LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The first pile of the inner harbor scheme at Napier was driven yesterday afternoon.

The postal authorities have received advice that the R.M.S. Sonoma left San Francisco on January 25 for Sydney. She carries 1249 bags of mail for New Zealand, including 970 bags from the United Kingdom. It is understood that the Labor Party has decided to establish a Socialist Sunday school in Masterton (says the Dominion). A meeting is to be called next week to discuss arrangements.

One of the New Plymouth large tram cars became derailed last night about ten o’clock at the corner of Devon and Egmont streets, when bound for the Breakwater. After a delay of nearly half-an-hour the car was got back on the rails and the journey was continued.

Applications by discharged soldiers for land, houses, etc., were dealt with at the meeting of the Taranaki Land Board. Twelve applications for sections and the erection of houses were recommended, and one. was deferred. Eight applications for additional house Advances were recommended, as were two applications for repayment of mortgages, 4 applications for transfer, and 38 applications for stock and chattels.

A somewhat serious accident occurred at the Patea breakwater on Thursday afternoon while a party were engaged in fishing from the newly-formed portion of the eastern mole. It appears that a young man named W. Willis was throwing out a schnapper line for a boy when one of the sinkers attached to the line flew off, striking a little boy named Wilfred Campbell on the head. He was removed to hospital where an operation was performed. He is progressing as well as can be expected.— Patea Press. Prices for beef at the Westfield fat stock sales on Wednesday showed'a slight fall compared with last week’s rates, competition being dull. Extra choice ox realised up to £2 Ils per !001b., other grades ranging from £2 2s to £2 9s per 1001 b., according to quality. There was an extra heavy yarding of sheep, accompanied by a decline in prices. Good wethers realised from £1 9d to £1 16s 9d, ewes £1 2s !)d to £1 ss, Jambs £1 3s fld to £l. 9s Od. Fat pigs were penned in smaller numbers than last week, but showed no improvement in price. Choppers brought from £6 to £6 15s and baconers £4 to £5 16s.

Defending Mr. W. M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, against an attack in the Times, the National Review of October last comments on the showing made by him and by the Prime Minister of New Zealand at the Peace Conference. “The Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers,” it states, “were the only British plenipotentiaries with any serious grasp of the fundamental conditions of permanent peace, because they alone brought common sense to bear —a quality very rare among statesmen, and passionately resented by those who do not possess it.” A little later the writer remarks: —“Australia and New Zealand are the only British Dominions —indeed, the only British communities —which have no reason to be ashamed of the role of their plenipotentiaries in Paris. 'Mr. Hughes and Mr. Massey at least tried to do their duty.” The proposed farmers’ political movement is receiving considerable support from the different branches and subbranches of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Auckland (remarks the Herald). Referring to the subject, the provincial secretary to the union, Mr. W. Huey, said that one of the most pressing reforms the Farmers’ Political Party would undertake would be that of getting rid of the present system of voting for Parliamentary candidates, by replacing it with the more equitable method of proportional representation. This would tend to abolish party organisations. The farmer did not desire special privileges, and consequently could not understand why other people should have them. He realised what co-opera-tion in industry stood for, and was determined 'to participate directly in the government of this country. He was not guided by any narrow class interest, but by a desire for the general welfare of the community.

The entry o f the present Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. AV. F. Massey, into politics is recalled by the death of Mr. D. Stuart of Helensville, who died on Saturday, at the age of 85. Mr. Stewart was the signatory to the telegram sent in 1894 on behalf of the electors of Waitemata to Mr. Massey, acquainting him of their desire that he contest the seat. The incident of the telegram, as related by Mr. Massey himself, was as follows:—“It was harvest time when the seat became vacant. I was in my stockyard building a cornstack when a telegraph messenger came along with a telegram. The stack was some height from the ground, and the message was handed up to me on one of the prongs of a pitchfork by the driver of the waggon that was being unloaded at the stack.” The message contained a request from a number of Waitemata electors that Mr. Massey would meet .them on the following day for the purI pose of receiving a request to contest the seat. He met them and consented to nomination, being returned after a keen fight. Three years later he was elected for Franklin, for which district he is member at the present time. Mr. F. W. G. McLeod announces that he is now prepared to execute orders for piano-tuning, etc., in town or country. Expert advice will be given to intending purchasers of instruments of any kind, and valuations made for clients. Mr. McLeod is also enrolling pupils for saxophone, clarinet, flute, olfoe, bassoon, etc., and all band instruments. Terms can be obtained on application at the private address, “Taumata,” Gilbert Street, New Plymouth. Newton King, Ltd., and the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., draw the attention of their clients to the fact that the Kohuratahi Sheep Fair, earled for February Oth, has been postponed until February 16th. Overworked housewives ran obtain relief by using “Fairy Wonder” washing powder. This wonderful dry soap in powder form contains elements scientifically blended whiel. put y bat surely remove the dirt from soiled linen without the aid of rubbing. Full directions on every packet. Try it. Your grocer stocks it.

Workers, save money by purchasing these at the Melbourne’s gigantic Reduction Sale naw booming: Genuine S.S.S. drill shirts, reduced to 15/6; black sateen shirts, 11/6; pure flax shirts. 10/6; dark grey cotton shirts, 13/6; genuine Shirley President braces. 5/6 pair: silk collars, 1/11: linen collars, 1/4. Scores ef other equally eaving linea.