LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The death lias occurred at the Sunnyside Mental Hospital of a man eightyeight years of age, who has been an ilirfiate of the institution since August, ! 870 (says a telegram from Christchurch).

The danger to children attending the Puniho School was referred to at the meeting of the Education Board yesterday, when it was decided to call the attention of the Egmont County Council to the matter of the necessity for erecting warning sign posts on either side of the school on the main road. In connection with the letter, telegraphed on Tuesday, which was thrown from troopship CO by three members of the 15th Reinforcements and picked up at the New Hebrides, it is gratifying to know that all three soldiers who signed the letter came through their campaigning safely and reached New Zealand about a year before the letter.

The stdWr Remuera, which is due at Auckland on or about May 2nd., is bringing a small draft of 21 officers and other ranks of the Expeditionary Force. The draft includes those members of the Expeditionary Force who have already been discharged, and one Y.M.C.A. secretary. Sergeant N. Reardon (Eltham) and Sergeant P. J. Ryan (Manaia), are the only Taranaki .men on the Remuera. The R.M.S. Moana, which left San Franciscc on March 27 for Wellington, lias 2848 bags and hampers of English and American mail matter on board for New Zealand, and five bags for Australia. The Moana is expected to reach Wellington on Monday. The R.M.S. Niagara, which is due at Auckland about Monday next from Vancouver, has 204 bags of English and Canadian mail matter for New Zealand and OS4 bags for Australia.

The Senior Inspector of Schools for Tarauaki (Mr. A. J. Morton) wrote to the Board yesterday to the effect that lie had sent a letter to the Department stating' that after consultation with the physical instructor, he recommended the holding of a refresher course at Tauniarunui, for the teachers of eightw;n schools of the part of the Taranaki district north of Aukopae and Tatu. Twenty-one teachers were eoncraned, and lie felt sura nearly all wcu.ltl attend. Authority would be required for hiring a hall at Taujuanmui anil for allowing travelling expenses to the teachers attending. Mr. fioydliouse will conduct the course, and subsequently visit the schools, which had received no attention in recent years. The proposal was to hold the classes for four days from April 20 to 30. The Board decided to give effect to the inspector's recommendations. The parishioners of Te Henui Church ire organising a Chrysanthemum Day with stalls for produce, etc., the provisional date of which is May 13th. An ■-•nergctic committee has been formed to make it a success. For Children's Hacking Cough, fPoodi' Great Peppermint Cure, 1/9, 2/9.

The Masterton Dairy Co. has been advised that it has been awarded the first prize at the Sydney Royal Show for butter for export (says a Press telegram;.

The question of the liability of school committees, or the Education Board, in connection with accidents to children while at school or while travelling to school in a conveyance hired by the Board, was before the Taranaki Education Board yesterday, in two letters from Committees, and the Board decided to take legal advice on the matter.

The delay in the commencement, of the building of the Stratford Technical High School was the subject of -. )t , comment at yesterday's meeting o. Llxe Education Board. The architect pointed out the extreme difficulty of getting supplies, and said it was for want of cement the work was held back. The Board resolved to notify the contractors that they were anxious that the work should be proceeded with.at once. Owing to a break in the electric main the Auckland city area was plunged into gloom for about an hour last evening, all electric lights in the streets and businesses going out (says a Press telegram). Large crowds in the picture shows had long waits before the procould be continued. Shortly before nine o'clock the normal service Was restored.

.1 have just returned from a visit to the Ohura district, and I am absolutely disgusted with the slow rate of progress at the Stratford end of the htratiovd-Okahuloira railway," said Mr. Smith to a Daily News ropvesentative. "It is three years since I was previously up that way, and as far as I can see only about ten chains have been c< doted in that time, and durin" l'ebrnary there were onlv 53 men working at the Stratford end'"

In all 3."> cases of influenza—l 33 mild 1 pneumonic, and 1 severe—were notified in the Wellington Heatlh District during, the week endim; noon on Monday, April ■•l2. These were distributed amongst various hospital districts as follows:—Waipawa, 1; Taranaki, 15 (1 pneumonic at Xew Plymouth and 1 severe at Waitara); Stratford, 8: Hawera. 2; Patea, 4; Wanganui, 23 a merston North, S ; Wellington, GO (Wellington City 51); Wairarapa. 1; Nelson 3; Picton, 3. For the previous week the totals were 174 cases—l 72 mild and 2 pneumonic. .

