LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Whilst crossing Devon Street, .in order to catch a tram on Friday evening, Mr. John Averv was knocked down by a motor car. He was fortunate in escaping with a shaking, and waß able to attend to business on Saturday. The High School Board of Governors have accepted the tender of Messrs Boon Bros., Xcw Plymouth, for the erection of the additional wing to the boarding establishment of the Boys' School, the contract price being £1305. A large number of men who returned to New Zealand by the troopship Matatua and Ulimaroa wore passengers from Auckland bv the Rarawa, which arrived at New Plymouth on Saturday morning. The men for southern stations along the. lino proceeded to their destinations by the early morning train. When a townsman of New Plymouth passed up a cheque at Saturday's meeting of tlie Farmers' Meat Company, in pavment for additional shares taken up, the chairman (Mr. J. T. Quin) appealed to nt.licv town residents to support the enterprise. He remarked that the company in the past year had paid out £30,000 in wages, and he thought that ought to be an inducement for townspeople to take an active interest in the company.

Upon the arrival of the Prims Minister in Wellington the following telegram from the chairman of the committee of the Reform League of this electorate was despatched: "On behalf of the New Plymouth Keform League I express our pleasure at the safe return of yourself and Mrs. Massey, and high appreciation of your valuable services to the Empire." The following reply has been received: "Many thanks for kind telegram on my return to New Zealand. I cordially appreciate the kind expressions contained therein. Best wishes."

A meeting of the New Plymouth Commerce Society was held at the Soldiers' Chili 1 on' Friday evening, when a very instructive paper was read by Mr. D. Mu-tehen on the Chattels Transfer Act. At the conclusion of his address Mr. Hutchen answered a number of questions. Those present expressed appreciation of the instructive nature of the address. .In acknowledging a hearty vote of thanks, the speaker expressed his willingiies»:.t|) gftdv'tt lecture on some other subject at a future date, as he recognised t]io _ benefits ,to be gained by such a society.

Besides being inconvenienced by the curtailment of the railway services, ratepayers in the Jilba Road district are also suffering through ciiment' having to be carted from New Plymouth, thus entailing additional expense in the erection of bridges for winch''the settlers hhd raised loans, and tliei;e is a probability that these will not rimf be* 'completed within the estimates. At the meeting of the Moa Road Board on Saturday it was resolved to telegraph the Minister of Railways drawing liis attention to this fact, and to the increase ill' the wear and tear on the roida affe'eting the cost of maintenance. Tiie stories which have been in circulation recently regarding the identity of the youngest soldier to leave New Zealand on active service have brought to light another claim tc the distinction, and the truth of the story is vouched for by the person with whom the soldier is at present residing in New Plymouth. It is claimed tlmt the- soldier in question was only 1-1 years of ago when he enlisted, and that he had his fifteenth birthday shortly before embarking for Egypt. He had 3y 2 years' service in Egypt and France, was gassed and subsequently blind therefrom for three months, and was also wounded in the left shoulder and leg. He returned to. N T ew Zealand a little time ago, and'fa; uow e<% i'jat IS year* of tgt.

The Tainui sailed from London on Friday last with 610 New Zealand soldiers on board.-—Cable message. The Wnnganui Harbor Board has decided to appoint a resident engineer at u salary of £SOO per year, There was a heavy fall of snow on Mt. Egmont on Friday evening. Yesterday the snow was fourteen inches deep about the houses, which were visited during the day by several motoring parties, who were rewarded with some interesting views.

A ratepayer wrote to the Eltliam County Council on Saturday repudiating liability for rates, on the ground that lie had sold hi, property. The clerk said there was a lot of misunderstanding about liability to pay rates in cases of transfer. The Act laid it down that up till the time of transfer tho previous < wner was liable for the rates. Cr. McWilliam said the slipshod way in which transfers wore made had caused a great deal of trouble. Solicitors who prepared transfers should see that a proper adjustment of rates was made and that the council was notified, and that the previous owner should be held responsible. The clerk said that when property was sold the balance of rates owing for the year should be charged by tho vendor to the buyer, for the seller whose name appeared on the rate-book would be required by the council to pay till the end of the year. On Saturday night, at Okato, Mr. J. Connett, chairman of the Taranaki County Council, and Mr. J. Wooldridge, a member of the Council, addressed a meeting of ratepayers in connection with the proposal to raise a loan for road improvement purposes, There was a i»on<* attendance, over which Mr. C. Andrews presided. The matter was dealt with on lines similar to that already reported, much interest being manifested by those present. At the close of tho meeting it was unanimously resolved: "That this meeting approves the action of the Taranaki County Council in bringing forward their tar loah proposal, andj pledges itself to do its utmost to have the poll carried on Wednesday next."

