LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The New Plymouth Fire Brigade acknowledge. with thanks, a donation of five guineas from Mr. John Abbott. Mails despatched from New 2ealand on 18th October arrived in London on the 29tli ultimo. A cable says the Sydney divorce boom continues, and the 1200 mark has been reached. In his report to the Piikekura Park Board last night, the curator (Mr. . W. Smith) stated that flower stealing was rife, and it was almost impossible to keep a rose bloom in the bed at present. The Governor-General, in the course of speeches at functions at Greymouth, referred to the great resources and possibilities of the West Coast, which would rapidly develop as soon as its present isolation was replaced by adequate means of transportation. —Press Association. The miners at the Kaitangata mines held a stop-work meeting yesterday morning prior to going on their shift (says a telcsram t from Dnnedin). When the meeting closed and the men were prepared- to resume work they were refused their lamps. Consequently the limine was idle all day. It is anticipated that work will be resumed to-iiay on the ''go-slow" policy. The pre-war railway time-table, it is understood, will be resumed on 14th December (says the Wellington Post). It is not yet known whether other privileges of railway travel vvhich were curtailed during the war—excursion fares, for instance, and special concessions to athletic teams, etc.—will be reinstated at the same time. The Defence Department has made arrangements with the Railway Department for the provision, where practicable, of seating accommodation for disabled soldiers travelling by rail. The A.D.M.S. of each district will in future issue a certificate to eacii disabled soldier whose disability renders it particularly desirable that seating accommodation should be provided. Such. certificates will be availabla for six months from date of issue, when further certificates will be issued if warranted." The last days are announced for the following goods at the Melbourne's Great Salvage Sale of Roberts' stock:—63-incl; ticking, 3s Od yard; 30-inch flannelette, Is 9d yard; 30-inch Madapolam, la 3d yd; 40-inch white voile, Is fid yard; cot-, ton and wool cashmere finish hose, 3s (id pair; ladies' long shaped cotton vests, 1 [2s lid. The sale ends on Saturday, Otli 'December. .

A motov accident happened at the intersection of rrinces Street and Glover Road, Hawera, on Sunday afternoon". As Mr. T. C, Arnold, of Nolantown, in his car came to the corner from town a car coming along Gover Road collided with him. The former had a rear whcei damaged, while the latter was pretty badly damaged, the lamps, radiator, and front tyres suffering severely.—Star.

I An amusing story is in circulation on the Coaat, touching the advice given by a lawyer (says the Poverty Bay Herald). At one of the townships a lot of driftwood was washed on to the beach. Many of the residents, including the lawyer, piled up the wood and sought vehicles to take it away. One man took another's pile, and the man whose pile had disappeared sought advice from the solicitor regarding the possibilities of a successful action for the recovery of the wood. The solicitor advised that he had no action, and the man paid his fee. Straight away the man whose stack had been taken got a cart and appropriated the solicitor' 3 pile of wood. At last night's meeting of the Pukekura Park Board the question of erecting suitable gates at the Vogeltown entrance of the Park was mentioned, it being stated that the way was quite open for cattle to get in, which might do considerable damage to the grounds. The chairman said no cattle ever jot in thero yet. Other members mentioned that the day of gates and fences around public reserves was passing away, and in most of the larger centres this system was being adopted. "But they are civilised in those places," said the first speaker. Another member said that for all the good the gates on his property were ho might as well be without them. Everybody who went through left them open. In an election address to his constituents, Mr. G. J. Anderson, of Mataura, paid a compliment to Taranaki Counties. Inter alia, he said: "Better roads were a necessity in any scheme for increased production, and to that end he thought the system of local government should be altered in some way. He was not going to criticise the Southland County Council in any way, but would like to point out that small counties in Taranaki possessed the latest machinery for laying down tarred macadam roads. The matter should be investigated to see if the same thing could be done in Southland. The roads should be put down to carry heavy motor lorry traffic."

' A questioner at Mr. Buckeridge's meeting in New Plymouth on Monday night asked if the speaker could tell why, for the first time in the history of the country, the railway servant had been placed under the Arbitration Act by Mr. Massey. Mr. Buekeridge said he did not know what was at the back of the Premier's mind, but he always believed tha Act was a good one, and was surprised to learn that there were objections to it There .was some laughter at this, and then Mr. Buekeridge got back on his questioner by reminding him that the Act to which the workers were evidently taking exception was one of the boasts of Liberal legislators. This was taken in good part, and the man in the audience replied that what the railway servants wanted was conciliation, so that the representatives of each side could meet around the table and discuss their differences. Mr. Buckeridge's reply was that he had been fighting for that all along the line.

