LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Messrs Wm. Ferguson nnd Albert Firth have, forwarded to the Borough Council n joint report upon their inspection of the undertaking of the Kew Plymouth Cas Co. The result of the investigations, however, is not available for publication at present. The New Plymouth Borough Council decided last night to notify a local taxidriver, who had been convicted of being drunk while in charge of a motor-ear, that if he should be subsequently found under the influence of liquor while in charge of a car, his license #nd certificate would be cancelled without further

At-.the monthly meeting of the Ngaere branch of the W.C.T.U. last week a delegate was appointed to the forthcoming convention, nnd a paper was read by Mrs. X. Jones on the "Life of Frances Willnrd." During the afternoon songs were rendered by Mrs. Cooper, of New Plymouth.'—Argus, Mr. Murdoch, chairman of the Hawera County Council, inclines to the belief that lorries drawn by steam can be worked more economically than those driven by electricity. Tests were, he said, how being made, and they should soon know which was the cheaper. Ho mentioned that while a steam driven lorry would, lust 20 years, lie had not heard of one driven by benzine which would last more than eight yeaj's. In graphic terms a well-known Pftlmerston man describes his first; attempt at earning a living in Christchnrch' on arrival there 30 years ago. "Soup kitchens in every quarter, a-bitter winter;' no work. With my last half-crown"! bought 2s worth of wood and a. ball of twine, borrowed a tomahawk, andliawked bundles of kindling at three for a penny." Now he and his wife are about to make a world's tour.

.Although prices for second-hand motor cars have advanced to an extraordinarily high. level, apparently rates in New Zealand Jag somewhat behind those ruling in other countries. A man from Australia has recently purchased a number in New Zealand as a speculation. He is shipping them to Sydney for resale. Jt is understood that quite a number of second-hand cars have recently been shipped to Australia.

_Tiic practice of more than one person riding on an ordinary motor-cycle is dangerous. The Auckland Citv Council, says the New Zealand Herald, has decided to take steps to put an end to it. On the recommendation of the financo and legal committee, a draft by-law was adopted declaring it unlawful for more than one person to ride on a motorcycle, the by-lair not to apply to any person riding in a proper side-car.

The urgent necessity of providing safeguards in respect of level railway crossings was emphasised in a resolution passed by the Invereargill Borough Council, which is being submitted for the approval of local bodies throughout New- Zealand. In addition to parsing a similar resolution, local councils are being asked to request members of Parliament to press it upon the attention of .the Government. General support is being given to the suggestion made. Wellington hns a pretty lengthy list of applications for severance i-f marital bond*, but Auckland goes one better. The number of divorce petitions to be heard at the civil sessions'of the northern court, which opened yesterday, is ili'i, said to constitute a record. It exceeds by two the number set down for hearing at tin last session of 1010, The cases include I*> cases held over from las', year and SO now petitions. Wellington with 31 applications takes up a very subordinate position. Dr. Thackcr's timely, and valuable, information as to the making of jam with only haii the ruantity of sugar usually employed, has been put to the test by more than one Nelson housewife (says the Colonist), and found to be in every way a success. Dr. Thackcr, it may be remembered, said the other day: ' "If you first of all boil the fruit for'twenty minutes it will only be necessary to put in half the ordinary quantity of sugar. Boiling destroys the meMassic acid In the fruit, and that acid absorbs a tremendous amount of sugar." Many of the officers and "other ranks" who recently returned to England from North Russia managed to bring home beautiful souvenirs of their visit in the shape of funs, and in some cases there wore pearls. These could be bought from the inhabitants at very advantageous prices, owing to the state of the exchange and the bad state of trade generally" One remarkable purchase was that of a silver fox bought for less ihan a fiver, ft was sold to a London dealer for 300 guineas.

Melbourne drapers in a large way of business are reported to be obtaining supplies of white sugar to sell to their customers. Colonel Oldershaw, sugar controller, commenting on this, stated that if sue!) were the case, the Government was not to blame. He added that if drapers asked for sugar they would not get it, hut it was impossible to control All movements of the commodity after it passed out of the Government's hands. It might be that some drapers could pick up odd lots, but the Government could not prevent that. The Invereargill Borough Council has written to the New Plymouth Council asking jt to assist in bringing under the notice of the Government the urgent necessity of providing safeguards in respect of level railway crossings. 'Reference was made to "the danger of the crossing at Waitara Road and a hope expressed that something might be done to minimise the real danger there. The Council was not prepared to support a wholesale condemnation of level crossings, but was prepared to endorse the resolution in a.< far as it applied to crossings which were considered dangerous. The head of an Auckland firm spoke somewhat chillingly of his experience of women in business. He declared they had no initiative, and, 'in fact, that there was' no such person as "the business.woman." The lady clerk, to his mind, was all right at the telephone switchboard, at the ledgers, or using a typewriter, but she hud no idea of how to interview a client, She lacked versatility, and was content to do drudgery, without the slightest ambition for better work. She could never take the place of n man, because she had no faculty for business. She had no better position now, although the war had made her numerically stronger. She was temperamentally unfitted for a commercial life, except as an automaton.— Herald.

