LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Witness reports that a start has been made with levelling work In Maaaia railway station yard.

The Eawera receipts for the JT,S.W. State orchestra's performance amounted to £394.

Early mushrooms were on sale' in New Plymouth yesterday. There was only a small supply, and shops soon sold out at a shilling a pound.

The teachers' examinations tor C and D certificates, which have been held at the Mew Plymouth Technical College during the last fortnight, concluded yesterday.

The Mokoia will leave Wellington on February 14 with the members of the Parliamentary party tn visit Samoa and other Pacific Islands. The party'is expected to return about the middle of March, i

A telegram from Dunedin .'.ays the r,aml Board received 419 application* for a small grazing run of 3177 acres near Xewthorn, the half-yearly rentnl of which is £OO. This constitutes a record for any one 'sectii.a of land in Oi.igo. The Board will take at least two days to examine the applicants.

The plans for the railway station and yards to be provided at Manaia, show that the station will extend 37 chains from the Manaia Road, near the school, the platform being 360 feet loris. There will (states the Witness) be a goods, engine and coal sheds, loading bank and cattle yards, also a stationmaster's house and six cottages for employees. The impression that the last war loan lias been fully subscribed is evidently not justified. The Minister for Finance, Sir James Allen, stated in Wellington on Thursday that the amount raised has been increased to £8,800,000, while there are othey considerable amounts to come in under the compulsory clauses. Although these do not, make up the whole amount, of £10.000.00n. the loan is nevertheless guaranteed as perfectly safe.

Speaking of native customs at a public meeting, held under the auspices of the Native School Teachers' Conference at Auckland, Mr. W. 2C. Couglilan said that the custom of rubbing the nose by way of greeting had beer pronounced scientifically correct, althourii it did not appeal to Europeans. On the. east coast a new custom was in vogue, namely, kissing twice, instead of rubbing noses.

The Eawera branch of the upturned Soldier*' is. feeliji'r pretty sore over the non-appointment of a returned soldier to the position of sc.rotary of the Egmont A. and P. Association, and is asking for a re-considera-tion of the matter, which the A. and P. Association refuses. The R.S.A. considers that the A. and P Associate; should have given the first, refusal to one of its member?, who, prior to enlistment, held the position, and. failing him, to some other returned soldier. In n statement of the position, the R.F-.A. states:—"The R.S.A. does not think that a returned soldier should be given any position he applies for, but that preference, if possible, should be given to liim, especially to replace him tn tlie position lie held in civil life. That members of the public and returned soldiers generally agree with the H.S A. on that point is clear from.the. condemnatory remarks that are heard on all sides ii?ainst the society for failing to reappoint a returned soldier to the post of its secretary, and from the fact that the R.S.A. prevailed upon certain returned soldier members of the A. and P. Associations from handing in their resignations from that body as a mark of censure on the society failing to recognise the question of repatriation involved until tile R.S.A. could be given an opportunity to go into the matter and right the wrong done if possible, Tt is conceded by all leading thought that the repatriation of the soldics from the late great war is very vital to the welfare of the Empire. All ?\. and P- Societies are semi-public bodies, and it is safe to say that if any Government handled its civil servants desirous of getting back to their former positions in the same way that the present officials of the Egmont A. and P. Association have handled the ease of their former secretary then the temper of the people would be definitely shown in strong disapproval at a Parliamentary election." A profitable butchery business is advertised for sale on page 1 by Messrs W. H. and J. McG.arry, Bltham, j

A very fine speeimeh of brown trout Was captured in the. Waiwakaiho Kiver a couple of night 3 ago by Mr. W. Birch. The fish was sea-run and was brightly sealed like a salmon. Its weight was 101b.

Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., said yesterday in the Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth, that though the act of leaving a motor cycle on the road side at night did not perhaps amount to neglect, it was, to say the least, courting danger to do so. The question of tail lights on motor cycles came up in a case in the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, and the Magistrate (Mr. t. A. B. Bailey) expressed- some surprise when informed by a solicitor that there was no by-law in New Plymouth, or in the County of Taranaki, requiring riders of motor cycles to carry a tail light at night. The end of the season "special week" commenced at the New Zealand Clothing Factory yesterday, the lftth instant. At this event many bargains in clothing, mercery and boots can be secured by the thrifty parents fitting their "boys" out for the new school term, and they will be able to make substantial savings.— New Zealand Clothing Factory.