LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A branch of the Public Trust Office is to be established in Stratford. On Saturday, 51 r. Barnes, of the JJiiwera branch of the Trust Office, and Mr. Robins, who has been appointed manager of the Stratford branch, visited Stratford for tlie purpose of securing suitable accommodation and opening an office at the earliest opportunity. The New Plymouth Borough Council last night authorised the talcing- of u, poll during- April on a proposal to borrow a ispecial loan of £72,000 for hydroelectric extension. The electric engineer was authorised to obtain quotation* for plant required in connection with the hydro-electric extensions.

A letter was received from the chairman of directors of the New Plymouth Olas Company by the Borough Council last night conveying a resolution passed by s. meeting of directors on Fridav last, to (he effect that tho offer made by the Council for acquiring the company's undertaking could not be entertained.

Before the Arbitration Court at Dunedin yesterday the Otago-Southhtnd carpenters' dispute included a claim for a 40-hour week and weeTcly wages of £4 15s. After evidence by_ the union the further hearing was aSjournod to Auckland, the President intimating that a Dominion award was being made later.

The attendance at the Patea District High School has,' principally owing to the labor shortage and the' consequent high, prices ruling for boy labor, fallen short of what it should be and there is every possibility of the school being closed if the attendance does not increase in the near future, savs the local paper.

Speaking at a meeting of Waimate Wen Demonstration Barm Committee on Thursday, a, member stated thai share, milkers were making >]o to £l-> per week. Mr. MePhillips remarked during the discussion that lie had now to pay as much for a cow as he had to pay for an acre of land when he first went to the Plains.—Star.

Tlie W.C.T.C. Convention at Wellington ycster.lay carried a resolution that in the interests of children who would be travelling in trains, and in order to avoid unseemly exhibitions of the evil effects of drink, it wary desirable that hotels should be closed on the occasion of the Prince of Wales' visit to any locality.—Press Assn.

A mishap occurred to the r, s Waverley as the vessel was entering Patea on Sunday (says the IPress). When just over tiie bar a portion of the steering gear carried away, rendering the vessel unmanageable. With the aid of the emergency tiller, which was immediately shipped, and the nse of the twin screws, steerage way was resume.] and the vessel readied the wharf without mishap.

At last night's meeting of the Xew Plymouth -Borough Council the (own clerk suggested that as the plaintiffs ui the .u't'i'ii seeking a Supreme Court injunction against the Council erecting a public convenience in Brougham Street were really challenging the right of any borough to erect puliiic conveniences in a street, it should be made a test case, and the .Municipal Association asked to take the matter up. New Zeaknders- returning from trips to (ireat Britain all seem impressed with the fact that England is a good place to keep out of for the time being. Statements to this effect were confirmed by the Chief Health Officer (Dr. T. If. A. Yalinline). Dr. Valintine said people at Home had not settled down yet after the war, and everyone seemed to be making up.for the war perjod lack of holidays by travelling now. The result was that accommodation was extremely difficult to get, and travelling most unpleasant, A decision of considerable interest to farmers has just been given by Mr. Justice Sim in the case flaynor v. Laeey, at Waiiganui recently. The parties owned adjoining farms and had agreed to erect a fence along their common boundary, but/Mr. (Jayn'or failed to erect his half. His sheep strayed into Mr. Baccy V. rape and ate the crop. Mr. Dacey sued him in the Magistrate's Court at Tanninrunui, and recovered ,'.'1()0 for loss of the crop. The defendant then appealed to the Supreme Court, claiming that under the Impounding Act no damages could be recovered for stock, trespassing on unfenced land. Th« Supreme Court upheld this contention and allowed the appeal.

A contract has l)cen let to Messrs Roberts and Son for the erection of new offices for the Public Trust Department in New Plymouth, the price of building bring in the vicinity of £4OOO. The oftices, which are to be of reinforced concrete and finished off in white cement, are to be erected at the corner of King and Qucsn .Streets, on the site of the VVestport Coal Company's late office. The building is arranged on thoroughly modern lines, contains a safe deposit" for public use. a. separate office for dealing with Native affairs. The design is ficmewhat on the line of the most modern bank premises and will be a distinct ornament to the architecture of the town. A garden and plantation is lo be laid out at the "side of the offices in King Street. }[r.__T. TT. Bates, of .\'cw Plymouth, is the architect.

The. Minister o7 Agriculture {the Hon. \Y. Xosworthy) announces that Cabinet h.'irf agreed to the following minimum prices for wheat _for the season 1920•il: Tuscan, 7s M bushel; hunter's-, 7s (id bushel; pearl, 7s 9fl bushel, with Ihree farthings increment per month from Hay 1. the increment being to rover storage. The farmers asked originally that the price be Ss, Ss 3d and Sb (id respectively, and that thor should cover the 11)21-22 season as well. The Hon. Mr. Noswortby said that the prices agreed upon wore those offered by linn to the conference on February 2(1. The (iovornment had fixed the price for one reason only, in the hope of being able lo adjust'matters so as !o allow a free market at the end of that time.

At the Hamilton .Supreme Court on Saturday, before Mr. Justice Cooper and a jury of twelve, Mrs. William Carroll, of Rotorna. petitioned for a divorce from her husband, William Carroll, of Okinawa, on the ground of desertion. The repondent denied the desertion, and said Mint ho was always willing to provide his wife with a home, but "she refused to live with him. ITis Honor, in summing up, pointed out to the jurv that they jnncf be satisfied before' returning a ver'Olct for petitioner, that her story was corroborated. After be. ing out three hours, (he foreman said they were unable to agree on a unanimous verdict. Th c .'Fudge said he would then take n three-fourths verdict, and by a majority of nine to three, the verdict wns_ given for the 'petitioner. A decree nisi, to Be made absolute in three months, was awarded with costs \LsraiTiat the respondent