LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Opunake Town Board has received the loan money for the hydro-electric scheme, and the work will be commenced shortly. It is understood that as a result of recent disclosures and subsequent court proceedings, an action for divorce has been commenced by Mrs. C. E. Mackay, of Wanganui (says the Wellington Times). As a result of the high velocity of the south-west gale in Christchurch recently, a remarkable sight is seen on Marshland road. A row of 25 giant trees was levelled to the ground, the up-ended roots and earth forming a solid wall some eight feet high. Four steamers will shortly lift over two million feet of timber at Greymouth for Australia. The Inga is now loading 500,000 feet for Sydney, and the Joan Craig 200,000 feet for the same port. The Malaita will load 400,000 feet, and th'i Kaituna one million.

Support was given by the Wellington City Council on Thursday evening to the recommendation of the New Plymouth Borough Council that the Government be requested to extend the operations of the State Advances Department to allow of larger amounts being granted to local authorities by way of loan.

At the Magistrate's Court, Patea, on Wednesday, several young men were fined 20s and costs for being on licensed premises after closing hours, The licensee was charged" with abetting the men. The Magistrate (Mr. Wyvern Wilson) remarked that he had never heard of a similar case, and he reserved his decision.

An interesting photograph can be seen in the dairy produce section at the Winter Show in New Plymouth. It is a photo of four dairy cows, and the top one is the first pedigree Jersey cow to be brought to Taranaki. The animal belonged to the late Mr. W. K. Hulke, who led her by road from Feilding to Taranaki in the days before the railways. The following nurses of the Hawera hospital have obtained certificates from the Technical College for invalid cookery: Nurses Alice Wait, Barbara Manion, Eleanor Palmer, Ivy Swaddling. The practical work was judged by Mrs. S. Tait, and the theoretical examination was conducted by the Technical High School domestic instructress, Miss Earl. —Star.

"The housing conditions are deplorable," says Colonel Mitchell, M.P. for Wellington South, "and unless we give the people decent places in which to live, they will not be contented. Houses can be sold over the heads of tenants at the will of any speculator. I say that it js wrong that there should be trafficking in houses any more than there should be trafficking in food." It is stated that at a recent meeting of members of the medical profession in Wellington, it was decided to raise the standard visiting fee within the twomiles radius, and also the standard consulting fee. ft is pointed out that the expense of visiting patients in their homes has increased threefold or moro in recent years, and that the price of all paraphernalia connected with the oarrying on of the profession of a physician and surgeon has been specially affected. For Bronchial Coughs, take Woods' Great Peppermint Ours* 2/0;

The Minister of Internal Affairs, replying to a deputation from the Town Planning Associations at Wellington yesterday, promised that he would bring a Town-Planning Bill down this session if possible, though it might have to be delayed until next year. ' Personally, however, he would do his best to get ti'ie Bill through Parliament this session. A supply of cement for Taranaki will reach New Plymouth next week. The steamer Ngatoro is expected to leave Wliangarei to-day, and arrive at New Plymouth in time to commence discharge on Tuesday morning. The vessel will land 10f)0 tons of cement at this 'port, and, according to previous notifications, 040 tons will be allocated for works in and about New Plymouth, while the remaining 410 tons will be distributed amongst other Taranaki towns.

At a meeting of the New Zealand superannuated railway employees and the Police Association of Canterbury, tlie following, motion was carried:—"That inasmuch as the Prime Minister has expressed himself as being in sympathy with + '-e claim of superannuated railwaymc for additional superannuation allowances, we call upon him to translate his sympathy, into practical terms." It was decided to respectfully ask for an increase of four shillings per day for members superannuated before the war, and since, who have not participated in a war bonus before retiring.—Press Association.

New Plymouth ratepayers have recently received their rate-cards for the current year, when the rates are levied on the unimproved value, and not, as heretofore, on the rental value. Many holding land in the suburbs have,received something of a shock, whilst those occupying houses on small sections have, been relieved to find a substantial decrease in their rates. This year the aggregate amount of rates is heaviei than last year; which makes it harder for the suburbanite. Some of the former big ratepayers owning valuable buildings now figure among the smaller payees Just how the change will work out is not yet apparent, but not a few of the bigger holders of land who voted for the ne\v system are not now so enthusiastic as tliev were.

"The evil is on the increase," states the annual report of the National Dairy Association, referring' to losses of ' butter and cheese in transit on the railways. After referring to desired improvements in the strength of package, the report reads"There is another factor that requires to be remedied without delay; that is the pillaging of boxes of butter and crates of cheese from railway trucks whilst in transit. The evil is'on the increase, and when three boxes of butter are lost from a consignment of 200, as. between loading station and destination, it is time the Railway Department took responsibility for losses incurred, and adopted preventive measures to minimise the constant annoyance add serious loss now prevalent. The association has represented the importance of this question to the .Minister of Railways on several occasions without success. The practice is allowed to drift, and is grpwing daily worse."