The Wanganui Fresh Food and Tee Co., 1.M., which has been established in Wanganui for a considerable number of vim?., lias decided to extend its operations further afield. Realising the opunrtunities which specially appertain to Tararyiki as a dairying centre, and the frpwiii'T importance of Xew Plymouth, the company is establishing a receiving ilepot there' (says the Chronicle). Mr. Edwin M. Grant, on behalf of the company. has made arrangements for a suitable building, which is now in' course of equipment for its special purpose. Mr. flrant leaves Wanganui shortly to manace the new branch, the prospects for the success of which it is stated, are very encouraging. The new branch will be a feeder to the Wanganui factory, but it. is expected that eventually an additional factory will be established at New Plvmouth.

Speaking at a public meeting regarding the railway collapse at Masterton last Thursday. Mr. Ct. R. Sykes, M.P, stated he had lmd a long talk with the General Manager of the Railways, who placed all the figures at his disposal, and he waß satisfied that the statements and figures placed, before the public by Mr. McVilly from time to time were absolutely correct. Last Thursday the reserve of coal available for railway purposes was only -8000 tonß. He repeated that the coal shortage was genuine, and a critical one as far as the railways were concerned. During the war it was almost impossible to obtain coal from Australia, and the epidemic and strikes in Australia lmd made the position more acute. Mr McVilly held put no hope of the present acute position being changed for two or three months.

A few remarks were made by members of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce about the price now being charged for benzine and other oils. Although the Chamber agreed that it was scarcely within its province to interfere with prices for these things, and one member mentioned casually that they were all exploiting the public with thplr different lines of goods, Mr. M. M. MeCallum, the president, said the price ot Shell benzine f.o.b. Hongkong was 5s IOJd a case, which allowed 18s o|d a case for freight and kindred charges. This served to show, he said, that the profit must bs enormous. The discussion (says the Star) was the result of a letter sent in by a local Arm as a protest against the Very high prices of the spirit, which was being sold at 24s 4d a case to dealers and 26s 6d to consumers. The trouble, according to the/oompMnant, arose out ot the rise in the price, although freight ha J recently been fairly considerably reduced. The writer asked the Chamber to endeavour to check what he described profiteering, The Chamber decided it could do nothing, it being rather a question for the Board of Trade to handle.

Special offerings in men's underwear fire quoted by the Melbourne, Ltd., as follows: White cotton singlets 2s fld, natural singlets 3s lid and 4s fid, cotton and wool singlets 5s lid to 8s fld, natural pants 4s Gd, wool and cotton pants 5s lid to 9s fld. All direct importations from manufacturers.

Washing day no longer has any terror for ,thc up-to-date woman who uses "FATRY. WONDER" dry soap, the now scientific preparation for washing clothes with a minimum of labor and firing. Its composition is absolutely pure and contains no ingredient that is either harmful to.the hands or to the fabrics. Contains no caustic soda, and will not rot the. clothes. On salo at all grocers. Mr. More, who is announced, to speak on Tuesday evening at the Good, templar Hall on the subpect of Protestantism, is secretary to the Auckland group of the Protestant Political Association and one of th& organisers of tlie Association. He is reported to be an excellent speaker. The Star Minstrel Troupe, whose performances for patriotic purposes was so much appreciated by the full house which witnessted it, is again to the fore in assisting the St. Mar.v's Peace Memorial Sunday School building fund with an entertainment to be given in the Good Templar Hall on Thursday of this week, ill troubadour style, by a full and Well-trained company, when an attractive programme is being submitted, including solos, choruses, comedy, and dances. Intending patrons are advisiv to book seats early at Collier's, where the box plan is filling fast. Those with unsold tickets are requested to return them to Mr. Hugh Railv's office, A.M.P. Building, during Tuesday at latest.