LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

London advises that a mail was dispatched for New Zealand on 7th October, per lonic, via Panama.

Tjie increase in size and. the number of the vessels coming to New Plymouth was given as the reason for the harbormaster asking the Harbor Board yesterday for an increase in his staff.

A London cable message states that Mr. Knocklanda, a well-known gardener, has evolved a cross between tho gooseberry and blaok currant, which has the size of the former and the flavor of the black currant.

The quarry work at Moturoa in connection with harbor operations at New Plymouth has been stopped owing to the shortage of labor, according to the monthly report received by the Board from the engineers at yesterday's ingMr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) has given not™ to ask the Minister of Education, whether he is aware that when children over ten years of age are ordered away from school by Medical Inspectors for a change they are charged full railway fares by the Railway Department, and whether he cau provide remedial measures?

Mr. AV. T. Jraniiigfi (Waitomo) lias given notice to ask the Minister of Public Works, whether he will give authority for the Department to furnish Parliament with the report of the trial survey of a railway-line from Waitara to Mokau ordered by a forrqer Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Mr. It. McKenzie ?

Regarding the installation of telephone facilities on the New Plymouth wharf, as proposed some time ago by the Tarana'ki Chamber of Commerce, the Ne# Plymouth Harbor Board received advice at yesterday's meeting from the Chief Postmaster at New Plymouth that be had recommended the request to the chief telegraph engineer at Wanganui. The secretary of the board (Mr. C. S. Hennell) said he understood the Department intended going on witJi the work.

Mr. O. Hawken (Egmont) has given notice to ask the Minister of Mines, whether he will have a fortnightly report prepared for publication showing the working of the coal-mines, as follows: (a) The amount of coal won mid the number of hours worked; (b) the number of men working and the number required to fully man the mines; and (c.) the averaged wages of the different classes of men employed?

Quarterly lectures on subjects of special importance to c-mplbyers have been arranged by the Taranaki Employers' Association, New Plymouth, and the Executive in a circular letter to members announces particulars of the scheme. The first lecture ''Cheques and endorsements," will be given by Mr. A. MeHardv on November 'J, and other subjects which are to be the basis of addresses to business men by various speakers will bo on "The Sale of i»oods Act," "The Commercial Distribution of Electric Power," and "Fire and Marine Insurance."

The wet weather prevailing yesterday held up work at the port of New Plymouth. The Rarawa, which arrived early in the morning, was able to practically complete discharging-, and took ft small amount of cargo for Oneluinga, but work had to be suspended early on the Inga and the Flora. The Inge," has a quantity .of timber and hardwood poles to discharge, with which she arrived' from Sydney yesterday morning. The Flora has a large cargo of merchandise from Wellington and South Island ports. To-day the Kowhai is due "to arrive from Westport with a quantity of coal and a 20-ton crane for the New Plymouth Harbor Board.

Signs of great activity amongst railway officials were in evidence yesterday (says the Palmerston North correspondent of the Times). Upon Inquiring the reason, it was found that there was a blockage on the Palmerston NorthNapier railway line near Ashhnrst. It appears a huge slip oceured in full new of the engine-driver and fireman ef the 4.43 a.m. train bound from Palmerston to Ltannovirke. The slip camo to Hs resting place quite gently, but the cracking of a post and wire fence fts the hillside dropped aroused the attention of the railway men, who pulled the train up at a safe distance from the obstruction. It was estimated that IflOO cubic yards of earth fell, engaging the railway men until 1.0 p.m. before traffic? was restored. The Napier mail left at schedule time and got a deal passage.

A consignment of English cement wiil be landed in New Zealand shortly. It contains approximately 1200 tons and Ims already been sold at £ls per ton plus duty. This will show the keen demand that exists for building material, and the bulk of this cement has been purchased for what the Board of Trade considers to he unessential buildings. Dominion manufactured cement is all reserved for buildings for which (lie Hoard of Trade gives permits. The price of the New Zealand article has advanced from £4 per ton in pre-war days to £8 10s. The Tukapa Football Club are holding annual re-union and smoke concert: at the Kawaroa bungalow this (Saturday) evening at 8 o'clock. An excellent musical programme has been arranged. The annua! conference of the New Zealand Veterans' Association will be held at New Plymouth on Wednesday, '27t.ii October. It is • expected that i/clegates will 3ie present from all Dominion branches. Geo. Brewer, second-hand dealer, Wanganui, will visit New Plymouth on Holiday next for the purpose of buying anything tor sale. Advise Geo. Brewer, Post Office, New Plymouth, on or before Monday next, to enable him to know what you have for sale and where to call. —Advt,. A few shillings spent in the free use of Nazol to protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat flsain't. Influenza infection, is better tlisiti hours of iuUeriti£ 3

British yachtsmen Lave spent about £1,000.000 in attempts to recapture tin: America Cup, which in itself is worth about .£SO.

Reporting to the New Plymouth Harbor Hoard, at yesterday's meeting, the engineers (Messrs, Blair Mason arid Lee), stated that the dredge Thomas King is depositing stone on the line of the breakwater out to a distance of 000 feet. During September the quantity deposited was 3600 tons. The inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Thomas J. Cook, of ,lvina Itoad, Oaonui, who was thrown from a gig near liis home on the Bth inst., will be held at the New Plymouth Courthouse at 10.30 this morning.

