LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Five degrees of frost werp registered in Masterton on Monday morning. This makes the sixth frost in succession. In the later hours of each day, however, the weather .lias been warm.

An alleged breach of the by-laws in displaying dazzling headlights will be preferred against a motorist at the next sitting of the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court. Some .charges of “speeding” on race days are also set down for hearing.

At a meeting of soldiers’ wives and mothers, held at the New Plymouth Soldiers’ Club last- night, it was decided to entertain the members of the Women's National Reserve at a function, the date and place of which is to be arranged at a meeting of wives and mothers to be held at the Soldiers’ Club on Friday night at 7.3'0 p.m. The matron of the Stratford Hospital reported to yesterday’s meeting of the Hospital Board that no applications had been received for the vacant trained nurse’s position. The chairman said the Stratford Board was not singular in that respect. In one newspaper recently he saw four boards advertising, for nurses.

A fortnight’s spell of dry weather in Taranaki is resulting in a shortage of water in some of the country districts.. The recent falls of rain have been light) showers, the last occurring on December 28. Yesterday the weather was very sultry, with a nazy atmosphere. The glass showed a failing tendency, though not so much as to indicate rain.

“It costs about' 6s a day to keep a horse at the present time,” remarked a councillor at yesterday’s meeting of the Inglewood County Council, when an ap. plication for an increase in rates of pay for hire of teams was received from the- teamsters. The council decided to grant an increase of 5s per day, the opinion being expressed that the council should purchase its own teams at the first favourable opportunity.

A public lecture was given in the New Plymouth Workers’ Social Hall last night under the auspices of the Labor Party, the speaker being Mr. R. Day, borough inspector, who explained the working of the transferrable vote and proportional representation. He also outlined the difference in the systems in vogue in English-speaking countries and on the Continent. At the conclusion of the lecture a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. There has been a steady application for the registration of firearms, as required by the Arms Act, .1920, in the New Plymouth district during the past week. Considering, however, that all firearms, including pistols, revolvers, and sporting guns are affected, there have not been as m|ny enquiries as might have been anticipated. The Act requires that application should be made before the end of January.

The question of appointing an overseer for Pukekura Park was before the usual meeting of the Board yesterday, when it was decided that Mr. W. Bocock, who‘has been in the board’s employ for the past year, be appointed working foreman. Members expressed general satisfaction with the work which is being done by the Park staff.

The Pukekura Park Board met yesterday. Present: Mr. C. E. Bellringer (chairman), Mrs. C. H. Burgess, Messrs. V. Griffiths, W. C. Weston, H. Ford, and P. E. .Stainton (secretary). Mr. Weston welcomed back Mr. Bellringer, who resumes the chairmanship after a trip abroad. It was decided that hot water be supplied to picnic parties from 11 am. to 4 p.m. daily, except on Sundays. The questions of reopening the tea kiosk and hiring out of the boats were left in the hands of a sub-committee.

The -holiday question was before the Inglewood County Council yesterday. The Department of Labour, Wellington, wrote stating that a special meeting should be held during January to fix the day of the statutory weekiy half-holiday, failing which the department would fix' the day itself. The chairman s#id that as there appeared to be a move in the direction of getting one day for the half-holiday throughout the province, it would be better to leave it to the Department. This course was agreed to.

Two cars crashed at the cross roads at Kaponga yesterday. Air Candy was coming up the Manaia road, and Mr. B. Hunter coming along the Eltham road from Eltham, when their cars crashed with such force that it was only the fact of a heavy verandah post and high kerbing* that prevented Mr. Hunter’s car from “telescoping” the Dominion Hotel. The verandah post disappeared like a straw, and the car jumped the kerbing andd almost entered the front door of the hotel, while Mr. Candy’s car was turned completely round and jumped the kerbing on the other side of the street, pulling up against a verandah post. Both cars were very badly damaged, especially Air. Hunter's. Luckily neither of the drivers was hurt, receiving nothing worse than a shaking.—Star.

