LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL,

The Taranaki United Fire Briga.W® Association will hold, its annual conference at Inglewood on the 17th inat.'l During the December quarter the de-1 posits in the Post Office Savings Bank I in the New Plymouth district totalled £332,113, and tiie withdrawals £343,470. In the corresponding quarter of 1920 the totals were £428,668 and £313,157 respectively. Imports passing through the Customs House at the port of New Plymouth last year were valued at £499,009, js compared with £230,089 in 1919. These do not, of course, cover all the dutiable goods imported, because duty is in many cases paid at the main ports. The increase, however, is very satisfactory as showing an increasing tendency to import here under bond. The post and telegraph revenue collected during the Recember quarter in the New Plymouth postal district amounted to £22,422 as compared with £17.774 in the corresponding quarter of 1919. This amount Was exceeded only by Wellington Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin (£44,132), Hamilton, a new district created out of Auckland South ( £43,885), Napier ( £30,529), and Wanganui (£26,641). Invercargill collected £21,692, and Timaru £21,325. The collier Kamona, which left the New Plymouth wharf yesterday morning, was held up in the stream all day yesterday awaiting the return of a missing member of the crew,, a fireman, but the absconder did not put in an appearance, and the vessel was not able to sail last right. She will be delayed till the complement of firemen is made up to the full strength, and efforts are being made by the local office to fill the vacancy.

The race crowds assembled in New Plymouth yesterday were very orderly, the police report, and no rowdiness occurred to mar the pleasure of the day’s outing. There was a largo amount of traffic, the volume exceeding that of the lust February meeting, though it was n’ot equal to that recorded at the recent Christmas fixture. The by-laws were well observed by drivers, but two ear owners will be prosecuted for “passing” in the line of motors on the route near the course. A call was made on the New Plymouth Fire Brigade last evening to extinguish a blaze among some lupins at Moturoa, which had caught fire, and the flames were spreading quickly, threatening near-by buildings on the foreshore. Owing to the dry spell lupins and scrub along the beach are at present easily set alight, and care is necessary by frequenters of the seaside in lighting fires without taking precaution to prevent a spread of the flames. Lighted matches and cigarette ends thrown away by smokers are also a source of danger.

' The port of New Plymouth presented a busy appearance yesterday, there being considerable movement in both coastal and overseas shipping The American steamer West Mahwah, which has been in port since January 24 discharging a large cargo of benzine and timber, sailed for Melbourne at about (1 o’clock yesterday morning, and the Kamona shortly afterwards went into the stream and anchored to await a nfember of the crew who was ashore. As soon as these vessels had cleared the Kini, which arrived in the stream before daylight with coal from .Greyfiouth, berthed at the wharf, while the liner Kumara, which arrived from Australia, at 8 a.m., berthed early in the afternoon. The Mandy Lodge, with coal from Newcastle, is expected to-day. while the Rarawa arrives on the usual trip from Onehunga to-morrow. The Ngatoro is also due bv the end of the -V-Mfe