Air. A. Boyle, who has just returned from America, told a Press reporter that lucerne was a big factor in supplying winter feed in practically all the States he visited. He was astonished to find sunflowers grown extensively as a crop for silos; they- provided very fattening feed.

To mark the arrival of the Mamari at New Plymouth with a direct shipment of merchandise from England, the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce proposes to hold a luncheon, on Wednesday, to which representatives of the various Chambers of Commerce in the province and members of the lJarBoard have been, invited. Included in the programme mapped out for the visitors is a run round the harbor, ajid yesterday the Harbor Board granted an. application of the Chamber for the use of the Board's launch to assist in conveying the party.

After the allocation of the war trophies at Hawera on Thursday, advice wag received from Wellington that the field guns available had been reduced from 5 to 4, but that a seige gun was being added. It was stipulated that New Plymouth being the chief provincial town, shall receive the seige gun. This will mean some readjustment, and it is reasonable to suppose that Hawera will now receive the howitzer allotted to Now Plymouth, and will forego the field gun.—Star.

Trailing after "Kitty" is what all bowlers (young and old) will be doing up on the green now the bowling season has started. To play the game in comfort, select your bowling toga from the list offered by the Big Store, Waitara, cn page four. Kitty will be pleased.

When you ask for "Tui" Calfineal, take nothing else: there is no substitute anyhow J "Tui" Calfineal is the product of a flour mill; pure grain, legumes and linseed being used to produce a bone-building, flesh-forming health-giving foad that writes its own testimonials an the form of well-grown calves. All stores.

Pnlmerston North is having enviable luck in the matter of raising loan money. A notification from a lending company to the effect that it was prepared to lend the Borough Council £20,000 was received at its last meeting. "This is towards the electric lighting loan," said the Mayor, "and since that was arranged I have secured another £20,000. Possibly I may pick up another £IO,OOO in a few days. We can already see £IIO,OOO by way of loan.

Marriage at a registry office is apparently not always the "back-door" function some people seem to consider it to be. Four female immigrants by the Maniari recently, coming to New Zealand to join returned soldiers, were wedded in the local office. The registrar conceived the happy notion of performing the ceremony under the Union Jack and New Zealand ensign, and members of the staff afterwards entertained the couples at a refreshment room, rising to the occasion and doing everything possible to crown the function. The brides, who made a very good impression upon all with whom they came in contact, wore in raptures at the reception they had met with in the Dominion* and,particularly pleased with the beauty of Dunedin.— Daily Times.

Interviewed by a Levin Chronicle reporter, a stockbroker gave it as his opinion that, for a family, dairying was undoubtedly a better proposition than fattening, as a man with 50 acres and 2.) cows could make a gross return of ,-CGOil a year. Ho could not make that oil' bullocks, and, besides, he would want a bigger area to carry on the. fattening business- In fattening beef cattle, the first essential was to get the right class of beast of the recognised beef breeds — Polled Angus, Hereford or Shorthorn—either the cross or purebred, and get the animals when they were in a forward condition. The Friesian was a good bullock, but he took longer to condition. A bullock in fair condition on good land would put on more than lib per day, like lambs on rape. The grazier added incidentally that lie received up to £2 17s »d per 1001b for his beef during the period between the recent winter and spring. This was the best price ha had over got, but good bullocks were scarce then, and his stock of the Kuku was in great condition. As showing what this country could do, he stated that he had finished off as many as GO forward lambs to the acre on rape, and in a few weeks these were ready to market.

Alarming rumours of a world shortage of petrol have given some concern in the Dominion to motorists and motor traders as to how New Zealand is going to fare in the future. A reassuring reply was given by Mr. Hamilton, director of the Vacuum Oil Company, when he was in Wellington recently, to a deputation representing the local motor trade. The case was put by Mr. Cousins who laid stress on the vital importance of an adequate supply of benzine at the earliest possible moment. The idea of the deputation was to see what jirospei-t there was of an increase of supplies, as the reports from America were not encouraging. Mr. Hamilton, in reply, stated that Mr. Cornforth, managing director of the company, had recently returned from America, where he had made it his business to investigate nil sources of supply to find if there was the particular jjrade of benzine suitable for this market. New Zealand anil -Australia used a higher grade of petrol than any other country in the world. If a lower grade could be accepted for part of the supplies, Mr. Cornforth had secured a grade suitable for better-class requirements. As a result, supplies should be adequate. The only difficulty was in securing tin plate. Increased supplies might be expected before long, and in the meantime there was enough in stock to carry on with. The deputation was quite reassured as to the situation. As anticipated, the Melbourne, Ltd., yesterday presented a very busy appearance, being the opening day of the firm's great Reduction Sale. The drapery portion especially was thronged with eager buyers of crepe de chine blouses. Manchester goods, apparel, etc., etc. Anyone ■vho intends visiting this sale shou'r! do so at the first opportunity, as the bargains " > sailing fast