LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Denis Gunn, who was found guilty in the Ponsonby murder cape, will be executed on Tuesday morning. A civil action is set down for bearing at the Magistrate's Court on Monday, in which W. L. Baxter, an electrical wireman, claims the sum of £SO damages from R. 11. Barlfey, borough electrical engineer, for alleged slander. The Mayor, has been informed by the Defence Department that New Plymouth lias been allotted five German machine guns as its share of the trophies, and that they will be forwarded when a safe place in which to exhibit them has been agreed upon. Applications from soldiers it; -r section two of the Discharged >:oliliers' Settlement Act arc now being accepted by the New Plymouth office of the Lands Department, and will be forwarded to Wellington for approval, where circumstances warrant recommendation. It is probable, however, that there will be delays in granting the loans, pending Parliament's action in regard to a further vote. Joll's dairy company recently had returned from the railway station two crates of cheese, which had been completely ruined for export by having had large slices cut out of each cheese fr,im between the battens. It lias been alleged, and on very good authority, too, thai this is quite a common practice among the employees at a certain works, but the perpetrators cunningly hide all tracv of their work by prising the cheese round so that the damaged portion comes behind the batten of the crate.—Star. The Mayor of New Plymouth has received a letter from the Minister of Internal Aft'ah'3, dated June 11, advising that in reference to General Sir William Birdwood's proposed visit to New Plymouth, it was doubtful whether the steamer service between Onehunga and New Plymouth would suit the arrangements, and it was probable that the General would not be able to visit- ths town. In view of this possibility, the' Minister asked that no definite arrangements should bo made for his reception in the meantime., A deputation representing the Borough Council and the Fitzroy Ratepayers' AssociatioTi waited on the New Plymouth Harbor 'Board yesterday, with j reference to the laud which the Board, j proposes to set aside as a playing ground near the Fitzroy beach. The deputation asked 'that an area of two and threequarter acres fronting on to the beach should be substituted for the three acres behind the beach which the Board had already set aside. After discussion the Board referred the matter to the engineer, to confer with the borough engineer, and re-draft the plans with a view to granting the request. In his report submitted to the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterda}', the harbormaster (Captain Waller) stated that he wished to bring under the notice of the Board that increased berthage was being provided by the engineer, in having "the berth occupied liy trie Paritiitu dredged- to a depth of 20 feet at low water and 100 feet wide. This berth would be available for colliers of a draught of 18 feet. "The necessity for increased berthage is being forced upon us," added the report, "the accommodation becoming quite insufficient for the demands made upon it. There are substantial grounds for anticipating a steady increase in shipping at this port." In connection with the new scheme of allocating supplies of cement as they come to Taranaki, a meeting of the principal cement distributors was held in New Plymouth yesterday. Bepresentatives of the Golden Bay and Portland Cement Companies were present, and a committee was set up to act in conjunction with the Board of Trade in allocating supplies. Meetings of the committee will be held prior to each shipment, for this purpose, supplies arriving at New Plymouth, _ Waitara, and Patea coming under the jurisdiction of the committee. Arrangements were made for a pooling of the supplies of the two companies, in order to obtain nn equitable distribution. The meeting decided to make urgent representations to the Government for further supplier, 1 of cement to New Plymouth, Patea, and i Waitara.

• There's going to be trouble in Wellington soon. A "Rent-payers' League" lias been formed, with the idea of fighting landlords. Where tenants have been ordered out, pickets are to be placed and occupiers are to refuse to allow would-be buyers to look through their houses. A suggestion has been made that the rents of members of the league should be paid to the league. Onequarter bo handed to the landlord, and the balance used to "renovate the old shacks," and make tMm fit for occupation. At a meeting on Thursday, Mr. Roberts said the tenants must light. The League must demand better houses for the people and stop the trafficking in houses. An aggrieved tenant should pay his rent to the president of the League, and then the tenant and the president could discuss terms with the landlord. At present hundreds of landlords were painting their old houses for sale at inflated prices. It was mentioned at the meeting that a house at Petone was being picketed so as to prevent the eviction of the occupier. On Sunday evening, at the Whitley Memorial Church, the subject of the monthly lecture by the Rev. .T. Napier Milne will be: 'Was yesterday better than to-dav, and can we make to-morrow better than'either." An increasingly efficient choir and orchestrji will lead the singing under the conductorship of Mr Tt.' Laurie Cooper, while Rbios will be rendered by Mrs. A. B. Maedonald and Mr. W. A. Smith, of Waitarn. The anthems will be Macfarreirs "A Day within Thy Courts," and Elvoy s I was Glad." There will be a short musical service at G. 45. A special invitation is given to cheerful people, students of history, business men, and people who think the world is waxing worse and worse. The attention of home seekers is directed to the advertisement re properties in the estate of Geo. Scott, being offered by auction at Newton King's mart to-day. The properties are all most conveniently situated and tho dwellings are in very good order. In our advertising columns in this issue we give particulars of a farm for sale by Messrs T?airbrotltci and Pickering that all land buycrr; should peruse. The New Plymouth Sash and Door Company are booking orders for next shipment of Wilson's cement. Board of Trade forms can be obtained on application to the offices, Gill Street, New Plymouth. * The attention of dairymen is drawn to the sale of very choice Jersey heifers at Stony River yards on Tuesday next. Mr. Chas. Wells is the vendor. The cattle show exceptional quality and are tit be sold in lots to .«&