'Some indication of the lively resumption in travel on 'the part of the public, of New Zealand—after being penned up for five years by the war—may be gathered from the records of Messrs, Thomas Cook and Son. itle Wellington mahager (Mr. H. Desborough) states that the amount of booking done this year by the Wellington office up till the end of May (only five months) exceeds the record of any previous twelve months in the history of the company's operations in Wellington, as far as booking passages for America and England is concerned, Mr. Desborough says that the firm intends to originate a personally-conducted world's tour by the Orontes, leaving Sydney in April, 1921. This tour will take the passengers to the Mediterranean, via Suez, land them in Naples, take them through Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium (with a visit to all the famous battlefields on the Western front), the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The trip, which includes two months on the Continent, will cost about £SOO (all hotels and means of travel included, as well as competent guides and porters to give at! possible help and add to the comfort of tourists).

The distinction of being a "Dam? Commander" of the OB.E. has been conferred on Madame Clara Butt for "ungrudging patriotic service during the war." Miss Meriel Talbot, who is known to Victoria Leaguers in New Zealand, has been raised from the rank of Companion to Dame. Her work in organising the Women's Land Army is said to have been specially goo'd, as she not only created a land service, but induced the women of the villages to go back to work in the fields, A Dame Commandership has also been bestowed upon Miss Sophia Gertrude Winz, of the Royal bailors' Rest at Portsmouth. Miss Winz was associated with Dame Agnes Weston for many years before the death of the latter, and still "carries on" in the same spirit as that of the founder. Viscountess Rhondda is another to receive the honor, and Ladies Oliver and Codrington.

In this issue Mr. Newton King advertises particulars of a sale of pedigree and grade Jersey cattle which he is conducting at his Inglewood yards on Monday on account of Mr. W. A. Officer.

"Fairy Wonder" Dry Soap loosens the dirt in soiled clothes like magic, and thereby obviates the necessity of rubbing on a wash-board. This in itself is a big saving ir. time and labor without counting the saving in the life of the fabrics. "Fairy Wonder" bleaches harmless to the finest fabric, On sale at all stores.

The line of men's tweed hats, priced at fls 6d, offered by the Melbourne, Ltd, are extraordinary value. These hats are made in New Zealand of all wool Colonial tweed, and are practically cheaper than many lines of caps. All very smart shapes. You will be pleased to read of a remarkable offer of white Japanese silk blouses on page four by The Big Stora, Waitara. A dainty, dressy blouse you will be pleased to wear for afternoon and evening functions, and on to-day's value are honestly worth 20s, yet are priced at only 15s 6d each. They have your size.

The scaffold of the Prisons Department, which has been stored at Lytteltoh Gaol since the execution of Eggers, has been shipped to Wellington on the Wahine, under consignment to Auckland, where it is to be used for the execution of Dennis Gunn, the convicted murderer of Mr, A. E. Braithwaite, of Ponsonby. The scaffold, a cumbersome structure., is packed in 12 large packing cases. It has already performed its work at Auckland, Wellington and Lyttelton. Ladies should protect themselves against influenza infection by putting about ten drops of Nazol on a handkerchief and placing inside a blouse on the chest. Use Nazol freely in this way —it does not injure the most delicate fabric.

At the commencement of the year Mr Hope Gibbons offered the Government his property at Wanganui for use as St. Helens Hospital. The offer liaa been accepted, and steps are now being taken toestablish the institution. Minor alterations are being carried out, and it is hoped that at an early date it will be possible to open the institution. Through the generosity of Mr. Hope Gibbons a , long-desired need at Wanganui has been supplied.

Within the last few days the price of condensed milk in Wellington has risen to Is a tin in the large majority of the retail shops. The price generally ruling before the advance was lOd per tin. .4 few retailers who formerly were selling at 9d per tin have advanced the price to lid- The increase of 2d per tin has coincided, as far as Wellington is concerned, with a shortage, of fresh milk, and the Remand for condensed milk during recent days has been particularly active. Some of the consumers have protested that they were being exploited. It is stated that a gi eral meeting of the Wellington Law Society has been called for the purpose of considering what action shall be taken in respect to certain proceedings in the Supreme Court* and the attitude which was taken in regard to them by the judge who presided (says the Times). It is further alleged that the members of the Law Society have expressed their intention of Tefraining from appearing before the judge in question until the decision of the Law Society is made known. A return of the principal exports of New Zealand produce for the Dominion during the week ended Tuesday, June Sth, is gazetted. The exports, ir ird.'r of value, are shown as follow: Wool, £211,566 (Invercargill £96,176, Napier £53,922, Wellington £37,123, etc). Hides and skins, £143,881 (Wanganui £34,666, Invercargill £27,959, Gisborne £24,355, Dunedin £16,750, Auckland £14,743, etc.); Mutton, £88,643 (Invercargill £30,513, Napier £29,610, Dunedin £15,111, etc.) Cheese, £72,618 (New Plymouth £71,839). Lamb, £45,425 (Invercargill £21,128, Timaru £10,563). Tallow, £44,316 (O'amaru £20,185). Other frozen meats, £38,191, pihormium, £15,961; butter, £11,209; grain and pulse, £7799; kauri gum, £7258; timber, £5986. A meeting of members and those interested in the Taranaki Friesian Association will be held in the A. and P. Association's office, Stratford, on Tuesday, June loth.

The many friends of the Rev. W. A. Sinclair will he glad to know that he is in town for thte week-end, and will be preaching at the Whiteley Memorial Church to'-morrowj at both servicesMr. Sinclair was appointed by the last Methodist Conference as foreign missionary secretary, and is at present journeying through New Zealand in the interests of missionary enterprise.