LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will 'be no issue of the Taranaki Daily News on Friday (Good Friday). The paper will be printed as usual on Saturday and Monday (Easter Monday). The Panama Canal is now clear, reports a cable from New York. Information received by the Gisborne police on Saturday states that the man Osear Dickson, who was reported missing from Waipawa since Monday, is working on a station at Kanakanaia.—Press Association, At its meeting on the 24th instant, the Taranaki Land Board had under consideration the enforcement of tbe provisions of section 65 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, in view of aggregation of dairy lands by the holders of adjoining property and others who, in the (Board's opinion, already held sufficient land. Speaking of the shortage of sbipping to a Hawera Star reporter, Mr. O. Hawken, M.P., said that the position was likely to become very serious, and ( that the only remedy was for the .people to have their own boats. He again expressed the view to which he gave prominence prior to the election that a 2£ per cent, tax should be levied ou all exports in order to provide money with which to purchase ships. A further addition of documents and photos to the old colonists' branch of the New Plymouth. Museum was recently made by Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P. The photos include views of Devon Street between the years 185S-75; of New Plymouth in 1862, and the Marsland Hill barracks. There are two decidedly valuable items in Mr. Jennings' gift. The first is a manuscript journal of Nicholas Browse, master of the Rcgina, which was wrecked on the reef immediately below the Terminus Hotel on November fith, 1841. The other special item is a booklet, published in 1858, and consisting of 46 pages. The author of the booklet was Mr. S. Percy Smith, F.R.G.S., then a cadet in the Taranaki Survey Office, and lie describes a journey made by a party, of which he was a member, from New Plymouth to Jlokan, Taupo, Rotomahana, Tarawera. and Pangitikei, during which they "walked ;i()0 miles, canoed 46, and rode on horse-back 60." Only five copies of this journal can now be accounted for. Members of the Equitnble Building Society of New Plymouth (Second Group) are notified tliat subscriptions due and payable to-day (Monday, March 2!) th, 1020), at the Secretary's Office, Currie Street, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., from l.p.m, to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m •I.to 8 ij.m.--Advt

A loan proposal, involving £1,500,000 for the Lake Monowai hydro-electric scheme for Southland, was carried by £531 votes to 410 against.—Press Assn. It is understood that there is likely to he a further increase in the coastwise freights, due, it is stated, to the increase in price of coal and to the increase in Mages rtcently granted.

A sensational return lias been received by the Waipori mining syndicate from 6ome stuff lying between the two reefs in their claim, hitherto i<on(;id«rcd debris and thrown away. On concentration and analysis (states a Dijnedin paper) it gives a gold value of over £2OO a ton.

In connection with the setting aside of part of the Moturoa Prison Reserve as a school site, the Lands Department also proi' cs to widen the Breakwater Road by -ing in a portion of the old prison reactve, to set aside a post office site at the comer of the Breakwater and Pioneer Roads, to set aside a domain area of approximately twenty acres of the back portion of the reserve, and also to set aside sites for ten workers' homes, fronting Pioneer Street, if they are required. Mr. A. Harris, M.P. for Waitemata, who "went to Samoa with the Parliamentary party, also turned the trip to advantage for several business firms whom lie represented, and was able to secure quite a unmiber of orders for several houses. Tlje Samoa Times raised the question as to whether he was more concerned for the firms he was representing than for the interests of the country on whose behalf lie was visiting the islands. The Customs Office, however, was wide awake, and collected a license fse from Mr. Harris.

A mild tragedy, that was not without its touch of humor, occurred rccertly near Patea- Two farmcii;, boib burly men, had a difference of opinio-.i. but, on a challenge to fight issued, one of them, evidently thinka;: that "discretion was the better part' of valor," took to his heels and ran away. They met again on another day in a field, but the runaway again refused to fight, and he lay down on the ground. Nothing daunted, the challenger lay down alongside his opponent, who then had no option but to "box on," and he fared much the worse in the exchange of blows that followed.

