LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Christchurdi Tramways are raisbg fares from Id to 2d. That the Governor-General is senior to the Prince of Wales during the latter',' visit to New Zealand, was an interesting fact- mentioned by General Melville j r e3terday. Last year a Taranaki settler bought a IOOd-acre farm on the Hauraki Plains. L:st week he was offered £-10 an aere on his purchase. He refused. So money is made, or can be made. It is stated that an erstwhile Wairarapa farmer, who, seven years ago, launched out into land speculation, last year paid the maximum land and income tax. Reports from the eoal mines show that the. "go-slow" policy had not been abandoned up to Friday last. The Miners' Federation announced the acceptance of the now agreement on Saturday. Tt is reported that the Mavoura and Barewood stations, Southland, comprising about 155,000 acre.;, have been sold. The purchase price is said to be between . £40,000 and £50,000,

| The cable steamer Iris succeeded in getting hold of the broken ends of the Pacific cable on Tuesday, and, if the weather held good, it was expected to complete repairs yesterday. "There will <be six thousand Maoris from all parti of New Zealand taking part in the welcome to ihe Prince of Wales at Rotorua, and they will provide a wonderful sight," said General Melville at the conference in New Plymouth yesterday concerning the visit of the Prince. Gaol is often preferred to a certain institution by persons who occupy the dock in the Magistrate's Court (says the Wellington Times). "Are you willing to go to the (Salvation Array Home?" a woman \vho had been convicted of being idle and disorderly was asked. "No," she replied. "I prefer to go to Quite recently there was sold in a favorable situation in Timani. just opposite the Wai-iti road, a place of residence, a brick dweij,,,,, of five rooms, with brick outhounes and all conveniences, for £1)00. The property, which was in excellent order, would, if in New Plymouth or Hawera, have brought £ltioo to £IBOO. The application of Mr. R. H. Quilliam •to the Magistrate for bail for the men concerned in the coastal theft cases, v, were ordered by the presiding Justices at the Court on Tuesday to be kept in custody, proved successful, and the men will be liberated as soon as sureties are forthcoming, which are expected to be given to-day or to-morrow. "We are going to have an awful failure in New Zealand, with soldier settlers," said Mr. G. A. Monk; at the Farmers' Union meeting at Palmerston North. He urged that farming required more training than any other trade or profession, and that men should have thorough training before being placed on the land. The New Zealand Methodist Conference carried a motion unanimously expressing deep gratification at the iargencss of the Prohibition vote at the last poll, and demanding that only two issues --Continuance and Prohibition—be submitted at tiie next poll; aiso to urge on the Government the making of instruction as to effects of alcohol compulsory in State schools. ''l hope all returned soldiers will wear their medals or ribbons on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales," remarked General Melville at yesterday's confernife. know there are a good many fellows from (his district who have decorations, and I know they worked jolly hard to earn them. I know also that tlie men do not like ... advertising what they have done, but they deserve to be proud of their mklals, and 1 hope they will wear them."

The scarcity of tea, coupled with consequent higher prices, has caused inquiries to be made whether this industry could not be introduced in the .South Pacific islands. As a matter of fact, tea is now grown and manufactured at Fiji. In ISBB Mr. K. Clift'e, who was curator for the Domain Hardens, grew both Indian and Chinese tea. He even rolled ai;> dried the- leaves, and used it for making tea in his home. The problem to be faced out here is Ihe cost ct labor, which would be serious for handpieking the leaves. Steps are being taken to found a new evening newspaper in Auckland. A central site has 'been purchased, and a large and imposing building is to be erected. It is stated that the capital ( £250,000) is already within sight. Those chiefly interesting themselves are members and supporters of the Efficiency League. The editorial policy is to be national, with a leaning towards the Massey Government. It is expected the paper will make its appearance in time to take an active part in the next election and licensing poll, that is if the present difficulties in procuring supplies of pq>er can be got over. The jelly-fish, of which the Thames fishermen have been complaining, have made their appearance in the Auckland Harbor in large numbers, having possiblv been driven up by the strong winds prevailing at the end of last week. During the week-end, literally acres of clear, isinglass-like substance has been left by the receding tide on the foreshore of the harbor. On the Devonport beaches, in particular, there was a large accumulation on Monday morning. Viewed from a favorable angle this closely-packed mass of clear jelly resembled nothing so much as the surface of new ice, partly thawed by rain, says the Herald. An appeal to returned soldiers to parade in large numbers on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to New Plymouth was made by General Melville the conference here yesterday. He said Haw era hoped to muster four hundred men, and he thought New Plymouth should be able to do better. Other speakers mentioned that in tne past the musters were small, but it was hoped the men would be more enthusiastic towards the Prince. A full parade of veterans is anticipated, representatives coming from all parts of Taranaki.

