LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The borough assistant inspector said yesterday in the Magistrate's Court that there was far too much exceeding the speed limit in New Plymouth, especially by motor cycVsts, and he did not think anything but a heavy penalty would would stop it. In the case in question the Magistrate imposed a fine of £5 and costs. There is a vacancy on the New Plymouth Borough Council caused by the election of Mr. J. Clarke as Mayor. Nominations close on November 20, and the election will take place on December 3. Mi'. J. S. S. Medley, a former councillor, has been mentioned as a probable candidate, but he stated last night that ho has not yet made up his mind on the matter. The possibility of running an express between Wellington and Auckland on a 15-hour schedule haying been shown by the running of the experimental "limited" trains during the week-end, it lias been decided that the train will be placed daily in tlie service during December. It will leave Wellington in the evening, and Auckland in the morning. The train will be strictly limited in load, stwppmg only at Palmerston, Marton, Tnihape, Ohakune, Taumarunui, and Frankton. Bananas reached a record price in the Auckland fruit markets last week. On Thursday, cases containing about 801b. were sold up to 2Ss, which would mean a retail price of at least 6d per lb. Hawkers' bananas —an inferior class of Fruit —fetched IBs for a 60 lb case on Friday, a very high figure. These pricey are the more remarkable, in view of the fact that November is the best banana month in the Islands, and that the Talune this week landed 18,000 cases of prime fruit. A delinquent cyclist, who pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court yesterday to riding on the footpath, asked the Court if lie could state a reason for the occurrence. The Magistrate said be dould, though he did not know if thc-re could be a reason. The offending "wheeler" replied: "Wat asphalt, rlrv footpath, no mud-guard." Ten shillings and costs represented the Measure of the judicial sympathy Wifch his mimgt

The Hawora Borougli Council is supporting the local Law Society's request for the appointment of a resident magistrate at Hawera, ° At a meeting of parisiiionen of the local (..alholic Church lield on Sunday (the Opunake Times reports) it was resolved that a new Convent School be built at the earliest possible date. The building, which will be in concrete, is estimated to cost £llOO. To raise funds for this purpose a Queen Carnival and bazaar will bo held. A roving and pugnacious bull suil'erod .an unfortunate fate when the train from the Wairarapa was coming through the Manawatu Gorge last week. While the train was emerging from one of the tunnels it pulled up sharply. The bull had charged the engine. Beyond the temporary _ stoppage of the train the animal's misdirected energy had no effect on the object of its fury, while, by the force of the impact, the ill-starred bovine itself was decapitated. The value of tar-sealing in roadmaking was instanced at the last meeting of the Eitham County Council (reports the Argus). There was some question as to what, should be done with certain surplus toll-gate revenue, and the clerk said he did not know whether it could be used for any purpose but the upkeep of the Bltham road. Councillors pointed out that there was no stipulation to that effect, but when the tollgate was erected they had not anticipated any surplus to be available for other purposes. That there was, only went to prove the success of the tarsealing policy adopted by the council in ail its road work, which, while necessitating much greater initial outlay, yet was, in the long run, much more economical than the ordinary macadamised road. An uncomfortable skin trouble, strongly resembling what is known as "Maori itch," is prevalent in Wellington at the present time (says the Dominion). The malady breaks out in the form of red pimples 011 the face, body, and hands, and the itching symptoms are very acute. Being highly contagious, people who contract the disease should at. once seek medical advice. It is thought that its introduction to the Dominion lias been due to returning troops. In the complaint was known as "rWwfties,* and soldiers contracting it 'during the war were subjected to sulphur baths, this treatment proving effective in a very short time. A Wellington doctor stated yesterday that several cases had come tinder his notice lately, and he expressed the opinion that 'on account of its contagious character' istics, sufferers ought to bo placed in isolation until cured. The disease was not dangerous if treated without delay, but isolation ought to be made compulsory.