LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Several of the Union Steamship Company's vessels, which have hitherto heen coal consumers, arc. it is understood, to be transformed 1 into oil-fuel vessels in the near future. Cases of influenza are still being reported to the Auckland Health Department. The bulk of the cases are of a mild variety, but towards the end of last a week a patient whose symptoms were identical with those, seen during the late epidemic was notilied to the Auckland office of the Department. The first "limited" express train from Wellington arrived in Auckland at 11.30 o'clock on Sunday morning, 20 minutes ahead of schedule time. It left Wellington at eight o'clock on Saturday night, taking 15 hours 30 minutes to complete the journey. The train consisted of 10 cars —seven ordinary, one Ministerial, and one sleeping car and a luggage vnn. The train was well filled, 130 passengers in all being carried. The Returning Officer (Mr. R. Day) is making very complete arrangements for' displaying the results of the voting in the mayoral election at the principal polling booth, at Whiteley Hall, Liardet Street, to-night. All the general arrangements have been completed, and as the issue is a clear-cut one, it is expected the final result will be known at an early hour after the closing of the poll at 7 o'clock.

Ask distinctly for SANDER'S fiUCALYPTI EXTRACT, or else you may receive one of the manv substitutes. The GENUINE SANDER EXTRACT cures colds, fevers, indigestion; prevents infectious diseases and heals ulcers, poisoned wounds, skin diseases, burns, sprains, etc. It is much more powerfully antiseptic than the common eucalyptus and does not depress irritate like the latter.

The headteacher and children of the Okau school have shown fine spirit in connection with the forthcoming Plunket Society's "®aby Day" street collection. The secretary wrote to all the schools in the North Island district asking that each child should bring an egg to school on Thursday, November 20th. and has received a postal order from the above school, and a letter stating that as some of the children had fom and five .mules to ride, the teacher had asked them to bring their spare pennies instead.

At the conclusion of the Plunket So- ? 8 ™ ee^'n £ r - Collis introduced Misses Girdler and Watlcins to the president and committee of the Society. Thev attended the meeting with a view to investigating the possibility of the employment for women who have served with the different branches of war workers in England. Quite a lot of valuable information was given the visitors regarding girls working on the land domestic helpers, etc, ' '

The damage done by drivers of motor orries 'rushing" bridges was stressed by tiie engineer of the Egmont County umncil at its meeting yesterday. In the course of his report he'suggested that either a limit should be put 011 the loads carried by piotor lorries over the wooden bridges, or power obtained to icense the drivers of lorries so as to have some control over them. It was not so much the weights carried by lorries that were a menace to the stabiilty of the bridges, as the manner in which the bridges were rushed by some of the drivers. A five-ton lorry' with a six-ton load could easily take one year's life out of an old bridge in one trip over.

Kates are coming;' in very slowly remarked the chairman of 'the Egmont County Council, in response to a question from Cr. Green. With two days yet before the final date of payment, there was still ;C 13,000 outstanding Cr. Green urged that the instructions re suing for rates should be put into action. The clerk stated that he was prepared to at once issue summonses, but would like an instruction as to the number that should be summoned, and would also like a committee appointed to draw the names of those who were to be summoned. It was decided that ten in each riding should be sued at orice, and that Councillors GreeYt and Sinclair draw the names. ''The strawberry season, within a week or two, should be practically in full swing:," remarked an Auckland wholesale dealer in fruit. He stated that the recent rains had hurried along the berries, but the high winds had deranged the mulching material to no small extent. Prices remain high. At one market IS crates of berries, containing some 3f!o chips, were disposed of at very heavy rates. Prime berries fetched from Is IOJd to 4d, and second grade fruit realised Is Cd to Is 9d. The dealer •remarked that as there was a sustained 'demand for fruit, there was as yet little •hope that the prices would drop to any considerable extent. *

