LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A shipment of sixty tons of sugar for Taranaki was landed by the Rarawa yfisterdav.

At its meeting last week the Wanganui Education Board passed a resolution that in future schools are not to be closed on race days. Primary schools in the Taranaki education district re-open next Tuesday, February 1, after the summer vacation. Secondary school pupils' re-asseihble on February 8. Applications for registration of firearms have been coming in steadily at the New Plymouth police station during the last few days, and yesterday about 40 cases were dealt with. Weapons registered included some fine revolvers, most of which had been home by men who were on active service.

Representations by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce that the law regarding margarine should be amended were made recently. At a recent meeting of the council of the chamber a reply was received from Mr. Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture, who said that there would be an opportunity of dealing with the matter at the next session of Parliament.

Th-irty-one resignations 'of teachers ; were accepted on Thursday by the Otago Edii'catirm Board. “’Wliere are they all going?” inquired the chairman, Mr. J. ’Wallace. “Some are to bo married, some are going to the North Island, and more than half are changing to other positions,” replied the secre- | tary. and boots were the only ! cheap goods to be had in England when we left,” said an immigrant who arrived in Auckland last week “You could not buy good steak under 2s 8d or 3s a lb Sugai' was 16d a lb, butter 4s 6d a lb, and bread Is 6d a 41b loaf It was simply awful, and while we did not like leaving the £ld Country, we felt it was a good place to be out of in the meantime.’

From information received in Hawera there are apparently great fluctuations taking place in the -price of glass and a rapid fall seems to be coming. On January 21 a Wellington quotation for Belgian thirds was 102 s per case. English is generally about 20 per cent dearer than Belgian, but a quotation gives similar glass at 88s per case. Then the other day another quotation for Belgian glass was received, the figure being 65s per case. The Fiune sized glass was lauded in Hawera at 13s 8d a case just when the war broke out. —Star. The question of the manufacture of an improved quality of margarine in New Zealand, to be used solely for baking purposes, has engaged the attention of the Master Bakers’ Association during the past year. Representations on the subject wore made to the Minister for Agriculture, and the annual report presented to the Bakers’ Conference, which opened at Auckland last week, stated that the proposal had been favorably received by the Minister, who had promised to go into the matter during the

“It is well known thqt this regulation is being used by tenants merely to defy landlords,” said Mr. W. J. Sim, in the course of a tenancy case at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court last week, referring, to the War Regulation regarding tenancy. “They need only come along to the Court with some flimsy excuse to show they should not be ejected when the landlord desires the house, and the landlord is impotent. I submit that a step has been reached in the administration of this War Regulation when the tide should begin to turn.” In giving his judgment later, Mr. S. E. M'Garthy, S.M., declined to comment upon the virtue of the regulation, except to say that it had saved women and children from being cast into the streets.—“Ly’.tleton Times,”

The test .at the Auckland Police Court in connection with the occult, recalled to the memory of an old Auckland resident a funny story regarding. Hellier the conjurer, who visited this city in the early days (.says the Star). At that time the Maoris used to sell kits of peaches on the site now occupied by the Waverley Hotel. Professor Hellier one morning paid a shilling for a kit of peaches. Then before the eyes of the astonished Maorij, 'the conjurer split open each peach, and discovered a halfcrown in the centre. He said he would buy all the other peaches the Maoris had, but the headman promptly Raid : '•No fear, by golly, me take him back again.’’ As a matter of fact it was not long before 'all the peaches in the other kits were split open by the Maoris, but needless to relate, no more halfcrowns were found after the conjurer had gone.

There are about 14,000 acres in the Makerua swamp on the Manawatu line and reaching towards Foxton. It is, or was, the largest single flax-producing area in New Zealand, but more than half of the acreage is now affected by flax blight, and the bushes thereon are rather less than half their usual height. No definitely agreed-upon cause for the ’blight is given, but there are any nuhiber of theories. The fact that concerns the owners of the flax lands and millers is that production is being seriously curtailed by the blight. The total bales of hemp and tow and stripper slips graded for the twelve months ended December 31 last was 108,808 bales, as compared with 120,667 bales for last year.

The St. Andrew’s Sunday School picnic will be held at Kawaroa Park tomorrow (Thursday) 27th inst. Scholars are asked to assemble at the park at 1.30 p.m. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. wish to draw clients’ attention to their Te Wera sale which they are holding in their Te Wera saleyards on Friday, January 28, at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue.

*Tl?e annual picnic in connection with the Sunday schools of St. Mary’s Parish

will‘be held at Ngaere Gardens on Thursday next, and given a fine day should prove to be a most enjoyable outing. The children and teachers are requested to assemble at the railway station at 7.20 a.m., and will return at 730 p.m. Each child is expected to take its own lunch, but tea will be provided free of charge on the ground. Parents accompanying their children will be very welcome, and will be carried at reduced fares. t

The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.. Ltd., have decided upon Monday, February 21, for their annual sheep and cattle fair in the Puniwhakau district, and have again been fortunate in getting Mr. Thos. Hayes permission to use his yards. Good entries have been received. and as in former years this should prove a successful fair. Par- ; ticulars are advertised on page 8 of this |gsua.

A telegram from Masterton last night states that a violent thunderstorm passed over the Masterton district yesterday afternoon. Lightning set fire to grain stacks at Akura, owned by C. Kingston, destroying them. They were valued at about £250.

The New Plymouth Sports Committee met last night, Mr. A. L. Humphries presiding. Some discussion took place on the state of the sports ground at Pukekura Park, and it was decided to employ a groundsman temporarily to place the grounds and terraces, etc., in order, the idea being to make such an appointment permanent, if funds will permit. In order to raise funds it was resolved to hold an entei-tainment in the park on the evening of February 24, when the band and other orgaisations will be asked to assist. The value of the New Plymouth port to Taranaki is exemplified by every direct ship that arrives there (says the Eltham Argus). For instance the arrival of the record shipment of cement from Whangarei means a reduction of about ten shillings per ton to the consumer; and direct shipments of benzine ’ effect a saving of about 2s per case. I Farmers know that they have already I saved hundreds of pounds by the direct (shipments of manure. The successful I future of Taranaki is inextricably bound up with the progress of the New Plymouth harbor. At a meeting of the New Plymouth Sports Committee last night, the question of the Saturday half-holiday was discuflsed. A resolution was passed un- ■ animously in support of the movement, j and it was aho resolved to take imme- i diate steps to secure the necessary signatures, so that a poll can be , on the question at‘the municipal elections in A.pr’l. Local Druids >rc notified by adver-; tisement in of a picnic, to be held at the . ntain by members of Moturoa Lodge. Machine cotton is reduced to 5d a reel at the Melbourne’s gigantic Summer Reduction Sab?. Other notable reductions are ’lvy mendm.g wool 2d skein, crochet cotton 3d ball. Sylko 4d reel, mercer, crochet cotton Is ball, and blocked tape in all sizes 2J each. Please cal! early. A sale of more than ordinary interest is now running at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, New Plymouth. This firm is noted ter the large and well assorted stocks that they carry «each season, hence the necessity for c. clearing sale at the end of each season, prior to the arrival of new season’s goods Parents will be well advised to visit the “H. 8. stere while solid savings can be mad? *on all purchases of clothing, mer- ! eery f.-ui boUs. Genuine reductions have : been r .ide in all i Zealand Clataag Factory, Nts Plymouth.