LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

London advises that mail for New Zealand was despatched on February 11 by the Mahana, via Panama. The Pacific Cable Board notify that cable communication between England and Sydney has been restored. The Patea Borough Council’s proposal to raise a loan of £5OOO for water and drainage works was carried on Thursday by 81 votes to 6. Wednesday is favored as the day for the weekly half-holiday »by the Hawera Retailers’ Association. This decision was reached at a meeting on Thursday night, when Mr. Westaway moved: “That it is the considered opinion of the Hawera Retailers’ Association that the changing of the half-holiday from Wednesday to Saturday would be a disaster to the retail business 'of Hawera and inimical to the best interests of this town and district, and that the association pledges itself to do all in its power to retain the Wednesday halfholiday.” After a lively discussion between advocates of Wednesday and Saturday the motion was carried by 13 votes to 8.

The New Plymouth municipal elections will take place this year on Wednesday, April 27, and the roll will close twenty-eight days previously. It therefore behoves all over *2l who are not already on the roll to take steps to be enrolled. The petition for a poll on the Saturday halfholiday must be handed in to the council one calendar month before the poll. The requisitions in circulation petitioning for a poll on the half-holiday question are being very freely signed, and already some 600 signatures have been received without any effort on the pirt of the organisers. When a comprehensive effort is made-by those in favor of the Saturday half-holiday it is expected that fully two thousand signatures will be obtained.

At a meeting of the executive of the Taranaki Farmers’ Union on Thursday, a letter was from the Pelorus Sounds district executive setting out a scheme for placing the wool industry on a permanent footing and giving stability to prices. The proposals provided for the calling of a conference, the appointment of a secretary, and suggested co-operation with other countries. It was resolved to reply to the circular that while the executive was of opinion that there was - urgent necessity ( fqr some scheme for the purpose in view, it did not consider that there was anything in the circular in the nature of a solution of the difficulty; that it would be impossible to get wool growers the world over to combine, but that the Union would give its support to any practical scheme that could be evolved.

“Give us the old discarded ships,” say the people who live in the coast cities of England. Why do they want them? Of what use is a ahip whose days as a fighter are past? From the war-ships that are no longer serviceable on the sea, all of the equipment is removed that might be still of service. The hulls of the ships, filled with stones and concrete, are then towed to points along the coast whjere breakwaters are needed, and. sunk. Thus the discarded war-ship forms an efficient breakwater. A vessel such as the obsolete Prince George, after twentyfive years of usefulness, will continue to guard the coast, but in this new capacity. The ship will make a breakwater 390 feet long. A subscriber who has sent us this extract says if put into practise in New Plymouth it would save an enormous amount of work and money, and build the harbor in quick time.

Bandsmen will assemble at the bandroom at 8 o'clock on Sunday morning to proceed to the Ngaere Gardens.

Harvest thanksgiving services are to be held at the Whiteley Memorial Church to-morrow. The morning preacher at eleven will be the Bev. J. F. Martin. liS the evening at seven, the monthly service will b« held. The Rev. J. Napier Milne takes as his subject on that occasion the question, “How does your garden grow?” At 6.45 there will be a short musical service. Appropriate hymns and anthems will be sung during the evening. Mrs. Ferry will sing the solo “O Divine Redeemer” (Gounod).

The Egmont A. and P. Association Show, which is to be held on March 2 and 3, promises to be an outstanding success. Entries for all classes are stUl coining in freely and in consequence it has been decided’ to extend the time for the receipt of late entries till 9 p.m. on Thursday, February 24. At a meeting of the Sports Committee last night arrangements were made for the grand band concert, which to be held in the Pukeknra Park on Friday evening next. The mounds are to be' lit with electric light,"nd in addition to a splendid programme of band music a number of items by well-known singers will be rendered. Boating on tin* lake will be a feature, and as the proceeds are to be devoted to a popular object, viz., the improvement of the Pukekura sports ground, there should he a large attendance. No matter what may be said to the contrary by prejudiced or interested persons. “Fairy Wonder” Dry Soap is the finest washing powder ever placed on the market. Older and less efficient powders fii'P being rapidly ousted by this wonderful new invention. There is a good reason. It works while you sleep. AL

It was decided at the local bodies’ conference, held at Auckland, to establish one big electric power board' for the whole of the Auckland district. The decision has received thte support of practically all the local bodies. Equal representation and local reticulation is provided for. 9 “How are the roads near your*farm?” was the question put to a witness before the commission at Auckland, inquiring into the proposal to form an Akarana County. “Oh, pretty fair,” was the candid reply. “I was on the council for a time, and saw to that.”

In connection with the carrying on of harbor works at New Plymouth, a report was received at yesterdays meeting of the Harbor Board from the resident engineer (Mr. G. W. Baxter Eowson), regarding a scheme for the institution of modern submarine blasting with the idea of clearing stone from the harbor bottom. The proposals included the purchase of a pontoon and various plant and diving apparatus at a tofal cost of £2673. The engineer also suggested that two divers be employed in order to carry on the work expeditiously. Consideration of the report was deferred. While in the South Island, Mr. Massey was asked if Parliament would have an opportunity of discussing the naval and military policy of the Dominion prior to his departure for the Imperial Conference. “So far as I am able to judge,” he replied, “there will not be a good opportunity to discuss these matters until I come back to the Dominion. I am very strongly in favor of a proper scheme of naval defence, not only for the Pacific, but for the whole Empire. I feel very strongly about it, for I am convinced that the future of the Empire depends upon the maintenance of our naval supremacy. I do not believe, for a moment, in a so-called ‘naval holiday.’ We could not afford it.”

Don’t forget the Gibson Motor Excursion to-morrow (Sunday) to Ngaere Gardens. A splendid musical programme has been arranged, and a pleasant outing is assured.

The further drastically reduced prices quoted by the Melbourne, Ltd., continue to keep the firm’s gigantic sale we l ! before the public. Just as “all the world loves a winner” so does all femininity love a bargain, and there are truly wonderful bargains at the Melbourne.

White footwear at a third off usual prices will fairly run out at Rennie’s Sale, Waitara. Good news travels fast. You'll have to hurry. See page 4

It was erroneously stated in yesterday’s issue that Mr. R. H. Quilliam represented the defendant in the case, the borough inspector v. Shepherd. Mr. A. R. Billing was the defendant lawyer.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., and Newton King, Ltd., wish to draw clients’ attention to their Whangamomona annual sheep fair, which will be held in their Whangamomona saleyards on February 23, at 1 p.m. Full particulars of entries will be found on page 8 of this issue.