LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mails which left Auckland on October 26, per Niagara, via Vancouver, arrived in London on December 2.

A cable received from London last night says the cheese market is very flat. Canadian is' offering at from i4o's to 148s c.i.f.

The Timaru Harbor Board has decided lo'enter its staff in the National Provident and Superannuation Fund, the whole of the employees approving. The Timaru Borough Council is a contributor, and several dependents are now receiving allowances.—Press Association. A meeting of the Auckland Boot Retailers' Association passed a resolution recording its firm belief that there is no ground for any anticipation that the prices of footwear will, appreciably decrease in the present or immediate future.

On one' or'two occasions lately during the week-end, the West End School has been broken into. On the first occasion a few pence were taken out of the teachers' room. Last week end the school was again entered and some acts of vandalism committed. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police.

The Premier states that the latest cable, though not definite, indicated a slight improvement in the prices of coarser wools. A large shipment of dairy produce is already on the way to England, and this month the first shipment of free meat will be dispatched. We can look forward to the value of exports again exceeding the value of imports, and the financial position will be relieved to that extent.

Provided stiffieent labor is available it is hoped to start the work of metalling Mount Messenger in about a week, and push on with the work while the tine weather lasts. This information was given to a Daily News reporter by Mr. T. M. Ball. Taranaki district engineer, who yesterday returned from a visit of inspection to the Avakiho district. Mr. Ball inspected the steam "navvy" on the Awakino Valley Road, which it is hoped (o have in commission at an early date, and the work on this road will then be expedited. Replying to (he welcome extended by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce list night, Mr. W. J. Penn, who has just returned from a visit to the United States and Canada, where he attended the Press Conference, said that whilst away he and his wife did their best to combat the idea prevalent amongst the Canadians and Americans, as well as Britishers, that New Zealand was a suburb of Sydney or an island just off the coast of Australia. Even the Australian delegates regarded New Zealand as a part or appendage of the island continent. Whilst this ignorance of the real geographical difference obtained, it was not surprising that in commercial circles in such places as San Francisco, the port of New Plymouth was quite unknown. With the- secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce there he had left a plan of the harbor. One American commercial gentleman whom he met was so interested in what he had to say regarding New Zealand that he had come out here for the purpose of opening up business. The chairman and Mr. S. W. Shaw suggested that the members of -the Chamber would be grateful if Mr. Penn could see his way to spare an evening and o-ive them some of the impressions he had gained whilst away. Mr. Penn said he would be pleased to do this. On Tuesday next, at Stony river sale, a house of 4 rooms and 2 acres of land in the Okato township, will be submitted for sale by auction Particulars will be found in pur auction columns.

The Board of Trade has approved the following increases in the price of Taupiri coal as from yesterday. House-hold-coal, fid. per ton; steam or kitchen coal, Is Gd. per ton. When a "plain drunk" ends his brief spell of joy in the lock-up, his finances are usually depleted, but a man arrested in Napier was the exception, for he possessed £lll Ids lid in cash.

"No woman is bound to live with a man who makes a mere tank of himself,'' said Mr. S. K. McCarthy, S.M., in granting an application Ly a woman for a separation order. "It's not goad for a woman," added the Magistrate, "and it's not good for the race that a woman should bring into the world children whose father is a drunkard."'

Owing to the large number of houses sold for removal in Waihi there is a telling shortage in the matter of renting dwellings. A big percentage of the places sold for removal were owned by absentees, which gave a false outside impression that people were leaving the district. Both tiie mining and dairying industries are fairly solid and permanent, the rapid growth of the latter being most marked (remarks an exchange). An amalgamation has Leen effected of the proprietary interests of the Otaki Mail and the Levin Daily Chronicle, the Mail having been purchased by the proprietors of the latter journal Messrs Kerslake and Billens. Mr. Frank Tenn, who has for many years controlled the Mail, has purchased the Cambridge Independent, and will take up his residence in the Waikato centre at the beginning of the year. A man who ought to know, told a Manawatu Daily Times reporter that there were 15,000,0001bs of tea at present in New Zealand. As tea only kept its condition for about 15 months retailers would be well advised to quit any surplus stock now, even at a loss. A well-known motor-salesman also told the reporter that lie had seen 100 half chests of tea stored in a garage in Gisborne in lieu of cars.

