LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to the danger of the spread of anthrax the Government has prohibited the importation of shaving brushes from Japan if they are made of animal hair (says a telegram from Wellington). A special meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held yesterday mainly for the purpose of preparing for the visit to New Plymouth of tlie Minister of Education next week-

Qwing to the prevalence of a mild form of influenza the West End School was closed yesterday, with the intention of re-opening on Tuesday next. The Central .School attendance is not at present affected to any great extent. Some time ago a West Coast farmer, having decided to retire, disposed of his farm for £l4 an acre. Recently lie came to the conclusion that an active life suited him better, and lie bought his old farm back, but had to pay over £2O ail acre for it.

An election of members of the 'Taransiki Education Board will shortly lie held to fill one vacancy in each ward. Messrs. Masters, M.P. (Central), White (North), and Lee (South) are retiring in rotation. In the urban area of N'ew Plvmout.li Messrs. S. G. Smith, MP., and H. Grayling drew lots, with the result that Mr. Grayling will be the retiring member. When a man was brought before MrT. A. B. Bailey, S.M., yesterday charged under I'ic Police Ofl'enees Act with committing a grossly indecent, act in a public place. she Magistrate said there ought to be a by-law under which action could be taken against anyone committing such ail ofl'ence, otherwise it made the matter really much more serious than it actually was. Mr. Bailey said in tlite cities they had bylaws which covered such offences and every boroush ought to have such a bylaw. It was stated that New Plymouth had no by-law of the kind mentioned. The shortage of flour in very acute in Wanganui owing to the disiocatii,/ of direct shipping between Dunedin and other South island ports to Wanganui. It is stated that linlesfi relief is afforded shortly, some of the bakers will either have to cease baking, or else supplies of bread will have to be rationed. If consignments of flour are sent through Wellington from £lO to £l2 is added to the cost; and in view of the price of bread being fixed the increase cannot he passed on to the consumer. Tt lias r,'so' been suggested that local bakers and storekeepers should run tfieir own steamers. There has not been a southern vessel here for some da vs.

An important .conference will open in Wellington 011 9th and will be. attended by representatives of the various employers' associations throughout the Dominion- The object is to consider the present industrial position, and in connection therewith the growing industrial unrest. It is hoped tlmt some solution will be found that will allay the unrest, ,md which will point, to the need of increased production as the only real means of reducing the high cost of living. An interesting light on the ruic.e of meat was shtjd at tlie meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board. "How much does the Hospital Board pay for its joints?" asked Mr. H. Tristram, a member. "Sixpence per pound," replied the secretary. "Is it good meat?" inquired Mr. Tristram. "It is supposed to be the best," answered the secretary. '■' Then there must he some profiteering somewhere," said Mr. Tristram. "Why?" asked the secretary. "Because the, general public have to pay Is 6d per lb for good moat," replied Mr. Tristram, "and T would like tjiem to know how they are being treated. Surely, if the butchers acn afford to sell their meat to the hospital at fld per lb there Is no justification for charging the public from 100 to ISO per cent more." ■ The fact that a lady teacher was living in a .tent caused some discussion at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board. Members said that such a state of affairs was intolerable. Mr. J. D. McKenzie expressed the opinion that rooms on sledges or wheels, similar to those used by the employees of the Public Works Department, should be available. The Hon. G. ,1. Garland, M.L.C., stated that if a one-roomed lntiiding were granted the result might be a withdrawal of house allowance from the teacher. On the motion of Mr. IT. P. W. King, it was resolved to refer the general question to the Minister for Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, during bis visit to Auckland, and to request that only a proportionate withdrawal of hotiie allowance be made in such circumstances. The attention of those desirous to embark on a boarding-house venture, with a good turnover, furnished completely and close to the centre of New Plymouth, is drawn to an advertisement, in this issue by Messrs. J. R. Hill and Son, the sole agents.

Now is the time to buy your winter overcoat at tlie Melbourne, Ltd. Good warm colonial twe'd coats that will give splendid wear at a cost extremely reasonable considering the way things are. Price, £fi 10s. Also ft full range of men's famous Le Roy oily canvas coats at £1 19a Cd.

The Auckland Star states that a Northern Wairoa sawmill Jias received an offer from a Sydney firm of £5 per hundred super i'pet for the whole of its.kauri timber output. Many interesting incidents take place in a court of law, but it is seldom that a defendant refuses to accept bail because he has a personal feeling against the person who offers to go surety for hiin. Such a case, however, happened recently at the Magistrate's Court, Wellington. •> At. a meeting of dairymen at Christchurch the following resolution was carried: "That this meeting regrets the attitude taken up by the Board of Trade in trying to fix tlie price of milk below the oost price in winter months, and is determined to stand firm that the price shall not be below Is fid per gallon from May Ist to October Ist, and that it is anxious that the board should send some expert dairymen, quite disinterested, to inquire thoroughly into the cost of production on the farm."

"These ladies seem to assume that there is not a low-priced costume nor any other article of dross to bo obtained in Auckland," remarked the head of a well-known firm of drapers to an Auckland Herald reporter, in referring to statements made at a meeting of women held lately. "For instance, our firm alone has sold about 200 all-wool New Zealand made costumes for 95s this season, well finished and good fitting. Isn't, that cheap enough? We have also sold fully 150 dozen of New Zealand woollen stockings at 3s lid a pair.' I daresay none of the ladies at the meeting would have looked-at either, hut nevertheless they are on sale, and readily found by those who are looking for cheap costumes." In support of this, statement other costumes were shown, indigo serge, from £7 10s upwards- Exception was taken to the statement with regard to the sum of 10s ljd being paid the sewer, machinist, and press.er in a 22-guinea model costume. In addition to these he enumerated no fewer than 15 other items to be considered in assessing the cost of manufacture, including the salary of a highly-paid. cutter.

"I can never understand why New Zealand people are such fools as to go on sending thousands and thousands of pounds out of tho Dominion for pfjtrol when we could make our own motor spirit from alcohol," observed an experienced chemist to an Auckland Star representative. He explained that it was absolutely incredible that 110 one had started the ■ industry. ' At, the present time New Zealand was not only_ paying very high prices, a good deal' of which went to foreign countries, but. she. was also at the mercy of an outside market, which sh: could in 110 ■ way control. Every time there Was a shortage of petrol the dairying industry was put vto inconvenience, the spirit went up ''boom" figures, and 110 one in the. Dominion was mneii the better off. Thousands of gallons of alcohol go to waste, every summer in the apple orchards of Auckland and other districts. Any starchy substance does to make alcohol; waste fruit is only one of the things that could be utilised, and instead of feeding piers on the surplus of the orchard, as i< frequently done, the oreliardist could be making a decent profit, and the advantage to the Dominion would be tremendous.