An effort is being made to start a branch of the Farmers' Union at Mangorei. A minimum of lo members is required, During the course of an interview with a Daily News representative yesterday, Mr. A. Morton, chairman of the National Dairy Association, remarked that the imports of cheese into the United Kingdom had decreased very slightly since the outbreak of war, and the Imperial Government now found it had ample supplies on hand. This no doubt was the reason why the Government was allowing an open market for cheese, while continuing the restrictions in regard to butter. Evidently the position of president of a bowling club is no sinecure. At last night's meetings of the West End C'lub no less than six members were proposed, but with a variety of excuses each one declined the honor, but eventually Mr. J. Lobb \vus>prevailed upon to accept the position. Efforts were made to persuade Mr. J. D. Sole to continue in office, but the retiring president pointed out that he and Mr. F. J. Hill had held the position between them since the inception of the club, and both agreed that other members should accept the office. Speaking at a meeting of the Taranaki provincial executive of the Farmers' Union at Hawera, on Thursday, Mr. Maxwell said they could not get the slightest indication of what the freight charges in connection with steamer freights for produce were likely to be. What was causing anxiety was the large quantity of meat now in store which was to be sold at a reduced rate, affecting, it was feared, the price of next season's meat. If the old meat was sold at very low prices it must affect the market for new meat. The outlook was very bad indeed. He would like to see the new meat held over till the old had been marketed. There was a large attendance at' the Workers' Social Hall, at New Plymouth last evening, when Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., one of the Parliamentary Party which recently visited Samoa, Fiji, and Cook Islands, gave a lecture on his impressions, illustrating it with lantern slides of views taken by the official photographer with the party. The slides were very complete, and conveyed a good indication of the Islands visited. The speaker fully described the conditions under which the indentured coolies worked and lived in Samoa and Fijft and said that to continue the policy of Indentured labor would result in a race of half-bred Chinese which would become a menace to be faced in the future. The evil results of the indenture system were already being seen in Fiji, and he was opposed to allowing the same conditions to exist in Samoa. There is very little wonder, says the Patea Press, that there is a shortage of labor in connection with the works carried out by the Public Works Department in this country if the record of one worker for a fortnight on the Opunake line is any criterion. This man, according to the statement shown us, worked 114% hours and was credited with the sum of £7 Is 9d for his efforts. Against this lie was debited with f 1 2s for an axe and shovel, and 2d for a postage stamp. In addition a sum of £4 IDs 7d was also deducted for the benefit of various firms who supplied the worker with tucker during the time he had been working, leaving him a balonce of £1 over and above expenses for his fortnight's work. To make matters worse, on leaving the works the worker was allowed 10s only for the ave and shovel which he had been charged 22s for a fortnight previously. A final reminder is given to the electors of Inglewood and district of the public address to be given in the Druids | Hall, Ingiewood, to-nijrht, at 8 p.m. The subject will be: "Labor's Challenge to the Massey Government." A collection will be taken up to defray local expenses. On Sunday night Mr. Holland will speak on the same subject, in Everybody's Theatre. New Plymouth. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Ajency Co. Ltd. draw attention to their Stratford sale on Tuesday, 22nd inst. at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page S of this issue. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. draw attention to ( the clearing sale they are holding on account of Messrs. Pavntcr Bros, (who are dissolving partnership), at Pukelio, Tarata, on Thursday, Julie 24, at 12 noon sharp. Full particulars of stock, implements, etc., will bo found on page S of this

issue. "Fairy Wonder" thus pleads to housewives: "I want a job wash days to cut down your work. I will save you a lot of rubbing with the wash-board an.] make your clothes last longer for that reason. I can do a big 'lot of it with water—cool, lukewarm, or hot. Don't need the hot water if you would like to get away from the trouble and cost of a fire. Apply for- me at your grocers." The man or woman who fails to attend the Melbourne's grea f Winter Sale, just commenced, is evidently not anxious to save money. Everyone who is at all interested in reducing the high cost of living should take advantage of the greatly reduced prices offering at the sale. Winter is pressing hard and overcoats that are warm and weather-resisting ara greatly in demand. Messrs. Howell and Howeil announce that their stock of men's suits and overcoats has been replenished and that a really good assortment of these goods can now be inspected at their store. The prices may seem high at a glance, but we want you to see the goods and you will then be firmly convinced that such is by no means the case. These goods are tuc very best and are selling at a moderate price. Be early.