Sir James Allen, when asked by a reporter in Christchurch if he would state for publication what plans he,contemplated for the reorganisation of Lie High Commissioner's office, replied that he could not do so, seeing that he has not yet taken up the duties of Hi"h Commissioner. With reference to the suggestion that there should be periodical interchanges of the officials in the tfig-h Commissioner's office with officers from the Dominion. Sir James said that the suggestion was an old one, and one Jiat he had favored strongly when 1 e was in London in 1913,

The Vacuum Oil Company have irceived cable advice that the schooner William 10. Biirnham left Sail Francisco, on April 1 for ' Wellington with 25,000 flascs of oil (kerosene and benzine). The company have been nrtvi led by cable also that the steamer Chepadoe left New York on March 30 for Auckland, Xapior and Wellington with a cargo that includes 70.000 cases of oil (mixed) for New Zealand, of which amount 35,000 ca*es are for Wellington. The oil is consigned to the Vacuum Oil Company. The Chepadoe is due at Auckland during the first week in May. In a report to the Finance Committee of the Taranaki Lducation Board yesterday, the architect (Mr. C. H. Moore) wrote: "I think it necessary to bring under your notice the continual rise In prices of timber and other material. In respect to timber, there must surely be cause for some enquiry to be made as to the continual rise in price. The timber merchants simply put up the price without any interference from the Beard of Trade, and yet millions of feet of timber are allowed to be exported trom this Dominion." At another sta"e of the meeting, when Mr. Moore was speaking of the difficulties of carrying on the Boards work, he referred to some increases in wages, and said in tlie majority of cases men did not give the employers a fair deal.

Correspondence relating to the purchase of a telescope for the New Plymouth observatory was dealt with at the last meeting of the executive of •-lie New Plymouth Astronomical hociety. A telescope lias been purchased m Sydney, and it w«ll shortly be forwarded to New Plymouth. Mr. Burrell has commenced the work of erecting the dome on Marsland Hill, which is expected to be finished and the telescope mounted next month. The society has secured an excellent mirror at remarkably low cost. An astronomer from the New York University is shortly to inquire throughout Australasm with a view to fixing on a. suitab.e dome and telescope for the purpose of making a photo survey and sweepino the southern heavens for new stars ami comets.

Some comment was made at yesterday's mooting of the Taranaki Education Board on the matter of the allowance for boarding-out children attending primary schools. Mr. Smith drew attention to some anomalies that had come under his notice while recently visiting in the O'mira district, While some parents received the usual allowance, oi her people, who could not get suitable accommodation for their children, secured house, and the mother came to live in the neighbourhood of the school, leaving the fathere and other members of the family on the home tarm, yet in these cases the allowance was discontinued directly such action was taken. The Board therefore resolved that the Department's attention be drawn to the necessity for macmn fresh regulations with regard to board" nig-out of children attending primary schools, both as to the inadequacy of the allowance made ajid also as to' the hardship caused by the withdrawal of the allowance when one of the parents' goes to reside in the neighbourhood of a school.

The N.Z, Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd, wii-h to draw clients' attention to their Te Weva sale, which tliev are holding in their Te Wera yards on Friday Kith April, at 1 p.m. Full particular? ot entries will lie found on page »S of this i.sstip.

No matter what may lie said to (lie contrary by prejudiced or interested persons, "Fairy Wonder" Dry Soap is the 1,1 washing powder ever placed on the market. Older and less efficient powders are being rapidly ousted, by this wonderful new invention and (he output has actually trebled since Chrismas! There's a good reason. It works while you sleep. All grocers,— * Hip Melbourne, Ltd., are now showing a nice range of ladies' wool knitted sports coats comprising a good assortment of shades in smart new styles. Crepe de chine blouses also in stock in new styles. Ask to see them.