LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Quite a number of people in Manaia are carrying water for household needs. The Union Company advise that the steamer Kamona is scheduled to leave VVhangarei next Thursday with 1000 tons of cement for discharge at New Plymouth. The day of her probable arrival here is not yet known. The erection of from twelve to fourteen dwelling-houses for employees is contemplated by the Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Company. It is understood the company intend purchasing property at Fitzroy, and will proceed with the building work as soon as possible. The Westport Times says that the coal-mine deputies and under-viewers of the West Coast have signed a new agreement with, the various coal companies for twelve months, and are looking forward to a long and prosperous period of coal-winning. The Mercantile Gazette records the registration of the following new company: —Tribe, Brown and Co., registered as a private company December 7, 1920. Office: Morley Street, New Plymouth. Capital: £16,800, 16.800 shares of £1 each. Subscribers: Inglewood—Hen-: ry Brown 9000, Francis Henry Brown 5800; New Plymouth—Edward Harold Tribe 2000. Objects: Timber merchants, sawmillers, timber growers, builders, contractors, and general incidental.

A notable feature of the trade in Auckland during the past year is the decrease iff bankruptcies which have come before the Official Assignee, Mr. W. S. Fisher, states the New Zealand Herald. The figures for the year are not available at present, but there is a decided decrease on the average failures in trade, which vary from about 70 to 100. Private arrangements with creditors have also been remarkably few, all indicating that the business community has had an exceptionally good year. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates), who arrived in New Plymouth last night, will, in the last week of January, commence h lengthy tour of the South Island, starting from Marlborough and working south. He will, as far as possible, inspect all the public works, railways, roads and bridges etc., now in progress in the South Island, besides looking into on the spot the various suggested hydro-electric schemes and the irrigation scheme for Central Otago.

The St. Mary’s and Te Henui troops of boy scouts from New Plymouth left on Monday last on a trip to Stratford, arriving about 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The boys pitched camp in King Edward Park, and have been having a good time (writes our Stratford correspondent). Scoutmaster Goldsworthy is in charge of the camp, and is assisted by Assist-ant-Scoutmaster Huggard, of the Te Henui troop. A church parade will be held to-morrow. The trek home will be commenced early next week, when three days will be taken on the journey.

The Paparoa, with 6 saloon and 197 third-class immigrants, arrived at Wellington yesterday, after an enjoyable and uneventful trip. All seemed to be in the* best of spirits. Among the number are 32 domestic servants under the charge of a matron. They appear to be superior types of girl, and all have been engaged for situations. We hear a great deal about garden cities at the present,” said a speaker at the Teachers’ Conference the other day. “We ought to have garden schools as well. We ought to make our schools more beautiful and happier places than our drab buildings and* dingy grounds are now. We want playgrounds for games and the team spirit.” During the holiday season the prisoners at the New Plymouth goal were not forgotten by a number of New Plymouth residents, who contributed towards providing some “extras” for the men, including cigarettes. The gaoler (Mr. J. Downs) acknowledges the thoughtful acts of a number of friends in this connection. The motor excursion from New Plymouth to Mokau to-morrow, which is being conducted by Mr. G. Gibson, promises to be largely patronised, and a very enjoyable day’s outing should be provided. The party will leave New Plymouth at 6 a.m., and after breakfasting at Tongaporutu will leave by launch for a run up the river. The-re-turn is fixed for 4 o’clock, arriving at New Plymouth at 6.30. Bookings may be made at Mr. Gibson’s garage. * The Hawera Court returns for the quarter ending December 31 show that 14 persons were arrested for criminal offences and 109 were proceeded against by summons, including, eight juveniles. For debt 230 summonses were 1 issued, the amount sued for being £4907. The cases heard numbered 129, the aggregate amount of the claims being £2786, of which £2474 was recovered. Four old age pensions and two widow pensions were granted For the year ending December 31, 780 civil summonses were issued, and 483 criminal cases, including offences against by-laws, were dealt with.—Star.

The New Plymouth corps of the Salvation Army held a welcome evening last night in honor of their new Commandant and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Middlemiss. These two officers have been stationed with the Auckland City Corps for the last two years, and arrived in New Plymouth by the Rarawa yesterday morning. The social evening consisted of company songs, recitations, and band selections. Sergt.-Major R. C. Cobbe and Envoy Buick each spoke a few words of welcome, and both Commandant and Mrs. Middlemiss suitably responded. The proceedings proper concluded with the “Doxology.” Afterwards a very enjoyable supper was handed round. Wi Ratajia, the so-called “miracle man” writes to the Wanganui Chron'icle:—Ladies and Gentleman,—Take note that, uhder heavy burden and close attention to my native race, I am unable to attend to your needs personally. However, if you will write and explain your ailment in your correspondence attention will be given and reply to each communication returned you, providing, however, that yon desire it through faith and the love of God and believe wholly in your hearts that the power of the Lord will heal you, the same will be granted in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and Holy Angels. May the blessing of the Almighty rest upon you all. Amen. We realise that the kinema has, even now, restricted use for juvenile education in this country, but in England such developments are, and, we fear, ■will always be, very slow (says The Hospital). On the other hand, in America the extraordinary vividness with which almost every known explanation of Nature’s laws can be brought home to either the youthful or the adult mind is utilised to the full. While we are still debating upon this educational “problem” we have absolutely at hand proved experience in a method in use for years past in the States. There even the churches use this mechanical adjunct to their educational efforts, and we see it estimated that in a very few years some eight per cent of their churches will have a kinema in regular use.

Regarding the work being done at Ratana, Mr. Stowell said he meant to see it for himself. He was much impressed with its sober yet remarkable character. It was begun some twenty years ago. Now there were over 3000 signatures in the Book of Cures. Ratana was asked how he came to start the movement. He answered quite naturally and frankly, and with confidence: “I was reading in the New Testament. I came to the passage where the centurian appealed to Jesus to heal his servant, who was very ill and at the point of death. Jesus commended this man’s great faith. He healed the sick servant even while he spoke; for when sent to Jesus by the centurion returned they found that the ■servant was healed even at the moment Jesus spoke. So I said to myself, my word, yes; I believe that is quite feasible. So I started out on my work in that assurance. I have carried out the pattern to the fullest extent of my ability. “A sick pakeha need not necessarily come to me, if he likes, describing his ailment and assuring me of his entire faith in the Holy Trinity. He can write to me, and I will reply; and cures could be effected in such cases.”

In conversation with a well-known Wanganui medical man on the subject of the Maori “miracle man,” a Foxton Herald representative was informed emphatically that he had no reason to doubt that <any of the cases treated were genuine. Tohu’s methods should be known to all medical men, and numerous eases of blinxlness and paralysis, the result of s,hell-shock, had been successfully treated by auto-suggestion. Apart altogether from war cases, similar treatment was given successfully by the same method in cases which had their cause outside defined organic diseases. Tohu’.s mana would come to an end when he failed to successfully treat the pakeha. The Maoris were emotional and susceptible, and so long as he kept to £he people of his own race, so long would his mana continue, but in his opinion the' treatment of the pakeha would bring about his undoing. He did not deprecate Tohu’s- work, but on the other hand considered that he should be encouraged. His treatment to the laymen appeared miraculous, but to the skilled medical man it was common practice. There were hundreds of people subject to peculiar mental troubles, which created physical infirmities, which copld only be successfully treated by auto-suggestion and massage. i “Fairy Wonder” the marvellous will lighten the year’s household work by half. No other household help can “hold a ‘candle” to “Fairy” both for economy and helpfulness. In packets, of all grocers and storekeepers.