widow and children fund. The committee have everything well in hand, the floor is receiving special attention, while the committee has also been promised a number of dishes for supper extra to f'ose supplied by the ladies' committee. The music, as usual, is being supplied by Mrs. and Mr. R. George. Cards will be supplied to non-dancers in the supperroom.

These at the Melboupie. Ladies' grey fleece lined bloomers 3s lid. children's all-wool navy bloomers 4s lid to 7s lid, iHorroctaes' yard-Wide calico Is 9d per yard, Horrockses' 'ldeal" striped flannelette 2s 3d per yard, good quality nursery flannelette Is 8d per yard, 35inch heavy flannelette Is lid, Horrockses' famous 'ldeal" white fla>nelette, fine twilL.eaual to wiaWi 2» lid ger jprd.

At the Magistrate's Court, Manaia, on the 19th instant, before Mr. Hewitt, S.M., Calder and Merrie, bakers, were charged with selling to A. Gray, an officer under the "Sale of Food and Drugs Act," a reputed 21b loaf, which proved to be ioz. short weight. It was stated that other nine 21b loaves were weighed, and that the aggregate of \he ten was 191bs 9ozs (7ozb short weight). Defendants pleaded guilty, and the magistrate imposed a fine of £5, with 13s Gd expenses. Very eulogistic references were made at the annual meeting of the New Plymouth Bowling Club last night, to the services of the caretaker, Mr. Barnitt, and regret at the loss of his services. Mr. A. K. Smart said in his experience he had never met a better caretaker, He had visited many clubs in the Dominion, and always took particular notice of the greens and the methods of the caretakers, and he had no hesitation in say-; ing that Mr. Barnitt was second to none in the Dominion. The resignation of the caretaker was accepted with .very great regret, and a bonus of £lO was voted him in appreciation of his work. The Mayor of Eltham, in welcoming the members of Parliament to yesterday's conference of local bodies to consider the framing of by-laws, said the action taken by the Taranaki County Council was causing a lot of stir and expense. They would have to send delegates Up to New Plymouth to fight the proposal, and that ought not to be. Had the Taranaki County Council assiociatoed themselves with the by-laws conference a lot of trouble, expense, and annoyance would uavo been saved. It wag very probable that the new by-laws would not come into force, Mr. G. F. Pearce, MJf., said he considered that a great many local bodies, after having laid down good roads, made the mistake of treating them as their own property, when, as a matter of fact, they were the King's highways. He neither favored by-laws of the character proposed by the Taranaki County Council nor toll-gates. If more money was needed for the upkeep of roads it should be obtained by means of an increased Government subsidy. Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., said that while he represented Taranaki electorate he wished to make it clear that he did not represent the Taranaki County Council. The action of the Railway 'Department In declining to recognise liability in connection wth dairy produce lost or damaged in transit on the railway, unless consigned at and to stations where a stationmaster is in charge, came in for strong criticism at the meeting of the National Dairy Association. Various members recited losses' of butter or cheese when consigned from a Btation to the Wellington Meat Export Works and elsewhere, and though the Government disclaimed liability they charged full freight on the lost produce. One Taranaki director stated that his factory in 1917 lost 11 cases of butter while In transit to the Palmerston district, and though they followed it up quickly they were still following it up. A Bouth Island representative said that his factory had always received compensation for butter and cream lost, though on-one occasion they had to issue a summons, but before it was served the claim was paid. This caused the secretary to remark: "One treatment for the South Island and another for the North." A resolution,of protest was carried. In the Magistrate's Court at Wellington; Mr. F. V. Fraser, S.M., heard an action brought by Charles W. Wilson, sheep farmer, of Wanganui, against Lindsay's, Ltd., boot importers, of Wellington, for the recovery of £lO, being damage done to a pair of trousers through the alleged negligence of the defendants. Mr. H. Buddie, who appeared for the plaintiff, said that his client and Mr. K. Duncan were walking down Woodward street, when a nail, which was projecting from a packing case, caught Mr. trousers and damaged them' in such a manner that the suit was rendered useless to the plaintiff. Counsel added that nothing further would have been heard about the matter but for the alleged discourtesy on the part of a member of the firm. Defendants pleaded . contributory negligence, but the Magistrate held the case proved, and gave judgment for £6 with costs, the, damaged Buit to become the property of defendants.