It is now several years since the round-the-mountain cycle road race was run, and as the New Plymouth cyclists are apparently making no attempt to revive the fixture, the Eltham Athletic and Cycling Club is considering the question of endeavouring to resuscitate this popular event. The chief stumbling block is finance, for while it costs approximately £3OO to hold the contest there is no “gate” money, and the necessary cash has to be raised by other means. The secretary of the club (Air. H. A. Nuttall) has, however, been instructed to write to the donors of the cup enquiring the conditions, and requesting permission to promote the next contest.—Argus. ‘

Owners of trotting hdrses are reminded that entries for the (Taranaki Club’s second annual meeting next month close with the secretary (Mr* D. Lo C. Morgan, New Plymouth!, ®-morrow night. A total of £270 is beilw given in prize money this year, spreadlover six events, and the club’s efforts iif fostering sport in the province are worthy of the support of all owners and enthusiasts.

Mr. H. Cocker, high-class tailor and costumier, New Plymouth, draws attention to his replace advertisement in this issue.

Surfing is becoming more popular than ever, the continued hot weather simply driving people into the sea. To be correctly apparelled one must go to the Melbourne, Ltd., where bathing suits and caps of all description are in full supply. Ladies who are particular as regards the quality and style of their footwear will be interested in the announcement by Foster’s Boot Store, appearing in our business columns. —Foster’s Store, Stratford.

Last year Wairarapa put down 2000 acres in wheat, as compared with 400 the previous season. The crops are stated to be promising well, and a good harvest is anticipated.

Visitors who have returned from Taupo state that anglers have not met with very great success during the past few weeks. Fish are scarce, and the majority of those which have been caught have been small and in poor condition.

No trace has so far been discovered of the man who disappeared from the Sumner Pier on December 29, after leaving a note to the effect that he intended to commit suicide. From the contents of a notebook left in his coat it is believed that his name was' John Baird. The naming of racehorses is complicated by their numbers and h sometimes subtle and ingenious, if not always appropriate. The owner of Idle Talk, a handsome filly which competed at the Manawatu meeting, Rays she was so named in the belief that, like her namesakes Rumour and Scandal, she could travel faster than anything on four legs. The skins of animals were the earliest forms of money, and sheep and oxen among the old Romans took the place of money. Oxen -form the circulating medium among the Zulus and Kaffirs, and tin forms the standard of value at the great fairs of Nijni Novgorod. In the retired districts of New Guinea female slaves form the standard of value, % while iron spikes, knives, spearheads, and brass rods are employed in certain parts of ■Central Africa. Chocolate is still used in the interior of South America for money, as are cocoanuts and eggs. Whales’ teeth are used by the Fijians, red feathers by some of the South Sea Islanders, and salt in Abyssinia.

. A tabloid epitome of the development of domesticity was given by Air. Symonds, the North London Magistrate. A man and his wife appeared on cross complaints of assault. “Man started as the 'stronger human” remarked Mr. Symonds. “He was cruel to the weaker sex, *but the woman overcame him by charm, by guile, by kindness, by ministering to’his wants, and by cooking little delicacies for him. The very fact that this wife comes to me and says, ‘My husband knocks me about,’ means that as a woman she has failed. Go away, be kind to him, and see if you can make it up.” Last week two high officials of the Wellington police, in their capacities as inspectors of clubs, paid surprise visits of inspection to all the chartered clubs within the metropolitan area. It is understood that only in the case of one club was there held to be an infringement of the regulations under which the club charter is granted. - It is alleged that liquor wAs being sold after regulation hours at the bar. of the club,, which has been, therefore, reported by the inspectors to the Department of Internal Affairs, Which controls the granting of charters to clubs. The club cannot be prosecuted, as is done in the case of a licensed victualler, for selling liquor in his bar after regulation hours. It appears, however, that the Minister Internal Affairs may order an inquiry by a magistrate into the allegations against the club, and if the magistrate, after hearing the evidence, holds that the allegations have been proved, the Alinister may order the cancellation of the club charter. More, no doubt, will, therefore, be heard concerning last week’s inspection of one club—Wellington Times.

In this issue, L. A. Nolan and Co. advertise the sale of Messrs. Payne and Blanchard’s building and contracting outfit by auction on Saturday next, at 11.30 a.m.