LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Schools in the Taranaki education district re-open to-day after the summer vacat ion. “Pcde-Irian" writes complaining that there were no street lights lit last night oji the Carrington Road, between Mr. Richard Cock’s corner and town. A party of emigrants arrived in Waitara on Friday with their families and seem to be a sturdy lot (writes our correspondent). The town has been scoured for an empty house for them, but without success.

The need for improving sanitary conditions at Ngamotu beach was stressed at a recent meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, and last night the council decided that the Ngamotu Committee be requested to arrange for a regular weekly removal of rubbish from the beach cottages and pavilion.

In the course of a chat with a Wanganui Chronicle representative on Saturday, Mr. D. J. Hughes, a member of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, said the berthing of Home steamers there had had a wonderful effect on the Taranaki district. Direct shipments of phosphates, with the saving of transit shipping charges, had saved thousands for the Taranaki farmers.

Judgment by default was given as follows in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday:—Thomas Avery (Mr. A. C. Lawrey) v. W. M. Blanchard (costs on amount of claim 14s); Johnston Bros. (Mr. Lawrey) v. J. H. Slight £6 16s 3d, costs £1 16s Gd; George Knight v. P. Clifton £2 16s, costs 8s; W. Seamark (Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert) v. G. Blaine, £92 10s, costs £5 6s.

Counsel during a tenement ease yesterday remarked that now that the Christmas holidays were over the defendants ought to be able to get rooms, The case was one concerning the sub-let-ting of part of a house. His Worship (Mr. T. A B. Bailey, S.-M.) disagreed with counsel, remarking that k was the first occasion for some time he had heard there were plenty of rooms available in New Plymouth.

A correspondent, in the course of a communication read at last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, commended the inspector (Mr. R. Day) “for his great ability and zeal in his untiring efforts toward* making the traffic safer than it has been hitherto.” The same writer also expressed the opinion that it behoved the citizens to help the inspector in his efforts in that direction.

The necessity tor retrenchment in the matter of streets expenditure in New Plymouth was recently stressed by the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) in a report on borough finance. At last night’s nleeting of the council it was decided that the questiqn of reducing the expenditure during the ensuing three months, be left to the engineer’s discretion; and that he be authorised to delete from this year's tarring work such portions of any streets as he is satisfied may safely stand until next summer

A tenement case was heard at the New 'Plymouth Court yesterday, in which Chas. Gallagher (Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert) claimed from James O’Grady (Mr. A. Bennett) possession of three rooms which had been sub-let. The application had previously been before the Court throe months ago, and was adjourned. At yesterday’s sitting His Worship (Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) said that on the merits of the case he could not make an order. Costs £1 Is were allowed defendant. The non-inclusion of the Taranaki district in the itinerary of the Racing Commission was last week the subject of a communication sent to the commission by Mr. >S. G. Smith, M.P., who urged that the members should visit New Plymouth. Yesterday Mr. Smith received the following telegram from the secretary (Mr. P. J. Kelleher):

“Commission would have been pleased to have been present at the T.J.C. and Trotting Club’s meetings, but find it necesSary to inspect the outlying districts whorover we can.” This week the commission is visiting Te Puke, Tauranga, Whakatane, Gpotiki, and Gisborne. At lasi night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, a report was received from the engineer, urging that in view of the revision of the Customs tariff the council should make representations to the Government asking that road-making machinery imported into New- Zealand by local bodies be exempt from duty, or at least admitted at greatly reduced rates. Re pointed out that as labor was both scarce and dear every mechanical assistance was desirlt was decided to defer consideration pending the sitting of the commission which is to deal with the tariff revision. The electrical fitters of New Plymouth have protested against the Borough Council entering into competition with them in making connections in private houses and fitting work. They point out that a number of returned soldiers who are engaged, in the occupation may be driven out of the busiqei’s, and also that the class of work was decreasing on account of the power the council had available having practically reached its limit.. At the meeting of the council last night the matter was referred to the electrical committee.

A meeting of the Taranaki school committees connected with the Dominion Federated School Committees’ Association was held in New Plymouth last night, there being a large and representative attendance. Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., president of the association, gave an interesting address on the Education Amendment Bill passed at the late session of Parliament. A lengthy discussion ensued on the question of the supply of school books and requisites, the alternative proposals being a central Government .depot or a separate depot in each of the education districts. It was ultimately decided that no definite action should he taken ''pending the receipt of particular*; of the suggestions made by the Minister for Educations at the recent education conference.

The attention of Jersey breeders is directed to a notice appearing in our auction columns re a special sale of pedigree Jerseys to be held by Messrs. Newton King, Ltd., in June (during Winter Show week). Land agents’ licenses were granted to the following at the sitting of the Magistrate’s Court. New Plymouth, yesterday: —J. H. Quinn, W. G. Richardson, and L. A. Nolan. > Shoals of unsolicited testimonials commending the wonderful efficacy of “Fairy Wonder” washing powder are reaching the manufacturers, the Purity Products Company. “Fairy” has no compeer in the household. Try it once and you’ll never be without it.’ Of all gro-