LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A land agent's license was granted to John Harold Quinn at the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday. In his report to the September meeting of the Council, the Taranaki County Engineer (Mr. R. D. Cliraic) expresses <he opinion that labor is going to be very scarce. "During the past three months," he states, "I have had only two applicants for work." Application was made by the police ivt the New Plymouth Court yesterday for the committal of four children (ranging in age from seven .to thirteen years) to an industrial home, and on the ground that they were not under proper control After hearing evidence, the S.M. made an order for the children to be sent to the Wellington Receiving Home. "There must be a gfeat shortage of men in the country, when for £5 a week wo can't get a man who has merely to ride round the country and sflc that no stock are allowed to wander on the roads," remarked a councillor at Saturday's meeting of the Hawera County Council, when the question of appointing a ranger was under discussion. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the following cases 'by Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., at the New Plymouth Court yesterday:—William Seamark (Mr. S. W. Fitaherbert) v. Merinaia Rimene, £SO 18s. costs £4 lis Gd; Vincent S'marich ('Mr. litherington) v. Johnnie Bishop, £l3, costs £2 9s; J. 0. Jones (Mr. Grey) v. J. J. Mudford, £1 js (amount of costs on claim); Johnson Bros. (Mr. Lawrey) £5, costs £1 3s 0d; M. B. Cleary v. D. Stewart, £2 is, costs 16s 6d.

Speaking at Kaupokonui yesterday, in connection with the necessity for farmers supporting the co-operative ventures such as the New Zealand Bacon Co., which had been guaranteed by ft number of directors, Mr. W. D. Powdrell, M.P., urged farmers to be more loyal to the few men who were trying to get them a bettor price for their cattle and pigs. These men, he said, did not get paid for running sucli financial risk 3. If they looked round they would find only one or two dozen men along the coast who had made Taranaki what it was by developing the dairy industry, the meat industry, etc.

Reporting to the New Plymouth Borough Council last evening the electrical engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley) stated there was a steady stream, of applications for connections with the electric light mains, the number last month being in the vicinity of seventy. He informed councillors that the lengthening period of daylight had the effect of reducing the load and was thus enabling the department to keep up fairly well with the demands on current from new consumers.

"He's very keen about the matter, but I'm afraid he isn't of the right party eolor to enable him to get all he wants." remarked a councillor at Saturday's meeting of the Hawera County Council, when a letter from Mr. R. Masters, M.P., was received in reference to the opening of the Mt. Egmont quarries. The councillor added that Mr. Masters had received something of a snub from Mr. Massey when the Taranaki deputation waited on the Prime Minister at Wellington last week; Mr. Massey practically ignoring Mr. Masters when other Government members were present. "It's a pity that it should be so," remarked the chairman, "because it certainly is not good diplomacy." Reserved decision was given .by His Worship (Mr. T. A. B. Bailey) yesterday in the case of the claim for £BO preferred by John Harte, of PungaMhu, against W. B. Smith, A. Deacon and H. Magon. The alleged damages suffered by plaintiff, it was set out at the hearing, arose through the "dogging" of his cattle by defendants. In reviewing the case, the S.M. remarked that the story told by the defendants was a direct contradiction of that told by the plaintiff. In one or two instances the facts did coincide. After carefully considering the evidence, however, he had decided that the plaintiff's version was the correct one. Judgment would be for £SO and costs. When some statistics relating to the number of registrations of motor cars in New Zealand last year, were under review at Saturday's meeting of the liawera County Council, the 'chairman (Mr. J. B. Murdoch) stated that the clerk had compiled a rather interesting estimate of the cost of running the cars. Assuming that the cost of running each car was £4OO a year, which he was quite a low average, the total amount expended in running the 8880 cars registered, apart from their original cost, would be £3.552,000. As showing the prosperity and the extravagance of the people of New Zealand, added the chairman, the figures were rather illuminating, particularly as they referred to motor ears only. The Girls' Hostel . Committee wish to acknowledge the gift of a dressed doll from Mrs. T. C. List. A competition was held and decided on Saturday, Miss Rita Bull (Carrington Road) being the winner. The turkey competition |yf ww by 2; ©ay,

