LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

According to a review of the British labor situation by the London Economist, the peak of unemployment in England was reached in May, 1019, when the totnl of idle persons was reported at 1,003,400. In illustration of the enormous growth of the demand for motor cars, tho San Francisco Chamber of Commerce announces that the maker of a famous but cheap type is now turning out 3000 per day, just three times as many as a year ago. The Eltham municipal gasworks is no longer able to supply the demand (reports the Argus), and will not be able to do so until a new gas holder is obtained.

At the meeting of the Patea Harbor Board on.Monday, the chairman remarked that so far as they, as laymen, could observe during their visit of inspection that morning, the contractor was making the best possible job of the work He Was certain it was going to be. a stable job, and they were already feeling the benefit of it. 'if good progress were made and the job finished in five or six weeks it may not be necessary to get Mr. Thomson up before finally passing the work. Mr. Corrigan said that whilst he had been on the Board—about ten years—he had nevcv seen the port in the same condition as at present in regard to the safety of boats entering and departing. They could now see that the ratepayers' money had been expended in the right direction. At the meeting of the Eltham Seho:l Committee on Monday, the headmaster reported the difficulty experienced by parents in moving from one education district to another having to purchase different school text books for their children. Ho was able to obtain a refund from the Board for readers, arithmetic and geography books, but there was no allowance made for histories or composition books. Five new families had joined the school during the preceding week or so, and had felt the strain of the constant necessity for change in the text hooks, and he stated that uniformity in this direction would certainly save much expense to parents who are obliged to move from one educational district to another, sometimes at frequent intervals. The matter is to be brought before the School Committees' Association.

A deputation representing the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League, waited upon the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister for Tourist Affairs, yesterday afternoon, and asked that the present Government subsidy of £SO be increased in consideration of the League acting as agents for the Tourist Department in Taranaki, and that when tourist literature dealing with Taranaki was being prepared, the League should be consulted. It was pointed out that the information given in some recent Government publications was not up-to-date and was somewhat misleading. It was also mentioned that the League was desirous, of extending its operations, and desired to put its finances on a better footing. As it was doing a good deal of work that rightfully belonged to the Tourist Department, it was felt the League should receive greater recognition than at present from the Government. The Minister promised to look into the matters, but the League could rely upon the present subsjdy being continued, if nothing more could be done. The Melbourne, Ltd., is showing a nice range of ladies' moirette and sateen underskirts, just landed from England at attractive prices, Os fid to 2fls fid. Also a new series of crepe do chine blouses and georgette blouses, beautifully embroidered, at prices ranging from 49a fid to 59a fid. A final reminder is given of Mr. Fred. Cornwall's sale of pedigree Jerseys, which is being conducted by Mr. Newton King to-morrow. The Loan and Mercantile remind clients of their Te Wera sale, to be held' to-morrow. Full particulars appear on naee 8 of this issue

Tile mails which left New Zealand per s.a. Niagara on May Oth arrived in London on the 7th inst.

Another tunnel on Moturoa Island will he fired at 3 o'eloek this afternoon. The charge is the largest that has yet been placed on the island, it consisting of two and one-quarter tons (or 50501b.) of explosive.

At the bee-keepers' conference at Christchurch yesterday, delegates spoke with reference to a statement published widely throughout the Dominion, that returned soldiers could make £H per week at bee-keeping, pointing -out the statement was misleading, in that it painted things too rosyi—Press Association. Permission was given by the Education Board yesterday for the schools in and around New Plymouth to close tomorrow to enable the children to attend the Winter .Show, and a similar privilege was extended to the schools in and around Hawera on the occasion of the Winter Show there.

Referring to the irregular attendance of children at school in his report to the Education Board yesterday, the truant officer stated that while sickness wai interfering with the children going to sehoolj he thought the influenza epidemic was being, blamed for more than it was guilty of.

The question of the distribution of the supply of fowl wheat was placed before the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W., Nosworthy) yesterday by a deputation from the Taran&ki Egg Circle. The Minister said that there was" only a limited supply of fowl wheat'in the Dominion, and it-was 1 controlled by the Wheat Control Board. He proposed to go into the whole question on hfs return to Wellington. The finance committee of the Education Board recommended at yesterday's meeting that a deputation consisting of the chairman (Mr. R. Masters, M.P.), Messrs. S. G. Smith, M.P., P. J. White, and A. Lees, should interview the Department with a "iew to haying the Board's workshop account recognised. In adopting the eommittee'fireeomme'ndation the Board expressed the opinion that it was the only business-like way of proceeding. They were, at present faced with the necessity of either greatly exceeding the scope of the workshop or«elsc closing it down altogether, but if the Department would recognise the account the difficulty would be overcome. At yesterday's conference of local bodies, the'chairman of the Taranaki Hospital Board (Mr; M. Fraser) remarked that payment of patients' fees by Friendly Societies was,ft,difficult matter to doal with properly. Unfortunately the Friendly Societies in Taranaki ivere not so strong as they were in some other parts of the Dominion. About.a year ago the Friendly Societies owed the Hospital Board £BOO, and their representatives met thfe Board and said that if the Board demanded.its pound of flesh and insisted on full payment, the lodges would be compelled to disband and break up. They offered to pay;. 75 per cent; of the amount, and this the Board had agreed to, although the Societies had been charged only 4s (id a day for eaca of the patients. "If we had not give:i them the J!5 per cent, off, I do not think we would toavc got a penny of the £Boo.'' added Mr., Fraser.

The corifljietinjj results from roads in adjoining districts, or in areas in proximity to ea.ch other bearing identical names, often causes considerable inconvenience and' sometimes annoyance. A New Plymouth young lady had an experience in a large southern centre recently which came as a surprise to her when handing in a telegram for dispatch to her parents in this town. She gave the name of the road on which her home was situated, and was solemnly assured by the receiving clerk that there was r.o such road in New Plymouth. Notwithstanding her protestations that she had lived on the road all her life, it was with evident misgivings that the address given was accepted by the officer. The nrtme of .the road in ijucstion is also the name of a district on the outskirts of New Plymouth.

Snow-white clothes without rubbing or boiling, or the use of extra soap, result from the use of "Fairy Wonder" washing powder, the marvellous new washing compound. Ask those who have used "Fairy," and they will tell you it's the finest household help they have ever used. Buy a packet to-day. All grocers stock it. Mr. W. J. Clare's clearing sale to-day is one 'that dairymen should not miss, as the herd is an old and well-established one of first-class dairy cows.. This sale affords a splendid chance for cabinetmakers and furnishers, as there is a great qauntity of tip-top well-seasoned timber suitable for all work to be disposed of. At Mr. Fred Cornwall's sale of pedigree Jersey cattle will also be sold some pedigree Berkshire pigs, particulars of which are iadvertised in this issue. MrCornwall has been a breeder of Berkshires for many years with every success. Those who realise the value of a well-bred boar or sow should make a sure point of attending this sale. Messrs Snelling and Andrews will run a late car to Okato to-day, Friday and Saturday, for the convenience of visitors to the Winter Show. ' At. Stony River on Tuesday, June 22nd, a very choice line of 2 and 3-year Jersey heifers is to be sold on account of Mr. Chas. Wells. Particulars are advertised in this issue.