Mr. P. Bourke, of Whenuakura, and his two children had (reports the Press) a narrow escape from a r.erious accident on the Tongahoe hill last week. By some mean.- or another the wheels of the car in which tl.ty were travelling skidded, causing the car to overturn, pinnin* the occupants underneath. Fortunately several other motorists were passing' n't the time, and they succeeded in extricating Mr. Bourke and the youngsters from their predicament. The fact that tho hood of the car was up at the time of the accident and took the greater portion of the car's weight, probably saved the trio from serious injury. As'it was. beyond a few scratches and bruises no one was seriously hurt. The ear. strange to say, was not badly damaged either, in spite of its rough 'experience. Irreplaceable bargains at the Melbourne's annual stocktaking sale now an. Men's hnrdwear trousers, 12s 6.1. Men's Irish lawn handkerchiefs, (Id. Boys' braces, 1,-, pair. Men's striped neglige shirts, 10s fid. Men's natural singlets, 3s Cd. Pants to match, 3s lid. Men's pure wool cashmere socks, 4s lid pair,

The Inglewood Record has Initiated ?n agitation in favor of a model dairy farm being established at Inglewood. At the Eltham Court yesterday, Percy McGarvie, on a charge of being drunk, was (states the Argus) fined ss,' and for resisting the police was lined £2 .

The Mayor of Inglewood has been notified by the Premier that plans are being prepared for the erection of a new police station there.

A telegram from Christclmreli savs the Canterbury Law Society has decided to increase the consultation fee of solicitors from (h Sd to 10s.

It was decided at a meeting of the Hawera County Council on Saturday to claim from the Government £l4oo' for damage done to the roads through ex. cessive traffic during the railway cut.

The sitting of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth concluded yesterday. The sessions opened last Tuesday and have been continued for the week, including one evening sitting. The Eltham Pipe Band paid a visit to Hswto-a on Saturday night and paraded the streets,' giving a pro-" gramme of music. The band met with a. v<» 7 favorable reception, being ■ heartily cheered.

The Kltham railway station statistics Jot January were a a follow::Ta3.scn"ers, 25-23; fares, £O2O la Sd; parcels, luggage, etc., £92 0s 8d; goods, £2354 0s (idj. the., revenue showing an increase :of £455 Is over the corresponding period last year.—Argus. At the fortnightly meeting of the New Plymouth Coursing Club last evening the programme for the Waterloo Cup was arranged, and otlw'r details in regard to the successful Carrying on of the meeting were settled. The financial side of the meeting is assured and pointa to it being a great success.

The Railway Department haß agreed to allow return tickets held by scholars not permitted to return to boarding schools on account of the inilucnza scare, to be used up to the date of opening of the schools. The difficulty has arisen out of the postponement of Ihe opening day of all schools. Most pupils, who travel distances by rail, would in the ordinary course buy return tickets at the usual Christmas'excursion rates, but H>c tickets will expire before the schools re-open.

Speaking of the coal shortage' at the meeting of the HaWera County Council on Saturday, the chairman, Mr. Murdoch, said that,ten days ago the Council had only sufficient.coal for the dav's working, and had it not been for the timely arrival of a truck, all machinery work would have been-at a standstill. The problem was .becoming very Serious, and he did not know what Would he' the host thing to do. . T'herq was 'plenty of firewood in the district, .but. people would not cut that'now,'and the price had gone up to £2 TOs and' £2; 13s per cord. ■■•'.■' "

In the Police Court yesterday ,T. J. Ovde was charged with haying been drunk on Saturday whilst in charge of a taxi-car. Sub-Inspector Mutton prosecuted, and after hearing the evidence of a constable ami the boronah inspector, the Magistrate (Mr. T. A. B. Bailey. S.M.I entered a conviction with a fine,of £2 and costs (12). "A voung man. named W. B. P. Avrcs, who had been arrested on Saturday night by Detective Fitzgibbon on a charge of having carnally known a girl under the age of 15 j years at Dovonport (Auckland), was re- I manded to appear in the Auckland magistrate's court on Friday. A reminder is given of the Puniho school picnic which is to.bo held at Mr. R. Bell's homestead, Puniho road, tomorrow, and is to bo followed by a dance in the school in the evening Mr. Ronald If. QuilHam, of the firm of Messrs Govett, Quilliam and Hutehen, solicitors, New Plymouth, was sworn in as a notary public on Saturday.