A. combination of farmers' organisations'lias been formed in South Canterbury to guarantee the salary of a veterinary surgeon for the district. The question of the control of the Bale of bread in New Plymouth is under consideration by the Board of Trade, according to a telegram receivod from the secretary by a New. Plymouth baker. The liner Otarama, which sailed from Waitara on Sunday afternoon for Wellington, took in the following cargo: — 9132 quarters beef, 2152 bales wool, 371 sacks sundries, 234 casks tallow, 180 sacks pelts, 4 sacks hair, 09 sacks horns, 32 sacks hides, and 1427 • eases canned meats. ; The Prime Minister Has stated tlftV (10 specially-selected emergency valuers were being appointed to assist the department. The Commissioner of Taxes had been furnished with revised valuations of unimproved land in the Dominion, which represented an increase of £24,104,681, which would be available for taxation in the current year. During June 5550 mortgages amounting to £0,251,440 were registered in the Dominion, Taranald's share being 428 mortgages valued at £444,049. In the twelve months ended June, 1920, 49,488 mortgages valued at £57,679,822 were registered, while in the same period 38,653 mortgages valued at £27,780,465 were discharged. The Defence Department has intimated to the New Plymouth Borough Council that two machine guns now in the New Plymouth Museum were captured by Corporal (now Lieut.) L, W. Andrew, V.C., of the 7th Regiment, Wanganui, and were forwarded by mistake to New Plymouth instead of to Wanganui. At last night's meeting of the CounJ.l authority was given for the return of the guns to the Department upon their being replaced by two other machine guns to be held upon the same conditions as the present ones. At last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council a letter was received from the Valuer-General advising that the field-books for the Borough of New Plymouth were being corrected preparatory to the work of re-valuation being put in hand. "The Valuation," stated the letter,'"will be undertaken by Mr. George Wright, who is at ptesent, engaged in revising the borough of Dannevirke. I anticipate the revision of Now Plymouth being completed in time to enable you to be supplied with the new rolls for next year's rating" The next rating commences in March. It is probably not too much to clai.in that the winter of 1820 is the severest experienced in Taranaki. The frosts have been both frequent and 'severe, even In the coastal districts where they were practically unknown before, whilst there iias been a succession of bitter southerlies. The cii'eet has been that feed Ims been cut down and growth retarded. As n, rule the average Taranaki farmer does not provide a superfluity of winter feed, and in consequence a great many of the herds are in a particularly poor condition, and in some case? the mortality in calving has been pretty considerable. The cold southerly that prevailed yesterday will add to the discomfiture of dairymen, who expected irom the fine weather of Saturday and Sunday that spring had actually come, and that the ground would be warmed and the grass would spring. Reports from the back districts of the 'province show that the severe weather has played havoc with the young lambs, the ..losses in some cases' being as high as twenty per cent. Some years before the war a Taranaki young couple went to Wcstralia, where'they lived for some time, the wife returning *to her native land a few months before the outbreak of war. The roan joined the 'Australian forces, and was killed in action. The. widow applied to the Australian Government fothe benefits under the repatriation laws, but was informed that as she was not a resident of Australia at the time of her husband's enlistmsAt she was eligible. So she applied to the New. Zealand authorities, who, in turn, have informed her that as her husband was not a resident of New Zealand six months prior to the war.she capnot be assisted under the Repatriation Acts. The unfortunate woman is therefore in a quandary. The New Plymouth Repatriation Committee, which wa3 appealed to, after going into the matter last evening, decided to bring the case under the attention of the Director of Repatriation! asking him to submit it to the Ministerial Board with a view to meeting this and similar cases that may nrise. i

The Whitftlcy Spring Flower Show, which opeus on* Thursday, ia expected to (surpass previous efforts. La9t year the show proved most successful and some really magnificent blooms were exhibited, mid competition for the Gibson Cup and other trophies was keen. The outstanding attraction this year will be the exhibit of Mr. R. Gibson, who is a noted .daffodil grower. It will be remembered that last year ho accepted the challenge to compete against Sir Heatoji Rhodes, of Christchurch, and although lie suffered many delays owing 'to the break in the train arrangements, he successfully competed against one of the noted growers of the Dominion.

English and Australian mails arrived in Wellington by the Ulimaroa from Sydney last night. The Taranaki portion should arrive by the Jniiil train tonight.

S C? 3-J-32 2 "* 5 S H 8 sf Be *2 2 • ° P° cc ® w 5- 5 !> - 05 * o S 3 2^-lzl^™ g^ll^S 2 a P 9! m 3 kLC-S-3! S3 * 2&C= • S-_, zr 2 ~**J3 p «ss H o' c*- <p 3 OQ .p ' ~ cp S- 1 § *>y>% "g. 3. A ? ' &£s > <CC >-. n g p 3 £- _ a § 5 §" §* s-Si" r l^'l S M. § "' £ 3 | g* go 75 B «'KS B Ss C- fc $® VJ pj