LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Mulholland, recently of Oeo, has purchased the Whangamomona Hotel. The Patea wharf on Sunday presented quite a busy appearance, not less than four boats being in port, viz., the Hawera'i Waitangi, Waverley, and Kapuni, The last three na-med entered the river by the evening tide.—Press. The Farmers' Co-operative Organisation Society have purchased a block of 4} acres of land from Mr. J. S. Pox in I a central position alongside the main road at Okato,, where it is intended to erect stockyards immediately. Applications for the position of overseer at Pukekura Park closed last night', and it is understood a large number was received from all parts of -the Dominion. The matter of making an appointment will be considered by the Pukekura Park Board to-nignt. About six o clock yesterday morning a fire was discovered in the exchange room at the New Plymouth Post Office. The lire brigade reached the scene before the fire had gained a thorough hold, and the outbreak was soon suppressed. Not very much damage was done. A poll will be taken in New Plymouth to-day for the election of a councillor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. W. A. Collis recently. There arc two candidates for the position, Messrs. .1. Kibby and A. E. Watkins. I'olling hours will be between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., and the principal booth is at the Whitcley Hall, Liardet Street. A. V. Whitta, who was on Wednesday convicted at Christchureh of keeping a common gaming house, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment, was released on bail, pending an appeal to the Supreme Court, that the Magistrate's decision was against the facts' of the evidence submitted. The appeal trill be held next month. A contractor who waited on the New Plymouth Borough Council last night spoke of the difficulties ol carrving on under present conditions, both" industrially and in regard to the advancing easts of materials He remarked that it was impossible to keep men satisfied when they knfw that if they left one work they eould go to another contractor and secure employment without difficulty. Mr H. J. Abram, who for many years has had experience in the wholesale and retail chemist and ciruggist business, lias purchased the pharmacy for so many years carried on bv Mr. W. Frasev «f Now Pirmoutt

At last night's meeting of the New ] Plymouth Borough Council, it was decided. that tile Pukekura Park Board be written to asking them to define the position of the Council's representatives 011 the Board. The motion was the outcome of some remarks by Crs. Short and Griffiths, who stated that their right to vote at Board meetings had recently been questioned. They were of opinion that if they did not possess this right it was useless to attend the Board's meetings. The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) stated that he was the mover of the original motion in favor of having the Council represented on the Board, and he considered it was a proper step, as the Council paid an annual subsidy to the park work and should have a control in the expenditure. The deputations to the Minister for Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) are not overjoyed at their success in obtaining promises of financial assistance. To a recent deputation introduced by Sir Francis Lang he .said the position was controlled entirely by the amount of money at his disposal. Most urgent-ly-needed works were the first to be considered, but he would consult with his engineers on the various subjects, and inform them of the result. They had to remember that the accumulation of demands during the war had resulted in an enormous aggregate clamor for money. Tt was impossible to meet anything like all of these demands, so the most urgent works, especially in the' backblocks, had to come first. Many of the more prosperous local bodies had been content with £1 in £5 or £8 by way of subsidy, and others had fared even worse.

It is understood that the Justice Department is going into the circumstances concerning the allegation that a recent divorce court proceeding in Auckland was held with closed doors in order to avoid publicity of the particulars, although the bench had' made no order that the. case be held in camera. Ittranspires that counsel for the petitioner asked the judge in open court to fix a date for the hearing and the judge decided on a date and hour which he announced at the time. It is said that there is evidence available that the side doors of the Court were not locked, but it is admitted that possibly a rear door might have 'been locked. Those who gave evidence and others concerned in the! Court proceedings say that they came in j and out of the chamber without encouu-' tering any locked doors while the case was being heard. The whole matter is to be very carefully sifted by the Justice Department. The Conciliation Council sat at New Plymouth yesterday to consider the Tavana'ki Licensed Hotel Workers' dispute. The commissioner fMr. T. Harle Giles) presided, Rnd the assessors were: For the employers, Messrs. P. Kirkwood, l'j. Whittle, and A. 0. Casev; for the union, Messsrs. A. Jackson, F. O'Flanagan, and' F. J. Lyons. The only points agreed upon were the advance of board and lodgings allowances, which were advanced from 7s fid to 15s arid froiu 10s to £1 respectively, while several other matters were settled on the same lines as the old award. The question of hours, holidays, wages, casual labor, overtime, and terms of award were referred to-the Arbitration Court. _ The New Zeala'd Loan and Mercantile wish to draw, clients' attention to the Matau sale which they are holding in their Matau saleyards on Friday next the 10th inst.

A very fine stock 01 jewellery is to be found at_ Mr. J. Benrteti's shop, Devon street, New Plymouth, Those in search of Xrnas presents will- And it an easy .matter to choose from -his big range of novelties.

Messrs Treweek and Joll, of Hawern, draw attention in our advertising columns to two properties they consider are splendid propositions. Advance Xmns buying is good buying if you take full advantage of the Melbourne's special 14 days' sale now on. Enormous savings can be effected on Manchester goods, damasks, blouses, men's suits, etc., but you must buy during the sale. The K&waroa Park committee have recently erected a high glide., and the boys are looking forward to the opening on Thursday next, 'when ihe West End school will Itold their gala. The hoys are very enthusiastic about it, but the fathers are considering what amount of friction is required, to wear out the boys' nether garments.