LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hamilton, like Wellington, is to have the automatic telephone installed.

To-day is tlio anniversary of the White Cliffs massacre, which took plaen on February 14, 18(19. The shortage of benzine in Taranaki will be relieved to-day. The Huia, with 2,150 eases of benzine, left Wellington last evening for New Plymouth, and is expected to reach here this afternoon. The New Plymouth tramways earned £14,18 during January, an increase of £323 over the earnings of the same month of last year. The electric bus brought in £lO2, travelling 2-201 miles. As an export centre Wanganiii occupies the fifth position in New Zealand. The value of the commodities exported from Wanganui during lf)i!) aggregated £3,075,345. In 1918- the valiie Of the commodities exported from Wxttganui was £1,000,467. • -■■■■' -• ■"

Reporting on Marsland Hill, ttig. Bor- r ongh engineer states jn his monthly re-' port that the long grass will be cut and burnt or carted away. The matter of erecting a frontage wall aird entrance gates should not be lost sight of, as this reserve is deservedly popular, affording as it does one of the finest sea and town views in the Dominion,

The Canterbury Licensed Victuallers' Association have decided, in consequence of the increased rates imposed by the brewers, to raise the retail price of beer by Id all round. From yesterday the 3d glasses as dispensed in public liars will cost 4d. All ales in private bars will rise to Vd, and "square riggers" and such like receptacles will be filled for 'Hid.

According to police reports, those undesirables wlio are frequently found at race moetings have given no indication of having been present at the Egmont Racing Club's meeting. Not a single oase of crime has, so far, been reported to the police. Yesterday there was not even a first-offending drunk to bring before the Court.—Star. There is still evident a very keen demand for town and country properties in and around New Plymouth. One local agent reports the sale of nine properties in the past eleven days, ranging from town sections up to farms of 100 acres. The farms ranged in price from £42 to £OO per acre, while the "town properties were from £3OO for a section up to £IBOO for residences, two dwellings changing hands at that figure. The total value of the nine transactions was just in the vicinity of £20,000. The light-fingered gentry have been particularly active in Taranaki of late. Uoing down to the Hawera races the other day, a well known New Plymouth resident made room for a flashly-attired passenger who got in at one of the way-'' side stations- When he arrived at his destination the New Plymouth man found that from his trousers pocket had been extracted a wad of notes for a fairly large amount. The flash joker had been busy. Moral: Watch your pockets when travelling in trains to a '.•ace meeting with strangers. There were slaughtered for local consumption at the New Plymouth abattoirs in January ISa cattle. ?6 calves, COO sheep, 170 lambs, 114 pigs, and 109 tripes were cleaned. Compared with last January they show an increase of 10 cattle, G calves, 23 pigs and 2 tripes, and a decrease of 5 sheep and 73 lambs. 1 cow and a pigs were condemned. Fees amounted to £153 9s Id, a decrease of £2 13s 10d-

A baggy and Jiorse belonging to Mr. Jacobsen, mail carrier, of Rat.xpiko, and driven by Mrs Jacobsen, cami: to grief at Ratapiko this week. The horse being a young one, took fright at something on the road and plunged, breaking the swingle tree off the buggy- Mrs Jacobsen was thrown heavily to the ground, and the buggy capsized on top of her, pinning her down. Mr. Young took Mrs Jacobsen to Stratford, where Dr. Steven attended to the injuries, which consisted of two or three broken ribs and several brui.:cs.

The installation of officers of Lodge St- John, Eltham, took place on Thursday. Bro. C. B. Martin was installed IVM. for the ensuing year by R.W. Bro. R. W. Snrgeant, Provincial Grandmaster, assisted by grand officers and postmasters. Other oflieers installed were: 1.P.M.; Wor. Bro. J. W. Harrison; S.W.. Bro. 0. Kofoed; J.W. Bro. ]5- Carter; Chaplain Wor. Bro. J. H. Bleakley; Treasurer, Wor. Bro. J. Phillips; Secretary, Bro. N- E. Drayton; DC'., Wor. Bro. J. W. Stubbs, P.G.S.; S-D. Bro. H. W- Jackson; J.D., Bro. H- 11. Blake; 1.G., Bro. T. Hodgcn; S.S., Bro. W. Thorpe; Tyler, Bro. R. Free; Organist, Bro. Holder.

. A charge of exposing for sale threequarters of a case of bananas in an advanced state of decay and unfit for human consumption, was preferred against Sam Hop, a Chinese fruiterer, at the Stratford Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. W. Ro\vs>on, inspector of nuisances for the borough, described the bananas as absolutely rotten. Mr. T. C. Fookes, borough solicitor, who appeared for the Borough Council, said that the case was important just now in view of the outbreak of influenza. The danger lay In the fact that children were liable to buy the fruit, because it was sold cheaply- A fine of 10s and costs was imposed, and defendant was also ordered to pay witnesses' and solicitors' expenses.

