LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On Saturday afternoon, at 2.30, there was seen a solar rainbow, a phenomenon that has not occurred for 47 years,

Blight .has made its unwelcome &p----peiiran'ce amongst some of the kitchen gardens in New Plymouth.

Hawera returned soldiers are considering plans of new club rooms, involving the expenditure of about £SOOO, which I he R.S.A. expect to raise from the public,

11. A. and \V. 11. James appeared before Mr. G. W. Rogers, J.P., at the Opunake Court on Wednesday morning, charged with breaking two plate glass windows, the property of Mrs. Jean McGregor, of Te Iviri, and valued ait £7O. Accused were remanded.

Hie performance given by the New Plymouth Citizens' Band at the East End Reserve yesterday attracted a large attendance, a-nd the programme submitted was enjoyed by all. The collection realised .£l2, and this sum will be devoted to the funds of the reserve committee,

The Riverdale Co-op. Dairy Factory Company went wholly into the manufacture of butter as from Wednesday last. The Jiaupokonui factory is making about half butter and half cheese, but will probably be making all butter as soon as the necessary plant comes to hand.—Star. Mr. W. A. Veiteh, M.P., stated at Wanganui on Friday last that there was a group of Parliamentary members in the Auckland district able to control the Treasury Benches, and to put the matter bluntly the result had been an expenditure of public money in the Auckland district enormously out of proportion compared with public expenditure in the rest of. New Zealand. The figures in connection with recent public expenditure were startling.

A Christmas bandsmen benefit performance will be given by the New Plymouth Citizens' Band on Thursday next, December 16, at Pukekura Park. The recital will introduce the tubular bells which have been acquired bv the band.

Owing to the cement shortage work has ceased at the Otira tunnel. Al, the New Plymouth Court on Saturday Walter Muckay appeared to answer a charge of failing to maintain his four children, between the ages of 5 and 111 years. Accused had left two children in the care of friends, promis- i ing to pay for their maintenance, but after his departure bad not shown any | sense of responsibility, and letters sent, to him did not bring any reply. Two other children were in the care of the Salvation Army at, Rltliam. Mackay was ordered to pay- 10s per week in respect of each of the four children, and was warned bv the Magistrate that if the payments were not made he would lulve to find security or go to gaol.

New Zealand farmers are faced with more troubles than those which arise out of the slump in wool (says the Dunedin Star). The oats market is in a queer state. Australia, expected to be a buyer, is now a seller, since the drought did not affect the oats so much as was feared, and there is a fair crop there Another factor in the present situation is that the New Zealand yield of oats is considerably above calculations. Moreover, the British market, following the American market, has dropped appreciably. As a result of these influences Otago oata that -were at 5s per bushel three mouths ago can be bought to-day at ,3s ex store. One agent told a Star reporter that he was advising his clients to feed oft' their young oats, so as to bo sure of an immediate rfcturn in the improvement of stock; also to plant for wheat inatead of oats at next sowing wherever the land is strong enough to carry wheat, since wheat is sure to command a firm price, whereas oats may tumble to 2s or even la fld.

There should "b? no reason .to remind residents of Now Plymouth, and particularly of the West End portion of the town, of the meeting which is to be held in the West Knd gymnasium at 8 o'clock to-night in order to take action to assist thu Taranaki Education Board in their endeavor to get the Education Department to secure a suitable site for the West End School. The matter has been pressed upon the Department for some considerable time past, and a suitable site has been placed before them by the Education Board. It, was hoped that finality was about to be reached, but for some inexplicable reason the Department has deferred the matter for the present, and there is every probability that with the growth of New Plymouth the land may be taken up for residential purposes, and the last chance of obtaining a site in a central position will be gone A large attendance, therefore, is expected this evening. Speaking at the annual meeting of the South Taranaki Winter Show Company, Mr. D. J. Goodwin (chairman) said they would lose the use of the West, Coast Refrigerating Co.'s hall in the course of time — possibly they would not have, it. for the next show, and there was no doubt they should extend their present buildings. Thcv were badly in need of a lecture hall, in which lectures on agriculture and kindred subjects could be given at show time. 'Then they required an up-to-date tea room in which visitors could be made comfortable inside the buildings. At present they provided as good a tea room as possible, but it was not big enough at all tiroes, and was not convenient to the caterers. They required, too, something in the shape of a hall for entertainments. Ho was satisfied that such a hall would be a great asset. The company may not bn able to attempt these improvements for the next year or two, but they 'hoped by that time that supplies of cement would be more plentiful, that-labor might be available, and that the banks would be able to give them the necessary finance. Mr. Gillanders said he would like to see the back portion of the building stalled off for cattle; then when they built one or two floors above this he was sure there would be no objection .to the lower floor of s'/all.s, which should be. able to accommodate from 150 to 180 'head of cattle. He did not say that, they would be able to do this for the doming year's show, but they must try and introduce new features. The chairman said there was only one thing in the way of this suggestion, and that was the want of money and material. Mr. Grllanders had referred to the "back" portion of their buildings, but there was not going to be any back portion when they Jiad completed their improvements. —Star. A shortage of ready cash is one of the problems with which the Eltham County Council is confronted, and ways and means of getting in the current year's rates formed the subject of an interesting discussion at Saturday's meeting of the Council. The chairman (Cr. C. J. Belcher) said that only a ; quarter of the rates were paid up to date, representing £5853, as compared with £7957 paid up to the end of November last year. There was £IO,OOO of rates still outstanding, and at bank rate of interest this was equal to a loss of £sp a month to the Council — money which should be spent on the roads.' The position was such that they must get the money in, and he wished to ascertain the feelings of the Council in regard to the matter. After discussion, Cr. C. E. McGuinness moved that the clerk be instructed to place the names of all ratepayers whose rates were still unpaid in a hat and draw out two names for each riding to be summonsed. This motion was seconded by the chairman, and met with the approval of the whole Council, the opinion being expressed that it would result in a large number paying thenrates without delay. Cr. McGuinness said there 'seemed to bo a general impression that the Council could not sue for rates until six months after the fourteen days' notice, but this was not the case. The Council had the right to sue, and should do so, because it was obviously unfair for ratepayers to hold back their rates so Jong. The motion wan carried unanimously.

An exceptional bargain in boys' tussore silk tunic suits is being shown by the Melbourne, Ltd. These were made of last season's silk at old price, and are consequently very exceptional value. Sizes 2 to !> years, "Fairy Wonder" Dry Soap is the scientific discovery of the age. As a household help it has entirely displaced all the old-fashioned powders and tablets. It is extremely pleasant to use, cuts labor in half, aiid does away with rubbing. There is no nasty scum or offensive sud-steam where "Fairy", is used. Stocked by all grocers. To-morrow, at 1.30 p.m., L. A. Nolan and Co. will conduct a sale of furniture on account of Mrs. J. F. Fabian, at the residence, corner of Gill and Eliot Streets. Particulars are advertised in this issue.

The Uruti sale advertisement appears in our auction columns.

On the sunny slopes of the South of France are grown some of the sweetest (lowers which assist to make the famous No. ~r2 Lavender Water the most attractive and delightful of perfumes. . S