Four sisters were the central figures in a slander action heard in the Auckland Magistrate's Court last week. The plaintiff, Mrs. Mary Jane Cortcsi, claimed £IOO damages from her sister and brother-in-law, Mrs. Adeline Elizabeth Annan and Mr. John Alexander Annan. The alleged slander suggested that the plaintiff had been intimate with a man at Taumarunui. The plaintiff and the defendant, who both gave evidence, were eacli supported by a sister, the four sisters and plaintiff's daughter entering the witness box in turn. Judgment was given in favor of the plaintiff, damages being assessed at £2O.

The Native Appellate Court has been sitting in Wanganul for the past few days, and on Thursday was occupied with the hearing of the appeal of Robert Johns, Okaiawa, for whom M. L. A. Taylor, of llawera, appeared, against a partition order made by the Native Land Court at Wanganui last .June. The block of native land concerntd is situate on the Ahipaipa road, Okaiawa, and had been sold by the native owner to Mr. J, F. Kiley, the real respondent, after a lease of an undividual share had been givn by the native to the appellant. The appeal was allowed, and the whole ease remitted to the lower Court to reconsider the whole partition. At the hearing Mr. J. E. Jack appeared for the respondents. . A cable from Sydney on Saturday referred to the death of Sarah White, the last of the three concerned in the Great Barrier murder near Auckland in 1886, when a settler named Taylor was shot. Thirty-four years ago Great Barrier Island, at that time a very sparsely inhabited spot, about eighty miles north-east of Auckland, was the scene of one of the most sensational crimes in New Zealand's history. Two men, named Catl'rey and Penn, of the cutter Sovereign of the Seas, visited the island, and secretly approached the house occupied by a man named Taylor, whom they murdered in a most brutal fashion. Another dastardly crime was the abduction of the woman, whose death was recorded in this cable. It was said to have been proved at the time that the woman, then known as Sarah Taylor, knew of the men's intentions and acquiesced in them. When the murder was discovered a hue-and-cry was raised, and, nfter a sensational hunt Caffrey and Penn were arrested, and were tried for murder and executed in Auckland.

At a meeting of the Council of the Hawera Chamber of Commerce on Friday (reports the Star) Mr. Macpherson, delegate to the recent conference, said he did not realise how dead, their own Chamber had been until he attended the conference- No delegate was expected from Hawera and no provision had been made for one at the table. The secrerctsry told him that he had not been informed that a delegate was being sent, and had no idea, that one was coming. There were no remits from Hawera, nor was there anything to show that they were ta-king the slightest interest in the Council. After reporting on the work of the conference, Mr. Macpherson was accorded a vote of thanks. A resolution was passed requesting the General Manager for 'Railways to visit New Plymouth in connection with the unsatisfactory delivery of goods ex New Plymouth port by rail. At the Opunake S.M. Court on Thursday, Mr. A. Cook, inspector of noxious weeds, proceeded against F. W. Vane, | owner of section (Si), Block 11, Kaupokonui, S.D., for failure to clear noxious weeds, viz., blackberry. Witnesses were called io prove the bad state of 'defendant's property and as to the possibility of procuring labor for cutting the weeds. A fine of £lO, with £2 5s costs, was inflicted. On similar charges, Ostler and Ostler, of Auckland, owners of section 7, Block V., Kaupokonui, S.D., were fined £lO, costs £2 3s; and Honora King, owner of section 10, Block IX., Kaupokonui, S.D., was fined £5, costs £1 Is. On the information of Mr. Vnrke, inspector of awards, Mr. A. E. ilnuietto was fined £1 ss, costs £1 ss, it-.r failure to pay the union award in respect to a waitress and second cook. Mr. E. Marshall made an application on behalf of Mr. Cross for a re-hearing of the case ICrnanucl Dix v. 0. Cross, in which case judgment went for Dix last Court day, for the return of a steer or £7 with costs. On hearing the grounds for the application, the Magistrate granted a re-hearing for next court day, April 22.—Star. Messrs. Burgess, Eraser and Co. notify that a shipment of 'benzine is duo at the Breakwater about the end of April. The W.C.T.U. meets in the late Good Templar Lodge Room, on March 31st, at 2,30 p.m.