The auxiliary launch Marakopa, which ivas owned by Mr. A. W. Ogle, of Waitara. was wrecked on Monday near the mouth of the Mohakatino river, a little south of the Mokau, while en route from Waitara to Mokau. The heavy weather at the time of the occurrence was responsible for the wreck. It is understood that when attempting to enter the Mokau river her engme failed and before her sails could be adjusted she was stripped of her propeller on the reef in the vicinity. Captain M. Jensen was in charge, and though he managed to get the launch to sea again she was not manageable, and he beached at the locality stated. The heavy sea on the rocks was causing her to break lip and it is believed she will be 1 a total loss. Efforts were made to salve the cargo. It is believed the vessel was' not insured. The shortage of housing accommodation, which appears to be almost as acute in the country as in the towns, is drawing the attention of local bodies to the need for providing accommodation for their permanent employees. The Egmont County Council briefly discussed the matter yesterday, when it was reported that two of their employees, trhose houses had been sold over their heads, would have to leave the council's employ owing to the impossibility of se-/ curing housing accommodation. It was stated that a house had been offered to the council, who favored the idea of purchasing it, as provided by the Act of last session, if a loan could be obtained from the Government. Councillors Sinclair and O'Brien. held that the council plioukl go in for a comprehensive scheme for housing their employees, and in this the chairman concurred, stating that housing would go a long way to solve the labor problem. The chairman also referred to the desirability of introducing a superannuation scheme for its employees, and on his motion, he and the rlerk were appointed a committee to submit a scheme to the council. A strong point made by Mr. H. P, Mourant in his address at a meeting of Christchurch bank officers last week was the necessity, in the present state of affairs in the Dominion, for the highest intelligence in banking. "We have a big responsibility, and we don't realise it," said Mr Mourant. "A good number realise that this Dominion is in a difficult financial position. We are treading in a very dangerous path, and not far ahead is a percipice, and, if We don't take care, we will go over it. With inflation of credit, and with great extravagance, we are in a very, very difficult position. Don't pass these off as my views—they are the views of leading economists. We are like a boy who buys a bladder and blows, and blows, until it bursts! That is wliat inflation of credit is going to land us in—a great mess. This is a time when bank men should give the right instruction to the community. We know that many say that we have never had such prosperous times, that there is plenty of money about—and, look at land values! But it is pseudo-prosperity, and it is the banker who should be advising the people at this time of financial peril." At the meeting of the New Plymouth Coursing Club to-night the chief item of business will be the holding of the 1020 Waterloo Cup. All Interested in coursing arc invited to attend.. The Rose Tea in aid of the funds oi the Te Hemu Churcli on Thursday afternoon promises to be n great success. There Aviil be a special display of roses and other choice flowers, also stalls well laden with produce, including homemade bread, butter, cheese, eggs, Imm, new potatoes, sweets, etc. Contributions of all kinds will he gladly received at the Sunday School on Thursday morning. A good programme, including songs, etc., has been arranged for the entertainment on Thursday evening. Mr. Jacobsen, Government Bee Inspector, will give a demonstration at Mr. J. W. Foreman's apiary, Tikorangi, to-morrow at 2 p.m. The extra wear that CLINCHER CROSS MOTOR TYRES give means an extra .saving in money, NORTH BRITISH'"CLINCHERS" have provod their] superiority on two ildts oi tli» glob*. 97

The Home liner Kia Ora, which is coming to New Plymouth next has arrived at Wellington from London. Captain S. C. Levack is in command, and has with him the following officers! Chief, W. Dawson; second, F. Dudding; third, H. E, Moses; chief engineer, F. Harvey; second, P. Drake; third, J. McCcnville; fourth, Heckle; fifth, S. Thompson; sixth, {J. Bell; chief refrigerating engineer, G. Manson; second, R. Mcßoberts; wireless operator, M. Harris.

The men and moat of the_ lady members of the choir at St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Auckland, absented themselves from the service on Sunday evening as a protest against the wishes expressed by a very largely signed petition in which the congregation asked for the appointment of the Rev. Jasper Calder, curate of the church as vicar in succession to the Rev. Mr. Gillam. It was decided to maintain this attitude until the return of Mr. Calder, who is at present in the south. The Rev. Grant Cowen, of Hawera, has been appointed vicar.

Among the written questions which were handed up to Brigadier-General Meldrum, Liberal candidate for the Rangitikei seat, at his meeting at Wanganui East the other evening, was the somewhat unusual one, "Are you in favor of hanging Bill Massey f" In reply, the candidate said: "I am a political opponent of Mr. Massey, but, at the same time, he is a man for whom I have the very greatest respect. A man who has given 30 years of his life to the service of his country, as Mr. Massey has done, is deserving of something better than ridicule." This manly tribute to a political opponent was warmly applauded by the audience, sa.vs the Chronicle.

A resident of Stratford who made a trip to a seaside town the other night for the purpose of enjoying a dance had an experience that in some particulars he doea not 'wish repeated (says the Post). In a spirit of devilment lie commandeered a motor car to save time on a journey up the street, but his luclc was out, as the Tillage policeman was soon informed of the disappearance of the car from its stand, and he was arrested for theft, gaoled, and refused bail. However,- his party were not without friends in the place, and with the apeparance of the Mayor came reason to the policeman, and the amount of the hail (£10) being forthcoming the accused was allowed his liberty. Now comes .the light side to the story. Returning to , the hall, the owner of the car was found, and his greeting brought all parties , relief. "It was. you, you devil. Fancy meeting you!" There remains but t,o state that it was a reunion of two old , "cobbers" who had fought together .. in France, and the warmth of their handclasp was evident. About the charge of theft? Oh, that'll be all right!

The Melbourne, Ltd., offer a fine line of men's; cream gaberdine tennis and cricketting trousers at 27s Bd. Other seasonable lines in stock are fine white mercerised tennis shirts at 10s 6d and 12s 6d, and special lines of tussore and white silk shirts at 17s 6d and 19s 6d, really excellent values. The formula of the already famous Fairy Wonder Cleanser for washing clothes is a closely guarded secret, and was the discovery of an eminent chemist only after years of research for a soluble and active deterrent injurious to nether skin nor fabric. In addition, it has the wonderful properties of quickly bleaching snow-white any clothes that may have become a bad color. Every housewife should use it.