LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Auckland City Council's final offer to the tramwaymen is an increase of pay of £1 weekly and a six day week. An outbreak of diphtheria is reported at Alexandra, where some fifteen cases have necessitated the closing of the school at Roxburgh. The Kurow, Owaka and Waikari schools are closed for a week on account of influenza.

It is understood that, to fill the immediate requirements for urgent work in New Plymouth, something like 2000 tons of cement are required and are on order. The shortage is said to be due not so much to the actual scarcity of cement, but to the difficulty of getting shipping to New Plymouth. Mr. 8. 6. Smith, M.P., yesterday communicated with the Prime Minister on the matter, asking him to use his influence in the direction of getting a vessel to bring a cargo here that would meet present needs. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, when sentencing two men ,who had been convicted of stealing a-duck, valued at ss, from a residence at Fib.roy, the Magistrate (Mr. T. A, B. Bailey) said he intended, if possible, to put a stop to petty thieving in the district-

An Order-in-Couneil published in the Gazette fixes the maximum price "of flour at £l6 10s a ton, instead of £lB Press Association.

The recent picnic of the Eltham school children at the East End beach, Te Henui, resulted in a profit of £5 lis 4d, and the School Committee donated £2 to the East End Committee.

At the recent meeting of the Eltham School Committee, the chairman presented a scheme for giving prizes to the best scholars, swimmers and runners at the school during the coming year. Ho was of opinion that this would' assist in keeping up the tone of the school. It was decided to recommend the incoming committee to give effect to the proposal.

That some returned soldiers are doing well on their selections is manifest by a statement to a Wangaiuii Herald representative by a local land agent, who mentioned that oil' the .1(1 acres in the Kopane settlement, near Feilding, one of the soldier settlers last year took £OOO. Mr. A. Cooper, manager of the Mahoe branch of the Mangatoki Dairy Company, has been advised by the produce grader at Patea that the average grade points awarded for cheese foi the year ended March 31 was 92.038. This was the highest average for the past year, and the official heartily congratulated the manager and staff on the splendid results of the year's work. The Anzac Day commemoration service, which lias been arranged by the municipal authorities, to take place In Everybody's Theatre on Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, will be conducted by the members of the New Plymouth Ministers' Association. The Rev. Oscar Blundell (Presbyterian) will preside, and the address will be given by the Rev. P. G. Hnr.via, vicar of St. Mary's. All the other clergymen of the town will take part, and the Citizens' Band will lead the music. A special order of service is being prepared for the occasionThe dairying industry in the Waikato is growing with astounding rapidity and is undoubtedly the most profitable industry, in the Dominion. Many young men are leaving the commercial' life, giving up good positions to take on this lucrative work and consequently the keen demand for land is still.prevailing and prices all round have a strong upward tendency. There never was a time More opportune than the present to buy in this district. If you are looking for a farm of any class," just drop us a line and we will send you the fullest particulars and we do.n'sk you to look at our list of choice dairy farms as advertised in this journal on page eight. —Laybourn, Ross and Whyte, Hamilton, Waikato.— *

The high coat of benzine and lubricating oil, and the heavy repair costs of benzine and vacuum pumps and the difficulty of procuring skilled labor have directed the attention of farmers to Mr. fi. F. Hutchinson's clever invention which utilises the water in the. streams to procure the necessary vacuum to work milking machines. The principle is simple and may be readily understood by the easy experiment of pulling the plug out after you have had your bath and holding it a little way above the nutlet hole and noting how the suction from the outflowing water snaps the plug back into its socket. Mr Hutchinson has utilised this suction to draw the air out of the milking machine pipes in order to obtain the required vacuum to work the milking machines.— *

In another column the old-established land agent, Mr. Robert Hood, of Custom Street, Auckland, advertises several desirable farms for sale at figures which should appeal to those desirous of purchasing areas at reasonable prices. He advises that the trend of land values in the Auckland district is on the upward grade in sympathy with the enormous increases that have taken place in the Taranaki and Hawke's Bay districts, but in comparison the rises in the Auckland district are not nearly so great. Mr. Hood advertises some partly improved places which to an energetic man should prove very profitable.

A very "ood rehearsal was held in the Empire Theatre last night, under the direction of Mr. F. W. G. Mcleod, of the music to be sung by the massed choir at the reception to the Prince of Wales in Pukekura Park on Friday morning next- To give a further opportunity to any others who would like to join in with the choir, another rehearsal was agreed upon, to take place in the same hnll at a quarter past five on Monday afternoon. This, it is thought, will fiiiit those who leave business at five, and those who do not leave till 5.30 will not be very late. The practice will not extend beyond six o'clock, so that it will not inter " v re with any other arrangements people may have for that evening. Copies of the music are to be had from the music and booksellers' shops, free of charge. Admission to the choir seats in the park will be by ticket only, and those will be issued to those who attend the rehearsal. Monday afternoon will be the last opportunity of receiving tickets. ,

The mart tomorrow, in aid of the i\ T ew Plymouth Girls' Hostel fund, will have its headquarters in Mr. Buchanan's late shop in Cuvrie Street, kindly lent by Mr. l.ightband—where the meat stall will he located in charge of Mrs. S. G. Smith and Miss Wood, and will be plentifully r,npr>liod with ox tails, cook-, ed ham, corned beef, tongues, meat pies, and other delicacies, whilst stalls will also be erected in the centre of the* town at which flowers, fruit, sweets, jams, pickles, and numerous other articles will be dispensed. Contributions to the stalls may be left at Mr. Hush Baily's nflico during this afternoon and evening, and at the mart to-morrow morning. The mart will open at 0.30. The N. 7.. Loan and Mercantile draw attention to the alteration in the dato of their Matau sale, which tliev are holding on 2flth inst., instead of' 30th., on account of the Prince of Wales' visit on the latter date. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue. The committee in charge of the arrangements for Chrysanthemum Day at Holy Trinity, Te Henui, which has been fixed for Thursday, May oth, has already got to work, and tickets are now on sale. For some months past shirtings have been almost unprocurable at anything like a reasonable price. Fortunately, however, Howell and Howell announce the arrival of a largely assorted consignment of good-fitting, good-wearing shirts suitable for the colder winter months. Those garments will be welcomed by those, about, to replenish their winter wardrobe. Don't delav—'be price is moderate and Die goods reliable and Howell and Howell's is the place to buy them.— * One of the most effective precautionary measures against an attack of influenza is .he free vse of "Nazol" day *p& night-