LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' Owing to the late sitting of Parliament on Wednesday night the meeting of the Marriage Bill . Committee, fixed for yesterday, was adjourned (says a telegram from Wellington).

Mr. E. Griffiths' handsome young bull, Bilberry's Golden Lad, which was purchased for 210 gns at the sale on Wednesday by Mr. Mortlock, of Normanby, was yesterday re-sold privately to Mr. Wm. Dunn, of Te Awha, for 250 gns.

A movement has been started in Hawera to establish a hostel for young men. The purchase of tlfe property known as Mr. Major's, in Princess Street, has been authorised, and its furnishing as a hostel and club house will be carried out.

Whilst turning from Egmont Street into .Devon Street yesterday morning, a motor cycle ridden by Mr. J. Fabish, of Tataraimaka, skidded, with the result that Mr Fabish and a young- lady, who was riding behind, were thrown to the ground. • The latter sustained a dislocated shoulder, necessitating medical attention. ,

The lowest deposit on which a house in Hawera can be purchased at present was discussed by two solicitors at the Magistrate's Court on Tuesday (states the Star). One solicitor said a. house could be purchased on a deposit as low as £25, or even £lO. The other solicitor said he had been informed by a firm of land agents that the lowest deposit accepted to-day was about £2OO.

A prospective addition to business premises in New Plymouth is a fourstorey building to be erected for the State Fire Office, the department having just acquired a site for new offices, They are to be situated on an area in the centre of the present vacant section between the Northern Co.'s office and the A.M.P. buildings, and fronting Egmont Street. The general manager (Mr C. R. Robieson), who was in New Plymouth in connection with the purchase of the site, left yesterday for Hawera.

Oases were brought against a number of Territorials at the New Plymouth Court yesterday for failure to render personal service under the Defence Act. Lieut. L. W. Andrews, VjC, appeared for the Department. L. J. Allen was charged, convicted and fined 40s, with costs 7s, for not attending the parade of A. Company. On similar charges convictions were recorded against the following:—Ralph Cole, Harold Mevenberg and G. W. Fetch.

In the House of Representatives Mr. 0, J. Hawken (Egniont) gave notice of the following question: "Whether it is a fact that a considerable number of those who were interned on Somes Island ing the war are now working■"■ on the wharves, and whether he .thinks, it is in the public interest that these men should be allowed to work in such a position, where opportunities for fomenting discontent and also doing material damage can be readily found"?

In connection with the application of the New Plymouth tramwaymen for a new award covering wages and conditions, a conference was held last evening between the Borough Council and representatives of the men. The conference was held in camera, and no statement was issued for publication, though it is understood a basis of settlement was arrived at, and. now awaits confirmation by the Union, and by the Council at its ordinary meeting on Monday.

When hearing cases against Territorials for failing to attend drill, His Worship, Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, remarked at yesterday's Court sitting that it seemed a number of defaulters ought to be prosecuted for not notifying their change of address as required by the Act. He pointed out to one defendant that the burden of notifying the dates of drills wa3 not on the Defence Department, as actually the Territorial was supposed to find out for himself. In any case, when they moved about, as many did in this country, they should notify the Defence authorities of their new address.

Taranaki has long been regarded as the home of the Jersey, and whenever a sale has been held in the district of pedigree Jerseys there has always been large attendances from outside. This was again exemplified at the sales conducted on Wednesday by the Jersey breeders at the show grounds, New Plymouth, when cattle to the value of 3752 gns changed hands, and yesterday at Newton King, Ltd.'s Waiwakaiho sale, when- a total V 5517 guineas was realised, making 9206 guineas for the two sales, or £0760 16s. In all 157 animals were disposed of, their new owners being well distributed throughout Taranaki, the Waikato, and the Manawatu districts.

' A charge of breaking and entering the shop of J. K. Hawkins on 23rd September, and stealing therefrom the sum of 3s in money, was preferred against R. A. Page, who appeared on remand at the New Plymouth Court yesterday. SubInspector Hutton said titat the accused had made a statement admitting the offence. Copies of finger prints taken had been sent to the department at Wellington, and were identical with Page's. Evidence was given by the proprietor of the shop,' and also by Constables Parkinson and Small. The written statement by accused, to the effect that he had broken into the shop about eight o'clock, also stated that he had only been in New Zealand about 14 weeks, having arrived from> England. Page was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence.

The very high cost of petrol in this Dominion—at present it is about 4s a gallon—was the subject of discussion at a conference of the New Zealand motor trade held at Timaru last week. It was stated that a very large proportion of the cost, so far as this country is concerned, is entailed by the handling of the oil in tins and eases, instead of in bulk. Delegates asserted that if the oil were brought to this country in tank steeameTS, and stored in suitable tanks at the principal ports and distributing centres, the reduction in freights, handling and distribution charges would amount to Is 6d per gallon at present rates, reducing the price to 2s Cd per gallon. The conference decided to approach the Government for assistance in reforming shipping and distribution methods. As New Zealand is now spending about a million a year on petrol and other motor fuel, the ■matter seems well worthy of attention.

At Matapu on Wednesday the unveiling took place of two memorials to the men who went to the front from that district —a monument in the school grounds, a grey obelisk of five tiers, with white octagonal base and iron railing, inscribed: "To the glorious dead," and giving the names of the men who fell; and a 801 l of Honor in the hall, artistically executed giving the names of all who had enlisted in the Matapu district. The unveiling was performed by Mr. B. Dixon, Mayor of Hawera, who delivered an impressive address appropriate to the occasion. The names of those who fell are as follows: M. Brown, W. Biggs, A. B. Harrison, C. Henry, H. Henry, K. Mcl/Dowie, L. T. Wright, F. Swindlehurst, A. Allen, J. Crighton, W. Kemp, A. Martin, M. Murphy, R. Murphy, P. Murphy, R. Maunder, A. Sutherland, C. Sutherland, A. Tebbutt, A. White.

The committee in charge of the souvenir stall on Old Girls' Mart Day (Misses Ballard, O'Brien and E. Camp- s boll) have secured a fine array of souvenirs,,and have decided to affix a number to each, certain numbers entitling the purchasers to prizes. In this way, added to the interest of securing a souvenir of the day, will be the chance of winning a prize. On this stall will also be found a number of children's toys and games, so that doubtless the youth of the town will be found congregated round the souvenir stall from the moment the mart opens until everything has been sold.

Land seekers should read W. H. and A. McGarry's new advertisement on page one. •

The flower stall usually run on Saturdays, in aid of the girls' hostel, is being given over this week to the Old Girls to run in connection with their mtfrt.

Every day more and more book 9 and bundles of music are arriving at the Old Girls' room, ready for the mart day tomorrow, and are being ruthlessly marked down.

Mr. A. Linley, representing the Lyric Costume Comedy Company, is in New Plymouth.

Of the greatest interest to ladies is Messrs. Morey and Son's advertisement in this issue, relative to beautiful new spring millinery.