LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the Opunake Court on Wednesday Harry Augustus James and Walter Horace James were charged before Messrs. O'Brien and Hickey, J.P.is, with breaking two plate-glass windows valued at £7O, the property of Mrs. M. J. McDonald, Detective Cooney conducted the prosecution, and Detective Simister gave evidence as to finger-prints found on the glass, which were identical with thoee of 11. A. James. At the conclusion of the evidence, the Justices dismissed the case against W. H. James and committed H. A. James for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth.

Mr. Massey said at Wellington on Thursday, anent the cement shortage, that the difficulty was not the cement really, but the coal. Given the coal, we "could easily produce the cement. But the position in regard to coal had improved considerably during the past six weeks; and he understood that the Warkwortb works, which had been idle for monthi? past, were now working. The Government had tried to meet the position by temporarily taking the duty off cement. But he did not think that it could go on for ever. He would lik"e it to come to an end soon by ample Implies ef ceal being forthcoming.

A London cable states that the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand have purchased the steamer Cosmos. When the New Plymouth Harbor Hoard at yesterday's meeting were discussing the quarrying' operations in connection with "the Harbor development scheme a suggestion was made by Mr. J. S. Connett that the Board'might be able to secure big stone, such as Was needed, from' the Mt. Egmont quarries as cheaply as it could be quarried at Moturoa. It was pointed out that if the Board could conveniently use the stone they would be helping to guarantee th'i minimum quantity for which the Government required purchasers before tHie quarry was opened. Jhe Board decided that the engineer wfTTis to the Department explaining the Board's requirements in the matter of stone, and secure further information-. '

Mr. Ben Fuller, who recently made £IOOO available in onler that the New South Wales Rhodes'Scholar'this year might proceed to Oxford, has given £SOOO to the Premier to advance one of the more neglected sciences. It is rather a reflection upon our Australian wealthy men (says a Sydney paper) that they do so. little while alive, or even after their death, to help on university education, philanthropy, the arte and sciences, or other publicspirited objects. Here is a man who has made his' money by one of the most uncertain means of business—public amusement—who offers not only £6OOO, but even more should it be required, to help some students forward in their career.

In view of the present shortage of timber and all building materials, the news that an up-to-date sawmill will shortly commence operations in the Awakino district should be of interest. The Awakino Timber Company has recently acquired an efficient plant and timber rights over an area of bush which is reported to be sufficient to provide 20 years' cutting. The bush is said to consist chiefly of rimu and white pine of the best quality, and supplies of timber should be coming to hand towards the end of January. The company proposes to supply butter-boxes and cheese crates from the mill, and this will probably have the effect of securing the now somewhat doubtful supply of this necessity to the dairying industry in Taranaki. The company will be represented in New Plymouth by Stainton and Co., Ltd.

Visitors at the break-up ceremony of the New Plymouth Technical College yesterday afternoon, who made tin) round of the institution, were impressed with the fine samples of work done by the students jji the various classes of the college. Two illustrations of the practical work done were provided in the displays of the handiwork of the engineering classes, and the leatlierwork and copper articles manufactured by the girls. The work was the subject of comment by speakers at the prizegiving ceremony. The chairman of the Education Board (Mr. P. J. White) informed the gathering that the Director of Education for New Zealand (Mr. La Trobe) had expressed the opinion that the engineering work done by the boys was 'the finest that he knew of in the Dominion for a school of the size, and lie had further remarked that anything that was wanted in the matter of eiliiipment would be granted by the De[Birnnent. This, said Mr. White, was a fine tribute and an incentive to the public to recognise the work the College was doing, Mr. J. Leslie Smith, of Napier, ban arrived to supervise tlie sale of the estate of Captain T. M. Smith, Which. takes place at the offices of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., Stratford, to-day at 12 noon. Full particulars of the three sections to be offered will be found on page 9 of this issue.

Nominations for the Eltham Cycling and Athletic Club's meeting, close with the Secretary (H. A. Nuttall) to-night at 8 p.m. Handicaps will be announced early next week. To-day, at 2 p.m.,.Newton King, Ltd., will offer by public auction at their mart, Devon Street, a very well-built dwelling of 7 rooms with a quarteracre of land, situated in Gill Street. The property must be sold to close an estate, and the reserve will Be a most"reasonable one.

A final reminder is given of the band recital to-morrow (Sunday afternoon, at tlie Breakwater. The programme, which was to have been given at Fukekura Park on Thursday last, but was abandoned owing to the rain, will be submitted in its entirety, and visitors will have a chance of viewing the large Japanese steamer now in port. A 9 has been stated, the collection will be devoted to the bandsmen's Christmas box fund, and it is hoped this will be of a liberal nature.