LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The following are the vital statistics for Hawera for October:—Births 23, deaths 0, marriages 0. The Eltham Athletic League have decided to hold a sports meeting on. Box* ing Day, and to allot £IOO in prizemoney.

There are about 1800 New Zealand soldiers still in England, and BrigadierGeneral G. P. Richardson says the last troopship should arrive in New Zealand shortly before Christmas. The Wanganui County Council has resolved to erect a toll-gate near Wa : ngaehu bridge, and the Eangitikei County Council proposes to make it a joint affair, both councils to benefit from the revenue therefrom. The recent arrival in New York of a ■trainload (1,600,000 pounds) of frozen New Zealand lamb and mutton is reported. It came through in good condition, via the Pacific Coast, but sold at a price slightly below that asked for the same grade of American meat. Difficulty with regard to accommodation at Wellington Boys' College has forced the headmaster, Mr. J. P. Firth, to recommend to the Board of Governors that the number of pupils to be received next year shall be fixed at 550.

A cinematograph picture of the whole proceedings at Hawera on Thursday, on the occasion of the public reception to Lieutenant Grant, V.C., was taken under the direction of Mr. A. M. Conroy, who has given the film to the Borough as a historic record. The Registrar (Mr J. S. S. Medley) supplies the following vital statistics for New Plymouth for the month of October, the figures given in parentheses being those for th<? corresponding month of last year:—Births 33 (37), deaths 10 (15), marriages 11 (3). Towards the end of July last a young woman named Annie Caldwell Lindsay disappeared from the Provincial Hotel, Napier, but no trace up to the present has been found of the young lady. Her parents reside at Waimate. The police theory is that, she never left Napier, nnd are inclined to the belief that she has met her death, probably by drowning.

While on his way to milk his cows on a recent Sunday, Mr. Robert Criohton, of Wakefield (Nelson) was stung by a bee. Little notice was ttiken of the sting at the tinio, but later in the evening Mr. Crichton became seriously ill,. and he passed away at midnight. Deceased had not beorj...in good health since his recovery from an attack of influenza, and was In a low state of health.

A peculiar accident which ended fatally occurred on a station at Taihape recently. A youth named Edmund Robinson Jack, 19 years of age, son of Mr. D. W. Jack, of Tauranga. was riding 8 horse over country covering an underground cave. The earth gave way, and horse and rider fell 25 feet. Alarm at the yon tli's absence led to a search party discovering him lying dead under his horse, which also had its neck broken.

Spenkinrr on hydro-electric development at the meeting of, the Moa Road Board on Saturday, Mr. J. H. Lyon said that Mr. Rhodes, managing director of the' Wailii flold Mining Co., told him that when the Arapuni scheme was completed, electrical power could he supplied sis cheap as £2 per horse-power, and when all the schemes for developing power in New Zealand are completed no other country in the world would he able to vie with it for cheap power. NORTH BRITISH OARDEN HOSE is made from the best Para Rubber —this is why it-lasts longer,than most makes — [get it for satisfaction from, any Ironswag**. -■-■■ IS

The continuous telephone service came into operation in Hawera as from midnight last night. '

The prospects of sheep farmers in the Auckland district this season are said to be excellent. Reports to hand from sheep-raising localities in most instances state that the weather conditions have been exceptionally favorable for lambing and that the mortality among the flocks has been low.

In 1013 the total consumption of dyestuffs in the United Kingdom was about 45,000,0001b, of which Germany supplied 38,000,000. The production at the present time has almost reversed the pre-war figures, the total home output being rather more than 36,000,000. In addition, the firms engaged now manufacture all the oleum and other acids essential to the processes.

At the general meeting of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society to be held in the Soldiers' Club this evening, the president, Mr. S. Percy Smith, will deliver a brief inauguraraddress. A report will b e given of the work done by the executive council, and a statement made as to the Society's financial position and prospects; a draft of rules will also be submitted. Persons who may desire to become members of the Society are invited to attend, and should give in-their names to the lion. secretary, Eev. O. Blundell.

The children of the St. Aubyn Methodist Sunday School visited the Rangiatea Home yesterday afternoon and sang a number of their anniversary songs to the inmates and a large number of visitors who gatherea for the occasion. There was a big company, and the collection taken up was the largest on record. Mr. R. J. Deare conducted, and the singing was greatly enjoyed by all who heard it. The matron thanked the children and the school officers for the kindness of their visit. Some of the qhildren were motored to the home in cars supplied by friends, while others within easy distance walked to the institution.

A war trophy by the steamer Port Elliot, which arrived in Wellington from Australian ports on Friday, is an aeroplane, which has come from Egypt. The aeroplane is said to have an interesting history. When the machine arrived at Adelaide from Alexandria the shipping strike was in progress, and it had to Ho there for some time, cable messages meanwhile passing between the Defence authorities and the shipping people there. The matter was taken in hand by the New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Melbourne, and as a result the trophv has been brought on by the Port-Elliot. The local agents for the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, Ltd.. have notified the Minister for Defence that the aeroplane has been shipped from Australia free of freight.

The French navy has-developed-a hydrophone or listening device Known as the Walser gear, which it has found ycry efficient. In this device two sets of a number of sound-receiving plates or studs'are mounted on two areas which are convex to the, sea, one on each side of the keel, on the underside of the hunting ship's hull. By thia gear the sound impulses which they receive are not transmitted by tubes, but are given freely to the air inside the ship. These sound impulses are concentrated in a focus whose position in space depends on the direction from which the sound comes. The position of the sound focus is determined by means of a funnel or trumpet, from the contracted end of which a flexible tube leads to the listener's ear. The great advantage possessed by the Walser gear is that it enables one to distinguish by differences in the position of the sound foci between sounds coming from a distant source and those generated in the water which,have no specific directional feature characterising them. The gear can therefore be used by. chasing ships when moving with fair speeds. If the submarine can be made noiseless in motion this method of countering it becomes ineffective. Even now the range of hearing is not more than 100 yards in the case of njodern submarines moving at two knots or three knots. The Melbourne Limited have a fine new stock of ladies' camisoles and knickers, in super-fine longcloth, trimmed embroidery and lace. ■ The stock is very distinctive, being fairly highclass quality moderately priced. Night'drcsses and underskirts of good quality also in stock. Messrs. L. A. Nolan and Co., on Saturday, sold roctions 14 (with homestead) 10 and 11 of the Willowfield estate at the upset prices. The remaining sections are open for private treaty. At a meeting of the committee of the New Plymouth Horticultural Society the moneys promised for prizes at the forthcoming show were allocated to the different classes. Judges were appointed, and various other matters pushed forward in preparation for the show..

A grand concert is to be given by pupils of the Warea School in tlie Warea Hall on Wednesday evening. A splendid programme has been arranged, so that those attending can be assured of an enjoyable evening's entertainment.