LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr.' R. D. Tosswill, engineer to the 131tlmm County Council, stated at Saturday's meeting of the council that the work on the new Finnerty Road bridge would be resumed this week. The Kltham County Council on Saturday decided to support the Ilnwera Borough Council's resolution asking the Gov eminent to remove the import duty on children's footwear.

As a memento of the happy relations which existed under the old manage ment of the Red Post Furnishing Company, each member of the staff has been presented with an enlarged photograph of a group including the principals and the staff.

The arrivals in New Zealand during the month of May exceeded the departures by 353. In the corresponding month of Iftlfl there was an excess of departures of 504. The number of Chinese who arrived in the dominion during the month was 97, including three females, while 53 Chinese, including one female, departed.

The Eltliam County Council, at" its meeting on Saturday, decided to support the Pahiatua County Council's resolution drawing the attention of the Prime Minister to the unsatisfactory wording of the Housing Act, in that it does not make provision for the purchase by locjl bodies of land on which to erect dwellings, or of buildings already erected, and that he be asked to have the Act amended and altered in this direction. Ladies in charge of flowers to be disposed of during the week in town in aid of the Girls' Hostel are starting next Saturday. The gardens will soon bn making a show of daphne, violoN, bulbs, etc., and Mrs. J. Clarke (the ■Si.ayoresi) will be glad'of any help to furnish the stall. Flowers inay be left at the fruit shop under the Coffee Palace during the week and at a stall to be erected in the street on Saturday, The Wairarnpa Age states that a wellknown South Masterton farmer opened his door one evening last week to the knock of a visitor, and found his caller to be a young man under the influence of liquor. He demanded the settler to drive him to Masterton, and on being met with a refusal assaulted the farmer and decamped. Subsequently he was chased and caught, and handed over to the police at Masterton. The resolution recently passed by the Stratford Borough Council, urging that legislation be passed this session making Saturday the statutory half-holiday throughout the Dominion, met with opposition at Saturday's meeting of the Eltliam County Council, the general opinion being that Saturday closing would be inimical to the interests of the country people. One councillor made the suggestion that if the Saturday half-holiday was adopted in the towns it would be necessary for the school children to hava another holiday during the week, as Saturday was the only dky at present when they could be brought into town to gee 'clothing, boots, etc., without having, to absent .themsei/es from school. The letter was received.

Sir. Hawk en said, speaking to a teachers' deputation at Patea last week, thnt he ws fully convinced that- a good education in those times was absolutely necessary. Half education was useless to anybody. Education for many years had not kept pace with the times There w,»s 110 doubt that before long a lot of money would have to be spent, on the education system, and no one realised more than himself that, the suggestions put forward were absolutely necessary. If the teaching profession was not adequately pai'j it could not hope to compete with other professions, ami he was of opinion that the teaching profession was at a disadvantage in that respect. They wanted the profession to be efficient, attractive aiul up-to-date, and lately it had been by no means attractive. Education wi« everything in a lifetime, and individual success.

"I am not anxious to do anything tj harrass the dairy factories, but it sdems strange to me that while all the County Councils around here can enforce their heavy traffic by-laws, with the exception of the Eltham Council." remarked Cr. A Messana at Saturday's meeting of the Eltham County Council. He added that he had repeatedly seen big lorries witli heavy loads of firewood up to as much as three cords, racing along the roads, particularly the Mangawhero Road. The other county councils had power to stop that sort of thing in the winter time, ami it was strange that Eltham did not seem to have the power. The engineer mentioned that the other councils got their power under the Public Works Act, and were able to prevent lorries carrying more than half a ton on the roads during the winter months. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the chairman, engineer, and the clerk to inquire into and report.

A meeting of members of the Public Service Association was held in the Courthouse on Thursday evening, Mr. •!. D. Hay in the chair. The object of the meeting was to consider the advisability of transferring the control of the Tannaki section from Stratford to New Plymouth. Mr. C, H. Lawn, the present secretary, addressed the meeting, and jilr P. W. Millar, the general secretary of the association, outlined his proposals for the working of the section, and also gave an interesting and instructive account of the work that was being carried out by the executive. After some discussion, it was resolved to make New Plymouth the headquarters, and a strong committee was set up, with Mr. J. D. Hay (Lands and Survey) as secretary. A vote of confidence in the executive l was carried unanimously, and a vote of thanks was accorded to' Mr. C. 11. Lawn, the retiring secretary, to whom every credit is due for carrying on the work during the last few years, in the face of many difficulties.

Mr. Newton King Wishes to draw the attention of farmers to the clearing sale of Jersey cows, to be lieltl on the 16th June, on account of Mr. W- Duggan, at Manaia. Mr. Duggan has got together a herd of Jerseys that will take some beating, as the whole herd of 60, which includes 25 hoifers, have averaged over SOOlbs of butter-fat for the past season The cows are all young and high-class Jerseys, are in calf to a pedigree Jersey bull, and calve early. Tn addition, should anyone desire it, Mr. Duggan will graze purchasers' cows until Ist July, will us« nil care, but will accept no responsibility. Complimentary socials Will be tendered to Mr. Robert Masters, M.P. for Stratford, and Mrs. Masters, at Toko on Tuesday evening, and at Road on Friday next. Householders on the look-out for firstclass furniture should attend the sak of household furniture to be held in the Workers' Social Hall by Messrs. Webster Urns, on Wednesday, on behalf of Mr- J F. Batcy. The sale is entirely without reserve, commencing at 1.30 o'clock.