LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The progress of the workers' educational movement in Taranaki was referred to by Mr. D. J. R. Seymour, speaking to a New Zealand Times reporter. He stated that many country centres are most anxious to embark upon VV.E.A. classes. In New Plymouth the trades unions had applied for a class in economics, and in Hawera the Farmers' Union was laying plans for classes for the study of economic and social questions. In Stratford, the members of a men's club had interested themselves in W.E.A. classes.. Mr. Seymour will hold further public meetings in Taranaki. The current winter session of the \Vhiteley Club was inaugurated , last night, when a social gathering was held in the schoolroom. There was an attendance of upwards of fifty, and an enjoyable evening was spent in music, games, and competitions. An outline of the programme arranged for the session was given, which included studies in literature and music, lectures on astronomy, and life in London, as well as providing evenings of a lighter and more entertaining character. Supper was served by the: ladies, for which they received a vote of thanks, as did those who contributed the music.

Though the Egraont County Council decided to support the resolution from Hawera Borough Council, requesting the Government tr take steps to remove the duty on children's footwear so as to afford some reliei to the parents of families, especially as New Zealand manufacturers are unable to cope with tlw demands for adult footwear, the proposal did not find sympathy with all the members. The chairman remarked that it was not advisable to differentiate in connection with the tariff, whereas Ci\ Green did not think the proposal would cheapen the price of boots. In all probability, he said, the scheme had corns from the merchants.

A rise in salaries for nurses throughout New Zealand was predicted by.the chairman of the Stratford Hospital Board (Sir. C. D. Sole) at yesterday'* meeting of the Board. Mr. Sole said that the question of salaries had been considered at the recent Hospital Boards' Conference, but no decision had been made. Regarding the salaries of probationers, which the matron had suggested should be raised owing to the increased cost of clothings and other articles, Mr. Sole remarked that the present remuneration of £2O for the firfit year, £3O for llie second year, and £4O for the third, was quite insufficient to keep any girl unless she also. received assistance from her parents. He believed that probationers should be sufficiently well paid to enable the daughter of the poorest man to take up nursing, on an equal footing'with any other girl. The Boarl decided to consider the question of salaries at the next meeting. The inconvenience caused in the Ex-' hotu district owing to the scarcity of J's.P. in that locality was touched on by Cr. O'Brien at the meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday, when he stated that the Council had some time ago asked the Minister to appoint two gentlemen in the district to the position, but so far nothing had been done. It was decided to again draw the Minister's attention to the matter.

Tlib right time to cut blackberry formed the subject of a. discussion at the meeting, of the Egmont County Cou|cil yesterday, when, in accordance with notice of motion given by the chairman, it was resolved that the Council adopt the following by-law:—"That in the months of May or June, and also January in every year, all blackberry growing .on road frontages shall be closely cut, and that September in each year shall be the month in which all gorse similarly growing shall be cut or properly trimmed."

The question of the payment of rates by Maoris was before the Egmont County Council yesterday. A copy of a resolution was forwarded by the Bay of Islands County Council, urging the Prime Minister to have introduced during the coming session legislation either (a) giving local bodies full power to enforce the payment of rates by Maoris, or (b) providing for payment of Native rates by the general Government. The. chairman stated that this did not affect Egmont very much, but there was no doubt the councils up North felt the position very much. On the motion of Crs. Green and Campbell, it was unanimously decided to endorse the resolution.

The straying cattle nuisance was referred to at the meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday, when reference was made to the menace caused to the travelling public by the action of various people, who, it was said, deliberately turned their horses and cattle on to the roads. The engineer, in accordance with the Council's instructions, had instructed various foremen to take steps to check the nuisance, but he stated that the foremen objected to do so. The chairman said that when the new by-laws came into force he would move in the direction of appointing an inspector. Cr. Green, however, objected to paying men for what he termed loafing jobs. If the foremen were not prepared to do what the Council asked them to do they should get men who would. It was finally decided to instruct the foremen to impound all straying stock, the understanding being that if they did not carry out this instruction, other foremen may be appointed. The N.Z. Meat Packing and Bacon Co., Ltd.. advise that the receiving dates for June have been altered to as follow.;:—(lkato, Mondav 2Slh; Moturoa, Tuesday 20th; Inglewood, Wednesday 30th. The Wniwakaiho sale is being held on Thursday of this week, not Friday, owing to the sale of pedigree Jerseys on the latter day. Note advertisement in this issue. For Children's Hacking Cough, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, 1/0, SVO.

The primary schools in the Taranaki Education District re-opened yesterday after a week's winter, vacation. In accordance with the wish of Hig Royal Highness, the message written, to the school children by the Prince of Wales was read to the classes either by tho teacher or the headmaster.

The action of cattle drovers, who obstruct traffic while driving cattle and sheep along the roads, and do not make any attempt to clear the road, was briefly touched on at the meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday. Councillors expressed the opinion that 6teps should be taken to prevent this practice, but just exactly what steps are to be taken was not decided on.

The charge against George Crichton Tait, chemist, or Hawera, for alleged unreasonable profH" by selling a four-ounco pot of vaseime nt'lSd was dismissed, the Magistrate considering the price not unreasonably high, having regard to the several circumstances and the chemist'a professional skill placing him on a different footing to the. general storekeeper. The Magistrate found that the profit, taking into consideration the cost of replacement, was not more than 00 or 55 per cent., and the net profit less than 11 per cent.

The weather report for the month of May .based on the records taken at the Pukekura Park meteorlogical station shows that very cold weather prevailed for the most part of the period. Snow fell on Egmont on 10 days, t l '" heaviest fall being on the 19th. storms occurred on four days, and a violent hail storm was experienced on the 20th. The maximum temperature was 65 degrees, and the minimum 56 degrees. The total sunshine for the month was 170 hours 47 minutes. Three days were quite sunless. Rain fell on 13 days, the total registered being 5.90 inches (100 pomts to the inch).

In another column the Commissioner of Pensions is inviting applications for a part time medical officer for war pension examinations. Applications must be lodged with the Commissioner before the 10th inst. In this issue a complete butter making plant is advertised for sale. The Melbourne Ltd. have opened out a nice line of Colonial all-wool grey tweed hats for boys. These have been priced at 5s fld each, and are particularly fine value.