During January tliere were a number of heavy floods in the Waiwakaiho river, from four to eight feet being recorded oil the 24th, the- highest flood that lias taken place since November, 11)10 (states the Borough engineer). Owing to the numerous floods most of the caretaker's time -was required at the filters and screens, and as e. result of accumulated shingle deposit, together vth the draw off for power, the water level in the reservoir fell very considerably below normal. On the flth not more than eight feet was left, and the caretaker had to close down for some 4i hours as no water was available. 'I lie intake =eems to become more easily choked with debris and silt than in recent years, which causes considerable inconvenience and a liability of lessening the supply to the filters. Wooldridge's white 'bus will leave Hookbam's corner at 10 a.m. Sunday, for N'gaere Gardens. Fares:- las return. The South Koad Methodist Sabbath School will re-open at 2.15 p.m. on Sunday, February lath. The NX. Loan and Mercantile and Newton King draw attention to the sale of eives and rams which they are holding on account of Wilfred Pirry, Esq., Tututawa, at Newton King's Douglas faleyards, on Monday, 23rd February, at I p.m. Full uejt.'aultts »» . 1

. New Plymouth is not very well served in the matter of public telephones, and the only slot instrument available to the people'is not always a great convenience. On Thursday seveial people desired to take advantage of it, but found the machine "chocked" up with coins so that no mare could be insertedLast evening an attempt to get into touch with a subscriber to the system, per medium of the Brougham Street 'phone, proved fruitless. Notwithstanding that three pennies were subsequently put into the slot and three rings given, "exchange" was dumb, and the lady desirous of using the telephone said some tilings which were scarcity complimentary to the local telephone officials. A deputation of the Wellington City Council waited on Mr. Massey yesterday regarding the action of the Railway Department in proceeding with the "erection of houses at Kaiwarrit in contravention of the city by-laws, imd without consulting the council. Mr. Massey said that, as far as the fioyernment and the Railway Department were eon-, eerned, they did not want to do anything contrary to the city by-laws or that would be detrimental to the future interests of the city. He emphasised , thi^; he had no doubt the whftto matter would bo satisfactorily settled. tiftod work has been done towards i beautifying ;Baines Teri'ace to provide an 'attractive shady walk from the town ti>'ftlkekura Parte... It is intended to erect a tea kiosk on the terrace, and provide seats and tables for tie benefit of picnic parties. This work is in the hands of the New Plymouth Beautifying Society, whose finances are somewhat strained, and it is proposed to make ft request to the Borough Council far financial assistance, At the, last meeting of the Society accounts amounting, to £7O were passed for payment, leaving a debit balance of about £35.

The art of saving:—A Waitara woman has proved that money can he saved by spending it. She reads the Daily News and 011 page four noticed that flannelette was offered at Rennie's sale for leas than London prices. She bought it, and is busy explaining her easy saving system to all her friends. A line tribute to the virtues of "Fairy Wonder" Dry Soap is paid by a New 'Plymouth lady in an unsolicited letter to the proprietor. Inter alia she vs the snowy whiteness of her household walr.h is the envy of heiv-neighbors and that» she has already persuaded five New, Plymouth friends- to use it, and also three others in Palmerston North. All jhave expresed themselves as delighted -wit)} "Fajry Wonder," and would not dream of using any other washing compound. . Tho Melbourne's annual stocktaking sale offers, bargain inducements, which cannot be ignored by anyone desirous of keeping down the high,,,cost of living., Ladies'. apparel, such ,Ift* blouses and underwear, and Manchester goods of all descriptions are specially reduced. All lines will be much dearer after the sale.

The Farmers' Co-operative Organisation draws attention to the sale in their Stratford yards on Tuesday, next, -at which some good lines will be otferikl. Details appear on page S of this issue. The Farmers' Co-op. Association of Jvew Zenland draws the attention of protective buyers 1 to their advertisement on page 8, offering 12 of the choicest building sites in Hawera Extension, fronting the Glover Road. Apart from commanding position, these sections will bo within a few minutes' walk of the proposed new railway station, and must increase in the very near future. The terms are exceptionally easy, being 10 per cent on the fall of the hammer, 10 per cent on date of possession, and the balance 4 years at 0 per cent. Plans and specifications are on view at the office of the auctioneers and Messrs Ilalliwell, Spratt and Thomson, solicitors, Hawera.

Special services are to be held in Whiteley Memorial Church to-morrow in connection with the Harvest Festival. The Rev. J. Napier Milne will preach both morning and evening. In tiie afternoon there will be a special floral service for the children and their friends. The evening service, will be of a special character, being the monthly popular service for the people. The 'subject of the address will be: "Is life justifiable in the long run?" This will be preceded by a short musical service at 045. at which there will be an augmented choir and orchestra. Miss Butt, of Rotorua, will be the soloist for the occasion.

In consequenco of the dislocation caused by the influenza, Christmas holiday railway /excursion tickets expiring 011 February 18 will now be available up lo and including February 24.