At Mr. Buckeridge's meeting in the Empire Theatre on Monday night, the candidate spent some time in telling the audience of his work in connection with organising the Farmers' Union. At the end of the address, a member of the audience asked Mr. Buckeridge who tiie fanners were organised against, and to this he replied that it was wise for every section of the community to be prepared, as it was never known just exactly when and where enemies would appear. The farmers were organised to protect their interests, and he admitted the workers were entitled to be organised for the purpose of protecting their interests. What he contended was, however, that if the two sections could find some common ground on which to meet, differences could be settled without unrest and disorder, Someone theiu asked, "Wliai about the IAI3 strike,"' to which Mr. Buckeridge replied that the Massev Government was not responsible. He believed it was the result of misunderstanding, and if all the matters relating to it were placed before both sides, he thought the misunderstanding would be removed.

The high cost of living is now arousim' much greater interest throughout France than any other subject, writes the Paris correspondent of the Morning Post. The appeal of M. Noulens, the new food con troller,' to every consumer to assist in the war on profiteers is receiving a surprisingly large response not only in Paris but throughout the whole country, and day by day the movement gains strength Every day news is received of the formation of new leagues of consumers and vigilance committees, as tho campaign spreads from quarter to quarter in Paris and from town to town in the province* Experience is showing that, apart from the inevitable rise in prices resulting from the scarcity of freight and other factors due to the present unsettled conditions, a very large proportion of (he excessive cost of naccssaries is directlv attributable to "he unwarrantably iiiir'ii rate of profit added by the French retailer, and the efforts of the various consumers', organisations are at present solely diieeted towards curbing tho rapacity of the average shopkeeper. Already in many instances the -reductions in price have been startling, and have amply proved the success o; the consumers' campaign. Potatoes fell from 7d to 2}d per lb, eggs from 5Jd to 31d, rabbits from 4s to 2s Sd per lb, cauliflowers fiom Is fid to 10d each, French beans from lOd to 2Jd per lb, and cabbages from 3d to 2d each; while fowls, which before the arrival of the delegates were marked at prices ranging from 12s fid to 20s each, according to size, dropped suddenly after their presence became known, 8s to 12s. A cleverly-written and amusing cur-tain-raiser called "Snowed up with a Duchess," will open the U.S.A. concert to-morrow evening. Mrs. p. (}. Evans takes the part of the dugliess, Mrs. (J. II W eston a French dressmaker, Airs \ Walker plays the part of Mrs.ChonleHi' Jones, and Miss Dora Bedford that of Mrs. Hodge. Mr. Day has given much help with the stage arrangements: Mr Ifayden is designing a stage set for the performance, which will greatly help the success of the play. The bos plan is now open at Hoffman's, and ticket hold ers are requested to take tickets with them when reserving. The KawaroaPark Society wishes to acknowledge vith thanks the following donations towards its funds:— Messrs VV. C. Weston £1 1 9) C. H. Burses* £i i 1«, N. Greiner £1 la, g S3 U \

The following are the vital statistics for Hawera for November:—Birtlu 30, deaths 8, marriages 4. Asked why, if wages were higher and conditions better in Australia, he had come to New Zealand to work, a skilled craftsman in the jewellery trade Inform, ed the Arbitration Court at Wellington that, apart from the better climate of New Zealand, if a man was carcftyl lie could save more money, even if he earn less. We have gone through tribulation at the front and at home, said Mr. R. Aid* lick, secretary to the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, in an address to the Auckland Association tha v other evening, but the cause of our worst troubles since our return is pro* fiteering. Unless we can compel whatever Government goes into power to deal with this question we should go out of business. At the front we did not enjoy the work of digging a comfortable dug-out for an officer, and we don't like doing very much the same thing now that we are home. Loud applause greeted these remarks. At the instance of Mr. J, T. .M. Hornsby, M.P., a Government return ia being prepared showing fl) The namea of members of the New Zealand Parliar ment who served at the front during tho Great War, together with the record of their actual service in the field, tha distinctions gained, and honors and (2) the names of sons and brothers of members of the New Zealand Parliament who served in the war in either the overseas or Imperial forces, where and under what circumstances and in what capacity they so served, and the distinctions gained and honors conferred upon any of them j the return also to include a list of thoße who were killed or died. Intending competitors in the decorated mantelpiece class at the Horticultural Show on Thursday are reminded that tha background is to be black, and not green, as stated in the schedule. The committed will be glad of donations of cut flowers, for the flower stall. Pasha Kickupadusto has arrived in New Plymouth ready to take part in tha benefit concert to Mr. Jenkins to-morrow night. He is 26 inches high, and can do what no other man in the world can.