Speaking at the meeting of the Tara■naki Chamber of Commerce last evening, Mr., P. K. Stainton said that in company with another member he had waited upon nine residents that afternoon for the'purpose of asking them to become members of the Chamber, and in eacli instance was successful, all statiiig that the Chamber was taking a live interest in the town's affairs and development, and therefore deserved support. The chairman said that every man in business or witli a stake in the community should be a member of the Chamber, which was capable of doing a great deal for the town and district. The more support it received the better work it could do.

Mr. M. Orchard, formerly of Christchurch, and well known in bowling circles, writing to a friend in New Zealand from London, said that generally speaking business was rather dull. This was attributed to the labor unrest, but it was generally thought that another boom was coming along. "Prices are inclined to remain high," he wrote, "and I don't think they will co much lower. There arc a few firms hard up who arc unloading goods at lower prices. but it is only a flash in the pan, and is not a true indication of the real .state of affairs. Wages in the manufacturing centres are still increasing, and the consumer has to foot the bill."

A record shipment of butter f.;om Auckland will be taken by the Gallic, which is expected to commence loading this week. The shipment will consist of 137,000 boxes, of the value of £059 000. The largest consignment of butter previously taken from Auckland was 128,550 boxes, shipped by the Ayrshire in February, 191!). The value of this consignment totalled £581,080. The large increase in the value of the Gallic's consignment, as compared with that of the Ayrshire, is due to the fact that in 101!) the export value of butter was £4 10s Vid. a box, as compared with the present export value of £7. The Rermi- . era. which Is now loading at Auckland, is taking 20,000 boxes of butter and 13.000 crates of cheese, and space has been alloted on the' Port Adelaide, which is clue to arrive about the middle of December, for 15,000 crates of cheese. In addition to the shipments already mentioned, 12,385 boxes of butter have been loaded on the Tahiti for Vancouver.

The Uruti Committee for the Anglican Home Mission Bazaar/ to be held oil Friday, December 17, desire to acknowledge with thanks donations of confectionery from Messrs. Burgess, Fraser and Co., goods from Messrs. Cock and Co., and Teed, goods and money collected at Urenui by Mrs. E. Putt, money collected at Pukearuhe by Mrs. Freeth, and books, music and surprise packets donated by the N.P. Victoria League and St. Mary's Eall Committee. The bazaar money is to be placed to the credit of a sum of £4OOO which ha 9 to be collected before a second missionary can be obtained for the huge district of North Tarannki, and which slim now only lacks a few hundred pounds. The committee at Uruti wish to appeal to the settlers for a full muster that. day.

The attention of householders is drawn to an advertisement in this issue relating to disposal in Wellington by the Defence Department of surplus troopship furniture.

What makes a town beautiful? Its physical beauty and cultivated gardens. Nature has richly endowed New Plymouth, and the Horticultural Society's object is to lay hold of those charms, and have every good citizen interested in and appreciate thern. You can do this easily by applying to the secretaries (at Mr. Val' Duff's office) for membership, which costs 5/-, and by sending along an entry for the spring show to be held in Whiteley Hall on Thursday next.

Thos. Borthwick and Sons give notice in another column of this issue that, owing to an industrial dispute they are not receiving pigs until further notice. Recent additions to tho music library of the Citizens' Band include Sidney Baynes' "Destiny," the popular "Missouri" and "Beautiful Ohio,' a selection from "Norma" (Bellini), and others. Some of these will be included in tomorrow's recital at "Aotea," Avenue Road, in aid of the Clarke Memorial Fund, commencing at 2.1)0 p.m. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Owing to increased taxation and overhead charges the stock auctioneers have found it necessary to increase the commission payable upon stock sold at public auction. The increased charges take effect from to-day.

The H.Z. Loan ami Mercantile Agency Co. wish to draw clients' attention to their Stratford sale which they are holding in their Stratford yards on Tuesday, 7th inat., at 12.30 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on fio.se 8 of this issue.