Speaking oi thp riso in Die price of broad, a retired baker says that daring an intimate knowledge of the bukina trade in New Zealand for the last fifty years lie has never known bread to be the price it. is to-day. Right up to ISSO bread in many parts of the Dominion was "'1 I"' 1 ' -'lb loaf, then the price gradually declined till it got as low as 3d ill the "nineties," the lowest price beinsr reached about IS!)!) and 1000, when Southern iluur reached its lowest p r j CC( i, eing quoted at ; ; J(> to per ton, when bread fell as low as 21d in some parts. About 11)04 flour commence"! to iirm up, and it Mvms to have been firming up ever since readmit: the record price of £l9 today. llio K.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. draw attention to further entries for their Matan ;ale, which take:, place tomorrow ( ('Villay, ofh inst.) Full particulars will be founil on page 8 of this if sue. At Uie annual meeting of the Protestant Political Association (New Plymouth branch I. to be held next Monday, an interest:;!.:!' address will be delivered In ilr. L. A. laylor, L.L.il., of Hasvera.., An urgent meeting of ladies will be held every afternoon this week, at the JSig Store, Waitara. Hennie's sale ends on .Saturday next, and every wise woman in Waitara will be packing up bargains and saving' money. You're invited—emi:e! Within the ne\-( few days the Melbourne. Ltd., will be able to offer some exceptional values iu white and colored towels. The goods in question were invoiced iu December, 1018, and a~ prices ha\e just about doubled in the interim, customers ean be sure of securing some real bargain?.

At a meeting of the Mid-hirst Sports Committee on Tuesday evening it wus decided to hold the annual sports on Thursday, March 25. Miss Plunt, instructress of millinery and dressmaking, recommences her classes on March 8. Particulars are given in advertisment on page 1. Messrs. Lynskey and Evans, Hawera, advertise a new list of properties in this issue. France has suffered severely through America "going dry." It means that the wine export trade to Americaaveraging £30,000,000 a year—is lost. "Our public schools to-day in our country are cesspools of vulgarity," remarked Judge Alden (of America), in a lecture at Wellington. The fault, he thought, was in the homes. J. W. Turnbull advertises that he will offer for sale at his mart, Bridge street,, Eltham, on Saturday next, at 130 o'clock, a 4ii li.p. 5-scater Jackson motor car in good running order, complete with spare wheel, tools, etc. Dalgety and f'o , agents for the steamer Marnc, which eaught fire and sank at Panama Canal, have been advised that the vessel was brin.aing a total of !i3,250 cases of oil from New York to ?sew Zealand, not 43,000 cases as previously reported.' This loss means a shortage of 80,000 gallons of benzine, etc., in our supplies. In reply to an Opunake Times representative on Monday, Dr. T. N. Watt stated that the influenza epidemic was just, about at its height in this district. Regarding the form of the disease, Dr. Watt considers it to be the same as the epidemic disease of last year. A considerable jiumber of cases were reported during the past week, but fortunately the majority were not of the pneumonic form. Dr. Watt stated further that he had traced the spread of ihfeetion from the Hawera races and other sources, and ho was of the opinion chat had isolation methods been adopted earlier, disease would not have become so prevalent. Is there profiteering in Dilnedin (asks a southern paper). A householder says there is, and in support of his statement he showed us a knife which used to cost Od, for which he had to pay 3s (id. "I complained to the shopkeeper that the price was excessive," he said, "and was told that it was part of some new goods, for which post-war prices had to be paid.' On reaching home, however, he examined the knife closely, and found an old mark, partly rubbed off, hut not obliterated, showing that it had been marked at Is Od, so that it was not part of new goods, but of old stock—just doubled in price, though bought at old rates." The knife was shown to a reporter, and the mark Is Od, with the simp's private cvpner above it, was plainly discernible, though an effort had been made to wash it ofT. The same householder informed us that a perambulator which he assisted tb i!i;,'.:e. and which was built for £5 some months ago, is now on sale'at one of our leading business places, marked £l7 10s.